Channel Surfing: TNT Orders Three Series, Rob Lowe to Leave "Brothers & Sisters," Conan Courted by Cable, "Questor," and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

TNT yesterday gave series orders to all three of its drama pilots: Rizzoli & Isles, the George Clooney-executive produced Delta Blues, and an untitled Steven Spielberg-executive produced alien invasion drama. Ten episodes are on tap for all three, with Delta Blues--starring Jason Lee (My Name is Earl)--and Rizzoli & Isles--starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander and based on Tess Gettitsen's novels--set to launch later this year. Meanwhile, the untitled Spielberg project, which stars Noah Wyle (ER, The Librarian) and is written by Robert Rodat, will launch in 2011. (Hollywood Reporter)

Confirmed: Rob Lowe has asked ABC to release him from his contract on drama series Brothers & Sisters, reportedly because he felt he was being underused by the producers. ABC has complied with his request and Lowe will depart the series at the end of the season. "We would like to keep Rob at ABC," said ABC in a statement, "we feel he should be anchoring his own franchise. We are in talks now." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files, E! Online's Watch with Kristin, Deadline Hollywood)

According to The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd, Conan O'Brien is currently being wooed by a number of networks besides FOX, including FX, USA, TNT, Comedy Central, HBO, and Showtime. "With his quirky, offbeat sensibility, O'Brien could be well suited for the cable world, but let's face it: Should a performer who's now proven he can draw 2.0 ratings really be content with a cable-sized audience?" writes Hibberd. "Not that anybody would blame O'Brien for wanting to escape the bare-knuckle broadcast late-night wars." (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

[Editor: Meanwhile, Hibberd also has an interview with NBC Universal TV entertainment chairman Jeff Gaspin about the late-night situation at NBC, which you can read here.]

Hmmm, Tim Minear AND a Roddenberry project? Rod Roddenberry, the son of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, has partnered with Imagine Television to develop a series based on his father's 1974 backdoor pilot The Questor Tapes, about an android whose missing memories propel him on a quest to discover his creator and his purpose. Former Dollhouse producer Tim Minear is said to be in discussions to join the project as a producer. "My father always felt that Questor was the one that got away," Roddenberry told the Hollywood Reporter. "He believed that the show had the potential to be bigger than Star Trek." (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC has given pilot orders to two drama projects: True Blue--from creators Jon Feldman, Chris Brancato, and Bert Salke and ABC Studios--about a group of homicide detectives in San Francisco who reunite in order to solve the murder of one of their friends; and Matadors--from writer/executive producer Jack Orman and Sony Pictures Television--about two rival families in Chicago, one of which works in the DA's office while the other runs a major law firm. (Variety)

UK satellite network Sky1 has announced Lost Reduced, a live Lost event on Thursday, January 28th at 7:30 pm GMT in Covent Garden, in which members of The Reduced Shakespeare Company will boil down the last five seasons of Lost into a ten-minute performance. (via Digital Spy)

BBC Three has unveiled three new drama pilot for 2010, including Dappers, Stanley Park, and Pulse. I'm especially intrigued by the latter project, a medical-horror drama from creator Paul Cornell (Doctor Who) and starring Claire Foy (Little Dorrit). Here's the description: "St Timothy's is one of the UK's top teaching hospitals, home to some of the country's most promising trainee doctors. But beneath its veneer of medical normality lies a secret network of dangerous experiments pushing back the boundaries of science with potentially horrifying consequences in this one-off 60-minute medical horror drama written by Paul Cornell. Hannah Carter's mother was a consultant at the hospital, but died suddenly a year ago. Grief left Hannah (Claire Foy) teetering on the edge, but following a year off, she's back to resume her training. But Hannah remains fragile, so when she starts glimpsing peculiar events in the hospital and unsettling behaviour from her ex-boyfriend and star surgeon Nick (Stephen Campbell Moore), she's unsure what to believe. Ignoring the pleas of those around her, Hannah puts her sanity on the line to uncover the truth about the hospital." (BBC)

