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Adam Baldwin guests on 9-1-1: Lone Star(11/9/24) A gang killing leads Carlos to new information on his father’s murder. TK contemplates a major life decision as Owen is determined to get Austin’s first responders’ health care coverages increased in the all-new "The Quiet Ones" episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star airing Monday, Nov 18 (8:00-9:02 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (NLS-508) (TV-14 L,V)Cast: Rob Lowe as Owen Strand; Gina Torres as Tommy Vega; Ronen Rubinstein as T.K. Strand; Jim Parrack as Judd Ryder; Natacha Karam as Marjan Marwani; Brian Michael Smith as Paul Strickland; Rafael Silva as Carlos Reyes; Julian Works as Mateo Chavez; Brianna Baker as Nancy Gillian; Jackson Pace as Wyatt Harris; Skyler Yates as Evie Vega; Kelsey Yates as Izzy Vega Guest Cast: Henry Ian Cusick as Enzo; Parker Young as Ranger Sam Campbell; Alan Autry as Chief Ranger Bridges; Adam Baldwin as Det. McGregor; Joseph Raymond Lucero as Nestor Grimes; Iris Liu as Sofia; Michael Reilly Burke as Mayor Stanton; Theodore & Vincent Simard as Jonah. ‘The Electric State’ Trailer: Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, The Russos And Robots(10/17/24) (Video) Netflix on Thursday released the teaser trailer for Marvel veterans the Russo Brothers’ next sprawling tale The Electric State, which stars Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt and a load of robots.The first look at the pic, which hits the streaming service on March 14, 2025, comes ahead of today’s panel presentation at the now-underway New York Comic Con. Joe and Anthony Russo teamed with their Avengers scribes Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely for Electric State, an adaptation of Simon Stålenhag’s illustrated novel. It’s set in the retro-futuristic 1990s where sentient robots resembling cartoons and mascots, who once served peacefully among humans, now live in exile following a failed uprising. The plot centers on a orphaned teenager (Brown) who traverses the American West with a sweet but mysterious robot named Cosmo and an eccentric smuggler (Pratt) and his robot Herman (Mackie) in search of her younger brother who she thought was dead but appears to be controlling Cosmo. As they venture into the Exclusion Zone, a walled-off corner in the desert where robots now exist on their own, they find new animatronic allies and discover that the forces behind Christopher’s disappearance are more sinister than they ever expected. The loaded cast also includes Ke Huy Quan, Jason Alexander and Woody Norman, with Giancarlo Esposito and Stanley Tucci. Mackie, Woody Harrelson, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, Hank Azaria, Colman Domingo and Alan Tudyk voice the robots. The Russos are producers along with Mike Larocca, Angela Russo-Otstot, Chris Castaldi and Patrick Newall. Executive producers are Markus, McFeely, Stålenhag Tim Connors, Nick van Dyk, Jake Aust, Geoffrey Haley, Jeffrey Ford, Julia Angelin, Russell Ackerman, John Schoenfelder, Anthony Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti. Check out the trailer above. Alan Tudyk Playing Secret Role In James Gunn’s ‘Superman’(9/26/24) James Gunn‘s Superman may be wrapped, but we’re hearing that Alan Tudyk is also part of the mass ensemble pic in an undisclosed role.Tudyk already is playing the voice of nuclear plant meltdown-born villain Doctor Phosphorus in Gunn’s upcoming Max animated series, Creature Commandos, which technically kicks off the first part of the DC Boss’ Phase One, “Gods and Monsters.” Tudyk also voices Clayface in the Max animated series Harley Quinn. As far as Gunn and Tudyk’s previous collaborations prior to Superman, Gunn starred in an episode of Tudyk’s Vimeo series Con Man which ran from 2015-17. Gunn announced the completion of production on Superman in July. The pic follows the Man of Steel as he looks to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned. The movie, also produced by Gunn and DC co-Boss Peter Safran, hits theaters on July 11 via Warner Bros. David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan won the respective roles of Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane. The movie also stars Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luthor), Skyler Gisondo (Jimmy Olsen), Sara Sampaio (Eve Teschmacher), Edi Gathegi (Mister Terrific), Terence Rosemore (Otis), Anthony Carrigan (Metamorpho), Isabela Merced (Hawkgirl), Nathan Fillion (Guy Gardner), María Gabriela de Faría (The Engineer), Wendell Pierce (Daily Planet editor Perry White), Beck Bennett, and Frank Grillo (Rick Flag Sr). Tudyk recently reprised his Rogue One: A Star Wars Story role of K2SO in the second season of Disney+’s Andor. He’s also voicing Hei Hei in Disney Animation’s upcoming Thanksgiving theatrical release Moana 2 out Nov. 27. The Firefly vet is repped by Gersh Agency, Artists First and UTA for voice over. Alan Tudyk Inks With Artists First(9/25/24) Primetime Emmy nominee Alan Tudyk has signed with Artists First.The multi-hyphenate continues to be repped by Gersh Agency and UTA for voice over. Tudyk recently reprised his Rogue One: A Star Wars Story role of K2SO in the second season of Disney+’s Andor. The Juilliard School alum is also voicing Doctor Phosphorus in Max’s upcoming DC animated series, Creature Commandos. Tudyk also plays Hei Hei in Disney Animation’s upcoming Moana 2. Most recently he starred as the lead title role on the Amblin/SyFy series Resident Alien from David Dobkin and Chris Sheridan, which was Syfy’s highest-rated new drama in more than eight years with the premiere pulling in nearly 10 million viewers. Tudyk starred in the role of Mr. Darling in David Lowery’s Peter Pan for Disney opposite Jude Law, Jim Gaffigan, and Yara Shahidi. When it comes to Disney, Tudyk’s resume at the studio is long having voiced Toucan in the Academy-Award winning Encanto, as well as roles in Raya and the Last Dragon, Zootopia and Moana. Tudyk’s role in the Disney animated feature Wreck-It Ralph garnered him an Annie Award for his role as ‘King Candy’. He can also be heard in its sequel, Ralph Breaks the Internet as ‘KnowsMore’. Tudyk has also loaned his voice to ‘The Duke of Weaselton’ in Disney’s Academy Award-winning film, Frozen, ‘Alister Krei’ in Big Hero 6 and ‘Ludo’ and ‘King Butterfly’ on the Disney Channel series, Star vs. the Forces of Evil. He also appeared on the newest season of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm and recurred on Netflix’s Arrested Development. Well known for his role as Hoban ‘Wash’ Washburn’ in the cult series, Firefly, Tudyk also starred as the main antagonist in Doom Patrol for DC Universe, and previously was a series regular on NBC’s Powerless and ABC’s Suburgatory. In 2015, he wrote, directed, and starred in the comedy web series Con Man, which aired on SyFy in 2017 and earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. Among his other stage credits, Tudyk starred in Mike Nichols’ Spamalot on Broadway. The musical won three Tony Awards and was nominated for another 11. Alan has starred in films such as Trumbo, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, 42, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, 3:10 to Yuma, Death at a Funeral, Knocked Up, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story and 28 Days. Tudyk made his feature film debut in 1998, when he first appeared opposite Robin Williams in Patch Adams. Television Academy and ABC Announce Presenters Slated for 76th Emmy Awards(9/9/24) The Television Academy and ABC today announced the stars slated to appear on the 76th Emmy® Awards, hosted by Eugene Levy and Dan Levy.The 76th Emmy Awards, produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment, will broadcast live on ABC SUNDAY, SEPT. 15 (8:00-11:00 p.m. EDT/5:00-8:00 p.m. PDT), from the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles and will be available for streaming on Hulu Sept. 16-22. The diverse lineup of talent represents critically acclaimed television series, Emmy-nominated programs across many viewing platforms and genres, and Emmy nominees — all tapped to celebrate television excellence on the esteemed awards show. Talent includes the following:Christine Baranski — Nominee, Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series In addition, there will be special appearances from Olympic gold medalist swimmer Caeleb Dressel and Olympic bronze medal-winning rugby player Ilona Maher. For more information, please visit Emmys.com.
‘9-1-1: Lone Star’ Officially Ending With Season 5(9/5/24) The days of the 126 fighting fires around Austin are numbered, on our screens at least. 9-1-1: Lone Star will be ending with Season 5.The upcoming fifth season had been delayed from the 2023-2024 season to the 2024-2025 season due to the dual writers’ and actors’ strikes and will premiere on Monday, September 23. It has been rumored to be the show’s last since June, when it was also reported that Sierra McClain (dispatcher Grace) will not be returning. Now, it is official. The fifth season will be 12 episodes. “From the start, fans have followed the heroic and deeply moving stories of the men and women who make up Austin’s 126, so a huge thanks to one of the greatest creative teams in all of television — Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear — for creating one of the most action-packed dramas anywhere,” Fox TV Network President Michael Thorn told Deadline. “Now in our final season of the show, we’re set to give it the high-stakes send-off it deserves, complete with breathless rescues, insurmountable odds, and relatable personal struggles, thanks to our incomparable, stellar cast led by Rob Lowe and Gina Torres.” Season 5 will begin with a multi-episodic storyline, with Captain Owen Strand (Rob Lowe) and Tommy Vega (Gina Torres) and the rest of the 126 racing into action when a catastrophic train derailment endangers several lives, including some of their own. Following Judd (Jim Parrack) resigning from the 126 to care for his son Wyatt (Jackson Pace) following a bike accident that left him serious injured, Owen needs to find a new lieutenant. He has a difficult decision ahead when both Marjan (Natacha Karam) and Paul (Brian Michael Smith) apply for the promotion. Meanwhile, Tommy’s ready to take the next step in her relationship with Trevor (D.B. Woodside), but she finds the road to happiness is filled with obstacles. On his 30th birthday, T.K. (Ronen Rubinstein) gets a surprise visit from someone from his past that could change his and Carlos’ (Rafael Silva) lives forever. Plus, their marriage is put to the test when Carlos becomes obsessed with solving his father’s murder. 9-1-1: Lone Star premiered on Fox as a spinoff of 9-1-1 in 2020. There hasn’t been much crossover between the two, other than one episode on Lone Star that saw Aisha Hinds, Oliver Stark, and Ryan Guzman guest star, some mentions, and a couple characters. Then, 9-1-1 moved to ABC for its seventh season in the 2023-2024 season, making the possibility of another crossover less likely. 9-1-1: Lone Star, Fifth and Final Season Premiere, Monday, September 23, 8/7c, Fox Resident Alien Renewed for Season 4 With One Major Change(6/18/24) Another big extraterrestrial battle is brewing: NBCUniversal has renewed Resident Alien for Season 4, TVLine has learned. However, the series will be changing networks, moving from Syfy to USA Network.The episode count for the new season remains TBA. Based on the Dark Horse comics series of the same name, Resident Alien follows a crash-landed alien (Alan Tudyk) whose original mission was to kill every living being on the planet. But after spending time on Earth and making friends in the town of Patience, Colo., he changed course and set about on a new plan: To save humanity from other races of aliens who want to claim the world as their own. In the Season 3 finale (which aired Wednesday, April 3), Harry, with help from unlikely ally Joseph, thwarted the Greys’ Earth-destroying Yellowstone plan. D’arcy (little “a”!), meanwhile, helped save Kate and Ben’s baby, Sheriff Mike finally came face-to-face with an alien and Liv was reunited with the alien tracker. In addition to Tudyk, Resident Alien stars Sara Tomko, Alice Wetterlund, Corey Reynolds, Levi Fiehler, Elizabeth Bowen, Meredith Garrettson and Judah Prehn. The series also boasts an impressive list of guest stars including Edi Patterson (The Righteous Gemstones), Terry O’Quinn (Lost), Enver Gjokaj (Invasion), Gary Farmer and Sarah Podemski (Reservation Dogs), and Linda Hamilton. Resident Alien was adapted to television by executive producer Chris Sheridan, who has served as showrunner since its launch and remains at the helm for the upcoming fourth season. Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg of Dark Horse Entertainment, Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank of Amblin TV and Nastaran Dibai also executive-produce. TV gets cooking with Pamela Anderson among new Canadian offerings(6/6/24) A Pamela Anderson cooking show and a new docuseries from Bryan and Sarah Baeumler are among the homegrown highlights of Corus Entertainment’s TV plans, with the broadcaster’s content boss touting a focus on unscripted “Canadian content that can compete with the rest of the world and isn’t hamstrung by regulations.”Corus revealed a fall/winter lineup for its specialty properties and flagship Global that add “Pamela’s Cookin’ With Love” to Food Network Canada and “Building Baeumler” to HGTV Canada. Also heading to HGTV Canada is Kristen Coutts’ “Beer Budget Reno,” the fall luxury reno show “House of Ali” with Ali Budd, and a second season of Anderson’s reno show “Pamela’s Garden of Eden,” set for winter. Troy Reeb, executive vice president of networks and content, said the media giant is leaning into lifestyles and reality fare after the CRTC eased rules around its obligations to produce homegrown scripted drama and comedy. “It’s not that we don’t love our Canadian dramas, it’s just that to make those big, scripted shows requires you to have budgets that compete with Hollywood, and that’s very difficult for Canadian companies,” Reeb said Wednesday. “When it comes to the unscripted space, we know we can make competitive shows that sell around the world, that can compete with the best of the world.” The CRTC said last month it had granted Corus’s request to reduce the amount it spends on so-called “programs of national interest” to five per cent of its revenue, down from 8.5 per cent. Reeb pointed to the success of the Baeumlers’ HGTV Canada tropical restoration show “Island of Bryan” as an example of an unscripted series that was competitive globally and which Corus could make “at a price point that works.” Reeb said “Building Baeumler,” which follows Bryan and Sarah and they grow their individual and family ventures, will showcase more of the “personality dynamic” between the couple that has made their shows resonate with audiences. Greg McLelland, Corus’ executive vice president and chief revenue officer, said unscripted series are a “huge” part of the broadcaster’s strategy from a “pure revenue standpoint” in part because it’s easier to work sponsorships into those shows. “When we have those unscripted Canadian shows, our sales teams get extremely excited because we can now put brands right into the show, and we can extend the brand with those hosts because we’ve had such a long relationship with them and they’re great people to work with,” he said. Other unscripted shows include History Channel’s “Yukon Rescue,” a new docuseries following an emergency response team, and “Sounds Black,” a four-part documentary about the origins of Black music in Canada featuring Kardinal Offishall, Maestro Fresh Wes, Deborah Cox and more. Global’s homegrown scripted fare includes the B.C.-shot crime drama “Murder in a Small Town” with Vancouver’s Rossif Sutherland and Kristin Kreuk, set for fall, and the mid-season return of the Victor Garber legal drama “Family Law.” The channel’s hip-hop drama “Robyn Hood,” a reimagining of the Robin Hood tale by Director X that premiered last September, is not returning due to poor ratings, said Reeb. Global’s fall lineup includes U.S. imports delayed by last year’s Hollywood actors and writers strikes, including CBS’ gender-swapped “Matlock” starring Kathy Bates and the Damon Wayans comedy “Poppa’s House,” in which he plays a divorced radio host navigating his love life while parenting his adult son, played by Damon Wayans Jr. Groups representing Canadian actors, writers and producers have said eased spending rules for Corus will hurt local creators and result in fewer original homegrown stories, but Reeb said Corus is “doing more than our part to support the Canadian ecosystem.” He said more of the onus for CanCon should fall on streaming giants like Netflix and Disney Plus. “We are a small part of the massive media ecosystem that is increasingly occupied by foreign streaming giants and foreign tech giants that are coming into Canada and gobbling up parts of the market and parts of the revenue streams. It’s incumbent on everybody to play their part,” he said. Reeb added that Corus “will air more Canadian content across our networks this year than all of the streaming services combined,” including its news programs and unscripted series. On Tuesday, the CRTC said online streaming services operating in Canada will be required to contribute five per cent of their revenues to support local news and the production of Canadian content. Corus must contribute 30 per cent of its revenues to Canadian content. Reeb said the move is “a very nice start.” Republic Pictures Acquires Edward Burns’ ‘Millers In Marriage’ Starring Julianna Margulies, Gretchen Mol, Minnie Driver & Morena Baccarin(5/30/24) Republic Pictures has acquired worldwide rights to Millers in Marriage, a new film written, directed by and starring Edward Burns (The Brothers McMullen).Details as to the release plan haven’t been disclosed. The starry ensemble also includes Julianna Margulies (The Morning Show), Gretchen Mol (Boardwalk Empire), Minnie Driver (The Serpent Queen), Morena Baccarin (Deadpool), Benjamin Bratt (Mother of the Bride), Campbell Scott (Dying Young), Brian d’Arcy James (Spotlight) and Patrick Wilson (Insidious franchise). Millers in Marriage follows Eve Miller (Mol), the former lead singer-songwriter of an indie rock band, who finds herself drawn to a music journalist (Bratt) amid a toxic marriage. Meanwhile, Eve’s sister Maggie (Margulies), a bestselling author, is encountering challenges in her marriage of 30 years as her career surpasses her husband’s. At the same time, Renee (Driver), a recently divorced successful fashion executive, is navigating a budding relationship with Andy Miller (Burns), an artist who is juggling his feelings for Renee and his recently separated wife Tina (Baccarin), Renee’s former colleague. Wilson plays Scott, a successful music manager who struggles with alcoholism, with Scott as Nick, an award-winning novelist with crippling writer’s block, and James as Dennis, a salt-of-the-earth caretaker for high-end homes, who has taken an interest in Maggie. Burns also produced the pic with his longtime partner Aaron Lubin and Ellen H. Schwartz. Best known for his work as an actor in shows like Bridge and Tunnel and films like Saving Private Ryan, he’s previously helmed 13 features, including The Fitzgerald Family Christmas and the Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner The Brothers McMullen, among other projects. An acquisition-only label under Paramount Global Content Distribution, Republic Pictures has recently snapped up titles like Blackberry (Berlin 2023) and Self Reliance (SXSW 2023), as well as William Friedkin’s final film The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial, TIFF world premiere The End We Start From, and Sundance 2024’s The Greatest Night in Pop and Rob Peace. Dan Cohen, Chief Content Licensing Officer, Paramount and President, Republic Pictures, negotiated the deal with Burns and Lubin of Marlboro Road Gang Productions. ‘Resident Alien’ Eyes Move To USA As Series Faces Uncertain Future At NBCU & Possible Netflix Play(5/7/24) A little over a month after Season 3 of Resident Alien wrapped its run on Syfy, the future of the quirky sci-fi comedy-drama is up in the air. And there is some intrigue over where the series starring Alan Tudyk would continue should it get a fourth season.I hear there are talks about Resident Alien moving from Syfy to NBCU cable sibling USA Network, which currently doesn’t have scripted originals besides Chucky, which it shares with Syfy. According to sources, a return to Syfy appears unlikely, so USA is Resident Alien‘s only feasible destination within NBCU, whose UCP division produces the adaptation of the comic book by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse. But a potential Season 4 pickup by USA would come with a major budget reduction, as much as $500,000 an episode, which will be challenging, I hear. Budgets in basic cable always have been modest. They now are undergoing additional scrutiny amid the economic realities of ad-supported cable networks being heavily impacted by cord-cutting and the overall decline in linear viewing. As Deadline reported exclusively in December, USA has been exploring a return of its “Blue Sky” drama brand with hourlong shows whose budgets are capped at $2M-$3M an episode. For now, the focus is to try to keep Resident Alien at NBCU, I hear. If that proves impossible, UCP, part of Universal Studio Group, is expected to explore other options, including shopping the series to Netflix. The streamer released Seasons 1 and 2 of Resident Alien on Feb. 13, a day before Season 3 premiered on Syfy with next day availability on Peacock, which also houses the show’s library. The well-reviewed series (its first two seasons average 97% on Rotten Tomatoes) landed on several must-watch lists, and Season 1 made it to Netflix’s Top 10 of English-language series for its first five weeks of release. It is unclear whether Netflix would be interested if approached. Additionally, a move to the global streamer would be challenging due to the patchwork of international rights that need to be untangled as Resident Alien has been a strong performer internationally for NBCU and available in a slew of territories. Netflix went through that with Warner Bros. TV on Lucifer and with eOne on Designated Survivor. Universal Studio Group’s Universal Television just did it for comedy series Girls5eva, which moved from domestic-only streamer Peacock to Netflix for Season 3. Created by Chris Sheridan based on the comic book, Resident Alien centers on the titular character, played by Tudyk, who is sent to wipe out humanity on Earth but over time develops compassion for his hosts and starts to defend them from other extraterrestrial threats while working as a doctor at a small Colorado town. Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund, Levi Fiehler, Judah Prehn and Elizabeth Bowen also star. Sheridan, Mike Richardson, Keith Goldberg, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, David Dobkin and Robert Duncan McNeill executive produce. Jocko Productions, Amblin Television and Dark Horse Entertainment produce with UCP. ‘Fire Country’ Spinoff ‘Sheriff Country’ Starring Morena Baccarin Ordered To Series By CBS For 2025-26 Season(5/2/24) CBS has ordered its first new series for the 2025-26 broadcast season. The network has given a green light to Fire Country spinoff Sheriff Country, headlined by Morena Baccarin. The series order was announced Thursday during CBS’ presentation in Los Angeles.In Sheriff Country, Baccarin stars as straight-shooting sheriff Mickey Fox, the stepsister of Cal Fire’s division chief Sharon Leone (Diane Farr of Fire Country), who investigates criminal activity as she patrols the streets of small-town Edgewater while contending with her ex-con father and a mysterious incident involving her wayward daughter. The (then) potential spinoff was introduced when Baccarin guest starred in an April episode of the mothership series. Like the series’ pilot, the episode was written by Joan Rater and Tony Phelan from a story the Grey’s Anatomy alums co-wrote with series’ star Max Thieriot, whose real-life experiences inspired Fire Country. Thieriot also directed the planted spinoff episode. In the April episode “Alert the Sheriff,” Mickey (Baccarin) enters the scene in Edgewater via helicopter; she’s in pursuit of a money launderer who ends up dumping $50,000 in cash over the convicts while they while they’re working in the woods. Viewers quickly learn that Mickey is not only the step-sister of Sharon (Diane Farr), she also played an unfortunate role in putting Sharon’s son Bode (Max Thieriot) behind bars before he joined the Cal Fire firefighting program. CBS’ decision to go ahead with a Fire Country spinoff is not surprising, given the fact that the drama ranked as the most watched new broadcast series last season, averaging 8 million viewers per episode, 10 million in live+35 multi-platform viewing. And CBS President and CEO George Cheeks hinted at the possibility of a Fire Country spinoff during a conversation with Deadline’s Peter White last June at the Banff World Media Festival. “We are focused on mass-appeal franchises,” Cheeks said at the time. “This season’s number one show was Fire Country, which completely lends itself to building out a whole new universe… It became very clear that not only was the show special, it really felt like this could be a great example of us building together a franchise from scratch. And so I’m like, ‘you guys, congratulations, you got your back nine. Now let’s start talking about ideas for new extensions.’ They’ve already come up with some great ones.” The Sheriff Country initial episode is written by Tony Phelan and Joan Rater with story by Phelan, Rater and Max Thieriot. Executive producers are Thieriot, Phelan, Rater, and Jerry Bruckheimer and KristieAnne Reed for JBTV. The series is produced by CBS Studios. ‘The Rookie’ Renewed For Season 7 By ABC(4/15/24) The Rookie will be back for another go-round. Ahead of the Season 6 finale, ABC has renewed the Nathan Fillion drama, produced by Lionsgate Television, for a seventh season.The renewal comes amid strong ratings for Season 6. The Alexi Hawley-created crime drama kicked off its sixth season with its most-watched episode in nearly six years, with 11.92 million Total Viewers across platforms after 35 days of viewing. That is up 14% from its season five average and marks the show’s strongest MP35 number since Oct. 23, 2018, according to the network and Nielsen. In adults 18-49, the series premiere notched a 2.90 rating — up 27% from its prior season MP +35 average (2.29 rating). This is the strongest MP +35 rating for the popular drama since its first season (2.91 rating) on Nov. 13, 2018. On linear, the series had its best L+35 performance in Total Viewers (7.23 million) since March 28, 2023 (7.26 million). Fillion stars as John Nolan, along with Mekia Cox as Nyla Harper, Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez, Richard T. Jones as Sergeant Wade Grey, Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen, Eric Winter as Tim Bradford, Jenna Dewan as Bailey Nune, Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers, Tru Valentino as Aaron Thorsen, and Lisseth Chavez as Celina Juarez. Hawley executive produces with Mark Gordon, Fillion, Michelle Chapman, Brynn Malone, Bill Norcross and Jon Steinberg. Lionsgate Television is the lead studio and international distributor of The Rookie, a co-production with ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios. The Rookie airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on ABC, and streams next day on Hulu. ‘Fire Country’: How The CBS Drama Introduced Morena Baccarin For Possible Spinoff Series(4/12/24) Morena Baccarin made her debut as deputy sheriff Mickey on Fire Country — a role that could lead to a spinoff series if the TV (or CBS) Gods deem it worthy.In the episode “Alert the Sheriff,” Mickey enters the scene in Edgewater via helicopter; she’s in pursuit of a money launderer who ends up dumping $50,000 in cash over the convicts while they while they’re working in the woods. Viewers quickly learn that Mickey is not only the step-sister of Sharon (Diane Farr), she also played an unfortunate role in putting Sharon’s son Bode (Max Thieriot) behind bars before he joined the Cal Fire firefighting program. Mickey and Sharon have been estranged, but the women use the episode to heal old wounds. Sharon also leans on Mickey for support when she learns that Bode is not the father of Cara’s daughter, Genevieve. (Before she died in episode 5, Cara asked Bode to look after the girl). “Our backstory is that Mickey’s dad was an original resident [in Edgewater] and he got busted for growing weed,” says Joan Rater, who wrote the episode with Tony Phelan that was directed by Thieriot. “And if you’re a kid who has that kind of chaos happen early in your life, it would make sense to us that you would want to avoid chaos at all costs. You would want to believe in order and rules and law and order. And so she’s a person who likes order, but she knows everybody in town. It gives her a unique perspective.” “Because of her unique background, she’s somebody who firmly believes in the law as a force against chaos, and she deeply cares about this community,” adds Phelan. “She’s grown up here in a very real sense, the community saved her when her parents ran into trouble early on. So I think a lot of her journey is in discovering her own power and her own ability to take care of these people.” As to whether Baccarin will get her own series, Phelan says it’s up to CBS and what their needs are moving forward. Friday’s episode is not considered a backdoor pilot; the project is expected to go through another development stage before a potential series order would be made. “We think there are more stories to tell in Edgewater, and I think the audience has reacted to the idea of this small town and a small town where a lot of the people in town are first responders,” says Phelan. “I think that’s one of the things that makes Fire Country special.” CBS’ decision to explore a Fire Country spinoff is not surprising, given the fact that the drama ranked as the most watched new broadcast series last season, averaging 8 million viewers per episode, 10 million in live+35 multi-platform viewing. And CBS President and CEO George Cheeks hinted at the possibility of a Fire Country spinoff during a conversation with Deadline’s Peter White last June at the Banff World Media Festival. “We are focused on mass-appeal franchises,” Cheeks said at the time. “This season’s number one show was Fire Country, which completely lends itself to building out a whole new universe… It became very clear that not only was the show special, it really felt like this could be a great example of us building together a franchise from scratch. And so I’m like, ‘you guys, congratulations, you got your back nine. Now let’s start talking about ideas for new extensions.’ They’ve already come up with some great ones.” Sarah Chalke, Alan Tudyk, Stephen Root & Isla Fisher Among Cast To Join Action-Comedy ‘Playdate’ With Kevin James & Alan Ritchson; Filming Underway(4/4/24) Sarah Chalke (Scrubs), Alan Tudyk (Resident Alien), Stephen Root (Barry), Isla Fisher (Wolf Like Me), Sabrina Elba (Three Thousand Years Of Longing) and Hiro Kanagawa (Star Trek: Discovery) are joining Kevin James and Alan Ritchson in action-comedy Playdate, which is now filming in Canada.The film follows a down-on-his luck man, Brian (James), who was just fired from his job and becomes an unexpected stay-at-home dad to his 10-year-old son. On his first day, he accepts a playdate invitation from Jeff (Ritchson), another stay-at-home dad, who turns out to be an unexpected loose cannon. The two fathers and their sons spend the day on the run, facing a deadly conspiracy. Director Luke Greenfield’s movie heralds from a script written by Neil Goldman. Greenfield’s WideAwake Pictures’ and Jason Benoit will produce with Mark Fasano of Nickel City Pictures, Jeffrey Greenstein of A Higher Standard and Sean Patrick O’Reilly. Executive producers are James, Jeff Sussman, Ritchson, Goldman, Dan Spilo of Industry Entertainment, Matthew Alex Goldberg of Nickel City, Michelle Myers of Arcana Studios and Josh Harris, and Ford Corbett & Nathan Klingher of Gramercy Park Media. The project marks the debut film on the slate of new international sales and production company A Higher Standard, run by former Millennium exec Jeffrey Greenstein. The film was on sale at the recent EFM in Berlin. Root was recently revealed for the project by blog InSneider. Morena Baccarin guests on Fire Country(3/25/24) “Alert the Sheriff” – After a fire camp inmate escapes from Three Rock, the deputy sheriff with a surprising connection to the Leones, Mickey (Morena Baccarin), is called to investigate, on FIRE COUNTRY, Friday, April 12 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*. Directed by series star, creator and executive producer Max Thieriot.STORY BY: Joan Rater & Tony Phelan & Max Thieriot WRITTEN BY: Joan Rater & Tony Phelan DIRECTED BY: Max Thieriot ‘Greenland’ Sequel ‘Migration’ Confirmed To Start Filming In April With Gerard Butler & Morena Baccarin(2/15/24) Gerard Butler (Angel Has Fallen), Morena Baccarin (Deadpool) and director Ric Roman Waugh (Angel Has Fallen) are confirmed to reprise their roles for action sequel Greenland: Migration, which is due to start production in the UK in April.Chris Sparling and Mitchell Lafortune wrote the screenplay in which “the Garrity family must leave the safety of the Greenland bunker after the comet ‘Clarke’ decimated the earth and the family embarks on a harrowing journey across the wasteland of Europe to find a new home”. Producing are Thunder Road Pictures’ Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee, Anton’s Sébastien Raybaud and John Zois, G-BASE’s Butler and Alan Siegel, and CineMachine’s Brendon Boyea. Executive producers are Robert Simonds, Noah Fogelson and Sam Brown for STX Entertainment, Ric Roman Waugh for CineMachine and Chris Sparling. The film will be co-financed and co-produced by Anton and STX. STX is handling international distribution and the project will continue to be on sale at the EFM via Black Bear. CAA Media Finance is repping domestic. The movie is already understood to have pre-sold well internationally. No word yet on domestic plans but Lionsgate, which has a domestic deal with STX, is known to be interested. Greenland debuted theatrically in summer 2020 during the lockdown via STX and international partners. Following the theatrical roll-out, the movie debuted on SVOD followed by an exclusive run in the U.S. on HBO Max. “We are thrilled to have Gerard, Morena and Ric back on board for Greenland: Migration to show the audiences what happened next to the Garrity family,” said Sébastien Raybaud. “To be back working with the teams at G-BASE, Thunder Road, CineMachine and STX, we know the next installment will be just as captivating as the first.” “The success of Greenland showcased in a narratively and visually compelling way what one man will do to protect and provide for his family against the most cataclysmic of odds. We could not be more excited to be continuing the Garrity’s harrowing story with Gerry, Morena, Ric and all of our wonderful producers and partners around the world,” added Sam Brown, President of Production, STX Entertainment. “Working together again with our friends at ThunderRoad, Anton, Cinemachine and STX is the ultimate experience. Gerry and I were blown away by the way in which we all bonded together seamlessly to produce a stunning first movie and we’re even more excited about our next adventure with the gang” said G-BASE’s Alan Siegel. Suits Stars Go to Court Against Each Other in Super Bowl Commercial(2/8/24) (Video) Jessica Pearson and Louis Litt are facing off in court, and Donna Paulsen is taking notes on the legal battle.In a new Super Bowl commercial for e.l.f Cosmetics, Suits stars Gina Torres (aka Jessica), Rick Hoffman (Louis) and Sarah Rafferty (Donna) reunite in front of Judge Beauty (played by the iconic Judge Judith Sheindlin). The trio is used to being on the same side of the case in their USA Network drama, but in this instance, Hoffman accuses his boss (Torres) of spending company funds on expensive makeup. “Pricey makeup is a scam, like couples therapy or boundaries,” Hoffman argues as Rafferty plays courtroom stenographer. (Does no one at e.l.f know what Donna’s job was on Suits?) Judge Beauty agrees that the cosmetics are wasteful. “You’re telling me you need to spend $92 on foundation? Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining!” the judges declares. When Torres confesses that the makeup isn’t even cruelty-free, she earns horrified gasps from the celeb-filled jury, which includes Jury Duty’s Ronald Gladden, RuPaul’s Drag Race’s HeidiNCloset and singer Meghan Trainor. After Torres is sentenced to using e.l.f’s reasonably-priced cosmetics, Hoffman wonders what he gets from the verdict. “Sorry, no makeup can cover up irritating,” Judge Beauty answers. In extremely Louis Litt fashion, Hoffman responds, “That’s OK, I don’t mind being irritating.” The commercial comes on the heels of Suits’ unexpected resurgence as it soared to streaming records on Netflix over last summer, becoming the most-streamed program of 2023. Available on Netflix since June (as well as on Peacock), the “blue sky” drama racked up 57.7 billion minutes viewed across its 134-episode library, Nielsen reports in its 2023 wrap-up, easily topping the list of Top 10 overall programs. The show’s recent popularity led to a cast reunion at the Golden Globe Awards last month, featuring stars Gabriel Macht (Harvey Specter), Patrick J. Adams (Mike Ross), Torres and Rafferty.r Nathan Fillion Launches Production Company Collision33, Inks First-Look Deal with Lionsgate(2/2/24) Nathan Fillion is expanding his producing role, announcing the launch of his production company Collision33, which has inked a first-look deal with Lionsgate. Collision33 was formed by Fillion and his longtime manager and producing partner Michelle Chapman.Industry veteran Josh Levy is set to head up development for the company and will play a pivotal role in shaping the direction of Collision33. Before joining Fillion and Chapman, Levy held positions at Far Field Productions, Boom Studios and The Jackal Group. He most recently served as executive producer on Disney+’s Turner and Hooch and CBS’ True Lies while leading development for Matt Nix’s Flying Glass of Milk Productions. Lionsgate, which acquired the global content platform eOne in December, said it looks forward to collaborating with Fillion, whose “career has been marked by outstanding performances in television, film, animation and video games.” It added, “Fillion brings a wealth of experience and creativity to the studio.” “I am incredibly excited about expanding my relationship with Lionsgate. eOne has been a tremendous partner with Michelle and me on The Rookie and The Rookie: Feds,” said Fillion of the deal in a statement to Deadline. “This partnership represents a remarkable opportunity to tell meaningful stories and create content that resonates with viewers across the globe.” “We are committed to nurturing creativity and supporting emerging and established talent,” added Chapman. “Our goal is to amplify and champion artists’ voices in the industry, fostering an environment where groundbreaking ideas can thrive.” Heading into its sixth season, Fillion stars on ABC’s hit show The Rookie which he and Chapman executive produce. The duo also served as executive producers for the series spinoff The Rookie: Feds. Fillion’s on-screen roles extend to films, where he will next appear in DC’s Superman: Legacy and take on the role of Guy Gardner, one iteration of the superhero Green Lantern. He has also voiced characters in video games with roles in Halo and Destiny. He is represented by CAA. ABC Releases Trailers For ‘The Rookie’ & 'Not Dead Yet'(1/31/24) Season 6 of The Rookie picks up following the assaults the Mid-Wilshire team endured in the Season 5 finale. Nathan Fillion stars in the drama series from Entertainment One and ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios. Season 6 of The Rookie premieres February 20 on ABC. Watch the trailer here.“Have you told your friends that you see ghosts?” So begins the Season 2 trailer for Not Dead Yet, starring Gina Rodriguez as Nell Serrano, a broke and newly single self-described disaster who is working to restart the life and career she left behind 10 years ago. Not Dead Yet Season 2 premieres February 7 on ABC. Watch the trailer below. Morena Baccarin To Headline ‘Fire Country’ Spinoff In Works At CBS(1/23/24) Morena Baccarin (Deadpool franchise) is set to appear in an upcoming episode of CBS‘ Fire Country, playing a sheriff character that could lead her own series. Baccarin will guest star in the Season 2 episode with an option to become a series regular in a potential spinoff series, Deadline has learned. Like the mothership series, the proposed offshoot would be produced by CBS Studios.Fire Country stars Max Thieriot as a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining a prison release firefighting program in his rural Northern California hometown of Edgewater. In the planted spinoff episode, which will air later in the season, Baccarin will play Mickey, a Sheriff’s Deputy for fifteen years who knows every corner of Edgewater … and every one of its inhabitants. This is her town and she’s fiercely protective of it. Baccarin emerged as a top choice for the role from the start and has been in negotiations for it since before the holidays. The sheriff-centered episode is not considered a backdoor pilot as I hear the project is expected to go through another development stage before a potential series order but its reception would likely be key for the offshoot’s chances of moving forward. A rep for CBS declined comment. CBS’ decision to explore a Fire Country spinoff is not surprising, given the fact that the drama ranked as the most watched new broadcast series last season, averaging 8 million viewers per episode, 10 million in live+35 multi-platform viewing. CBS President and CEO George Cheeks hinted at the possibility of a Fire Country spinoff during a conversation with Deadline’s Peter White in June at the Banff World Media Festival. “We are focused on mass-appeal franchises,” Cheeks said. “This season’s number one show was Fire Country, which completely lends itself to building out a whole new universe… It became very clear that not only was the show special, it really felt like this could be a great example of us building together a franchise from scratch. And so I’m like, ‘you guys, congratulations, you got your back nine. Now let’s start talking about ideas for new extensions.’ They’ve already come up with some great ones.” CBS already has two other spinoff series on tap for next season, a NCIS prequel about young Gibbs and a Young Sheldon offshoot revolving around Georgie & Mandy. Fire Country, from Jerry Bruckheimer Television and CBS Studios, is inspired by Thieriot’s experiences growing up in fire country and stems from an original idea by the actor, who also co-penned the story for the pilot with its writers, Tony Phelan and Joan Rater. The three executive produce alongside showrunner Tia Napolitano and JBTV’s Jerry Bruckheimer and KristieAnne Reed.. The upcoming second season of Fire Country — abbreviated and delayed due to the strikes — is slated to premiere Feb. 16 and stream on Paramount+. Baccarin, known for her starring roles in the Deadpool and Firefly/Serenity franchises, received an Emmy nomination for her role on Showtime’s Homeland. She also starred in ABC sci-fi drama V and Fox’s Gotham and recently headlined the NBC thriller heist series The Endgame. On CBS, she recurred on crime hit The Mentalist. In features, Brazil-born Baccarin recently starred in the hitman thriller Fast Charlie, directed by Phillip Noyce, and is producing as well as co-starring alongside Anthony Mackie in the adventure feature Elevation, set for 2024 release. She also is reprising her role as Vanessa Carlysle in the upcoming Deadpool 3. Baccarin is repped by UTA, Seven Summits Pictures and Management and Schreck Rose Dapello. NEW ANIMATED SERIES GRIMSBURG DEBUTS 1/7(12/20/23) Grimsburg centers on Marvin Flute (voiced by Emmy Winner Jon Hamm, who also serves as Executive Producer), who may be the greatest detective ever to catch a cannibal clown and correctly identify a mid-century modern armoire. But there’s one mystery he still can’t crack — himself. To do that he must return to Grimsburg, a town where everyone has a secret or three, and redeem himself in the eyes of his fellow detectives, his ferocious ex-wife and his lovably unstable son. For his first case back in town, Marvin works to track down a missing teenage girl after her romantic interest is discovered decapitated along the side of the road in the all-new “Pilot” special preview event episode of Grimsburg airing Sunday, January 7 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/5:00-5:30 PM PT live to all timezones) on FOX. (GMB-101) (TV-14 D, L, S, V)Cast: Jon Hamm as Marvin Flute; Erinn Hayes as Harmony Flute; Rachel Dratch as Stan Flute; Alan Turdyk as Dr. Rufus Pentos/Mr. Flesh; Kevin Michael Richardson as Let. Greg Summers; Greg Chun as Lt. John Kang The CW Midseason Premiere Dates Set For New & Returning Series, ‘I Am’ Documentaries(12/13/23) The CW is prepared to ring in the new year.The network today revealed 2024 premiere dates for its new and returning series along with three I Am feature documentaries. That film series launches December 30 with I Am Burt Reynolds, with pics about Chris Farley and Paul Walker rolling out on subsequent Saturdays. I Am Martin Luther King Jr. debuting Monday, January 15. See the list of dates below. The CW will debut the third seasons of its comedies Children Ruin Everything and Son of a Critch on January 11 and 25, respectively. As announced last week, Canadian detective drama Wild Cards will launch at 8 p.m. January 17, followed by the Season 3 premiere legal drama Family Law at 9 p.m.. New true-crime docuseries Crime Nation launches from 8-10 p.m. Tuesday, February 20. Here are the CW’s midseason premiere dates for its series and I Am documentaries: Saturday, December 30 Saturday, January 6 Thursday, January 11 Saturday, January 13 Monday, January 15 Wednesday, January 17 Thursday, January 25 Tuesday, February 20 The CW Sets Dates for Vanessa Morgan/Giacomo Gianniotti Dramedy, Family Law Season 3(12/4/23) The CW Monday announced its new midseason line-up for Wednesday nights, which is set to kick off Jan. 17, 2024.New original series Wild Cards starring Vanessa Morgan (Riverdale) and Giacomo Gianniotti (Grey’s Anatomy) will lead starting at 8/7c. The series is a crime-solving procedural with a comedic twist that follows the unlikely duo of a by-the-book, sardonic cop and a spirited, clever con woman. “Cole Ellis (Gianniotti) is a demoted detective who has begrudgingly spent the last year on the maritime unit, while Max Mitchell (Morgan) has been living a transient life elaborately scamming everyone she meets,” reads the official description. “But while arrested and being held at the station, Max ends up helping Ellis solve a local crime. The two are offered the opportunity to redeem themselves — Ellis needs to get back to his detective post and Max needs to stay out of jail. The catch? They have to work together, each using their unique skills to solve crimes. For Ellis, that means hard-boiled shoe leather police work; for Max, it means accents, disguises, schemes and generally befriending everyone in sight, while driving Ellis absolutely nuts. The two will have to learn what it means to trust another person and maybe actually become partners.” Jason Priestley (Beverly Hills, 90210) joins the series as George, Max’s father who taught her everything she knows. Although he’s in prison, he still holds major influence throughout his surroundings, both with inmates and guards. Following at 9/8c will be Season 3 of Canadian import Family Law, which follows Abby (Jewel Staite) and her dysfunctional family as they help other dysfunctional families — all while navigating their own personal dramas. “Clear of her probation and divorce, Abby is riding high at Svensson & Svensson, but the hard work of reckoning with her past is just beginning,” reads the description. “She moves on to AA’s Step Four — writing her moral inventory — and begins her nesting arrangement with Frank (Luke Camilleri). On her off weeks, she still lives with her mother Joanne (Lauren Holly), whose rekindled relationship with Harry (Victor Garber) is churning up all of Abby’s childhood trauma. Meanwhile, Harry revels in Abby and Daniel’s (Zach Smadu) cutthroat competition for top earner at the firm until his reckless past comes back to haunt him. Daniel’s romance with Martina (Miranda Edwards) is cut short when her boyfriend Quinn (Thomas Cadrot) returns – and takes on a new layer of complexity when Quinn befriends Daniel. And Lucy (Genelle Williams), trying to find her feet after Maggie’s (Ali Liebert) betrayal, throws herself into a new relationship — one that she intends to make work no matter what.” Current Wednesday night occupants Sullivan’s Crossing (previously renewed for Season 2) and The Spencer Sisters wrap their freshman runs on Dec. 13. ABC Announces 2024 Midseason Premiere Dates(11/16/23) ABC MIDSEASON PRIMETIME SCHEDULE PREMIERE DATES ARE AS FOLLOWS (all times listed are Eastern/Pacific).MONDAY, JAN. 22 WEDNESDAY, FEB. 7 SUNDAY, FEB. 18 TUESDAY, FEB. 20 THURSDAY, MARCH 14 ‘9-1-1: Lone Star’ Season 5 Pushed To Fall As Strikes’ Impact On Broadcast Continues(11/15/23) Fox‘s 2023-2024 schedule will not include the network’s two highest-rated drama series of 2022-23.The move of flagship 9-1-1 to ABC was announced in May. Now its spinoff, 9-1-1: Lone Star, which was renewed for a fifth season by Fox in May, will not return with new episodes this spring. Instead, the drama starring Rob Lowe will produce 12 episodes to air in fall 2024, making fans’ wait for Season 5 extra long. Like any other linear or streaming series, 9-1-1: Lone Star has been impacted by the double Hollywood strikes. Earlier this fall, Fox and producing studio 20th Television had been discussing an 18-episode order — six episodes for midseason — and 12 for fall, sources said. As the SAG-AFTRA strike stretched into November, those plans changed, and the two sides ultimately agreed on 12 episodes for fall 2024. Fox needs 9-1-1: Lone Star next fall. Like other broadcast networks, Fox is delaying its new 2023-24 scripted series — dramas Doc and Rescue: Hi-Surf — to 2024-25, aiming at a fall/January launch when the network has NFL and MLB coverage as promotional platforms. As Fox’s most established, longest-running and highest-rated remaining drama, 9-1-1: Lone Star is expected to be used as a lead-in to help get both series off the ground. Still, Fox had been counting on having 9-1-1: Lone Star originals this midseason too. In early September, the network tweaked its fall schedule, pushing unscripted competition series I Can See Your Voice to accomodate repeats of 9-1-1: Lone Star in order to keep the show in circulation and use reruns as warm-ups for the series’ return once the dual strikes were over. Like the mothership 9-1-1 series, Lone Star is a big-scope, big-budget drama requiring extensive pre-production and post-production time, including substantial VFX work. The November end of the strike-related production shutdown largely ruled out a meaningful 10- to 13-episode season to fit within the confines of the 2023-24 broadcast season due to time and financial constraints. It is unclear how exactly Fox and 20th TV reached the agreement to do 12 episodes for next fall. As a broadcast series in Season 5, 9-1-1: Lone Star is deficit financed by 20th Television, with Fox, which doesn’t have ownership, paying a flat license fee. That means that the Disney-owned studio is covering “deficits” in making the show, likely running in the seven figures per episode given Lone Star‘s caliber. All media companies have been watching their spending closely amid increased financial scrutiny as they recalibrate their linear and streaming strategies. Last season, 9-1-1: Lone Star was Fox’s second highest-rated and most watched drama behind the mothership first responder series. Produced by 20th Television in association with Ryan Murphy Television and Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision, 9-1-1: Lone Star gives a look into the lives of the police, fire and ambulance departments of Company 126 in Austin. The series stars Lowe, Gina Torres, Ronen Rubinstein, Sierra McClain, Jim Parrack, Natacha Karam, Brian Michael Smith, Rafael Silva, Julian Works and Brianna Baker as well as Kelsey and Skyler Yates. Murphy, Falchuk and Tim Minear are creators, executive producers and writers. Bradley Buecker is an executive producer and directed the series premiere. Alexis Martin Woodall, Rashad Raisani, John J. Gray, Angela Bassett, Lowe, Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson and Bob Goodman also are executive producers. ‘Grimsburg’: Fox Sets Premiere Date For Jon Hamm Animated Series; Erinn Hayes & Alan Tudyk Amid Voice Cast Additions(10/14/23) (Video) The animated detective story Grimsburg, starring and executive produced by Jon Hamm (Mad Men), will premiere live to all time zones on Sunday, January 7, immediately following the Fox NFL doubleheader.The story centers on Marvin Flute (voiced by Hamm), who may be the greatest detective ever to catch a cannibal clown and correctly identify a mid-century modern armoire. But there’s one mystery he still can’t crack — himself. To do that, he must return to Grimsburg, a town where everyone has a secret, and redeem himself in the eyes of his fellow detectives, his ferociousex-wife, and his lovably unstable son. The cast includes Erinn Hayes as Harmony Flute, Rachel Dratch as Stan Flute, Alan Tudyk as Dr. Rufis Pentos and Mr. Flesh, Kevin Michael Richardson as Detective Greg Summers, and Greg Chun as Lieutenant John Kang. Grimsburg is produced by Fox Entertainment’s Emmy-winning animation studio, Bento Box Entertainment. The program is fully owned by Fox Entertainment. Catlan McClelland and Matthew Schlissel created the series and serve as co-executive producers alongside showrunner Chadd Gindin. Jon Hamm serves as executive producer alongside Gail Berman and Hend Baghdady of The Jackal Group, and Connie Tavel. Shawna Trpcic Dies: ‘The Mandalorian’, ‘Ahsoka’ & ‘Firefly’ Costume Designer Was 56(10/7/23) Shawna Trpcic, an Emmy-nominated costume designer best known for her work on several Star Wars series on Disney+ and her collaborations with Joss Whedon has died, Lucasfilm announced Friday. She was 56. A cause of death was not provided but Trpcic’s passing appears sudden; as recently as three days ago she was chronicling a desert trip on Instagram.Born in Artesia, California, Trpcic has build an impressive body of work as a costume designer since her first credit in 1990. She worked on such Joss Whedon series as Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. Trpcic set up shop at Lucasfilm in 2019, joining the second season of The Mandalorian. She has since continued her work on that series and also served as costume designer of The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka. Trpcic was nominated for an Emmy for her work on The Mandalorian Season 2 and The Book of Boba Fett, and won a Costume Designer’s Guild Award for her work on the latter. She is currently nominated for an Emmy for her work on The Mandalorian Season 3. “[Trpcic] was considered something of a Star Wars historian by her peers, reading every making-of book she could find to better understand the techniques used in the films during various eras,” the obituary on StarWars.com reads. On the Star Wars shows, Trpcic worked closely with showrunners/producers Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau who both remembered her Friday. “Shawna had a deep love and appreciation for Star Wars,” Filoni said. “You can see that in every piece of work she did with us. She loved everything about being a part of these stories, including connecting with fans and being a part of that community. I feel like she has always been a part of Star Wars. Her costumes tell a story, providing the suggestion of a life experience that happened before the cameras rolled. I loved collaborating with Shawna, and I will miss her presence.” Added Favreau, “Her creativity brought this world to life. She will be deeply missed both as a friend and as a colleague.” Trpcic’s film and TV credits include The Cabin in the Woods, The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run, K-Ville, Torchwood, Another Period, Second Chance and Swedish Ducks. She is survived by her mother Rana and her two children, Joseph and Sarah Trpcic. A fund has been created on behalf of her children, and a memorial will be announced at a later date. ‘Wish’ Trailer: First Look At Disney’s Animated Musical Comedy Starring Ariana DeBose And Chris Pine(9/27/23) (Video) Walt Disney Animation Studios dropped a new trailer and poster Wednesday for the musical comedy Wish, which opens in U.S. theaters on November 22.Directed by Chris Buck (Frozen 1 & 2) and Fawn Veerasunthorn (Raya and the Last Dragon) and written by Jennifer Lee, Allison Moore and Chris Buck, the voice cast features Ariana DeBose as 17-year-old protagonist Asha, Chris Pine as King Magnifico, Angelique Cabral as Queen Amaya, and Alan Tudyk as Asha’s pet goat Valentino. The film follows Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe—the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico—to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen. Evan Peters, Ramy Youssef, Victor Garber and Natasha Rothwell also lend their voices to Wish, which features original songs by singer-songwriter Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice, plus score by composer Dave Metzger. Peter Del Vecho and Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster Jones produce, while Lee serves as executive producer. Check out the trailer above. ‘Suits’ Spinoff ‘Pearson’ Lands On Peacock After Meghan Markle Legal Drama Becomes Hit On Netflix(8/31/23) Peacock is hoping to drive some eyeballs to Pearson, the short-lived Suits spin-off, after the latter became a surprising hit on Netflix this summer.The NBCUniversal streamer has added the show, which starred Gina Torres, to its service today. It is hoping that new Suits fans may discover the spinoff as well, which is not available on Netflix. Pearson ran for one season on the cable network in 2019 but was canceled a month and a half after its season ended. Toplined by mothership series alumna Torres, Pearson centered on her character, powerhouse lawyer Jessica Pearson, as she enters the dirty world of Chicago politics. It also stars Bethany Joy Lenz, Morgan Spector, Chantel Riley, Simon Kassianides, Eli Goree and Isabel Arraiza. Pearson originated on Suits, whose Season 7 finale served as a backdoor pilot for the spinoff. The offshoot, which hailed from Universal Cable Productions, was executive produced by Suits creator and EP Aaron Korsh; Suits EP Daniel Arkin, who served as showrunner; Torres; and Suits executive producers Doug Liman, David Bartis and Gene Klein of Hypnotic. The move will see NBCU try and win over some Netflix subscribers who may have binged (or be binging) parent show Suits, which has spent six weeks on top of the Nielsen charts. Earlier this summer, the series broke a Nielsen streaming record for acquired programming; it drew 3.1B viewing minutes during the week of June 26 to July 2 across Netflix and Peacock. The first season of the show was also watched for 27.7M hours in the w/c June 19 after being added to Netflix and stayed in that streamer’s top ten for a number of weeks. Don’t expect any more spinoffs, though, any time soon. Suits creator Aaron Korsh recently revealed that there was nothing in the works. ‘Superman: Legacy’: Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced & Edi Gathegi Latest To Join(7/11/23) Warner Bros has begun rounding out the cast for DC franchise resetter Superman: Legacy, studio co-chief Peter Safran has announced in a new piece with Vanity Fair, with Nathan Fillion (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), Isabela Merced (Madame Web) and Edi Gathegi (The Harder They Fall) coming aboard.Fillion will portray Guy Gardner — one iteration of the superhero Green Lantern — with Merced as Hawkgirl and Gathegi as Mister Terrific. David Corenswet will play Clark Kent aka Superman, as previously announced, with Rachel Brosnahan as his love interest Lois Lane. DC co-boss James Gunn is directing from his own script, which draws on DC characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Safran is serving as producer. Fillion currently leads the ABC police procedural The Rookie and has appeared most recently on the film side in such comic book titles as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Suicide Squad, both of which Gunn directed. Also on the docket for him is the Austin Peters-directed thriller Skincare with Elizabeth Banks. Merced has a full dance card ahead with roles in everything from Sony’s Madame Web to the Fede Alvarez-helmed Alien: Romulus, action thriller Ballerina Overdrive and Hannah Marks’ Turtles All the Way Down. Recent credits for the actress on the film side include Rosaline and Father of the Bride. Currently seen starring in Apple TV+’s sci-fi drama For All Mankind, Gathegi also counts amongst his recent credits films like The Harder They Fall and shows like Briarpatch. Upcoming projects include the sci-fi drama Aporia with Judy Greer and the Netflix series Zero Day with Robert De Niro. Jewel Staite: There’s ‘a Better Chance’ of L.A. Complex Revival (‘There’s Always Rumblings’) Than More Firefly(7/8/23) Jewel Staite is all too familiar with the heartbreak of a cancelled TV show. The actress co-starred as mechanic Kaylee in the cult fave Firefly, then was part of another short-lived drama, The L.A. Complex. With their devoted fanbases, both series are often the subject of revival talk. (Firefly did beat the odds and got a follow-up movie, Serenity, in 2005.) But if Staite had to place her bets on which show is more likely to come back, her answer might surprise you.“I get asked all the time about Season 2 of Firefly, which makes me laugh because it’s been like 20 years, but when I get asked that, I’m like, ‘There’s a better chance of L.A. Complex than there is of Firefly,'” Staite tells TVLine while promoting her current series Family Law. “There’s been rumblings and talk about that with [L.A. Complex creator] Martin [Gero] a little bit over the last few years in the hopes that maybe we could get to do that again someday,” Staite says. In 2018, a reboot was eyed by The CW, which aired the original Canadian drama in the U.S. for its two seasons. However, in 2020, Gero confirmed that the project was “sadly” dead. Still, Staite says “there’s always rumblings” about the series, which followed a group of aspiring Hollywood entertainers who live in the same complex, getting a new lease on life. “For all of us that were a part of that show, it’s like the one that got away kind of,” Staite shares. (The cast also included Degrassi: The Next Generation’s Cassie Steele, Arrow’s Joe Dinicol, Blindspot’s Jonathan Patrick Moore and The Game’s Andra Fuller, among others.) “It was so unfinished when it was left off and just feels like we could have kept going for a while,” Staite continues. “It’s the kind of show that just gets zanier and zanier, too, as time goes on, like a juicy sort of guilty pleasure kind of show, and it felt that way to work on it, too.” Staite describes her character Raquel — an acerbic thirtysomething actress who goes to morally ambiguous lengths to stay in the limelight — as “a blast in so many ways, one of the most fun roles I’ve ever gotten to play,” and one that she would love to revisit. The odds of her getting to play Firefly’s Kaylee again, however, are far slimmer, but Staite does have a wish for that fan-fave character: “Oh, I just wanted her to be a mom,” she shares, assuring TVLine that Simon (played by Sean Maher) would be the baby daddy. “I think Kaylee would have made a wonderful mother, and I love the idea of a baby being on the ship and raising the stakes so much. I feel like it would just show different sides to every character’s personality to have a baby around. I would love to have seen Captain Mal holding an infant and not sure what to do with it…. I feel like there’s way more than one kid there. Kaylee would just want to have as many as possible.” But wait! There’s yet another beloved but cancelled series in Staite’s filmography: Flash Forward, a YA drama, also starring a young Ben Foster, that aired on Disney Channel from 1995-1997. Staite and Foster played Becca and Tucker, two longtime best friends and next-door neighbors navigating the complexities of middle school and being 13 years old. The final episode abruptly ended with the pals privately sharing their first kiss as part of a school play rehearsal. “I feel like every show I’ve done has been cancelled [on] this weird pivotal [moment]. Just left on this, like, big gaping cliffhanger,” Staite says with a laugh. So what might have the future held for the pair if the show had lived on? “I feel like Becca and Tucker were meant to just always be together, don’t you?” Staite replies. “Like, stay in the family home on the same street and raise kids there. They were just meant to be.” Family Law’s Jewel Staite Talks Season 2: ‘I’m Basically Playing L.A. Complex’s Raquel If She Went to Law School’(7/5/23) Most TV aficionados likely associate Jewel Staite with her turn as Firefly’s sweet-natured mechanic Kaylee. But for the actress, it’s another, far more caustic past role — The L.A. Complex’s Raquel — that comes to mind when talking about her current gig on the Canadian drama Family Law.Returning for Season 2 on The CW this Friday (at 8/7c), Family Law stars Staite as Abigail “Abby” Bianchi, a lawyer and recovering alcoholic who is forced to work at the family law practice run by her estranged father Harry (played by Victor Garber). In addition to navigating a terse relationship with Harry, Abby also now finds herself working alongside her two half-siblings, Lucy (Genelle Williams) and Daniel (Zach Smadu), with whom she previously had no relationship. With their equally sharp tongues and struggles with substance abuse, Staite definitely sees “a lot of similarities” between Family Law’s Abby and L.A. Complex’s Raquel, the actress says. In fact, when her friend Martin Gero, the creator of the latter cult-fave series, asked how her new project was going, “I said, ‘Well, I’m basically playing Raquel if she went to law school,'” Staite tells TVLine with a laugh. “He’s like, ‘Oh, my God!’ Like, ‘Yeah, just imagine Raquel in a courtroom. It’s sort of like that.'” “I feel like Abby and Raquel would be BFFs. They’d probably get arrested together. It wouldn’t be, like, a healthy relationship,” Staite continues, laughing again. “But yeah, I feel like they’re twin flames.” Below, Staite previews Season 2’s exploration of Abby’s sobriety, her crumbling marriage and her evolving relationship with her siblings. Plus, the actress shares what it’s like working with legend Victor Garber. TVLINE | Looking ahead, how successfully is Abby navigating her sobriety journey in Season 2, especially given what she goes through at the end of the first season? I think Abby feels like she’s in her groove. She feels like she’s nailing it, and I don’t think she really understands just how much more work there is to be done in facing why she has this addiction in the first place, why she wants to hide from her life and from the pain that she’s experiencing. So she comes to some revelations, for sure, as Season 2 goes on, especially towards the end, as to how much more energy it’s going to take for her to, hopefully, come out the other side. TVLINE | At the end of Season 1, did Abby fall the wagon? Or did Lucy arrive at her house at just the right time? Lucy arrives just in time. So she didn’t take that sip. She’s still sober, and I think she’s starting to realize that maybe it’s about being sober for herself as opposed to, [in] Season 1, when she was trying to stay sober for the sake of her family, for the sake of getting her marriage back together, her life back together. I don’t think she really realized how unhappy she was in that marriage. She’s striving to get something back that she, I don’t think, really wants in the first place. So there’s a lot of revelations that happen for her to come to terms with the truth of that, which is the hard truth. It’s a comfort zone thing for her to go back to that life, but it is not a happy life. TVLINE | She finds Frank with Felicity at the end of Season 1 and thinks that he’s going to cheat on her again. So what is the state of her marriage in Season 2? It’s precarious. I think she has realized that he’s not going to change. He’s asked her to make all of these changes, and he’s also pointed the finger at her so much that they are living this pattern [that] they’re just so ingrained in of Abby being the bad guy, Abby being the naughty one, and Frank being the moral compass. And that’s not necessarily true. When she finds them in that elevator, I think she realizes, “Oh, hang on. Maybe I’m not the bad guy here. Maybe I’m not the only one who’s contributing to the demise of this relationship.” So I think she’s sick of it. She’s tired of feeling like the bad guy all the time, of having the finger pointed at her, and she really starts to stand up for herself, and it’s kind of liberating. As the person who gets to play her, I’m reading some of these scripts and going “Yeah, finally! Finally, she’s gonna let him have it!” You know, he deserves to be screamed at. [Laughs] TVLINE | As things get worse between the two of them, will Abby’s eye turn to someone new? I will say that eventually Abby gets her groove back, thank God. [Laughs] She needs some love and some joy in her life. She needs to feel adored. I think it’s been a really, really long time since Abby has felt that way, has felt like someone has appreciated her for exactly who she is, and she eventually gets to feel that again. It’s a really wonderful moment for her to find her groove and to feel like she’s desired. TVLINE | There were some big developments between the half-siblings at the end of Season 1, as well: Abby helped Harry make Daniel partner, and then Lucy came to Abby after her breakup with Maggie. How are her relationships with both Lucy and Daniel evolving in Season 2? There’s always going to be some tension there, especially between Abby and Daniel, just because even if Abby wants those walls to come down and wants some sort of relationship with Daniel, he is just so consumed with the sibling rivalry they have going on. Daniel wants his father’s approval and love more than anything in the world, and Abby seemingly stands in the way of that. She’s competition, and he doesn’t like that. So there’s always tension between those two. And then Lucy, it’s funny because Lucy and Abby start to grow closer, and they start to bond a little bit, but then in the background of it all, Lucy has had this affair on her partner that Abby knows about. It dredges up a lot of Abby’s issues and feelings about her own marriage. So there’s some things about Lucy she likes, and then there are some things about Lucy that she recognizes in her father, as well, that she’s never liked. So there’s a trust that’s missing there. But eventually, you do get to see Abby and Lucy bond a little bit more, have a bit more of a sisterly relationship. TVLINE | Is Season 2 going to get more into Abby’s past and what spurred her drinking problem? A little bit. There’s an episode halfway through that is one of the best that we’ve done and definitely the hardest to watch, where everything comes to the surface. There’s a lot said out loud that I think even Abby is surprised to hear herself say. When you go through a trauma, sometimes in order to move past it, in order to protect yourself, you dumb it down, you play it down, and sort of go, “It was no big deal.” But when you say it out loud, and someone else hears it and says to you, “That was a really big deal, and that must have hurt really badly,” it’s a kind of a “ding! ding! ding!” moment. I think she realizes, “Oh, maybe this is something. Maybe this is a big contributor to how I took a landslide in my life,” and really starts to pay attention to it and realizes that she’s shining a lot of that onto her own daughter as well. She’s so scared that Sophia is going to end up like her that she’s just hyper aware and trying her best to steer Sophia in a different direction. But you know, Sophia is who she is. There’s no steering her anywhere. She’s her own person, for sure. So it definitely all comes to light. TVLINE | I love that there’s a line in the Season 2 premiere about Harry getting longer shorts, because I was going to ask you what it’s like working with Victor Garber, especially when he’s doing those treadmill scenes in his short shorts. You gotta hand it to Victor, he’s such a team player. He was very willing to put the short shorts on, but I think there was a point where Victor was like, “Do I have to keep wearing the shorts? I just feel like this joke is over. Is it not over?” [Laughs] And I think the writers took the hint. They were like, “OK, let’s just nix the short shorts and give him a proper pair of pants,” which is pretty funny. I love Victor. He’s very, very funny, and he’s, obviously, a total pro. But you know, he’s dad. He’s taken the father role on very seriously with all of us. I just love that he’s willing to spend time with us on the weekend while we’re shooting and takes care of us and checks in and loves his FaceTime calls. He’s not a big phone call person. Loves the FaceTime. He doesn’t care where you are, you better pick up that FaceTime call. I think I picked one up at my son’s baseball game. I was like, “Victor, I’m literally at a baseball game,” and he was like, “That’s OK. I just wanted to say, ‘Hi,'” and it’s like a 10-minute conversation. I adore him, though, for that. We call him Dada, and we love him very much. He’s pretty great. And he’s game! We do crazy things on the weekend. We come up with wild ideas, and rent boats and go to karaoke and whatever. And Victor is, for the most part, pretty game to join us, and I just love that he’s willing to bond with us and be a part of the group. Elizabeth Banks To Topline Austin Peters’ Thriller ‘Skincare’; Nathan Fillion Also Set(6/26/23) Following the successful theatrical run of her latest directorial effort Cocaine Bear, a Uni horror comedy that grossed over $87M worldwide, Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect franchise) has been set to topline Skincare, a new film from Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment and producers Jonathan Schwartz and Logan Lerman, which wrapped production prior to the writers’ strike.Starring alongside Banks are Lewis Pullman (Top Gun: Maverick), Michaela Jaé Rodriguez (Pose), Luis Gerardo Méndez (The Resort) and Nathan Fillion (The Rookie). Directed by Austin Peters, Skincare is described as a vanity thriller set in Hollywood, though specifics as to its plot are under wraps. Peters wrote the script with Deering Regan and Sam Freilich. The film is the third on which Schwartz and Lerman have collaborated on as producers following A24’s The Vanishing of Sidney Hall and CJ ENM’s Press Play. Andrea Iervolino and Lady Monika Bacardi financed and produced the film through their Iervolino & Lady Bacardi Entertainment banner, alongside the duo, with Regan and Freilich serving as executive producers. “We are delighted to announce another international production involving such world-class actresses and actors,” said ILBE CEO Iervolino. “‘Skincare’ is a film with a strong visual impact that, because of the cast and the workers it involves, has enormous potential. It is a film that we at ILBE believe in very much.” Said Schwartz and Lerman, “We are super excited to see Elizabeth Banks take on this type of role, and ecstatic to be working with Austin Peters. We are grateful to Andrea Iervolino and ILBE for their support.” Added ILBE’s Head of Production, Richard Salvatore, “It was impossible for this great project not to turn out phenomenally well since we had an awesome creative team and the cast was incredible.” A three-time Emmy nominee, Banks will next be seen starring opposite Zach Galifianakis in Apple TV+’s true-life dramedy The Beanie Bubble, which hits select theaters on July 21st, and in Christine Jeffs’ medical drama A Mistake. The multi-hyphenate, known as much for her work behind the camera as in front of it, recently starred opposite Sigourney Weaver in the Sundance-premiering drama Call Jane. Other notable acting credits for her include The Hunger Games franchise, Love & Mercy, The LEGO Movie and Mrs. America. Part of the cast of Prime Video’s sci-fi series Outer Range, Pullman’s film credits include Top Gun: Maverick, Bad Times at the El Royale and Battle of the Sexes, to name just a few. He stars alongside Brie Larson in the forthcoming Apple series Lessons in Chemistry and will also soon be seen in films including The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial and Warner Bros’ Stephen King adaptation Salem’s Lot. A Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee best known for her work on the groundbreaking FX series Pose, Rodriguez currently stars opposite Maya Rudolph in the Apple comedy series Loot, which has been renewed for a second season. She voices the robot Nightbird in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and has also featured in films like tick, tick… BOOM! and Saturday Church. Known for his work on series like Paramount+’s The Envoys and Peacock’s The Resort, Méndez’s film credits include Me Time, Charlie’s Angels and Murder Mystery, to name just a few. Currently leading ABC’s beloved police procedural The Rookie, Fillion is also known for starring in series including Firefly and Castle. Recent film credits for the actor include Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Suicide Squad. Currently working on the forthcoming Michael Mann film Ferrari starring Adam Driver, Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Patrick Dempsey and Jack O’Connell, Iervolino and Lady Bacardi Entertainment most recently produced the film Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend, a look at the life of Lamborghini founder Ferruccio Lamborghini that stars Frank Grillo, Gabriel Byrne, Mira Sorvino and Fortunato Cerlino. The company is otherwise perhaps best known for the anthology film Tell It Like a Woman, made in collaboration with Chiara Tilesi’s non-profit We Do it Together, which brought Diane Warren an Original Song Oscar nom for her tune “Applause” performed by Sofia Carson. The producers’ deal for Skincare was made by Chris Perez and Natalie Locke of Donaldson, Califf and Perez, along with WME and UTA. The deal for director Peters was made by attorneys David Feldman and Ariela Moskowitz of Brecheen Feldman Breimer, as well as manager Noah Rothman. Banks and her Brownstone Productions banner are represented by UTA, Untitled Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham. Pullman is repped by CAA and Anonymous Content; Rodriguez by UTA, 111 Media and Del Shaw Moonves; Méndez by UTA, CMX in Mexico, Goodmanagement and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman; Fillion by CAA, Three 3 Three Management and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Peters by Canopy Media Partners and Brecheen Feldman Breimer; and Regan and Freilich by Lichter, Grossman, Nichols.wf ‘Run The Burbs’, ‘Moonshine’, ‘Bump’ Season 2 Among Additions To The CW’s Summer Programming Slate(5/10/23) The CW has unveiled its slate of original scripted and unscripted programming set to debut on the network this summer.Canadian family comedy Run The Burbs, from Kim’s Convenience breakout star Andrew Phung and dramedy Moonshine, about dysfunctional siblings battling for control of their family business are among titles on the network’s scripted slate for summer debut. Legal drama Family Law, starring Jewel Staite and Victor Garber, and comedy series Bump also return for second seasons. New summer unscripted programs include the four-part docuseries Greatest Geek Year Ever: 1982, chronicling a classic moviegoing year in pop culture, and extreme cooking competition Recipe for Disaster. Additionally, Down To Earth With Zac Efron will make its broadcast television debut, along with new seasons of returning alternative series Great Chocolate Showdown and Mysteries Decoded. Airdates and times for all these series will be announced at a later date. All join prevously announced summer series, new comedy Son of a Critch and new dramas The Rising, premiering Monday, May 29 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT), and Barons, also debuting Monday, May 29 (9:00-10:00pm ET/PT). The fourth and final season of drama series Nancy Drew premieres on Wednesday, May 31 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT) paired with the final season of Riverdale, with both series finales airing back-to-back on Wednesday, August 23. ‘9-1-1: Lone Star’ Renewed For Season 5 By Fox(5/1/23) Fox has renewed 9-1-1: Lone Star, starring Rob Lowe, for a fifth season. It will be the only 9-1-1 series on the network next season as flagship 9-1-1 is not being renewed. (It is moving to ABC.)A spinoff from 9-1-1, Lone Star is Fox’s second-highest-rated and most watched drama behind the mothership first responder series. Produced by 20th Television in association with Ryan Murphy Television and Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision, 9-1-1: Lone Star gives a look into the lives of the police, fire, and ambulance departments of Company 126 in Austin. The series stars Lowe, Gina Torres, Ronen Rubinstein, Sierra McClain, Jim Parrack, Natacha Karam, Brian Michael Smith, Rafael Silva, Julian Works, Brianna Baker as well as Kelsey and Skyler Yates. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear are creators, executive producers and writers. Bradley Buecker is an executive producer and directed the series premiere. Alexis Martin Woodall, Rashad Raisani, John J. Gray, Angela Bassett, Lowe, Kelly Souders & Brian Peterson and Bob Goodman also are executive producers. Lone Star, which will be Fox’s longest-running drama next season, joins three other Fox hourlong series which have been renewed for next season: The Cleaning Lady, Accused and Alert: Missing Persons Unit. Adam Baldwin guests on 9-1-1: Lone Star(4/24/23) Grace and Carlos work together when they suspect a young woman was a victim of a black market organ trafficking ring; Owen’s brother Robert comes to visit and meet T.K., but surprises Owen with news that can affect the Strand family in the all-new “Donors” episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star airing Tuesday, May 2 (8:00-9:01 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (NLS-415) (TV-14 D, L, S, V)Cast: Rob Lowe as Owen Strand; Gina Torres as Tommy Vega; Ronen Rubinstein as T.K. Strand; Sierra McClain as Grace Ryder; Jim Parrack as Judd Ryder; Natacha Karam as Marjan Marwani; Brian Michael Smith as Paul Strickland; Rafael Silva as Carlos Reyes; Julian Works as Mateo Chavez; Brianna Baker as Nancy Gillian; Skyler Yates as Evie Vega; Kelsey Yates as Izzy Vega Guest Cast: Chad Lowe as Robert Strand; Adam Baldwin as Det. McGregor; Michelle C. Bonilla as Sara Ortiz; Tamala Renee Jones as Dt. Sarina Washington; Mychala Lee as Lexi; Peter Oldring as Clint; Freddie L. Fleming as Mike The Rookie Renewed for Season 6 at ABC(4/17/23) ABC’s The Rookie on Monday afternoon copped itself a renewal for Season 6, during which the light procedural will mark its 100th episode.Season to date, the Nathan Fillion-fronted ensemble drama has averaged 6.5 million total viewers and a 0.7 rating (with Live+7 playback), up in audience and off just a tenth in the demo from last season’s tallies. Out of the 10 dramas that ABC has aired this TV season, The Rookie ranks as No. 1 in total audience and ties for No. 2 in the demo (trailing only Grey’s Anatomy). ABC, meanwhile, notes that since moving from the Sunday closer role to the Tuesday leadoff spot this past January, The Rookie has improved its time slot over the comparable weeks last season by 40% in total viewers and 17% among Adults 18-49. The status of the Niecy Nash-led freshman spinoff The Rookie: Feds — which following a strong start currently ranks No. 8 in audience and ties for seventh in the demo amongst all ABC dramas — is currently TBD. The Rookie resumes Season 5 this Tuesday with an episode titled “S.T.R.,” in which Officer Tim Bradford’s ex-wife (returning guest star Mircea Monroe) returns to ask the team to help her save someone from her undercover past. Isabel’s return, though, also creates additional pressure in Lucy and Tim’s relationship, as they assist her in said search. The Rookie airs its season finale in Tuesday, May 2. Morena Baccarin And Stefan Kapicic To Return For ‘Deadpool 3’ As Vanessa And Colossus(4/12/23) Ryan Reynolds is looking to get the gang back together again for Marvel new Deadpool sequel as Morena Baccarin and Stefan Kapicic are set to reprise their roles as Vanessa and Colossus, respectively. Reynolds recently announced Karan Soni and Leslie Uggams would return as Dopinder and Blind Al, who like Vanessa and Colossus appeared in the first two films.They join Reynolds, Hugh Jackman and the newest cast additions Emma Corrin and Matthew Macfadyen. Shawn Levy is on board to direct, with Paul Wernick & Rhett Reese returning to pen the script along with Zeb Wells. Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin wrote a previous draft. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige will join Reynolds and Levy as producers. This will mark the first Deadpool film in which Marvel Studios will work hand in hand with Reynolds and Team Deadpool. Feige’s involvement comes after he helped revamp the Spider-Man franchise when he came on to help in the creative effort for that Sony series. ‘Gremlins: Secrets Of The Mogwai’ Gets Premiere Date On Max; Watch Teaser(4/12/23) (Video) Max has set the premiere date for Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, the animated prequel series to the iconic film franchise, for Tuesday, May 23. The date was revealed today during Warner Bros. Discovery’s unveiling of the Max streaming servie in Los Angeles. You can watch a teaser above.Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai takes viewers back to 1920s Shanghai where the Wing family first meets the young Mogwai called Gizmo. Sam Wing (future shop owner Mr. Wing in the 1984 “Gremlins” film) accepts the dangerous task to take Gizmo home and embarks on a journey through the Chinese countryside. Sam and Gizmo are joined by a teenage street thief named Elle, and together, they encounter—and sometimes battle—colorful monsters and spirits from Chinese folklore. Along their quest, they are pursued by a power-hungry industrialist and his growing army of evil Gremlins. It stars Ming-Na Wen, James Hong, BD Wong, Matthew Rhys, Izaac Wang, AJ LoCascio, Gabrielle Nevaeh Green, along with guest stars including Zach Galligan who starred as the hero “Billy Peltzer” in Amblin’s original Gremlins films. Additional guest voices include Sandra Oh, Randall Park, George Takei, and Bowen Yang. Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation. Steven Spielberg serves as executive producer, along with Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey, Presidents of Amblin Television, and Sam Register, President, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios. Tze Chun serves as showrunner and executive producer. Brendan Hay serves as executive producer with Dan Krall serving as Supervising Producer. Joe Dante serves as consulting producer. Morena Baccarin On Whether She’ll Return For Wolverine-Heavy ‘Deadpool 3’: “It May Or May Not Work Out”(4/7/23) Actress Morena Baccarin has addressed the likelihood of a Deadpool 3 return for her character Vanessa, the great love of Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with a Mouth.Her comments came during a recent interview on the podcast Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum, in which the host asked her, “What’s up with Deadpool 3? Fans want to know. Anything…any scoop?” “Yeah, what is up with Deadpool 3? That’s a really good question,” said Baccarin. “I have to be very diplomatic about what I say here. I’d like to be in it. They have called me about being in it. Right now, we have not agreed on terms, and everybody’s trying their best, and doing their best. But it may or may not work out. I don’t know.” When Rosenbaum noted that the actress has been “an integral part” of the Deadpool franchise from the beginning, she replied, “I’d like to think so. I do think that this movie, since the acquirement of this Deadpool universe by Marvel/Disney, that merger that happened, I do feel like they’re trying to reinvent it a little bit. I think this movie is going to be much more about Wolverine and Deadpool.” She then said of Hugh Jackman, who returns to the MCU as Wolverine for the first time since 2017’s Logan, “I’m sure he’ll be great.” Baccarin’s Vanessa is an escort who falls in love with Deadpool‘s Wade Wilson (Reynolds) prior to the disfiguring science experiment that turns him into the immortal superhero, and later becomes his fiancée. While she’s killed early on in Deadpool 2 by someone who’d come for the mercenary himself, Deadpool goes back through time in a mid-credits sequence to prevent her murder from happening, opening the door to her return in future films. Reynolds and Jackman will be joined in Deadpool 3 by newcomers Emma Corrin and Matthew Macfadyen, as well as returning cast members Karan Soni and Leslie Uggams, who respectively portray Deadpool’s cab driver sidekick Dopinder and his roommate, Blind Al. Specifics as to the film’s plots haven’t yet been disclosed, though we know that Shawn Levy will direct from a script that returning scribes Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese penned with Zeb Wells. Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin wrote a prior draft, with Reynolds, Levy and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige to serve as producers. Deadpool 3 will be the first title in the franchise to involve Marvel boss Feige following Disney’s acquisition of Fox, which released the first two installments. Pic’s slated for release on November 8, 2024. ‘The Resident’ Season Finale & ‘9-1-1: Lone Star’ Season Premiere Pushed A Week As Part Of Fox Scheduling Changes(1/6/23) The Resident fans will have to wait an extra week to find out what happens at the end of season six after Fox made a handful of scheduling changes.The fourth season premiere of 9-1-1: Lone Star has also been pushed back a week. The Resident, which is coming to the end of its sixth season, was previously set as a two-hour finale on Tuesday, January 10 between 8pm and 10pm. Now, it will be split over two weeks. The penultimate episode will air in its regular time-period on Tuesday January 10 at 8pm and the finale will air on Tuesday January 17 at 8pm. There’s also the possibility that the season finale of The Resident is also its series finale. Repeats of Alert: Missing Persons Unit will now air both nights at 9pm. 9-1-1: Lone Star, which was set to air on Tuesday, January 17, will now air on Tuesday, January 24 at 8pm, leading in to the time-period premiere of new drama series Accused at 9pm. This comes after the latter’s special series premiere on Sunday, January 22 after the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. The changes are due to issues around the State of the Union and what’s going on in Congress to allow 9-1-1: Lone Star to air uninterrupted. ‘Resident Alien’ Season 3 Order Cut By Syfy(11/15/22) The upcoming third season of Syfy’s flagship series Resident Alien, starring Alan Tudyk, will be shorter than anticipated. Its size has been cut from 12 episodes to 8.As Deadline reported, Resident Alien received a 12-episode Season 3 renewal in July, ahead of the August 10 premiere of the second half of its second season. The series’ first season consisted of 10 episodes, its 16-episode second season was split into two batches of eight episodes each. The UCP-produced Resident Alien was a breakout for Syfy when it premiered in 2021. The first part of Season 2 also did well, ranking among this year’s top 15 most-watched cable series and top 5 most-watched cable dramas, averaging 2.3 million viewers in L+7. The show’s ratings dropped significantly in the back half of Season 2. Based on the Dark Horse comics, Resident Alien, one of just a handful of original scripted series on NBCU’s USA and Syfy cable networks, follows a crash-landed alien named Harry (Tudyk) whose secret mission is to kill all humans. From UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Amblin TV and Dark Horse Entertainment, Resident Alien was adapted to television by executive producer Chris Sheridan. Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg of Dark Horse Entertainment, and Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank of Amblin TV also executive produce. Anthony Mackie Post-Apocalyptic Thriller ‘Elevation’ Pre-Sells Out Of AFM To 25+ Territories Including France, Germany, UK, Spain, Lat Am, Korea & Australia(11/10/22) Creature feature Elevation, starring Anthony Mackie (Captain America), Morena Baccarin (Deadpool) and Maddie Hasson (Malignant), has pre-sold out of the AFM to 25+ markets for Mossbank.Currently filming in Colorado, the George Nolfi-directed post-apocalyptic action-thriller from A Quiet Place producer Brad Fuller follows a single father and two women who must venture from the safety of their home to face monstrous creatures in order to save the life of a child. Deals have been closed with Signature for the UK, Ireland, Australia and NZ, Metropolitan for France, IDC for Latin America, VVS Films for Canada, Tripictures and DeaPlaneta for Spain, Mis. Label for Scandinavia, The Searchers for Benelux and Seven.One for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Prorom and Kino Swiat have taken Eastern Europe and Poland, Phars bought Middle East, Empire took South Africa, Encore has for Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, First Run has Korea, Moviecloud acquired Taiwan, Sahamongkol took Thailand, Pioneer for Philippines, Pris for Portugal, Odeon for Greece and Cyprus, BG for Turkey and Top Film for Ukraine, CIS and Baltics. John Glenn and writing duo Kenny Ryan and Jacob Roman are penning the script. Fuller produces with Mackie, Glenn (Allegiance), Lyrical Media founder Alex Black (Bruiser), Jeremy Kipp Walker (The Big Sick), Joel Vierte (The Adjustment Bureau), and Nolfi (Banker). Lyrical will finance the pic. Jon Rosenberg, Alex Ginno of Fuller Media and Natalie Sellers of Lyrical serve as executive producers alongside Jason Spire from Inspire Entertainment.T Mossbank’s Michael Rothstein and Sam Hall said: “We’re extremely grateful to have been entrusted with Elevation by Lyrical Media, Brad Fuller and George Nolfi, and we couldn’t be prouder of the response from the international market. It reminds us that there’s substantial appetite and support in the independent space for studio-level filmmaking from world-leading producers, directors, writers and stars. We are extremely grateful to all our international partners on the film for taking this ride with us, and can’t wait to bring Elevation to audiences worldwide in 2024.” Anthony Mackie, Morena Baccarin And Maddie Hasson To Star In George Nolfi’s ‘Elevation’ From Lyrical Media And Producer Brad Fuller(10/13/22) George Nolfi will direct Lyrical Media’s post-apocalyptic action thriller Elevation with Anthony Mackie, Morena Baccarin and Maddie Hasson set to star. Brad Fuller is on board to produce with John Glenn and writing duo Kenny Ryan and Jacob Roman penning the script. The film is billed as a high-concept, thematically driven action piece set in the Rocky Mountains. The plot is being kept under wraps, but the story is said to follow a single father and two women who must venture from the safety of their home to face monstrous creatures in order to save the life of a child.Producing alongside Fuller is Mackie, Glenn, Lyrical Media’s Founder Alex Black, Jeremy Kipp Walker, Joel Viertel, and Nolfi. Lyrical will finance the pic. Jon Rosenberg, Alex Ginno of Fuller Media and Natalie Sellers of Lyrical serve as executive producer as well as Jason Spire from Inspire Entertainment. Mackie recently wrapped the Rupert Wyatt-directed Desert Warrior and is set to play Captain America in the fourth installment of the Marvel franchise. He is currently in production on the Twisted Metal TV series for Peacock. Baccarin recently co-starred with Pierce Brosnan in Fast Charlie, a Phillip Noyce thriller. Hasson was most recently seen in James Wan’s Malignant will next be seen in theaters later this year in Taurus co-starring with Machine Gun Kelly, Scoot McNairy, and Megan Fox. Fuller produced both A Quiet Place and five Purge movies. His company Platinum Dunes just wrapped 7A for Paramount staring Julia Garner, and he and Michael Bay just made a feature deal at Universal. Glenn is a writer, director, producer, and Showrunner whose credits include Eagle Eye, Seal Team, The Lazarus Project and Allegiance amongst others. He is currently mounting a series for Sam Raimi and WIIP, and writing The Hurt Unit with fellow Showrunner Matt Lopez for ABC. Glenn’s been on a run lately, having written and sold three feature specs in the past 12 months: Prey to Lionsgate, which he is producing alongside Todd Lieberman and Cut & Run to New Republic, with Jake Gyllenhaal attached to star and produce with Glenn. Ryan and Roman most recently worked as writer/producers on Seal Team. The pair will also serve as co-producers on Elevation. Mackie is represented by UTA and Inspire Entertainment. Baccarin by UTA, Seven Summits Pictures & Management, and attorneys Kopeikin Law, Nolfi is represented by CAA and David Fox at Myman Greenspan. Hasson is repped by UTA, Fuller by UTA and Sloan, Offer, Weber & Dern, Lyrical Media is repped by UTA, Glenn is with CAA, Management 360, and Sloan, Offer, Weber & Dern. Ryan and Roman are represented by Zakaria Entertainment and Felker, Toczek, Suddleson, Abramson, Magininis and Ryan LLP. UTA Independent Film Group and CAA Media Finance are selling the film for domestic. Mossbank, headed by Michael Rothstein and Sam Hall, will handle international sales and introduce the project to buyers at the upcoming American Film Market.” ‘Harley Quinn’ Valentine’s Day Special Set At HBO Max(10/8/22) Popular adult animated series Harley Quinn is getting its very own Valentine’s Day special.Based on characters from DC, Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special is set to premiere in February 2023 on HBO Max. Per the logline: It “will feature Harley and Ivy celebrating their very first Valentine’s Day together, while also revealing how the rest of the ragtag crew spends the gushiest, mushiest, most romantic day of the year.” Voice cast includes Kaley Cuoco, Lake Bell, Alan Tudyk, Matt Oberg, James Wolk , Natalie Morales, Chris Diamantopoulos, James Adomian, Jim Rash, Vanessa Marshall, Janet Varney, Rachel Dratch, Leila Birch, Tyler James Williams, Josh Helman, Casey Wilson, Michael Ironside, and others. Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special is produced by Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker’s Delicious Non-Sequitur Productions and Cuoco’s Yes, Norman Productions in association with Warner Bros. Animation. Halpern, Schumacker, Dean Lorey, Jennifer Coyle, Cuoco and Sam Register serve as executive producers. DC’s Harley Quinn was renewed for a fourth season in August, with new showrunner Sarah Peters. She takes over from Halpern and Schumacker who originally developed the project with Dean Lorey. Alyssa Milano, Virginia Madsen, Gina Torres & Milana Vayntrub Join Anthology Film ‘Give Me An A’ Responding To Overturning Of Roe V. Wade(9/12/22) Alyssa Milano (Charmed), Virginia Madsen (Sideways), Gina Torres (9-1-1: Lone Star) and Milana Vayntrub (This Is Us) have signed on for roles in the feature-length anthology Give Me an A, which links together 15 short films, in response to the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade.The film currently in post-production will have been completed within two months from the date of Roe’s overturning — which eliminated the longstanding constitutional right to abortion — in an effort to ensure this is a response and not a delayed reaction. The creators, cast and crew have made a significant effort to expedite the process in order to start a conversation with audiences about the importance of bodily autonomy and address the dysfunction of a democracy that is not protecting the needs of a majority of the population. Support from vendors like Keslow, Panavision and The Ebell of Los Angeles has allowed the teams to move quickly under a low budget. Today’s quartet joins an ensemble that will also feature Jennifer Holland, Sean Gunn, Molly C. Quinn, Jason George and Jackie Tohn, as previously announced, with actors to appear in segments from different directors, in genres ranging from horror and sci-fi, to satire and dark comedy. Monique Coleman, Parker Young, Regina Ting Chen, Ian Nelson, Trent Garrett, Kristen Ariza, Carolina Ravassa, Maze Felix, Kevin Fonteyne, Galen Howard, Andrea Cortés, Julia Vasi, Courtney Dietz and Avital Ash round out the cast. The anthology will be tied together with a wraparound piece, directed by the project’s EP Natasha Halevi. The segments comprising the anthology come from filmmakers including Valerie Finkel, Megan Rosati, Bonnie Discepolo, Monica Moore-Suriyage, Meg Swertlow, Loren Escandon, Francesca Maldonado, Avital Ash, Erica Wright, Mary C. Russell, Danin Jacquay, Sarah Kopkin, Hannah Alline and Caitlin Hargraves. Writers on the project included Lexx Fusco, Annie Bond, Savannah Rose Scaffe, Rowan Fitzgibbon, Danielle Aufiero and Laura Covelli. In addition to Halevi, the producing team includes Giselle Gilbert, Jordan Crucchiola, Jonna Jackson, Jessica Taylor Galmor, Alyssa Matusiak and Stephanie Williams. Individual anthology segments included additional producers Erika Miranda, James Rayner, Lexx Fusco, Ron Cohen, Steven Tylor O’Connor, Adriana Leonard, Trevor Munson, Jake Bradbury, Derrica Barbee, Vicki Syal, Tara Ansley, Lisa Reich, Alon McKlveen, Jason MacDonald, Connor Martin, Mathew Tyler Vorce, Chris Beyrooty, Kelly Nygaard and Matt Galuppo. Milano has previously appeared in films including Hall Pass, Fear and Glory Daze, to name a few. She’s also been seen on such series as Insatiable, Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, My Name Is Earl, Charmed, Melrose Place and Who’s the Boss?, having embarked on her acting career as a child. Also coming up for Milano is the drama Who Are You People, from writer-director Ben Epstein. Madsen earned Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for her supporting role in Alexander Payne’s Sideways, and has more recently appeared in films like Operation Christmas Drop, Her Smell and 1985. Recent TV credits include Swamp Thing, Elementary and The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair. Other upcoming projects for the actress include Lionsgate’s horror-thriller Prey for the Devil and its action-thriller One Day as a Lion, as well as Nicola Peltz Beckham’s drama, Lola James. Torrres plays paramedic Tommy Vega on Fox’s 9-1-1: Lone Star and has also appeared on series including Westworld, Suits and Hannibal, among many others. Notable past film credits include Selah and the Spades, I Think I Love My Wife, Serenity, The Matrix Revolutions and The Matrix Reloaded. Torres will also soon appear alongside Gabrielle Union, Aisha Hinds and more in the Netflix rom-com, The Perfect Find. Vayntrub’s recent credits on the film side include Out of Office and Werewolves Within. She’s also been seen on series like This Is Us and Silicon Valley, among many others. Milano is represented by UTA, 11:11 Entertainment, Range Media Partners and Skrzyniarz & Mallean; Madsen by Buchwald, Untitled Entertainment and Weintraub Tobin Chediak; Torres by Realm Talent, Framework Entertainment and Schreck Rose Dapello; and Vayntrub by Artists First and Ziffren Brittenham. Imagen Awards Nominations(8/15/22) 37th annual gala honoring Latino storytelling, performances, writing and creative expression in television and film. This year’s awards show is set for October 2 in Los Angeles at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes.Best Actress – Drama (Television) • Morena Baccarin, The Endgame (NBC; Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Nicholas Wootton Productions, Jake Coburn Productions, My So-Called Company, Perfect Storm Entertainment) ‘Transformers: EarthSpark’: Paramount+ Series Sets Voice Cast, Teaser Trailer(7/22/22) Danny Pudi (Community), Alan Tudyk (Resident Alien), Kathreen Khavari (Dead End: Paranormal Park) and Zeno Anderson (Big City Greens) are among 11 voice actors cast in Paramount’s upcoming original animated series Transformers: EarthSpark. Also cast are Sydney Mikayla (Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts), Zion Broadnax (Day Shift), Benny Latham, Jon Jon Briones (Ratched), Rory McCann (Game of Thrones), Cissy Jones (The Owl House) and Diedrich Bader (Better Things). The news was revealed Friday during the show’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con. A first-look clip also was released. You can watch it below.The 26-episode series, part of the Transformers franchise, hails from Nickelodeon, Paramount+ and Entertainment One. It introduces a new generation of Transformers robots–the first Transformers robots to be born on Earth–and together with the human family who welcomes them in and cares for them, they’ll redefine what it means to be a family. Transformers: EarthSpark is set to debut exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. in November, and on Paramount+ and select Nickelodeon channels internationally. Character descriptions follow below. Mikayla plays Robby Malto, a smart 13-year-old boy with an abundance of moxie and charisma. Robby is frustrated by his family’s recent move to a small town until he discovers Transformers bots and is now living the ultimate dream. Broadnax is Morgan ‘Mo’ Malto, Robby’s 9-year-old younger sister. Though she’s emotionally mature for her age, she’s able to look at everything with a wide-eyed sense of optimism and hope. For her, family comes first no matter who you are or where you’re from. Latham portrays Dot Malto, the mother to Robby and Mo, surrogate mother to the Malto-bots, and wife to Alex. She’s a loving mother and ex-soldier, so she can flip that switch when she’s pushed. Briones is Alex Malto, the father to Robby and Mo, surrogate father to the Malto-bots, and husband to Dot. He’s a college professor with a Ph.D. in Transformers History who loves sharing his Filipino heritage and wealth of Transformers knowledge with his human and bot kids. He can also rattle off dad jokes like a pro. Khavari portrays Twitch Malto, an Earth-born Terran born out of primordial sludge in the cave waters of Witwicky, Pennsylvania, like her brother Thrash. She’s a keen observer of everything around her. Robinson plays Thrash Malto, an Earth-born male Terran and a cheeky wild child. Like his sister, Twitch, he was born out of primordial sludge in the caves of Witwicky, Pennsylvania. He’s a bringer of fun and good times with a happy-go-lucky attitude. Pudi portrays Bumblebee, a fun-loving veteran Autobot who serves as a mentor to the Terrans as they learn what it takes to be Transformers robots. Bumblebee has a lot to learn about being a big brother and role model. He’s suddenly in a position of authority, which makes him nervous and afraid to show any cracks. Tudyk is Optimus Prime, a courageous Autobot leader who has forged a new alliance with humans. The birth of the Terrans has given him renewed hope for the future. McCann plays Megatron, the father of the Decepticon faticon who believes in making any sacrifice necessary for the survival of Cybertronian civilization. He’s a headstrong idealist but isn’t unwilling to adjust his strategy when victory hangs in the balance. Jones is Elita-1, the physically gifted and confident second-in command of the Autobots. Elita-1 is fair and never overbearing to the team. She listens to everyone and is a bot the Terrans look up to. Bader plays Mandroid, the villain. He was a scientist-soldier in the war, jaded and ultimately, very anti-Cybertronian. With this new anti-Transformer ideology, he believes Earth and its humans need his protection and surmises that the annihilation of all Cybertronians is the best for the planet. Transformers: EarthSpark is created and co-executive produced by Dale Malinowski (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and executive produced by Ant Ward (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). The series is developed for television by Claudia Spinelli, Senior Vice President, Big Kids Animation, Nickelodeon. Production is overseen for Nickelodeon by Mikiel Houser, Executive in Charge of Production and for eOne by Kari Rosenberg. Hasbro, maker of the Transformers: EarthSpark toyline, also is a production partner on the animated series. (Video - USA Only) ‘Resident Alien’ Gets Early Season 3 Renewal By Syfy(7/21/22) Syfy’s flagship series Resident Alien, starring Alan Tudyk, has been renewed for a third season, which I hear will consist of 12 episodes. The pickup comes ahead of the August 10 premiere of the second half of Resident Alien‘s second season.The UCP-produced Resident Alien was a breakout for Syfy when it premiered in 2021 and continues to be a strong ratings performer. The hourlong comedy-drama ranks among this year’s top 15 most-watched cable series and top 5 most-watched cable dramas, averaging 2.3 million viewers in L+7. Across all airings, it has reached nearly 11 million viewers and recently received a Hollywood Critics Association nomination for Best Comedy Series. Based on the Dark Horse comics, Resident Alien follows a crash-landed alien named Harry (Tudyk) whose secret mission is to kill all humans. In season two, Harry is once again stranded on Earth where he must confront the consequences of having failed his people’s mission to destroy the human race. The second half of Season 2 picks up in the immediate aftermath of the shocking action Asta (Sara Tomko) took to save Harry’s life. They must deal with the emotional fallout of the night all while searching for the alien baby – a search that leads to big realizations for each of them. Meanwhile, Sheriff Mike (Corey Reynolds) and Deputy Liv (Elizabeth Bowen) solve a big case, Ben (Levi Fiehler) and Kate (Meredith Garrettson) attempt to sell Patience on a new resort, and D’arcy (Alice Wetterlund) fights the challenge of a lifetime. The series also stars Judah Prehn. From UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Amblin TV and Dark Horse Entertainment, Resident Alien was adapted to television by executive producer Chris Sheridan. Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg of Dark Horse Entertainment, and Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank of Amblin TV also executive produce. Sheridan and the series’ main cast, led by Tudyk, are slated for a Comic-Con panel on Saturday. Nathan Fillion & Niecy Nash-Betts Tease What’s To Come In ‘The Rookie’s Fifth Season & ‘The Rookie: Feds’ First, How “Mothership” Series & Spinoff Will Overlap(7/21/22) Key creatives behind ABC’s hit police procedural The Rookie and its upcoming spinoff The Rookie: Feds made an appearance at Comic-Con today to tease what’s coming up on both series and discuss the nature of the interaction planned for them.Panelists for the conversation with TV Guide magazine’s Damian Holbrook included The Rookie‘s Nathan Fillion; The Rookie: Feds’ Niecy Nash-Betts; and the executive producers of both series, Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter. While all of the above initially were believed to be stopping by San Diego for an in-person appearance, they wound up joining the talk virtually from set, to the audible dismay of fans in the room and only after some technical issues with the livestream. “Oh my God,” said Holbrook, “they haven’t figured this out yet.” Hawley and Winter shared that they’re currently three episodes into filming on both the fifth season of The Rookie and its offshoot’s first. The former said that the latest year of The Rookie will feel like “a real transitional” one, with “a lot of movement” — noting that the show will continue to tell “some harder stories,” with familiar villains returning. Fillion noted that the upcoming season of the “mothership” series will see his rookie cop “elevated to another level of his job and starting at rock bottom again” — becoming the rookie once more, even as he rises in the ranks. He also shared that Nolan will be serving as a training officer to a “brand new” female rookie who makes “all the same mistakes” his character has. “[It’s] kind of brilliant, the way we take a look at life and say, what keeps you a rookie?” he said. “What in your life are you still a rookie at?” Hawley said that there will be a “fun storyline” ahead pertaining to the pregnancy of Nyla Harper (Mekia Cox), who will continue to enjoy a Cagney & Lacey type dynamic with Angela Lopez (Alyssa Diaz), as she returns to full-time work as a detective. Also enjoying an exciting upcoming storyline coming up, per Hawley, is attorney Wesley Evers (Shawn Ashmore), who winds up “crossing over from the defense side” into the arena of policing “in a more solid way.” A final plot tease from The Rookie on Hawley’s part had to do with the burgeoning romance between Lucy Chen (Melissa O’Neil) and Tim Bradford (Eric Winter). “Obviously, we left quite the cliffhanger last season with the kiss which we’ve been building up to,” said The Rookie‘s creator. “There will definitely be some repercussions and fallout from that.” Elsewhere in the panel, Nash-Betts broke down what we can expect from The Rookie: Feds, calling the new show “a perfect marriage of comedy and drama” centered on a character with which she identifies greatly. “She’s going to do it her way. She doesn’t take no for an answer,” said the actress. “She’s a lover, she’s a flirt. We’ve got a lot in common.” Winter said that unlike The Rookie, which is anchored in LA, The Rookie: Feds will be more geographically expansive in its storytelling, given its examination of a federal organization. “Los Angeles isn’t the only place we do our work,” he said. “We have a jet plane and we’ll often fly, and it opens up the show in a really exciting way.” The writer-EP specified that the spinoff travels not only “all over Los Angeles,” but also “all over the nation” — maybe even going overseas. Winter noted that while we’ve already met the father of Nash-Betts’ Simone in the two-part backdoor pilot that set up the spinoff, we’ll meet more of her family members in the new series, including her twins, who have already been alluded to — also digging into the character’s love life. “There’s a very interesting love interest that launches in Episode 3 and I can’t wait for everybody to see it,” he said. “The chemistry is popping. It’s amazing.” Like The Rookie, Feds will have plenty of comedic moments. Winter said, though, that like the mothership series, the spinoff won’t be afraid to tell real stories “about systemic issues” in an organic way. Hawley said that multiple crossover events have been planned for the upcoming seasons of The Rookie and The Rookie: Feds, with Winter expressing the hope that ABC will ultimately be “lousy” with these kinds of episodes. “[The shows] do live in the same universe so we want you to feel like you can bounce between [them],” Hawley added. “They stand on their own but they’re super fun to watch together.” Later, Fillion was asked what the expansion of the Rookie universe has meant to him, noting that it’s been remarkable to be experiencing this kind of first with a TV series, after over 25 years in the industry. “This is an incredible experience,” he said, “and I am everyday really excited about where I am in life right now.” Debuting on ABC in 2018, The Rookie centers on John Nolan (Fillion) who, after a life-altering incident, switches gears in his life and career to pursue his dream of joining the LAPD. As their oldest rookie, he’s met with skepticism from those who see him as just a walking midlife crisis. Introduced via a two-part backdoor pilot planted in The Rookie‘s fourth season, The Rookie: Feds centers on Special Agent Simone Clark (Nash-Betts), who is a force of nature, the living embodiment of a dream deferred – and the oldest rookie in the FBI Academy. The Rookie returns for its fifth season on Sunday, September 25 at 10 p.m. ET. Hawley and Winter exec produce the series with Mark Gordon, Fillion, Michelle Chapman, Jon Steinberg and Bill Norcross. eOne is the lead studio and international distributor of the show, which is a co-production with ABC Signature — a part of Disney Television Studios. Hawley and Winter co-created and write on The Rookie: Feds, which will also star Felix Jones, Frankie Faison, Britt Robertson, Kevin Zegers and James Lesure. The spinoff debuts on ABC on September 27. Resident Alien Season 2, Part 2 Trailer Brings More Murder, Mayhem and Man-Eating Alien Babies — Get Return Date(7/1/22) (Video) Syfy’s Resident Alien has officially set its summertime return: Season 2 will resume with Part 2 Wednesday, August 10 at 10/9c, the cabler announced Friday.In addition to its return date, the network also dropped a brand new trailer for the season’s remaining eight episodes (watch the new clip above). The second half of Season 2 picks up in the immediate aftermath of Asta (Sara Tomko) shooting a Galvan/Powell goon dead in order to save Harry’s life. Harry and Asta “must deal with the emotional fallout of the night all while searching for the alien baby — a search that leads to big realizations for each of them,” reads the official description. “Meanwhile, Sheriff Mike (Corey Reynolds) and Deputy Liv (Elizabeth Bowen) solve a big case, Ben (Levi Fiehler) attempts to sell Patience on a new resort and D’Arcy (Alice Wetterlund) fights the challenge of a lifetime.” The trailer also shows the return of Terry O’Quinn’s Alien Tracker, who arrives in Patience to meet with Liv. The deputy hopes the Tracker can help her prove to the town that UFOs really do exist. In the midseason finale that aired March 16 (read our post mortem with creator Chris Sheridan here), secrets were exposed and emotions spun wildly out of control, as the alien-human hybrid baby ravaged its way through Patience, and crashed a surprise birthday party thrown for Harry. Not only did the Ben/Kate/D’Arcy triangle come to a head, but Liv also found some much needed conviction about her own experience with extraterrestrials. With the baby still on the loose, a murder to cover up and General McCallister on their trail, Harry and Asta will more than have their hands full as we enter the season’s final episodes. ‘American Housewife,’ ‘9-1-1’ & ‘The Rookie’ Sold In 95% Of U.S. For Fall Syndication Debuts(6/21/22) American Housewife, 9-1-1 and The Rookie have been cleared in more than 95% of the U.S. to make their broadcast syndication debuts in September. American Housewife will air seven days a week beginning September 12, while weekend telecasts of 9-1-1 and The Rookie will begin September 17, Disney Media Entertainment and Distribution announced today.American Housewife has been sold to stations from broadcast groups including the CBS Television Stations, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Weigel Broadcasting, Nexstar Media Group, E.W. Scripps Company, Hubbard Broadcasting, Hearst Communications, Gray Television, Bahakel Communications, Tegna Media, Lockwood Broadcast Group, Mission Broadcasting, Cox Media Group, Allen Media, Standard Media Group, NPG Broadcasting and American Spirit Media. The series, starring Katy Mixon, aired on ABC for five seasons. It was created by Sarah Dunn and was produced by ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios, and Kapital Entertainment. Rick Wiener and Kenny Schwartz served as showrunners of and the series was executive produced by Sarah Dunn, Aaron Kaplan, Rick Wiener and Kenny Schwartz. 9-1-1 will launch weekends on stations from broadcast groups including the ABC Owned Television Stations, Nexstar Media Group, Gray Television, Cox Media Group, Hearst Communications, E.W. Scripps Company, Sinclair Broadcast Group, Tegna Media and Weigel Broadcasting. 9-1-1 is produced by 20th Television in association with Ryan Murphy Television and Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear are creators, executive producers and writers on the series, which will debut its sixth season on Fox this fall. The Rookie has been licensed for weekend runs to stations from broadcast groups including the ABC Owned Television Stations, CBS Television Stations, Nexstar Media Group, Gray Television, Cox Media Group, Hearst Communications, E.W. Scripps Company, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Tegna Media. Alexi Hawley is creator and executive producer of The Rookie. Mark Gordon, Nathan Fillion, Michelle Chapman, Bill Norcross and Terence Paul Winter are executive producers on the series. Entertainment One is the lead studio and international distributor of The Rookie, a co-production with ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios. The series, starring Nathan Fillion, enters its fifth season on ABC this fall. ‘The Endgame’ Canceled By NBC After One Season(5/12/22) The Endgame is over.NBC has canceled the heist drama, which stars Morena Baccarin as criminal mastermind, after one season. The series comes from Nick Wootton, Jake Coburn, Justin Lin and Julie Plec. Universal TV is the studio. Written by Chuck and Scorpion exec producer Wootton and Quantico EP Coburn, The Endgame is a high-stakes thriller about Elena Federova (Baccarin), a very recently captured international arms dealer and brilliant criminal mastermind who even in captivity orchestrates a number of coordinated bank heists, and Val Turner (Ryan Michelle Bathe), the principled, relentless and socially outcast FBI agent who will stop at nothing to foil her ambitious plan. Cast also includes Kamal Angelo Bolden, Costa Ronin, Noah Bean, Jordan Johnson-Hinds and Mark D. Espinoza. Wootton executive produces via his Nicholas Wootton Productions; Coburn, exec produces via his Jake Coburn Productions; Plec exec produces along with Emily Cummins via her My So-Called Company; and Justin Lin, who directed the pilot exec produces with Andrew Schneider via his Perfect Storm Entertainment. Alan Tudyk guests on The Rookie 5/15/22(4/29/22) “Day In The Hole” – Officer John Nolan is forced to spend a week in solitary confinement in a quiet border town with a young local officer who is in need of some training. Meanwhile, Sergeant Bradford and Officer Chen discover that looks are deceiving and go undercover together in a possible drug trafficking case on the season finale of “The Rookie,” SUNDAY, MAY 15 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC. (TV-14, L) Watch episodes on demand and on Hulu the day following their premieres.Guest starring is Brent Huff as Officer Smitty, Alan Tudyk as Ellroy Basso, Sara Rue as Nell Forester, Dylan Conrique as Tamara Colins and Pete Davidson as Pete Nolan. “Day In The Hole” was written and directed by Alexi Hawley. The CW Acquires Canadian Drama Series ‘Family Law’ Starring Jewel Staite & Victor Garber(3/31/22) The CW continues to expand its scripted acquisition slate with the addition of Canadian drama series Family Law, a one-hour legal drama, from Entertainment One. A premiere date is TBD.Created, written and executive produced Susin Nielsen, Family Law, stars Jewel Staite (Firefly) and Emmy and Tony nominated Victor Garber (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow), along with Zach Smadu (Cardinal) and Genelle Williams (The Expanse). The drama series follows lawyer and recovering alcoholic Abigail Bianchi (Staite) struggling to put her career and family back together after hitting rock bottom. As a condition of her probation, Abby is forced to work at her estranged father Harry’s (Garber) firm, Svensson and Associates, and practice in family law for the first time while forging new relationships with the half-brother Daniel (Smadu) and half-sister Lucy (Williams) whom she’s never met. The result is a dysfunctional family law firm operating to help other families with their own dysfunctions. Family Law is produced by Seven24 Films and Lark Productions for Corus Entertainment’s Global (Canada). The series is executive produced by Seven24’s Jordy Randall (Heartland) and Tom Cox (Fortunate Son), and Lark’s Erin Haskett (Motive) and Andy Mikita (Stargate SG-1) also serve as executive producers. eOne holds international distribution rights. The deal was brokered by eOne’s Dan Loewy, Executive Vice President, Sales, Americas and ANZ. Family Law expands CW’s acquisitions slate, which includes the upcoming drama Leonardo starring Aidan Turner, Matilda De Angelis and Freddie Highmore, half-hour comedy-drama Bump starring Nathalie Morris, and the international action series Professionals starring Tom Welling, Brendan Fraser and Elena Anaya. Current series include Coroner, Wellington Paranormal and Devils, all of which will return for new seasons later this year. James Caan & ‘Deadpool’ Star Morena Baccarin Join Pierce Brosnan In Philip Noyce’s ‘Fast Charlie’, Filming Begins Next Week In New Orleans(3/31/22) Oscar nominee James Caan (The Godfather) and Morena Baccarin (Deadpool) will star alongside Pierce Brosnan in hitman thriller Fast Charlie, to be directed by Phillip Noyce (Salt).Filming is due to get underway in New Orleans next week. Former James Bond Brosnan will play Charlie Swift who has worked for his ageing mob boss Stan (Caan) for twenty years, skillfully operating as a prolific fixer and efficient hitman. When a rival boss moves to eliminate Stan and his entire team, he fails in wiping the team clean. Now on his own, Charlie will stop at nothing to avenge his friend and has no plans to leave anyone alive. Morena Baccarin is set to play the female lead Marcie, the ex-wife of a mobster killed by Charlie, who forms an unexpected pairing with Charlie in his revenge against the rival mob. The original screenplay is written by Richard Wenk (The Equalizer), inspired by the novel Gun Monkeys by Victor Gischler. Daniel Grodnik (Bobby) and Mitchell Welch (Chain of Command) will produce. Foresight is handling international sales and parent company Screen Media is distributing in the U.S. Screen Media’s David Fannon and Seth Needle, and Foresight Unlimited’s Mark Damon and Tamara Birkemoe, will executive-produce with David Nagelberg. Caan’s upcoming films include Tom Burruss’s Redemption and André Gordon’s Acre Beyond the Rye. Gotham, The Flash and Firefly actress Baccarin’s upcoming films include Espen Sandberg’s Beast and Ric Roman Waugh’s Greenland: Migration. Her upcoming TV series include NBC’s The End Game as well as an appearance on the FX Network’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Director Noyce commented on the casting: “I’m absolutely thrilled to have James Caan and Morena Baccarin aboard. I can’t imagine a more perfect pair than Morena and Pierce. Not to be cute, but they really do make a killer couple.” Producer Daniel Grodnik added: “I brought Phillip to America in 1988 to direct Blind Fury with Rutger Hauer and now 34 years later I’m thrilled to be back on the set with him. With a great script by Richard Wenk, and Pierce bringing his star power to the role of Charlie, alongside the legendary, James Caan, and the multi-talented Morena Baccarin, Phillip has a vision that will craft a seminal and iconic film to entertain audiences worldwide.” Baccarin is represented by United Talent Agency and managed by Seven Summits Pictures & Management. Caan is represented by Cavalry Media. ‘The Rookie’ Renewed For Season 5 By ABC(3/30/22) ABC will get more of The Rookie, renewing the cop drama for Season 5. The Rookie hails from creator and executive producer Alexi Hawley and stars Nathan Fillion, Mekia Cox, Alyssa Diaz, Richard T. Jones and more.The network revealed the renewal on Wednesday. Season 4 of The Rookie opened with a 0.3 rating in the 18-49 demo and 2.8 million viewers and has remained fairly steady in demo throughout the season. Per ABC, The Rookie season 4 averages 10 million total viewers after 35 days of viewing across ABC’s linear and digital platforms, growing six times over its initial Live+Same Day rating among Adults 18-49 with a lift of +500% after 35 days of multiplatform viewing. The Rookie renewal comes less than two months after Deadline learned exclusively that ABC will expand on the drama’s world with an FBI-focused spinoff starring Niecy Nash. Joining Nash for the spinoff will be Kat Foster, Felix Jones and Frankie Faison. The currently untitled spinoff, from Hawley and The Rookie executive producer Terence Paul Winter, will exist in the same universe to frequent crossovers for a programing block similar to Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19. Fillion stars as John Nolan, Cox as Nyla Harper, Diaz as Angela and Jones as Sgt. Wade Grey. The Rookie also features Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen, Eric Winter as Tim Bradford, Jenna Dewan as Bailey Nune and Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers. Here’s the logline for the upcoming episode to air on Sunday: “Officer John Nolan and the team feel they must negotiate with a distraught man who is holding a hospital hostage to ensure his wife receives a lifesaving surgery.” Hawley executive produces with Winter, Fillion, Mark Gordon, Michelle Chapman and Bill Norcross. Entertainment One (eOne) is the lead studio and international distributor of The Rookie, a co-production with ABC Signature. ABC Signature is a part of Disney Television Studios. Morena Baccarin admits raising three kids and working has been a ‘disaster’(3/16/22) Actress Morena Baccarin admits juggling three children while starring on an NBC series has been a bit of a “disaster.”The “Endgame” star shares 1-year-old son Arthur and 4-year-old daughter Frances with husband Ben McKenzie and has a 9-year-old son named Julius with her first husband, producer Austin Chick. “I’m a disaster all the time,” Baccarin, 42, confessed to Page Six at the National Board of Review gala on Tuesday night. “I’m happy to have clothes on right now, but people help me. They were zipping me up and putting stuff on my face.” She estimated that it took a couple of hours to glam up for the starry night — which was also attended by Bradley Cooper and McKenzie — while her daughter perched on her lap chowing down on a cucumber. The “Homeland” star admits that right now “it’s really tough,” but is trying to focus on the long term. “I just have to get through these next five years and then it’ll become a little bit more feasible and enjoyable.” Baccarin also said she “couldn’t live without” her nanny for helping her get through everything. “She’s the best. She keeps our household running.” That allows the “Gotham” star to focus on playing an arms dealer in her new show, a role she doesn’t take too seriously. “I think you just have to have fun with that,” she said. “Truly, like, I can’t take it too seriously. I’m in an international arms dealer running in a fabulous blue Carolina Herrera dress. You know what I mean? It’s about being in the moment and having fun with the lines.” Critics Choice Super Awards Nominations(2/22/22) Winners will be revealed on Thursday, March 17. The Super Awards, which will not be telecast this year.BEST ACTOR IN A SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY SERIES The Endgame Trailer: Morena Baccarin and Ryan Michelle Bathe Square Off in NBC Thriller(1/21/22) (Video) Morena Baccarin and Ryan Michelle Bathe set out to out-smart each other in the first trailer for NBC’s upcoming series The Endgame.The thriller drama follows Elena Federova (played by Gotham vet Baccarin), a very recently captured international arms dealer and brilliant criminal mastermind who even in captivity orchestrates a number of coordinated bank heists, and Val Turner (All Rise‘s Bathe), the principled, relentless and socially outcast FBI agent who will stop at nothing to foil her ambitious plan. And even though the two are on opposite sides of the law, “we are going to be partners,” Elena declares to Val in the above video. Costa Ronin (The Americans) costars as Sergey Vodianov, the love of Elena’s life and her partner in crime, while Noah Bean (Nikita) portrays Jonathan Doak, the FBI Assistant Director in Charge who supervises Agent Turner. The cast also features Kamal Bolden (Rosewood), Jordan Johnson-Hinds (Nurses) and Mark D. Espinoza (Major Crimes). Nick Wootton (Scorpion) serves as showrunner and will executive-produce alongside The Fast and the Furious franchise veteran Justin Lin, who directed the pilot. Additional EPs include Jake Coburn (Arrow, Quantico) and Julie Plec (The Vampire Diaries). The Endgame premieres Monday, Feb. 21 at 10/9c. The Undoing of Joss Whedon(1/17/22) (vulture.com) The Buffy creator, once an icon of Hollywood feminism, is now an outcast accused of misogyny. How did he get here?In the fall of 2002, 160 scholars convened at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. They were an eclectic group — theologians, philosophers, linguists, film professors — and they had descended on the medieval city for a conference dedicated to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a cult television show about a teenage girl who fights monsters while attending high school in Southern California. It was not a typical academic gathering. There were life-size cutouts of the eponymous heroine as well as Buffy-themed chocolates, action figures, and, in the welcome bags, exfoliating moisturizers (“Buffy the Backside Slayer”). Professors stalked around in long black leather coats like the vampire Spike, Buffy’s enemy and, later, her lover. If the line between scholarship and fandom was vanishingly thin, so was the line between fandom and worship. On the first morning of the conference, David Lavery, a professor of English at Middle Tennessee State University, stood at the podium and declared the show’s creator, Joss Whedon, the “avatar” of a new religion, the “founder of a new faith.” Lavery and two other professors would go on to establish the Whedon Studies Association, an organization devoted to expanding the field of Buffy scholarship. As Lavery would write in the introduction to a book he co-authored on the series, Whedon had not simply composed a narrative about a struggle against the “forces of darkness — vampires, demons, monsters of all varieties”; he had taken a stand against a panoply of oppressive “social forces,” most obviously the “forces of gender stereotyping.” According to the prevailing rules of Hollywood horror at the time, Whedon’s protagonist, a hot blonde with a dumb name, should have died within the opening scenes, but Whedon had flipped the genre on its head, endowing her with superhuman powers and a hero’s journey. It wasn’t just scholars who worshipped him in those days. He was a celebrity showrunner before anyone cared who ran shows. In 2005, the comic-book artist Scott R. Kurtz designed a T-shirt that gestured at Whedon’s stature in popular culture at the time: JOSS WHEDON IS MY MASTER NOW. Marvel later put him in charge of its biggest franchise, hiring him to write and direct 2012’s The Avengers and its sequel Age of Ultron, two of the highest-grossing films of all time. His fans thought of him as a feminist ally, an impression bolstered by his fund-raising efforts for progressive causes. But in recent years, the good-guy image has been tarnished by a series of accusations, each more damaging than the last. In 2017, his ex-wife, Kai Cole, published a sensational open letter about him on the movie blog The Wrap. She condemned him as a “hypocrite preaching feminist ideals” and accused him of cheating on her throughout their marriage, including with actresses on the set of Buffy. Then, beginning in the summer of 2020, the actors Ray Fisher and Gal Gadot, who had starred in a superhero film directed by Whedon, claimed he’d mistreated them, with Fisher describing his behavior as “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable.” They were soon joined by Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia on Buffy and its spinoff series, Angel. In a long Twitter post, she wrote that Whedon had a “history of being casually cruel.” After she became pregnant, heading into Angel’s fourth season, he called her “fat” to colleagues and summoned her into his office to ask, as she recalled, if she was “going to keep it.” She claimed he had mocked her religious beliefs, accused her of sabotaging the show, and fired her a season later, once she had given birth. All the joy of new motherhood had been “sucked right out,” she wrote. “And Joss was the vampire.” Carpenter’s comments threw the fandom into a crisis. Fan organizations debated changing their names; people on discussion sites wrote anguished posts as Sarah Michelle Gellar, who played the titular Slayer, and other Buffy stars offered words of support for Carpenter online. The community’s sense of shock and betrayal could be seen in part as an indictment of the culture of fandom itself. “As fans, we have a bad habit of deifying those whose work we respect,” Kurtz, the comic-book artist, told me. “When you build these people up so big they have nowhere to go but down, I don’t know why we’re surprised when they turn out to be fallible humans who fall.” This past spring, Whedon invited me to spend a couple of afternoons with him at his home in Los Angeles. By then, I had spoken with dozens of people who knew him; after months of agonizing over whether to grant my request for an interview, he had decided to talk, too. Whedon, 57, lives in Santa Monica, 13 blocks from the ocean, on a street lined with magnolia trees and $5 million homes. His house is open, airy, modern. He sat hunched over on a black leather couch, his fingers clicking together, the thumbs tapping each of the other digits in quick succession whenever the conversation shifted toward his recent troubles. Pale and angular with bags under his eyes, he no longer much resembled the plump-cheeked Puck who once impishly urged a profile writer to describe him as “doughy” and “jowly.” It was a perfect day in Santa Monica, as almost every day in Santa Monica is. But Whedon wanted to stay inside. Gazing through a wall of glass at his lush backyard, he announced in his quiet rumble of a voice that he was thinking of getting curtains. “The sun is my enemy,” he said. Scattered around the room were paintings by his wife, the artist Heather Horton. They got married in February 2021, just after the wave of allegations had crested. At the sound of the garage door opening, his shoulders relaxed. “Heather’s coming back,” he said. She breezed through the room in a sundress and complimented me on my glasses. Then she was gone. Picking up a cup of tea, Whedon said he could no longer remain silent as people tried to pry his legacy from his hands. But there was a problem. Those people had set out to destroy him and would surely seize on his every utterance in an attempt to finish the job. “I’m terrified,” he said, “of every word that comes out of my mouth.” Back when he was still a god, the kind that is contractually obligated to promote network-television shows at press junkets, Whedon was asked over and over to explain why he wrote stories about strong women. For years, he would answer by talking about his mother. Lee Stearns, who died in 1991, was an activist and unpublished novelist who taught history at an elite private school in the Bronx. One of her students, Jessica Neuwirth, went on to become a co-founder of Equality Now, an organization that promotes women’s rights. Neuwirth, who has cited Stearns as an inspiration, described her to me as “a visionary feminist.” In 2006, Equality Now presented Whedon with an award at an evening dedicated to honoring “men on the front lines” of feminism. In his speech, Whedon referred to his mother as “extraordinary, inspirational, tough, cool,” and “sexy.” Sitting in his living room, he told me he sees a different side of her now. “She was a remarkable woman and an inspiring person,” he said, “but sometimes those are hard people to be raised by.” Whedon had been thinking a lot about his childhood. He had been in therapy for the past few years, ever since he checked himself into an addiction-treatment center in Florida for a monthlong stay. As a younger man, he had channeled his pain into his work, but he was never particularly interested in picking apart the stories he always told himself about his past. Now, he didn’t have much else to do. The allegations against him had led friends to stop calling. He was out of work and wasn’t writing. What story could he even tell? There were things about his life he was only beginning to understand. “Not the things being said in the press, necessarily, but things I’m not comfortable with,” he told me. “I’m like, I have nothing going on. I can do some work on me.” Born Joseph, Whedon grew up in a palazzo-style apartment building on the Upper West Side. The family spent holidays reading Shakespeare out loud and evenings listening to Sondheim with friends. “There wasn’t a grown-up who didn’t have a drink in their hand by midafternoon,” he said. His father, Tom, was a second-generation television writer whose credits included The Golden Girls and The Dick Cavett Show. He had lived through many writers’-room battles, and he and Lee ran the home as though they were in the thick of one. “If you weren’t funny or entertaining or agreeing with them, they would cut you down or turn to stone,” he recalled. Whedon was the youngest of three boys. Soft and slight and anxious, he had long red hair that caused people to mistake him for a girl, which he says he didn’t mind. He identified with “the feminine” — a testament, maybe, to his connection with his mother. She was “capricious and withholding,” but she frightened him less than his father and, especially, his brothers — “admirable monsters” who “bullied the shit” out of him. On weekends and in summers, he would pass his mornings pacing the long driveway of the family’s second home, a farmhouse near Schenectady, “making up science-fiction universes or plotting elaborate revenges on my brothers.” Whedon now has a term for the damage his childhood caused. He says he suffers from complex post-traumatic-stress disorder, a condition that can lead to relationship problems, self-destructive behavior, and addictions of various kinds. I asked if he would be willing to share his most traumatic memory with me. “I’m going to run to the loo,” he said. Later, he would let slip that someone had advised him to pretend he needed to pee if he felt uncomfortable with a question. Returning to the couch, he affected a sort of Vincent Price voice. “And now,” Whedon said, “tales of horror and woe.” When he was 5, a 4-year-old boy, the son of family friends, disappeared on his parents’ property upstate. Eventually, his body was found; he had drowned in the pond. Years later, as a teenager, Whedon remembered he had called the boy over to the pond to play with him. After getting bored, he had walked away, leaving the boy alone by the water. “I didn’t think it was my fault,” Whedon said. “I knew I was 5. But it doesn’t just disappear as a thought.” It took him another 30 years, he said, before another thought dawned on him: Even after the incident, his parents never taught him to swim. “There was no structure,” he said. “There was no safety.” His parents split up when he was 9. At 15, he went to an all-boys boarding school in England where he read more Shakespeare, joined the fencing team, and struggled to make friends. “I was very dark and miserable, this hideous little homunculus who managed to annoy everyone,” he told the author of Joss Whedon: The Biography. Then, in 1983, his fortunes changed. He had arrived at Wesleyan University, where he discovered his artsy, angsty personality could actually be attractive to women. He got a girlfriend, traded his basic name for a more interesting one, and found a mentor, the eminent film scholar Jeanine Basinger. Basinger, a sort of campus Svengali, surrounded herself with acolytes — Michael Bay, D. B. Weiss. In one of her books, A Woman’s View, she espoused the artistic merits of the woman’s picture, a genre that predominated in the middle of the 20th century. The heroines of these films led fabulous lives as successful single girls in the workplace until just before the closing credits, when they gave it all up for marriage. Seen from one angle, these movies promoted sexist conventions; from another, they celebrated women’s liberation. Basinger argued they did both, and she perceived this ambiguity made them interesting because it reflected the messiness of the human mind. This insight stayed with Whedon, who had no trouble understanding how messy the mind could be. He admired strong women like his mother, yet he’d discovered he was capable of hurting them, “usually by sleeping with them and ghosting or whatever.” He would later tell his biographer this duality gave him “an advantage” over the girls in his college class on feminism when it came to discussing relations between the sexes. “I have seen the enemy,” he said, “and he’s in my brain!” After Wesleyan, Whedon moved to L.A., where he met Cole and wrote the screenplay for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the 1992 film directed by Fran Rubel Kuzui. He wanted to tell a story about someone who turns out to be important despite the fact that no one takes that person seriously. “It took me a long time to realize I was writing about me,” he told me, “and that my feeling of powerlessness and constant anxiety was at the heart of everything.” His avatar was not a fearful young man, however, but a gorgeous girl with extraordinary courage. He wanted to be her, and he wanted to fuck her. In 1995, executives at the fledgling WB network invited him to turn the idea into a series. Building on his original premise, he re-imagined the monsters as metaphors for the horrors of adolescence. In one climactic scene, Buffy loses her virginity to a vampire who has been cursed with a soul; the next morning, his soul is gone and he’s lusting for blood. Any young woman who had gone to bed with a seemingly nice guy only to wake up with an asshole could relate. Like those women’s pictures Basinger had written about, the show invited a multiplicity of interpretations. You could view it as a story of female empowerment or as the opposite — the titillating tale of a woman in leather pants who is brutalized by monsters. When it came out, critics mostly read it as the former. It was the late ’90s, after all. In 1998, shortly after Buffy’s second season aired, Time published an infamous cover asking, “Is Feminism Dead?” As the story’s author, Ginia Bellafante, noted, the protests of the ’60s and ’70s were long over, Gloria Steinem was defending Bill Clinton in the New York Times, and the struggles for equal pay and child care had been subsumed by the corporate pageantry of “girl power,” the glib spectacle of powerful women on TV. Buffy was actually far more complex than most of the other examples of this phenomenon. As in so much of Whedon’s work, the lines between good and evil were blurred. The good guys sometimes did monstrous things, and the monsters could occasionally do good. But the media likes a story with a clear-cut hero, and Whedon wasn’t above playing the part. “I just got tired of seeing women be the victims,” he told the L.A. Times in 2000. “I needed to see women taking control.” In those early days of the internet, before nerd culture swallowed the world, fans flocked to a message board set up by the WB to analyze Buffy with the obsessive zeal of Talmudic scholars. Whedon knew how to talk to these people — he was one of them. He would visit the board at all hours to complain about his grueling schedule or to argue with fans about their interpretations of his work. Back then, as he pointed out to me, the internet was “a friendly place,” and he, the quick-witted prince of nerds, “had the advantage of it.” At one point, fans became convinced Buffy and another Slayer, Faith, were romantically entwined. After Whedon shot down the theory, accusing its proponents of seeing a “lesbian subtext behind every corner,” one of the posters (Buffynerd) sent him a link to her website, where she had published a meticulous exegesis of the relationship. He returned to the message board to applaud her, sort of. “By God, I think she’s right!” he declared. Dropping the facetious tone, he conceded she had made some good points. “I say B.Y.O. Subtext,” he proclaimed, coining a phrase that fans would recite like scripture. Occasionally, some of the Buffy stars and writers would gather at Whedon’s house to watch episodes. They’d huddle around his computer, log on to the board, and chat. Once, Alyson Hannigan, who played Buffy’s friend Willow, posted her number to the site — she was moving to a new apartment the next day but planned to keep her old landline connected to an answering machine so posters could leave her messages. One fan called so quickly he caught her before she had a chance to set up the machine. Every year, the regular posters would hold an IRL party where Whedon would make an appearance. Bryan Bonner, one of the organizers, recalled running into him outside one of these events. Bonner suggested he use the VIP entrance, but Whedon shook his head. “He said, ‘No, I’m good. It’s fine,’” Bonner recalled. “He was always this approachable, down-to-earth guy.” Another organizer, Allyson Beatrice, who wrote a book about Buffy fandom, described the annual gathering as a sort of family reunion. Many found their closest friends through the fan community. One of the most appealing ideas in the show was that a group of social outcasts could come together to form a chosen family. When we meet Buffy, her father is absent, her mother is distracted by work, and she is isolated by the lies she has to tell to cover up her life as a Slayer. At school, she falls in with a gang of nerdy friends who know who she really is. Together, they take on evil teachers, bad boyfriends, and goat-horned demons, saving the world, and one another, again and again. Fans believed Whedon had found his chosen family, too, behind the scenes of the show they all loved so much. But chosen families are not necessarily spared the strife that can plague any family. “I felt very conflicted with the fans,” one Buffy actress told me. “I didn’t have the same feeling about the show, but I also know sometimes people don’t want your truth.” She believed people hadn’t been ready to hear about what Whedon was really like on the set. “There was a cult of silence around that sort of behavior,” she said. Whedon was 31 when he began running Buffy. He had never run a show before and had never been a boss of any kind. At first, when crew members would hold the door open for him on set, he would do an awkward dance and insist he hold the door for them. “It just felt so fucking wrong,” he told me. Then, one day in the third season, a crew member neglected to hold the door and Whedon walked straight into it face-first. “Oh, I see,” Whedon recalled thinking. “You did get used to it.” By the next year, he would be running two shows at once — Buffy and Angel. Soon, he added Firefly to the mix. He spent his days racing among the sets and the writers’ rooms, exerting control over countless aspects of the productions, from the story arcs down to the details of makeup and wardrobe. One actor described him as a “huge pulsating brain.” “There were a thousand things he was tuning in to every moment,” he said. “He could make the slightest adjustment and the scene would go from a three to a ten.” A sort of cult of personality formed around Whedon. Once a month, he would invite his favorite cast and crew members to his house. They would hold Shakespeare readings in the amphitheater that Cole, an architect, had built in their backyard. “It was like being part of this little family,” said an actress who was in the inner circle for a time. One Buffy writer recalled Whedon signing posters for every member of the writing staff. They stood around as he bestowed each of them with personalized words of wisdom like “a guru on the hill.” Scenes like this were not uncommon. “The standard reaction to Joss was worship,” the writer said. Even people who didn’t worship him told me working with him could be a wonderful experience. Miracle Laurie, an actress on Whedon’s 2009 series Dollhouse, was a size 12 when she got the job. Whedon told her not to go on a diet. “He was trying to show that a size 12 woman is normal, sexy, beautiful, strong,” she said. “I still get people coming up to me saying how much it meant to them. I felt celebrated by him.” Like many I interviewed, she was surprised to hear her colleagues felt differently, but looking back, she remembered glimpsing another side of Whedon. “I saw his kindness and his good intentions,” she said, “and I also saw the snarkiness, the fickleness, where I would not want to be on the other side.” Buffy costume designer Cynthia Bergstrom recalled an incident that happened during the filming of season five. In one episode, Spike asks a sadistic science nerd to create a sex-robot version of the Slayer. Whedon and Gellar did not agree on what the Buffy-bot should wear. “Sarah was adamant about it being a certain way,” Bergstrom said. “The costume she wanted was a bit grandma-ish — a pleated skirt and high neck. He definitely wanted it to be sexier.” On the day Gellar tried the different options, Whedon grew frustrated. “I was like, ‘Joss, let’s just get her dressed,’ ” Bergstrom recalled. “He grabbed my arm and dug in his fingers until his fingernails imprinted the skin and I said, ‘You’re hurting me.’ ” A Firefly writer remembered him belittling a colleague for writing a script that wasn’t up to par. Instead of giving her notes privately, he called a meeting with the entire writing staff. “It was basically 90 minutes of vicious mockery,” the writer said. “Joss pretended to have a slide projector, and he read her dialogue out loud and pretended he was giving a lecture on terrible writing as he went through the ‘slides’ and made funny voices — funny for him. The guys were looking down at their pages, and this woman was fighting tears the entire time. I’ve had my share of shitty showrunners, but the intent to hurt — that’s the thing that stands out for me now.” A high-level member of the Buffy production team recalled Whedon’s habit of “writing really nasty notes,” but that wasn’t what disturbed her most about working with him. Whedon was rumored to be having affairs with two young actresses on the show. One day, he and one of the actresses came into her office while she was working. She heard a noise behind her. They were rolling around on the floor, making out. “They would bang into my chair,” she said. “How can you concentrate? It was gross.” This happened more than once, she said. “These actions proved he had no respect for me and my work.” She quit the show even though she had no other job lined up. Then there were the alleged incidents two Buffy actresses wrote about on social media last year. Michelle Trachtenberg, who’d played Buffy’s younger sister, claimed there had been a rule forbidding Whedon from being alone in a room with her on set. Whedon told me he had no idea what she was talking about, and Trachtenberg didn’t want to elaborate. One person who worked closely with her on Buffy told me an informal rule did exist, though it was possible Whedon was not aware of it. During the seventh season, when Trachtenberg was 16, Whedon called her into his office for a closed-door meeting. The person does not know what happened, but recalled Trachtenberg was “shaken” afterward. An adult in Trachtenberg’s circle created the rule in response. The story of Whedon’s conflict with Carpenter is less obscure. The actress has been talking about it with fans and reporters for more than a decade. The tensions with Whedon developed well before her pregnancy. By her own account, she suffered from extreme anxiety and struggled to hit her marks and memorize her lines; Whedon, obsessed with word-perfect dialogue, was not always patient. After she moved over to Angel, she got a tattoo of a rosary on her wrist even though her character was working for a vampire, a creature repelled by crosses. Another time, she chopped off her long hair in the middle of filming an episode. In her Twitter post, Carpenter seemed to blame Whedon for her performance problems. She wrote that his cruelty intensified her anxiety. She got the tattoo, she explained, to help her feel “spiritually grounded” in a volatile work environment. Whedon acknowledged he was not as “civilized” back then. “I was young,” he said. “I yelled, and sometimes you had to yell. This was a very young cast, and it was easy for everything to turn into a cocktail party.” He said he would never intentionally humiliate anyone. “If I am upsetting somebody, it will be a problem for me.” The costume designer who said he’d grabbed her arm? “I don’t believe that,” he said, shaking his head. “I know I would get angry, but I was never physical with people.” Had he made out with an actress on the floor of someone’s office? “That seems false. I don’t understand that story even a little bit.” He removed his glasses and rubbed his face. “I should run to the loo.” When he came back, he said the story didn’t make sense to him because he “lived in terror” of his affairs being discovered. He had some regrets about how he spoke with Carpenter after learning she was pregnant. “I was not mannerly,” he said. Still, he was bewildered by her account of their relationship. “Most of my experiences with Charisma were delightful and charming. She struggled sometimes with her lines, but nobody could hit a punch line harder than her.” I asked if he had called her fat when she was pregnant. “I did not call her fat,” he quickly replied. “Of course I didn’t.” But he did call other pregnant women fat. Rebecca X, as she asked to be called, was known as Rebecca Rand Kirshner when she wrote for the last three seasons of Buffy; since then, she has dropped her “patriarchal last name.” She saw Whedon at a photo shoot a few years after the show ended, when she was weeks away from giving birth. “I was happy to see Joss, and the first thing he said to me was, ‘Oh, you’re fat,’ ” she told me. She knew he was joking, but she didn’t find it very funny. “Did it hurt me? Yes. Did I say, ‘Hey, I got a baby in here, what’s your excuse?’ In so many unsaid words, yes. But I think he was actually slim at that point. My point is, it was a dick move. But I wouldn’t call it abuse.” One day, I took a walk with Rebecca X around the Huntington Botanical Gardens near Pasadena. She wore dark glasses and an Hermès scarf tied around her dark-gold hair and spoke with an inflection that called to mind the mid-Atlantic accent of an old-fashioned Hollywood star. I had reached out to her after hearing Whedon had made her cry in the writers’ room. In the months leading up to our meeting, she had sent me a series of probing emails, excavations of long-buried memories. Once she was in the middle of pitching an idea when Whedon placed his hands on the back of her chair. “Keep going,” he told her, as he tilted the chair backward and lowered her to the ground. “Is that a toxic environment?” she asked me. “I don’t know. What is normal behavior and what isn’t?” As she led me down a winding garden path past the Terrace of Shared Delights and the Pavilion for Washing Away Thoughts, she alternated between criticizing Whedon, questioning her reasons for criticizing him, and questioning her reasons for questioning those reasons. Yes, she said, she had once burst into uncontrollable tears after Whedon gave her notes on a script outline, but she couldn’t say for certain whether this was his fault. The writers’ room was as rowdy as a pirate ship. She and the other writers would spend all day sitting around on chintz couches making one another laugh while plumbing their most painful memories for story ideas. They would fuck with each other, and Whedon would fuck with them too — though if you ever fucked with Whedon, he might get mad. “Did he approach giving notes in a way that was healthy and consistent with the ideals of the endeavor?” she wondered. “No. He’s a blunt instrument, but I’m a very delicate receiver.” She’d always thought the people who worshipped him had it wrong. “I thought he was a false god,” she said. “I talked about Joss as if he were a human, and people gave me shit for it.” Still, she wondered if those who’d been hurt by him had misunderstood him. Whedon was not the first boss in the history of moving pictures to make a writer cry. On his sets, the budget was tight and the hours were long. Everyone was exhausted. And by many accounts, Whedon didn’t always clearly convey what he wanted. A Buffy writer once spent a week researching Irish folklore because it was unclear that Whedon had been kidding when he said he wanted to do an episode about leprechauns. Joss “is a layered and complex communicator,” one longtime collaborator told me. “His tone is deflecting, it’s funny, it’s got wordplay, rhyme, quote marks, some mumbles, self-deprecation, a comic-book allusion, a Sondheim allusion, and some words they only use in England. This means you, the recipient, have to do some decoding. You have to decide if there was a message in there that was meant to correct you, sting you, rib you affectionately, or shyly praise you.” “Can a person have many bad parts and yet another person they encounter only experiences the good parts?” Rebecca mused in one of her emails. “Can we miss the bad parts of people? I know we can. Did I?” She went on: “Joss was a dweeb and Joss was sharp as hell and Joss was a dick, but to me he wasn’t a toxic dick, he was the kind of dick a person is on the path to becoming someone better. I did believe that.” A few days later, she sent me a text. “Joss is a beautiful person,” she wrote. “But you know what,” she added dryly, “I’m actually particularly vulnerable to abusive people.” On our second day of interviews, I asked Whedon about his affairs on the set of Buffy. He looked worse than he had the day before. His eyes were faintly bloodshot. He hadn’t slept well. “I feel fucking terrible about them,” he said. When I pressed him on why, he noted “it messes up the power dynamic,” but he didn’t expand on that thought. Instead, he quickly added that he had felt he “had” to sleep with them, that he was “powerless” to resist. I laughed. “I’m not actually joking,” he said. He had been surrounded by beautiful young women — the sort of women who had ignored him when he was younger — and he feared if he didn’t have sex with them, he would “always regret it.” Looking back, he feels shame and “horror,” he said. I thought of something he had told me earlier. A vampire, he’d said, is the “exalted outsider,” a creature that feels like “less than everybody else and also kind of more than everybody else. There’s this insecurity and arrogance. They do a little dance.” Buffy ended in 2003, but his affairs did not. He slept with employees, fans, and colleagues. Eventually, his wife found out. In 2012, they split up. In Cole’s open letter to fans, she accused him of using feminism as a cover for his infidelities. “He always had a lot of female friends, but he told me it was because his mother raised him as a feminist, so he just liked women better,” she wrote. After learning he had been deceiving her for 15 years, she was diagnosed with complex PTSD, the same condition as him. “I want the people who worship him to know he is human,” she concluded. I spoke with three women who dated Whedon after his marriage ended. In their stories, he was not the hero they had read about in the press, the one who wanted to see women in control; he was more like the cold-blooded men he depicted in his work. Sarah, a pseudonym, met Whedon when he was promoting Age of Ultron. She was a 22-year-old freelance writer who interviewed him for a pop-culture website; after the piece published, they began a sexual relationship. “He led me to believe he was single,” she said. One night she went out for drinks alone with a friend Whedon wanted her to meet. After the friend mentioned she had a long-term boyfriend, Sarah asked what his name was. “I’m dating Joss Whedon,” the woman replied. Sarah went into the bathroom and threw up. “What the fuck is he playing at?” she remembers thinking. He felt he “had” to sleep with them, that he was “power less” to resist. I laughed. “I’m not actually joking,” he said. Erin Shade, a television writer who moonlights as a psychic medium, got involved with Whedon in 2013 while working as a showrunner’s assistant on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., a series he created with one of his younger half-brothers and the brother’s wife. He was 49; she was 23 and a virgin. One day, Whedon texted her with an unusual request: Would she come over to his house for the weekend to watch him write? He would pay $2,500 — more than Shade made in a month as an assistant. There was one caveat: She had to hide it from her bosses. They dated on and off in secret for nearly a year before she slept with him. Not long after, he sent her a brief email telling her he couldn’t have a girlfriend. Seven years later, she made a ten-hour YouTube series called Erin the Snake Whisperer that chronicled the painful consequences of the relationship. Surrounded by candles and crystals, she described their relationship as an abuse of power. “People like Joss offset their trauma on other people in exchange for their energy, and take their energy to keep going — to keep themselves alive, almost,” she told me. “That’s why he’s so good at the vampire narrative.” (Whedon says he “should have handled the situation better.”) When Arden Leigh met Whedon in 2012, she was a sex educator in her 20s and author of The New Rules of Attraction, a book about being a female pickup artist. She picked him up at a club. After their second date, Whedon sent her DVDs of Dollhouse. The heroine, played by Buffy alum Eliza Dushku, has no friends, no family, and no personality. A secret corporation has used advanced technology to erase her memory and turn her into a “doll” — a living robot customized to cater to the darkest desires of the company’s wealthy clients. Some critics argued the premise was sexist, but Leigh, who’d worked as a professional dominatrix, related to the dolls and was moved by Whedon’s depiction of them. She and Whedon began a relationship as “owner and doll.” For the most part, she found it gratifying, and she believed he did too. Whedon told Leigh he identified with a character in Dollhouse: Topher, the nerdy scientist who imprints the dolls with their personalities. It’s not a flattering comparison. As one of Topher’s colleagues points out, he was picked to work at the dollhouse because he had no morals: “You had always thought of people as playthings. This is not a judgment. You always take good care of your toys.” That last line is disingenuous. Topher doesn’t take good care of his dolls, and in the end, according to Leigh, neither did Whedon. On Dollhouse, she reminded me, bad dolls are banished to “the attic,” a room where they are forced to relive their worst nightmares over and over. In her epilogue to The New Rules of Attraction, Leigh wrote that one of her worst memories was of a boyfriend breaking up with her on her birthday. Whedon read the book, and they talked about the epilogue. In 2015, hours before her birthday, he came over to her house and told her their relationship was over. “If he was like, What could I do to Arden that would be her worst nightmare?, that would have been it,” she said. “Joss destroyed a beautiful thing just to show he had the power to. That’s literally everything you need to know about him.” Whedon didn’t want to talk about his relationships with women in any detail, but it was possible to infer from various remarks he made throughout our conversations that he’d been aware, at least to some extent, of the pain he had caused. The year his marriage ended, he saw the Globe’s production of Richard III with Mark Rylance playing the conniving, sadistic, charismatic aristocrat who slaughters everyone in his path to the throne and winks at the audience while he does it. Richard is an ugly hunchback. Women have always rejected him. His own mother loathes him. As he seeks the crown, he tricks women into bed and has them murdered when he no longer has use for them. He appears devoid of empathy, but in one of the play’s final scenes, he awakens, tormented by fear, and for the first time displays a pang of remorse: Alas, I rather hate myself For hateful deeds committed by myself. I am a villain. Yet I lie. I am not. As Whedon quoted from that scene, he let out a choked groan and mimicked the act of plunging a knife into his stomach. “It just reached into my fucking guts,” he said. He confessed that he identified more closely with Richard than with any other character in Shakespeare’s canon — with the possible exception of Falstaff, the “holy fool.” Whedon’s experience of seeing Richard III coincided with his own coronation of a kind. He had just directed Marvel’s Avengers, a commercial juggernaut featuring an all-star cast led by Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Scarlett Johansson. In a profile pegged to its release, GQ hailed Whedon as “the most inventive pop storyteller of his generation.” By then, he had influenced an entire generation of TV creators. His delight in quirky language, his playful subversion of genre conventions, his affinity for powerful female protagonists — you could observe these hallmarks reflected in any number of shows that arrived in Buffy’s wake, from Veronica Mars to Battlestar Galactica and Lost. But as the culture around him continued to change, certain fans began to see Whedon’s work through a more critical lens, discerning an attitude toward women that seemed unenlightened by the standards of the female-centered shows and movies his success had in some cases helped spawn. In 2017, the same year Cole published her letter, an old Wonder Woman screenplay he had written surfaced online. Compared with the Wonder Woman movie Patty Jenkins had recently directed, his version struck some readers as creepy and sexist, with passages that seemed to linger gratuitously on the Amazon’s sex appeal. “You cannot tell me Joss Whedon didn’t write the original Wonder Woman script while furiously cranking his hog,” one woman tweeted. That year, Whedon took a job doing rewrites for the Warner Bros. film Justice League, a DC property directed by Zack Snyder. For two white men in their 50s making comic-book flicks, he and Snyder could hardly have been less creatively or philosophically aligned. While Whedon’s superhero epics were leavened by irony and wordplay, Snyder’s were brooding and self-important, with a visual style that combined the artificiality of a video game with the fascist aesthetic of a Leni Riefenstahl production. Snyder’s fans were every bit as ardent as Whedon’s had been, but his previous effort, Batman v Superman, had faltered at the box office and offended critics, with A. O. Scott going so far as to assert that Snyder and his corporate backers had “no evident motive” to produce such a joyless spectacle of power “beyond their own aggrandizement.” Now, those backers were concerned about how their new venture was shaping up. An early screening did not reassure them. “They asked me to fix it, and I thought I could help,” Whedon told me. He now regards this decision as one of the biggest regrets of his life. At first, the studio executives told Whedon his role would be restricted to writing and advising, but soon it became clear to Whedon they had lost faith in Snyder’s vision and wanted him to take full control. (A representative from Warner Bros. denied this. Snyder has publicly stated he left the project to spend time with his family; his daughter had died by suicide two months earlier.) Whedon, now installed in the director’s chair, oversaw nearly 40 days of reshoots, a complicated and laborious undertaking. From the start, things were tense between him and the stars. It wasn’t just that he wanted to impose a whole new vision on their work; he introduced an entirely different style of management. Snyder had given the actors exceptional license with the script, encouraging them to ad-lib dialogue. Whedon expected them to say their lines exactly as he’d written them. “That didn’t go down well at all,” one crew member told me. Some actors criticized his writing. By Whedon’s account, Gal Gadot, who played Wonder Woman, suggested that he, the director of the highest-grossing superhero movie at the time, didn’t understand how superhero movies worked. At one point, Whedon paused the shoot and, according to the crew member, announced that he had never worked with “a ruder group of people.” The actors fell silent. The actors, at least some of them, felt Whedon had been rude, too. Ray Fisher, a young Black actor, played Cyborg; it was his first major role. Snyder had centered the film on his character — the first Black superhero in a DC movie — and he’d treated Fisher as a writing partner, soliciting his opinions on the film’s representations of Black people. Whedon downsized Cyborg’s role, cutting scenes that, in Fisher’s view, challenged stereotypes.?? When Fisher raised his concerns about the revisions in a phone call, Whedon cut him off. “It feels like I’m taking notes right now,” Whedon told him, according to The Hollywood Reporter, “and I don’t like taking notes from anybody — not even Robert Downey Jr.” Gadot didn’t care for Whedon’s style either. Last year, she told reporters Whedon “threatened” her and said he would make her “career miserable.” Whedon told me he did no such thing: “I don’t threaten people. Who does that?” He concluded she had misunderstood him. “English is not her first language, and I tend to be annoyingly flowery in my speech.” He recalled arguing over a scene she wanted to cut. He told her jokingly that if she wanted to get rid of it, she would have to tie him to a railroad track and do it over his dead body. “Then I was told that I had said something about her dead body and tying her to the railroad track,” he said. (Gadot did not agree with Whedon’s version of events. “I understood perfectly,” she told New York in an email.) As for Whedon’s claim that he doesn’t threaten people, an actress on Angel told me that hadn’t been true back when she knew him. After her agent pushed for her to get a raise, she claims Whedon called her at home and said she was “never going to work for him, or 20th Century Fox, again.” Reading Gadot’s quote, she thought, “Wow, he’s still using that line.” (Whedon denied this too.) Justice League premiered in the fall of 2017. It was a critical and commercial debacle. Snyder’s fans blamed Whedon for its failures, accusing him, as one tweet put it, of turning Snyder’s godlike heroes into clowns. The power of fandom, a force Whedon had done so much to cultivate at the start of his career, was now wielded against him. The fans launched an elaborate campaign pressuring Warner Bros. to release the version Snyder had originally planned, chartering a plane to fly a banner over Warner Studios. Just as Whedon had once used message boards to bond with Buffy obsessives, Snyder used the social-media platform Vero to rally his followers, sharing pictures of his morning workouts alongside images that appeared to be derived from his cut of the film. Several months into the pandemic, the studio, desperate for content, announced that his cut would air on HBO Max. At an online fan event celebrating the upcoming release, Snyder declared he would set the movie on fire before using a single frame he had not filmed himself. “Our lord and savior Zack Snyder!!!” someone wrote in the comments below the livestream. Around the same time, amid worldwide protests against racism, Fisher posted a series of tweets accusing Whedon of abusing his power and charging studio executives with “enabling” the director. In a Forbes interview, Fisher said he’d been told Whedon had used color correction to change an actor of color’s complexion because he didn’t like the actor’s skin tone. “Man, with everything 2020’s been, that was the tipping point for me,” Fisher said. (Fisher did not respond to multiple interview requests.) Whedon was stunned. He had given the whole movie a lighter look, brightening everything in postproduction, including all the faces. He said the claim that he had disliked a character’s skin tone, which Forbes ultimately retracted, was false and unjust. Whedon says he cut down Cyborg’s role for two reasons. The story line “logically made no sense,” and he felt the acting was bad. According to a source familiar with the project, Whedon wasn’t alone in feeling that way; at test screenings, viewers deemed Cyborg “the worst of all the characters in the film.” Despite that, Whedon insists he spent hours discussing the changes with Fisher and that their conversations were friendly and respectful. None of the claims Fisher made in the media were “either true or merited discussing,” Whedon told me. He could think of only one way to explain Fisher’s motives. “We’re talking about a malevolent force,” he said. “We’re talking about a bad actor in both senses.” Some of Whedon’s defenders proposed a theory: What if Fisher had been doing Snyder’s bidding? Without furnishing proof, they speculated that Snyder had tricked Fisher into thinking Whedon was racist. Or maybe Fisher knew perfectly well his allegations were bullshit. Either way, the actor and director had “manufactured a controversy” that made Snyder seem like a progressive ally while diverting attention from the fact that their early cut had been a disaster. Whedon’s advocates believed this campaign had poisoned Carpenter against Whedon, causing her to see the complicated story of their relationship as a simplistic narrative of abuse. “Once someone lights a fuse and people see there’s a flame, they run to it and throw stuff into it,” one person in Whedon’s circle said. (Snyder declined to be interviewed.) In our conversations, Whedon was somewhat more circumspect. “I don’t know who started it,” he told me. “I just know in whose name it was done.” Snyder superfans were attacking him online as a bad feminist and a bad husband. “They don’t give a fuck about feminism,” he said. “I was made a target by my ex-wife, and people exploited that cynically.” As he explained this theory, his voice sank into a hoarse whisper. “She put out a letter saying some bad things I’d done and saying some untrue things about me, but I had done the bad things and so people knew I was gettable.” When Snyder’s four-hour cut was finally unveiled, it was critically acclaimed. His fans pored through both films to analyze the differences. Some seized on a belief, first put forth by Fisher, that Whedon had intentionally erased people of color from the film. A remarkable reversal had taken place. Fifteen years earlier, Snyder’s work was widely seen as the epitome of problematic cinema. His breakout effort, 300, a sword-and-sandal epic about the Persian Wars, was “so overtly racist” in the view of the U.N. delegation from Iran that it threatened to incite “a clash of civilizations.” Now, the internet had recast Snyder as a progressive hero while branding Whedon, its progressive hero of yesterday, as a villain and bigot. “The beginning of the internet raised me up, and the modern internet pulled me down,” Whedon said. “The perfect symmetry is not lost on me.” At Whedon’s house, his wife, Horton, would occasionally come into the living room bearing tea and dark chocolates. When I asked where they’d met, she said, “Right here.” A mutual friend introduced them in the winter of 2019, after learning Whedon had bought several of Horton’s paintings, including a self-portrait. She was greeted by an image of herself when she walked into his home. By then, Whedon had begun seeking treatment for sex and love addiction, along with other addictive tendencies. James Franco, Kevin Spacey, and Harvey Weinstein have all taken similar paths. Was he using a page out of some crisis-management playbook? Whedon says he’s genuinely committed to the work. “I decided to take control of my life — or try,” he told me. “The first thing I did with Heather was tell her my patterns, which was not my M.O. I couldn’t shut up because I finally found somebody I found more important than me.” Life was good and also bad. Having overcome the isolation and ridicule of his childhood, he found himself in the role of social outcast once more. He still had an agent, but it seemed like no one wanted to work with him. At Fisher’s urging, Warner had conducted a series of investigations into the Justice League production. The studio won’t disclose its findings, but in late 2020, it announced “remedial action” had been taken. A few weeks earlier, HBO had revealed Whedon would no longer serve as showrunner of The Nevers, his science-fiction series about women with supernatural powers. The network scrubbed his name from the show’s marketing materials. Over the last year, some of his fans have tried to scrub him out too, erasing him from their narratives about what made Buffy great. In posts and essays, they have downplayed his role in the show’s development, pointing out that many people, including many women, were critically important to its success. It may be hard to accept that Whedon could have understood the pain of a character like Buffy, a woman who endures infidelity, attempted rape, and endless violence. But the belief that her story was something other than a projection of his psyche is ultimately just another fantasy. Whedon did understand pain — his own. Some of that pain, as he once put it to me, “spilled over” into the people around him. And some of it was channeled into his art. Whedon once wrote a line that could have served as a warning to all of us. In Firefly, one of the crew members, Jayne, accidentally tosses the spoils of a botched robbery into the hands of the town’s poor. Jayne is not a good man, but when he returns to the town years later, he sees its residents have erected a statue in his honor. When he confides to the crew’s captain that he’s unsettled by this development, the captain just stares into the distance. “It’s my estimation that every man ever got a statue made of ’em was one kinda sombitch or another,” he says. “Ain’t about you, Jayne. It’s about what they need.” “Nobody ever fell from a pedestal into anything but a pit,” Whedon told me on a call one day. A few months had passed since our conversations at his house. In that time, he’d finally made peace with himself, he said. “Could I have done marriage better?” he asked. “Don’t get me started. Could I have been a better showrunner? Absolutely. Should I have been nicer?” He considered the question. Perhaps he could have been calmer, more direct. But would that not have compromised the work? Maybe the problem was he’d been too nice, he said. He’d wanted people to love him, which meant when he was direct, people thought he was harsh. In any case, he’d decided he was done worrying about all that. People had been using “every weaponizable word of the modern era to make it seem like I was an abusive monster,” he said. “I think I’m one of the nicer showrunners that’s ever been.” Resident Alien Season 2 Trailer Teases Return of Nathan Fillion's Octopus and Harry's Wicked Master Plan(1/7/22) (Video) Harry Vanderspeigle is worried he’s becoming too human, and that can’t be good for planet Earth’s future. Unless, of course, your name is Asta.In the official trailer for Resident Alien Season 2 (which premieres Wednesday, Jan. 26 at 9/8c on Syfy), Harry is back in Patience, Colo., and even though he returns little Max Hawthorne safe and sound, he has not fully abandoned his villainous ways and plans for destruction. Not by a longshot. In the clip above, Nathan Fillion’s telepathic aquarium-bound octopus suggests that more of Harry’s people will surely be arriving soon to complete the mission to destroy mankind. That realization puts Harry on edge since it puts his one true human friend in grave danger. Meanwhile, Asta’s dad reminds her she’s the only one keeping Harry from wiping them all out. (No pressure!) In addition, Harry hits Times Square and D’Arcy gets rad red hair (and grows suspicious of Asta’s secrets), while Sherriff Mike and Deputy Liv get closer to solving Sam’s death, and explore the possibility of extraterrestrials living among them. Plus, Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) guest-stars as Kate Hawthorne’s cousin from out of town (get a first look here). But how, exactly, does Harry plan to protect Asta from the “total extinction event” heading their way? Watch the trailer to find out! As previously reported, the new season will be split in two, with Part 1 concluding March 16 and additional episodes following in the summer. ‘Resident Alien’: Showrunner & Cast Tease “Slow Burn” Of Season 2, Alex Borstein’s Guest Star Stint(12/9/21) Resident Alien has a number of treats in store for fans – from more octopus action to guest stars and shapeshifting – when it returns to SYFY and USA for Season 2 in 2022.Set to return Jan. 26, Resident Alien is based on the Dark Horse comics and follows a crash-landed alien named Harry (Alan Tudyk) whose secret mission is to kill all humans. In season two, Harry is once again stranded on Earth where he must confront the consequences of having failed his people’s mission to destroy the human race. On his new quest to protect the people of Earth, Harry struggles to hold on to his alien identity as his human emotions grow stronger by the day. On Thursday, during NBCUniversal’s TCA segment, showrunner and EP Chris Sheridan joined stars Tudyk, Alice Wetterlund, Sara Tomko and Corey Reynolds to dish the deets the series’ sophomore season, including Alex Borstein’s involvement. “That she joined us this season was fantastic, it was a lot of fun,” Tudyk refelcted. “Her relationship with Chris goes back a long way…they have a really strong friendship and it’s really fun to watch them more than anything together,” . Among the Season 2 storylines is one that sees the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star begin a romantic relationship with Tudyk’s Harry. Borstein will play Carlyn, a socially awkward lab worker who fancies the series’ main alien. The cast also touched on another storyline set in New York. While the stars themselves couldn’t travel to the Big Apple due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, they made do with Vancouver, which served as a “pretty cool, second New York,” Tomko said. Without revealing too much about the upcoming episode, Sheridan said the New York-based adventure will be one that more directly brings the series back to its source material. “As soon I read it, I thought it would be a great journey for Alan and Sara to do,” Sheridan said about an arc in the the original graphic novels. Sheridan continued to speak on how Harry and Asta’s (Tomko) relationship will carry over to the upcoming season and how it will continue to help the former learn more about human connection. “I think the journey in Season 2 is sort of extending that humanity to people outside of Asta – learning empathy and trying to realize that maybe there’s other people in this world who he can maybe care about as well in addition to Asta,” he said. “It definitely continues into the second season, it’s going to be a slow burn – we don’t want to do it too quickly where suddenly he’s caring about everybody.” The panelists additional touched on their beliefs in the extraterrestrial, potential singing scenes and more. Resident Alien also stars Levi Fiehler and Judah Prehn. Other news is that Astrid & Lilly Save the World, starring Jana Morrison and Samantha Aucoin, will also premiere on Jan. 26 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on SYFY and USA. From UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Amblin TV and Dark Horse Entertainment, Resident Alien was adapted to television by executive producer Chris Sheridan. Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg of Dark Horse Entertainment, Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank of Amblin TV, Robert Duncan McNeill, Christian Taylor and Nastaran Dibai also executive produce. Winners At 2021 Imagen Awards(10/11/21) The theme of this year’s Imagen Awards was “A Celebration of Our Community: Diverse, Talented, and United.” Each year the Awards recognize an array of Latino talent by honoring and celebrating ground-breaking performances, storytelling, and powerful diverse programs.Best Supporting Actress – Television (Drama): Morena Baccarin, The Twilight Zone (Paramount+; CBS Studios in association with Monkeypaw Productions and Genre Films) Castle Moves to Lifetime(9/30/21) Just one week after TVLine reported that Castle would soon make its streaming premiere on Hulu, the former ABC romantic procedural is getting a new syndicated home.The series starring Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic — which previously aired reruns on TNT — is moving to Lifetime, where it will air Tuesdays, beginning Oct. 5 at 2 pm ET/PT. Episodes will air through November, after which the show will take a brief hiatus until January 2022 to accommodate the network’s “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” holiday movie event. Resident Alien Season 2 First Look: Is Alex Borstein Harry's Perfect Match?(9/28/21) (Pic1, Pic2) Resident Alien‘s Harry Vanderspeigle is about to meet his perfect match.Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) is heading to Patience, Colo., and we’ve got an exclusive first look at her guest-starring role on the Syfy hit. In an upcoming episode of Season 2 (premiering in early 2022), Borstein will play Carlyn, Kate Hawthorne’s cousin from out of town. The “frizzy-haired, right-brained laser-physicist” has a great job working in a tech lab, though her love life is borderline non-existent. But when she rolls through Patience to visit her family and do some sightseeing, Carlyn homes in on someone strange: good ol’ Harry V. “She has some odd mannerisms,” series creator and executive producer Chris Sheridan teases. “She’s socially awkward, similar to Harry, and she and Harry go on a date.” There’s even a possibility Borstein could return, says Sheridan — if not in the back half of Season 2, then “hopefully” in the future. “Watching her and Alan [Tudyk] together was very magical,” he says. “A lot of fun, a lot of improv, ad-libbing… I’ve known Alex for 20 years now, and I’m always amazed at how incredibly talented she is, in every way. She hit it out of the park.” In other Season 2 news, Linda Hamilton (The Terminator) and Terry O’Quinn (Lost) are set to return for the sci-fi comedy’s sophomore run. As for the series’ titular Harry, he’s going to have to deal with the fact that, even though he’s an extraterrestrial, he does have some humanity hidden deep beneath his green and scaly exterior. “He hates that,” says Sheridan, “so a large part of the season is going to be his struggle to come to terms with that fact. Season 2 leans into Harry learning empathy, and learning what it’s like to possibly care for other people outside of Asta.” In addition, Harry and Asta (Sara Tomko) will go on a journey to search for an alien from his planet, which takes them all the way to New York City. Plus, the octopus character from Season 1 (voiced by Tudyk’s Firefly costar Nathan Fillion) will also be back. ‘The Endgame’ Starring Morena Baccarin & Ryan Michelle Bathe From Nicholas Wootton, Jake Coburn & Julie Plec Picked Up To Series At NBC(9/21/21) NBC has handed a series order to bank heist drama The Endgame, starring Morena Baccarin and Ryan Michelle Bathe.The drama comes from Nick Wootton, Jake Coburn and Julie Plec. Universal TV is the studio. Written by Chuck and Scorpion exec producer Wootton and Quantico EP Coburn, the formerly untitled project is high-stakes thriller about Elena Federova, a very recently captured international arms dealer and brilliant criminal mastermind who even in captivity orchestrates a number of coordinated bank heists, and Val Turner, the principled, relentless and socially outcast FBI agent who will stop at nothing to foil her ambitious plan. Homeland alum Baccarin plays Federova, while First Wives Club’s Bathe plays Turner. The cast also includes Kamal Angelo Bolden, Costa Ronin, Noah Bean, Jordan Johnson-Hinds and Mark D. Espinoza. Wootton will exec produce The Endgame via his Nicholas Wootton Productions, Coburn, exec produces via his Jake Coburn Productions, Plec exec produces along with Emily Cummins via her My So-Called Company and Justin Lin, who directed the pilot exec produces with Andrew Schneider via his Perfect Storm Entertainment. It’s not clear whether the series will air in the 2021-22 broadcast season, which includes new dramas including La Brea and Ordinary Joe. The pilot was ordered in April and was one of two pilot orders made in 2021, the other being wedding island disaster thriller Getaway exec produced by The Blacklist duo John Davis and John Fox, which is still awaiting a decision. Edmonton Officially Renames City Hall the "Nathan Fillion Civilian Pavilion"(8/6/21) Following a serious endorsement from the cast and crew of The Suicide Squad, the City of Edmonton has officially moved to rename its City Hall the "Nathan Fillion Civilian Pavilion" after homegrown star, Nathan Fillion.After a 2019 petition launched by Lauren Hunter and SONiC 102.9 FM garnered renewed attention this week ahead of the James Gunn-directed film's premiere today, the municipal government building will — at least temporarily — adopt the new name. As of press time, the original petition has reached over 26,000 signatures of its 35,000-signature goal after receiving a boost from Margot Robbie, John Cena, Idris Elba and more in a promotional video. "I 100 percent support this completely, and I really, really hope you succeed in this mission, Edmonton. I believe in it," Robbie said in the video released earlier this week. Imagen Awards Nominations(8/2/21) The Imagen Awards on Monday revealed nominations for its 36th edition, honoring Latino talent and contributions for the year across TV, film and streaming. Winners will be revealed October 10 in a ceremony on PBSSoCal.org and KCET.org.Best Supporting Actress – Television (Drama) Morena Baccarin, The Twilight Zone Sulem Calderon, Mayans M.C. Noemi´ Gonzalez, Selena: The Series Paola Lázaro, The Walking Dead Seidy López, Selena: The Series Ofelia Medina, The Mosquito Coast Eva Noblezada, Law & Order: SVU Gina Torres, 9-1-1: Lone Star HCA TV Awards Nominations(7/8/21) The Hollywood Critics Association is out with the nominees for its inaugural HCA TV Awards. The trophies will be handed during a August 22 ceremony at the Avalon Hollywood.Best Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy Netflix Gabrielle Union Romantic Comedy Feature ‘The Perfect Find’ Adds Gina Torres(6/18/21) 9-1-1: Lone Star and Westworld actress Gina Torres has boarded the Gabrielle Union and Keith Powers Netflix romantic comedy feature The Perfect Find.I hear she’ll be stepping in for Niecy Nash who has departed the project due to a scheduling conflict. The Leigh Davenport and Numa Perrier scripted movie, based on the Tia Williams novel, follows a 40-year-old woman with everything on the line: Her high-stakes career, ticking biological clock, bank account as she risks it all for an intensely lusty secret romance with the one person who could destroy her comeback. Perrier also directs. Producers are Tommy Oliver and Codie Elaine Oliver for Confluential Films; Union for I’ll Have Another; Jeff Morrone; and Glendon Palmer for AGC Studios. EPs are Stuart Ford, Linda McDonough, and Miguel Palos for AGC Studios; Holly Shakoor Fleischer for I’ll Have Another; Mel Jones for Confluential Films; and Davenport. Torres stars as Tommy Vega on 9-1-1: Lone Star and also starred on ABC’s The Catch, NBC’s Hannibal, USA’s Suits and Firefly and its feature movie Serenity as well as the Matrix franchise movies. She is repped by Framework Entertainment, Realm Talent, and Schreck Rose Dapello and Adams. Morena Baccarin & Ryan Michelle Bathé To Headline Nick Wootton/Jake Coburn NBC Drama Pilot(6/12/21) Morena Baccarin (Homeland) and Ryan Michelle Bathé (First Wives Club) have been tapped as the two leads in NBC’s untitled bank heist drama pilot from Nick Wootton and Jake Coburn; Julie Plec’s My So-Called Company; and Universal TV, a division of Universal Studio Group.Written by Wootton and directed by Justin Lin, the Untitled Nick Wootton/Jake Coburn Project is a high-stakes two-hander about Elena Federova (Baccarin), a recently captured international arms dealer and brilliant criminal mastermind who orchestrates a number of coordinated bank heists throughout NYC for a mysterious purpose, and Val Fitzgerald (Bathé), the principled, relentless and socially outcast FBI agent who will stop at nothing to foil her ambitious plan. The sexy and twisted heist show reveals how far some people will go for love, justice and the most valuable commodity in the world: the truth. Wootton and Coburn executive produce with Plec and her producing partner Emily Cummins at My So-Called Company. Lin and Andrew Schneider executive produce via Lin’s Perfect Storm Entertainment. Universal Television is the studio. Known for playing the female lead in the Deadpool franchise, Baccarin co-starred opposite Gerard Butler in STX’s disaster-thriller Greenland. In 2019 she wrapped two features, The Good House opposite Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline; and Waldo, an action-suspense film opposite Charlie Hunnam and Mel Gibson. Baccarin, Emmy-nominated for her role on Showtime’s Homeland, was the romantic lead in the latest season of Brazil’s Sessao de Terapia. Based on international format In Treatment, which was adapted by HBO in the U.S., Sessao is now in its fourth season in Baccarin’s native country. She is repped by Seven Summits and UTA. Bathé stars as Ari in BET+’s dramedy series First Wives Club, based on the 1996 film of the same name, which has been renewed for a second season. She also recently co-starred in the Amazon Prime Video feature Sylvie’s Love and recurred on the CBS drama All Rise. In 2020, Bathé launched Down On Maple Productions and signed a first-look deal with ViacomCBS MTV Entertainment Group. The pact covers content created and/or developed for television and new media, with the focus on identifying emerging talent and underrepresented voices. She is repped by Atil Singh of Principal Entertainment, The Kohner Agency and Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman. ‘9-1-1’ & Spinoff ‘9-1-1 Lone Star’ Renewed By Fox For 2021-22 Season, Network Teases Crossover Episode(5/17/21) Fox has renewed both 9-1-1 and spinoff 9-1-1: Lone Star for new seasons. The network has ordered a fifth season of the hit first-responders procedural drama series 9-1-1 from Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear, and a third season of spinoff 9-1-1: Lone Star.9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star are Fox’s top two scripted so the renewals are not a surprise. 9-1-1 will return to the fall after its fourth season premiered in January due to the pandemic, while 9-1-1: Lone Star, which also premiered its first two seasons in January, will return midseason. Michael Thorn, President of Entertainment at Fox, also teased a crossover event between the two shows for next season. Created by Murphy, Falchuk and Minear, 9-1-1 explores the high-pressure experiences of police officers, firefighters, and dispatchers who are thrust into frightening, shocking and heart-stopping situations. Angela Bassett, Peter Krause and Jennifer Love Hewitt star, with Oliver Stark, Aisha Hinds, Kenneth Choi, Rockmond Dunbar and Ryan Guzman in series-regular roles. WWE superstar Ronda Rousey recurs. 9-1-1 is produced by 20th Century Fox Television in association with Ryan Murphy Television and Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear are creators, executive producers and writers on the series. Bradley Buecker is an executive producer and director on the series. Alexis Martin Woodall, Angela Bassett, Peter Krause, John J. Gray and Kristen Reidel also serve as executive producers. Starring Rob Lowe and Gina Torres, Austin, TX-set 9-1-1: Lone Star follows Owen (Lowe), a sophisticated New York firefighter who, along with his son, relocates to the Texas capital and must try to balance saving those who are at their most vulnerable with solving the problems in his own life. Torres replaced Liv Tyler as co-lead of season two due to circumstances related to family and travel during the pandemic. Ronen Rubinstein, Jim Parrack, Sierra McClain, Natacha Karam, Brian Michael Smith, Julian Works and Rafael Silva also star. 9-1-1: Lone Star is produced by 20th Television in association with Ryan Murphy Television and Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision. Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and showrunner Tim Minear are creators and executive producers. Alexis Martin Woodall, Bradley Buecker, Rashad Raisani, John J. Gray, Angela Bassett and Lowe also serves as EPs. The current season finales for both series air on Monday, May 24. Joss Whedon needs his own birth certificate to get wife a green card(5/8/21) “Avengers” director Joss Whedon is having an identity crisis.The “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” writer is being forced to jump through legal hoops to get a copy of his original birth certificate — so his Canadian wife won’t be deported, according to legal filings. Whedon, 56, was born Joseph Hill Whedon in the Big Apple in 1964, but has used the nickname “Joss” for decades, even on his driver’s license and passport, according to court papers. When he tried to get the important document online, he was rejected because of the discrepancy. When he and a lawyer called the city’s Office of Vital Records and pleaded his case, a clerk quipped, “Well, that’s not real life. You need to get a court order and an emergency request for birth certificate before we can help you with that,” according to legal filings. “For decades, I have gone by the name Joss Hill Whedon in all of my personal and professional dealings,” he says in the legal papers seeking the court order. “I urgently need a copy of my birth certificate in connection with a pending United States immigration matter involving my spouse, Heather Horton, a Canadian citizen. “Ms. Horton and I will suffer immediate and irreparable harm if I do not obtain a copy of my birth certificate on an emergency basis,” he added. Whedon and Horton, a painter, met when the director began collecting her artwork, which often features water. The two are scheduled to meet with immigration authorities in Los Angeles “soon,” according to New York court papers. Without the birth certificate proving her famous husband’s American citizenship, Horton can’t get a green card and could be forced to return to Canada, he claims. The couple married in Honolulu on Feb. 24, but their Hawaiian marriage certificate contains errors which cannot be fixed without his birth certificate, he added. The mistakes include an incorrect maiden name for Whedon’s mom Ann, and his birthplace as “Santa Monica, New York,” a town that doesn’t exist. Whedon has been under fire for months, accused of “gross, abusive, unprofessional, and completely unacceptable” behavior on the set of “Justice League” by actor Ray Fisher. The accusations set off a firestorm of revelations of a “toxic” work environment from actors who worked on Whedon’s seminal show, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and its follow up, “Angel.” The city declined comment. Whedon is slated for a virtual hearing in Manhattan Supreme Court next week. ‘Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K.’: Jon Hamm To Voice Iron Man, Nathan Fillion Is Wonder Man On Hulu Animated Series(3/27/21) Hulu’s upcoming adult animated series, Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K., had key reveals today at a WonderCon@Home panel, including the voice casting for some guest roles.The show premieres May 21 on Hulu. Today at WonderCon, Jordan Blum (cocreator) and Patton Oswalt (cocreator and voice of M.O.D.O.K.) answered fan-submitted questions alongside cast members Melissa Fumero, Aimee Garcia, Ben Schwartz and Jon Daly. The big news included reveals of guest stars Jon Hamm doing the voice of Iron Man, Nathan Fillion voicing Wonder Man, Whoopi Goldberg talking for Poundcakes, and Bill Hader speaking as Angar the Screamer and the Leader. The full Zoom session and a trailer for the show can be seen here. In Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K., the megalomaniacal supervillain M.O.D.O.K. has long pursued his dream of one day conquering the world. But after years of setbacks and failures fighting the Earth’s mightiest heroes, M.O.D.O.K. has run his evil organization A.I.M. into the ground. Ousted as A.I.M.’s leader, while also dealing with his crumbling marriage and family life, the Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing is set to confront his greatest challenge yet. The series stars Patton Oswalt (M.O.D.O.K.), Melissa Fumero (Melissa), Aimee Garcia (Jodie), Ben Schwartz (Lou), Wendi McLendon-Covey (Monica), Beck Bennett (Austin Van Der Sleet), Jon Daly (Super-Adaptoid) and Sam Richardson (Gary). Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. is created and written by executive producers Jordan Blum and Patton Oswalt. Brett Crawley, Robert Maitia, Grant Gish, Joe Quesada, Karim Zreik and Jeph Loeb also serve as executive producers. ‘Resident Alien’ Renewed For Season 2 By Syfy(3/17/21) Ahead of the Season 1 finale, Syfy has renewed its hit dramedy Resident Alien starring Alan Tudyk for a second season.Resident Alien is about to wrap its first season as the most-watched new cable drama in the last year in total viewers and No. 2 in the adults 18-49 demographic. It’s also Syfy’s highest-rated new drama in more than six years in total viewers and earns the second-biggest time-shifting gain for any cable drama in the last year in total viewers, according to Nielsen. The January 27 series premiere has drawn 9.3 million viewers across all platforms and NBCUniversal networks. The cross-platform launch strategy to leverage the power of NBCU’s entertainment portfolio was emphasized by Frances Berwick, Chairman, Entertainment Networks, when she first took the job last fall. In Live+3, the following week’s episode saw an increase of 581,000 viewers, the biggest jump for a cable drama launch since 2014, according to the network and Nielsen. “With Resident Alien, everything just came together in perfect harmony – a script by Chris Sheridan that leapt off the page, a lead performance by Alan Tudyk, whose nuance between comedy and menace was pitch perfect, and a team of producers, cast and crew who were all striving to do something great,” said Lisa Katz, President, Scripted Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “The appeal of this show transcended the sci-fi genre in a way that enabled us to bring in a broader audience, and as the series continues we hope to encourage more and more fans to discover Harry’s very particular perspective on humans.” Based on the Dark Horse comic from Peter Hogan and Stephen Parkhouse, Resident Alien follows Harry (Tudyk), an alien that crash lands on Earth and passes himself off as a small-town human doctor. Arriving with a secret mission to kill all humans, Harry starts off living a simple life … but things get a bit rocky when he’s roped into solving a local murder and realizes he needs to assimilate into his new world. As he does so, he begins to wrestle with the moral dilemma of his mission and asking the big life questions like: “Are human beings worth saving?” and “Why do they fold their pizza before eating it?” Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund and Levi Fiehler also star. From UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Amblin TV and Dark Horse Entertainment, Resident Alien was adapted to television by executive producer Sheridan (Family Guy). Mike Richardson (Hellboy) and Keith Goldberg (The Legend of Tarzan) of Dark Horse (The Umbrella Academy). Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank of Amblin TV (The Americans) also executive produce. David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers) executive produced and directed the pilot. Robbie Duncan McNeill executive produced and is producing director. The 10-episode first season will wrap March 31 at 10 p.m. on Syfy. Resident Alien Sneak Peek: A Missing Body Sparks Trouble for Harry — Watch(2/15/21) (Video) When you’re hiding a dead body in your freezer, the last thing you need is a bunch of cops swarming the joint… especially if you’re an extraterrestrial in hiding.In this exclusive sneak peek of Resident Alien‘s fourth episode (airing Wednesday, Feb. 17, at 10/9c on Syfy), Sherriff Mike Thompson and Deputy Liv Baker bring the search for their missing body straight to Harry’s backyard. The law officials believe the corpse belonging to last week’s found foot may have washed up somewhere along the shore, thanks to the lake’s strong currents. But the sheriff is also operating on a very specific hunch coming from deep inside his… well, you’ll see! Plus, Harry makes a funny that allows Alan Tudyk to flex the alien’s super awkward impression of human laughter. Watch the scene above. Elsewhere in the episode, Harry and D’Arcy attend a dinner at Mayor Ben’s to help calm Max’s nerves. Unbeknownst to the adults, the boy and Sahar cook up a secret plan to break into Harry’s house and find proof of his otherworldliness. Also, in an attempt to help Asta’s grandmother, Harry travels to the Ute Reservation, where he learns an unexpected lesson on what it means to belong. More Voices Speak Out Against ‘Buffy’ Producer Joss Whedon’s Conduct(2/12/21) The anti-Joss Whedon jury is growing. Now, Jose Molina, a writer on the critically hailed Firefly series, has shared his experiences that echo the prior accusations of abuse against series creator-producer Whedon.“Casually cruel” is a perfect way of describing Joss,” Molina said on Twtter. “He thought being mean was funny. Making female writers cry during a notes session was especially hysterical. He actually liked to boast about the time he made one writer cry twice in one meeting.” Molina ended his tweet with the hashtag #IStandWithCharismaCarpenter The comment adds to those made by others associated with Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV series. Late on Friday, actress Amber Benson, who played Tara Maclay on the show, added her voice to the comlaints. Buffy was a toxic environment and it starts at the to p,” Benson said on Twiitter. “@AllCharisma is speaking truth and I support her 100%. There was a lot of damage done during that time and many of us are still processing it twenty plus years later.” She ended with #IStandWithRayFisher #IStandWithCharismaCarpenter So far, writer-producer Marti Noxon and actresses Charisma Carpenter, Michelle Trachtenberg and Sarah Michelle Gellar have spoken out with various indictments of series creator/executive producer Whedon of abuse and creating a toxic work environment. Whedon has yet to respond to the allegations. Sarah Michelle Gellar on Joss Whedon Misconduct Allegations: 'While I Am Proud to Have My Name Associated With Buffy Summers... '(2/10/21) Titular Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar is weighing on the scandal enveloping her former boss Joss Whedon.In the wake of Charisma Carpenter’s stunning allegations that she suffered “toxic” and “hostile” abuse under the Buffyverse auteur, Gellar released her own statement. “While I am proud to have my name associated with Buffy Summers, I don’t want to be forever associated with the name Joss Whedon,” she wrote on Instagram. “I am more focused on raising my family and surviving a pandemic currently, so I will not be making any further statements at this time. But I stand with all survivors of abuse and am proud of them for speaking out.” Shortly after Gellar issued her statement, Buffy co-star Michelle Trachtenberg reposted TV sister’s comments alongside this caption: “Thank you @sarahmgellar for saying this. I am brave enough now as a 35 year old woman…. To repost this. Because. This must. Be known. As a teenager. With his not appropriate behavior.” TVLine has reached out to reps for both Whedon and 20th Television (the studio behind Buffy and Angel) for comment. “Joss Whedon abused his power on numerous occasions while working on the sets of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel,” Carpenter’s missive began. “While he found his misconduct amusing, it only served to intensify my performance anxiety, disempower me, and alienate me from my peers. The disturbing incidents triggered a chronic physical condition from which I still suffer. It is with a beating, heavy heart that I say I coped in isolation and, at times, destructively.” Amber Benson, who played Tara on Buffy, echoed Carpenter’s general sentiment, saying on Twitter, “Buffy was a toxic environment and it starts at the top. @AllCharisma is speaking truth and I support her 100%. There was a lot of damage done during that time and many of us are still processing it twenty plus years later.” Charisma Carpenter Details Buffy/ Angel Boss Joss Whedon's Allegedly 'Toxic' and 'Hostile' Misconduct: 'I Can No Longer Remain Silent'(2/10/21) Charisma Carpenter has detailed, like never before, the “toxic” and “hostile” abuse she allegedly suffered under Buffyverse auteur Joss Whedon, in a series of Instagram posts she penned in part to #StandWithRayFisher.Ray Fisher, who played Cyborg in the superhero film Justice League, has accused Whedon of, among other things, “gross, abusive, unprofessional and completely unacceptable” behavior upon picking up the directing reins from Zack Snyder; the actor also claimed that DC president Geoff Johns “enabled” said conduct. WarnerMedia ordered an internal investigation conducted by an outside law firm that led to “remedial action” (if no specifically cited punitive actions). Carpenter has over the years alluded to and to some degree detailed her own experiences with Whedon (who created TV’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff Angel, on both of which she played Cordelia Chase). But in the 830-word statement she issued on Wednesday morning — prompted by Fisher’s ongoing clash with Whedon and the Justice League team — she elaborated on her claims, including what she calls Whedon’s “history of being casually cruel,” his creation of “hostile and toxic work environments,” what the Angel showrunner allegedly said and did to her during her real-life pregnancy, and how she coped with it all, “at times, destructively.” Carpenter’s statement appears in full below; TVLine has reached out to reps for both Whedon and 20th Television (the studio behind Buffy and Angel) for comment. Update: Titular Buffy star Sarah Michelle Gellar has now weighed in on the controversy (read her statement). For nearly two decades, I have held my tongue and even made excuses for certain events that traumatize me to this day. Joss Whedon abused his power on numerous occasions while working on the sets of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. While he found his misconduct amusing, it only served to intensify my performance anxiety, disempower me, and alienate me from my peers. The disturbing incidents triggered a chronic physical condition from which I still suffer. It is with a beating, heavy heart that I say I coped in isolation and, at times, destructively. Last summer, when Ray Fisher publicly accused Joss of abusive and unprofessional behavior toward the cast and crew during reshoots on the Justice League set in 2017, it gutted me. Joss has a history of being casually cruel. He has created hostile and toxic work environments since his early career. I know because I experienced it first-hand. Repeatedly. Like his ongoing, passive-aggressive threats to fire me, which wreaks havoc on a young actor’s self-esteem. And callously calling me ‘fat’ to colleagues when I was four months pregnant, weighing 126 lbs. He was mean and biting, disparaging about others openly, and often played favorites, putting people against one another to compete and vie for his attention and approval. He called me in for a sit-down meeting to interrogate and berate me regarding a rosary tattoo I got to help me feel more spiritually grounded in an increasingly volatile work climate that affected me physically. Joss intentionally refused multiple calls form my agents making it impossible to connect with him to tell him the news that I was pregnant. Finally, once Joss was apprised of the situation, he requested a meeting with me. In that closed-door meeting, he asked me if I was ‘going to keep it’ and manipulatively weaponized my womanhood and faith against me. He proceeded to attack my character, mock my religious beliefs, accuse me of sabotaging the show, and then unceremoniously fired me the following season once I gave birth. At six months pregnant, I was asked to report to work at 1 am after my doctor recommended shortening my work hours. Our to long and physically demanding days and the emotional stress of having to defend my needs as a working pregnant woman, I began to experience Braxton Hicks contractions. It was clear to me that 1 am call was retaliatory. Back then, I felt powerless and alone. With norther option, I swallowed the mistreatment and carried on. After all, I had a baby on the way, and I was the primary breadwinner of my growing family. Unfortunately, all this was happening during one of the most wonderful time in new motherhood. All that promise and joy sucked right out. And Joss was the vampire. Despite the harassment, a part of me still sought his validation. I made excuses for his behavior and repressed my own pain. I have even stated publicly at conventions that I’d work with him again. Only recently, after years of therapy and a wake-up call from the Time’s Up movement, do I understand the complexities of this demoralized thinking. It is impossible to understand the psyche without enduring the abuse. Our society and industry vilify the victims and glorify the abusers for their accomplishments. The onus is on the abused with an expectation to accept and adapt to be employable. No accountability on the transgressor who sails on unscathed. Unrepentant. Remorseless. These memories and more have weighed on my soul like bricks for nearly half of my life. I wish I said something sooner. I wish I had the composure and courage all those years ago. But I muted myself in shame and conditioned silence. With tears welling, I feel an overwhelming sense of responsibility to Ray and others for remaining private about my experience with Joss and the suffering it has caused me. It is abundantly evident that Joss has persisted in his harmful actions, continuing to create wreckage in his wake. My hope now, by finally coming forward about these experiences, is to create space for the healing of others who I know have experienced similar serialized abused of power. Recently, I participated in WarnerMedia’s Justice League investigation because I believe Ray to be a person of integrity who is telling the truth. His firing as Cyborg in The Flash was the last straw for me. Although I am not shocked, I am deeply pained by it. It troubles and saddens me that in 2021 professionals STILL have to choose between whistleblowing in the workplace and job security. It has taken me so long to muster the courage to make this statement publicly. The gravity of it is not lost on me. As a single mother whose family’s livelihood is dependent on my craft, I’m scared. Despite my dear about its impact on my future, I can no longer remain silent. This is overdue and necessary. It is time.” Amber Benson, who played Tara on Buffy, echoed Carpenter’s general sentiment, saying on Twitter, “Buffy was a toxic environment and it starts at the top. @AllCharisma is speaking truth and I support her 100%. There was a lot of damage done during that time and many of us are still processing it twenty plus years later.” ‘The Nevers’: HBO’s Victorian Sci-Fi Drama Series Unveils Teaser(2/2/21) (Video) We’re getting the first look at HBO’s new sci-fi drama series The Nevers, starring Laura Donnelly and Ann Skelly. HBO has released a teaser and first-look images from the series that premieres in April on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.The six-episode series is set in the last years of Victoria’s reign, when London is beset by the “Touched”: people – mostly women – who suddenly manifest abnormal abilities – some charming, some very disturbing. Among them are Amalia True (Donnelly), a mysterious, quick-fisted widow, and Penance Adair (Skelly), a brilliant young inventor. They are the champions of this new underclass, making a home for the Touched, while fighting the forces of… well, pretty much all the forces – to make room for those whom history as we know it has no place. The ensemble cast also includes Olivia Williams, James Norton, Tom Riley, Rochelle Neil, Eleanor Tomlinson, Amy Manson, Pip Torrens, Denis O’Hare, Zackary Momoh, Elizabeth Berrington, Kiran Sawar, Anna Devlin, Viola Prettejohn, Ella Smith, Nick Frost and Ben Chaplin. The Nevers is created and executive produced by Joss Whedon; executive produced by Bernadette Caulfield, Ilene S. Landress, Doug Petrie, Jane Espenson and Philippa Goslett. Whedon stepped away from the series in November, saying he was “genuinely exhausted”, but remains credited as creator and executive producer. Goslett took over showrunning duties for Whedon. You can watch the teaser above. Resident Alien's Alan Tudyk Talks New E.T. Role and How It's a Little X-Men-ish(1/25/21) (tvline.com) If ever there were an actor fit to portray an alien posing as a medical professional, that man is Alan Tudyk.Adapted from the Dark Horse comic of the same name (and premiering Wednesday, Jan. 27, at 10/9c on both Syfy and USA Network), Resident Alien follows an extraterrestrial (Tudyk) after he crash-lands on Earth and assumes the role of a small-town human doctor named Harry Vanderspeigle. Though the alien’s original mission is to kill Earth’s inhabitants and destroy the planet, Harry gets sidetracked when he’s mistaken for a physician and roped into solving a local murder. He soon learns that in order to survive his strange new elements, he needs to assimilate into society. So he builds bonds with the fine folks from Patience, Colo., which leads to heaps of otherworldly shenanigans (which Tudyk knocks out of the park). “I loved the script right away,” Tudyk tells TVLine, while discussing his preparation for the oddball roll. To say that alien Harry struggles with normal societal conventions, let alone speaking the English language or earning his fellow townspeople’s trust, is an understatement. “The scene where he’s learning how to speak as a human and he’s watching Law & Order and getting it wrong… that was immediately exciting for me, because I knew he’d have to learn everything,” says Tudyk. “When I did Sonny in I, Robot, all of these questions were answered for me back then. Like, how would a robot speak and how would a robot move? The alien is approaching being a human in the same way: How would you move with the most ergonomic efficiency in this form?” Tudyk also says that putting on his otherworldly costume is both a challenge and a performance booster. The mask and suit, created by Bill Terezakis (The X-Files, Bates Motel) and enhanced with a 2-D digital overlay in post, takes a few hours to don. Yet, despite it being “a little tough,” Tudyk feels the extraterrestrial garb helps everything click into place. “It’s almost like there’s a little more ease in the character,” the actor notes. “He’s not hiding as much. He’s still Harry, but even though there’s less expression in the mask, I can almost have more expression as the alien talking with Max.” That “Max” Tudyk mentions is Harry’s first and youngest foil. Played by Judah Prehn, the 10-year-old is the only Patience resident who can see Harry for what he really is: a bug-eyed alien who’s clearly not from this planet. “Max gets the best of Harry all the time. And he gets a friend, Sahar — who cannot see Harry as an alien, but believes Max — and the two of them gang up on me!” Tudyk says, laughing. “Ultimately, Max and Harry get to a place where nemeses get to. There’s a mutual respect of the fight as the series goes on. Like Professor X and Magneto… I think I’m Magneto? Whatever, he’s a really cool character in that analogy,” he jokes. Over the course of the series, Harry develops from a villain into something a little more evolved, which may or may not put his original mission in jeopardy. His interactions with people like nurse Asta Twelvetrees (Sara Tomko, Once Upon a Time), bartender D’Arcy (Alice Wetterlund, People of Earth) and Mayor Ben Hawthorne (Levi Fiehler, The Fosters) eventually start to weigh on him. “When he takes on the human form, he starts to find out pretty early that he’s feeling things and sensing the world with our spectrum of senses,” says Tudyk. “It starts to affect him. He starts to, in a true sense, know what it’s like to be human.” As for how Harry’s newfound empathy will affect his murderous mission exactly, viewers will have to wait for that answer to unravel throughout the season. But, teases Tudyk, one of the townies will learn the truth about his identity by season’s end. “Someone in town is going to learn he’s an alien,” he says. “Naybe even more than one person.” Dennis Quaid, Virginia Madsen Plus More Board ‘Kurt Warner’ Biopic From Lionsgate And Kingdom Story Company(1/19/21) Golden Globe nominee Dennis Quaid and Oscar-nominated actress Virginia Madsen have signed on for the Jon Erwin and Andrew Erwin-directed sports drama, American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story, along with Ser’Darius Blain, Adam Baldwin, Bruce McGill, Danny Vinson, Chance Kelly, and Hayden Zaller. The new additions join Zachary Levi in the role of Kurt Warner and Anna Paquin as Brenda Warner.David Aaron Cohen, Jon Gunn, and Jon Erwin penned the screenplay based on interviews with Warner as well as Warner’s memoir, All Things Possible: My Story of Faith, Football and the First Miracle Season. The pic chronicles Kurt’s journey from stocking shelves at a supermarket to becoming a two-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and Hall of Fame quarterback. Quaid will play St. Louis Rams coach Dick Vermeil, while Kelly playing the Rams’ offensive coordinator (and later, head coach), Mike Martz. Madsen will play Sue Warner, Kurt’s mother, and Blain will play Kurt’s best friend, Mike Hudnutt. Vinson is play Larry, Brenda’s father, and Zaller will play Zack, Brenda’s son. Baldwin will portray Terry Allen, Warner’s coach at the University of Northern Iowa and McGill is Jim Foster, owner of the Arena Football League’s Iowa Barnstormers, where Warner signs on his way to rebuilding his NFL career. The Erwin Brothers and Kevin Downes are producing under their Kingdom Story Company banner, along with The Rookie and Million Dollar Arm producer Mark Ciardi. Kurt Warner and Brenda Warner will co-produce with Jim Miller and Chelsea Kujawa overseeing the film for Lionsgate, which is distributing. Quaid’s upcoming projects include the biopic Reagan, directed by Sean McNamara, and The Tiger Rising, opposite Katharine McPhee and Queen Latifah. He’s repped by Brillstein Entertainment Partners, UTA, and Hansen Jacobsen. Madsen, repped by Buchwald and Untitled, will star in the upcoming Lionsgate film The Devil’s Light. Blain’s credits include the Jumanji franchise and CW’s Charmed revival. He’s repped by Paradigm, Management 360, and Hansen Jacobson Teller Hoberman. Baldwin, whose credits include Full Metal Jacket, The Last Ship, and The Patriot, is repped by A3 Artists Agency and A Management Company. McGill, who has recently appeared in Ride Along 2 and The Best of Enemies, is repped by Artists & Representatives. Trinity Talent reps Vinson, whose credits include The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Walking Dead, The Vampire Diaries. Kelly, who can currently be seen recurring on ABC’s For Life, is repped by KMR Talent and The Rosenzweig Group. Gina Torres Explains How Firefly Brought Her to 9-1-1: Lone Star(1/17/21) (tvline.com) After a decade of brawling in boardrooms on USA Network, Gina Torres is getting back into the field on 9-1-1: Lone Star, and she’s loving every minute of it. “As fabulous as it was playing Jessica Pearson, I feel safer climbing rigs and getting shot at than I did walking around in 5.5-inch stilettos for hours,” she tells TVLine.That exact scenario unfolds in the Fox drama’s second season premiere (Monday, 9/8c) when Torres’ character Tommy Vega — who steps in to replace departing paramedic captain Michelle Blake (Liv Tyler) — takes part in a dangerous medical rescue mission atop a cell tower. “I’m a physical person, and I love doing my own stunts,” Torres says, adding that she filmed this particular scene on her very first day. “They were like, ‘You’re going to climb this rig… and you’re going to get shot at.’ That was Day 1. But pretty soon, I was just like, ‘I remember this! Being outside, having people shoot at you in 110-degree weather, I’ve done this!'” Unfortunately, Tommy doesn’t necessarily share her portrayer’s confidence. “Like so many parents, she’s rejiggering her life and reinventing how she’s going to provide for herself and her family,” Torres says. “Their restaurant closed down, so her husband’s out of work, and she has this incredible skillset in a field that absolutely has needs. So she goes back to work after an eight year absence, not knowing if her badass card has been revoked.” (Spoiler alert: It has not been revoked.) “[Executive producer] Tim Minear is completely responsible for bringing me onto this show and drawing such a great character for me to play,” Torres adds. “He literally made it impossible for me to say no. I’ve loved his brain for almost 20 years, since we got to work on Firefly together. To get this beautiful offer in the middle of this crazy pandemic, where I didn’t know how or if I was going to work again, was mind-blowing and has been nothing but a blessing since Day 1. It wraps up all the reasons why I became an actor in the first place.” Read on for more of our Q&A with Torres, including the on-set reunion she wasn’t even aware of: TVLINE | We learn in the premiere that Tommy is old friends with Judd and Grace, which is funny, because you and Jim Parrack have worked together before. Wait, have we? TVLINE | According to IMDb, he guest-starred in an episode of Stand Off with you. [Laughs] Really? Wow. That was one of those shows, not unlike Suits, where I was not a part of the action. I was the lieutenant who was somewhere else telling people what to do. There were so many guest stars on that show that I never got to meet or work with, as there were on Suits, so it’s entirely possible he was on that show and I just had no idea. TVLINE | Something else I was wondering: Do you happen to know what Tommy is short for? I actually have no idea. And I asked, I did! I was like, “Thomassina?” I think Tim said, “Maybe.” He wouldn’t get specific. TVLINE | Lastly, give us a little tease. What can we expect from Tommy vs. the volcano in Episode 2? I win! [Laughs] I believe it’s already been teased that it comes at a great cost to the team, and I think that’s all I can say. Morning Show Appearance(12/24/20) GOOD MORNING AMERICA – ABCWednesday, Dec. 30 — actor Nathan Fillion (“The Rookie”) ‘The Rookie’: ABC Cop Drama Adjusts Production Schedule Following Covid-19 Cases(12/16/20) The Rookie is modifying its production schedule after a number of Covid cases.Deadline understands that the ABC cop drama is going to reduce the shooting schedule for the rest of December as a result of the positive cases, which were discovered through its strict health and safety protocols. The positive tests came in the production’s Zone A, which includes cast, meaning that the LA-shot show, which is produced by eOne and ABC Signature, had to reconfigure its plans. “The Rookie season three has moved to an alternate production schedule with limited production still underway, seeing the winter hiatus starting earlier than expected for most of the cast and crew following confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Zone A through a routine screening, in adherence with strict health and safety protocols. Together with our partners at ABC Signature, eOne wishes to thank our incredible cast and crew – and we look forward to cameras rolling at full speed in 2021 as planned,” a spokesman told Deadline. This marks the latest positive cases of Covid-19 for the drama after four members of the production crew tested positive in October, leading to a deep cleaning of the set. Season three of The Rookie, which stars Nathan Fillion, Mekia Cox, Titus Makina Jr. and Richard T. Jones, is set to premiere on January 3 2021. Legends of Tomorrow star Brandon Routh has also joined the show, playing Doug Stanton, an eleven-year veteran of the LAPD, whose views prove to be polarizing at the Mid-Wilshire station. It is exec produced by Alexi Hawley, Eric Winter, Nathan Fillion, Mark Gordon, Michelle Chapman, Jon Steinberg and Bill Norcross. Creator Hawley said earlier this month that the third season of the drama, which follows Fillion’s John Nolan, the oldest rookie at the Los Angeles Police Department, will challenge the status quo of cop shows on its return. He said that the show would incorporate the ongoing conversations about police brutality sparked by the Black Lives Matter movement and the murder of George Floyd in May, and was working with Arisha Hatch of Color of Change, a team of activists committed to advocating for justice for Black people. ‘Resident Alien’ Trailer: Alan Tudyk Is An Extra Terrestrial Posing As A Small-Town Doctor In New Syfy Comedy(12/14/20) (Trailer, Poster) In the new Syfy series Resident Alien, Alan Tudyk (Rogue One, Firefly) plays Harry, a small-town doctor leading a simple life — with one caveat. He is actual an alien that crash-landed on Earth and is on a mission to kill all humans while posing as a human. Syfy released the first trailer to the new mystery/sci-fi/doctor comedy which is set to debut on January 27 at 10pm ET/PT.Based on the Dark Horse comic, Resident Alien follows Harry as he attempts to live his best life while carrying out his secret mission of annihilating the human race. As seen in the trailer, things get a bit rocky when he’s roped into solving a local murder and realizes he needs to assimilate into his new world. As he does so, he begins to wrestle with the moral dilemma of his mission and asking the big life questions like: “Are human beings worth saving?” and “Why do they fold their pizza before eating it?” Resident Alien also stars Sara Tomko (Once Upon A Time), Corey Reynolds (The Closer), Alice Wetterlund (Silicon Valley) and Levi Fiehler (Mars) as the big personalities of Patience, Colorado. From UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Amblin TV and Dark Horse Entertainment, Resident Alien was adapted to television by executive producer Chris Sheridan (Family Guy). Mike Richardson (Hellboy) and Keith Goldberg (The Legend of Tarzan) of Dark Horse Entertainment (The Umbrella Academy), and Justin Falvey (The Americans) and Darryl Frank (The Americans) of Amblin TV also executive produce. David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers) executive produced and directed the pilot. Joss Whedon Exits HBO Sci-Fi Drama ‘The Nevers’(11/25/20) Joss Whedon is leaving HBO drama The Nevers.Whedon was set to co-write and direct the science fiction drama about a gang of Victorian women who find themselves with unusual abilities, relentless enemies and a mission that might change the world. The drama is still set to air in summer 2021. It was handed a straight-to-series order by the premium cable network in summer 2018. The Nevers was to mark the first TV series for Whedon since he co-created ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the first solely created by him since the cult 2009 Fox drama Dollhouse. Before that he created the hit Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Firefly, both of which developed a devoted following that remains strong. Buffy also spawned a successful spinoff series, Angel. Co-written by Whedon and Buffy alums Jane Espenson and Doug Petrie, The Nevers stars Laura Donnelly (Outlander) as the lead, Olivia Williams (Miss Austen Regrets), James Norton (Grantchester), Tom Riley (Dark Heart), Ann Skelly (Death and Nightingales), Ben Chaplin (The Children Act), Pip Torrens (The Crown), Zackary Momoh (Seven Seconds), Amy Manson (Torchwood), Nick Frost (Fighting With My Family), Rochelle Neil (Death in Paradise), Eleanor Tomlinson (Poldark) and Denis O’Hare (This Is Us). “We have parted ways with Joss Whedon. We remain excited about the future of The Nevers and look forward to its premiere in the summer of 2021,” a HBO spokeswoman said in a statement Wednesday. “This year of unprecedented challenges has impacted my life and perspective in ways I could never have imagined, and while developing and producing The Nevers has been a joyful experience, I realize that the level of commitment required moving forward, combined with the physical challenges of making such a huge show during a global pandemic, is more than I can handle without the work beginning to suffer,” Whedon noted. “I am genuinely exhausted, and am stepping back to martial my energy towards my own life, which is also at the brink of exciting change. I am deeply proud of the work we have done; I’m grateful to all my extraordinary cast and collaborators, and to HBO for the opportunity to shape yet another strange world. The Nevers is a true labor of love, but after two plus years of labor, love is about all I have to offer. It will never fade,” he added. 9-1-1: Lone Star: Gina Torres Joins the Team in Ominous Season 2 Poster(11/20/20) The woman formerly known as Jessica Pearson looks right at home in the poster for 9-1-1: Lone Star‘s second season, coming to Fox in January.Gina Torres (Suits) joins the 9-1-1 spinoff as Tommy Vega, a paramedic captain “who was at the top of her game when she hung up her uniform to raise her twin daughters,” according to the character’s official description. “For eight years life was great, until COVID-19 changed her life. With her husband’s restaurant going under, Tommy has no choice but to re-enter the workforce to support her family. Though it breaks her heart to be apart from her little girls, Tommy will show the world that no matter how much time has passed, when she puts on that uniform, she’s still a boss.” TVLine has an exclusive first look at the new season’s official poster (aka “key art”), which finds Torres’ Tommy standing tall beside Mateo (Julian Works), Paul (Brian Michael Smith), Marjan (Natacha Karam), Carlos (Rafael Silva), TK (Ronen Rubinstein), Owen (Rob Lowe), Grace (Sierra McClain) and Judd (Jim Parrack). Notably absent from the poster is Michelle (Liv Tyler), who is not returning to the show for Season 2. 9-1-1: Lone Star returns on Monday, Jan. 18 at 9/8c, following the return of 9-1-1. Browse the new poster here. 9-1-1, Lone Star, The Resident and Prodigal Son Return to Fox With New Seasons in January(10/20/20) Fox is bringing the drama this January. Four of the network’s biggest scripted series — 9-1-1, 9-1-1: Lone Star, Prodigal Son and The Resident — will all return with new seasons on the first month of 2021.9-1-1 (entering Season 4) and 9-1-1: Lone Star (entering Season 2) will air back-to-back on Mondays, beginning at 8/7c. Meanwhile, The Resident (entering Season 4) and Prodigal Son (entering Season 2) will take over Tuesdays. All told, here’s what you can expect from Fox in January, with actual premiere dates still to be announced: MONDAYS TUESDAYS There have been quite a few casting shake-ups in the 9-1-1 universe in recent months. For starters, the flagship series has promoted John Harlan Kim to series regular, ensuring that Chimney’s brother will become a more integral part of the group in Season 4. Meanwhile, Lone Star is saying goodbye to Liv Tyler’s Michelle Blake — the pandemic reportedly made traveling to Los Angeles from London less than ideal for the actress — but is gaining Gina Torres (Suits) as a new member of the team. Alan Tudyk's Resident Alien: Watch the First 7 Minutes of New Syfy Dramedy(10/10/20) (Video) Syfy has beamed down the first seven minutes of the Alan Tudyk-led Resident Alien, following its NYCC metaverse panel, giving viewers a first glimpse of the dramedy’s charming extraterrestrial who is tasked with… destroying mankind.Adapted from the Dark Horse comic of the same name and set to premiere in January 2021, Resident Alien follows Harry (Tudyk) after he crash-lands on Earth and assumes the role of a small-town human doctor. “Arriving with a secret mission to kill all humans, Harry starts off living a simple life,” the official description reads, “but things get a bit rocky when he’s roped into solving a local murder and realizes he needs to assimilate into his new world. As he does so, he begins to wrestle with the moral dilemma of his mission and asking the big life questions like: ‘Are human beings worth saving?’ and ‘Why do they fold their pizza before eating it?'” The panel — which featured Tudyk in addition to co-stars Sara Tomko (Once Upon a Time), Corey Reynolds (The Closer), Alice Wetterlund (Silicon Valley) and Levi Fiehler (Mars), alongside executive producer and showrunner Chris Sheridan (Family Guy) — discussed bringing the comic’s story to life, balancing heart and humor, quarantine hairstyles, alien sightings and the show’s upcoming guest stars like Linda Hamilton. (Watch it here.) Best known for playing Hoban “Wash” Washburne in the space western Firefly, Tudyk was recently seen in Doom Patrol, playing Eric Morden’s Mr. Nobody. In addition to voicing multiple characters on the animated Harley Quinn, he also guest-starred on Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Rookie, the latter of which reunited him with his Firefly captain, Nathan Fillion. Ron Cobb Dies: Production Designer And Cartoonist Known For ‘Back To The Future’, ‘Star Wars’ Was 83(9/22/20) Cartoonist and Back to the Future DeLorean production designer Ron Cobb has died at the age of 83.Mark Hamil and Star Wars officially confirmed Cobb’s passing on Monday. He died of Lewy body dementia in Sydney, Australia. “We were saddened to learn of the passing of conceptual designer Ron Cobb, who designed one of the most memorable characters in the Mos Eisley cantina, Momaw Nadon. He also contributed to E.T., Raiders of the Lost Ark, Alien, Back to the Future, and many more. He will be missed,” Tweeted the official Star Wars account on Monday. The Los Angeles Native and sci-fi production juggernaut was born on September 21, 1937. He began dabbling in graphic illustration when he was 18 and landed an animation job at Disney’s Burbank studios. About 10 years later, Cobb worked on the animation giant’s 1959 classic Sleeping Beauty. Not long after, Cobb served in the Vietnam War as a draughtsman. Upon his homecoming the animator tried his hand at political cartoons for a number of publications including the Los Angeles Free Press and The Mother Earth News. One of his first returns to the entertainment industry following his time in service was as a special effects artist for the 1974 film Dark Star. Throughout the ’70s Cobb went on to work a number of various titles, from smaller sci-fi projects to blockbuster hits. In 1977 Cobb helped construct the iconic Mos Eisley Cantina of the Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope by creating one of its alien patrons Momaw Nadon. He later went on to serve as a concept artist for the sci-fi classic Alien in 1979. Cobb’s production design credits at the time included Conan the Barbarian and Raiders of the Lost Ark. His claim to fame, however came in 1985. In Back to the Feature, Doc Brown and Marty McFly hop into the souped-up, time-traveling DeLorean; a product of Cobb’s work and symbol of the beloved sci-fi series. In 1992, following years’ worth of art department works, Cobb tried his hand at directing and release Australian slang comedy Garbo. Cobb’s most recent projects included Southland Tales, Firefly and The 6th Day. ‘9-1-1: Lone Star’: Gina Torres Joins Season 2 Of Fox Spinoff As New Series Regular(9/3/20) Suits and Pearson alumna Gina Torres (Magdalena / Nell, One Life To Live) is set as a series regular opposite Liv Tyler and Rob Lowe on the second season of Fox spinoff series 9-1-1: Lone Star. Season 2 is scheduled to begin production in Los Angeles later this fall for a premiere in early 2021 as part of the network’s midseason schedule.9-1-1: Lone Star hails from 9-1-1 creators/executive producers Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear. Set in Austin, it follows Owen (Lowe), a sophisticated New York firefighter who, along with his son, relocates to the Texas capital and must try to balance saving those who are at their most vulnerable with solving the problems in his own life. Torres will play Paramedic Captain Tommy Vega, who was at the top of her game when she hung up her uniform to raise her twin daughters. For eight years life was great, until COVID-19 changed her life. With her husband’s restaurant going under, Tommy has no choice but to re-enter the workforce to support her family. Though it breaks her heart to be apart from her little girls, Tommy will show the world that no matter how much time has passed, when she puts on that uniform, she’s still a boss. The role reunites Torres and Minear, who worked together on Fox’s sci-fi drama series Firefly. “We are so excited to be expanding our 9-1-1-verse with the addition of Gina Torres,” said Minear. “I’ve been dying to write for her again ever since Firefly. Gina brings warmth, intelligence and command to everything she does. 2020 is finally looking up.” Torres played Jessica Pearson, first on USA Network’s popular original series Suits and then in the network’s Chicago-set spinoff series Pearson, which Torres headlined and executive produced. The role earned Torres an ALMA Award, an Imagen Award and the National Hispanic Media Coalition’s Award for Outstanding Performance in a Television Series. Torres most recently was tapped to lead the cast of Dracula reimagining drama pilot The Brides at ABC. The Alias and Angel alumna also did an arc on HBO’s Westworld. Torres is repped by Framework Entertainment, Domain Talent, and Schreck Rose Dapello. 9-1-1: Lone Star is produced by 20th TV in association with Ryan Murphy Television and Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision. Murphy, Falchuk and Minear are creators and executive producers, with Minear serving as showrunner. Alexis Martin Woodall, Bradley Buecker, Rashad Raisani, John J. Gray, Angela Bassett and Lowe are executive producers. Buecker directed the series premiere and continues to direct episodes of the series. WarnerMedia Investigating ‘Justice League’ Production Following Ray Fisher’s Comments(8/20/20) WarnerMedia has had an ongoing investigation being conducted on the Justice League production ever since Cyborg star Ray Fisher tweeted back on July 1 about director Joss Whedon’s “gross, abusive” conduct on set. By no means was the investigation recently launched, I understand, despite Fisher’s recent tweets today which we expound on below.“Joss Whedon’s on-set treatment of the cast and crew of Justice League was gross, abusive, unprofessional and completely unacceptable. He was enabled, in many ways, by Geoff Johns and Jon Berg. Accountability>Entertainment,” Fisher tweeted back in July. This was alarming news considering Fisher’s thumbs up about Whedon at 2017 Comic-Con. The actor tweeted out that video footage of himself saying “I’d like to take a moment and forcefully retract every bit of this statement.” A source with knowledge at the studio tells us that no findings have been made yet, and to preserve the integrity of the investigation, the company will not conduct its investigation in the public sphere. There’s no specific timeline to the investigation, other than being thorough and efficient. WarnerMedia has not pre-judged Joss Whedon or Justice League producers Geoff Johns, or Jon Berg, and I hear that the inquiry is not limited to them. Today, Fisher tweeted, “After 5 weeks of interviews with various cast/crew, @WarnerMedia as officially launched an independent third-party investigation to get to the heart of the toxic and abusive work environment created during Justice League reshoots. This is a MASSIVE step forward!” He continued, “I believe this investigation will show that Geoff Johns, Joss Whedon, Jon Berg (and others) grossly abused their power during the uncertainty of AT&T’s merger with Time Warner.” Whedon had stepped in to finish directing Justice League when director Zack Snyder stepped away from production due to a family tragedy back in late 2016. Snyder, responding to fans, is assembling a four-hour-plus cut of the film which will drop on HBO Max next year, and which he’ll talk about this Saturday at the studio’s DC Fandome. Fisher’s comments about Justice League couldn’t come at a worse time for WarnerMedia as they’re just beginning to bang the drum again on this movie (intended in many ways to be their Avengers), which largely fizzled at the box office grossing $682.6M WW off a $300M production cost. DC FanDome Unveils Schedule, Sets Panels For ‘Wonder Woman 1984’, ‘The Suicide Squad’, ‘The Batman’, ‘Black Adam’, ‘Lucifer’, ‘The Flash’, And More(8/15/20) DC FanDome has unveiled its robust schedule for its 24-hour confab on August 22 — and it has anything and everything you will want when it comes to DC universe fare.As DC FanDome revealed last week, an all-star roster of talent will be joining the confab for key TV and film panels. Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wiig will be on hand for Wonder Woman 1984, while James Gunn will be answering questions about the forthcoming The Suicide Squad. We’ll also get to hear more about the upcoming Black Adam movie with Dwayne Johnson, Matt Reeves’ The Batman starring Robert Pattinson, as well as the stand-alone Flash movie starring Ezra Miller. On the TV side, DC FanDome will give us panels for Lucifer, The Flash, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, DC’s Stargirl and more. There is a high probability that audiences will be treated to clips, trailers, exclusive news, big announcements and surprise guests. The programming contains more than 100 hours of unique content via six distinct virtual areas, with many of the film and TV panels taking place in Hall of Heroes and WatchVerse. The FanDome will also include areas to explore the latest news from WB Games, artists and comics via YouVerse, InsiderVerse, FunVerse and DC Kids FanDome. Here’s the schedule for the key film and TV panels below, all on that Saturday. You can read the full schedule here. Wonder Woman 1984 The Flash Teen Titans Go! Cast Table Read and Panel Black Lightning Multiverse 101 Pennyworth Introducing Flash The Suicide Squad DC’s Legends of Tomorrow BAWSE Females of Color Within the DC Universe Doom Patrol The Joker: Put on a Happy Face Superman & Lois The Snyder Cut of Justice League Black Adam CNN Heroes: Real-Life Heroes in the Age of Coronavirus TBA Panel Aquaman “Ask Harley Quinn” Tomorrow’s Super Heroes with Jim Lee brought to you by Gold House Wonder Woman 80th Celebration Superman: Man of Tomorrow World Premiere SHAZAM! Lucifer Titans The Batman Superman: Man of Tomorrow – Panel DC’s Stargirl Creating Heroes: The Life and Art of Jim Lee – Screening Batwoman Harley Quinn Imagen Award Nominations(8/5/20) Nominees for the 35th annual Imagen Awards honoring positive portrayals of Latinos in the media. The Imagen Awards will be presented virtually Thursday, September 24, at 5 p.m.Best Actress – Television Alice Braga, Queen of the South (USA Network; Fox 21 Television Studios and UCP) Jearnest Corchado, Little America (Apple TV+; Apple / Universal Television) Justina Machado, Family Pictures (Lifetime; Lifetime Pictures) Justina Machado, One Day at a Time (Pop TV; Sony Pictures Television, Act III Productions, GloNation, Snowpants Productions) Mishel Prada, Vida (STARZ; Big Beach and Chingona Productions in association with Starz Originals) Mj Rodriguez, Pose (FX Network; Fox 21 Television Studios & FX Productions) Gina Torres, Pearson (USA Network; UCP) Nathan Fillion Reflects On ‘Firefly’ And ‘Castle’ With Co-stars, Tries To Convince Gina Torres To Guest Star On ‘The Rookie’(7/26/20) (Video) Nathan Fillion has been a mainstay at Comic-Con and other cons for years. In fact, during a Comic-Con@Home panel dedicated to the actor and moderated by The Rookie showrunner Alexi Hawley, a mustachioed Fillion recalls his first Comic-Con being in 2002 when he was a guest of Joss Whedon’s after he first signed on to do the cult Western sci-fi series Firefly.As one of the last panels of the first virtual iteration of the fanboy/fangirl confab came, “A Conversation with Nathan Fillion” was a retrospective on Fillion as he reflected on his career — with a lot of talk about Firefly, Castle, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog and, of course, The Rookie. From the comfort of his own kitchen and with his cute doggie, Hawley kicked things off with one of Fillion’s most popular movies: Waitress. After doing a deep dive on the quirky comedy, the two waxed poetic on The Rookie. “Firefly has been my favorite job I’ve ever had until The Rookie,” Fillion admits before guests from his past started being introduced into the pre-recorded panel. Firefly’s Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk and Joss Whedon “Zoom’d” into the conversation to talk about the fandom behind the series while Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever and Molly Quinn phoned in to talk about Castle. The Rookie‘s Mekia Cox also joined him to talk about the ABC show. Fillion and Whedon also discussed working on Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. Torres and Tudyk agreed with Fillion about the lasting legacy of Firefly. “Once a ‘browncoat’, you’re locked in,” said Fillion. Tudyk “Firefly is such a staple,” said Tudyk, adding that if you’re into fandom, it’s a requirement. Torres points out that Firefly is like any great book that touched had an impact on you when you first read it but when you revisit it later, it speaks to you different place to your heart and psyche. She continues to say that she is excited to see the series continue to grow with existing and new fans. It is clear that Fillion loves his Firefly and Castle fam — so much so that many of them have appeared on his other shows. Tudyk, Huertas and Dever enjoyed guest-starring with him on The Rookie while Torres popped up in Castle. Fillion wants to continue this tradition with hopes of getting Torres on The Rookie. Torres agreed to be on The Rookie with one important stipulation. “You have to promise you’ll actually be there!” Torres exclaimed. “When I came on to Castle you bailed!” Fillion turned to Hawley who said, “There’s no way I would put you on the show and not write you into Nathan’s story — I promise you that!” ‘Justice League’ Star Ray Fisher Slams Joss Whedon For “Gross, Abusive” Conduct On-Set Of DC Film(6/29/20) Justice League Cyborg star Ray Fisher has spoken out against that pic’s fill-in director Joss Whedon this morning, saying “Joss Whedon’s on-set treatment of the cast and crew of Justice League was gross, abusive, unprofessional and completely unacceptable. He was enabled, in many ways, by Geoff Johns and Jon Berg. Accountability>Entertainment.”Fisher disclosed no specific details other than what was in his tweets. His tweet this morning was preceded by a video of him from 2017 Comic-Con in which he said “Joss is a great guy and Zack picked a good person to come in and finish up for him.” Fisher tweeted today, “I’d like to take a moment and forcefully retract every bit of this statement.” Whedon stepped in to finish directing Justice League when director Zack Snyder had to back away from production due to a family tragedy. In recent weeks, Warner Bros. and Snyder have heeded the call of fans for his cut to be released, and announced that version will hit the studio’s new streaming service HBO Max next year. Previously on June 6, Fisher gave props to Snyder, exclaiming on Twitter, “I don’t praise Chris Terrio and @ZackSnyder for simply putting me in Justice League. I praise them for EMPOWERING me (a black man with no film credits to his name) with a seat at the creative table and input on the framing of the Stones before there was even a script! #BORGLIFE” Justice League was expected to be Warner Bros.-DC’s Avengers, bringing together all the popular superheros, i.e. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Flash, and Aquaman into one movie. The pic fizzled in November 2017 with a global gross of $658M. We’ve reached out to Whedon’s reps. When we hear back, we’ll update you. Whedon directed Disney/Marvel’s The Avengers and its immediate sequel Avengers: Age of Ultron which combined made close to $3 billion at the worldwide box office. At one point in time, he was in talks to direct DC’s Batgirl before he backed away. L.A. Complex Reboot DOA at The CW(6/29/20) L.A. Complex 2.0 has received a very early eviction notice. The CW’s in-the-works reboot of the showbiz-themed Canadian soap is not moving forward, series co-creator Martin Gero has confirmed.When a fan on Instagram asked Gero if the project — which was announced back in Oct. 2018 — was dead, the EP responded, “Sadly, yes.” The original show — which premiered on The CW in the summer of 2012 and ran for two seasons — centered on a group of up-and-coming actors and musicians living in the same Hollywood apartment complex. It starred Cassie Steele (Degrassi: The Next Generation), Jewel Staite (Firefly), Joe Dinicol (Arrow, Blindspot), Jonathan Patrick Moore (Blindspot) and Andra Fuller (The Game), among others. (The Season 2 ensemble went through something of a shake-up, as characters moved in and out of the complex.) The ill-fated reboot, which was to be penned by Gero and co-creator Brendan Gall, would’ve followed a new group of twentysomething tenants/artists living in Hollywood’s Luxe hotel. 'Thirtysomething(else)’, ‘The Brides’ & ‘Valley Trash’ Pilots Not Going Forward At ABC(6/29/20) ABC today made decisions on its 2020 pilots, impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The decisions included passes on three projects, including two high-profile dramas, the thirtysomething sequel thirtysomething(else), featuring several original cast members; Berlanti Prods.’ The Brides Dracula reimagining headlined by Gina Torres, from Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. The third is comedy Valley Trash starring Jason Lee and exec produced by Nahnatchka Khan. All three come from outside studios, MGM, Warner Bros. TV and Universal TV, respectively. Thirtysomething(else) and The Brides are expected to be shopped.Broadcast networks trimming their pilot slates in the current environment is not surprising as the coronavirus-related Hollywood production upended 2020 pilot season, leading to nets having to make difficult decisions. CBS also passed on two high-profile projects with A-list asupices involved,, drama The Lincoln Lawyer and comedy Fun. Still, Thirtysomething(else) not going forward is a shocker given ABC’s passion for the project, whose pilot order was announced with fanfare by the network’s entertainment president Karey Burke — a huge thirtysomething fan — at TCA in January. While the order for the project, from the iconic original series’ creators Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick, was for a pilot, at the time ABC allowed them to open a writers room. It’s hard to pinpoint one reason for ABC’s decision not to proceed with the high-profile sequel. According to sources, it came down to available slots. ABC committed to two drama pilots to produce this year, and the the nods went to Rebel and Harlem’s Kitchen, which were considered stronger contenders. There have been concerns about the budget of thirtysomething(else), which was very expensive, with a large young ensemble cast and the returning original cast members who commanded big paychecks. I hear the network also had been hoping for more star power within the new thirtysomethings, and there were some logistical issues, with the series slated to film in Canada, which requeires quarantine. When the project landed at ABC, ABC Studios partnered with MGM and became lead studio. I hear the Disney TV Studios division is remaining part of the show as it is being shopped. Written by Herskovitz and Zwick and to be directed by Zwick, thirtysomething(else) follows an ensemble of new faces, the new generation of thirtysomethings. They are being joined by returning original cast members Ken Olin (Michael Steadman), Mel Harris (Hope Murdoch), Timothy Busfield (Elliot Weston) and Patty Wettig (Nancy Weston), reprising their characters in supporting roles. (Fellow thirtysomething alums Melanie Mayron and Polly Draper were to recur in the sequel.) Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, The Brides, a sexy contemporary reimagining of Dracula, is a family drama with a trio of powerful female leads at its heart. With strong horror elements, The Brides is a vampire soap about empowered, immortal women and the things they do to maintain wealth, prestige, legacy — and their nontraditional family. Written by Niki Schwartz-Wright, Valley Trash centers on The Harmans, a scrappy, blue collar family living in the deep Valley who suddenly experience a major culture clash when their fourteen-year-old daughter, Abby, gets accepted to a prestigious LA private high school filled with students and parents who want nothing to do with her, her family or their 818 area code. Of the other 2020 ABC pilots, the network committed to film five in 2020, dramas Rebel and Harlem’s Kitchen and comedies Bossy (fka Kids Matter Now), Home Economics and Work Wife, while rolling three into second cycle (off cycle): comedy Adopted and dramas National Parks Service (fka ISB), from Kevin Costner, and Triage. Syfy’s TZGZ Late-Night Animation Block Picks Up ‘Devil May Care’ To Series, Greenlights 3 Pilots(6/16/20) Syfy continues the rapid slate expansion of its TZGZ weekly late-night animation block with one more series orders and three pilot greenlights.TZGZ is going two-for-two with with its first internally developed animated pilots ordered in January, the 15-minute Wild Life and Devil May Care. Syfy has given a seven-episode series pickup to Devil May Care, starring Alan Tudyk (SyFy’s Resident Alien) and Asif Ali (BoJack Horseman). It follows the five-episode series order for Wild Life in April. The newly greenlighted 15-minute TZGZ pilots are The Chronicles of Frank, From ShadowMachine (Final Space, BoJack Horseman), The Black Hole from Starburns Industries (Rick and Morty, Moral Orel), and The Pole, from Yeti Farm Creative (Hotel Transylvania Season 2, Pete the Cat Season 2), Airing on Syfy every Saturday at midnight-ish, TZGZ is a 90-minute block of adult comedic, animated, genre-based programming of varying lengths. Since its November 2019 debut, TZGZ has grown +7% in the 18-49 demo (Live+7) vs prior year, and continues to bring younger viewers to the network. TZGZ started off as a block of acquired animated series anchored by Futurama repeats. Encouraged by the solid performance of the soft launch in attracting new young male audience to the network, Syfy in January took the next step, adding originals to the mix with the first series and pilot orders. Within five months, TZGZ has picked up a total of four new animated series, Magical Girl Friendship, Hell Den, Wild Life and Devil May Care, and seven pilots. In Devil May Care, the Devil (Tudyk) hires a social media coordinator (Ali) to rebrand Hell as the ultimate place to live, and the two form the most unlikely of friendships. Recurring roles are played by Fred Tatasciore, Pamela Adlon and Stephanie Beatriz. Created and executive produced by Emmy-winner Douglas Goldstein (Robot Chicken), this 15-minute series is developed and executive produced by Amanda Miller at PSYOP in partnership with Titmouse. Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski and Ben Kalina from Titmouse are also executive producers. Here are details about TZGZ’s newly picked up pilots: From ShadowMachine, Chronicles Of Frank follows an overzealous squirrel that kidnaps an exterminator from the Bronx, transporting him to a magical realm where he must conquer the forces of evil and maybe win back his girlfriend. Ordered for a 15-minute pilot, Chronicles Of Frank is created and executive produced by Chris Osbrink (Writer/Director, Trip Tank), with ShadowMachine executive producers Corey Campodonico and Alex Bulkley. In a galaxy far, far away there’s an epic war of the worlds where countless alien species will fight to the death – and The Black Hole is about the crappy dive bar where they drink. Picked up for a 15-minute pilot, The Black Hole from Starburns Industries, is written and executive produced by Dino Stamatopoulos (Creator, “Moral Orel”) and Michael Waldron (Producer, Rick and Morty). Paul Young (EP, Key & Peele), James A Fino (EP, Rick and Morty), Duke Johnson (Director, Anomalisa) and Nick Weidenfeld (President of Programming, Viceland) also executive produce. Heavy is the belly that wears the suit in The Pole, a twisted, edgy comedy about the struggle for power on the North Pole. From Yeti Farm Creative, The Pole has been ordered for a 15-minute pilot. Created and executive produced by Matthew Bass (Writer, Future Man) and Theodore Bressman (Writer, Future Man). Mark Gordon (Producer, Ray Donovan) also executive produces, as well as Frank Saperstein and Jay Surridge from Yeti Farm Creative. How Personal Grief Led To Star-Studded Table Read Fundraiser For Frontline Health Workers Headlined By Gary Cole & Julie Bowen(4/22/20) This coming Sunday, April 26, a cast of 13 actors, including Gary Cole, Julie Bowen, Alan Tudyk, Vella Lovell, Brenda Song and Chris Williams, will perform an online table read of Half-Assed, an unproduced TV comedy pilot by rising writer/director Tracie Laymon (Mixed Signals). While Laymon is not a household name, most of the other auspices on- and off-screen are, including Betsy Thomas, who is directing the event, and Will & Grace and Grace & Frankie casting director Tracy Lilienfield, who was key in getting the talent.The idea originated with Laymon. She had close ties to Kious Kelly, who made national headlines as the first New York nurse to die of COVID-19. Laymon also is friends with an ER doctor at a major LA hospital who was admitted into the ICU for days after being diagnosed with the virus. In both cases, a lack or shortage of protective gear was blamed for the infections. Laymon went to manager/producer David M. Rudy who quickly sparked to the idea as he himself is a former New York EMT. Laymon’s original intention was to get some everyday actors together to help out on a table read of her script to give them a distraction from all that’s going on in the world. Rudy suggested turn the table read into a fundraiser and make a real impact. He himself will match every dollar donated up to the first $100,000. The team has partnered with The CAA Foundation, EIF and Thrive Global’s #FirstRespondersFirst campaign. All proceeds will benefit a fund dedicated to the frontline health workers serving the nation during the coronavirus pandemic. “The money raised will help get the much needed PPE supplies to the doctors and nurses on these COVID-19 frontlines,” Rudy.said. You can watch the live-stream April 26th at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern at: http://www.Tableread.Online. Suits Alum Gina Torres to Headline Brides of Dracula Pilot for ABC(3/2/20) ABC is pulling back the veil on one of The Brides — and we like what we see.Suits veteran Gina Torres will star in the soapy drama pilot as one of Dracula’s three brides, TVLine has learned. Torres will play Cleo Phillips, the leader of the three brides who carries herself like a queen… which makes sense, because she was a queen in her former life. Turned by Dracula after the death of her husband, Cleo is now a New York City real estate tycoon who “is challenged professionally by a mysterious newcomer — even as her ties to her sisters are dangerously fraying,” per the official description. The Brides is billed as a “sexy contemporary reimagining” of the iconic Dracula story with “strong horror elements”; it earned a pilot order from ABC back in January. Riverdale showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is set to pen the pilot. (Torres guest-starred in an episode of Riverdale earlier this season as guidance counselor Mrs. Burble.) Torres is best known to TV fans as lawyer Jessica Pearson on USA’s Suits, which wrapped up its nine-season run last fall. (Torres left the cast to star in her own spinoff, Pearson, but that only lasted a single season.) Torres also co-starred on the Fox cult classic Firefly; her other TV credits include Westworld, Hannibal, Alias, 24 and Angel. Espen Sandberg To Helm Survival Thriller ‘Beast’ Starring Morena Baccarin For Rakuten H Collective – EFM(2/19/20) Rakuten and The H Collective have set Deadpool and Homeland star Morena Baccarin to lead survival thriller Beast for Oscar nominated Kon-Tiki co-director Espen Sandberg. Beast is the first film under the Rakuten H Collective Studio joint venture that was launched last August. Principal photography will begin in late March in New Zealand.The story is based on Aaron W Sala’s Blacklist script, and is described as the hard-hitting tale of a woman who survives a plane crash and is stranded on a seemingly deserted island in the South Pacific. She must fight to get back to her children, face her inner demons and a real threat of unimaginable proportions. Sherryl Clark and Kenneth Huang are producing for The H Collective alongside Rakuten Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani. Sandberg, whose credits also include Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, says Beast merges horror, thriller, action and dramatic elements, with a strong female lead and important theme. It’s “a story about a woman that is forced to break out of her victim mentality by finding her inner strength and courage to fight for herself and reclaim her life.” Baccarin is currently in post-production on STX thriller Greenland for director Ric Roman Waugh and starring Gerard Butler; and The Good House opposite Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline for Amblin Partners. She recently joined the cast of Season 2 of Twilight Zone for CBS All Access alongside Billy Porter, Jenna Elfman and Gillian Jacobs. She is repped by UTA and Seven Summits Pictures & Management. Sandberg is with UTA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Lindberg Management. The Twilight Zone Books Billy Porter, Joel McHale, Morena Baccarin and More for Season 2 Guest Spots(1/12/20) A lot more TV stars are about to enter The Twilight Zone.Emmy winner Billy Porter (Pose), Joel McHale (Community) and Morena Baccarin (Gotham) are among the slew of actors who will make guest appearances on Season 2 of the CBS All Access revival, TVLine has learned. (The streamer confirmed the news at the Television Critics Association winter press tour on Sunday.) In addition, host and executive producer Jordan Peele will write a Season 2 episode entitled “Downtime,” starring Baccarin, Fear the Walking Dead‘s Colman Domingo and Veep alum Tony Hale. Season 2’s other guest stars will include: Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: SVU), Jimmi Simpson (Westworld), Jenna Elfman (Dharma & Greg), Gillian Jacobs (Love), Daniel Sunjata (Rescue Me), Ethan Embry (Grace & Frankie) and Tavi Gevinson (Scream Queens). Like the original Twilight Zone, the CBS All Access revival — which debuted in April of last year — is an anthology, with each episode telling a self-contained story full of supernatural terror and suspense. The Twilight Zone‘s 10-episode second season is slated to debut on CBS All Access later this year. Pearson Cancelled: Suits Spinoff Not Returning for Season 2(11/2/19) Pearson is saying goodbye to the Windy City: USA Network has cancelled the Suits spinoff after just one season, TVLine has learned.The offshoot followed Gina Torres’ disbarred lawyer Jessica Pearson as she became involved in the dirty world of Chicago politics, taking on the role of right-hand fixer for the city’s mayor (Homeland‘s Morgan Spector). The cast also included Simon Kassianides (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as a cop/the mayor’s driver, Bethany Joy Lenz (One Tree Hill) as ambitious city attorney Keri Allen, Chantel Riley (Wynonna Earp) as Jessica’s cousin Angela, Isabel Arraiza (The Oath) as Jessica’s “intense” assistant Yoli and Eli Goree (Ballers) as the mayor’s press secretary Derrick. Suits EP Daniel Arkin serves as showrunner on the spinoff. The first season concluded in mid-September with Jessica declaring to the mayor that she will fix his McGann problem, but after that, she’s done being his errand girl. Pearson‘s 10-episode freshman run averaged 513,000 total viewers and a 0.1 demo rating (in Live+Same Day numbers) — or, exactly half of what sire/lead-in Suits did during its farewell season. Among all current or ending USA Network dramas, it ranked last in the demo and only drew a larger audience that Mr. Robot (which in its final season is averaging 360,000 weekly viewers). Alan Tudyk on The Rookie 11/17/19(11/1/19) “Clean Cut” – Officer Nolan kicks off his birthday by babysitting a crime scene at a law office. Meanwhile, Officer Bradford and Officer West are set to receive special awards, and Sgt. Grey rides patrol with Officer Harper after she requests an early annual evaluation on “The Rookie,” SUNDAY, NOV. 17 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EST), on ABC. (TV-14, V) Episodes can also be viewed the next day on ABC.com, the ABC app and Hulu.“The Rookie” stars Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, Mekia Cox as Nyla Harper, Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez, Richard T. Jones as Sergeant Wade Grey, Titus Makin Jr. as Jackson West, Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen and Eric Winter as Tim Bradford. Guest starring in this episode is Zayne Emory as Henry Nolan, Ali Larter as Dr. Grace Sawyer, Sara Rue as Nell Forester, Alan Tudyk as Ellroy Basso, Chloe Bridges as Stephanie Davis, Blue Kimble as Trevor Reed, Rebecca Field as Sarah Murphy, Bobby Hosea as Walter, Bob Stephenson as Kevin, and Adam Busch as Mike Garvey. “Clean Cut” was written by Mary Trahan and directed by Toa Fraser. Stumptown, The Rookie, Mixed-ish Snag Full-Season Pickups at ABC(10/28/19) ABC is the latest network to jump on the back-nine bandwagon, issuing full-season orders to freshman series Stumptown and mixed-ish as well as sophomore drama The Rookie. Although the network did not reveal the exact number of addition episodes it has commissioned for the trip, an ABC insider confirms that mixed-ish has indeed secured a traditional nine-episode pickup. Precise episode counts for Stumptdown and The Rookie are still being finalized.Regarding the fate of fellow freshman entry Emergence, a source confirms that Season 1 was always intended to conclude following the serialized drama’s initial 13-episode order; a decision on a possible second season will be made this spring. Ever-so-slightly outperforming its sire and lead-out, mixed-ish thus far is averaging a 0.74 demo rating — the network’s highest rated fall launch — and 3.3 million total viewers. With Live+7 DVR playback factored in, those tallies rise to 5.1 mil and a 1.2. Stumptown, meanwhile, is averaging 3.7 million total viewers and higher than a 0.6 demo rating; with DVR playback, those tallies more than double to almost 8 million and a 1.5. In its new Sunday home, The Rookie is averaging a very steady 3.7 mil/0.6, down just a tick from its freshman run (which aired in Tuesday’s Death Slot) and more than doubling to 7.8 mil and a 1.3 with DVR playback. In a statement, ABC’s entertainment president, Karey Burke, said, “This fall, Stumptown has delivered a rich, inventive and fun thrill ride each week with a stellar cast that features one of the most fearless female characters at the center; mixed-ish has established itself as one of the sharpest, funniest and most original new comedies of the season; and The Rookie has continued to bring compelling storytelling and powerful performances to its passionate and loyal fan base. Thanks to the brilliant creative teams behind these series, along with the phenomenal casts and crews, for delivering three incredibly entertaining and distinctive shows. We’re so proud of this great crop of shows that are all off to strong starts this fall, and we can’t wait to bring more fantastic episodes to our schedule this season.” Firefly Reunion on Rookie as Alan Tudyk Cops Season 2 Guest Stint(10/11/19) ABC is once again looking to mine Nathan Fillion‘s Firefly past for present-day ratings gold (or at the very least a modest demo gain).Alan Tudyk, who co-starred alongside Fillion in Joss Whedon’s beloved sci-fi series, has been tapped to guest star in a Season 2 episode of The Rookie. He will play Ellroy Basso, a bioremediation specialist who schools Nolan on the art of crime scene cleaning. Fillion teased Tudyk’s forthcoming appearance on Instagram: Video. Tudyk is the second Firefly alum to pay Fillion’s Rookie a visit; last season, Sean Maher guest-starred in an episode. And it was a little over a year ago that ABC revived Firefly via an episode of American Housewife, in which Fillion channeled his former alter ego, spaceship captain Mal Reynolds. Prior to that, Fillion also plugged several of his Firefly peeps — including Jewel Staite, Adam Baldwin, Gina Torres and Summer Glau — into episodes of his previous ABC day job, Castle. Firefly infamously lasted just a single season on Fox before getting the axe in 2003, although its story did continue in the 2005 big-screen follow-up Serenity. Tudyk and Fillion recently worked together in the Firefly-lampooning web series Con Man. Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Beverly D’Angelo & More Move Into Amblin Partners’ ‘The Good House’(10/8/19) Amblin Partners’ Sigourney Weaver-Kevin Kline feature reteam The Good House has added six castmembers including Deadpool franchise’s Morena Baccarin and Rob Delaney, as well as Vacation‘s Beverly D’Angelo, David Rasche, Rebecca Henderson and Molly Brown.The pic, already shooting in Canada, is directed by Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky, based on a script they co-wrote adapted from the Ann Leary novel. The Good House follows Hildy Good (Weaver), a wry New England realtor and descendant of the Salem witches who loves her wine and loves her secrets. Her compartmentalized life starts to unravel as she rekindles an old romance and becomes dangerously entwined in one person’s reckless behavior. Baccarin will play Rebecca McAllister, a beautiful, luminous woman in an unhappy marriage. She’s distractible, emotional, with an air of danger around her. Baccarin just wrapped back to back films Waldo opposite Charlie Hunnam and Greenland opposite Gerard Butler. She’s starred in such TV series as V, Gotham and Homeland, the latter on which she received a best supporting actress Emmy nomination. Baccarin is repped by UTA and Seven Summits Pictures & Management. Delaney plays Peter Newbold, a handsome and astute psychiatrist in his 40s who grew up in Wendover but now feels trapped there and his restlessness leads him to stray from his marriage. Delaney is repped by UTA, Avalon Management and Goodman Schenkman. The stand-up comedian is the co-creator and co-star of the Channel 4/Amazon Prime comedy Catastrophe. In 2016, he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy alongside his co-creator Sharon Horgan in the Outstanding Writing for Comedy Series category. He’s also starred in such movies as The Hustle, Hobbs & Shaw, upcoming Bombshell, Tom & Jerry and Last Christmas. D’Angelo will portray the loud, gregarious best friend to Weaver’s character. D’Angelo, renowned for the Vacation franchise, can be seen recurring on the Netflix series, Insatiable. She also starred in USA’s series Shooter and HBO’s Entourage. She is repped by Innovative Artists and Link Entertainment. Rasche will play Scott, a posh, good-natured antiques dealer. He left Hildy after coming out as gay but they share an affectionate bond, and he’s the loving father to their two daughters. Rasche starred in In the Loop, Burn After Reading, Men in Black 3, Kill Your Darlings and Tribeca- and Deauville Film Festival-winning film Swallow. He is repped by Innovative Artists, Liebman Entertainment, and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham. Henderson portrays Tess Good, Hildy’s eldest daughter and mother of Hildy’s grandson. Her credits include Mistress America and HBO’s Westworld and Netflix’s Russian Doll. She is represented by Framework Entertainment. Brown will play Emily Good, Hildy’s youngest daughter, who lives in New York and is trying to make a living as an artist. She is represented by Nicolosi & Co. Credits include The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and High Maintenance. Toronto: Eclipse Pictures Buys WW Sales Rights To Willem Dafoe, Morena Baccarin, Pedro Pascal Thriller ‘Tropico’; Giada Colagrande Directs(9/4/19) Eclipse Pictures has acquired worldwide sales rights to Tropico, a noirish thriller set in Brazil being directed by Giada Colagrande from a screenplay by Barry Gifford. Willem Dafoe, Morena Baccarin and Pedro Pascal will star. Colagrande previously directed Padre and her debut pic Open My Heart played at Venice in 2002.In Tropico, Willem Dafoe plays Raymond Sanz, a veteran operative hired to spy on Mark, an American businessman (Pascal) in a steamy costal town in Northern Brazil. However, things get more complicated when Sanz falls simultaneously for Mark’s wife, the mysterious and beautiful Lucia (Baccarin), and her equally beautiful identical twin sister, Olivia (Baccarin). “Barry’s atmospheric screenplay is an exotic thriller in the best traditions of the noir genre,” said Colagrande, “and I also couldn’t be more excited to work with such an accomplished group of actors.” Nathalia Scarton is producing Tropico through her Bidou Pictures Brazil banner, with Jeremy Dawson executive producing. Eclipse’s Daniel Diamond and Benedict Carver will also executive produce. Eclipse will handle worldwide sales on the film, with the exception of Latin America, and CAA and Eclipse will jointly handle the domestic sale. Production on the film is due to start in the first quarter of 2020 in São Luis Do Maranhão, Northern Brazil. Gifford’s literary works include the renowned Sailor and Lula trilogy of novels, two of which — Wild At Heart and Perdita Durango — were turned into films, with David Lynch’s adaptation of Wild At Heart winning the Palm D’or at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival. Gifford subsequently re-teamed with Lynch on the 1997 neo-noir film Lost Highway. Four time Oscar-nominated Dafoe next appears in the Toronto-bound Robert Eggers-directed thriller The Lighthouse, winner of the FIPRESCI Prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, and the Toronto-bound Edward Norton-directed Motherless Brooklyn, as well as the Dee Rees-directed The Last Thing He Wanted, and Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch. In addition to her regular roles on the iconic series Homeland and Gotham, Baccarin has two Deadpool blockbusters under her belt and next stars opposite Gerard Butler in Greenland for STX Films and opposite Charlie Hunnam and Mel Gibson in Waldo. Pascal, coming off the series Game of Thrones and Narcos and the Equalizer 2 film, will next be seen in the Robert Rodriguez-directed We Can Be Heroes, and opposite Gal Gadot in the sequel Wonder Woman 1984. He also stars in the title role of Jon Favreau’s upcoming Star Wars spinoff, The Mandalorian. Dafoe is repped by CAA and Circle of Confusion, Baccarin by UTA and Seven Summits Pictures & Management, and Pascal by WME and Untitled. I.P.C. International attorney Richard Rapkowski negotiated for Eclipse, and Bazil law firm Murta Goyanes negotiated on behalf of Bidou. Diamond and Carver’s Eclipse Pictures recent pics are the Helen Mirren-starrer genre hit Winchester, with the Will Ferrell-starrer Fruitcake and thriller Exo upcoming. Nathan Fillion Boarding James Gunn’s ‘The Suicide Squad’(8/26/19) We’re hearing that Nathan Fillion will be starring in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad at Warner Bros.The actor’s role is being kept under wraps. Fillion has a long history of working with Gunn: He played the voice of a monstrous inmate in Guardians of the Galaxy, Bill Pardy in Gunn’s 2006 horror comedy Slither and the Holy Avenger in the filmmaker’s 2010 pic Super. Fillion stars in ABC’s The Rookie which starts its second season on Sept. 29. Prior to that, Fillion starred for eight seasons as mystery novelist Richard “Rick” Castle on ABC’s Castle. His credits also include a number of series such as Netflix’s Santa Clarita Diet and A Series of Unfortunate Events. Fillion is renowned for his turn as Captain Malcolm ‘Mal’ Reynolds on Joss Whedon’s cult sci-fi series Firefly which also spawned the feature movie Serenity. The actor is no stranger to DC fare playing the voice of the Green Lantern in a number of DC animated features including Reign of the Superman and Justice League: Doom. Fillion received a SAG ensemble nomination for Desperate Housewives, and a Daytime Emmy acting nom for his work on One Life to Live. He is repped by CAA, Three 3 Three Management, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein. Cast to date for The Suicide Squad includes Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn), Viola Davis (Amanda Waller), Jai Courtney (Captain Boomerang), Joel Kinnaman (Rick Flag) as well as new castmembers Idris Elba, David Dastmalchian (Polka-Dot Man), Daniela Melchior (Ratcatcher), Flula Borg and Steve Agee (King Shark, reported exclusively by us yesterday). Gunn wrote the script to The Suicide Squad. Chuck Roven and Peter Safran are producing. EP is Nik Korda. Pic opens on Aug. 6, 2021. Production starts on Sept. 23. ‘The Hating Game’: ‘Pearson’ & ‘Suits’ Star Gina Torres Joins Lucy Hale & Robbie Amell In Rom-Com(7/19/19) Suits star Gina Torres is joining Lucy Hale and Robbie Amell in movie rom-com The Hating Game, which is due to get under way in New York in August.As we revealed during Cannes, Peter Hutchings (Then Came You) will direct Christina Mengert’s adaptation of the bestselling novel by Sally Thorne. The film is produced by Claude Dal Farra, Brice Dal Farra, and Brian Keady of BCDF Pictures. Mister Smith Entertainment is co-financing and handling sales. Pic tells the story of kind-hearted Lucy Hutton (Hale) and her cold-efficient nemesis Joshua Templeton (Amell). Resolving to achieve professional success without compromising her ethics, Lucy embarks on a ruthless game of one-upmanship against Josh, a rivalry that is impossibly complicated by her growing attraction to him. Torres will star as a co-CEO of two recently merged publishing houses where Lucy and Josh work. Torres currently stars in and co-executive produces USA Network’s Pearson, the Torres-pitched spinoff of the network’s hit series Suits. BCDF’s slate of book adaptations includes The Language Of Flowers with Kiersey Clemons and Nick Robinson; The Storied Life Of A.J Fikry with Naveen Andrews; Marie Lu’s Legend; Ray Feist’s fantasy series Riftwar; Becca Fitzpatrick’s supernatural romance series Hush, Hush; and romance-comedy Can You Keep A Secret?, which was recently completed with Alexandra Daddario starring. Mister Smith’s slate includes Terrence Malick’s A Hidden Life and Max Minghella’s directorial debut Teen Spirit starring Elle Fanning. Torres is repped by Domain Talent, Framework Entertainment, and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham. 'Waldo’: Morena Baccarin Joins Mel Gibson & Charlie Hunnam In Action Thriller(6/21/19) Morena Baccarin is the latest to join the cast of the Tim Kirkby-directed action-thriller Waldo, starring Mel Gibson and Charlie Hunnam. Filming is currently underway. The pic is based on the novel, Last Looks, by Howard Michael Gould, who also adapted the screenplay.It centers around a disgraced LAPD detective (Hunnam), who’s spent the past three years living off the grid. He’s reluctantly pulled back into his old life by a former lover in order to solve the murder of an eccentric celebrity’s wife. Dominic Monaghan, Eiza Gonzalez, Clancy Brown, and Jacob Scipio co-star. Producers are Andrew Lazar, Brad Feinstein, Christina Weiss Lurie, and Steven Shainberg. Baccarin, who is also in talks to join Gerard Butler in STXfilms’ disaster-thriller Greenland, is repped by UTA and Seven Summits Pictures & Management. Morena Baccarin In Final Talks To Join Gerard Butler In ‘Greenland’ Thriller At STX(6/19/19) Deadpool and Gotham star Morena Baccarin is in final negotiations to co-star opposite Gerard Butler in STXfilms’ disaster-thriller Greenland. Angel Has Fallen director Ric Roman is helming the pic, which will go before cameras next week.Chris Sparling wrote the script, with revisions by Mitchell LaFortune and Roman. The plot centers on one family’s fight for survival in the face of a cataclysmic natural disaster. Thunder Road Films’ Basil Iwanyk is producing the film with Butler and Alan Siegel via their G-BASE production company. Anton is financing and STXfilms is distributing worldwide. Baccarin’s other credits include Firefly (and its film spinoff Serenity), ABC’s V series, and Showtime’s Homeland, the series that earned her a supporting actress Emmy nom. The Brazilian-American actress can also currently be seen in Season 3 of the Netflix show, A Series of Unfortunate Events. Baccarin is repped by UTA and Seven Summits Pictures & Management. The Rookie Renewed for Season 2(5/11/19) The Rookie will report back for duty next TV season.ABC announced on Friday that the Nathan Fillion-led series has been renewed for Season 2, following a run of steady ratings in the network’s infamously vexing Tuesday “death slot.” Across its 20-episode freshman run, the “light procedural” (tell that to Zoe!) averaged a 0.73 demo rating and about 4.2 million total weekly viewers, ranking fifth out of ABC’s nine dramas in both measures. When DVR playback is factored in, it has been one of ABC’s strongest gainers, trailing only The Good Doctor and A Million Little Things. The Rookie‘s Season 1 finale saw the rookie exam interrupted by a bio-terrorism threat. Along the way, Nolan witnessed Russo engage in a bad shooting, while Bradford collapsed after being cooped up with a man who had been exposed to and died brutally from the weaponized virus. Suits' Final Season, Spinoff Pearson Get Shared July Premiere Date(4/2/19) (Promo Poster) Suits and its spinoff Pearson are teaming up this summer: The ninth and final season of the flagship series will premiere on Wednesday, July 17 at 9/8c on USA Network, leading into the debut of the Gina Torres-led offshoot at 10 pm.Suits‘ 10-episode swan song will explore Harvey and Donna as a romantic couple in the aftermath of his Season 8 finale epiphany. The realization that Donna is the one with whom he wants to share his wins and losses led Harvey to rush to her home, after which the pair had sex. “We’re going to follow their growth,” showrunner Aaron Korsh told TVLine during a post mortem Q&A. “When you’re in a relationship with someone, learning how to communicate with them is probably the most important key to success. They’re going to have to learn how to handle their issues in a relationship the way people do, the way couples do, and we’re going to see that.” Pearson, also spanning 10 episodes, follows Torres’ disbarred lawyer Jessica Pearson as she gets involved in the dirty world of Chicago politics and becomes the mayor’s (Homeland‘s Morgan Spector) right-hand fixer. The cast also includes Simon Kassianides (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as a cop/the mayor’s driver, Bethany Joy Lenz (One Tree Hill) as the ambitious city attorney Keri Allen, Chantel Riley (Wynnona Earp) as Jessica’s cousin Angela, Isabel Arraiza (The Oath) as Jessica’s “intense” assistant Yoli and Eli Goree (Ballers) as the mayor’s press secretary Derrick. Suits EP Daniel Arkin serves as showrunner on the spinoff. Alan Tudyk To Reprise K-2SO Role In ‘Star Wars: Rogue One’ Disney+ Series With Diego Luna; ‘The Mandalorian’ Gets Launch Date(4/11/19) At Disney’s Investor Day Thursday, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy officially confirmed a Star Wars spinoff series starring Diego Luna reprising his Rogue One character Cassian Andor, joined by Alan Tudyk as K-2S0, with Stephen Schiff as showrunner. Tudyk’s deadpan droid character was pumped up in later edits of Rogue One prior to its theatrical release to add humor to the film.The Rogue One series will be the second Star Wars original live-action series for Disney+. The first, Jon Favreau’s The Mandalorian, just finished production and looks amazing Kennedy said. She announced that that series will be released at Disney+’s launch. She also announced a new season of the animated Clone Wars. In Rogue One, Luna’s early Rebel pioneer Cassian Andor who taps Jyn Erso to steal the Death Star plans in Rogue One. The first spinoff film, the second Star Wars film to be released by Disney, was a success making $1.06B at the WW box office. However, when Disney strayed again outside the Skywalker saga of episodes that Star Wars creator George Lucas started in 1977 with last May’s Solo: A Star Wars Story, that movie tanked for a variety of factors losing close to an estimated $77M per Deadline finance sources. A short sizzle reel for The Mandelorian was shown in Stage 2 on the Disney lot and it opened with the new character Mandalorian on an icy landscape before the cut to backstage with creator Jon Favreau and his team for the Star Wars based series. “He’s relatable, we’re all covered in our own armor, said star Pedro Pascal of the bounty hunter. Not a lot was revealed of the story that takes place after Empire Strikes Back movie but a lot of the iconography of the story from a galaxy far far away was certainly apparent. Star Wars Celebration kicked off in Chicago today and runs until April 15. On Sunday morning there’s another panel for The Mandalorian, so chances are fans might see more footage, and here from castmembers. Morena Baccarin Speaks On Her Work With The International Rescue Committee(3/30/19) (Video) Inspired by her mother’s work as an activist for women’s rights in Brazil, Morena Baccarin is a strong advocate for the protection and empowerment of women and girls. As an International Rescue Committee (IRC) Voice, she has visited the emergency response supporting Venezuelan refugees in Colombia and our refugee resettlement programs in Baltimore and New York. The IRC responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future.Syfy Orders Resident Alien Series Starring Firefly Vet Alan Tudyk(2/28/19) Alan Tudyk is officially taking up residence at Syfy: The network has given a series order to Resident Alien, a comic book adaptation starring the Firefly vet, it was announced on Thursday.Based on the Dark Horse comics by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse, Resident Alien is described as “a twisted and comedic fish-out-of-water story that follows a crash-landed alien named Harry (Tudyk) who, after taking on the identity of a small-town Colorado doctor, slowly begins to wrestle with the moral dilemma of his secret mission on Earth.” Harry is, ultimately, forced to ask, “Are human beings worth saving?” Joining Tudyk — who currently stars as the villainous Mr. Nobody in DC Universe’s Doom Patrol — are series regulars Sara Tomko (Once Upon a Time), Corey Reynolds (The Closer), Alice Wetterlund (People of Earth) and Levi Fiehler (Mars). Resident Alien, which begins production in Vancouver this summer, hails from executive producer/writer Chris Sheridan (Family Guy). Dark Horse Entertainment’s Mike Richardson (Hellboy) and Keith Goldberg (The Legend of Tarzan), as well as Amblin TV’s Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank (The Americans), will also serve as EPs, alongside pilot director David Dobkin (The Judge). Pilot Season 2019 Actors Hot List: Carrie Coon, Malin Akerman, Lizzy Caplan & Santiago Cabrera Among Top Choices(2/6/19) With the bulk of broadcast pilots picked up, the networks and studios are already busy drawing up their casting wish lists and sending out offers to their top picks. As usual, there are a few names that keep cropping up.Raking in early offers this year are The Leftovers, Fargo and The Sinner alumna Carrie Coon, former Masters of Sex star Lizzy Caplan, Billions‘ Malin Akerman & Salvation lead Santiago Cabrera. Akerman co-stars on the Showtime drama series Billions as Lara, wife of Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis). The network confirmed to Deadline that her deal has been adjusted to enable her to pursue other series. She will no longer be a series regular but will continue to recur on Billions. Also fielding multiple offers are Morena Baccarin, who is wrapping the final season of Gotham, The Walking Dead and Colony alumna Sarah Wayne Callies, former Lost star Matthew Fox, veteran Jimmy Smits, The Good Wife’s Josh Charles and Daredevil/The Punisher‘s Deborah Ann Woll. It has now become regular practice for big-name actors to do sign one-year deals for broadcast series, making them available for pilots more frequently. That is currently the case with Sela Ward and Kelsey Grammer who both are fielding interest. They are one-season series regulars on freshman dramas FBI and Proven Innocent, respectively. Also getting early offers are David Duchovny, Orange Is the New Black standout Uzo Aduba, It’s Always Sunny and The Mick’s Kaitlin Olson, Andy Garcia, former Suburgatory star Jane Levy, Kerry Bishe (Halt and Catch Fire), Allison Tolman (Fargo), How To Get Away with Murder‘s Alfred Enoch, Rosemarie DeWitt, Ari Graynor (I’m Dying Up Here), Rose Byrne, Josh Gad, Ramon Rodriguez, Tron‘s Garrett Hedlund, Gotham’s Donal Logue, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Walton Goggins, Girls’ Allison Williams, Elementary star Lucy Liu and Topher Grace. The leading ladies of several successful shows that recently ended their runs are being courted to return to series TV, The Americans‘ Keri Russell, Orphan Black‘s Tatiana Maslany, New Girl’s Zooey Deschanel and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt‘s Ellie Kemper. With The Big Bang Theory coming to an end, co-star Melissa Rauch is being approached for pilots, with others, including Kaley Cuoco, also being talked about. Meanwhile, three How I Met Your Mother alums are on pilot directors’ radar this year, Neil Patrick Harris, coming off Netflix’s A Series Of Unfortunate Events, Cobie Smulders and Cristin Milioti. In another tradition, every pilot season, TV networks and studios go after movie stars, trying to lure them to do a broadcast series. It usually is a long shot but here are some of the names getting attention this year: Rachel McAdams, Isla Fisher, Kate Hudson, Crazy Rich Asians breakout Henry Golding, Hilary Swank perennial pilot casting directors’ favorite Kevin Kline, Anne Hathaway, Rooney Mara and Michael Keaton. Additionally, mentioned as possibilities this season are Jon Hamm, Bobby Cannavale, Josh Duhamel, Kylie Bunbury, Rosa Salazar Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Boyd Holbrook. Spinoff ‘Pearson’ Is “Raw” & “Grittier” While Sharing ‘Suits’ DNA – TCA(1/30/19) USA Network at TCA unveiled a trailer for its upcoming series Pearson, a spinoff from the popular legal drama Suits, which stars Gina Torres and centers on her character, powerhouse lawyer Jessica Pearson, as she enters the dirty world of Chicago politics.During a panel discussion for the show, the project’s creators, Suits creator and executive producer Aaron Korsh and executive producer Daniel Arkin, talked about how the offshoot will stand on its own in comparison to the mothership series. “Jessica is the link between Suits and Pearson,” Arkin said. “It has Suits DNA but we wanted the show’s concept to be grittier, raw, more real, showing more facets of her personality and life.” While Jessica was always calling the shots on Suits, “we are seeing her behind the ball, not knowing everything (on Pearson,)” Korsh said. “People reject her for a change.” While Jessica’s position in the food chain changes, her status as a fashion icon does not. “I think it will be tragedy if they didn’t see that part of the DNA carry over,” Torres said of her character keeping her sense of style and penchant for designer outfits though the producers noted that, since Pearson will chronicle both Jessica’s professional and personal life, she will be seen wearing more casual clothes than in Suits. Torres, who came up with the initial idea for Pearson, said that she first thought about revisiting her Jessica Pearson character in a political setting following her exit from Suits after she “became obsessed with the 2016 elections.” “I realized that that’s what she did in the world of Suits, not just walking the line but blurring the line and rewriting it,” Torres said, adding that she started asking herself “what would she do in that world (of Chicago politics). Korsh and Torres talked about their “magical experience” attending the Royal wedding though Korsh laughed off questions about former Suits star Meghan Markle possibly visiting the spinoff or the mothership series’ final season. As I reported last week, there are no Suits characters crossing over on the first season of Pearson. Pearson Trailer: Jessica Takes on Chicago Politics in Suits Spinoff(1/30/19) (Trailer) Jessica Pearson may be new to the Windy City, but her “killer” reputation is already the stuff of legend in the first trailer for the Suits spinoff Pearson.“Some of you are well aware of my past,” Gina Torres’ disbarred lawyer greets the press, “but I am anxious to give something back.” However, her new job as right-hand fixer to Chicago’s mayor (Homeland vet Morgan Spector) gets her tangled up “in a crooked and dangerous new world where every action has far-reaching consequences,” per the official description. “With her compulsion to win, Jessica is forced to reconcile her unstoppable drive with her desire to do the right thing — two things very much at odds.” Elsewhere in the trailer, city attorney Keri (One Tree Hill‘s Bethany Joy Lenz) isn’t very welcoming of the new hire. “You have a lot to learn about the way things are done around here,” Keri tells Jessica, who snaps back with, “And you still have a lot to learn about being a lawyer.” Back at home, things aren’t much easier as beau Jeff Malone (Lucifer‘s D.B. Woodside) makes his feelings known about Jessica’s shady new colleagues. The series — which does not yet have a premiere date — also stars Simon Kassianides (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as the mayor’s driver Nick, Chantel Riley (Wynnona Earp) as Jessica’s cousin Angela, Isabel Arraiza (The Oath) as Jessica’s assistant Yoli and Eli Goree (Ballers) as the mayor’s press secretary Derrick. Suits' Jessica-Led Spinoff Gets a Title(1/18/19) USA Network’s Suits spinoff has embraced a familiar name for its moniker: The title of the forthcoming Gina Torres-led offshoot is officially Pearson, it was revealed Thursday.The show title is, of course, a reference to the leading lady’s main character, former lawyer Jessica Pearson, who has relocated from New York City to Chicago to enter the dirty world of politics. Joining Torres on the new series are Morgan Spector (Homeland) as Mayor Bobby Golec and Simon Kassianides (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as a cop/the mayor’s driver, both of whom were introduced to viewers in the backdoor pilot. The ensemble also includes Bethany Joy Lenz (One Tree Hill) as the ambitious city attorney Keri Allen — Rebecca Rittenhouse originally played the role in the pilot — Chantel Riley (Wynnona Earp) as Jessica’s cousin Angela, Isabel Arraiza (The Oath) as Jessica’s “intense” assistant Yoli and Eli Goree (Ballers) as the mayor’s press secretary Derrick. The spinoff does not yet have a premiere date. Meanwhile, Suits returns for Season 8B next Wednesday, Jan. 23 at 10/9c. Free Buffy, Angel, Firefly(12/1/18) Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff Angel, plus creator Joss Whedon’s cult fave Firefly, are now available to stream for free in their entirety on Facebook Watch, per Variety.Constance Zimmer, Joe Manganiello & Mike Colter Star In Scripted Crime Podcast ‘The Angel Of Vine’(11/14/18) UnREAL’s Constance Zimmer, Luke Cage’s Mike Colter and True Blood’s Joe Manganiello are starring in The Angel of Vine, a ten-part scripted true crime podcast.The trio are narrating the series, which is a fictional account of an unsolved murder mystery told in the style of a modern true crime podcast. It was created by actor Oliver Vaquer, who starred in Jane The Virgin and Andi Mack, and former WME and UTA in-house voice director Ryan Martz. It is the latest high-profile scripted podcast and comes after the TV launch of Julia Roberts-fronted Homecoming, which was based on a Gimlet Media podcast. The Angel of Vine follows a journalist who uncovers the audio tapes of a 1950’s private eye, who cracked the greatest unsolved murder mystery Hollywood has ever known. The series explores the investigation in 30-minute segments voiced by actors and a supporting cast of voice-over professionals. Misha Collins (Supernatural), Cree Summer (Voltron: Legendary Defender), Alfred Molina (Feud), Khary Payton (The Walking Dead), Alan Tudyk (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) and Camilla Luddington (Grey’s Anatomy), star alongside Matthew Mercer (Critical Role), Steve Blum (Cowboy Bebop) and Nolan North (Uncharted) The show has launched on all podcast platforms with new episodes every Wednesday. It is produced by Martz’s Vox Populi. Diageo’s Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a branded advertiser and will be featured within the storyline. “At its core, The Angel of Vine is a story that’s entertaining for anyone and at the same time feels familiar to an avid podcast listener,” said Vaquer. “We treated the recording of Angel of Vine like live theater so that the actors could work off of each other. We would place entire scenes in front of them, let them play and watch it come to life, which shows in the final product.” “This production created an opportunity to combine the nostalgia of classic radio dramas with the modern vehicle of podcasting,” added Martz. “We partnered with actors, companies and brands that embodied that same collision of a classic aesthetic with a modern audience to make sure that Angel of Vine provided an authentic experience to listeners.” The Last Ship's Adam Baldwin Previews 'Bittersweet, But Hopeful' Series Finale(11/11/18) The Last Ship wraps its final, world-saving mission this Sunday at 9/8c, as the TNT action-drama ends its five-season run. Already, significant losses have been suffered — Garnett and Burk included — and more are still to come, with the Navy and Marines about to storm a soft spot in Tavo’s Colombian defenses, all while the Nathan James at least attempts to outwit its adversary at sea.Adam Baldwin, who plays Admiral Mike Slattery, shared with TVLine a spoiler-free peek at the highly emotional nadir ahead, while also reflecting on The Last Ship‘s impressive run — and its place within his career. TVLINE | Have you seen the final cut of Sunday’s series finale? I have not seen the final cut, no. I know what happens though — I did read it! TVLINE | I have to say, it’s pretty damn fantastic as series finales go. Do you think [MAJOR SPOILER REDACTED] was appropriate? Or was it like, “Oh no, that’s a s–tty way to end it”? TVLINE | I think it was appropriate. Yeah…. When we were filming that sequence, as actors I appreciate that I’m just one in a costume, while the folks that we work with in the Navy are actually wearing authentic uniforms. But in the actor’s mind, you’re thinking, “Well, the show is over.” And while we were filming, they were striking the set, so we all had inner monologues of, “Oh man, I’m not going to see these people again.” TVLINE | As I watched the first 10 minutes of the finale, I was thinking, “Oh… I guess almost all of the action will be on land.” And then boom! You realize that Slattery and Chandler and Kara will be as in the thick of it as anybody else. I think it was a masterful job that the writers and the showrunners put together, weaving the land and the sea and the air together. It’s such a complex meld, and they did yeoman’s work, as it were. I had a blast, it was one of the greatest working experiences of my life. TVLINE | As the series wound down with these last episodes, were you surprised at all by how tangible the casualties were? Oh yeah. These were friendships that you build over time, as far as the story arc goes. Good writing for an ensemble cast is tricky, because how do you serve the characters, how do you give them an arc even if they’re in one or two scenes? I think they did a very good job of allowing someone who’s just got one little bit to have gravitas throughout that scene. So when they are lost, it means something. TVLINE | What emotions do you think viewers will be going through Sunday night as they watch this? Hopefully they’ll have remorse for the lost, and hope for the future. I think they’ll see that the characters were able to bring, as they say in the Navy, “honor, courage and commitment” to the story. It’s bittersweet. It’s sad. But it’s hopeful at the end, because the Nathan James served her purpose. We saved the world. TVLINE | A lot! Like Buffy’s tombstone. Across all that you’ve done in your career, what did this experience mean to you? Just about 40 years I’ve been doing this, since 1979, and I have milestones: My Bodyguard is one. And Full Metal Jacket is one. Firefly and Serenity is another, and Chuck, and this. This is one of the most important professional experiences of my life, just because of the scale and the scope of it. We had actual Navy ships that we got to ride aboard; I got to ride on the USS Oak Hill up through New York harbor during Fleet Week, where I got to meet airmen and soldiers and Marines that come in and out of there. We screened the show aboard the ship — where we got heckled by nitpickers! “Awww, that’s not how it goes!” [Laugh] We tried to be authentic as possible, but…. So, it’s tops, right up there. Full Metal Jacket or this one…? They’re of similar weight in my life. TVLINE | I think there’s something to be said for shows that speak to military might. Personally, I’m going through this phase watching SEAL Team, History’s SIX last year, and obviously The Last Ship…. There’s something visceral about watching American muscle get flexed. Full Metal Jacket, for instance, and The Last Ship and SEAL Team, they portray military personnel as human beings. They’re not necessarily pro-war. I know a lot of military personnel, and they hate war. War sucks, it’s hell. But you humanize these guys on-screen. You can be anti-war and pro-soldier; it’s a good thing. These guys volunteered to serve their country and you have to give them nothing but respect, in my mind. TVLINE | Do you have a favorite season of The Last Ship? Was this it? It’s right up there. Season 2 was great, too, because we were getting up on our feet. There was also a complexity to filming that season; we were jumping back and forth, doing Episode 2 and Episode 7 [simultaneously], because we were tied to location. The ADs were going nuts! I also really enjoyed the flashbacks I was able to do with my family [in Season 4], and I liked the prison camp season [3] where I got to get out of uniform and get beat up and get bloody. That’s kind of my wheelhouse. [Laughs] I’m OK standing there giving orders, but I like getting my private parts in the dirt and rolling around and getting scraped up. When I get home and don’t have any bruises, my wife’s like, “You didn’t even work hard today.” TVLINE | What’s next for you? I did a couple of jobs after we wrapped [a year ago]. One is The Kid, which is a Western that [Vincent] D’Onofrio directed; that was fun. And I did a thing called The Legend of 5 Mile Cave, which is a beautiful family Western; I get to ride some horses. Right now, we’ve got to find something else. We’re gypsies, were circus players! I’m a character actor looking for a character role. The last 15 years have been pretty good, so I’m trying to pick one that will get another five-year run, and maybe I’ll hit the golf course forever after that. TVLINE | Lastly, I must ask: Which do you think we might ever see more of, Chuck or Firefly? Oh, wow. I don’t know. Pure speculation, I’d have to guess that Chuck would be the one, because of Zachy’s, Zach Levi’s driving force. Firefly is really up to Joss [Whedon] — if he even wants to do it. At Comic-Con 2012 ,we had the 10-year anniversary and he said, “I don’t know if I want to revisit it. It’s kind of perfect the way it sits there.” He said he’d be worried about screwing it up, which would be the risk when there are such high expectations. I’ve always said I’d never want to be a 60-year-old Jayne Cobb. [Laughs] That ain’t gonna happen! The Rookie: Nathan Fillion Procedural Scores Full-Season Order at ABC(11/6/18) Nathan Fillion‘s intense cardio regimen will continue well into the new year: ABC has decided to run with a full-season of The Rookie.The network has ordered seven additional episodes of the freshman procedural, bring its Season 1 total to 20 episodes. The Rookie debuted last month to 5.4 million total viewers and a 1.0 demo rating (in Live+Same Day numbers), and in subsequent weeks has held steady at 4.5 mil/0.8. Compared to Kevin (Probably) Saves the World‘s year-ago numbers, it is up 39 percent in viewers and 5 percent in the demo. Addressing the physical toll a one-hour drama series grind can take, Fillion — who spent eight years on Castle — recently acknowledged to TVLine, “Some weeks are harder than others,” before adding, “But we have a big cast; we have a lot of people.” AOL Build Interview: Nathan Fillion(10/17/18) Nathan Fillion Talks ABC's "The Rookie": Video.ABC's new series, "The Rookie," follows small-town guy John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of being an LAPD officer. As the force’s oldest rookie, he’s met with skepticism from some higher-ups who see him as just a walking midlife crisis. If he can’t keep up with the young cops and the criminals, he’ll be risking lives including his own. But if he can use his life experience, determination and sense of humor to give him an edge, he may just become a success in this new chapter of his life. Nathan Fillion Cop Drama ‘The Rookie’ Sells To 160 Territories Including UK’s Sky & France’s M6 Via eOne(10/11/18) British pay-TV giant Sky and French commercial broadcaster M6 are among the broadcasters in 160 territories that have picked up Nathan Fillion cop drama The Rookie ahead of its ABC debut.Producer and distributor Entertainment One (eOne) has closed the deals ahead of its TX on October 16. NBCUniversal International Networks has picked it up across Latin America), while Italy’s Rai, Spain’s TNT, Africa’s M-Net, New Zealand’s Three, Greece’s Cosmote TV and Sony Pictures Television’s networks in Portugal, Russia and Central Europe have all signed on to the show. In The Rookie, Fillion plays John Nolan, the oldest rookie in the LAPD. At an age where most are at the peak of their career, Nolan cast aside his comfortable, small town life and moved to L.A. to pursue his dream of being a cop. Now, surrounded by rookies twenty years his junior, Nolan must navigate the dangerous, humorous and unpredictable world of a “young” cop, determined to make his second shot at life count. Fillion is exec producing the light crime drama alongside his Castle executive producer/co-showrunner Alexi Hawley, recently installed eOne creative chief Mark Gordon, Michelle Chapman and Jon Steinberg. All distribution rights are handled by eOne. Fillion stars alongside Dark Matter’s Melissa O’Neil, who plays Fillion’s love interest and fellow officer, Eric Winter (Rosewood, Secrets & Lies), Afton Williamson (The Night Of, The Breaks) and Wisdom of the Crowd’s Richard T Jones, who plays his nemesis. The former Castle and Modern Family star has been engaged in the process, helping out with international sales for the Mark Gordon Company and ABC Studios show, including at an eOne sales event in London last year. He told Deadline an amusing story at the event that a Scandinavian buyer told him she would only be interested in buying the show if it featured more palm trees than snow. “We don’t need any more snow,” she recounted to him. “I’m certainly more invested; it’s like getting on a train that’s already moving versus building an automotive. You’re trying to put together the right pieces, that will spell longevity,” he added. “The Rookie is a premium quality and accessible series that seamlessly weaves in drama, heart and humor,” said Stuart Baxter, eOne’s President of International Distribution. “The response to this series internationally has been brilliant as evident with these key early sales and a true testament to the quality of the show. From a global standpoint, The Rookie lends itself to a wide audience, is flexible for the schedule and features Nathan Fillion who brings with him a devoted international fanbase. This is truly a unique show with elements of Hill Street Blues meets Grey’s Anatomy that offers a fresh take on the cop genre.” Nathan Fillion, Sasha Pieterse and More Join #ChooseKindness Campaign(10/2/18) Take it from someone who literally works on the internet: Choosing to be kind is not always people's first instinct. Luckily though, Disney, Freeform and ABC TV are hard at work trying to make the world a better place with the #ChooseKindness initiative.Throughout October, stars across the Disney, ABC and Freeform networks are rallying behind National Bullying Prevention Month and encouraging viewers to #ChooseKindness through personal testimonials, videos and photos that reinforce the importance of being kind. The initiative, now in its sixth year, aims to inspire kids, families and change-makers around the country to put an end to bullying in their communities and online. All month long, ABC, Freeform and Disney Channel will roll out a series of customized PSAs with fan-favorite stars that call on audiences to end negativity, celebrate their differences, support love, and ultimately choose kindness. In addition to the PSAs, several stars offered honest testimonials of their personal experiences with bullying. From being called names, to being teased about their weight, to being judged by the color of their skin, these heartfelt videos offer audiences a glimpse into an epidemic that their favorite stars are not immune to, as well as uplifting messages on how to take a stand for those being bullied around them. All of your favorite stars are chipping in, including Single Parents' Leighton Meester and Taran Killam, The Rookie's Nathan Fillion, Pretty Little Liars' Sasha Pieterse and Janel Parrish, A Million Little Things' James Roday and many, many more. The Rookie: Pilot (10/16)(10/2/18) “Pilot” – Starting over isn’t easy, especially for small-town guy John Nolan who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of being a police officer, on the premiere episode of “The Rookie,” airing TUESDAY, OCT. 16 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand. As the force’s oldest rookie, he’s met with skepticism from some higher-ups who see him as just a walking midlife crisis. When you throw in a workplace romance, a hostage situation and some tough love from their new training officers, the latest Los Angeles police rookie class has an uphill battle ahead of them.“The Rookie” stars Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez, Richard T. Jones as Sergeant Wade Grey, Titus Makin as Jackson West, Mercedes Mason as Captain Zoe Andersen, Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen, Afton Williamson as Talia Bishop and Eric Winter as Tim Bradford. Alexi Hawley is writer and executive producer; Mark Gordon, Nathan Fillion, Michelle Chapman and Jon Steinberg are executive producers on the series. Liz Friedlander directed and executive produced “Pilot.” Entertainment One (eOne) is the lead studio on “The Rookie,” a co-production with ABC Studios. “Pilot” was written by Alexi Hawley and directed by Liz Fridlander. Alan Tudyk's Syfy Pilot(9/22/18) Alan Tudyk has crash-landed at Syfy: The Firefly vet will star in the network’s pilot Resident Alien, based on the Dark Horse comics of the same name, our sister site Variety reports.Tudyk will play an extraterrestrial who crashes down in a small Colorado town, where he takes over the body of the reclusive Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle after the doc’s murder. The in-demand Tudyk — whose TV credits include The Tick, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, Powerless and Suburgatory — was also recently cast as the villainous Mr. Nobody in DC Universe’s upcoming series Doom Patrol. Doom Patrol: Alan Tudyk Cast as Villain Mr. Nobody in DC Universe Series(8/31/18) Alan Tudyk will be putting the “doom” in Doom Patrol: The actor has been cast as the villainous Mr. Nobody in DC Universe’s upcoming live-action series.Formerly known as Eric Morden, Tudyk’s character is transformed into a baddie after being exposed to mysterious experiments by ex-Nazis in post-war Paraguay. He emerges as the “enigmatic and totally insane” Mr. Nobody, a living shadow capable of draining the sanity from others. Doom Patrol — which received a series order from the DC Universe streaming service in May — follows a group of people with superhuman abilities who are united to investigate the weirdest phenomena in existence and protect Earth from what they find. When they are called to a new mission by Cyborg (Jovian Wade, EastEnders), they embark on a journey that will change their lives forever. Tudyk, whose recent TV credits include The Tick and Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, joins a cast that includes April Bowlby (Two and a Half Men) as Elasti-Woman, Diane Guerrero (Orange Is the New Black) as Crazy Jane and Brendan Fraser as Robotman. As previously announced, DC Universe’s digital subscription service will launch on Saturday, Sept. 15. Doom Patrol is expected to debut in 2019, but its characters will first appear in the live-action Titans series, premiering Friday, Oct. 12. The 33rd Annual Imagen Award Winners(8/26/18) The Imagen Awards are presented by the Imagen Foundation, an organization which encourages and champions the positive portrayal of Latinos in entertainment.Best Supporting Actress – Television (TIE): ABC Fall Premiere Dates: XL Grey's, Nathan Fillion's Rookie, The Conners (Minus Roseanne) and More(7/25/18) ABC is getting off to a slightly later start this fall, with no less than 12 shows — including its entire Tuesday lineup — being held until October.That said, the network’s fall schedule is coming out swinging on Monday, Sept. 24 with the Season 27 (!) premiere of Dancing With the Stars at 8/7c, followed by the return of breakout hit The Good Doctor at 10 pm. Also of note: Grey’s Anatomy begins its “season of love” with a two-hour premiere event on Thursday, Sept. 27 (8 pm), while Roseanne spinoff The Conners makes its Barr-less debut on Tuesday, Oct. 16 (8 pm). Last but not least, 2018 officially marks the return of ABC’s TGIF comedy block — the former home of classics like Full House and Boy Meets World — with future classics like Fresh Off the Boat and Speechless, beginning on Friday, Oct. 5. ABC is the fifth major network to reveal its fall premiere dates, following NBC, The CW and Fox. and CBS. Scroll down for a full rundown of ABC’s fall lineup, as well as what’s on tap for midseason — and a reminder of what’s already been cancelled. MONDAY, SEPT. 24 WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 26 THURSDAY, SEPT. 27 SUNDAY, SEPT. 30 THURSDAY, OCT. 4 FRIDAY, OCT. 5 SUNDAY, OCT. 7 SUNDAY, OCT. 14 TUESDAY, OCT. 16 Held For Midseason American Idol, The Bachelor, THE FIX, For the People (will replace HGTAWM after season ends), GRAND HOTEL, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., SCHOOLED and WHISKEY CAVALIER Previously Cancelled Alex Inc., The Crossing, Deception, Designated Survivor, Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, Marvel’s Inhumans, The Mayor, The Middle, Once Upon a Time, Quantico, Scandal,Ten Days in the Valley and The Toy Box FATE TBD: Battle of the Network Stars, Boy Bands PaleyFest Fall Lineup: The Rookie, Charmed, Last Man Standing and More(7/25/18) ABC’s Rookie cop, The CW’s Charmed sisters and Fox’s Last Man Standing will be among the characters highlighted at this fall’s PaleyFest events.The Paley Center for Media on Tuesday announced the lineup for its annual Fall TV Previews series, which will include panels and screenings for both new and returning shows. Other freshman fare that will appear at PaleyFest includes ABC’s A Million Little Things, Hulu’s Castle Rock and Lifetime’s You. The 12th annual event will take place Sept. 6-16 at the Paley Center’s Beverly Hills location. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, July 27, at 9 am PT; you can purchase them here. The full lineup and list of panelists is below. Sept. 6: Netflix’s Atypical and BoJack Horseman (7 pm) BoJack Horseman: Aaron Paul, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins, creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg, production designer Lisa Hanawalt and supervising director Mike Hollingsworth Sept. 7: Hulu’s I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman, Castle Rock and The First (7 pm) Castle Rock: Creator Sam Shaw Sept. 8: ABC’s The Kids Are Alright, The Rookie and A Million Little Things (1:30 pm) The Rookie: Nathan Fillion, Alyssa Diaz, Richard T. Jones, Titus Makin, Mercedes Mason, Melissa O’Neil, Afton Williamson, Eric Winter and creator Alexi Hawley Sept. 8: The CW’s All American and Charmed (6:30 pm) Charmed: Melonie Diaz, Sarah Jeffery, Madeleine Mantock and EPs Jessica O’Toole, Amy Rardin and Jennie Snyder Urman Sept. 9: Lifetime’s You and History’s Project Blue Book (1:30 pm) Project Blue Book: Michael Malarkey Sept. 9: Epix’s Get Shorty (6:30 pm) Sept. 10: NBC’s I Feel Bad, Manifest and New Amsterdam (7 pm) Sept. 12: CBS’ The Neighborhood, Happy Together and Magnum P.I. (7 pm) Happy Together: Damon Wayans, Jr., Amber Stevens West and Felix Mallard Sept. 13: Fox’s The Cool Kids, Last Man Standing and Hell’s Kitchen (7 pm) Last Man Standing: Tim Allen, Nancy Travis, Jonathan Adams, Amanda Fuller, Christoph Sanders and Jordan Masterson Sept. 16: Telemundo’s Nicky Jam: El Ganador (6:30 pm) Nathan Fillion Talks Rookie Vs. Castle, Dr. Horrible Nostalgia and That Unexpected Firefly Spoof(7/23/18) (Video) Since Nathan Fillion is playing the LAPD’s oldest newbie cop in ABC’s fall drama The Rookie, he’s the butt of a lot of geezer jokes. And he’s fine with that. “It’s really hard to make people laugh,” he told Michael Ausiello during a visit to TVLine’s San Diego Comic-Con video suite Saturday. “It’s very easy to let people to laugh at you.”Besides, the Castle vet isn’t hung up on age, at least not anymore. “I actually had a bit of an epiphany this weekend — a total flip,” he said. “I can list off 20 mistakes I can see everybody making that I won’t make anymore because I’ve lived through this, guys. I can tell you how that’s gonna end. I have wisdom.” Fillion also has his work cut out for him in trying to make The Rookie as big a hit as Castle was, especially since the former’s John Nolan is so different from the latter’s Rick Castle. But divorcé John’s situation “is the new cultural norm,” he suggested. “When I was growing up, I feel like people stayed married. Now, divorce is the norm, and men my age… their life changes entirely. They’re no longer needed as a father figure [or] a breadwinner… careers sometimes halt, and they’re left without a job to do. So men start over.” Also included in the Q&A are Fillion’s reactions to seeing Con-goers dressed as characters from Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog and his explanation for how he wound up spoofing Firefly on American Housewife. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Reboot in the Works, With Black Lead Actress(7/20/18) Buffy Summers is heading back to Sunnydale… but she might look a little different than you remember.A reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is in development, with a black actress eyed to play the title role, our sister site Deadline is reporting. Original creator Joss Whedon is on board as an executive producer, with Monica Owusu-Breen (Midnight, Texas) serving as writer and showrunner of the reboot. (Owusu-Breen previously wrote for ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., where Whedon is an EP as well.) The reboot doesn’t have a network home yet, but it’s said to be “contemporary, building on the mythology of the original.” The original Buffy, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as the titular slayer, debuted in 1997 on The WB and ran for seven seasons, jumping to UPN for its final two seasons. It’s since become a cultural touchstone and cult favorite among TV fans. If it makes it to air, the new-look Buffy would be just the latest WB series to return to TV: Charmed and Roswell are both being resurrected by The CW next season. Jewel Staite on Take Two 8/2/18(7/20/18) “About Last Night” – When Sam and Eddie wake up in bed together, naked, and with no memory of the previous night, they can’t help but wonder what did or didn’t happen. But when they discover that the whole previous day is a complete blank, they begin to suspect that they were purposely drugged. The mystery deepens when, back at the office, a client they have no recollection of meeting returns to thank them for helping her recover her lost dog. Working with what little information they have, along with Berto and Monica’s help, the pair attempt to reconstruct their lost day, only to discover that there’s a lot more at stake than a missing dog. Meanwhile, Sam fears that while drugged she may have broken her sobriety, on “Take Two,” THURSDAY, AUG. 2 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand.“Take Two” stars Rachel Bilson as Sam, Eddie Cibrian as Eddie, Xavier DeGuzman as Berto, Aliyah O’Brien as Christine and Alice Lee as Monica. Guest starring are Jewel Staite as Jackie Jarvis and Jordan Gavaris as Mick English. ”About Last Night” was written by Kathy Miller Kelley and directed by Rob Lieberman. Nathan Fillion Plays Nathan Drake In ‘Uncharted’ Fan Film(7/16/18) (Video) The film adaptation of Uncharted has been in development purgatory for some time now, but that hasn’t stopped Nathan Fillion from taking matters into his own hands. The Firefly alum collaborated with filmmaker Allan Ungar to give a live-action fan film based on the popular video game series.Fans have said that Fillion would be the perfect person to play Nathan Drake because of their physical similarities and attitudes. By working with Ungar, it became a reality via a well-made 14-minute short which also stars Stephen Lang. Uncharted follows Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter and descendant of explorer Sir Francis Drake. He believes he knows the whereabouts of the South American city of El Dorado and embarks on a quest, competing with a rival hunter. Sony first announced the live-action film adaptation of the series at Comic-Con on June 10, 2016. Since then, it has switched hands like a game of hot potato until it landed in the lap of Joe Carnahan. Even so, Sony removed the project from its calendar in September 2016. About a year later, Deadline broke the news that Shawn Levy would direct with Tom Holland attached to play Nathan Drake. Holland is lovely, but maybe Fillion and Ungar’s short will make them reconsider Fillion for the project. Watch the short above. Joss Whedon Sci-Fi Drama About Badass Victorian Women Lands at HBO(7/14/18) The Whedonverse is expanding to HBO.The premium cabler on Friday gave a series order to Joss Whedon‘s The Nevers, which is described as an “epic science-fiction drama about a gang of Victorian women who find themselves with unusual abilities, relentless enemies, and a mission that might change the world.” Whedon — who previously toyed with creating a “Victorian female Batman” for the stalled comic book series Twist — will write, direct and executive-produce the HBO drama, as well as serve as showrunner. His previous live-action TV forays include, of course, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly, as well as Dollhouse and the co-creation of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (where his brother Jed serves as co-showrunner). “I honestly couldn’t be more excited,” Whedon said in a statement. “The Nevers is maybe the most ambitious narrative I’ve created, and I can’t imagine a better home for it than HBO. Not only are they the masters of cinematic long-form, but their instant understanding of my odd, intimate epic was as emotional as it was incisive. “It’s been too long since I created an entirely new fictional world, and the HBO team offer not just scope and experience, not just ‘prestige,’ but a passionate collaboration,” he added. “I could go on, but — I’m impatiently grateful to say – I have work to do.” Said HBO president Casey Bloys, “We have long been fans of the incredibly talented and prolific Joss Whedon and we can’t think of a better project … with which to welcome him to the HBO family. We look forward to meeting the strange, multifaceted characters of The Nevers, to learn their stories, see them in action and share them with our viewers. We’re honored that Joss chose HBO as the place to build his ambitious new world and we are excited to get started.” Imagen Awards Nominations(7/10/18) The nominations are out for the 33rd annual Imagen Awards, which celebrate positive portrayal and creative excellence of Latinos and Latino cultures in TV and film.Best Supporting Actress – Television Joss Whedon to Exec-Produce Female Detective Comedy at Freeform(6/5/18) Now that he’s had experience with vampires, space travelers and superheroes, Joss Whedon is getting familiar with regular ol’ humans.Whedon will executive-produce a half-hour dark comedy in development at Freeform, our sister site Variety reports. Currently titled Pippa Smith: Grown-Up Detective, the potential series centers on a twentysomething woman who played a TV sleuth when she was a kid. Now, Pippa is dealing with relationships, addiction and “being too dang old for the detecting game.” In each episode, Pippa will solve a new case while unraveling a larger mystery and navigating a messy personal life. The project is co-created by Rebecca Drysdale (Key and Peele) and CollegeHumor writer Siobhan Thompson, who will executive-produce alongside Whedon. Currently an EP on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Whedon’s TV projects have included Dollhouse, Firefly and, of course, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The news of Pippa Smith‘s development comes on the heels of Freeform’s announcement that Shadowhunters has been cancelled and will end with a two-hour finale event in 2019. Mermaid drama Siren, meanwhile, recently snagged a Season 2 renewal, and the Pretty Little Liars spinoff The Perfectionists was ordered to series in May. CTV Kicks Off LA Screenings’ Shopping Spree With ‘The Rookie’ & ‘Magnum, P.I.’(6/1/18) Canadian broadcaster CTV has become the first international network to open the contents of its LA Screenings’ shopping spree, picking up U.S. series including The Rookie, Magnum P.I., and Grand Hotel.The broadcaster has picked seven new dramas, two dramedies, one comedy and a talk show from the Hollywood studios ahead of its own Upfronts event on June 7 in Toronto. It bought Nathan Fillion cop drama The Rookie from Entertainment One, Jay Hernandez’s reboot of private eye thriller Magnum P.I. from NBC Universal International Distribution and Eva Longoria’s Miami-set remake of Spanish soap Grand Hotel from Disney Media Distribution. Elsewhere, it has acquired Brandon Michael Hall’s God Friended Me from Warner Bros International Television Distribution, where it also scored Scott Foley and Lauren Cohen’s buddy cop drama Whiskey Cavalier and Noah Wyle-fronted race drama The Red Line from Ava DuVernay and Greg Berlanti. Also over at NBCU, it secured Jennifer Carpenter’s spy thriller The Enemy Within and heart-warming drama The Village. At Disney, it bagged, Marcia Clark-produced legal drama The Fix and Tim Doyle’s Irish Catholic comedy The Kids Are Alright. On the non-scripted side, it has picked up talkshow The Alec Baldwin Show. “Mission accomplished,” said Mike Cosentino, President, Content and Programming, Bell Media. “CTV has secured the most coveted series from Hollywood, including two of the year’s biggest drama gets, The Rookie and Magnum P.I. Big stars, great stories and best-in-class drama, comedy and reality; we look forward to introducing Canadians to another winning lineup this fall.” The Last Ship to End After Season 5(5/18/18) The Last Ship is being permanently docked. The TNT drama will conclude at the end of its upcoming fifth season.Rumors of The Last Ship‘s demise first began circulating back in Sept. 2017, when cast member Travis Van Winkle, who plays Danny Green, announced “a series wrap” in an Instagram post that was later deleted. In response, TNT released a statement, which read, “We shot two seasons simultaneously; the fourth is currently on the air and the fifth will return next summer. We greenlit the fifth with the idea that it could be the final season, however it’s far too early to make that determination.” But now it’s official. A premiere date for Season 5 has not yet been announced. Castle Vet Nathan Fillion Returns to ABC in The Rookie — Watch First Trailer(5/16/18) Castle Vet Nathan Fillion Returns to ABC in The Rookie: Video.ABC Fall 2018-19 Schedule(5/16/18) ABC FALL 2018-19 SCHEDULE (New programs in UPPER CASE)MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY ‘Suits’ Spinoff Starring Gina Torres Gets Title(5/15/18) USA’s upcoming Suits spinoff now has a title — Second City. The offshoot of the long-running legal drama is toplined by the mothership series’ alumna Gina Torres and centers on her character, powerhouse lawyer Jessica Pearson, as she enters the dirty world of Chicago politics.Torres announced the title today at NBCU’s upfront in Manhattan, while introducing footage from the recent Suits season finale, which served as a pilot for the new series. Suits and Second City will co-exist as the mothership series recently was renewed for an eighth season without two of its original stars, Patrick J. Adams and future British royal Meghan Markle. Returning cast members Gabriel Macht, Rick Hoffman and Sarah Rafferty will be joined by Dulé Hill, who is being promoted to a series regular after recurring this season, and new addition Katherine Heigl. The backdoor pilot was written by Suits creator and executive producer Aaron Korsh and executive producer Daniel Arkin, and was directed by Suits alum Anton Cropper. The new series, which hails from Universal Cable Prods., is executive produced by Korsh, showrunner Arkin, Torres and Suits executive producers Doug Liman, David Bartis and Gene Klein of Hypnotic. Luke Benward, Michael McKean, Alan Tudyk & Hannah Kasulka To Star In ‘Playing God’(5/15/18) Luke Benward (Warner Bros’ Life Of The Party), Michael McKean (Better Call Saul), Alan Tudyk (Suburgatory), and Hannah Kasulka (The Exorcist) will star in the indie comedy, Playing God, written and directed Scott Brignac.Currently shooting in Houston, the pic follows Rachel (Kasulka) and Micah Benward), a brother and sister con-artist duo who find themselves scamming a grieving billionaire, Ben (Tudyk), by convincing him they can introduce him to God, face-to-face. They recruit their longtime mentor, Frank (McKean), to “play” God as the three of them attempt the biggest con of their lives. Jude Demorest (Star) and Marc Menchaca (Ozark) co-star in the film, which is being produced by Aaron Benward of Watershed Motion Pictures and Russell Groves of Ralph Smyth Entertainment. Benward is repped by UTA and Industry Entertainment; Kasulka by Innovative Artists and Principal Entertainment LA; McKean by APA and Harriet Sternberg Management; Tudyk by Coronel Group. Gotham Renewed for Final Season That Promises to Reveal [Spoiler](5/13/18) Young Bruce Wayne’s caped crusade will not be coming to an abrupt end after all.In an 11th hour decision, Fox has renewed Gotham for a fifth and final season, TVLine has learned. An episode count remains TBD. The pickup will allow producers to properly “wrap up” the Batman prequel saga, with the final season focusing on Bruce’s transformation into Batman. Averaging a 0.8 demo rating and 2.62 million total viewers this season (in Live+Same Day numbers), Gotham ranks next-to-last in both measures among all Fox dramas (besting only the recently cancelled The Exorcist). Starring Ben McKenzie, David Mazouz, Robin Lord Taylor, Cory Michael Smith, Camren Bicondova, Morena Baccarin and scores of others, Gotham airs Thursday nights at 8/7c, with its Season 4 finale set for May 17. Fox will hold its annual Upfront Presentation to advertisers, where its complete 2018-19 schedule and new programming announcements are revealed, on Monday, May 14 in New York. Castle Vet Nathan Fillion Returns to ABC in The Rookie — Watch First Teaser(5/9/18) (Video) Nathan Fillion is back on the ABC beat — and we’ve got a first look at his first full-time TV gig since Castle ended two years ago. Ahead of its “Upfront” presentation next Wednesday, ABC unveiled the first image and teaser promo for The Rookie, the police procedural starring Fillion that scored a straight-to-series order last October.The network also released the following, slightly-tweaked logline for the show: Starting over isn’t easy, especially for small town guy John Nolan who, after a life-altering incident, is pursuing his dream of being an LAPD officer. As the force’s oldest rookie, he’s met with skepticism from some higher-ups who see him as just a walking midlife crisis. If he can’t keep up with the young cops and the criminals, he’ll be risking lives including his own. But if he can use his life experience, determination and sense of humor to give him an edge, he may just become a success in this new chapter of his life. Fillion’s former Castle boss Alexi Hawley serves as Rookie‘s showrunner. The cast also includes Alyssa Diaz, Richard T. Jones, Titus Makin, Mercedes Mason, Melissa O’Neil, Afton Williamson and Eric Winter. Nathan Fillion Guests on American Housewife 5/16/18(5/1/18) “The Spring Gala” – When things start to fall apart at the last minute, Katie figures out a new way to make the spring gala a success. Meanwhile, Greg attempts to be a “fun dad” and winds up adopting a dog while Katie is occupied with the gala, in the season two finale of “American Housewife,” airing WEDNESDAY, MAY 16 (9:31-10:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand.“American Housewife” stars Katy Mixon as Katie Otto, Diedrich Bader as Greg Otto, Meg Donnelly as Taylor Otto, Daniel DiMaggio as Oliver Otto, Julia Butters as Anna-Kat Otto, Carly Hughes as Angela and Ali Wong as Doris. Nathan Fillion guest stars as himself. “American Housewife” is written by Sarah Dunn (“Spin City,” “Bunheads”) and produced by Kapital Entertainment and ABC Studios. Sarah Dunn, Aaron Kaplan, Rick Wiener and Kenny Schwartz are executive producers. “The Spring Gala” was written by Sarah Dunn and directed by John Putch. Nathan Fillion on Modern Family 5/9/18(4/24/18) “The Escape” – Haley meets Arvin’s parents (“Grey’s Anatomy”’s Kate Burton, Jim Piddock) but when things don’t go as planned, fate leads to an unexpected reunion with all of her ex-boyfriends. Meanwhile, the family seizes on a nursing home visit with Jay’s mean sister, Becky, to settle old scores. But as Jay, Claire and Mitchell compete for her time, Phil, Cam and Gloria end up getting trapped in the home’s basement with no way out, on “Modern Family,” WEDNESDAY, MAY 9 (9:00-9:31 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand. Chris Geere guest stars as Arvin; Adam Devine, Reid Ewing and Nathan Fillion all reprise their roles. Mira Sorvino returns as Nicole Rosemary Page.“Modern Family” stars Ed O’Neill as Jay Pritchett, Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy, Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy, Sofia Vergara as Gloria Pritchett, Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett, Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker, Sarah Hyland as Haley Dunphy, Nolan Gould as Luke Dunphy, Ariel Winter as Alex Dunphy, Rico Rodriguez as Manny Delgado, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons as Lily Tucker-Pritchett and Jeremy Maguire as Joe Pritchett. Guest starring are Chris Geere as Arvin, Mira Sorvino as Nicole Rosemary Page, Kate Burton as Iris Fennerman, Adam Devine as Andy, Reid Ewing as Dylan, Nathan Fillion as Rainer Shine, Mary Louise Wilson as Aunt Becky, Ashleigh Hairston as Nurse Cami, Jessica McKenna as Nurse Tami, Jim Piddick as Malcolm Fennerman and Michael Churven as Jarvis. “The Escape” was written by Jack Burditt & Danny Zucker. Steve Levitan directed. Nathan Fillion on American Housewife 5/9/18(4/24/18) “Finding Fillion” – In order to impress the other moms at school, Katie, Taylor and Oliver travel to New York to track down Nathan Fillion at a “Firefly” convention, so Katie can convince him to attend the school’s spring gala, on an all-new episode of “American Housewife,” airing WEDNESDAY, MAY 9 (9:31-10:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand.“American Housewife” stars Katy Mixon as Katie Otto, Diedrich Bader as Greg Otto, Meg Donnelly as Taylor Otto, Daniel DiMaggio as Oliver Otto, Julia Butters as Anna-Kat Otto, Carly Hughes as Angela and Ali Wong as Doris. Nathan Fillion guest stars as himself. “American Housewife” is written by Sarah Dunn (“Spin City,” “Bunheads”) and produced by Kapital Entertainment and ABC Studios. Sarah Dunn, Aaron Kaplan, Rick Wiener and Kenny Schwartz are executive producers. “Finding Fillion” was written by Bill Callahan, Rick Wiener and Kenny Schwartz, and directed by David Bertman. Morena Baccarin Says Ben McKenzie Is a Great Father to Their Daughter and His Step-Son(4/12/18) Morena Baccarin can’t stop gushing about husband Ben McKenzie‘s parenting skills!The Deadpool actress, 38, spoke to PEOPLE while at the Swarovski Times Square Celebration in New York City on Thursday and revealed she was thankful to have him as a father to their two children. “It’s wonderful to watch him every day with our kids,” Baccarin said. “I couldn’t ask for a better partner.” The two welcomed their 2-year-old daughter, Frances Laiz, in March 2016. While Baccarin said “our Kids”, her 4-year-old son Julius is not Mackenzie’s child but is from her previous relationship with director Austin Chick. When it came to her daughter, Baccarin said she was quickly picking up language skills. “She’s talking quite a bit, and it’s very sweet,” she said. “She sounds a little like a caveman at the moment. Everything is me, like ‘me want that too’ or ‘me take that.’ It’s very sweet and it’s so amazing to watch language spark in a little 2-year-old.” Want all the latest pregnancy and birth announcements, plus celebrity mom blogs? Click here to get those and more in the PEOPLE Babies newsletter. While Baccarin and the Gotham actor got married in 2017, the actress says she continues to adore her engagement ring and calls it her favorite piece of jewelry. “I really understood the tradition of marriage and it’s from the person you love the most, and it’s a constant reminder of the bond and the love you have for each other,” she told PEOPLE. “It’s beautiful.” Dr. Horrible 'Revival': Neil Patrick Harris Talks Reuniting With Nathan Fillion in Unfortunate Events — First Look(3/20/18) (Photo) The quasi Dr. Horrible revival embedded within A Series of Unfortunate Events‘ second season was no happy accident. Neil Patrick Harris tells TVLine that he pushed to have onetime nemesis Nathan Fillion cast as Jacques Snicket, the younger brother of Patrick Warburton’s Lemony Snicket and a former schoolmate of Harris’ Count Olaf.“I was a big proponent of Nathan’s casting,” Harris shares. “I think [Patrick and Nathan] come from the same world actor-wise. I could totally see them being siblings. And Nathan [possesses] great style. He has great focus and force and intention, which is what you needed for [the role of Jacques].” Harris admits it was especially nice to be working with Fillion on such a technically demanding series as Unfortunate Events. “It’s really fun to work with actors who can play in a sandbox, but don’t toss sand everywhere,” he explains. “You still have to hit your marks every time and monitor the crew and respect schedules and be a worker. And Nathan’s a worker through and through.” Did the pair’s Unfortunate re-teaming get them thinking about a Dr. Horrible sequel? “Nothing would make me happier,” Harris enthuses. “But I have no information. I haven’t seen [Dr. Horrible co-creator] Joss in ages. And everyone’s wonderfully busy with other things. So unless the writers want to strike again, which is when we did the first one, I’m not sure when it would ever happen. “Plus, I’m no spring chicken,” he adds with a smile. “So, at a certain point, Dr. Horrible isn’t Billy the Internet geeky kid anymore. I’m a grown man. So they’ll probably have to cast Nick Jonas in it.” Unfortunate Events‘ second (and penultimate) season makes its Netflix debut on Friday, March 30. Nathan Fillion to Revisit Firefly Role in American Housewife Guest Spot(3/15/18) No, it’s not a full-on Firefly revival… but we’ll take it.Nathan Fillion is set to guest-star in a pair of episodes of ABC’s American Housewife later this season, and from the looks of the first-look photo posted on Wednesday, he’ll be paying tribute to his role on the cancelled-too-soon sci-fi cult hit: Photo. Eagle-eyed fans — which includes us — will notice that Fillion is wearing the distinctive coat and shirt worn by his Firefly alter ego: spaceship captain Mal Reynolds. (The Fox sci-fi adventure created by Joss Whedon infamously lasted just a single season before getting the axe in 2003, although its story did continue in the 2005 big-screen follow-up Serenity.) Fillion, of course, is no stranger to mining his Firefly past in new roles; as the star of Castle, he had multiple former Serenity crew members stop by as guest stars. But keep in mind: ABC says Fillion will be playing himself on Housewife, not Mal. So maybe the show’s version of Fillion actually is filming a Firefly revival? And why can’t that be our version of Fillion? The actor further teased his guest spot with another costume-related post on Instagram: Photo. An airdate for Fillion’s episodes hasn’t been set yet, but American Housewife is currently airing its second season Wednesdays at 9:30/8:30c on ABC. USA NETWORK GREENLIGHTS GINA TORRES-LED ‘SUITS’ SPINOFF FROM UNIVERSAL CABLE PRODUCTIONS(3/9/18) USA Network today announced the series pickup of the Gina Torres-led SUITS spinoff. Centered on powerhouse lawyer Jessica Pearson (Torres) as she adjusts to the dirty world of Chicago politics, this new drama hails from Universal Cable Productions (UCP) and is executive produced and written by SUITS creator and executive producer Aaron Korsh alongside executive producer and showrunner Daniel Arkin. Doug Liman, David Bartis and Gene Klein of Hypnotic (SUITS) and Gina Torres will also serve as executive producers.“Gina’s portrayal of Jessica Pearson as one of television’s strongest, most successful businesswomen has made a huge impact with fans,” said Chris McCumber, President, Entertainment Networks, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. “We can’t wait to explore this next chapter in the SUITS legacy – and a brand new world for Jessica.” "It was an extraordinary pleasure working with Gina on SUITS for six years. Beyond her undeniable talent, she is an incredible partner and collaborator, and I always hoped we would work together again," shared Korsh, creator and executive producer of SUITS and the new spinoff series. "I am sincerely grateful to USA and UCP for giving Dan Arkin, my producing partners at Hypnotic and me the opportunity to continue Jessica Pearson's journey in this new series that will encapsulate all that our fans love about her and SUITS – but with its own distinct story that will be unique to the franchise." “The SUITS flagship series has struck a chord with our marketing partners throughout the years as a great platform for advertising and sponsorship opportunities,” said Mark Marshall, Executive Vice President, Entertainment Advertising Sales, NBCUniversal. “This new Gina Torres-led spinoff allows us to provide those same advertisers and audiences with the content we already know they love to watch, and we’re excited to bring them this new chapter in the show’s legacy.” When SUITS began more than seven years ago, Jessica Pearson was introduced as managing partner of one of New York City’s top corporate law firms. Through the years she remained a highly respected, formidable lawyer who helped lead her firm through the darkest times. Always putting her professional life first, Jessica left New York to follow her heart to Chicago in last year’s mid-season finale. She has made many triumphant returns to the SUITS world since and will introduce her new journey in the Windy City during the Season 7 finale, airing Wednesday, April 25, where she will rely on her wits and relationships from Pearson Specter Litt to navigate this unknown territory. This spinoff marks USA Network’s second commitment to SUITS this year. Last month, the network renewed the flagship series for Season 8 and announced the addition of Katherine Heigl (Samantha Wheeler) to the ensemble cast which also includes Gabriel Macht (Harvey Specter), Sarah Rafferty (Donna Paulsen), Rick Hoffman (Louis Litt) and new series regular Dulé Hill (Alex Williams). Nathan Fillion Takes Leaf Out Of Joss Whedon Playbook For eOne’s ABC Cop Drama ‘The Rookie’(2/22/18) Firefly star Nathan Fillion wants his new TV series The Rookie to reach the same “high bar” as Joss Whedon’s fan favorite as he embarks on his debut exec producer role. Fillion, who also starred in ABC procedural Castle, tells Deadline that he is “certainly more invested” in the Mark Gordon Company and ABC Studios-produced drama as a result of his behind-the scenes role.“I had an experience on Firefly where everybody that worked on that show considered it the bar to which we could compare all of our other jobs. That was the benefit of Joss Whedon, who said ‘I want great actors that can make this language sing and I want people I can potentially spend seven years with’ and I benefited from that. I want The Rookie to be similar,” he said. In The Rookie, which received a straight-to-series order from ABC, Fillion plays John Nolan, the oldest rookie in the LAPD. At an age where most are at the peak of their career, Nolan cast aside his comfortable, small town life and moved to L.A. to pursue his dream of being a cop. Now, surrounded by rookies twenty years his junior, Nolan must navigate the dangerous, humorous and unpredictable world of a “young” cop, determined to make his second shot at life count. Fillion is exec producing the light crime drama alongside his Castle executive producer/co-showrunner Alexi Hawley, recently installed eOne creative chief Mark Gordon, Nicholas Pepper, Michelle Chapman and Jon Steinberg. “I’m certainly more invested; it’s like getting on a train that’s already moving versus building an automotive. You’re trying to put together the right pieces, that will spell longevity. You see these wonderful actors in the room and then I get to be one of the people to call them up and say welcome. It’s a great phone call to make,” he adds. “This is the first time that I ever signed on to a project before there was a script. I had all the elements of a recipe for success. I’ve worked with Alexi Hawley before and I really enjoyed that. Mark Gordon’s resume speaks for himself and sitting down with the man and starting to get an understanding of who he is and the type of work environment he promotes is something I can get behind.” Fillion will star alongside Dark Matter’s Melissa O’Neil, who is thought to be playing Fillion’s love interest and fellow officer, Eric Winter (Rosewood, Secrets & Lies), Afton Williamson (The Night Of, The Breaks) and Wisdom of the Crowd’s Richard T Jones, who plays his nemesis. Fillion, who is about to turn 47, says he can relate to his character, who becomes a rookie officer after a number of life-changing moments. “I started out this gig as the youngest son in a rich family on a soap opera in New York, then I was somebody’s uncle, then I found myself playing a dad to a baby, then a dad to young adult now I find myself playing the oldest rookie. Life changes.” The producers, who are still looking to cast one role before moving into full production, are hopeful that it can have the same longevity as Fillion’s previous role as novelist-turned-crime fighter Richard Castle, which ran for eight seasons between 2009 and 2016. “I had never been on a show that was on so long. That’s the dream. But now it’s part of potential reality, it could happen so I want to prepare for that eventuality,” he adds. Fillion is an engaging character, who spent the morning at eOne’s annual Drama Preview , charming international buyers looking to acquire the drama. He laughs when he recounts a conversation with a Scandinavian buyer who told him she would only be interested in buying the show if it featured more palm trees than snow. “We don’t need any more snow,” she told him. When asked whether it had given him the bug to become more involved behind-the-scenes on future projects, he jokes: “I’ll let you know how it turns out.” Joss Whedon Exits Warner Bros’ ‘Batgirl’ Movie(2/22/18) Joss Whedon has exited the Warner Bros’ Batgirl, a DC stand-alone movie that he came aboard last year to write, direct and produce. The deal was first made public last March, and would have seen the writer and director of Disney/Marvel’s tentpole blockbuster The Avengers join a rival comics universe of movies.He said today essentially he couldn’t crack the story of the Gotham heroine, who as been in DC Comics lore since the late 1960s. “Batgirl is such an exciting project, and Warners/DC such collaborative and supportive partners, that it took me months to realize I really didn’t have a story,” Whedon said in a statement. “I’m grateful to Geoff and Toby and everyone who was so welcoming when I arrived, and so understanding when I… uh, is there a sexier word for “failed”? Whedon knows of heroines, having created Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Dollhouse and Firefly. The original Batgirl was set up as Barbara Gordon, the daughter of Gotham Police Commissioner Jim Gordon. Rosario Dawson voiced Batgirl who had a prominent role in WB’s hit animated The Lego Batman Movie. No word from the studio on what will become of the movie. Warner Bros has another female-centric DC pic in the works in Gotham City Sirens, which will focus on the Harley Quinn character played by Margot Robbie in Suicide Squad. David Ayer, who helmed that pic, will also direct Sirens. Firefly canon to expand with series of original books(2/8/18) (ew.com) It may sound like something out of science-fiction, but it’s true: More Firefly stories are on the way.EW can exclusively report that Titan Books and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products have teamed up to publish an original range of new fiction tying in to Joss Whedon’s beloved but short-lived TV series Firefly. The books will be official titles within the Firefly canon, with Whedon serving as consulting editor. The first book is due in the fall. Starring Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, and Alan Tudyk, the western-tinged space opera ran from 2002 to 2003 on Fox. Exploring weighty moral and ethical questions, Firefly centered on a collection of characters living on the fringes of society, joined together in the pioneer culture of their star system in the wake of a civil war. It lasted just 14 episodes, but in the decade and a half since it went off the air has amassed a significant cult following. (A follow-up feature film, Serenity, was also released in 2005.) “[I am] delighted to be bringing new, official stories to fans of a show that has continued to grow in popularity over the years, finding new audiences in an unprecedented way,” commissioning editor Cat Camacho said in a statement. “Firefly is a hugely unique IP and Titan Books is excited to be becoming part of its legacy.” EW has exclusive details on the first three books in the upcoming Firefly fiction series, including the authors and release dates. Read on below. Firefly: Big Damn Hero, by Nancy Holder (Oct. 2018) Captain Malcolm Reynolds finds himself in a dangerous situation after being kidnapped by a bunch of embittered veteran Browncoats. Firefly: The Magnificent Nine, by James Lovegrove (March 2019) Jayne receives a distress call from his ex Temperance McCloud that leads the Serenity crew to danger on a desert moon. Firefly: Generations, by Tim Lebbon (Oct. 2019) The discovery of the location of one of the legendary Ark ships that brought humans from Earth to the ’Verse promises staggering salvage potential, but at what cost? River Tam thinks she might know … 'Deadpool' Star Morena Baccarin Antes Up Big in Divorce(1/9/18) "Deadpool" star Morena Baccarin became single at a price.We got the property settlement agreement between Baccarin and ex-hubby Austin Chick, and there were a lot of spoils to divide. For starters, Austin gets their home in New York City, while Morena gets their homes in Brazil and Los Angeles. The documents say Morena makes more than $90k a month, and Austin pulls in $1,375 a month. And ... she gets the 2001 Lexus!!! Morena, who also starred in "Homeland," gets lots of residuals, and they're fair game for Austin. They agreed that some of the residuals, including the ones for "Deadpool" and Season 1 of "Gotham," will be split. When all the dust settles, to make things square Morena agreed to cut a check to Austin for $406k. As for custody -- which was the major bone of contention -- TMZ broke the story 4-year-old Julius can live with Morena in NYC. Austin was trying to block the move, but in the end he's agreed to move to the Big Apple. She's paying $3,500 a month in child support and he gets $5k in spousal support for a year. The agreement provides that neither will trash the other in front of their kid. Morena Baccarin Settles Custody War with Ex-Husband(1/6/18) Morena Baccarin won a big victory in her custody war ... she's settled up with her ex-husband after a nasty fight, and he's agreed to move to New York rather than fight to keep their child in L.A.Director Austin Chick filed for divorce in 2015, this after Morena began dating actor Ben McKenzie. She became pregnant around the same time divorce docs were filed. The couple divorced, but were not able to resolve their custody and property issues. Austin wanted to stay in L.A. with their 4-year-old son but she wanted to live in New York for professional reasons. She had been filming "Gotham" which was shot in NYC. According to the new settlement, Morena can stay in New York with their son and Austin will move there. They will share custody. We've learned Morena agreed to pay 1 more year of support to Austin at a rate of $5,000 a month. She'll also pay him $3,500 a month in child support. Joss Whedon lashes out at Trump on Twitter(12/22/17) Joss Whedon, director of the box office hit the “Avengers,” let his feeling out about President Donald Trump through a series of angry tweets over the course of two days, following the passing of Trump’s tax plan.Whedon began his Twitter rant about the president on Tuesday, December 19, with a tweet of House Speaker, Paul Ryan. The tweet featured a caricature of Ryan that read “Thirsty” and a caption written by Whedon which said, “not pictured: the blood on his hands.” On Wednesday, the director and self-described feminist, tweeted against Trump, calling his campaign a desperate attempt at trying to “expunge Obama’s legacy.” “History will remember President Obama as better than he was because of YOU, @realDonaldTrump,” Whedon tweeted at Trump. “Your desperate need to expunge Obama’s legacy has helped ensure it. This makes me laugh when little else does.” Later that day, Whedon tweeted again saying that he missed former president Barack Obama while comparing Trump’s presidency to the reign of George III, the British monarch who was known as the “mad King” who lost the American Revolution. “*Trump takes office * I miss Obama *tax plan passes* I miss George III.” About an hour later, Whedon tweeted to his followers that he would be spending the evening listening to Eminem’s song “Like Home,” in which the Grammy-winner refers to Trump as a Nazi. “I’ll just be over here playing “Like Home” on repeat till 2019, you guys have fun (srsly, if u need to be inspired/reinvigorated…) #Eminem #aliciakeys #startfromzero #andforHeather,” Whedon shared on Twitter. Though Whedon may have voiced a strong opinion on Twitter this week, this is not the first time the director has used the outlet to express his political views. Back in January, a week before Trump was sworn into the White House, Whedon took to Twitter to criticize the Trump cabinet by attacking Paul Ryan and said: “I want a rhino to f–k Speaker Paul Ryan to death.” But the director, who has been very open about his feminist views and likes to single out those like Trump, has had some controversial issues of his own. In August, the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” creator’s ex-wife, Kai Cole, cited Whedon for hypocrisy and accused her former husband of engaging in “multiple affairs” with “his actresses, co-workers, fans and friends.” “I want to let women know that he is not who he pretends to be. I want the people who worship him to know he is human, and the organizations giving him awards for his feminist work, to think twice in the future about honoring a man who does not practice what he preaches,” Cole wrote in a guest blog for The Wrap, adding that she no longer has to “carry the burden of Joss’ long-term deceit and confessions. I am free.” In response to Cole’s accusations, a rep for Whedon released a statement which said: “While this account includes inaccuracies and misrepresentations which can be harmful to their family, Joss is not commenting, out of concern for his children and out of respect for his ex-wife.” Laurence Fishburne and Gina Torres Cut Divorce Deal(11/4/17) Laurence Fishburne and Gina Torres hashed out a divorce deal before he went to court to make it official ... TMZ has learned.Laurence filed divorce docs and they confirmed what TMZ reported Friday -- Laurence and the "Suits" star likely spent the last year divvying up assets. They announced their split last September but list October 14, 2016 as the date of separation. In docs obtained by TMZ ... Laurence says, "the parties have entered into an agreement in disposition of property which will be submitted for approval" ... as in waiting for the judge to sign off on it. Laurence cites irreconcilable differences for why he wants out. They were married on September 22, 2002. He checked the boxes for joint legal and physical custody of their 10-year-old daughter, Delilah, ... and wants to block the judge from giving either of them spousal support. Morena Baccarin Joins Alec Baldwin In Scripted John DeLorean Docu(10/31/17) XYZ Films’ untitled scripted documentary about John DeLorean has opened its falcon-wing doors to Morena Baccarin. The Deadpool actress will join the docu as Christina Ferrare, the wife of the titular automaker played by Alec Baldwin.The film will document DeLorean’s rise to stardom as well as his shocking fall from grace. The film will merge scripted narrative scenes with real-life interviews with colleagues, employees, lawyers, friends and family who knew DeLorean best. Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce will direct, while Tamir Ardon will produce alongside XYZ Films and 9.14 Pictures. The project is backed by Ingenious. Sundance Selects is distributing the film domestically. The film is slated for a 2018 release. Baccarin can be seen next reprising her role as Vanessa in Deadpool 2 and currently stars in Fox’s Gotham. She is repped by UTA, Seven Summits Pictures & Management, and ID Public Relations. Nathan Fillion to Star in ABC Cop Dramedy The Rookie From Castle EP(10/27/17) ABC has lured Nathan Fillion back into a life of crime-solving, tapping the ex-Castle star to headline the cop-themed dramedy The Rookie.According to Deadline, The Rookie — which nabbed a straight-to-series order from the network — reunites Fillion with onetime Castle showrunner/EP Alexi Hawley and finds the TV fave playing John Nolan, the oldest rookie in the LAPD. At an age where most are at the peak of their career, Nolan cast aside his comfortable, small town life and moved to L.A. to pursue his dream of being a cop. Now, surrounded by rookies twenty years his junior, Nolan must navigate the dangerous, humorous and unpredictable world of a “young” cop, determined to make his second shot at life count. Fillion has secured an EP title on the series alongside Hawley (who will serve as showrunner). Since Castle ended in May 2016, Fillion has appeared on ABC’s Modern Family, Fox’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Netflix’s Santa Clarita Diet. He’ll next be seen in Season 2 of Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. Gina Torres traded Laurence Fishburne for a ‘cowboy type’ from Utah(9/21/17) The “mystery man” dating Laurence Fishburne’s wife, Gina Torres, is a “cowboy type” father of six from Utah.We’re told that Torres met divorced entrepreneur Kevin Wright on the beach in Dana Point, Calif., in mid-August — and that they have since become a serious couple. Sources say that Wright wasn’t even aware of who the former “Suits” star was when they first met. But they bonded over the fact that they have both recently left long relationships: Torres has split with Fishburne after 15 years together, and Wright ended a 20-year marriage within the past two years. A source close to the new couple told us, “I think when you’ve been married a long time and you become single, you look for someone that has what your ex was missing. I think [Torres] finds in Kevin what she didn’t find in [Fishburne]. He’s the opposite of a Hollywood guy — he’s just a cowboy type. He’s an ‘I’m going to go ride my horse’ type of guy.” Former real estate exec Wright has lived in Montana and Utah. Sources say that Wright knew that Torres — who is set to be the star of an as-yet-unnamed “Suits” spinoff — was separated when they struck up their romance. On Wednesday, Page Six revealed that Torres and a “mystery man” — who turned out to be Wright — were spotted passionately kissing while having lunch at Sweet Butter cafe in Los Angeles last week. Later on Wednesday, Torres said in a statement, “With heavy hearts, Laurence and I quietly separated and began the dissolution of our marriage in the early fall of last year.” She added, “There are no bad guys here. Only a love story with a different ending than either one of us had expected.” Torres and “Black-ish” star Fishburne were married in 2002, appeared together in two “Matrix” films and played a married couple in NBC’s “Hannibal.” They last appeared together in public in 2015 and have both made multiple solo red-carpet appearances since then. Wright and a rep for Torres declined to comment. Laurence Fishburne’s wife spotted kissing a different man(9/19/17) (Pic1, Pic2) Laurence Fishburne’s wife, the actress Gina Torres, has been spotted hooking up with a different man.Photographs of Torres, who starred until recently in USA’s “Suits,” show her passionately kissing a mystery man last week. Torres and “Black-ish” star Fishburne have been married since 2002, but it seems as if the pair may have quietly split. They last appeared publicly together in December 2015, and they’ve both made multiple public appearances — including premieres for their own projects — solo since then. We’re told that Torres and her new beau spent over an hour having lunch at the Sweet Butter cafe in Los Angeles. Torres, who wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, was seen holding the man’s face in her hands and kissing him across the table. In January 2016, not long after their last public appearance together, Torres referred to herself as Fishburne’s wife in an interview with Hello! magazine. But in September 2016 Torres told the New York Times that she had quit “Suits” after six years on the legal drama partly because “my personal life needed to be tended to.” It was recently announced that native New Yorker Torres is to star in a yet-to-be-named “Suits” spin-off, set to debut in 2018. She will also serve as its executive producer. Fishburne and Torres both starred in “The Matrix Reloaded” and played a married couple in NBC’s “Hannibal” from 2013-2015. They married at the Cloisters in Upper Manhattan and have a 16-year-old daughter, Delilah, together. Torres is also the stepmother to Fishburne’s son Langston, 30, and daughter Montana, 27 — who famously starred in a porn movie. Reps for Torres declined to comment and a rep for Fishburne didn’t get back to us. German actor Til Schweiger and his daughters are spotted while out shopping along Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, CaGerman actor Til Schweiger and his daughters are spotted while out shopping along Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, Cahttps://nyppagesix.