Elsewhere in UK television, BBC has announced the cast for its upcoming season of daytime drama anthology series Moving On, which will include John Simm (Doctor Who, Life On Mars), Corin Redgrave (Turn Of The Screw, Four Weddings And A Funeral), Anna Massey (Hotel du Lac, Tess Of The D'Urbervilles), Robert Glenister (Hustle, Spooks), Gerard Kearns (Shameless, Mark Of Cain), Roy Marsden (The Green Green Grass, Adam Dalgleish in PD James adaptations) and Ewen Bremner (Trainspotting, Snatch). Meanwhile, actor Dominic West (The Wire) is set to direct one of the episodes. (BBC)

Showtime has acquired Robert Townsend-directed documentary Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy and will air the doc--which features interviews with Chris Rock, Bill Cosby, Keenen Invory Wayans, and others--on February 4th. (Variety)

Zodiak Entertainment is reportedly in talks to purchase RDF Media Group. If a deal closes, the move "would create the third largest TV production company in the world." (Broadcast)

In a surprise twist UKTV head David Abraham has been named CEO of Channel 4, rather than Jane Root, who was thought to be the most likely candidate for the appointment. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Traveling Through Cloud Cuckoo Land: An Advance Review of Showtime's "La La Land"

There's a certain subgenre of comedy that doesn't really have a label; it's the sort of humor that mines painful or uncomfortable situations for humor. Call it Comedy of the Awkward. The Brits are quite successful at utilizing this type of comedy for major laughs; the original version of The Office did this quite successfully, as did Peep Show, Nighty Night, and any of the characters created by Sasha Baron Cohen on Da Ali G Show (particularly Borat).

A few years back, British comedian Marc Wootton created and starred in an eight-episode BBC Three comedy series High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman, which found Wootton donning a number of hairstyles, costumes, and accents to play a variety of outre characters who then interacted with the public at large. (It aired Stateside on BBC America in 2006.) The result was a sidesplitting and often painful series of double-takes and belly laughs, especially when Wootton donned a white suit and French-tipped nails to play the titular Shirley Ghostman, a callous and hyper-ambitious psychic who claimed to be able to channel celebrity spirits.

This Monday evening sees the launch on Showtime of Marc Wootton's uproarious new comedy series La La Land, in which Wootton plays three characters--including his twisted grand creation Shirley Ghostman--in search of fame and fortune in Los Angeles. As before, the situations are real, though the people Wootton encounters are unaware of the fact that he is performing a character.

In La La Land, Wootton takes aim at the artificiality of both the entertainment industry and the denizens of Los Angeles who buy into the false magic of fame. Portraying Ghostman as a psychic who has arrived in LA for a fresh start (after a brush with the law in England), divorced documentary filmmaker Brendan desperate for success, and wannabe actor Gary who gives new meaning to the term "fish out of water, Wootten doesn't just transform himself into these characters, but channels them completely.

Each of the three men is played so straight and convincingly that it's difficult to separate at times the "reality" created by the characters (there are no false beards or wigs involved and Wootton workshops these characters in public) and the fiction that Wootton has created. Assisting this delicious fantasy are the sidekicks that each of the characters encounters along the way: Brendan hires stripper Kiki as a camerawoman; Shirley hires Chico as a chauffeur/gopher; and Gary turns to classic film star Ruta Lee for guidance as he navigates the choppy waters of life as a struggling actor.

Each episode features the three men engaged in different storylines that might involve Shirley auditioning for a psychic television series (here called Spirited) and attempting to eliminate the competition through some rather devious means, Brendan attempting to film a single-take documentary of an increasingly irate Minuteman, and Gary attending a workshop on Method acting. While the story strands are separate, they are intercut and woven thematically into individual episodes that recount another week of life in the City of Angels.