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/gina_torres-9.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=446 Joss Whedon’s ex slams him for cheating in scathing essayAll over the world, millions of “Buffy” fans’ hearts just broke.Joss Whedon, creator of “Buffy,” director of “The Avengers” and all-round pop cultural feminist icon, has been unmasked as an alleged philanderer. Whedon’s ex-wife, architect Kai Cole, published a piece overnight on US site The Wrap which accused the director of “multiple affairs” over their 15-year marriage. According to Cole, the first of these supposed dalliances was on the set of “Buffy.” “He hid multiple affairs and a number of inappropriate emotional ones that he had with his actresses, co-workers, fans and friends, while he stayed married to me,” Cole wrote. “He deceived me for 15 years so he could have everything he wanted. I believed, everyone believed, that he was one of the good guys, committed to fighting for women’s rights, committed to our marriage, and to the women he worked with. “But I now see how he used his relationship with me as a shield, both during and after our marriage, so no one would question his relationships with other women or scrutinize his writing as anything other than feminist.” In a heart-wrenching confessional, Cole said she was only going public with the allegations because she felt “compelled to go on the record and clear up some misconceptions. I don’t think it is fair to me or other women to remain silent any longer.” Cole said Whedon’s alleged affairs go to the core of the “hypocrisy” of his public image as a feminist writer and hero. “Until recently, Joss was still letting the illusion of our marriage stay intact. Now that it is finally public, I want to let women know that he is not who he pretends to be. I want the people who worship him to know he is human, and the organizations giving him awards for his feminist work to think twice in the future about honoring a man who does not practice what he preaches. “Despite understanding, on some level, that what he was doing was wrong, he never conceded the hypocrisy of being out in the world preaching feminist ideals, while at the same time, taking away my right to make choices for my life and my body based on the truth.” Whedon and Cole met in 1991 and married in 1995, a year before production began on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” a seminal TV show centered on a strong female hero and one that has since been hailed as a defining feminist series. Whedon would go on to create “Angel,” “Firefly,” “Dollhouse” (another series centered on female agency) and “Dr. Horrible” and direct a well-received adaptation of “Much Ado About Nothing” before going on to find mainstream success as the director of “The Avengers” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” He has since been signed by Warner Bros. and DC to helm the upcoming “Batgirl” movie. Whedon and Cole separated in 2012 with the divorce finalized last year. They have two children. “Buffy” fans will recognize Cole’s voice on a track on the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” musical soundtrack. She originally recorded the demo songs with her husband on the show’s iconic musical episode, “Once More With Feeling.” A spokesperson for Whedon told The Wrap that Cole’s account “includes inaccuracies and misrepresentations” but that the director would not be commenting out of concern for his children and ex-wife. Suits Spinoff Starring Gina Torres: New Details on Plot, Setting and AirdateJessica Pearson’s future has become a whole lot clearer, as new details emerge regarding the Gina Torres-fronted Suits spinoff.The USA Network drama’s Season 7 finale will double as a backdoor pilot for the potential spinoff, the basic cabler announced on Wednesday — and unlike Suits, it will not be a legal drama. Instead, the potential series will focus on Jessica’s new life in the world of Chicago politics. The official logline for the episode reads as follows: The pivotal Season 7 finale will reunite Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht), Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams), Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman), Donna Paulsen (Sarah Rafferty) and Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle) with their old friend Pearson as she adjusts to her new life in the Windy City. When she is forced to enter the dirty world of Chicago politics, Pearson must rely on her legal wits and valiant relationships from Pearson Specter Litt to navigate this unknown territory. “The powerhouse character of Jessica Pearson, expertly brought to life by the incomparable Gina Torres, has won the hearts of television fans everywhere,” Chris McCumber, President of Entertainment Networks at NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, said in a statement. “USA Network is beyond thrilled to work with Gina, Aaron Korsh, the entire Suits producing team and our partners at UCP to explore the exciting next phase of Jessica’s story.” The special episode, set to air in early 2018, will be directed by Suits alum Anton Cropper. Doug Liman, David Bartis and Gene Klein will serve as executive producers, alongside series creator Aaron Korsh. Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion's Web Series Con Man Gets TV Home on SyfyCon Man — “a celebration of sci-fi fandom,” starring Firefly alumni Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion — will bring said party to Syfy, which has acquired Seasons 1 and 2 of the web series.The announcement was made on Friday evening during Syfy’s “Con Man: Cons and Fandom Culture” panel at San Diego Comic-Con, by creator, star and moderator Tudyk. Set for a September Syfy premiere, the Emmy-nominated, short-form web series is loosely based on the post-Firefly careers of Tudyk and Fillion, following the journey of Wray Nerely, a washed-up, former sci-fi celebrity who revisits his glory days on the convention circuit, while Fillion’s character, Jack Moore, goes on to become an A-list celeb. Nathan Fillion, Tony Hale, Others Join A Series of Unfortunate Events Season 2Castle alum Nathan Fillion and Veep‘s Tony Hale are among the cast additions for Season 2 of Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.Additionally, Sara Rue (Impastor), Lucy Punch (Ben & Kate) and Roger Bart (Desperate Housewives) are on board for the Netflix series’ sophomore run, our sister site Variety reports. No character details were revealed as producers announced the castings at a Friday night FYC event, though The Wrap is reporting that Fillion will play the brother of Patrick Warburton’s title character. Based on the series of novels, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events was renewed for Season 2 in March, and weeks later saw that renewal extended through Season 3. Ben McKenzie and Morena Baccarin are marriedFirst comes baby, then comes marriage for Ben McKenzie and Morena Baccarin.A source close to the couple confirmed to Page Six that the “Gotham” co-stars have tied the knot. According to People, the nuptials took place on Friday, the same day as Baccarin’s 38th birthday, at the the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. In March of last year the couple welcomed their first child together, daughter Frances Laiz Setta Schenkkan, and got engaged later in the year. This is the second marriage for Baccarin, who also has a child with ex Austin Chick. Their dramatic divorce was finalized the same month she had her baby with McKenzie. Reps for both McKenzie and Baccarin did not immediately return requests for comment. Nathan Fillion Recalls ONE LIFE Days On LIVE WITH KELLY AND RYANOn today’s (June 6) LIVE WITH KELLY AND RYAN, ONE LIFE TO LIVE alum Nathan Fillion (ex-Joey) talked about his early days in Llanview. “I couldn’t fail,” he recalls of working with both Erika Slezak (ex-Viki) and Robin Strasser (Dorian) right out of the gate. He also recalled the reaction he got to the Joey/Dorian romance from older fans. “I was 22 years old and they were saying things in these letters that I … it was eye-opening,” he joked. Watch the full clip here: https://youtu.be/LpHZF1itOjE.Joss Whedon To Wrap Up ‘Justice League’ Movie After Snyder Family TragedyZack Snyder and his producer-wife Deborah Snyder have stepped aside from Warner Bros’ Justice League tentpole to deal with a family tragedy, and The Avengers writer-director Joss Whedon has stepped in to wrap up some reshoots and postproduction, a source close to the movie has confirmed to Deadline.Whedon and Snyder had been collaborating for the past month after the death by suicide of the Snyders’ daughter Autumn. Whedon was already in the studio family, having just inked to direct a Batgirl movie also in Warners’ DC Universe, and the transition is said to be a smooth one as the Snyders felt the toll and wanted to focus on family. There is no plan at this point to change the November 17 release date. Principal photography wrapped in October. The news of Autumn’s death at age 20 was kept out of the media, but the Snyders broke their silence today in an interview with THR. Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency Season 2 guest starsDirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency Season 2 will welcome guest stars Alan Tudyk (Powerless, Firefly) as the violent bounty hunter Mr. Priest; John Hannah (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as the evil wizard The Mage; Amanda Walsh (Lost Girl) as a depressed soccer mom who transforms into a vicious sorceress; and Aleks Paunovic (Van Helsing, iZombie) as the enforcer Wygar Oak. The BBC America series returns later this year.Powerless Cancelled at NBCNBC has lost its lust for Powerless.The superhero-adjacent comedy — which was from the network’s Thursday night schedule last month — has formally been cancelled. Powerless, starring Vanessa Hudgens as the research director at a security company that protects average citizens from the superhero battles raging all around them, has struggled in the ratings since its February 2 debut. Last week’s airing pulled a mere 2.1 million total viewers and a 0.6 demo rating — a 30 percent drop in both categories from its Superstore lead-in. Two episodes of the show’s original 13-episode order still have yet to air — including a guest spot from TV’s original Batman, Adam West. It’s unclear when (or if) those episodes will air. Along with Hudgens, the cast also included sitcom veterans Alan Tudyk (Suburgatory), Danny Pudi (Community), Ron Funches (Undateable) and Christina Kirk (A to Z). ‘Powerless’ Pulled From NBC ScheduleNot a good sign for NBC’s Powerless. The network has pulled the remaining few episodes of the comedy series from its Thursday night lineup. For now it’s being replaced by Superstore in its 8:30 PM ET time slot.The series debuted to soft ratings (1.1, 3.1 million) and has not recovered in the weeks since. Based on characters from DC Comics, Powerless, from Ben Queen and Warner Bros. TV, is a workplace comedy set at one of the worst insurance companies in America — with the twist being that it also takes place in the universe of DC Comics. The show is about the reality of working life for a normal, powerless person in a world of superheroes and villains. Vanessa Hudgens, Danny Pudi, Christina Kirk, Ron Funches and Alan Tudyk star. Powerless writer/executive producer Patrick Schumacker also tweeted the news this morning. @PMSchumacker : #Powerless will not air this week or next. This, I know for sure. I can guess some other things but they're not good. Thanks for watching. Brooklyn Nine-Nine: Nathan Fillion's Faux Cop Will Give You Grinder Flashbacks(Promo Video) Somewhere, Rob Lowe’s old legal briefs are bunching up.In tonight’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine (8/7c, Fox), Castle‘s Nathan Fillion guest-stars as a TV sleuth who thinks his experience catching perps on the small screen qualifies him to solve actual crimes. In other words, he’s basically playing the P.I. version of Lowe’s late, great Grinder “lawyer” Dean Sanderson — and we are here for it. As previewed in the exclusive clip above, the episode finds Jake and Rosa investigating a burglary case on the set of their favorite Law & Order-esque series. Their initial excitement about being in the presence of Fillion’s Mark Devereaux quickly gives way to utter disdain when the wannabe sleuth assumes the role of chief interrogator. Jewel Staite's BlindspotA little bit of serenity is coming to Blindspot.The NBC drama has tapped Firefly and Serenity vet Jewel Staite to guest-star in the April 26 episode as “a mysterious power broker whose allegiance is unknown to the team,” executive producer Martin Gero tells TVLine. The role marks a reunion for Staite and Gero, who worked together on The CW’s Canadian import The L.A. Complex. The actress’ other TV credits include The Killing, Stargate: Atlantis and Wonderfalls, as well as episodes of Castle, Legends of Tomorrow, Supernatural and Warehouse 13. Morena Baccarin Has Her Spousal Support Reduced by $15kMorena Baccarin won big in court Thursday -- a judge greatly reduced the amount of spousal support she has to pay her ex, partly because her TV and movie gigs ain't a lock just yet.Morena's lawyer, Samantha Spector, told a judge her client's income was truly up in the air, and she couldn't afford to keep paying Austin Chick $20k per month. Spector pointed out Morena's TV show, "Gotham," hadn't been picked up yet for a 4th season -- and she's not a lock for "Deadpool 2" either. She also argued Austin could support himself with a j-o-b ... at Starbucks. Morena's been fighting to get this discount, claiming Chick was sucking her finances dry instead of finding work. As of June 1, she'll only have to pay him $5k/month. We got Morena leaving court with her "Gotham" co-star/BF, Ben McKenzie. They were both tight-lipped, but Morena's grin said a lot. Joss Whedon Eyes Batgirl Movie At Warner BrosJoss Whedon is in negotiations to write, direct and produce a Batgirl stand-alone movie that would fall under the DC Universe franchise at Warner Bros. Yes, the same Joss Whedeon who wrote and directed Disney and Marvel’s The Avengers and Avengers: Age Of Ultron.It the deal makes, Toby Emmerich, Warner Bros Pictures new president and chief content officer, would oversee for the studio with Jon Berg and Geoff Johns. The news, first reported by our sister publication Variety, comes a day after WB touted its upcoming DC pics Justice League, Aquaman and Wonder Woman at CinemaCon. Whedon knows of heroines, having created Buffy The Vampire Slayer which just turned 20 years old this month. His other creator credits include Dollhouse and Firefly, and of course the ABC series Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. based on the Marvel franchise. Batgirl has been a Gotham staple in DC Comics lore since the late 1960s, with the original superheroine set up as Barbara Gordon, the daughter of Gotham Police Commissioner Jim Gordon. Rosario Dawson voiced Batgirl who had a prominent role in WB’s animated The Lego Batman Movie, which has grossed $293.1 million since its bow this February 10. Warner Bros has another female-centric DC pic in the works in Gotham City Sirens, which will focus on the Harley Quinn character played by Margot Robbie in Suicide Squad. David Ayer, who helmed that pic, will also direct Sirens. Nathan Fillion on Modern Family 3/29“Five Minutes” – So much can happen to the Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan in five minutes! Mitch and Cam have five minutes to catch a new flight while fighting the effects of sleeping pills they took prematurely. Then at Rainer’s birthday dinner, Haley and Rainer are forced to reevaluate their entire relationship in the five minutes before the birthday cake arrives. Meanwhile, Phil and Claire pay a surprise visit to Alex and are given a five-minute surprise introduction to her new boyfriend. Finally, with only five minutes to catch a movie, Manny has to find the perfect parking space and endure Jay and Gloria’s backseat argument.“Modern Family” airs WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29 (9:00-9:31 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network. “Modern Family” stars Ed O’Neill as Jay Pritchett, Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy, Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy, Sofia Vergara as Gloria Pritchett, Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett, Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker, Sarah Hyland as Haley Dunphy, Nolan Gould as Luke Dunphy, Ariel Winter as Alex Dunphy, Rico Rodriguez as Manny Delgado, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons as Lily Tucker-Pritchett and Jeremy Maguire as Joe Pritchett. Guest starring are Nathan Fillion as Rainer Shine and Joe Mande as Ben. “Five Minutes” was written by Elaine Ko and directed by Gail Mancuso. Gina Torres Closes Deal To Star & Produce Potential ‘Suits’ Spinoff – Get the DetailsIt’s on! Former Suits co-star Gina Torres has closed a deal with the studio behind the hit USA legal drama series, Universal Cable Prods., to headline and produce a potential spinoff series centered on her Suits character, uber attorney and office style icon Jessica Pearson. The project will be shepherded by Suits creator/showrunner Aaron Korsh, whose deal is still being worked out. The new series, which is in very early stages of development, is based on an idea Torres brought to UCP, which is ran by Jeff Wachtel. There has been a lot of enthusiasm for the project, with Torres’ deal closing quickly as UCP stepped up while Torres was fielding offers for broadcast pilots.“I’m beyond grateful for this opportunity and the level of confidence Bonnie Hammer, Jeff Wachtel and everyone at UCP have in me and the potential of this project,” Torres said in a statement to Deadline. “Can’t wait to get started.” Korsh will serve as an executive producer and showrunner on the spinoff series, shepherding it alongside his showrunner duties on Suits. “Gina had the idea and went to the studio. She pitched an idea of what happens if we follow Jessica into the future a little bit,” Korsh told Deadline. “She has a specific take on it that we’re still mulling over right now. They were excited about it, I was excited about it, and we decided to move forward with thinking about what it is.” SPOILER ALERT: Portions of this story include a detail about tonight’s Season 6 finale of Suits. Torres’ deal comes as Jessica Pearson made a surprise return to Suits in the final minutes of tonight’s Season 6 finale. This was Torres’ first time back on the show since exiting as a series regular in the Season 6 summer finale in September. You can read all about it and the rest of tonight episode’s twists in my finale postmortem Q&A with Korsh. Korsh and Torres had stayed in touch since she left the show, going out to lunch and dinner now and then. The new project coming together was serendipitous — as Torres was pitching a Jessica Pearson series to the studio, Korsh was thinking about the character. “I think we were editing either Episode 15 or 16, and sometimes I want to go back and look at an old episode to look at a piece of music,” he said. “We were doing that and whatever the scene was, we pulled it up. It was a shot of Jessica from last year, and I was just like, ‘Man I miss Jessica so much.'” Korsh quickly came on board the potential spinoff, which he would be writing by himself or with another writer. It is unclear yet whether the potential offshoot would be worked into the story of the upcoming seventh season of Suits or it will be developed completely on its own . “Jessica Pearson is an iconic character in my mind and hopefully in the public’s mind,” he said. “Gina Torres is a consummate professional both as an actress and brilliant human being, and I think she’s emerging as s a force as a producer. So when we talked about it, we got very excited about it — both from a creative possibility standpoint and just working with Gina. She’s just such a pleasure to work with, so though it is in its early stages, I’m very excited because I love Gina and I love Jessica.” Korsh originally wanted to kill off Jessica Pearson in the Season 6 summer finale, giving the character a dramatic ending, but changed the storyline upon objections from the network. Instead, after taking up a pro-bono case, Jessica ended up deciding to go to Chicago to be with her love, Jeff (D.B. Woodside). “At the time there was no thought in my head of planting any sort of spinoff,” Korsh said. “The Chicago thing sort of just emanated. When she originally wanted to become a lawyer, this wasn’t the lawyer necessarily that she wanted to be, and the pro-bono case reawakens this fire in her. Then we thought, let’s bring Jeff back. He’s going to move to Chicago and inspire her to go there and ride off into the sunset.” When Jessica reappeared in tonight’s Season 6 finale to help Mike clinch a crucial vote and finally become a lawyer, she was still living in Chicago though there was no mention of Jeff. (Woodside is a series regular on Fox’s Lucifer, which has been renewed for a new season.) Will Jessica stay in Chicago for her own series? “Once you start really digging in creatively on something, you never know where it’s going to lead. So since we haven’t dug in really creatively yet, it could lead anywhere, but if I were a betting man, I would probably say it will still be Chicago,” Korsh said. Torres left the mothership series, which films in Toronto, in large part because it was getting difficult for her to be away for so long from her family, who are based in Los Angeles. While she had been working primarily in Los Angeles since, she was said to be willing to film elsewhere for the right project. As for Jessica possibly popping up on season 7 of Suits, “I would never count her out is what I would say,” Korsh said. “We don’t have specific plans but she’s obviously always a near and dear character of the show and if opportunities arise, we would of course love to bring her back.” T.R. Knight and Gina Torres Guest Star on The Catch“The New Deal” – Con man Benjamin Jones has gone from committing the ultimate betrayal to performing the ultimate sacrifice, when he turned himself in to the FBI to save Alice from wrongful imprisonment. Now in jail, Ben is forced to reckon with his criminal past, while the team at Anderson Vaughan Investigations must come to terms with getting in bed with the bad guys. How will Alice and Ben game the system — and each other — to stay together and overcome their less-than-legal pasts? The highly anticipated season two premiere of “The Catch” airs THURSDAY, MARCH 9 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EST), on the ABC Television Network.“The Catch” stars Mireille Enos as Alice Vaughan, Peter Krause as Benjamin Jones, Sonya Walger as Margot Bishop, John Simm as Rhys Griffiths, Jay Hayden as Danny Yoon, Rose Rollins as Valerie Anderson and Elvy Yost as Sophie Novak. T.R. Knight as Tommy Vaughan, Gina Torres as Justine Diaz, Lesley Nicol as Sybil Griffiths, Jackie Seiden as Gainda Mangels, Jake Green as Seth Hamilton, and Jacky Ido as Agent Jules Dao guest-star. “The Catch” was written by Allan Heinberg and directed by Rob Bowman. Suits Spinoff Centered on Gina Torres' Jessica Eyed at USA NetworkThe long arm of the law is reaching back out to Gina Torres.TVLine has learned exclusively that a Suits spinoff centered on former cast member Torres — whose fan-favorite character Jessica Pearson was written out of the legal drama last September — is quietly being developed. When reached for comment, a spokesperson for Universal Cable Productions (the studio behind Suits) would neither confirm nor denied the spinoff buzz, telling TVLine, “The Suits team is currently focused on the remaining episodes of Season 6 and what’s next for the characters when they return in Season 7.” Torres’ exit from the USA Network drama last fall was, by all accounts, extremely amicable. At the time, the actress explained that her decision to move on was purely a geographical one; even though Suits is set in New York, it shoots in Toronto, and Torres said it was “necessary to get back to my life [in Los Angeles] and all the very important things that being on location in Toronto made very difficult to manage.” Shortly thereafter, Torres joined the cast of ABC’s L.A.-based The Catch in a one-year deal. It’s not clear where the potential Jessica-centric offshoot would be set, but when last we saw her she was heading to Chicago to start a new life with her ex Malone (DB Woodside, who’s now on Fox’s Lucifer). “I don’t believe for one second it’s the last we’ll see of Jessica Pearson,” Torres said back in September. “Not. For. One. Second. And don’t you either.” Episode 852: Nerdist Podcast(Listen) Alan Tudyk (Firefly, Rogue One) chats with Chris about a sitcom they did years ago, how his career has grown over the years and he brings Chris some Star Wars popcorn. They also talk about his show Con Man, coming up with the character of K-2SO in Rogue One and he talks about his new show Powerless!2017 Kids' Choice Awards: Complete List of NominationsJohn Cena will host the ceremony live from USC's Galen Center in L.A. March 11 at 8 p.m.#Squad Morena Baccarin's Tired of Ex-Husband Living Off Her 'Deadpool' MoneyMorena Baccarin is fed up with sending huge checks to her ex-husband every month ... and she wants the court to cut her a break.The "Gotham" and "Deadpool" actress says she's paid Austin Chick $340,088 in spousal support, another $100k from their community estate and $147,302 in "Deadpool" residuals. That's more than half a million dollars since June 2015. According to the docs, Morena's been sending Chick more than $20k monthly as a temporary support deal until they hammer out a permanent agreement. She says that's screwing her over, because she'll likely end up paying way less when the case is finalized. She says she's also pissed he's made no effort to get a j-o-b of his own. Her bottom line: this Chick's overpaid and underworked. Morena wants the judge to allow her to stop making those fat temporary payments. ‘Avengers’ director Joss Whedon blasted for calling Ivanka Trump a dog“Avengers” director Joss Whedon went after President Trump‘s daughter Ivanka Trump, likening her to a Pekingese dog, and called her husband Jared Kushner a “Voldemort in training.”The filmmaker tweeted alongside a picture of Kushner, “Hey, keep your eyes on this f–king prize too. He’s a Voldemort in training, & unlike the Pekingese he married under, can play the long game.” Fans immediately called out the self-proclaimed feminist Whedon for comparing Ivanka Trump to a breed of small, yappy dogs. Whedon’s tweet comes not long after he slammed Nicole Kidman for urging people to support the president and accept the election results. He shared a picture of Kidman next to a Lady Penelope doll to make fun of her “plastic” appearance. He also brought things to a new level when he took to Twitter earlier this month with a profane, violent message about House Speaker Paul Ryan. “Violence solves nothing. I want a rhino to f–k @SpeakerRyan to death with its horn because it’s FUNNY, not because he’s a #GOPmurderbro,” Whedon, best known for creating “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Firefly” and “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” tweeted. Judge Clears 'Gotham' Star Morena Baccarin for Brazil Trip withSon Morena Baccarin says her ex-husband's fear of their kid catching Zika in Brazil is a bogus claim made simply to spite her ... and she just won a court battle over the trip.In a hearing Thursday, the court found Morena's ex, Austin Chick, waited too long to object to their 3-year-old son flying south of the border to visit his dying great grandmother. His lawyers were demanding the "Gotham" star get their custody agreement authorized in Brazil to make sure he'd get custody if something happened to Morena during the trip. Morena's team, led by lawyer Samantha Spector, says they tried to resolve that issue, but Austin's camp went radio silent for weeks. The judge ruled there was no reason to block Morena's trip. She told the court she'd hire top-notch security in Brazil and hunker down in her hotel for extra safety. Only silver lining for Austin -- he's getting their son on Christmas Eve and Day, right before his flight to Brazil. Ben McKenzie and Morena Baccarin Are Engaged!Congratulations are in order for Ben McKenzie and Morena Baccarin: the couple is engaged!A source confirms to PEOPLE that the Gotham costars, whose romance was revealed in September 2015, are happily engaged and making plans to walk down the aisle. The celebratory news comes eight months after the parents welcomed their first child together, daughter Frances Laiz, in March. Just days before meeting the newborn, McKenzie, 38, told PEOPLE, “[Being a father] is something I’ve wanted for a long time,” and added, “I’m excited about all of it, poop, diapers and everything!” The Deadpool actress, 37, who is mom to 3-year-old son Julius with estranged husband Austin Chick, said of McKenzie’s support before the pair welcomed their baby, “Ben’s the sweetest… It’s very nice to work with your significant other, especially when you’re pregnant because you know you’ll get some extra TLC and get taken care of.” Congrats to the happy couple! Barney Miller's Ron Glass Dead at 71Ron Glass, who played stylish and sassy NYPD detective/aspiring author Ron Harris on ABC’s long-running sitcom Barney Miller, died on Friday, a spokesperson for the veteran actor has confirmed for TVLine. He was 71.No further details have yet been made available. In addition to his role on the Emmy-winning workplace comedy, Glass portrayed the spiritual Shepherd Book on Fox’s short-lived sci-fi drama Firefly (as well as its big-screen follow-up, Serenity). His lengthy resume also included fellow one-and-done programs including The New Odd Couple (in the Felix Unger role), Rhythm & Blues, Mr. Rhodes and Teen Angel, as well as guest appearances on All in the Family, Sanford and Son, The Streets of San Francisco, Amen and Friends. In recent years, he appeared in episodes of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Major Crimes and CSI. Glass’ prolific career also included voiceover work, having been featured on Rugrats (and its spinoff All Grown Up!), Superman, Aladdin and The Proud Family. Glass’ Barney Miller castmate Abe Vigoda died earlier this year, at age 94. 'Gotham' Star Morena Baccarin -- My Ex Is Freaking Over Zika, Blocking Our Son's Trip to BrazilMorena Baccarin is fighting her ex-husband, mosquitoes and a ticking clock ... all to get her son to Brazil to visit her dying grandmother.The "Gotham" star's asking the court to force her ex-husband, Austin Chick, to let her take their 3-year-old, Julius, on the trip. According to docs, Morena asked Austin last month for his consent, but he refused due to new info regarding Zika. He cited the CDC, which says it doesn't know the long-term risks for kids who contract the virus. Morena has no such worries, and says Julius' pediatrician agrees ... Zika is "not a concern" for Julius. She also says Austin thinks Brazil is just unsafe, which Morena says is B.S. because he never complained when the family traveled there before the divorce. She's asking the court to issue an order allowing the trip along with her partner, Ben McKenzie, and their infant daughter. Morena Baccarin Joins NBC Legal Pilot — What Does This Mean For Gotham?Morena Baccarin has found a part that’s even more complicated than being Jim Gordon’s ex.The Gotham star has signed on to star in and executive-produce a legal pilot for NBC, our sister site Deadline reports. In the project, she’ll play a former cop who’s now a powerful attorney who defends — wait for it — New York City police officers. (Think The Good Wife meets The Wire.) The potential series is produced by Tony Krantz (Felicity), Ken Sanzel (Numb3rs) and ITV Studios America. Sanzel will write the pilot. But what about Baccarin’s current series-regular gig, as Gotham‘s Dr. Leslie “Lee” Thompkins? Per Deadline, the actress has no plans to leave the Fox series; if the legal pilot gets picked up, she’ll continue on Gotham in a recurring capacity. In October, the actress landed a guest-starring role in Showtime’s comedic anthology pilot Mating, from executive producer Jason Katims (Parenthood). New Joss Whedon VideoFirefly, Angel Stars and More Take Down Office Tyrant Chris Pine in Election PSA: Video.Nathan Fillion Returns To Modern Family 11/16“Thanksgiving Jamboree” – It’s going to be a Thanksgiving jamboree at the Pritchett-Tucker home this year and Cameron has spared no expense. While Phil tries to get used to Rainer Shine (Nathan Fillion) dating his daughter, Hayley has to break it to her dad that she would rather spend the rest of her holiday with her new boyfriend than stay for the traditional family football game. Meanwhile, Jay has to figure out a way to keep his blood pressure down on one of the most stressful days of the year as Gloria tries to show Joe that animals are our friends. Finally, Alex and Dwight get to know each other a little better than her Uncle Cam would like while Mitchell has to stop clowning around and tell Cam the truth.“Modern Family” airs WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16 (9:00-9:30 p.m. EST), on the ABC Television Network. “Modern Family” stars Ed O’Neill as Jay Pritchett, Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy, Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy, Sofia Vergara as Gloria Pritchett, Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett, Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker, Sarah Hyland as Haley Dunphy, Nolan Gould as Luke Dunphy, Ariel Winter as Alex Dunphy, Rico Rodriguez as Manny Delgado, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons as Lily Tucker-Pritchett and Jeremy Maguire as Joe Pritchett. Guest starring are Nathan Fillion as Rainer Shine, Winston Duke as Dwight and Matt Besser as Jerry. “Thanksgiving Jamboree” was written by Jon Pollack and Chuck Tatham and directed by Steven Levitan. Morena Baccarin will guest-star in MatingMorena Baccarin (Gotham) will guest-star in Showtime’s comedic anthology pilot Mating, from executive producer Jason Katims (Parenthood), according to The Hollywood Reporter.Nathan Fillion on Castle's Polarizing Series Finale: 'It Wasn't the Beautiful Send-Off' You'd Hope ForStill bummed that Rick and Kate weren’t given a more satisfying farewell? Nathan Fillion is right there with you.In a new interview, Castle‘s former leading man concedes that the the ABC drama’s series finale — which featured a tacked-on coda that leaped forward seven years and confirmed a happy ending for Rick, Kate and their three kids — was less than perfect. “It wasn’t the beautiful send-off that I think maybe you could hope for,” Fillion tells the New York Post, before citing the series’ abrupt, 11th hour cancellation as a factor. “It’s the entertainment industry, it’s a business, I get it. I don’t take it personally when a show gets canceled — I can’t take it personally, all my shows gets canceled! Look at my resume, it’s a long list of canceled TV shows. “The fact is, I made a lot of great friends on a really great show,” he continued. “I’m really happy for everything that that show has done for me.” Fillion — who kicked off a multi-episode arc on Modern Family last Wednesday — expressed a similar zen attitude about Castle‘s fate over the summer at Comic-Con. Nathan Fillion on Modern Family: The Forecast Calls for Rainer Shine(Pic1) Nathan Fillion is poised to make lightning strike twice at ABC.This Wednesday, the ex-Castle actor begins a three-episode arc on Modern Family playing a hilariously-named weatherman — and we have an exclusive first look (above and below) at his debut. Here’s the setup: When Phil (Ty Burrell) gets invited to appear in a real-estate news segment for the local news, he has an unexpected run-in with his weatherman hero, Rainer Shine. However, storm clouds quickly roll in when he introduces him to Hayley (Sarah Hyland) and, well, let’s just say the temperature in the studio quickly starts to rise. Fillion’s first episode airs Wednesday at 9/8c on ABC. (Pic2) TV's Highest-Paid Actors and Actresses: Who's the Best Value?They may be on the small screen, but there’s nothing small about their paychecks: The Big Bang Theory‘s Jim Parsons and Modern Family‘s Sofia Vergara top this year’s list of the highest-paid actors and actresses on TV.The annual list, compiled by Forbes magazine, tracks earnings from June 2015 to June 2016 and adds in each actor’s endorsements along with their per-episode salaries. That explains why Vergara leads all TV actors, male or female, with a whopping $43 million, thanks to lucrative ad campaigns (like Head & Shoulders shampoo) and licensing deals. Parsons’ Big Bang co-star Kaley Cuoco lands in second place among actresses, with $24.5 million; she, along with castmates Parsons and Johnny Galecki, earns a cool $1 million per episode. Joining the actress list for the first time this year are Quantico‘s Priyanka Chopra (No. 8, with $11 million); Castle‘s Stana Katic (No. 7, $12 million), for her work on the final season of ABC’s detective drama; and Veep‘s Julia Louis-Dreyfus (tied for No. 13, $7.5 million), who boasts an Old Navy ad campaign along with her shelf full of Emmys. Here’s the full list of the top-paid TV actresses: 1. Sofia Vergara, Modern Family — $43 million On the men’s side, Parsons is joined by fellow Big Bangers Galecki ($24 million), Simon Helberg ($22.5 million) and Kunal Nayyar ($22 million) in the top four spots. Newcomers to this list include The X-Files‘ David Duchovny and former NCIS-er Michael Weatherly (both tied for No. 13, with $10 million); Katic’s Castle partner Nathan Fillion (tied for No. 7, $12 million); and Grey’s Anatomy stalwart Justin Chambers (No. 15), who was rewarded for surviving 12-plus seasons of soapy bloodshed with $9.5 million. Way to go, Alex! The oddest name on this list, though, has to be Ray Romano (tied for No. 7, $12 million), who, yes, did co-star on HBO’s short-lived Vinyl earlier this year. But the bulk of Romano’s earnings actually came from syndicated Everybody Loves Raymond reruns and his stand-up comedy gigs. Here’s the full list of TV’s top-earning actors: 1. Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory — $24.5 million Joss Whedon Recruits Stars of Buffy, HIMYM, Grey's, Castle, SNL, S.H.I.E.L.D. for Anti-Trump PSA(Video) Joss Whedon has assembled one of his largest casts ever to speak out against Donald Trump, “a racist, abusive coward who could permanently damage the fabric of our society.”The Avengers director has released a new star-studded “Save the Day” PSA to encourage people to get out on Election Day and vote for Hillary Clinton. Featuring A-list talent like Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo and Julianne Moore, the video encourages people to put an end to “this nightmare before it even begins” and elect the candidate who isn’t famous for firing people. Among the many TV stars featured in the LOL video: Nathan Fillion (Castle), Clark Gregg (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Jesse Williams (Grey’s Anatomy), James Franco (11.22.63), Neil Patrick Harris and Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother), Taran Killam (Saturday Night Live), Yvette Nicole Brown (The Odd Couple), Tom Lenk (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) Bradley Whitford (Transparent), Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele), Matt McGorry (How to Get Away With Murder), Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat), Ashley Johnson (Blindspot), Stanley Tucci (Fortitude), Leslie Odom Jr. (Smash), Don Cheadle (House of Lies) and Martin Sheen (Grace and Frankie). Suits' Gina Torres Jumps to The CatchGina Torres‘ stint on the unemployment line was, to put it mildly, brief.The actress, whose six-season run on Suits came to an end Wednesday night, is joining the cast of ABC’s The Catch in a top-secret recurring role, TVLine has learned. She’ll debut early into the Shondaland thriller’s second season, which kicks off at midseason. Regarding her Suits exit, Torres says she asked to be released from the Toronto-based USA Network drama so she could relocate back home to Los Angeles (which, not so coincidentally, is where The Catch shoots). “Leaving the show was indeed a difficult decision to make,” the actress said in a statement. “However at this time, it is necessary to get back to my life [in Los Angeles] and all the very important things that being on location in Toronto made very difficult to manage.” Gina Torres Is Leaving SuitsPearson is indeed out.Gina Torres is leaving Suits after five and a half seasons. She made her final appearance as a series regular on Wednesday's Season 6 summer finale, but the door is very open for return appearances. "Playing Jessica Pearson has been one of the greatest rides of my career," Torres said in a statement. "It isn't often that an actress gets the opportunity to embody so rich a character. Thanks to [creator] Aaron Korsh's wonderful writing and his singular vision of Jessica, I believe that together we created a woman who has everything. Real power, wealth, intelligence, intuitive wisdom, humor, unapologetic female sexuality and, arguably, the best wardrobe in all of television. "Because of all these qualities, I have not only been able to entertain Suits fans but, with much pride and awe, I can say I have also inspired quite a few future Jessicas as well as shined a light on real-life Jessica Pearsons who are out in the world at this very moment, owning their place at the head of the table -- not unlike our real Queen at USA/Universal Cable Productions, Bonnie Hammer, a force of nature who has been one of Jessica's biggest fans and supporters, as well as a true blessing in my own life as an example of what grace in power looks like. And that is a glorious thing." Torres said she made the "difficult decision" to leave in order to spend more time at home. (Suits films in Toronto.) "I can't thank USA enough for being so understanding and supporting me in my choice and so I am incredibly grateful," she continued. "Having said that, I don't believe for one second it's the last we'll see of Jessica Pearson. Not. For. One. Second. And don't you either." Once she decided to leave, Korsh said they "worked together to come up with a plan to gracefully allow her to move on from the show and be happy." "Gina Torres brought Jessica Pearson to life for six wonderful seasons with intelligence, strength, tenacity and grace. There is no color of the rainbow she cannot portray, no scene she cannot dominate. She is an amazing actress, a wonderful human being, and an utter pleasure to work with," he said in a statement. "But no matter where she goes, as far as I'm concerned, Gina is part of the Suit family, and she can come back whenever she wants. As I said to her recently, she is a rare combination of talent and class and I would go to war with her any day of the week and twice on Sunday." Torres' departure is not a complete surprise, as her contract was up after Season 6. Earlier this year, she joined the ABC pilot The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez in the title role, which was not picked up to series. Had it been ordered to series, Deadline reported at the time that Torres would remain a regular through the sixth season of Suits, with her character Jessica Pearson "likely getting phased out." Jessica's exit was set up through the season-long storyline of rebuilding her eponymous firm, Pearson Specter Litt, after Mike's (Patrick J. Adams) arrest and her Innocence Project case which saw her defending death-row inmate Leonard Bailey (Glenn Plummer) with Rachel (Meghan Markle). On Wednesday's midseason finale, after getting Bailey exonerated will a killer cross-examination but simultaneously becoming disillusioned with her job, Jessica turned down Robert Zane's (Wendell Pierce) offer to merge her fledgling firm with his. She instead handed PSL over to Harvey (Gabriel Macht) and Louis (Rick Hoffman) so she could move to Chicago with Jeff (D.B. Woodside). "I forgot why I became a lawyer in the first place and it wasn't just to fight for money and power," she said. "It was to fight for something more. ... I don't want to be a corporate lawyer anymore." Jessica's stone-cold fierceness will be sorely missed, but at the same time, how many more times can she save the firm? She's always put PSL first, so it's about time she put herself first. And in a nice transition, it was fitting that Harvey and Louis saved the firm this time by securing Jim Reynolds. This development also provides some fertile new ground for the series, with Harvey now as the boss man. Jessica's steely coolness was the perfect foil for his impulsive bluster. What will a post-Jessica PSL world look like? Con Men Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk Tease Castle Reunion, Darth Vader's Mysterious Rogue One Role(Video) Castle and Esposito, together again? Sorta.Jon Huertas will make a guest appearance in the second season of Con Man, the web-based Firefly sendup exec-produced by and starring his former Castle cohort Nathan Fillion. However, Con Man creator Alan Tudyk — who visited TVLine’s Comic-Con studio presented by ZTE last month alongside Fillion — notes in the above Q&A that it’s not technically a reunion. The pair also reveal that Season 2 — which arrives later this year at Comic-ConHQ.com — features cameos by Stan Lee and, in what Tudyk calls her first human role to date, Supergirl‘s Laura Vandervoort. Of course, I couldn’t let Tudyk leave without attempting to coerce a little scoop droplet out of him about his forthcoming role — or, more accurately, Darth Vader‘s forthcoming role — in Rogue One: A Star Wars story. In the end, I manage to score one tiny detail, but I’ll leave it to you to determine how substantive it is. Castle's Nathan Fillion Books Arc on Modern Family Season 8Castle vet Nathan Fillion is sticking with the ABC family, with a multi-episode arc on Modern Family.During Season 8 of TV’s No.2-rated comedy, Fillion will play “a local weatherman who gets involved with the Dunphys,” executive producer Steven Levitan shared on Thursday at the Television Critics Association summer press tour. Fillion just recently shared with TVLine (in the video below) that because of Castle‘s cancellation after eight seasons, this was the first summer in a long while where he didn’t have to report back to work the first Monday after the San Diego Comic-Con, and thus he didn’t have a “plan” — other than to maybe get a haircut. His previous TV-comedy credits include Community, Drunk History and Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place. Fillion’s Modern Family gig comes on the heels of Castle castmate Jon Huertas joining the buzzy NBC drama This Is Us as a recurring player. Castle's Nathan Fillion on Not Saying a 'Proper' Goodbye, the Season 9 Plan(Video) Nathan Fillion has post-Castle plans, for what typically would have been his first day back at the ABC series’ set. And those plans are pretty…. hairy.Speaking with Michael Ausiello at TVLine’s Comic-Con studio presented by ZTE — where he and Alan Tudyk were promoting Con Man, their web series about a sci-fi actor’s adventures on the convention circuit — Fillion questioned if there was any way to have a “proper send-off” (versus down-to-the-wire cancellation) for a series, after eight years. “[I’ve worked] with amazing people that I love so very, very much… [and] I’ll miss them dearly,” the actor said. “But its been eight years since I haven’t had a plan” for that first Monday after Comic-Con, when production on Castle traditionally resumes. Fillion also confirmed that the Beckett- and Stana Katic-less Season 9 — had there been one — would have picked up after a meaningful time jump. And as for his all-time favorite memory from his eight years on the show… well, Tudyk gives him a little help with that one. Date night for Ben McKenzie and Morena Baccarin(Pic) Ben McKenzie and Morena Baccarin had a parents’ night out on Tuesday.The “Gotham” co-stars were spotted at the International Rescue Committee’s GenR Summer Party at Tribeca Rooftop, where a spy tells us it “seemed like date night.” “They were one of the last people to leave the party,” the spy continued. Baccarin — who looked svelte in a fitted purple frock — skipped the cocktails, as she was overheard mentioning to another guest that she’s breastfeeding baby girl Frances Laiz, who was born in March. Michelle Collins, Tony winner Nikki M. James and Eric West were also at the event. Joss Whedon, Cedric the Entertainer's Wacky Another Period Roles RevealedIt’s probably a good sign when a character’s name alone is funny enough to get a laugh: Joss Whedon‘s guest-starring role in Season 2 of Comedy Central’s Another Period is… Duane Reade, our sister site Deadline reports. Cedric the Entertainer will play composer Scott Joplin.Whedon’s pharmacist will, since the series is set in the early 1900s, refuse to sell Riki Lindhome’s dim-witted Lillian a condom, the actress explained, “because she’s a woman, therefore a slut, and they’re illegal, which was real” back then. The funny lady added that Cedric the Entertainer’s Scott Joplin is “like a Kanye version of Scott Joplin, where he talks, like, in the first and the third person… and we’re just always confused.” Thus far, the show has not been able to secure the one guest that Lindhome and co-creator/co-star Natasha Leggero are determined to get: Vice Principals‘ Danny McBride. “Both seasons, we wrote him a role,” Lindhome said, “and both seasons, he was booked. We want him so bad.” Teen Choice Awards 2016 NominationsChoice Movie Actress: Action/AdventureCharlotte Riley – In the Heart of the Sea Kaya Scodelario – Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials Léa Seydoux – Spectre Morena Baccarin – Deadpool Shailene Woodley – The Divergent Series: Allegiant Morena Baccarin doesn’t look like she just had a baby(Pic) Morena Baccarin is a beauty in blue.The “Gotham” actress hit the red carpet for the first time since giving birth to a baby girl two months ago, attending the Fox Upfront presentation in New York on Monday. Baccarin, 36, was dressed in a fierce blue dress while posing alongside her handsome beau, 37-year-old Ben McKenzie. The couple welcomed Frances Laiz Setta Schenkkan on March 11. “All are happy and healthy and appreciate the well wishes,” McKenzie’s rep told us at the time. ‘Castle’ & Beckett face off against LokSat in ‘mic drop’ series finale‘Castle’ & Beckett face off against LokSat in ‘mic drop’ series finaleWell, there you have it “Castle” fans. After eight seasons, the series came to a close on Monday (May 16) with the episode titled, “Crossfire.” Beckett’s (Stana Katic) battle against LokSat all come down to this episode and while Esposito (Jon Huertas) and Ryan (Seamus Dever) were finally brought into the fold on this incognito mission, a few twists and turns left Castle and Beckett on the floor … literally. First, let’s get to the elusive LokSat. It turns out, Mason Wood (Gerald McRaney) from the Greatest Detective Agency was the man everyone was hunting. The reveal wasn’t the most jaw-dropping twist of the show’s run, but it was still an interesting turn. Plus, watching Mr. Flynn — a.k.a. Caleb’s (Kristoffer Polaha) right hand man — capture Castle provided some intriguing (and tense) moments. We’ll probably never look at “Sunshine Day” by The Brady Bunch the same way ever again. Of course LokSat operates out of a black site complete with kill room and incinerator. But, the final confrontation between Beckett and LokSat ended up delivering much less of a punch than many fans expected. Still, once the families are all safe and a happy ending is presented for the couple, leave it to Caleb to return and reveal to everyone he wasn’t really dead. Say what? Obviously, the show was on the bubble going into producing this episode so two different ending scenes were shot. Yet, the one presented in the finale felt as if it were quickly pieced together. After Beckett and Castle suffer gut shots, the camera pans away to show their life together seven years later. They’ve finally built a family together it seems. At the breakfast table with three lovely looking kids, one can’t help but wonder that this vision may be all in Castle’s head. Is this his life flashing before his eyes as he bleeds out on the floor? Or did ghost Castle and ghost Beckett build their family in the afterlife? Hey, in the end, all that should really matter is the two finally achieved their happily ever after. Goodbye, “Castle.” You’ve been fun. @NathanFillion : Well. That’s it. Thank you, everyone. What an incredible journey. Nathan Fillion Makes a Special Request to Fans for his Life After CastleNathan Fillion is already preparing for life after Castle less than 24 hours after ABC canceled the 8-season procedural.In response to the news, the actor tweeted a specific request to his fans asking for their help as he looks for his next role. "Dear Fans, In whatever project I do next, loudly notice how unlike Castle and fresh and versatile I am. Thanks," he said in hopes of convincing future casting directors he can be more than the self-assured police consultant. @NathanFillion : Dear Fans, In whatever project I do next, loudly notice how unlike Castle and fresh and versatile I am. Thanks. Fans aren't the only ones getting put on notice. Fillion also sent out a tweet informing directors that he's available for casting. @NathanFillion : Dear Every Director, It appears I have an opening in my schedule. It wasn't all jokes and sarcasm though. Fillion also sent out a heartfelt thanks to the cast and crew of Castle for all of the hard work they put into the show to make it a success for the past eight years. @NathanFillion : All things must end. It has been an honor working with the men and women of Castle. I am truly amazed at what we’ve done. Thank you all. ABC announced Thursday night that the show would be ending after its current season. The news came as a bit of a shock after it was revealed that Fillion's co-star Stana Katic wasn't invited back for the potential ninth season. Executive producers had prepared for the scenario though, by filming an alternative ending to the planned season finale in case the episode became their last. Castle's series finale airs Monday at 10/9c on ABC. Castle Cancelled After 8 SeasonsHoly, backlash: Castle will not be moving forward without its leading lady after all.In the wake of the firestorm that has erupted following leading lady Stana Katic’s confirmed ouster, ABC has cancelled the venerable procedural, TVLine has learned. The axing comes despite ABC Studios closing new one-year deals with star Nathan Fillion and several supporting players, including Jon Huertas and Seamus Dever. Katic’s exit — which was reportedly a budgetary move on ABC’s part — was announced last month. Longtime co-star Tamala Jones was similarly let go. At the time, Katic said in a statement, “Rather then distract from what was an amazing experience, I would just like to say that I’m very grateful to ABC for giving me the opportunity to be a part of a much beloved show. Thank you to the fans.” Several days later, Fillion released a statement of his own in which he thanked Katic “for creating the character of Beckett,” before adding, “I wish her well, and have no doubt she will succeed in everything she pursues. She will be missed.” Exec producer Alexi Hawley previously told TVLine that if Castle was renewed then next Monday’s finale would end in a “dynamic” way that allowed the show to move forward in a slightly altered incarnation — meaning, sans Katic and Jones. However, if Castle was cancelled, an alternate, closure-filled ending would be swapped in. ‘Con Man’ With Alan Tudyk & Nathan Fillion Landing At New Comic-Con HQ Streaming ServiceCon Man, the sci-fi web series from Alan Tudyk, Nathan Fillion and PJ Haarsma, will stream exclusively this summer on the soon-to-launch Comic-Con HQ, the ad-free subscription streaming VOD platform from Lionsgate and Comic-Con International.The web series, created by Tudyk (Firefly, Frozen) and exec produced by Tudyk, Fillion (Castle, Firefly) and author Haarsma, is loosely based on Tudyk’s and Fillion’s experiences with Firefly, and follows Wray Nerely (Tudyk), co-star of the fictional Spectrum, a beloved sci-fi TV series canceled before its time. Wray’s friend and Spectrum co-star Jack Moore (Fillion) has since become a major celebrity, while Wray is still looking for success, reluctantly making the rounds of sci-fi conventions and comic book store appearances. The series takes a behind-the-scenes look at fandom. With the launch this summer of Comic-Con HQ, the web series’ first season, which debuted last September, will move exclusively to that platform. A second season will premiere in late 2016, and will follow Wray’s crossover attempts from the world of B-movie sci-fi to mainstream success, all without alienating his old fans and former co-stars. Con Man was created with a record-breaking $3.2 million fundraising effort via 46,000 fans on Indiegogo, one of the largest crowdfunding campaigns ever, according to producers. Guest stars on the first season included Tricia Helfer, Amy Acker, Gina Torres, Sean Maher, Felicia Day, Seth Green, Mindy Sterling, Jewel Staite, Summer Glau, Sean Astin and filmmakers James Gunn (Guardians Of The Galaxy) and Joss Whedon (Avengers). Season 2 guest stars have yet to be announced. “Comic-Con HQ is all about capturing the spirit of the fan community, and in its own way, so is Con Man. Alan uniquely understands all sides of the fan experience and he’s captured it in such a farcical way that it’s as much parody as it is commentary around the power of fandom,” said Seth Laderman, EVP and General Manager, Comic-Con HQ. “We are thrilled to be a part of the Comic-Con HQ family,” said Tudyk. “For a series that was born out of a passion for the genre and support from the fans, we couldn’t think of a better way to connect with our community.” Season 1 will be available via Comic-Con HQ next month, following the platform’s May 7 beta launch on Free Comic Book Day. Subscribers who join Comic-Con HQ during the first two weeks of the beta launch will be entered to win a trip to San Diego Comic-Con 2016. Officially launching this summer, the paid subscription service will roll out to Roku, AppleTV and Xbox One, with additional distribution platforms available throughout the year. Castle's Nathan Fillion Set for Potential Season 9 After Inking New DealCastle has retained Castle.Nathan Fillion has closed a deal to return for the ABC drama’s ninth season — that is if there is a ninth season. According to Deadline, ABC has until the close of business Friday to decide whether or not to renew the series. TVLine has confirmed that the network will likely bring the procedural back for an abbreviated final season, similar to the strategy Fox recently employed with Bones. Fillion, of course, would be returning sans leading lady Stana Katic, whose exit was announced last month. Co-star Tamala Jones was similarly let go. Both were reportedly axed for budgetary reasons. At the time, Katic said in a statement, “Rather then distract from what was an amazing experience, I would just like to say that I’m very grateful to ABC for giving me the opportunity to be a part of a much beloved show. Thank you to the fans.” Several days later, Fillion released a statement of his own in which he thanked Katic “for creating the character of Beckett,” before adding, “I wish her well, and have no doubt she will succeed in everything she pursues. She will be missed.” In addition to Fillion, original cast members Molly Quinn, Susan Sullivan, Jon Huertas and Seamus Dever, as well as Season 8 newbie Toks Olagundoye, are all expected back. Castle: Crossfire (5/16)“Crossfire” – With their best lead in hand, Castle and Beckett are ready to take on LokSat. But an unforeseen twist puts their case – and their lives – in jeopardy, on the season finale of “Castle,” MONDAY, MAY 16 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Captain Kate Beckett, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle with Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers. For Season Eight, Toks Olagundoye (“The Neighbors”) joined the series as Hayley. Guest cast: Sunkrish Bala as Vikram Singh, Kristoffer Polaha as Caleb Brown, Jed Rees as Mr. Flynn. “Crossfire” was written by Alexi Hawley & Terence Paul Winter and directed by Rob Bowman. Castle: Hell to Pay (5/9)“Hell to Pay” – When an axe-wielding, escaped psychiatric inmate drops dead in Castle’s P.I. office, Castle and Beckett’s investigation leads Castle to suspect the victim’s death could be the work of the Antichrist, on “Castle,” MONDAY, MAY 9 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Captain Kate Beckett, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle with Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers. For season eight, Toks Olagundoye (“The Neighbors”) joined the series as Hayley. Guest cast: Ronnie Steadman as Gabriel Shaw, Emanuel Loarca as Guard, Michael Chieffo as Dr. Brock Martin, Anne-Marie Johnson as Sondra Kramer, Matthew Borlenghi as Rollins. “Hell to Pay” was written by Jim Adler (story) and Adam Frost & Nancy Kiu (teleplay) and directed by John Terlesky. Castle: Much Ado About Murder (5/2)“Much Ado About Murder” – After a movie star turned theater actor is mysteriously killed, Castle and Beckett go backstage and learn the star had more to worry about than just his lines, on “Castle,” MONDAY, MAY 2 (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Captain Kate Beckett, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle with Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers. For season eight, Toks Olagundoye (“The Neighbors”) joined the series as Hayley. Guest cast: Jonny Cruz as Zane Cannon, Andrew Elvis Miller as Jake Cunio, Emily Goss as Naomi Fox, Jewel Staite as Erin Cherloff, Juliana Dever as Jenny Ryan. “Much Ado About Murder” was written by Christine Roum and directed by Hanelle Culpepper. Joss Whedon felt like a ‘miserable failure’ after ‘Avengers 2’Joss Whedon had such a hard time after “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” even Mark Ruffalo was worried about him.“I should just say … I’m very proud of [‘Ultron’],” the “Avengers” director clarified at a Tribeca Film Festival Q&A on Monday. “There were things that did not meet my expectations of myself … I was also exhausted and we went right away and did publicity and I sort of created the narrative wherein, I had not quite accomplished it and people just ran with that. I think that did a disservice to the movie, the studio and to myself.” In 2015 when the movie was released, Whedon, 51, told Hollywood Reporter things got “really unpleasant” between him and Marvel behind the scenes. He fought with them over cutting various scenes he was hoped to keep. “Ultimately, it was not the right way to be,” he said, “The fact that I got the opportunity twice is so bonkers and so beautiful and the fact that I come off of it feeling like a miserable failure is also bonkers, but not in a cute way.” After the film’s release, Whedon took his first vacation in 25 years that was longer than two weeks, but now the vacation is over and he’s back to work. “My resting state is not a good one,” he admitted. “I love to work. When I’m not doing it, I remember that I hate myself. So the vacation is over, I’m writing again.” Castle's Nathan Fillion Breaks Silence on Stana Katic's Exit: 'She'll Be Missed'Almost 24 hours after the news broke that ABC’s Castle would not be asking back Stana Katic for a possible Season 9, series star Nathan Fillion has offered his first thoughts on his leading lady’s exit.“Stana has been my partner all this time, and I thank her for creating the character of Beckett,” the actor shared in a message posted to Twitter. “I wish her well, and have no doubt she will succeed in everything she pursues. She will be missed.” As for the series’ unavoidably new incarnation should it be renewed for Season 9, Fillion wrote, “Castle has been one of the greatest joys of my creative life, and I hope the show continues in for years to come.” In the more immediate wake of the casting shake-up, Castle costars Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever and Susan Sullivan each offered their knee-jerk reactions to the news, while Tamala Jones issued a statement on her own ouster. Series creator Andrew W. Marlowe meanwhile declared himself “heartbroken” over the chain of events. Castle Bosses Eye Multiple Endings Amid Uncertain Future: 'We Crafted a Final Scene We Hope Never Airs'As Castle Season 8 enters its final stretch, the yet-to-be-renewed ABC drama is facing two different finales and three possible futures.In response to our recent report that the stalwart drama was preparing an alternate ending for the season in the event of cancellation, co-showrunner Terence Paul Winter tells TVLine that for the Season 8 finale airing May 16 — titled “Crossfire,” in which a twist in Rick and Kate’s final pursuit of LokSat “puts their case, and their lives, in jeopardy” — “We have one ending, a cliffhanger that we’re excited about, because we believe in Castle and we believe that ABC will hopefully, hopefully bring us back.” And if Castle does return for Season 9, it could look one of two ways: like the show that fans currently know, or a variation that accounts for an altered cast. “Obviously our hope is that we come back ‘all hands on deck’ for Season 9, but everybody needs to make deals,” co-showrunner Alexi Hawley explains. With leads Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic at the end of their one-year contract extensions, “There’s stuff up in the air, so we are trying to leave it in a very dynamic way which leaves open the possibility that maybe the show won’t come back in the same form next season — although, again, we really hope that it does.” Or, of course, you have the worst-case scenario — that Castle doesn’t come back at all, after a season that occasionally flirted with series-low ratings, yet in recent weeks has stabilized and even upticked. In the event that ABC doesn’t order Season 9, the showrunners are prepping an alternate version of the season finale that properly ends the series as a whole. “We have crafted a final scene that would exist only if we weren’t coming back,” Hawley confirms, “one that we don’t really want to get into—” “—because our hope is that it never airs,” Winter adds. Hawley traveled a similar road last year at this time, when as co-showrunner of The Following he set up a finale that ended with Kevin Bacon’s character venturing off to be a vigilante of sorts, as the Fox drama rode the renewal bubble. “But we can’t do that on Castle,” he says. “Castle‘s a different show, so it felt like to be fair to the fans, if we thought there was even a small chance we wouldn’t come back, we owed it to them to craft something” that offers closure. Until ABC hands down its fateful decision, the showrunners have their “fingers crossed” that Castle does come back, and “with the whole team.” But when exactly do they need to know which version of the finale to submit for broadcast on May 16? “Basically we have to deliver an episode on the Friday before we air,” Winter says, “and it’s up to ABC to tell us which one that is.” Castle Books Firefly Alum Jewel StaiteJewel Staite is the latest Firefly alum to touch down on ABC’s Castle.Showrunners Terence Paul Winter and Alexi Hawley confirmed the “reunion” casting as part of TVLine’s May Sweeps/Finale Preview Q&A, saying that Staite will appear in Episode 20, titled “Much Ado About Murder” and airing May 2, as the director of a Shakespearean Broadway staging whose movie-star lead turns up dead. “There are some great scenes between her, Nathan [Fillion] and the boys,” Winter said. “She came to play, she was really great.” Staite of course is far from the first Firefly alum to guest-star opposite her former Serenity “captain”; most recently, Summer Glau stopped by the ABC series. Staite’s TV credits also include Stargate Atlantis, The Killing (as D.A. Caroline Swift, Holder’s girlfriend), The L.A. Complex, Wonderfalls and a recent visit to DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Castle continues Season 8 on Monday with Episode 18, “Backstabbers.” Tom Whedon Dies: TV Writer-Producer On Sitcoms & Kids Shows Was 83Tom Whedon, an Emmy-winning writer-producer on such popular TV shows as The Golden Girls, Benson and Alice and the father of filmmaker Joss Whedon, died Thursday. He was 83. His son Jed Whedon, a writer on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., announced the news in an Instagram post but offered no details.A New York native and the son of TV writer John Whedon, Tom Whedon got his start writing for the beloved children’s series Captain Kangaroo in 1955 and years later would be head writer on another popular kids show, The Electric Company, which premiered in 1971. He won an Emmy for the show in 1973. In between he wrote for series and specials starring Alan King and Mike Douglas as well as daytime talker The Dick Cavett Show. In 1977, he started writing for Alice, the CBS comedy starring Linda Lavin as a widowed aspiring singer who tries to make ends meet by working at Mel’s Diner. It was the Age of the Sitcom Catchphrase, and Alice’s co-worker Flo regularly told off her boss with a sneering, “Mel, kiss my grits!” Whedon would pen two dozen of the show’s 200-plus episodes. In 1980, he landing his first producing gig on Season 2 of ABC’s Soap spinoff Benson. He also wrote about a half-dozen episodes of the series starring Robert Guillaume as the seen-it-all caretaker of a governor’s mansion who ends up becoming the state’s budget director. Whedon would go on to write more than two dozen episodes of the 1985-89 syndicated workplace comedy It’s a Living. Whedon’s next project would be his biggest. In 1989 he began a long run as a producer on The Golden Girls, NBC’s comedy about four retirees — Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty — living together in Miami. He would score a pair of Emmy noms for Outstanding Comedy Series for the show, which premiered in 1985 and ended up with a seven-season run. Whedon also wrote several episodes. He also was a writer-producer on Fox’s short-lived family comedy The Sinbad Show, starring the popular comic Sinbad, and later scored a Daytime Emmy nom as a writer for the PBS children’s series Between the Lions. Along with sons Joss and Jed, survivors include son Zach Whedon, a screenwriter on such TV shows as Halt and Catch Fire and Southland. Morena Baccarin and Austin Chick Are Officially DivorcedMorena Baccarin and Austin Chick are officially divorced after almost a yearlong battle, E! News has learned.A "status only" divorce judgment was entered for Baccarin Thursday and was posted this morning. The judgment means the couple is officially divorced but will settle assets, issues and other items at a later date. They decided to call it quits after three years of marriage. Back in February the Gotham actress delayed a divorce deposition because she was nearing the end of her pregnancy. The Brazilian-born actress declared in the documents, obtained by E! News, "I am now almost eight months pregnant, and I continue to have a high risk pregnancy. My physician, who I last saw on Jan. 29, 2016, has advised me to have as much bed rest as possible and limited activities." Baccarin and boyfriend Benjamin McKenzie welcomed daughter Frances Laiz Setta Schenkkan March 2. "All are happy and healthy and appreciate the well-wishes," Baccarin's rep told E! News in a statement, reiterating that the couple is "so happy." This was the second child for Baccarin, who shares a 2-year-old son, Julius, with Chick. The former couple was sharing custody of their son, but the bi-costal battle over physical custody was ongoing. Court documents revealed that Baccarin and Chick agreed to raise their child in New York, where Gotham is filmed, but he left for Los Angeles after learning she had a boyfriend. She was also previously ordered to pay Chick more than $22,000 per month in child and spousal support. Ben McKenzie and Morena Baccarin Welcome Baby GirlGotham stars Ben McKenzie and Morena Baccarin have welcomed their first child together, USA Todayreports."Morena and Ben are so happy to welcome baby girl Frances Laiz Setta Schenkkan on March 2," their reps said in a statement. "All are happy and healthy and appreciate the well-wishes." This is the first child for the 37-year-old McKenzie, whose real last name is Schenkkan, and the second for Baccarin, 36. The Deadpool actress is already mother to a 2-year-old son, Julius, with her estranged husband, Austin Chick. Chick filed for divorce from Baccarin in June after four years of marriage. Baccarin says she became pregnant shortly after that, but Chick alleges the baby was conceived while they were still together. Baccarin originally revealed she was expecting McKenzie's baby during divorce proceedings, as part of a plea to get Julius to live with her in New York. In the court documents, she also revealed she plans to marry McKenzie as soon as her contentious divorce to Chick is finalized. 