I won't say too much about the plot because it's best to just dive into La La Land and be swept away by the shock and hysteria of each episode. Wootton does a fantastic job at keeping the tension up and pushing the subjects as far as they can go before the scenario breaks down completely. It's a rare talent that showcases not only his knowledge of human nature and his precise comedic timing but also a deft satirical hand and an ability to blend right into each of his characters.

Shirley, Brendan, and Gary might not be people you want to run into on the streets of Los Angeles but their presence in the deliciously off-kilter La La Land will make you want to spend your Monday evenings with them. Just don't turn your back on Shirley...



La La Land launches on Monday night at 11 pm ET/PT on Showtime.

Stolen Thunder: NBC Releases Official Statements About Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno

Consider this the official "official" confirmation.

NBC this morning released a brief statement confirming that it had reached a deal with Conan O'Brien. Without any pomp or circumstance, the Peacock made it clear that O'Brien would be free to "pursue other opportunities after September 1, 2010" and that his final telecast as host of The Tonight Show is slated to air tomorrow.

The full statement from NBC:

NBC and Conan O'Brien have reached a resolution of the issues surrounding O'Brien's contract to host The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.

Under terms of an agreement that was signed earlier today, NBC and O'Brien will settle their contractual obligations and the network will release O'Brien from his contract, freeing him to pursue other opportunities after September 1, 2010.

O'Brien will make his final appearance as host of The Tonight Show on January 22.

Minutes later, NBC released another statement, this time announcing that Jay Leno would return to The Tonight Show beginning March 1st and that Jimmy Fallon would retain his 12:35 am timeslot for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. While Jeff Gaspin was quoted in the piece, there was noticeably no statement from Leno himself.

"We’re pleased that Jay is returning to host the franchise that he helmed brilliantly and successfully for many years," said Jeff Gaspin, Chairman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment, in a statement. “He is an enormous talent, a consummate professional and one of the hardest-working performers on television."

The full press release from NBC can be found below.

NBC ANNOUNCES THAT JAY LENO WILL RETURN TO HOST ‘THE TONIGHT SHOW’ FROM 11:35 P.M.-12:35 A.M. (ET) BEGINNING MARCH 1 WHILE ‘LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON’ CONTINUES AT 12:35 A.M. (ET)
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - January 21, 2010 - NBC confirmed today that popular late-night host Jay Leno will return to host “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” from 11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. (ET) beginning March 1, 2010 and that “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” will continue to be broadcast from 12:35-1:35 a.m. (ET). The announcements were made by Jeff Gaspin, Chairman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment.

“We’re pleased that Jay is returning to host the franchise that he helmed brilliantly and successfully for many years,” said Gaspin. “He is an enormous talent, a consummate professional and one of the hardest-working performers on television.”

Leno previously hosted “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” from May 1992-May 2009. The program will continue to showcase many of the features that made Leno America’s late-night leader for more than a dozen years.

“The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” is from Big Dog Productions in association with Universal Media Studios. Debbie Vickers is the executive producer.

“Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” made its broadcast debut on March 2, 2009 with “Saturday Night Live” alum Fallon as the host of the comedy-talk show. The program serves as a platform for comedy, music and A-list talent out of NBC’s Rockefeller Center Studio 6B. Fallon is joined by his house band -- the critically acclaimed, Grammy-winning hip-hop band The Roots. Earlier, Fallon launched his “Late Night” video blog (or “vlog”), giving viewers behind-the-scenes access to his preparation for the show’s official launch at www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com.

Fallon joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live” in 1998 and quickly became an audience favorite for his impressions of actors and musicians as well as for creating many memorable recurring characters. In 2000, he became co-anchor of the segment “Weekend Update” alongside Tina Fey. Fallon also appeared in the Emmy Award-winning miniseries “Band of Brothers,” and his feature films include “Almost Famous,” “Taxi” and “Fever Pitch.”