2016 MTV Movie Award nominationsFan voting is now open http://www.mtv.com/ontv/movieawards/. The awards, hosted by Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, air Sunday, April 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on MTV.Best Female Performance Best Kiss ‘Suits’ Gina Torres Set For the Lead In ‘The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez’ ABC PilotSuits co-star Gina Torres is set for the title role in ABC drama pilot The Death Of Eva Sofia Valdez. The casting won’t impact Torres’ status on the popular USA drama for the time being. Suits, which just ended its fifth season, has been renewed for Season 6 to launch this summer. I’ve learned that Torres will remain a regular through season 6, fulfilling her six-year contract, with her character likely getting phased out.Written by Cuban-American playwright Charise Castro Smith, The Death Of Eva Sofia Valdez is described as a sexy revenge drama with a supernatural twist and MacBeth with a Cuban twist. It centers on Eva Sofia Valdez (Torres), an immigrant who rose from rags to riches and is a celebrated Miami entrepreneur and a champion forimmigrant rights. But the success of this ” modern-day Havana-born Cleopatra” is fueled by an insatiable ambition that could destroy her family, a vendetta against the lover who betrayed her, and ghosts from the past who threaten to reveal the dark sacrifices Eva Sofia made to attain the American Dream. Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters executive produce alongside Castro Smith for ABC Studios. This would mark the first series lead role for Firefly and 24 alumna Torres who has been a standout on Suits as the smart and decisive Jessica Pearson. She also recurred on NBC’s Hannibal and ABC’s Revenge. Torres is repped by Domain and Framework Entertainment. ABC Gives Early Renewals To 15 Series, Leaves ‘Castle’ & ‘Nashville’ On the BubbleIn one of her first programming moves since becoming president of ABC Entertainment, Channing Dungey has given early renewals to the bulk of the network’s established series. The list includes 15 series, including one freshman, breakout drama Quantico. It is joined by Shondaland dramas Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How To Get Away with Murder; dramas Once Upon a Time and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.; comedies Fresh off the Boat and the entire Wednesday lineup of The Goldbergs, Modern Family, Black-ish and The Middle and reality stalwarts Dancing with the Stars, The Bachelor, Shark Tank and America’s Funniest Home Videos.Not on the list are veteran procedural Castle, whose renewal is contingent on making a new deal with star Nathan Fillion. There had been preliminary conversations, but I hear talks paused when the changeover at the top of ABC happened and are expected to resume with new entertainment president Dungy. Also not making the early renewal cut are several bubble shows, drama Nashville, freshman comedy The Muppets and sophomore “bridge shows” Agent Carter, whose star already was recruited for an ABC pilot, and Galavant. Also MIA are Friday multi-camera comedies Last Man Standing and Dr. Ken, both of which have performed solidly on the night. The renewal of veteran Last Man Standing, which comes from 20th TV, has traditionally come down to the wire as the two companies wrangle over financial terms. The 15 early orders are in stark contrast to the MO employed by Dungey’s predecessor Paul Lee, who would hold off on all renewals — even of the network’s biggest shows — until the Thursday or Friday before upfront week. Early renewals are welcomed by showrunners and studios as they provide security, allowing them to lock in key writers for next season and spend more time planning the show’s creative direction. “We’re very proud of our strong roster of performers, and we’re excited about what they will bring us creatively next season,” said Channing Dungey, President, ABC Entertainment. Quantico, starring Priyanka Chopra, has been breaking DVR records with triple-digit lifts. Despite year-to-year declines, ABC’s Shondaland Thursday remains arguably the most potent all-drama lineup on broadcast TV. Once Upon a Time, which is marking its 100th episode this spring, has been slipping in the ratings but remains a solid DVR gainer. It also is among the shows with strongest synergy ties to the Disney brand, featuring many of the popular Disney fairytale characters. The Goldbergs, coming off its well-rated Dirty Dancing-themed episode last night, has been a success story for ABC. The Sony TV comedy had a rough start on Tuesday, paired with Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in its first season, but has excelled since relocating to the Wednesday comedy block at the beginning of Season 2. Ditto for Fresh Off the Boat, another sophomore comedy success for the network. Morena Baccarin Reflects on Her Career, Joy with Ben McKenzie and Drama with Her Ex: 'I'm Right Where I Should Be' and My Son 'Will Know What's True'It'll be any day now for Morena Baccarin!"I'm one million years pregnant!" the Gotham star, 36, tells PEOPLE in this week's issue of eagerly anticipating the arrival of her baby with boyfriend and costar Ben McKenzie. "I'm feeling good, and I'm now at the point where I can chill out a bit," she says. Though, the Brazilian-American actress, who's also mom to 2-year-old son Julius with her estranged husband Austin Chick, admits that's easier said than done. "With a toddler, chilling out is hard to do," she says. But finally, "I'm nesting." It's much-needed down time, after months of filming new episodes of Gotham (which made its midseason return on Fox last week) while pregnant and going on an international promotion tour for Deadpool, in which she played Ryan Reynolds' girlfriend. "It was definitely tiring, but I love my job," says Baccarin, who enjoyed having McKenzie, 37, around to care for her. "I'm right where I should be. And I think it's important for my son to see his mom happy and enjoying her work." But as the actress focuses on her career and new beginnings, she's also embroiled in a messy, bicoastal custody battle with Chick, who filed for divorce last July. While Baccarin was awarded primary custody of Julius, allowing him to move to New York City where she and McKenzie film Gotham, she was also ordered to pay Chick $23,000 a month in spousal support. In February, the actress filed papers stating her doctors have advised bed rest, asking to postpone deposition hearings in Los Angeles. As for her personal life playing out on the public stage, "I understand people are curious, but it doesn't matter," says the actress. "My personal life is my personal life. All I think about is my son, my family and my future family." When it comes to shielding son Julius, "He's going to be of an age where he can go online and look at everything that's been said and done. What I say is the only thing I can control," says Baccarin. She adds, "I just want him to know that he's loved and there's the story that people tell and the story that mom tells, and he'll know what's true. That's all that matters." Morena Baccarin and Ben McKenzie Take in a Play While They Wait for Baby to Arrive(Pic) What better way to pass the time while waiting for your baby to arrive than with a trip to the theater?A very pregnant Morena Baccarin and boyfriend Ben McKenzie saw The Woodsman, the story of the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz, at New World Stages in New York City on Wednesday. The parents-to-be hung out backstage with James Ortiz, who plays Nick Chopper in the show. Baccarin wore a blue T-shirt, gray cardigan sweater and jeans to the performance, while her Gotham costar opted for a black jacket over a maroon T-shirt and gray jeans. It was a night of leisure for Baccarin, 36, who’s currently embroiled in a legal battle with her estranged husband, director and writer Austin Chick, over their divorce and custody of their 2-year-old son Julius. Earlier this month, Baccarin pushed back the Los Angeles deposition date set by Chick’s attorneys, citing her high-risk pregnancy and bedrest. “I am now almost eight months pregnant, and I continue to have a high risk pregnancy,” Baccarin said in legal documents obtained by PEOPLE. “My physician … has advised me to have as much bed rest as possible and limited activities. She further advised that sitting (as to answering questions) for deposition, regardless of the length of time, is unduly and unnecessarily stressful to me at this time.” She continued, “Such stress will affect my personal well-being and potentially cause harm to the health of my unborn child.” In September, a judge ruled that Julius would live primarily in New York City with Baccarin, but a November ruling dictated that Baccarin pay Chick more than $23,000 a month in spousal and child support. The Deadpool star’s rep confirmed Baccarin’s pregnancy to PEOPLE in September. “She and Ben are very happy about this news,” a source told PEOPLE at the time. “Everyone is very excited.” A rep for Baccarin did not respond to request for comment. ‘Powerless’: Danny Pudi, Christina Kirk & Alan Tudyk Join DC Comics Comedy PilotA to Z creator Ben Queen has recruited series’ co-star Christina Kirk for his new comedy pilot, NBC’s Powerless, which is toplined by Vanessa Hudgens. Also cast as series regulars in the superhero-themed Warner Bros. TV pilot are Community alum Danny Pudi and Alan Tudyk (Suburgatory).Based on characters from DC Comics, Powerless is a workplace comedy set at one of the worst insurance companies in America — with the twist being that it also takes place in the universe of DC Comics. The show is about the reality of working life for a normal, powerless person in a world of superheroes and villains. Hudgens plays Emily Locke, an insurance claims adjuster who loves her job because she gets to help people and who likes to fly under the radar and just get her work done. Pudi plays Teddy, Emily’s best friend at work and her trusted confidante. He spends his days creating time-wasting pranks as a way to make their office the “least Super place on earth,” just a little less “unsuper.” Tudyk is Del, Emily’s new boss in the claims department. Del has just been promoted — not through any merit of his own, but because he’s the owner’s son. A self-proclaimed “rich, over-educated globetrotting wastrel,” Del is a power-mad disastrous dictator of a boss. Kirk is Jackie, a fan of Super Heroes who has plastered her office cubicle with beefcake shots of super guys. New claims department boss Del makes her his personal assistant, and she begins buckling under his unreasonable and impossible demands. Queen is the writer/executive producer. Michael Patrick Jann is set to direct and exec produce. Kirk will next be seen in Karyn Kusama’s XX. She’s repped by Circle of Confusion and The Kohner Agency. Morena Baccarin Divorce: I'm Too Pregnant to Get Grilled by LawyersPregnant "Gotham?" star Morena Baccarin is on doctor-ordered bed rest, and says there's no way she can sit for a lengthy deposition in her divorce ... but she doesn't want to delay the split.Morena's 8 months pregnant with her co-star Ben McKenzie's baby, but still in the middle of divorcing estranged husband Austin Chick. He's requested a date for her to sit down with their attorneys to start hammering out divorce deets. In the docs, 36-year-old Baccarin says she has a high risk pregnancy, and doctors have advised her that sitting for a depo would be "unnecessarily stressful." What would make her happy is a quick change in marital status -- she's requesting an immediate termination of the marriage ... but wants to settle child custody, support, and property issues later. Morena's said she and Ben are going to get married, so this could be a way to make that happen faster. As for the depo ... she's happy to get it done 30 days after she gives birth. Morena Baccarin Gets Real About the Less-Than-Glamorous Side of Pregnancy: "[I Feel] Like Crap"While pregnant celebrities may make having a baby look like a breeze, Morena Baccarin is letting us all in on a little secret—it's far from glamorous.Though the rich and famous look flawless with their perfect baby bumps, couture maternity wear and gleaming faces, the 36-year-old Gotham actress is pulling back the curtain on the shiny Hollywood veneer. Pregnant for the second time and expecting her first child with boyfriend and co-star Benjamin McKenzie, the brunette beauty revealed she's not exactly in the mood to be strutting a red carpet in a gown. "[I feel] like crap, like I want to just sleep all day and not be in a dress all day and heels," she told E! News. "My water could break right now." What a relief—thanks Morena for bringing our expectations about expecting back down to earth. The exhausted mom also dished on an activity equally tiring—her sex scenes with Ryan Reynolds for the upcoming comic book antihero saga Deadpool. As the eccentric superhero's seductive girlfriend Vanessa, Baccarin spent an entire day shooting in the sheets. "We just banged them all out, no pun intended," she told E! News on the red carpet of the film's fan screening. "At the end of the day, Ryan and I were very comfortable with each other." With Reynolds as her beau on camera and McKenzie in real life, we have to admit we're just a bit envious of this very lucky lady. Pregnant Morena Baccarin and Ben McKenzie Hit the Deadpool Red Carpet! – Plus Find Out What She’s Craving!(Pic) The Gotham costars attended the Deadpool fan event at the AMC Empire Theatre in New York City on Monday, along with title character Ryan Reynolds and his wife Blake Lively.Baccarin, 36, showed off her baby bump in a LBD that featured lace sleeves and embellished detailing. While McKenzie, 37, was a glowing father-to-be with his beaming smile as he supported his lady love at her film event. In September, the couple’s rep confirmed to PEOPLE that they are expecting their first child together, just days after their romance went public. Hours before the Deadpool event, Baccarin stopped by the Tonight Show to chat with host Jimmy Fallon about her pregnancy. Her due date has yet to be confirmed, and Fallon failed to get the exclusive when he asked when she’s due. “Right now,” Baccarin jokingly answered after she struggled to take a seat. As for what the Homeland alum is currently craving, “Coke! Let me be clear, Coca-a-cola,” she said explaining, “I’m not a soda person.” While this is her second pregnancy, the process hasn’t been any easier for her. When asked if she’s enjoying her pregnancy, Baccarin frankly stated: “It’s a wonderful thing, but get it out. Let’s get on with our lives . There’s things to do, people to see.” Baccarin and ex Austin Chick welcomed their son Julius in 2013 before he filed for divorce in July after three and a half years of marriage. Firefly Reunion on Castle: Summer Glau Set to Play New Private EyeA Firefly reunion is taking flight on Castle.Summer Glau has signed on to guest-star opposite her onetime Serenity captain Nathan Fillion in a spring episode of the ABC drama, TVLine has learned exclusively. Glau will play a smart, sexy and strong private detective who goes toe-to-toe with — you guessed it — Castle. She will appear in this season’s 14th episode. The actress is hardly the first Firefly vet to visit Fillion’s current stomping ground. Adam Baldwin and Gina Torres have also popped up on the show, with the former appearing for the second time this past fall. Glau’s TV credits include The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Dollhouse, Alphas and, more recently, Arrow, where she recurred as CEO/assassin Isabel Rochev. Castle resumes its current eighth season on Monday, Feb. 1. Legends of Tomorrow: Jewel Staite Cast as a Future Genius With Ties to...?Jewel Staite is being called upon to assist the Legends of Tomorrow.TVLine has learned exclusively that the Firefly and Stargate Atlantis alum will guest-star on the The CW’s upcoming, timey-wimey Arrow/Flash offshoot as Rachel Turner, a tech genius/roboticist who exists in a future in which technology has an even firmer grip on our lives than it does today. (Which apparently is possible…? I will let you know after I TweetBook a photo of my breakfast.) A descendant of a long line of inventors — one of whom turns out to be someone from the DC Universe! — Rachel believes that her creations can make that world a better place. Alas, what the brilliant beauty cannot foresee is that her work is destined to fall into the hands of immortal baddie Vandal Savage, who will use it to take over the world. Unless Rachel can team up with the Legends to stop him. Staite’s TV credits also include The Killing (as D.A. Caroline Swift, Holder’s girlfriend,) The L.A. Complex and Wonderfalls. She joins a Legends guest star lineup that thus far includes Matt Nable (Arrow‘s Ra’s al Ghul), Neal McDonough (Arrow‘s Damien Darhk), Stephanie Corneliusse (Mr. Robot) and Ali Liebert (Strange Empire). DC’s Legends of Tomorrow premieres Thursday, Jan. 21 at 8/7c, where it will lead into Season 3 of The 100. Staite will appear in Episode 10. People's Choice Awards WinnersNathan Fillion - Favorite TV Crime Drama ActorSAG Awards Nominations For Former Soap StarsFinal voting by all SAG members will be due January 29, with winners revealed at the ceremony January 30 live on TNT and TBS.Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture THE BIG SHORT (Paramount Pictures) SPOTLIGHT (Open Road Films) STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON (Universal Pictures) TRUMBO (Bleecker Street) Morena Baccarin and Ben McKenzie are Glowing Parents-to-Be at Gotham Independent Film Awards(Pic) Morena Baccarin and Ben McKenzie are basking in pregnancy glow!The Gotham costars and real-life couple were all smiles at the 25th Gotham Independent Film Awards in New York City on Monday. Baccarin, 36, accentuated her growing baby bump in a figure-hugging white dress while McKenzie, 37, dressed sharp in a black pinstripe suit. The pair – who first started working together on the Fox drama in late 2014 – confirmed they were expecting a baby in September, just days after announcing they were officially dating. This will be the first child for the former O.C. star while Baccarin is already mother to 2-year-old son Julius with estranged husband Austin Chick. While the actress – who is currently in her second trimester – hopes to marry McKenzie in the future, she is currently battling ex Chick in divorce court. Baccarin will have to pay Chick more than $20,000 in spousal support and $2,693 in child support until Julius turns 18, according to court papers obtained by PEOPLE earlier this month. He filed for divorce in July after three and a half years of marriage. Morena Baccarin: Ordered to Pay Estranged Husband $23k a MonthMorena Baccarin is about to drop major coin on her soon-to-be ex-husband Austin Chick ... a judge just ordered her to pay him almost $23k a month.Here's the breakdown ... Chick gets $2,693 in child support, and a whopping $20,249 for spousal support. It adds up to more than $275k a year ... so Chick won't exactly have to wait tables. As we previously reported, Baccarin and Chick have joint custody of their 2-year-old son Julius, but since she films in NYC, he mostly stays with his mom. The divorce is still ongoing, but Baccarin has definitely moved on ... she's pregnant with "Gotham" co-star Ben McKenzie's baby. Morena Baccarin's Ex 'Changed His Mind' About Co-Parenting in N.Y.C. After Learning About Ben McKenzie: Court PapersAs Morena Baccarin prepares to start a family with Gotham costar Ben McKenzie, she's embroiled in a bicoastal custody battle with estranged husband Austin Chick.In September, a Los Angeles judge ruled in the actress's favor, allowing her to move their 2-year-old son Julius with her to New York, where she shoots Fox's Batman origin show. (Baccarin, 36, and Chick, 44, share legal custody, but she has primary physical custody.) New legal documents obtained by PEOPLE show that even after the couple split this summer, the unemployed writer/producer agreed to stay in N.Y.C. in an apartment Baccarin rented for him so they could co-parent – until McKenzie came into the picture. Chick "shipped some furniture there and actually stayed there with the child for approximately two weeks in July. Apparently he changed his mind and returned to Los Angeles with the child when he learned that [Baccarin] had a new boyfriend," according to the papers. Baccarin is now expecting a baby with McKenzie, 37, and the court notes that "her obstetrician gynecologist avers it is a high risk pregnancy and advises against extensive air travel" – another reason for Julius to stay mainly in N.Y.C. with his mom instead of flying back and forth to L.A. every month. A hearing on child and spousal support is set for Nov. 19. Baccarin and Chick were married for three and a half years, and the court says both "are good parents and bonded with their son." Castle Hosts OLTL Reunion With Guest Stars Kassie DePaiva, Tuc Watkins(Pic) Castle‘s New York City will meet Llanview, Pa. when not one but two One Life to Live alumni guest-star on the ABC series.Kassie DePaiva revealed on Twitter late Friday that she as well as former OLTL castmate Tuc Watkins are currently shooting an episode of Castle. Nathan Fillion, himself a OLTL alum, replied with his own thoughts on the mini-reunion: @NathanFillion: 22 years ago, I was 22 years old, and working my ass off with these two. Thanks for doing this, you guys. https://twitter.com/KassieDePaiva/status/662812854504976384 … @KassieDePaiva: ONE LIFE TO LIVE is back!!! Just kidding! Shooting #castle @NathanFillion @tucwatkins #oltl DePaiva of course portrayed Blair Cramer Manning on the now-defunct ABC sudser, while Watkins played bad boy David Vickers. Fillion played one of OLTL‘s early post-adolescence Joey Buchanans, and has always been great about helping get fellow soap grads onto Castle. (Last January, for example, Kamar de los Reyes fka OLTL‘s Antonio guest-starred in the telenovela-themed episode.) Though unconfirmed by ABC, it appears that Watkins and DePaiva will appear in Episode 10, “Witness for the Prosecution” (the second to air after the 10-week winter hiatus), as Roger and Joanna Mathis, marrieds who get pulled into a murder investigation. Roger worked as a cameraman for the deceased, while Joanna turns out to be a fan of Castle’s books. Watkins’ other TV credits include Major Crimes, Awkward and Desperate Housewives. DePaiva recently wrapped a run on Days of Our Lives, starred on Guiding Light and has guested on Baywatch and the original Melrose Place. Castle resumes Season 8 this Monday at 10/9c. Pregnant Morena Baccarin afraid she’d bust open dress(Pic) Morena Baccarin’s burgeoning baby bump was on display at the International Rescue Committee’s Freedom Award Benefit on Wednesday.The star, who’s expecting with her “Gotham” co-star Ben McKenzie, was heard telling Patrick Stewart as she walked the red carpet that she was afraid her belly might bust a few buttons on her dress. Stewart told her she looked adorable. He later gave a speech praising IRC CEO David Miliband and the org: “I have come to marvel at the breadth and depth of what IRC does.” PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS 2016 NomineesWinners will be revealed during the live broadcast of PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS 2016 from the Microsoft Theatre L.A. Live, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network.Fans can vote now at http://vote.peopleschoice.com. Favorite Crime Drama TV Actor Morena Baccarin and Benjamin McKenzie ... This Relationship Is Working(Pic) With nothing left to hide ... Morena Baccarin and Benjamin McKenzie are getting kinda touchy on the NYC set of "Gotham."Even when cameras weren't rolling Thursday, Ben slipped in a little PDA with his baby mama. Morena was wearing a baggy coat and scarf as they waited to shoot a scene ... so it doesn't look like they're working the pregnancy into a "Gotham" plotline. As we've reported ... the co-stars plan to get married in the future ... once she can wrap up her nasty divorce. Castle's Nathan Fillion Talks Break-Up Twist: The Goal Is to Bring Back the Show 'Everybody Fell in Love With'Castle‘s title star apparently cocked his own eyebrow upon learning that the ABC series’ new showrunners, Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter, planned to break up Rick and Kate two weeks into Season 8, less than a year after their on-screen wedding.“First of all, I asked them if they were high,” Nathan Fillion quipped to TVLine on Saturday night, at The Paley Center for Media‘s Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog reunion event. “Second, they reassured me that what was going was they wanted to get back to a time when people were rooting for the couple, rooting for them to get together, to do something.” So with Beckett (played by Stana Katic) keeping her husband at arm’s length while she secretly pursues a deadly agenda — the search for Bracken’s high-powered partner — Castle is left to do what he can to “win her back” by, as sampled in last week’s episode, recreating the crimesolving camaraderie that first lit a fire under the couple’s “Will They/Won’t They” tension. “People had a desire, a wont, for them to fight for something,” Fillion observes. And in finding this way to restore that dynamic, “I think [the showrunners] did a really good job.” Asked how Castle will be different with its marrieds now separated, Fillion pointed to a return to the procedural’s lighter days/episodes. “One of the things that Terence and Alexi are really big on, and I agree, is they don’t consider Castle to be a drama,” Fillion said. “It’s never been much of a drama; it’s far more a comedy with dramatic and heartfelt moments. And they wanted to bring it back to a time when it was funny, when it was great, when it was the lighthearted show that everybody fell in love with.” And if this new set-up — Rick operating as a private eye, with daughter Alexis’ assistance, while Beckett, Ryan and Esposito chase cases — means better “utilizing the wonderful, talented actors we already have on the show,” that’s the best of all worlds, Fillion said. As for the other shoe yet to drop — the next “shift” to come for Rick and Kate, in the fall finale airing Nov. 23 — Fillion had nada to tease: They haven’t told me yet, so you already know more than me!” Castle, Nashville Latest ABC Series to Adopt Extended Winter Break PlanCastle and Nashville, ABC’s last two “holdouts,” this winter will adopt the extended midseason break plan originated by such sister series as Once Upon a Time, Scandal and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.Castle, which in recent years has only taken five or six weeks off in the winter, this season will air its fall finale on Nov. 23, then not resume Season 8’s 22-episode run until early February, TVLine has learned. This marks the first time since Season 2 (its first full season) that the procedural has not aired an original in January. Similarly, Nashville, which last winter broke for a series-high eight weeks, will take an even longer holiday this time around, though exact fall finale/return dates for the country-fried drama are not yet available. Filling the series’ respective Monday and Wednesday time slots during the long break will be holiday programming and specials and, in some situations, limited series yet to be announced. (In May, ABC president Paul Lee indicated that Season 2 of Secrets and Lies will inhabit Nashville‘s slot.) For Castle fans the wait for February could feel particularly long. Because in the wake of the two-part premiere’s final twist, “Things are going to constantly evolve [for Rick and Kate], and by the time we get to the end of our fall finale, which will be Episode 8, there’s another shift and change that’s incredibly dynamic,” co-showrunner Terence Paul Winter said. With Castle and Nashville on board, every returning ABC fall drama now is following the “gap” scheduling plan that was designed to deliver more continuous stretches of original episodes (and thus temper ratings erosion) and was first braved by Once (which last winter was on hiatus for 11 weeks), Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away With Murder (10 weeks each) and S.H.I.E.L.D. (12 weeks). 'Gotham' Star Morena Baccarin -- I'm Marrying My Co-Star Ben McKenzie"Gotham" star Morena Baccarin -- who is pregnant with co-star Ben McKenzie's baby -- plans to marry him ... TMZ has learned.Baccarin is in the middle of a nasty divorce with director Austin Chick. According to legal docs obtained by TMZ, Baccarin says she got pregnant with Ben's baby in June, which she claims was after she separated with Chick. The estranged husband begs to differ and says she got pregnant while they were still together. Chick filed for divorce, and Morena has already planned her next move. In her legal docs, obtained by TMZ, she says, "Today, I am in a new committed relationship. I am planning to re-marry. Also, I am 3 1/2 months pregnant." Morena's divorce is bitter. As we reported, Chick says he came to their house in June, only to find Ben freshly showered and playing with their 1-year-old son. And Morena included texts in her docs to show how bad the situation is ... she texted to Chick, "I'd like to be there alone with Julius [their son]. Please Friday all day and night through Sunday morning." He responded, "I'd like to run Fox Studios and remake The Sound of Music w an entirely black cast of hip hop artist." She tells the judge, "This entire situation is not funny to me." Morena Baccarin's Baby Bump Spotted on the Set of Gotham With Benjamin McKenzie(Pic) We spy with our little eyes...a baby bump!Morena Baccarin was seen on the set of Gotham alongside new beau Benjamin McKenzie in a single pose that visibly confirmed what E! had learned Thursday—Baccarin is indeed expecting. Just set your eyes on that adorable visible baby bump! While the actress' new curves could have been easily camouflaged underneath that cream trench coat, Baccarin's arm placement gave it all away. After they were spotted posing together on the 2015 Emmy's red carpet on Sept. 20, E! confirmed earlier this week that the pair had transformed their on-screen chemistry into a real-life romance. Baccarin and McKenzie have starred together on FOX's television series, Gotham, since the start of this year. However, the 36-year-old Brazilian beauty was married to ex-husband Austin Chick until he filed for divorce in July, citing irreconcilable differences. Just three months later and here we are. The former couple had one child together, 2-year-old son, Julius Setta Chick, for whom they share joint custody. Although, Julius will reside mainly with Baccarin in New York City, according to a recent ruling by a judge Thursday. In retrospect, you can even notice the beginnings of a baby bump in some side shots of the former Homeland star in the sexy Reem Acra crimson gown with sheer lace detailing that Baccarin sported on the 2015 Emmy red carpet. The empire waist should have been our first tip. While the couple has still not publicly commented on their relationship or first child together, 37-year-old McKenzie was all smiles during an interview on Late Night With Seth Meyers, dishing on Gotham's second season, which premiered Sept. 21. When asked why he thinks comic book fans have been very pleased with the new show, McKenzie had one simple answer: "Me." Perhaps his elevated confidence is a result of the love in the air? Unfortunately, McKenzie didn't reveal anything to Meyers regarding his leading lady or their upcoming role as parents. Still, we wonder if the show will mimic real life—will Baccarin's character, Dr. Leslie Thompkins, get pregnant with McKenzie's character, Commissioner James Gordon? Unfortunately, we're only one episode into the new season, so we'll just have to remain glued to the television at all times. Morena Baccarin Wins Custody Hearing to Bring Son to N.Y.C.Morena Baccarin can officially move her son to New York City, where she films Gotham with boyfriend Ben McKenzie.A Los Angeles judge on Thursday granted Baccarin, 36, and her estranged husband Austin Chick, 44, joint custody of their 23-month-old son Julius but decided the boy will live primarily with his mother, according to court papers obtained by PEOPLE. The actress is also expecting a child with McKenzie, 37. The costars kept their relationship under wraps until last weekend, when they were spotted getting cozy at Emmys parties. Chick, a writer and director, filed for divorce in July, seeking spousal support and for Baccarin to foot his legal bills. The couple was married for three and a half years. 'Gotham Star' Morena Baccarin's Husband -- She Cheated On Me with Ben McKenzie"Gotham" star Morena Baccarin is rubbing her estranged husband's nose in her affair with co-star Ben McKenzie, to the point the husband came home and found Ben freshly showered, playing with his son.Baccarin and Austin Chick have been locked in a custody battle over their 1-year-old son. Chick says the boy is in a confusing, unhealthy environment, pointing to an incident in August -- 2 months after he filed for divorce -- saying he came home to get his stuff and found Ben "had just taken a shower and he was playing with my son." Chick says Morena has told him she's 3 1/2 months pregnant, and he says in the legal docs, "This places the moment of conception right in the first week of June, 2015, the time she was telling me she wanted to work on our marriage and well before we stopped sharing a bed." In previous legal docs, Morena has claimed they were already talking about separating in March. Morena Baccarin -- My Kid's Comin' To New York ... Wins Custody HearingMorena Baccarin just won big in her custody hearing ... and now her kid will be shacking up with her in NYC.A judge made the ruling in LA on Thursday -- Baccarin's one-year-old son she had with estranged husband Austin Chick will mainly live in NY with his mom. However, the couple will split joint custody. Baccarin's attorney Samantha Spector tells TMZ ... Chick will still be able to visit his son once a month for 8 days, but he has to give a 15-day-notice before making a trip. Chick will be able to bring his son back to LA every two months for an 8 day visit. We're told Baccarin will have to foot the travel expenses, but only has to pay for coach seats, no first class. TMZ broke the story ... Morena's one-year-old will have a sibling soon, she's pregnant with "Gotham" co-star Ben McKenzie's child. ‘Gotham’s’ Morena Baccarin, Ben McKenzie expecting their first baby togetherLove is in the air on the set of FOX’s “Gotham.” Shortly after reports surfaced that two of the show’s stars, Ben McKenzie and Morena Baccarin, are dating comes news that the couple are expecting their first child together.According to TMZ, Baccarin filed documents in court asking for full physical custody of her son Julius as part of divorce proceedings with her estranged husband Austin Chick. In the documents, Baccarin reveals she’s pregnant with McKenzie’s baby and will be unable to fly in her third trimester. As Chick lives in LA, this would make visiting her son impossible. Thus far, McKenzie and Baccarin — whose “Gotham” characters are in a relationship and living together — have yet to officially confirm they’re an item. Chick filed for divorce from the actress earlier in 2015, citing irreconcilable differences. They married in November 2011, with son Julius following in October 2013. This will be the first child for McKenzie. Gotham Costars Morena Baccarin and Ben McKenzie Are DatingWhat happens in Gotham, doesn't stay in Gotham.On-screen love interests Ben McKenzie, 37, and Morena Baccarin, 36, are dating, a source confirms to PEOPLE. The Gotham costars – who were spotted at multiple events together during Emmy Awards weekend and were holding hands at the Fox party at Vibiana after the awards show on Sunday – first started working together on the Fox drama in late 2014 and their characters became romantically involved towards the end of the show's first season last spring. Baccarin's husband of three and a half years, Austin Chick, filed for divorce earlier this summer, citing irreconcilable differences. Their son Julius will turn 2 on Oct. 22. McKenzie has been notoriously private about his relationships in the past, stating in the January issue of Elle that he was single but he has "never had a problem being monogamous in a serious relationship. I've also never had a problem dating as I see fit when I'm not in a relationship," adding that "the guilt of not being monogamous would be massive." Nathan Fillion's Varscona Theatre fundraiser tops $90K(cbc.ca) Over the course of his career, Fillion has accumulated a dedicated fan base due to his roles in Joss Whedon-helmed cult favourites like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly and Serenity. These days, Fillion stars on ABC's Castle, in which he plays author-cum-detective Richard Castle.He's so big in fact, he rarely gets to come back to his hometown, where his family still lives. That's where Jeff comes in. Nathan's older brother by two years, Jeff Fillion stayed in Edmonton and followed in his teacher parents' footsteps. Today, he's the principal of St. Elizabeth Seaton School in northeast Edmonton. And occasionally, he fills in for Nathan on morning radio broadcasts. "He has trouble getting away from his busy job, you know, being the lead actor on Castle, of course. And he finds it pretty cold here right about now," Jeff said with a laugh on Tuesday morning. "He likes to come in the summer rather than the winter." But once upon a time, Nathan was just a humble education student at the University of Alberta, appearing regularly in local theatre shows after hours. One of his most regular gigs was on Die-Nasty, an improvised soap opera performed live every Friday on stage at the Varscona Theatre. Even then it was clear Nathan was going places, Jeff said Tuesday. Then, three months short of graduation, Nathan was invited to New York to do a screen test for the role of Joey Buchanan on soap opera One Life to Live. The then-21-year-old beat out Neil Patrick Harris for the role. "Clearly, it was the right decision," said Jeff. From that first role, it was a slow and steady climb to Hollywood for Nathan, he said. "That first three years in New York was tough. I think everybody back home thought, 'Oh Nathan, you're an actor, you're rich now,' and that wasn't the case." There were some perks to his brother's showbiz life though, Jeff said. On visits, the two would rollerblade around Central Park and sit in on tapings of the David Letterman Show. "It's fantastic to have a brother who had a little place in New York with some connections," Jeff said with a laugh. In the long run, Jeff credits his brother's journeyman approach for keeping him grounded. "He wasn't thrown into something so quickly that he couldn't handle it at that age," Jeff said. "He was able to appreciate as he grew as an actor and a performer, and he was able to appreciate everything that came along." So, when the chance came up to help out the Varscona, his theatrical training ground, Fillion jumped to the cause, posting a video promising a prize of a day on set in L.A. and lunch for the winning donor. "He talks a lot about (the Varscona), and made a lot of amazing lifelong friends that he still has to this day — and when he comes back he still has an opportunity to sometimes play on Die-Nasty as whatever character comes to mind." "Many places I can say I got my start, this was probably the first place I got my start," Nathan says in a video posted to his Prizeo crowdfund page. (Video) This isn't the first time Nathan used his fame for a good cause, much to his fans' delight. "He's done this before for a number of charities," Jeff said. "He typically has some people fly up and then they spend the day on the set and nice lunch, and if they really impress him, sometimes he even takes them for dinner." The fundraiser ends on Sept. 28. Nathan Fillion does the walk of shame in new ‘Muppets’ promo(Promo) “The Muppets” are coming to ABC and plenty of the network’s other stars are pumped up about it — especially Nathan Fillion, it would seem.In this new promo, stars from “Scandal,” “Fresh Off the Boat,” “Black-ish” and “The Middle” try to film promos with the Muppets, but it’s proving a little tricky. Between Piggy and Kermit fighting, Rolf not telling Anthony Anderson where the cameras are and Gonzo … being Gonzo, there’s definitely some tension brewing at ABC. Plus, “Castle” star Fillion might be Miss Piggy’s new beau. Goodness, she’s beating potential suitors off with a stick! “The Muppets” premieres Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. Castle Season 8 PromoKate's Job Change, Rick's New Partner and More: Video.'Homeland' Star -- Husband Demands Cash & Custody In Divorce"Homeland" star Morena Baccarin's growing success could be exactly what hurts her in her divorce ... costing both money and time with her kid.Morena's soon-to-be ex-husband Austin Chick just filed docs in their divorce, and he wants his chunk of her paycheck. Chick claims Morena is pulling in $1.5 million a year. He wants a cut for child and spousal support. Chick says Morena's constant travel for work isn't healthy for their one-year-old, so he wants physical custody. He also wants Morena to cover nanny expenses up to $3k per month. Chick says he's taken on the role of Mr. Mom ... taking their son to the zoo, the park, and caring for him on a daily basis. Nathan Fillion Thinks He Could Star in a Greatest American Hero RebootCastle star Nathan Fillion might be the one actor with the most superhero cred but without a starring superhero role to his name.In addition to his heroics on Firefly, he played Captain Hammer in Joss Whedon's online miniseries Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, he's voiced the Green Lantern in four separate direct-to-video animated films, and his voice even made a cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy. However, Fillion has yet to actually star in a major comic book film. This past weekend, at a Q&A at Chicago's Wizard World Comic Con, one fan asked him what superheroes he'd most like to portray, and he had a few answers ready. Most notable among them? The super-powered schoolteacher character that William Katt portrayed on the early '80s TV series The Greatest American Hero. "I think Greatest American Hero is due for a reboot," Fillion mentioned, eliciting applause from the audience. He might be joking, but then again, Fillion seems to have given the matter a lot of thought. He cites two other potential heroes he thinks would be a good fit for him, and they're not characters the casual superhero fan would know: Booster Gold, a flashy, time-traveling DC hero known for having a good sense of humor – "I think I could take a pretty good crack at Booster Gold. That’s kind of my niche. Show-offy, vain … not too bright" – and Ambush Bug, a bizarre, mentally ill character beloved by only the most dedicated of comic book fans. At the panel, Fillion was joined by his Firefly costars Summer Glau and Adam Baldwin, whose choice superheroes were She-Ra and Green Lantern, respectively. Here's the Full Cast of Star Wars: Rogue OneStar Wars: Rogue One has assembled quite the fleet of galactic warriors.According to Entertainment Weekly, director Gareth Edwards introduced the full cast of the standalone film at Disney's D23 fan expo in a video from set, where they had just filmed the first scene. In addition to Felicity Jones, whose casting was previously announced, the Rogue One cast will also include Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Forest Whitaker, Mads Mikkelsen, Donnie Yen, Jiang Wen, Riz Ahmed and Alan Tudyk, who will play a motion-capture character. Rogue One will set up the events of the original Star Wars, detailing the stories of the people who stole the Empire's schematics for the Death Star, those who helped Luke destroy the battle station and the cost they paid for their roles in the war. And unlike most Star Wars films, Rogue One will dig into the nitty-gritty of a ground war, not a space war. "Rogue One takes place before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope and will be a departure from the saga films but have elements that are familiar to the Star Wars universe," Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said in a statement. "It goes into new territory, exploring the galactic struggle from a ground-war perspective while maintaining that essential Star Wars feel that fans have come to know. Gareth is such an innovative director and I'm so excited to be working with him and the extraordinary ensemble cast he's selected for Rogue One." Star Wars: Rogue One will hit theaters on Dec. 16, 2016. Nathan Fillion in Muppets Promo with Miss PiggyNathan Fillion in Muppets Promo with Miss Piggy: Video.‘The Last Ship’ Renewed For Season 3 By TNTAhead of the September 6 Season 2 finale, TNT has ordered a 13-episode third season of action-adventure series The Last Ship, executive produced by Michael Bay, for premiere next summer.Based on William Brinkley’s popular novel, The Last Ship chronicles a global catastrophe that nearly decimates the world’s population. Because of its positioning, the Navy destroyer U.S.S. Nathan James avoided falling victim to the devastating tragedy, forcing Captain Chandler (Eric Dane), XO Slattery (Adam Baldwin) and the ship’s crew to confront the reality of their new existence in a world where they are among the few remaining survivors. Rhona Mitra (Strike Back) also stars. The Last Ship launched last year as basic cable’s #1 new series with total viewers and adults 25-54. In its second season, the show is basic cable’s #1 scripted series this summer with adults 25-54, according to the network. This summer, the show is reaching an average of 9 million viewers across TNT’s linear, VOD, digital and mobile platforms, TNT says. Castle Season 8 Poster: Do Rick and Kate No Longer See Eye to Eye?Pop your corn if you’ve got some, because ABC has released the key art for Castle Season 8.Check it out, then read on for more: . The poster features stars/producers Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic positioned as close together as can be. But short of any photo concept or even a tagline, we’re left with little to glean from the visual, save for Kate’s playful — yet unreturned? — glance at the hubs. Could Castle for some reason not be on board with Beckett’s big career move? Or could a different external influence be at play? Katic after all did hint in a recent interview that there the two-part season opener features an “event” that will spark storyline “shifts” for much of the season. Asked to elaborate on Katic’s quote, new co-showrunner Alexi Hawley told TVLine that although Kate has put the mystery of her mother Johanna’s murder behind her, “that part of her DNA is still there. So, she needs to deal with that in a way that impacts their relationship.” Morena Baccarin and Ben McKenzie talk businessMorena Baccarin — who played Damian Lewis’ long-suffering wife on “Homeland” — was spotted with another co-star Tuesday.Now on “Gotham,” Baccarin and actor Ben McKenzie were at Stanton Social. But, “It seemed as if dinner was business-related. They were talking about upcoming projects,” a spy said. Last month, beauteous Baccarin was served with divorce papers by real husband Austin Chick, who wants spousal support and joint custody of their son after nearly four years of marriage. ‘Twist’! A new Joss Whedon comic about a ‘Victorian female Batman’(Pic) To kick off his panel at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con, Joss Whedon announced that now that he’s done with the Marvel Universe, he’s launching a new comic book project.The comic book is called “Twist” and is about a “Victorian female Batman,” says the “Avengers” director. The comics will launch with six episodes, chronicling “a meek chambermaid who is fed to a dark horror — but instead of dying, she returns, with knowledge, power, and rage she can neither deny nor control,” says Whedon in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. Whedon fans know that this is hardly his first foray into comic books. Most notably, his hit television show “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” continued with Seasons 8, 9 and 10 via comics that Whedon either wrote himself or executive produced. They are considered canon for picking up where the series ended. Speaking of “Buffy,” when an audience member asks Whedon about his favorite character he’s created, he says, “My answer would change daily, but I kind of feel how can I not say Buffy? She is the distilled essence of everything I am not.” Castle's Nathan Fillion Talks Season 8 Rick & Kate: 'Things Have to Change'Castle's Nathan Fillion Talks Season 8 Rick & Kate: 'Things Have to Change': VideoAlan Tudyk, Nathan Fillion’s ‘Con Man’ is a love letter to fandoms(Trailer) What does a con do with a series about a con that has a laundry list of fandom-favorite actors? “Con Man” creators Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion, along more than a dozen of their colleagues, found out Thursday (July 9) as they gave San Diego Comic-Con attendees the first glimpse at the new crowdfunded comedy web series.“Con Man” follows the comic convention adventures of fandom-favorite (but pigeonholed and a bit washed up) Wray Nerely, played by Tudyk, and his best friend Jack Moore (Fillion), who of course went on to super stardom. They starred in the one-season-and-done fictional sci-fi series “Spectrum” (just pronounce that in your head like “Firefly”) together, but Nerely is still trying to figure out what to do next besides tour the weird and wonderful convention world. Panel attendees included Seth Green, Michael Trucco, Alison Haislip, Nolan North, Casper Van Dien, Tricia Helfer, Mindy Sterling, Felicia Day, Barry Bishop, Billy Brooks and Wil Wheaton (who “Kermit-flailed” onto the stage according to host Chris Hardwick). It also has the distinction of being the first webseries to ever take the Hall H stage (a fact that geeked Hardwick and his former college roommate Wil Wheaton out). Speaking about why he came up with the idea of focusing on cons and fandoms, Tudyk tells the crowd, “Someone needed to make a show about this. There’s so many amazing characters. So every time I went to a convention, I thought of something else. So it happened like that. It was also an opportunity to get into a spaceship again with Nathan. It was just getting back onto a space show.” “It all had to do with the crowdfunding,” he continues. “We couldn’t have even made [this] though normal studios. We’ve been going to cons for over a decade. and we felt we could honor cons, and make fun of it too. It’s the world and taking some realty and going a little bit farther.” “It’s been overwhelming,” says Tudyk. “Con Man’s” Indiegogo fund raised more than $1 million in 24 hours, and $3.2 million in total. It still holds the record for the highest-funded web series from a crowdfund. The first three 10-minute episodes of “Con Man” will premiere Sept. 30 on Vimeo, with four sets of episodes total. 'Homeland' Star Morena Baccarin -- Real Marriage Blows Up Too and It Could Cost Her $$$Morena Baccarin -- Nicholas Brody's estranged wife on ?"Homeland" -- is headed for divorce off-screen too -- and all her success since the Showtime hit could work against her in the split.Baccarin’s writer/director husband, Austin Chick, filed the divorce docs, citing irreconcilable differences, after 3 and a half years of marriage -- a lifetime in Hollywood. According to the docs, Chick wants joint custody of their one-year-old son ... and he wants spousal support. It looks like Baccarin's been the breadwinner in the fam -- picking up roles on hits like "Gotham" and "The Flash" -- so, at least on paper, she'll likely end up forking over some amount of cash. Did we mention she's banging Det. Jim Gordon on "Gotham?" 'Cause she is ... and she looks freakin' hot doing it. 2015 Teen Choice Awards NominationsThe two-hour awards show airs Sunday, Aug. 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FOX.Choice TV Show: Drama (#ChoiceDramaTVShow) Choice TV Actor: Drama (#ChoiceDramaTVActor) Are Castle and Grey's Entering Their Final Seasons? ABC Boss Weighs InThe fact that Castle‘s Stana Katic only renewed her contract for one more year is not necessarily a sign that the procedural in turn will be fitted with a toe tag at the end of Season 8. Nor has the recent death of McDreamy assigned an expiration date to Grey’s Anatomy, which was just picked up for Season 12.“[It’s] not the final season of either,” ABC president Paul Lee told reporters on Tuesday, just days after both Castle and Grey’s got renewed for the 2015-16 TV season. “And I would like to see them run for many, many years to come. They’re both powerful, vibrant brands with incredibly passionate audiences.” Similarly, Lee declined to specify Castle’s Season 8 episode count, which some have speculated might be shorter, as a means to lure back its two stars. As with virtually the entire ABC lineup, both Castle and Grey’s only last week had their fates for the fall confirmed — with the then-unresolved issue of Katic’s contract casting a pall on the cop show’s prospects. (Male lead Nathan Fillion inked his own new deal in mid-April, while in more recent days Castle named Terence Paul Winter and Alexi Hawley as its new showrunner and co-showrunner, replacing Season 7 boss David Amann.) ABC FALL 2015-16 SCHEDULE(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY Gotham Promotes Morena Baccarin to Series Regular in Season 2The doctor is not only in, she’s staying and getting a promotion!Gotham has formally upgraded Morena Baccarin to a series regular ahead of the show’s upcoming second season, TVLine has learned exclusively. The Homeland alumna joined Fox’s Batman origin story in January in the the role of Dr. Leslie Thompkins, a love interest for Ben McKenzie’s James Gordon. The recurring gig included a Season 2 series-regular option, which the show has now decided to exercise. Castle Finale Sneak Peek: See the Moment that Changed Castle's Life Forever(Video) Castle's Season 7 finale is digging up old memories for Richard Castle.Monday's season-ender (10/9c, ABC) finds Castle (NathanFillion) and Beckett (Stana Katic) investigating a murder in the woods. However, the case has eerie similarities to a traumatic event from Castle's past. In the first look at the finale above, Rick recalls wandering into Hollander's Woods -- which gives the episode its title -- as a child and seeing a figure in black presumably dumping a body. "After a few moments, he left, and that's when I saw her," Castle says. "A body, the first body I'd ever seen, Her throat had been slit and those same symbols were carved into her forehead and her cheeks." While seeing a mutilated corpse at a young age is plenty traumatic, the last couple seconds of the sneak peek suggest that event might be seared into Castle's brain for a different reason -- and perhaps made him the man he is today. "We get some answers as to why Castle became a mystery writer," creator Andrew W. Marlowe, who co-wrote the episode, previously told TVGuide.com about the finale. "We get to go way back into Castle's backstory. It opens up some old wounds and leads to a bit of an obsession." Check out the first look above. Castle's Season 7 finale airs Monday at 10/9c on ABC. Joss Whedon on quitting Twitter: I don't need 'to visit You Suck Land anymore'"Avengers: Age of Ultron" writer/director Joss Whedon has been at the center of an Internet kerfuffle this week because he quit Twitter, with many fans online claiming it's because he was attacked by feminists regarding the way Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) was portrayed in the latest Marvel movie. But Whedon says that is not the reason."That is horses***," Whedon tells Buzzfeed, adding that "every breed" of feminism and liberalism are too busy attacking one another. "God forbid they should all band together and actually fight for the cause." The reason Whedon actually gives for leaving the social media app is because he wanted to have a break from the whirlwind of social media, the good and the bad. "I just thought, wait a minute, if I'm going to start writing again, I have to go to the quiet place," says Whedon. He later adds that comic book fans are an intensely passionate group and their fervent engagement isn't something he has really encountered before he got involved with Marvel. "My fans have always been sweet, erudite, interesting, compassionate people. Like, I don't know any 'Buffy' trolls," says Whedon. "So the steady stream of just like, 'You suck, you suck, you suck' [on Twitter] -- I don't really think I need to visit You Suck Land anymore." But the political arguments and the "you suck" comments aren't even the real problem. Whedon ultimately feels like it's not you, it's him. "The real issue is me," Whedon says. "Twitter is an addictive little thing, and if it's there, I gotta check it. When you keep doing something after it stops giving you pleasure, that's kind of rock bottom for an addict. ... I just had a little moment of clarity where I'm like, You know what? If I want to get stuff done, I need to not constantly hit this thing for a news item or a joke or some praise, and then be suddenly sad when there's hate and then hate and then hate." 'Castle' Among ABC RenewalsHere is the full list:DRAMAS “CASTLE” (Season 8) “GREY’S ANATOMY” (Season 12) “HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER” (Season 2) “MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.” (Season 3) “NASHVILLE” (Season 4) “ONCE UPON A TIME” (Season 5) “SCANDAL” (Season 5) “AMERICAN CRIME” (Season 2) “SECRETS AND LIES” (Season 2) “MARVEL’S AGENT CARTER” (Season 2) COMEDIES “black-ish” (Season 2) “FRESH OFF THE BOAT” (Season 2) “THE GOLDBERGS” (Season 3) “THE MIDDLE” (Season 7) “MODERN FAMILY” (Season 7) “GALAVANT” (Season 2) ALTERNATIVE “AMERICA’S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS” (Season 26) “THE BACHELOR” (Season 20) “DANCING WITH THE STARS” (Season 21) “SHARK TANK” (Season 7) “BEYOND THE TANK” (Season 2) “20/20” Nathan Fillion Set To Return To 'Castle', Series Looking For New ShowrunnerCastle is back. Richard Castle that is. While ABC is yet to formally renew long-running crime drama Castle, the biggest obstacle has been overcome, with star Nathan Fillion signing on to return next season. That virtually assures an eighth season of the series, which remains one of ABC’s reliable drama performers. There is no word yet on Fillion’s co-star Stana Katic, whose contract also is up at the end of this season.Further indicating ABC’s intention to pick up another season of Castle is the fact that a search is already underway for a new showrunner. Castle executive producer David Amann, who served as showrunner this season, is stepping down. He has decided to move on and seek development and showrunner opportunities elsewhere. He wrote three episodes this season, including the season premiere. Castle creator/executive producer Andrew W. Marlowe, who handed the showrunner reins to Amann at the end of last season, continued to be very involved in the show, serving as an unofficial co-showrunner. He wrote two episodes this season and co-wrote the upcoming Season 7 finale. His future on the show is unclear at this point, with an exit a possibility. Joss Whedon Sued -- 'Avengers' Director Jacked My 'Cabin in the Woods'Joss Whedon, current king of the Marvel universe, is being sued for allegedly stealing the idea for the cult horror smash, "The Cabin in the Woods."Whedon and "Cabin" co-writer/director Drew Goddard are being sued by a guy named Peter Gallagher (not "The O.C." guy with the eyebrows) who claims he registered a book with the Writers Guild called "The Little White Trip: A Night in the Pines." Gallagher's book came 5 years before 'Cabin' ... which he claims has several similarities to his work: -- Five friends (three males, two females), ages 17-22 -- In the book, the girls are named Julie and Dura; in the film, Jules and Dana -- Each takes place at a cabin in the woods (duh!) -- Each has a twist where you learn the characters are being manipulated and filmed as players in a real-life horror show (spoiler alert!) In all, Gallagher says there are 25 similar scenes. Gallagher's book is nowhere near a best seller -- but in the suit, he says Whedon might have caught wind of it because Gallagher used to hawk it on sidewalks in Santa Monica, CA. He says Whedon lives in that city. Of course ... so do 92,000 other people. Gallagher is seeking damages in excess of $10 million. Joss Whedon Calls Upcoming Jurassic World Film 'Sexist'While many are anxiously awaiting the summer release of Jurassic World, not everyone is an unreserved fan of the big-screen sequel – specifically, director Joss Whedon.The Avengers: Age of Ultron filmmaker expressed his distaste for a newly released extended clip of the upcoming film, starring Chris Pratt. Whedon responded to a Tweet from website The Mary Sue touting the clip and joking that they were "fanning" themselves over the hunky star's leading dialogue. "... and I'm too busy wishing this clip wasn't '70s era sexist. She's a stiff, he's a life-force – really? Still?" Whedon Tweeted in response. In the short trailer, Pratt's character argues with Bryce Dallas Howard's over how to treat a genetically enhanced mutant dinosaur. In the tension-filled conversation, Pratt coyly invites the park manager into his bungalow and teases her for a past date gone awry – specifically her spreadsheet planning for the evening. Howard retorts, "Who shows up to a date in board shorts?" Whedon's projects often feature powerful female characters, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. The Universal reboot of the popular '90s series hits theaters on July 12. Morena Baccarin confirms she's 'Deadpool's' CopycatSay hello to Marvel's new Copycat. "Gotham" actress Morena Baccarin revealed via Twitter that she'll be playing Vanessa Carlysle in the upcoming "X-Men" franchise spinoff "Deadpool.""Let's do this," reads the tweet, which also includes a picture of the "Deadpool" logo and the name "Vanessa" underneath it. Comic book fans know that Vanessa Carlysle is Copycat in the "X-Men" universe -- a powerful shapeshifter mutant that can duplicate another being down to their cellular level. Carlysle is also the romantic interest of the the titular character, Deadpool. Director Rob Liefield expanded on that angle by posting Baccarin's picture to Instgram with the caption, "From Morena Baccarin/Vanessa 'Let's do this!' #Deadpool 1st appearance Vanessa is New Mutants #98 #robliefeld" New Mutants #98 was the first appearance of Carlysle in the Marvel Universe, though she had shape shifted into a different mutant and didn't reveal her true identity for two years. Ryan Reynolds is suiting up to play the anti-hero mercenary of the mutant world. Gina Carano is playing Angel Dust, a young girl that pumps up her adrenaline to give her super strength. T.J. Miller and Ed Skrein round out the cast in unknown parts. Shonda Rhimes Reveals Her Dream Showrunner Dinner Party Guest List and We Want to Go to ThereBest. Dinner. Party. Ever.Before she was honored with the "Ally for Equality Award at the 2015 HRC Los Angeles Gala Dinner by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), we chatted with Shonda Rhimes, the mastermind behind Scandal and Grey's Anatomy, as well as a producer on How to Get Away With Murder, on the red carpet and had one burning question: which showrunners she would want to share a great meal and a bottle (or two) of red wine with at a dinner party. You know, when she's not busy dominating the TV world. Her answers, of course, were perfect, and we're now convinced heaven might just be landing a seat at this epic gathering. Hey, we'd even settle for being one of the servers. And the five lucky showrunners invited to Shonda's dream showrunner dinner party are: Mara Brock Akil, Girlfriends, The Game, Being Mary Jane Lena Dunham, Girls Jenji Kohan, Orange Is the New Black, Weeds Damon Lindelof, Lost, The Leftovers Joss Whedon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firely, Angel, Dollhouse Best dinner party ever or best dinner party ever?! And Shonda, just know we'd be more than happy to host this party on your behalf any time you'd like! 'Con Man' Web Series From Nathan Fillion And Alan Tudyk Smashing Crowdfunding RecordsFirefly is never going to be revived, but fans hoping to see stars Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk reunited onscreen will get their wish. The pair’s proposed online comedy series, Con Man, a comedic look at life as a science fiction actor on the convention circuit, has broken multiple funding records on crowdfunding site Indiegogo, and will now see at least 11 episodes produced.Con Man will center around Tudyk’s Wray Nerely, the former lead in a quickly-cancelled science fiction series set aboard a starship, whose career has since stalled. While he now makes a living primarily through convention appearances, his friend and former costar Jack Moore (Fillion) has gone on to become a major celebrity. That’s superficially similar to what happened in real life after Firefly‘s 2002 cancellation – Fillion currently stars in ABC’s Castle, currently in its 7th season, while Tudyk has had a less visible career as a prolific voice actor with less frequent on-camera appearances in film and television. Pitched on a tiny budget of $425K for three episodes, the Indiegogo campaign, launched on Wednesday, passed the $1 million mark in less than 24 hours. Since then it’s set records for highest-funded web series within 24 hours, and highest-ever funded web series, on all crowdsourcing platforms. As of right now, fans have contributed $1.6 million, with 28 days left before the fundraising period ends. In addition to 11-episodes now funded, confirmed guest stars include Sean Maher, Gina Torres, James Gunn, Seth Green, Felicia Day, and Amy Acker. If the fundraiser surpasses $1.7 million, two additional episodes will be produced, one of which will be a complete episode of “Spectrum”, the in-universe cult series. In addition to starring, Tudyk is writing and directing, while Fillion is producing along with author PJ Haarsma. The series will premiere on Vimeo this summer, date TBD. Castle Sneak Peek: Has Beckett Finally Met Her Match?(Video) Castle's Kate Beckett could be be the best cop in New York City, but she may not be the best cop in the world.On Monday's episode (10/9c, ABC), Beckett (Stana Katic) and Castle (Nathan Fillion) investigate a mysterious murder that leads them to Inspector Zhang (gust starLinda Park), a competitive, high-powered detective from Hong Kong who has information about the victim. And, as you can see in the exclusive sneak peek above, it doesn't take long for Beckett to get a little jealous -- of both Zhang's professional skills and her adorable family. "Did you know that she was the youngest officer to become chief inspector?" Beckett says, at first trying to downplay her envy. "She has cleared more murders than anyone in Hong Kong PD history. ... She's just like me. Only better." But is she really? After all, once Beckett digs a little deeper into the case, she learns that neither the victim nor Inspector Zhang are what they seem to be. Castle airs Mondays at 10/9c on ABC. Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk are creating a web series and need your help(Video) It's not the return of "Firefly," but Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk's new project together could be a lot of fun.The pair are crowdfunding a comedy web series called "Con Man," all about life of the star of a former sci-fi TV show (Tudyk) who travels the comic-book convention circuit -- sound familiar? "'Con Man' delivers what convention All-Access passes have only promised in the past," Tudyk says in a release. "I've been to conventions from San Diego to Dubai and I have so many great experiences to share through the world of 'Con Man.'" Fillion and Tudyk tease a couple of those experiences in the video above and introduce a few of the many guest stars they've lined up to appear, including Gina Torres, James Gunn, Seth Green and Felicia Day. The press release for the series notes Amy Acker has also signed on. If you decide to support the campaign, there will be plenty of incentives for handing over your money. From signed photos and props to set visits, there's plenty of treats for all levels of donating. Perhaps the best of all is the promise of a "GIF of Nathan and Alan doing a totally sweet hi-five." That'll only cost you $5. The campaign's initial goal is $425,000, which will fund the first three episodes of the series. Any money raised beyond that will go to pay for the remainder of the show. As of posting time, more than $140,000 has already been raised. The campaign will end at 11:59 p.m. PT on April 9. To decide whether you want to chip in, check out the campaign on IndieGoGo. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/con-man CASTLE: At Close Range“At Close Range” – Detective Kevin Ryan is on the security detail of a charismatic congressman attending a charity event when shots suddenly ring out. Driven to apprehend the killer, Ryan must revisit the events that led up to the shooting, with the help of Castle and Beckett, on “Castle,” MONDAY, MARCH 23 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Maya Stojan as Tory Ellis, David Conrad as Frank Kelly, Reiko Aylesworth as Mia Lopez, Ricardo Chavira as Alex Lopez, David Andrews as Carl Shelton, Annie Little as Carolyn Decker. “At Close Range” was written by Jim Adler and directed by Bill Roe. CASTLE: Hong Kong Hustle“Hong Kong Hustle” – After a man is mysteriously murdered in a park, Castle and Beckett team up with a competitive, high-powered female detective from Hong Kong, who has information about the victim. But as Beckett digs deeper into the case, she realizes neither her Hong Kong colleague nor the victim may be quite who they seem, on “Castle,” MONDAY, MARCH 16 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest cast: Linda Park as Inspector Zhang “Hong Kong Hustle” was written by Chad Gomez Creasey and directed by Jann Turner. Suits' Gina Torres on Jessica's Big Choice, Sisterly Visit, Hannibal EncoreJessica and Jeff’s romance on USA Network’s Suits screeched to a resounding halt last week. But the heartache and anxiety isn’t over for Pearson Specter Litt’s top boss lady.Now that Jeff is aware that his ex wasn’t completely honest with him about how Louis got name partnership, he’s going to have to make a choice that will directly impact Jessica, personally and professionally. “He knows that there’s something going on,” star Gina Torres previews. “He can either decide he can go after the truth on his own or he’s going to say, ‘You know what? Maybe she’s just not worth it.'” As Jeff makes his move, Jessica will need to make a hard decision of her own about what she wants for her romantic future, Torres reveals below. The actress also talks about the arrival of Jessica’s truth-spilling sister in Wednesday’s installment (USA Network, 10/9c), the Firefly pal she’d like to work with again and the future of her tortured, terminally ill Hannibal character. TVLINE | Is Jessica going to get a chance to actually tell Jeff the truth? Why would I tell you that? That would be a big, big spoiler, don’t you think? [Laughs] Clearly, she wants to. There’s a reason why she didn’t tell him the truth in the first place. It’s a big, big deal. It’s not just, “Oh, hey, honey, this is what happened at the office a few years ago.” I would expose him. I would expose him to all the shite I’ve exposed everybody else to. That puts him and his career in danger. The secret that she’s keeping has a lot of tentacles attached to it. He doesn’t know that she’s trying to protect him, not just herself and not just her firm — and he won’t know that unless she tells him. By then, it’s really pretty late. He doesn’t have a choice. TVLINE | Is Jessica a little bit scared in this situation? I think so. I think she’s felt like there’s a lot at risk, for quite some time, ever since the truth was revealed to her. So of course she’s scared here. [Jeff] is kind of Dudley Do-Right in a lot of ways. She’s not quite sure if his ire and his disappointment is going to push him the direction of making it right and string everybody up in the name of justice. It’s the same thing that we were all concerned about with Louis. The thing with Louis is his ego got the best of him, what he wanted got the best of him. So as much as he wanted to string everybody up, he wanted to belong to the club a little bit more. TVLINE | Is this a relationship that can be salvaged? Do you see a future for Jessica and Jeff? I don’t know. I really don’t. As much as she plays in the grey area, she’s also a survivor. She has to pick and choose who she trusts and who she’s going to share her life with. Jeff has a lot of questions, and Jeff is very demanding of her. Some things he’s absolutely in the right to be [asking about] because you’re talking about an interpersonal relationship and you have to be transparent for those things. But the way that she lives her life doesn’t exactly lend itself to that. So she’s got to ask herself the hard question: If not with Jeff, then with who? And what does she see for herself in terms of a relationship in the long run? TVLINE | How has it been for you finally getting to have a romantic storyline on the show? I was very happy for Jessica that there was going to be somebody there that loved her! [Laughs] That saw her as a woman first, not just a sparring partner, not just the institution that is Jessica Pearson, not somebody to be afraid of. That’s what was wonderful about Jeff – he saw her as a woman and not a threat or a chess piece to move out of the way. TVLINE | And in the next episode, we’re going to meet her sister (played by Sons of Anarchy‘s Merle Dandridge). We do! Yea! She has family! How exciting is that? I was happy to see that. TVLINE | What is the relationship like between the sisters? We have one scene together, and it’s sisters. [Laughs] Sisters tell each other the truth as only sisters can. I think it’ll be nice for the audience to see that. TVLINE | Were there things that you learned about Jessica through her sister being introduced that surprised you? There is more clarity given to what drives Jessica. You get more of a peek into how they grew up and how they were raised. So it’s truly no big surprise as to how they turned out, why Jessica is the way that she is. TVLINE | Donna has done something that has put herself and potentially the firm in danger. Is there tension between her and Jessica as a result? In the next episode, I don’t think it fully unravels; Jessica’s dealing with her own issues right now. That whole thing that’s happening with Donna, I know Harvey and Donna and Mike are mobbed up in that one together, and then Jessica finds out about it later. TVLINE | You’ve had some really great guest stars over the seasons. Is there anyone from one your previous projects you’d like to see come on the show? Maybe someone from Firefly? Oh, see, you’re an undercover Browncoat, aren’t you? [Laughs] I would love to see the entire cast of Firefly on Suits. Just one right after the other. Just bring them on! I love those guys. I would love to work with them again. TVLINE | And finally, is there any hope of seeing more of your character, Bella, on Hannibal? That one you’re just going to have to wait and see. I do come back in [Season] 3. Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool Gets Its Leading Lady: Homeland's Morena Baccarin Scores the Big Role!Morena Baccarin has officially been cast in Deadpool!The Brazilian actress will be playing the romantic lead opposite Ryan Reynolds in Fox's new "antihero" film built around the Marvel character Wade Wilson. She's most recognized for her roles in the Showtime series Homeland and the short-lived ABC reboot of V. Baccarin currently has a recurring role as Dr. Leslie Thompkins on Gotham, and also can be spotted in Paul Feig's upcoming film Spy with funny-lady Melissa McCarthy. The 35-year-old starlet will portray Wade Wilson's love interest, who struggles with having feelings for a man with a scarred face. Reynolds' first appearance as Deadpool came in the film X Men Origins: Wolverine. Blake Lively's husband will be playing an assassin who undergoes a treatment to cure his cancer that results in scarring him, physically and mentally. On the bright side, the procedures do give him superpowers. Reynolds sweetly gave fans a sneak preview of his costume's gloves long before the film's release date. "Sepia tone disguises the fact the mask is ballerina pink. It's early. 365 sleeps early. #deadpool #prototypes," he tweeted. Deadpool will hit theaters on Feb. 12, 2016. CASTLE: The Wrong Stuff“The Wrong Stuff” – When an astronaut training for a trip to Mars is mysteriously killed inside a Mars simulation, Castle and Beckett don spacesuits to investigate. But when they discover no one inside the sealed simulation could have committed the murder and no one from the outside could get in, the case takes a shocking turn, on “Castle,” MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Yves Bright as Tom Richwood, Gwendoline Yeo as Elise Kim, David Rogers as Viggo Jansen, Sterling K. Brown as Ed Redley, Maxwell Caulfield as Sir Ian Rasher. “The Wrong Stuff” was written by Terri Miller and directed by Paul Holahan. 'Homeland's Morena Baccarin, 'Orange Is New Black's Taylor Schilling On Fox 'Deadpool' Female Lead Short ListFox has made test deals with a small group of actresses for the female lead opposite Ryan Reynolds on Deadpool, based on the character he originated in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The film is being directed by Tim Miller, who has done strong visual effects work through his VFX house Blur Films. Miller has been developing the film for several years, from a script by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, with Lauren Shuler Donner and Simon Kinberg producing. Production begins in March.Here are four of the actresses: Morena Baccarin, who played the long suffering wife of POW-turned-terrorist Brody in Showtime’s Homeland and who also starred in V; Taylor Schilling, from Orange is the New Black and who was just see at Sundance in The Overnight; Crystal Reed from Teen Wolf and Crush; and Rebecca Rittenhouse, who made a splash in the FBC series The Red Band Society. There might be another actress in the mix, and I’ll add here when someone reaches out. That’s a good crop of young actresses. 'Big Bang Theory' signs up Nathan Fillion to cameo as himself"The Big Bang Theory" has landed one of its nerdiest guest stars yet. "Castle's" Nathan Fillion is set to appear as none other than himself in the Feb. 19 episode.According to Entertainment Weekly, Fillion -- who also played Captain Malcolm Reynolds on "Firefly" -- will be spotted eating in a restaurant by Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Raj (Kunal Nayyar), who can't decide if he's the real deal or simply a lookalike. That won't stop them from bugging him for a photo, though. Considering how big a fan Sheldon (Jim Parsons) is of "Firefly," he's bound to be devastated about missing meeting his on-screen hero. At least he was there when Summer Glau made a cameo as herself in Season 2. 8 Questions with...Gina Torres(backstage.com) The “Suits” and “Hannibal” star opens up to Backstage about soap operas, Madeleine Stowe, and the moment she found her voice—in an audition room.Tell us about your latest projects. I’m in the middle of an arc on “Revenge.” It’s fantastic. I’ve primarily worked with Madeleine Stowe, and I’ve been a fan of hers for quite some time. It’s so wonderful when you meet someone whose aesthetic matches up and you get to work and play. That’s been quite fun. Never did I think I’d be working with Madeleine Stowe on a nighttime soap. And I love nighttime soaps! What have you learned about yourself on “Revenge”? That I love the work more than anything. I love however it comes. I love doing the nighttime soap, the emotional, psychological, hard stuff that I got to tackle on “Hannibal.” I love the chess game that I do on “Suits.” I just love every bit of it and that I get to do it. Who do you have an acting crush on? Other than Madeleine Stowe? Wow, there are a couple people out there. It’s hard right now; I have a 7-year-old daughter and I’m working, so I haven’t seen a grown-up–person’s movie in a long time! I’m so behind, it’s really embarrassing. Eddie Redmayne is fantastic. Cate Blanchett—always. She’s my forever crush. How did you get your SAG-AFTRA card? My first time on camera was “One Life to Live.” I mourn for actors coming up that the daytime soap opera is becoming extinct. It’s theater onscreen. And in soap operas you have very little rehearsal time! It’s you and your cast mates and a guy in a booth and a lot of pages of dialogue. You really have to rely on yourself to make your most truthful choices. You’re not coddled; there’s no babysitting. What is your worst audition horror story? I would say the most fascinating audition I had was for a musical. I was told to prepare a song. And we get out there, a group of girls, and they asked us to walk across the stage like a showgirl and walk back. It was the stereotypical scene from movies about auditions for musicals! There’s this disembodied voice coming from a dark theater and it’s telling you to do this and that. And I’m standing there thinking, You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m not really living this right now. They dismissed us and I wasn’t having it. And I walked down center stage and shouted over the footlights, “Excuse me! I was told to prepare a song—would you like me to sing?” “Oh! Yes, oh of course!” And I did. I don’t know where that came from but I just refused to be dismissed. I wouldn’t say I recommend that to people. I don’t want young actors to read this and go, “Well, Gina Torres did this.” I just thought, No, not today. It took a lot of work for me to get there. To prepare, to be ready, to be on time, to get on the NYC subway, change into my leotard—and I just was not in the mood to be dismissed. The moral of that story is, you choose your battles. And sometimes wonderful things happen. You find your voice. So how do you typically prepare for an audition? It depends on what it is, on how much is asked of me. Whether it’s a musical or a lot of pages of dialogue, it’s really just about time put in. And the subject—there are things I know very little about. And then other things where I feel I’ve got this. Like, I’ve been working up to this chick for a long time! I’ve been doing it for a while, so my well is deeper and I can read something and figure out what’s required. Which of your performances has left a lasting mark on you? Recently there are two. Certainly Bella Crawford on “Hannibal.” I went on such a journey with her in her sickness and how Bryan Fuller wrote her so beautifully, with so much grace and integrity. I just wanted her to be an homage to all the people out there who are dealing with illness. And my character on “Huge” on ABC Family five years ago. I learned so much about that world and the dysfunction of overeating and it was a real eye-opener. I had so many hopes for that show; it didn’t survive, but I think we did make an impression on those people that did watch it. What do you wish you’d known before you started acting? I don’t think I would change anything. There is that thing where you can learn rather quickly or not at all: Losing a job is not the end of the world. Your job is the one you get! You don’t get somebody else’s job, and nobody gets yours. Nobody took your job. They just got theirs. CASTLE: Resurrection“Resurrection” – When clues in a murder implicate Castle and Beckett’s nemesis, Dr. Kelly Nieman (guest star Annie Wersching), Castle is called in to consult on the case. But as the team delves deeper into the investigation, they uncover connections to notorious serial killer Jerry Tyson (guest star Michael Mosley), on Part 1 of “Castle,” MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Annie Wersching as Dr. Kelly Nieman, Michael Mosley as Jerry Tyson, Laura Coover as Susan Watts, Amy Rosoff as Katrina and Maya Goodwin as Laura. “Resurrection” was written by David Amann and directed by Bill Roe. CASTLE: I, Witness“I, Witness” – Castle is hired to uncover if a client’s husband is having an affair, but the case takes a shocking turn when Castle witnesses the client’s murder – by her husband. But with no proof that the killing took place, Castle and Beckett must investigate to expose the truth, on “Castle,” MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Brianna Brown as Eva Whitfield, Ivan Sergei as Cole Whitfield, Gregory Zarian as Scott Galloway, Audrey Marie Anderson as Aubrey Haskins. “I, Witness” was written by Terence Paul Winter & Amanda Johns and directed by Tom Wright. People's Choice Award WinnersFAVORITE TV CRIME DRAMA: CastleFAVORITE CRIME DRAMA TV ACTOR: Nathan Fillion, Castle CASTLE: Private Eye Caramba!“Private Eye Caramba!” – When a young Latin telenovela actress is murdered, Beckett and the team delve into a case that is as flamboyant and full of intrigue as any telenovela. Meanwhile, Castle is hired as private investigator by the show’s sultry star to pursue the case from another angle, on “Castle,” MONDAY, JANUARY 19 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Daya Vaidya as Sofia Del Cordova, Kamar De Los Reyes as Manuel Villalobos, Franco Barberis as Francisco Herrara, Erick Lopez as Marcus Segundo. “Private Eye Caramba!” was written by Adam Frost and directed by Hanelle Culpepper. 'Gotham': Jim Gordon and Leslie Thompkins may be getting romanticWith the return of "Gotham" comes the introduction of another character "Batman" comic book fans may recognize. Former "Homeland" and "Firefly" star Morena Baccarin will guest star on the show as Dr. Leslie Thompkins, though the character will be different from what fans might remember."We're not sticking too close to the original mythology," Baccarin tells Zap2it. "I think they kind of want room to put her in different worlds and different scenarios right now and we're trying to figure out what that's going to be." In the comics, Dr. Thompkins is rather close to Bruce and Alfred. In the case of "Gotham," she'll be working at Arkham Asylum and spark up some manner of relationship with Jim Gordon, who's been demoted to keeping guard over the facility. That begs the question of the nature of their relationship. After all, Barbara has left Jim for the time being and is shacking up with her former lover -- and Jim's workplace rival -- Renee Montoya. That leaves Gordon free to explore his options a bit. When asked if things will get romantic between Jim and Leslie, Baccarin responds with a sly, "Maybe." One aspect of the character that is likely to remain from the comics is Dr. Thompkins' connection to the late Thomas Wayne. As portrayed previously, the two were close friends. "I do think there was a connection there," Baccarin says. "We haven't delved into that part of my character yet, so I'm not sure how that's going to play out." "Gotham" returns Monday, Jan. 5, at 9 p.m. ET/PT on FOX. CASTLE: Castle, P.I.“Castle, P.I.” – After being forbidden to work with Kate Beckett or the 12th Precinct, Castle obtains a P.I. license and shows up unannounced at Beckett’s crime scene, hoping to investigate alongside her as a private eye. But things don’t go as Castle had planned, on “Castle,” MONDAY, JANUARY 12 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Gia Mora as Shana Baker, Arye Gross as M.E. Perlmutter, Tim Griffin as Spalding Elliot, Heather McComb as Nicole Morris. “Castle, P.I.” was written by Rob Hanning and directed by Milan Cheylov. Revenge Welcomes Suits' Gina Torres as a Shady Socialite in Season 4A powerful Suit is on her way to the Hamptons.Gina Torres has been tapped to recur in the second half of Revenge‘s fourth season, TVLine has learned exclusively, playing an aspiring socialite named Natalie Walsh. In addition to her dreams of conquering high society — Natalie comes from “humble-but-ambitious roots” — she’s also arriving with a few enemies in her sights, though it’s not yet clear which Hamptons resident she’ll want to “drive a stake into.” Your thoughts on Torres’ casting? Which Hamptonite do you suspect Natalie will target first? 'Homeland's' Morena Baccarin wants to return, 'whether or not it's great for the story'In moving past the era of Nicholas Brody, "Homeland" Season 4 has also said goodbye to his family, wife Jessica and children Dana and Chris. But while some audience members might be happy the Carrie Mathison's story has moved on without them, Morena Baccarin wishes the rest of the Brodys had more time to say goodbye."It felt very frustrating to end it the way that it did, with [Brody] just leaving the country and getting killed and the family left to pick up the pieces," Baccarin tells Zap2it while promoting her role on FOX's "Gotham." Baccarin says she is game to return to the show, though even she isn't sure how Jessica, Dana and Chris would weave back into the story. "I would love to. Whether or not it's great for the story, who cares? I would love to come back and just kind of wrap up my story," she says. "It would be really fun." Carrie hasn't spent much time stateside in Season 4, though in one episode she did swing by the Brodys' home with her daughter Frannie. Considering Carrie is heading back to the United States in the Season 4 finale on Dec. 21 and Frannie is also the child of Nicholas -- making her a half-sister to Dana and Chris -- there could be an opportunity for Baccarin to get the return she desires in the future. "Homeland" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime, while "Gotham" returns from its hiatus in January. 'The Mentalist': Erica Flynn is back and 'double crossing as usual'(Video) With the current season of "The Mentalist" being its last, it only makes sense to bring back a fan favorite character for one final round of fun. Morena Baccarin returns as Erica Flynn for "Orange Blossom Ice Cream," airing Sunday (Dec. 14).Speaking to Zap2it, Baccarin says Flynn is "always up to no good -- shenanigans -- and trying to weasel her way out of jail." In this episode, she teases, it's "a little more more of the same and some double crossing as usual." One thing has definitely changed since the last time Erica was around, though. Now Jane and Lisbon are a romantic item, which is something Flynn is going to have a lot of fun with if the above teaser is any indication. "The Mentalist" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. 6 show-runners who've made their mark in TVSix show-runners who've developed a following on Twitter:— Just the mention of the mantra "Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose" makes a "Friday Night Lights" fan gush. Thank Jason Katims for that. He was the head writer and executive producer of the TV series that aired for five seasons until 2011. The show famously struggled in ratings but its fan base remains strong, loyal and devoted. Katims went on to helm another drama (and tearjerker), NBC's "Parenthood," which will air its series finale next year. — Amy Sherman-Palladino created the mother-daughter dramedy "Gilmore Girls" starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel in 2000. She's known for snappy writing, lots of dialogue and pop culture references. Sherman-Palladino and her husband Daniel (who also served as a producer, director and writer) left the series after six seasons because of a botched contract renegotiation. The show remained on the air for one more season and fans still want proper closure (or a movie). — Steve Levitan's award show acceptance speeches have become legendary. When he won an Emmy in 2011 for outstanding comedy series writing, the camera showed his wife in the audience each time he mentioned her in his speech. When he won a directing Emmy in 2012, he began his speech, "First of all, I want to thank me for hiring me as a director when no one else would. I wouldn't be standing here without my faith in me." When Sofia Vergara spoke Spanish while accepting the "Modern Family" Golden Globe for best TV series comedy, Levitan translated her speech "Thank you to the 'Modern Family' writers who are so funny and so sexy. ... They may look pasty and nervous and out of shape but they're the greatest lovers I've ever had." — Joss Whedon created TV shows like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," ''Firefly" and "Dollhouse." He's one of those show-runners whose name alone guarantees a following. — Rob Thomas made history when he helped launch a successful 2013 Kickstarter campaign to fund a "Veronica Mars" movie, taking place nine years after the events of the series finale. Next up: His TV series "iZombie" premieres next year on The CW. — Jenji Kohan created "Orange is the New Black," based on a memoir of the same name, for Netflix. It follows a women's federal prison with a diverse cast of actresses. Its third season premieres next year. Larry King Now - Nathan FillionLarry King Now - Nathan Fillion: Watch.Never fear, Lifetime's 'The Red Tent' stays true to the novelLifetime is dedicating two nights to adapting "The Red Tent," a 1997 novel about the wives of Jacob in biblical times by Anita Diamant.Of course, there's always a fear when books are adapted into movies that the finished product won't stay loyal to the source material. That doesn't seem to be the case for "The Red Tent," though. With two nights to tell the story, star Morena Baccarin says they got it right. Speaking to Zap2it, Baccarin says, "It's very close to the book," which should make fans happy. In fact, she's one of those fans herself. The actress, who most recently starred on "Homeland," was already very familiar with the book when she was called about the movie. "So when they offered it to me I was excited," she says. For those who may be unfamiliar with the novel, Baccarin admits that it's "a total chick book page-turner." However, she adds, "I think guys will also get a kick out of it because of the crazy and passionate love affairs and betrayals between family members and all of that." As a fan, what was her favorite part of the experience, though? "The best part of shooting this was the relationships," she says. "I really love the relationships between all of the sisters and between Jacob and myself and Dinah, who I kind of help and support throughout this." "The Red Tent" premieres Sunday, Dec. 7 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Lifetime. TV Guide Magazine's Fan Favorites AwardsFavorite Drama: OutlanderFavorite Comedy: The Big Bang Theory Favorite Actor: Nathan Fillion, Castle Favorite Actress: Stana Katic, Castle Favorite Sci-fi/Fantasy Show: Arrow Favorite Horror Show: The Walking Dead Favorite Reality Competition Show: The Voice Favorite New Show: The Flash Favorite Villain: Regina/Evil Queen, Once Upon a Time Favorite Duo: Claire and Jamie, Outlander Favorite Guilty Pleasure: Syfy movies 'Newsreaders' Alan Tudyk: Rob Corddry is 'homicidal,' 'Firefly' Season 2 existsIn the sophomore season of Adult Swim's "Newsreaders," Reagan Biscayne shakes things up a bit by taking over hosting duties. Of course, Louis La Fonda will be missed -- remember the time he interviewed Kate Walsh? -- but that's not going to stop the new kid on the block from shining. Oh, by the way, that new kid on the block is played by Alan Tudyk. Maybe you've heard of him.Zap2it chatted with Tudyk about his new gig and learned some pretty interesting things. Namely, that everyone everywhere should probably fear The Corddry and that there is an alternative universe in which "Firefly" Season 2 exists. Zap2it: What drew you to the role of Reagan Biscayne? Were you a fan of Newsreaders before joining the show, or was it mostly the creative pedigree behind it? I was a fan of "Newsreaders" first season. I didn't need any education as to what the job would be. I knew Rob Corddry's reputation of being a really nice guy was a lie, but I still took the job. He's homicidal. Seriously, someone needs to start digging up his backyard for victims. It won't take long before shovel hits bone. David Wain keeps Corddry in under control, I think with blackmail and pills. Jim Margolis who ran "The Daily Show" for so many years is the main producer on "Newsreaders." He provides the credibility. He is the one that got me through. God bless that man. Since you were coming into a somewhat pre-established show with this being the second season of Newsreaders, was there an adjustment period? Or was coming into the show the same as it would have been if it were your first day on a brand new series? There was an adjustment period. Mather Zickel, who played Louis LaFonda, left some big shoes to fill. Luckily, I was experiencing a lot of excess fluid build-up in my lower extremities due to a crap liver. That, plus a pair of really thick socks and suddenly the shoes fit. It was hell covering the jaundice with make-up though. Without giving away too much, what would you say is your favorite segment or bit this season? I beat Steve Little's character in one episode. I put him in the hospital. It's a little twisted, and a lot of fun. The trailer gives that much away so I'm pretty safe there. You bring a slightly different vibe to the show as Reagan Biscayne than Mather Zickel did as Louis La Fonda. What would you say is the biggest difference between the two host characters? Mather brought a swarthy, dark, mysterious, edgy intensity to the role where as I depend on a winning yet beleaguered charm, much like that of a counselor at an away camp for troubled teens. Also, I'm one year younger than he is. So, youth. I bring youth. You're on a deserted island that, for some reason, will allow you watch one TV show -- past or present -- whenever you want for as long as you're on the island. (Which is eternity.) What is the show? Isn't there a Bear Grylls show called "So you're stuck on an island you poor bastard." If not, I guess "Strangers With Candy." Or, I still haven't seen "Breaking Bad" and there is like five seasons of that one. Maybe that one. Wait, I know. I'd take Season 2 of "Firefly." An all new Newsreaders airs on Adult Swim at midnight ET/PT on November 26. CASTLE: Bad Santa“Bad Santa” – When an ER physician is gunned down in the street, Castle and Beckett soon discover that the victim was a mob doctor to a Mafia family run by an old friend of Castle's. Also, against the backdrop of Christmas, Esposito and Lanie reach a defining moment in their relationship, on “Castle,” MONDAY, DECEMBER 8 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Carole Gutierrez as Dr. Deb Lander, Larry Poindexter as Det. McBride, Vincent Spano as Christopher Carlucci, Mo Gallini as Rocco Carducci, Paul Ben-Victor as Dino Scarpella, Alex Frnka as Jane Scarpella. “Bad Santa” was written by Chad Gomez Creasey & Dara Resnik Creasey and directed by Bill Roe. Castle: Kill Switch (11/24)“Kill Switch” – When subway passengers, including Detective Esposito, are taken hostage by a mysterious gunman, Castle, Beckett and the team must uncover the gunman's agenda before it’s too late, on “Castle,” MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Will Rothhaar as Jared Stone, Maya Stojan as Tory Ellis, Nathan Anderson as Brent Reeves, Wendy Braun as Carol Jarvis. “Kill Switch” was written by David Amann and directed by Jeannot Szwarc. 2015 People's Choice Awards: TV NomineesMom stars Allison Janney and Anna Faris will host the live awards ceremony, which will air on CBS on Wednesday, Jan. 7, at 9/8c.Favorite Crime Drama TV Actor Favorite TV Duo Castle: Once Upon a Time in the West (11/17)“Once Upon A Time in the West” – When Castle and Beckett learn that a murder victim may have been poisoned at an Old West-style resort, they visit the resort posing as newlyweds to uncover the truth, on “Castle,” MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Sarah Butler as Whitney Williams, Hector Hank as Dr. Neville, Tyler Hilton as Tobias, Keith Szarabajka as James Grady. “Once Upon A Time in the West” was written by Terence Winter and directed by Alrick Riley. 'Firefly' Actress Summer Glau -- My Stalker Burns Incense and Demands Money!A star from "Firefly" claims an obsessed fan has been at her doorstep, demanding a million bucks and burning incense around the perimeter of her property ... so she ran to court for protection.Summer Glau -- who's also been featured in "Arrow" and "Sequestered" -- claims Gary Gin came to her house in February and said he wrote the sequel to "Serenity" and demanded $1 million for his work. Summer -- who is 6-months pregnant -- says in legal docs her fiance confronted the guy. But Gin didn't leave. Instead, the 33-year-old actress claims he burned incense around her house to make a statement. But that wasn't all. She claims 3 weeks later she got a package and when she opened it it looked like a bomb ... filled with bird feathers, tree branches, wires and bones. She included a 4-page letter she received from him, in which he says, "Relying on telepathy to communicate with you has been problematic for me." He wanted an in-person chitchat. The judge saw it Summer's way, and granted a restraining order. ON ABC'S "CASTLE" (11/10)"The Time of Our Lives" -- A murder investigation launches Castle into what seems to be an alternate universe where he's never met Kate Beckett. Castle has to convince Beckett, Esposito and Ryan -- now complete strangers -- to let him participate in their investigation so he can find his way back to his own world. This inspires Castle & Beckett to finally take a trip to the altar, on “Castle,” MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Julian Scott Urena as Renzo Conrad, David Francis Harris as Mathias Gensler, Jeffrey Nordling as Marcus Lark, Scott Paulin as Jim Beckett. “The Time of Our Lives” was written by Terri Edda Miller and directed by Paul Holahan. Morena Baccarin Joins 'Gotham' CastFollowing her acclaimed performance on Homeland, which earned her an Emmy nomination, Morena Baccarin is returning to her genre roots with a role on Fox’s Gotham. She has joined the cast of the Batman universe drama as a recurring this season and is slated to become a regular in Season 2.She will play Dr. Leslie Thompkins, a gifted and dedicated physician who was a friend of Bruce Wayne’s parents, Thomas and Martha. She is determined to use her skills to aid Gotham’s most in need, which currently means working at the newly opened Arkham Asylum’s Home for the Criminally Insane. In addition to her medical skills, her coolness under pressure will serve her well as she finds herself drawn close to James Gordon and into more and more dangerous waters. This marks Baccarin’s return to Fox where she co-starred on Joss Wheden’s Firefly. It was one of several cult sci-fi series Baccarin is known for, including Stargate SG-1 and V, which was produced by Warner Bros. TV, the studio behind Gotham. She is repped by UTA, Seven Summits and JTWAMM. Castle First Look: Castle and Beckett Encounter... The Invisible Man?!Things are slowly getting back to normal on Castle.After dedicating much of Season 7's first two episodes to the investigation surrounding the (still mostly unsolved) disappearance of Castle (Nathan Fillion) on his wedding day, Monday's episode (10/9c, ABC) is going back to basics: Castle helps Beckett (Stana Katic) solve a strange murder by offering up outlandish theories. But based on the exclusive sneak peek from the episode below, Castle's latest theory might not be so outlandish after all. When Castle and Beckett investigate the death of a pool shark, all evidence points to a killer with supernatural abilities — aka The Invisible Man. When the duo follows up on their only lead, they each seem to have their very own up close and personal encounter. "The Invisible Man is real!" Castle squeals with a mixture of fear and delight in the clip below. And this time, it's hard for Beckett to argue. But has the killer made off with Castle and Beckett's only clue after the attack? Click here to find out. Castle airs Mondays at 10/9c on ABC. Castle: Child's Play (10/20)“Child’s Play” – When an ice cream vender is shot, evidence leads Beckett and Castle to believe that an unknown second-grader may have vital information about the case. Castle goes undercover at an elementary school to try and identify the second-grader but nothing goes as planned, on “Castle,” MONDAY, OCTOBER 20 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Sergei Vetotchkin as Elya Baskin, Bess Rous as Natalie Barnes, David Barrera as Principal Silva, Rachel Eggleston as Emily. “Child’s Play” was written by Rob Hanning and directed by Rob Bowman. Castle: "Clear & Present Danger" (10/13)“Clear & Present Danger” – When a pool shark is murdered by an unseen force, Castle and Becket uncover evidence that the killer may have paranormal powers. Meanwhile, Castle and Beckett attempt to get their lives back to normal following his disappearance, on “Castle,” MONDAY, OCTOBER 13 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Nick McCallum as William Fairwick, Tate Ellington as Henry Wright, Tom Wright as Fats Shepherd, Maya Stojan as Tory Ellis, Chad Michael Collins as Tom Talmadge. “Clear & Present Danger” was written by Chad Gomez Creasey & Dara Resnik Creasey and directed by Kate Woods. Castle: "Montreal" (10/6)“Montreal” – While the team investigates the murder of a toy company CEO, Castle uncovers a lead to his mysterious disappearance, launching him into a dangerous investigation of his own, on “Castle,” MONDAY, OCTOBER 6 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Matt Letscher as Jenkins, Maya Stojan as Tory Ellis, Lilli Birdsell as Samantha Williger, Gina Ravera as Marsha Stoller, and Brian Tichnell as Matt Monroe. “Montreal” was written by Andrew W. Marlowe and directed by Alrick Riley. 'Castle' Season 7 premiere: Did Castle ditch his wedding?The "Castle" Season 7 premiere was on fire! Literally it picked up right where Season 6 left off -- with a fiery car crash. Afterwards we got just a little taste of Beckett's trauma as she came upon the terrible scene. Turns out Castle wasn't in the car and actually abducted by some men in a black SUV.Beckett is both relieved and bewildered at this news. So she devotes all of her time to figuring out what happened to Castle. It doesn't seem like a lot of time has passed before he is spotted again, but apparently he has been missing for two months. Then we see the first signs he was in on the whole thing. Castle in the flesh dropping off a large sum of cash. Things really start to get crazy when the man, the myth, the legend himself washes ashore in a dinghy unconscious. Also he doesn't remember a thing about being missing and boy did he do a lot in those two months. Most notably he camped by a lake surrounded by newspaper articles about him being missing with his wedding tuxedo safely tucked in a bag. F.B.I. agent Conners raises a point to Beckett that gets the wheels turning-- maybe there's a secret side to Castle that nobody knows. It is hard to believe that Castle would stage his own disappearance, but it isn't totally impossible. Maybe you changed your mind halfway through the episode or maybe you only thought it at the beginning, but admit it -- did you start to believe even for a second Castle ditched his own wedding? CASTLE: Driven - SEASON PREMIERE (9/29)“Driven” – In the Season 6 finale, as Richard Castle drove to his much-anticipated nuptials, an ominous black SUV bore down on him. Meanwhile, after waiting in vain for Castle to arrive at the wedding, Beckett was called to an accident scene to find Castle’s car in a ravine, engulfed in flames. Who or what caused the car crash? Is there any way Castle could have survived? The episode will pick-up at the scene of that accident, right where the finale left off, in a premiere that promises to put Beckett through the toughest case of her career. Season 7 of “Castle” begins on MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET/PT) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle with Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers. Guest Cast: Maya Stojan as Tory Ellis, Ryan Sands as Sgt. Taggert, Jon Lindstrom as Agent Connors, Don Stark as Vincent “The Scar” Cardano, Matt Letscher as Henry Jenkins. “Driven” was written by David Amann and directed by Rob Bowman. Castle First Look: Season 7 Poster Tells a Story of a Bride... and GloomThe bride wore… a look of concern, in TVLine’s exclusive first look at the key art for Season 7 of Castle.When the ABC swerves left off in May, bride Kate Beckett’s walk down the aisle was detoured by an urgent phone call, alerting her to the fact that husband-to-be Rick Castle’s car had been found on a roadside, engulfed in flames. Season 6 closed with Kate racing to the scene, in her wedding dress, to witness firsthand the wreck. Season 7 (premiering Monday, Sept. 29 at 10/9c) picks up immediately thereafter, with Kate making at least one key discovery about the “deadly” crash. Check out the Season 7 poster, then share your latest theories on what exactly happened to Rick: Poster. 'Firefly' lives on in new Yahtzee board game(Photo) You can't take the sky from fans of "Firefly" who want to own all the collectibles there are to own related to the series. That's why they should be thrilled that USAopoly is releasing a "Firefly" collector's edition Yahtzee game, replete with a collectible Serenity ship cup.The board game will be available in September and cost $49.95. Meanwhile, plans for a "Firefly" version of Clue are on the way as well. Now whose arm do we have to twist for "Firefly" Monopoly? First Look: Nathan Fillion Guest Stars on Disney XD's Gravity FallsPerhaps Richard Castle can solve the spooky mystery of Gravity Falls. On Monday's episode of the hit Disney XD animated series, Castle star Nathan Fillion makes a guest appearance.Fillion plays Preston Northwest, the father of local tween Pacifica — who's an archrival of Mabel Pines (Kristen Schaal). In the episode "The Golf War," Mabel challenges Pacifica to a rousing game of miniature golf. Things get out of hand, however, when a group of local residents — the Lilliputians — offer their help. Also guest starring is Patton Oswalt (The Goldbergs) as Franz, one of the Lilliputian leaders. Grunkle Stan, Dipper and Mabel Pines returned to Gravity Falls for a second season. A mix of Twin Peaks, The X-Files, Lost and Scooby Doo, the mysterious world of Gravity Falls was created by Alex Hirsch. Hirsch, Jason Ritter, Kristen Schaal and Linda Cardellini star. "The Golf War" airs Monday, Aug. 11 at 9:30/8:30c. Here's a first-look at the episode: video. Mentalist Femme Fatale ReturnsReady your resolve, Patrick Jane, because a certain seductress is coming back to The Mentalist.Homeland alumna Morena Baccarin will reprise her role as sexy sociopath Erika Flynn — who previously manipulated and seduced Jane — on the CBS drama’s upcoming seventh season, EW.com reports. Erika appears in Episode 3 when she agrees to help Jane and the CIA in exchange for a pardon on the murder charges she’s still facing and the chance to return to the US. However, Erika has agendas of her own, one of which may or may not include getting between Jane and Lisbon. The Mentalist is slated for a midseason return. Nathan Fillion vs. Justin Bieber: Alan Tudyk describes their Halo conflict(Video) Justin Bieber. He's not the most beloved person among celebrities. In addition to the recent fight between the pop star and actor Orlando Bloom, there's now word that Nathan Fillion ( "Castle") shut down Bieber when the latter wanted to play all of the Halo games.Alan Tudyk, Fillion's former "Firefly" co-star, shares the story in a video from the 2014 Nerd HQ panel during Comic-Con. You can watch the story for yourself beginning at the 28:45 mark in the video or just check out the gist of the story below: "There was like the VIP area, and Nathan and I were on a computer playing Halo." Tudyk explains after being asked about his favorite video game. "Bieber comes in with his crew, and they were like, 'Excuse me' -- to Nathan -- 'You need to go! Justin Bieber's here.' And he's playing on a system over there. There's like five or six systems. 'Justin Bieber's here. He needs this room by himself.' And Nathan goes, 'Yeah, yeah. That's not happening.'" Presumably, the men got to continue their game. Joss Whedon biography: Read Nathan Fillion's forewordIn case the concept of an authorized biography of Joss Whedon wasn't enough for you, Nathan Fillion -- star of "Firefly" and frequent Whedonverse actor -- wrote the foreword for the book. Read the expert in which Fillion extols the virtues of the man behind "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "The Avengers" and much more.As for the book as a whole, "Joss Whedon: The Biography" was written by Amy Pascale and features interviews with Whedon and many of those around him. It was released on Friday (Aug. 1). My generation, we were kind of raised on the super-cool, "I can handle anything" with a gun in his hand hero. Any situation you throw at him, he can handle it -- with catchphrases. It was very cool. But Joss Whedon's version of a hero doesn't always win. He loses more than he wins, and when he wins, the victories are tiny, but he takes 'em. "That's a victory! I call that a victory!" It's a tiny victory -- he takes it, and that's what he walks away with. And that's something I can actually relate to. That's something that people can relate to -- because that's actually life. I don't know a lot of people who win more than they lose. Life is kind of a losing proposition as you go. It's not all winning lotteries every day. It's a lot of "What do I do with this problem? Now how do I handle this?" I think people can relate easier to someone who isn't prepared to handle every single situation, and everything comes out roses and their way, and all they've got to do is be cool. We don't have that in real life. A friend of mine once told me that what he finds so satisfying about Joss Whedon is his way of telling stories. As a society, we are incredibly story literate: We know story. This is the hero; this is the villain. This is the denouement; this is where the twist comes; this is where the learning experience is; this is where the turn is. We know story. He said, "Joss Whedon will give you a story twist. But instead of twisting it to the story tradition that we know, he twists it and says, 'That's what happens in stories. This is what happens in real life. This is how real life went.'" I described Joss to a friend as we were on our way over to his house for a party. And she's heard me tell stories over the years about this fellow. We went to his house, we had a great time, and on the way home, she said, "You know, I got to say, from your description of the kind of guy this guy is, and from all the stories you've told me -- I expected him to be six two, chiseled jaw, long, wavy golden hair and bright blue eyes and gleaming teeth, and just chesty and ..." The guy, she said, "when you describe him, he's so heroic." And yeah, he is. He's heroic like that. 'Firefly' full cast - including Alan Tudyk - is reuniting for new project(Video) The "Firefly" gang is getting back together 11 years after the show went off the air. Following 2013's 10-year anniversary reunion special, the cast of the beloved yet short-lived Joss Whedon show will be working together again on the "Firefly Online" game.io9 reports it was announced at Comic-Con 2014 that stars Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Summer Glau, Gina Torres, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Sean Maher and Ron Glass will all be reprising their "Firefly" roles for the RPG project, which is currently in development. Tudyk will reportedly voice several characters, while Michael Fairman will again play the crime lord Niska. Watch the trailer above, and more information about the video game can be found at its website. "Firefly" was canceled by FOX in 2003, but has found a cult following in the decade since. Whedon brought the gang back together for the 2005 movie "Serenity," and "Firefly" has also lived on in comic book form. Castle's Nathan Fillion Asks: 'How Much Longer Can We Make People Wait for a Wedding?'(Video) Nathan Fillion laughs in the general direction of your suggestion that he was concerned about Rick Castle’s fate, as soon as he got wind of the Season 6 finale.“I wasn’t really worried,” the star of ABC’s Castle told Michael Ausiello during his visit to TVLine’s San Diego Comic-Con video suite. With the season-ending car crash feeding into a new piece of series mythology, “I think it’s going to be fun.” Having brought Rick and Kate together, the show reached a point of, “What now?” he notes. “We need a new reason to come back and face a new season,” he says, and with the Sept. 29 premiere already on the books, “So far, so good.” Turning to the Castle faithful’s latest recurring mantra — with one marriage ceremony up in flames, when will “Caskett” say ‘I do’?!” — Fillion says he himself wonders, “How much longer can we make people wait for a wedding?” Also in this video Q&A: Fillion ponders for how many more years Castle might run (might it match Bones‘ longevity?), reflects on the recent Firefly reunion he took part in and reveals the handful of TV shows he’d love to guest-star on next. 'The Last Ship' Season 2 teased at Comic-Con 2014: Panel report"The Last Ship" made its San Diego Comic-Con debut on Thursday, July 24, 2014. Resident Con-favorite Adam Baldwin was the clear MVP of a panel that also included stars Eric Dane, Rhona Mitra, Travis Van Winkle, Charles Parnell, executive producers Hank Steinberg and Steven Kane and director Jack Bender.Steinberg teases that each of the final five episodes of Season 1 will have "a different feel, a different texture, a different tone" than the first half of the season. There will be big action episodes and smaller emotional ones, with the Russians returning ("but we handle them," Dane promises), XO Slattery taking over the ship (briefly) and a concern that someone on the ship is sick. "We're also going to see what the world looks like and what these guys have to do with this new reality," Kane says. "It's a world-building thing." But even with Season 1 going a new route, it's the finale that fans should really be excited for. "Season 1 ends with a complete cliffhanger turn that upends the whole series," Steinberg says. "It drives the series to a whole new direction." Kane adds that Season 2 features "a whole new palate and a whole new set of problems and adventures." Looking back at Season 1, the EPs are very happy about the cast they lined up for the TNT hit. "We wanted the audience to say, 'If this ever happened in real life, I want to be on that ship with that captain,'" Kane says. "By the end of the season, or even early in, [the characters] become individuals and people you care about -- and that's our hope." Bender elaborates, "I think this show is about hope. ... How do we survive in a really dangerous, complicated world, which we certainly know today with what's going on in the Middle East." Baldwin and Dane discuss how important it was for the cast to do the Navy justice with the characters that they play. "We want to honor those that serve," Baldwin says. "Everyone's involved has seen that that's what our goal is." The cast and crew is happy about their "adventure show of the summer," as Kane says, and are obviously optimistic about the future. "I hope it lasts and we sail for 10 years," Baldwin says. "The Last Ship" airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on TNT. First Look: Jesse Bradford and Summer Glau in Crackle's Legal Thriller SequesteredThe jury's in on Crackle's new legal thriller Sequestered, which stars Summer Glau (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) as a juror forced to choose between her beliefs and the safety of her family.The show also stars Jesse Bradford (Bring It On) as an attorney who discovers a big conspiracy as he defends a man accused of murdering the 8-year-old son of a state governor (Patrick Warburton). Shawn Ku (Beautiful Boy) and Kevin Tancharoen (Mortal Kombat: Legacy) are the directors. Six episodes will premiere on Aug. 5, followed by another six episodes on Oct. 14. Here's a first look at Sequestered: Video. TNT renews 'The Last Ship,' 'Falling Skies' and 'Major Crimes'TNT has ordered another season of three of its hit summer dramas."Falling Skies" has received an order for 10-episode fifth and final season, which will see the post-alien invasion group of survivors wrap up their story in 2015. Also receiving renewal are freshman program "The Last Ship" and "The Closer" spinoff "Major Crimes." The second season of "The Last Ship" is receiving a 13-episode order, up from 10 for its first season, and "Major Crimes" is getting a 15-episode Season 4. All three dramas are among the Top 5 scripted series in viewers and adults 25-54 on basic cable this summer and have helped make TNT as the No. 1 basic cable network so far in summer 2014 in both viewers and its target demo. "TNT's refreshed and recharged drama brand is soaring this summer, and that is due in large part to these three enormously popular dramas," says president of programming for TNT Michael Wright. "'The Last Ship' has become this summer's top drama among key adult demos with its epic scale and visceral storytelling. 'Major Crimes' continues to be one of the most enduring and popular crime-drama franchises on television. And 'Falling Skies' has begun an ambitious and thrilling story arc this summer as it sets the stage for next year's climactic final season." TNT's summer dramas continue in August, with new drama "Legends" and returning dramedy "Franklin & Bash" premiering on Aug. 13 and "Dallas" premiering its third season on Aug. 18. Joss Whedon Gives Us a Firefly Drawing-Is Dollhouse Next?(Pic) Joss Whedon is at it again, this time with a Firefly drawing.Whedon, he of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly and Dollhouse fame, made headlines when he gave the world new Buffy content on a napkin. He's followed up that napkin, which we'd all like to obviously own, with a Firefly doodle he tweeted titled "Firefly: The New Lame Drawing." It's everything. Firefly lasted one season on Fox, but in a rare Whedonverse move it got a feature film, Serenity, after cancellation Like Buffy, Serenity/Firefly has a comic book series from Dark Horse. What drawing could be next from Whedon? Dollhouse? Perhaps another show he worked on, but didn't create, like Roseanne? Oh, the possibilities. Whedon is currently working on the sequel to the Avengers. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which Whedon is an executive producer on, will return for a second season on ABC. Petition for these drawings to be on display at Comic-Con starts...now. 'The Last Ship's' Adam Baldwin: Death, destruction and the NavyThere's a lot of death coming in "The Last Ship." A huge percentage of the Earth's population has been infected by a killer virus, and only one U.S. Navy ship has the key to a vaccine that could save the world. Adam Baldwin ("Chuck," "Firefly") plays the executive officer of that ship, Mike Slattery.How can one ship save the world? Why is something like this so very engrossing? What is Baldwin's take on a possible catastrophe like this? Find out in Zap2it's interview with Baldwin. With the stakes so high -- literally the fate of the human race -- how are a bunch of normal military sailors supposed to cope? Baldwin attributes their success to training and the structure of the Navy. "The cool thing is that the structure within the Navy is such that there are rules and protocols in place that you have civil order maintained just by training," Baldwin says. "So how do you not let that break down with the crew onboard the ship, wanting to get back home, wanting to save their families, but also realizing that there is a higher purpose. Which is saving the world." As the executive officer, Slattery is the near-equal of Captain Tom Chandler (Eric Dane) and is in-charge of much on the ship. But that doesn't mean he trusts everyone onboard. A big exception is Dr. Rachel Scott (Rhona Mitra), a scientist working to create the much-needed vaccine. "Can Slattery trust her? And how do we go about that? How does that relationship develop? That's a very interesting relationship too, how that goes forward," Baldwin explains. Baldwin and the other actors didn't just use their imaginations in creating their Navy characters -- the pilot episode was actually filmed on an active Navy vessel. In describing that experience, Baldwin is almost overwhelmed at how impressive it was. "Those ships are -- let me just say, I'm glad they're on our side," he concludes. While giving credit to the military characters of "The Last Ship," Baldwin thinks he might try to emulate them if this science-fiction were to become fact. "I guess I'm bit of a fatalist. I have faith in God, so I think that it's in his hands. But I would maintain the charge and the mission of the people that were directly under me at that time," the actor says. "So I would stay aboard to save the world. That's what I would do. Sorry honey! Sorry kids! That's my call. Don't tell my wife ..." Hopefully she is OK with saving the world. Either way, world-saving is what happens when "The Last Ship" premieres Sunday, June 22 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on TNT. 'Guardians of the Galaxy': Nathan Fillion cameo confirmed by James Gunn"Guardians of the Galaxy" already boasts a stellar cast, anchored by Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista and the voices of Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper. Now you can add one more to the list in the form of "Castle" star Nathan Fillion.But the reports of him playing Nova, a frequent ally of Pratt's Star-Lord, are "greatly exaggerated," writes director James Gunn on Twitter. But he does confirm that Fillion "has a very small fun cameo he did as a favor to me." The two previously worked together on "Super" and "Slither." So, who do you think Fillion will play? Let the speculating begin, Marvel universe fans. There are a lot of fans online who want to see Fillion reprise his role of Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds from "Firefly," which could be possible since "Firefly" creator Joss Whedon is now kind of the Marvel universe guru. But it probably depends on who actually owns the rights to the character. Either way, Nathan Fillion has teased for Hypable that his cameo may be part of the credits sequence at the end, so don't leave your seats too early, moviegoers. "Guardians of the Galaxy" opens nationwide Friday, Aug. 1. Suits: Jessica's Getting Some - But What Does That Mean for the Firm?Turns out Jessica holds "morning meetings" too.On Suits' season premiere last week, Jessica (Gina Torres) was revealed to be in a secret relationship with SEC prosecutor-turned-Pearson Specter employee Jeff Malone (D.B. Woodside). And if you ask Torres, it's been a long time coming. "It's about time!" she tells TVGuide.com. "I've been waiting patiently for four seasons. [Creator Aaron Korsh and I] had been talking about a love interest for Jessica for a couple of seasons. It was really important that when that happened that it be the right guy, a guy who's worthy of Jessica. You wait so long to see something happen. Whenever I did an interview, every time I discussed her life, people who had been watching — so little was known about Jessica, but they did know that whoever steps to her has definitely got to be a formidable person." Malone is definitely that. Assigned to investigate Pearson Specter on behalf of U.S. Attorney Eric Woodall, Malone leveraged it into a gig at Pearson Specter to spend more time with Jessica. She agreed, but only if they stop seeing each other. Folding Malone into the firm was the only logical way to approach this love affair, according to Korsh. "It wouldn't work as well for us if he wasn't part of our world," he says. "This way, like we have with all our characters, we'll see her personal life through her professional life." With Mike (Patrick J. Adams) gone from the firm, Louis (Rick Hoffman) and Sheila (Rachael Harris) broken up, Donna (Sarah Rafferty) still single, and Harvey (Gabriel Macht) letting Scottie (Abigail Spencer) go last season, Jessica and Malone will be the sole intra-firm couple. It's also one that, Torres believes, has yet to be portrayed on the show. "It's also exciting because it's not a story line we've seen yet. With Mike and Rachel [Meghan Markle], it's a young, hot puppy love," she says. "With Sheila and Louis, it was an adult love, but there was so much humor and quirkiness. With Harvey and Scottie, he was figuring out how to be in a relationship. Here's an opportunity to see a different kind of love story that is very much planted in an adult world. What is it going to be like for them to work together? I'm very curious to see that myself. We are just finishing up our fifth episode and he's still around." Suffice it to say, Jessica's wish not to mix business with pleasure will be easier said than done. She has, after all, been divorced, which will have her second-guessing herself. "She doesn't want to make that mistake again. I don't think the audience is the only one who's been waiting for her to date," Torres says. "The insight that you do get into her, you realize that she has sacrificed a lot of things for her career. All these things have fallen to the wayside because of her commitment to her job. There's always an opportunity to reshuffle the deck and see, 'Where am I now? Are the choices I made 10 years ago true?' Here's an opportunity to explore that." Things will only be more complicated, though, once Woodall inevitably replaces Malone to go after the firm again, which will put a strain on the duo — and perhaps even Pearson Specter. "They are also working on repairing and protecting their firm, not just what their relationship is, so it's, what's more important?" Torres says. "We know the firm is important to Jessica, but now is she willing to put something else before it? And if she does, what will that mean for the firm? The first three seasons, we saw her do things to survive. I want to say that she has a different approach." But no matter what happens work-wise, the actress hopes that the couple is built to last. "I hope they last! Maybe that's just me, Gina Torres, talking because I love a good love story. It's time she got a love story," she says. "That doesn't mean we won't have conflict. We're not afraid of this love story. It's also 'be careful what you ask for.' I think he's gonna see a side of her that he wasn't expecting and they're going to have to figure out what that means. I think, quite frankly, Jessica is an expert at relationships. If she can put up with Harvey and Louis and find places in her heart for Mike Ross, why wouldn't she find room in her life for Jeff if this is the type of thing that she wants and believes in?" Suits airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on USA. Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk Among Cast Set For Adult Swim's 'Team Unicorn' Pilot From Robot Chicken DuoProduction is underway on the Team Unicorn Saturday Action Fun Hour! pilot for Adult Swim. Penned by Dan Milano (Greg The Bunny) and inspired by the Team Unicorn cartoons, the pilot is described as a modern twist on Saturday morning-style cartoon/live-action hybrid shows, but for adults. It follows the adventures of the four mythical heroines who masquerade as human girls. Danger Maiden Prods’ Clare Grant and Rileah Vanderbilt executive produce and star alongside original Team Unicorn member Milynn Sarley (How I Met Your Mother) and Alison Haislip (Attack Of The Show) as both Team Unicorn and their cartoon counterparts. Jane Lynch (Glee, Hollywood Game Night) voices the villainous Dark Puba; Alan Tudyk (Suburgatory) voices her sidekick, Chummy Cherub; Tara Strong (The Fairly OddParents) voices Billy, the boy with the ability to summon Team Unicorn; and Kevin Shinick (Mad) is the show’s announcer. Robot Chicken creators Seth Green and Matthew Senreich serve as executive producers for Stoopid Buddy Stoodios. Green is directing the pilot.Danger Maiden Productions was formed in 2009 when Grant and Vanderbilt wrote/produced and starred in the viral video Saber, which won Best Action and the Audience Awards at the Lucasfilm Fan Awards. Recently they completed the trilogy, which has racked up more than 7 million views collectively. Team Unicorn first was introduced to geek and female empowerment fans in 2010 via G33K & G4M3R Girls, written and produced by its original members. The viral-video sensation captured a million views in its first week as a geek-centric parody of Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” music video. Other Team Unicorn videos include Alien Beach Crashers, SuperHarmony, A Very Zombie Holiday and For The Win. Full 2013-2014 TV Season Series RankingsNBC has won the 2013-14 TV season — but you already knew that — with Sunday Night Football finishing the season as the No. 1 show in primetime in total viewers (21.528 million viewers) and among adults 18-49 (9.971 million viewers), based on Live+Same Day data from Nielsen. NBC’s The Blacklist and ABC’s Resurrection are the only freshman series to make the Demo Top 1o List for the season that officially wrapped last night. And Blacklist alone makes the Total Viewer Top 10 among newbies. Historically, Fox’s American Idol fell off both lists, making room for adds. In its defense, Idol’s two nights landed in the Top 20 in the demo — and Top 25 in total viewers — which puts it ahead of most broadcast primetime programming. Meanwhile, CBS’ The Big Bang Theory, in its seventh season, maintained its No. 2 status in overall audience (19.960 million viewers) and the demo (7.88 million), and rose to No. 2 in the demo — behind only NBC’s football in both.Sunday Night Football mopped up this season — the franchise not only finished No. 1 for the season, in 2+ and the demo, but also among adults 18-34 and 25-54 — which included season wins not only with men 18-49, 18-34 and 25-54 but also with women 18-34 and 18-49. NBC also notes that 12 SNF games averaged at least 20 million viewers, tying the network’s Sochi Winter Olympics for most primetime telecasts with an average of 20 million viewers tuned in (not including pre-/post-shows). As usual, the TV Season Rankers Lists are full of inequities. ABC’s Resurrection, for instance, makes the Demo Top 10 (and barely misses the Total Viewer Top 10 at No. 11), in part because it ran zero repeats in its time slot; other freshman dramas saw their season averages tugged downward by encore-episode ratings in their slots. I know — cry me a river. Yes, we did not include pre- and post-game shows — and yes, we went with actuals in the demo this year, eliminating all those pesky three- and four-way ties. And yes, the lists are a bit beauty-pageant, given that a series’ success tends not to be based on whether it finished the season as the country’s 33rd-most-watched series, but whether it improved the network’s ratings performance in its time slot, how much it costs to make, who owns it, ancillary market potential, etc. Even so, we love our lists. Check them out: here. TNT's 'Last Ship' wins fans aboard a Navy ship(Photo) To help kick off his new TNT thriller, "The Last Ship," actor Adam Baldwin took an overnight sea cruise.On Tuesday afternoon, Baldwin was flown by helicopter to the deck of the USS Oak Hill off New York City, where, with the Navy, TNT was hosting a sneak preview of his series' first episode for the nearly 400-strong crew and several hundred more servicemen and women along for the ride. The Oak Hill was one of five military vessels that would dock in New York on Wednesday for the start of Fleet Week that celebrates the Navy, Coast Guard and Marines. But before the Oak Hill's proud arrival in New York harbor, Baldwin kept busy posing for photos with his shipmates, chatting them up and thanking them for their service, and inspecting their brawny LSD (dock landing ship) as it held position some 4 miles out, in waiting mode for Fleet Week to begin. If Baldwin took no time getting his sea legs, no wonder. On "The Last Ship," he plays Navy officer Mike Slattery, the second-in-command to Capt. Tom Chandler (Eric Dane) on a Navy destroyer that, by chance, evades a pandemic that kills much of the world's population. The only hope of saving what's left of humanity rests on Slattery and Chandler, the crew of the USS Nathan James, and especially Rachel Scott (played by Rhona Mitra), a crack paleomicrobiologist who, fortunately, is assigned to the ship. The 10-episode season (which starts June 22) was mostly filmed in Los Angeles, but several days' location shooting put Baldwin and his castmates on a pair of Navy destroyers off San Diego. Along with his other credits (including "Chuck," ''Firefly" and "The X-Files"), Baldwin was also a star of the dry-land Vietnam War classic "Full Metal Jacket." This 1987 Stanley Kubrick epic (with Baldwin unforgettable as the pugilistic Marine sergeant Animal Mother) just happened to be playing on the Oak Hill's shipboard video system when Baldwin paid a call on his real-life Navy equivalent, Cmdr. Scott Bowman, the Oak Hill's XO. As the film streamed silently on the TV in Bowman's stateroom (that's "office" for civilians), both men smiled at the screen appreciatively. Baldwin recalled how the film had taken nine long months to shoot. And what did he do during all the downtime? "Smoked cigarettes and played cards." "Just like a real Marine," Bowman joked. One site for that evening's "Last Ship" screening was the Crew Mess, where Baldwin paid tribute to the gathered by declaring, "Without you all doing what you do, we couldn't be free to do what we do." An approving matinee-audience kind of buzz accompanied the episode, but, just a few minutes in, the room erupted with a whoop at the sight of a delicious military no-no: a serviceman and woman (played by Travis Van Winkle and Marissa Neitling) display their secret affair with a passionate smooch. The audience stayed glued through the hour, but never more audibly than in the final moments as Capt. Chandler snaps an emotional salute — bareheaded. In the Navy, you don't salute without a "cover." As the episode ended, Baldwin greeted his fans' "gotcha" roar with a grin and a knowing shrug. "We'll fix that later in the season," he said over the applause of these viewers, clearly onboard. "Our show gets even better!" Morena Baccarin Joins Paul Feig's Melissa McCarthy Comedy 'Spy'Homeland‘s Morena Baccarin is going from her three-season run on the espionage drama to tangling with spies on the big screen. She’s been cast in Fox’s female comedy Spy, writer-director Paul Feig‘s next pic with Bridesmaids and The Heat star Melissa McCarthy. Baccarin, who last year was nominated for an Emmy for her work on Showtime’s Homeland, will play Karen Walker in the pic which has been slated for a Memorial Day 2015 release. Feig is also producing for his Feigco Entertainment banner alongside Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, and Jessie Henderson. Last week he added international stars Nargis Fakhri, Peter Serafinowicz, Bjorn Gustafsson, and Verka Serduchka to the cast, which also includes Jason Statham, Rose Byrne, Jude Law, Bobby Cannavale, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Miranda Hart. Filming began last month in Budapest.Baccarin most recently wrapped filming on ABC’s medical drama pilot Warriors. She’s repped by UTA, Seven Summits Pictures, and Jackoway Tyerman. Trailer: Joss Whedon's 'In Your Eyes'The Avengers helmer Joss Whedon is trying the other end of the spectrum with micro-budget indie relationship drama In Your Eyes, which premiered at Tribeca and is being offered exclusively to viewers via online platform Vimeo. Brin Hill directs the Whedon-penned and -produced pic about an ex-con (Michael Stahl-David) and an East Coast doctor’s wife (Zoe Kazan) who suddenly start sharing an inexplicable metaphysical link. Viewers can watch the trailer which debuted today below and, thanks to the brave new world of digital distribution, can then watch the entire film for $5 via Vimeo on Demand: Video.CASTLE: For Better Or Worse - SEASON FINALE (5/12)“For Better or Worse” -- Castle and Beckett's long-awaited wedding is almost here, but when a shocking surprise threatens to ruin the big day, they are sent on a wild mission filled with masked men, angry bikers and a charming ne'er-do-well from Beckett's past (guest star Eddie McClintock, “Warehouse 13”), on “Castle,” MONDAY, MAY 12 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Eddie McClintock as Rogan O’Leary, Maya Stojan as Tory Ellis, Nicole J. Butler as Cassandra, Doug Simpson as Henry Browning. “For Better or Worse” was written by Terri Edda Miller & Andrew W. Marlowe and directed by John Terlesky. Hot Clip: TV Creators Get Their Close-Up In Docu 'Showrunners'(Watch) JJ Abrams, Matthew Carnahan, Jane Espenson, Hart Hanson, Ronald D. Moore, Kurt Sutter, and Joss Whedon are just some of the powerhouse television creators who appear in new docu Showrunners, from writer/director Des Doyle. Pic is the first feature length film to explore the rising power of the TV showrunner and the behind the scenes process that goes into making a hit show. Doyle brought the WonderCon crowds a taste over the weekend, appearing alongside Steven Molaro (The Big Bang Theory), Espenson (Once Upon a Time, Husbands), Steve Callaghan (Family Guy), John Rogers (Leverage, The Librarians), Andrew Kreisberg (Arrow), Rockne S. O’Bannon (Revolution), Marc Guggenheim (Arrow), Chris Carter (The X-Files, The After), and Showrunners co-producer Ryan Patrick McGuffey to unveil a clip from the film, which you can check out exclusively on Deadline.The Black Sheep Productions, Romark Entertainment, and Junto Entertainment production came together with support from Kickstarter and the Irish Film Board and is produced by John Wallace and Rock Shaink, co-produced by Ryan Patrick McGuffey, and exec produced by Jimmy Nguyen, Jason Rose, and Christof Bove. Submarine is repping US and worldwide rights: CASTLE: Veritas (5/5)“Veritas” -- A secret investigation conducted by Beckett related to her mother's murder goes awry when a man she has been surveilling is killed. When evidence links Beckett to the victim, she and Castle become the targets of a manhunt that puts both of them in grave danger, on “Castle”“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Alex Fernandez as Capt. Marcus Donovan, David Gautreaux as Dr. Oliver Pressing, Tom Billett as Sergio, Chic Daniel as Thomas. “Veritas” was written by Rob Hanning & Terence Paul Winter and directed by Rob Bowman. Joss Whedon releasing film for digital downloadJoss Whedon is releasing a film he wrote as a $5 digital download, bypassing the normal channels of independent film distribution.In a video announcement Sunday following the premiere of the supernatural romance "In Your Eyes" at the Tribeca Film Festival, Whedon says the film will immediately be released online via Vimeo On Demand and InYourEyesMovie.com. The film stars Zoe Kazan and Michael Stahl-David. Whedon penned and produced it. The release will be the second film release for Whedon's "micro studio" Bellwether Productions, following last year's adaptation of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing." Whedon has experimented previously with digital releases. His 2008 miniseries "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" was among the first high-profile Web series. Whedon currently is working on the "Avengers" sequel "Age of Ultron," to be released next year. CASTLE: Law & Boarder (4/28)“Law & Boarder” – When an up-and-coming professional skateboarder is gunned down by a mysterious motorcyclist, Castle and Beckett are thrust into the world of extreme sports, where the death defying stunts aren’t the only thing that’s dangerous, on “Castle,” MONDAY, APRIL 28 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Chase Clarke as Logan Moore, Maya Stojan as Tory Ellis, Anabelle Acosta as Holly, Yani Gellman as Manny Castro. “Law & Boarder” was written by Jim Adler and directed by Tom Wright. CASTLE: That 70's Show (4/21)“That ‘70s Show” – When construction workers find the body of an infamous New York mobster who disappeared in the seventies, Beckett and Castle try to solve this three decade-old Mafia hit. Unfortunately, their only witness is a man who thinks it’s still the 1970’s, so to uncover what he knows, they must play into his delusion, and party like it’s the last days of disco, on “Castle,” MONDAY, APRIL 21 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Jon Polito as Harold Metzger, Richard Portnow as Milt Boyle, Ray Abruzzo as Frank Russo, Gina Hecht as Marie Russo, Dawn Lewis as Yvonne. “That ‘70s Show” was written by David Amann and directed by Kevin Hooks. CASTLE: The Greater Good (3/24)“The Greater Good” – Castle and Beckett investigate the murder of a Wall Street trader, but the case takes a shocking turn when the they discover the victim was an undercover informant for the U.S. Attorney’s office. To complicate matters further, the U.S. attorney involved is Elizabeth Weston (guest star Salli Richardson-Whitfield, “Eureka”), Captain Gates’ estranged sister, on “Castle,” MONDAY, MARCH 24 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Salli Richardson-Whitfield as U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Weston, Laurie Fortier as U.S. Attorney Stephanie Goldmark, Rosie Garcia as Maria Cordero, Kevin Kilner as Jamie Berman. “The Greater Good” was written by David Grae and directed by Holly Dale. CASTLE: The Way of the Ninja (3/17)“The Way of the Ninja” – When a Japanese ballet dancer is mysteriously murdered, Castle and Beckett’s investigation into her secret life uncovers evidence that she was killed by a ninja, and now that ninja is coming after them, on “Castle,” MONDAY, MARCH 17 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Penny Johnson Jerald as NYPD Captain Victoria Gates, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Faye Viviana as Jade Yamata, Arye Gross as M.E. Perlmutter, Cameron Deane Stewart as Dean Bedford, Tarri Markel as Sharon Bedford, Arden Cho as Kiara. “The Way of the Ninja” has the story by Christine Roum & Shawn Waugh, with teleplay by Christine Roum, and directed by Larry Shaw. Is Joss Whedon already set to direct 'The Avengers 3'?Fans hoping Joss Whedon will do anything other than his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the next several years might be out of luck. During a recent interview, "Iron Man 3" writer Drew Pearce seems to confirm that Whedon is set to direct "The Avengers 3" after already helming "The Avengers" and "The Avengers: Age of Ultron."Pearce also wrote "All Hail The King," the new Marvel One Shot starring Ben Kingsley as the Mandarin from "Iron Man 3." Asked if the events in that short film, which is included on the "Thor: The Dark World" Blu-ray release, will have repercussions farther down the road, Pearce gave a somewhat cryptic answer. "One of the things when you're a writer or director in the Marvel universe is you come in, you leave some tasty morsels dangling at the end, and maybe you're the one who comes in and picks them up again next time, or maybe it's someone else, or maybe they just hang there awhile and that's fine too," Pearce tells Movies.com. "That's all you can really hope to do. Unless you're Joss [Whedon] and you're making 'Avengers 2' and '3,' and then you have a pretty good idea if you're making the next one or not." Of course, Whedon's involvement is far from confirmed news. In fact, Pearce backtracked his comment on Twitter by saying he actually has no idea about what Whedon's affiliation with "The Avengers 3" is (though conspiracy theorists might view that as a Marvel cover-up). Whedon's contract with Marvel currently goes until 2015, when "Age of Ultron" is slated to be released. Pearce might have just been assuming that Whedon will be back for "The Avengers 3" -- which also isn't yet confirmed -- instead of having inside intel. Still, the idea of Whedon being back should be welcome for fans who have enjoyed him being at the helm of Marvel's biggest movie property.
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