Lorne Michaels, Emmy Award-winning creator of “Saturday Night Live,” is “Late Night’s” executive producer. Michael Shoemaker, also an Emmy Award winner, is the producer, bringing over 20 years of experience at “Saturday Night Live.” Gavin Purcell, from G4’s critically praised “Attack of the Show,” serves as co-producer. “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” is a production of Universal Media Studios in association with Broadway Video Entertainment.

Channel Surfing: Conan O'Brien Officially Closes Deal, NBC Bumps Up Episodic Orders, J. August Richards and Sarah Paulson to "Grey's," and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

And it's over... Conan O'Brien and NBC have reached a deal that is said to be worth roughly $44 million and which will enable O'Brien to leave NBC and Jay Leno to take over hosting duties on the 11:35 pm Tonight Show. Citing a Wall Street Journal report, The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that O'Brien will receive $32 million from NBC and his staff will receive $12 million in severance from the network. O'Brien's final Tonight Show telecast will air tomorrow night. Under the terms of his deal, NBC will retain ownership of characters O'Brien and staffers created while at the network while O'Brien will be able to return to television in September, likely to launch a new latenight franchise at a rival network. Let the speculation about just where he'll end up (cough, FOX, cough) begin... now. (The Hollywood Reporter, The Wrap's TVMoJoe, The Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

With their primetime schedule in flux, NBC has ordered additional episodes of several current series, ordering three additional installments of Law & Order and two more of Law & Order: SVU to fill the 10 pm timeslot left vacant by Jay Leno. Additionally, the Peacock picked up four more episodes of formerly cancelled Trauma, three more episodes of Community, and two more episodes of Parks & Recreation. [Editor: The move means the latter two comedies, along with The Office, will air 25 episodes this season.] (Hollywood Reporter, Futon Critic)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that J. August Richards (Angel) and Sarah Paulson (Cupid) will guest star in the February 18th episode of ABC's Grey's Anatomy, where they will play respectively the younger versions of James Pickens Jr.'s Richard and Kate Burton's Ellis. "The flashback-heavy hour, appropriately titled 'Time Warp,' will shed light on the beginnings of the affair between the Chief and Mer’s mom," writes Ausiello. "In separate sequences, we’ll see Bailey in her pre-'Nazi' days, and Callie shortly before she was introduced on the show." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

AMC has ordered pilots for The Walking Dead, based on Robert Kirkman's comic book, and The Killing. (Televisionary)

Wondering about just what happened on last night's episode of FX's Nip/Tuck? Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello talks to the cast member involved in last night's cliffhanger and reveals just what really happened. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos is reporting that Rob Estes will be leaving the CW's 90210... and that it might explain the reason behind Jennie Garth's departure as well. Citing unnamed insiders, Dos Santos is reporting that Estes' contract negotiations broke down for next season but that the series' producers will willing to let him go because they want to focus less on the older generation of characters and more on the teens. "They just don't want the old people on the new show anymore," Dos Santos quotes one CW insider, while another says that 90210's producers are "trying to establish a separate identity for the new show." Meanwhile, the CW confirmed Estes' departure: "This is Rob's last season on 90210. He's a talented actor and we couldn't have asked for a better Harry Wilson. But if fans tune in, they'll understand why Rob's character is leaving." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Comedy Central's Adult Swim has renewed animated comedy Robot Chicken for two more seasons, ordering a total of 40 episodes that will comprise the series' fifth and sixth seasons. (Variety)

Undercovers casting alert! Carter MacIntyre (American Heiress) has joined the cast of J.J. Abrams' NBC espionage drama pilot Undercovers, where he will play "a CIA agent with a drinking problem who goes 'missing' while trailing a Russian arms dealer." (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC gave the greenlight to three drama pilots: dramedy Generation Y, from writer/executive producer Noah Hawley (The Unusuals) and based on a Scandinavian series, about a group of people who remember their lives ten years ago as high school seniors; female-driven dramedy Cutthroat, from writers/executive producers Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters (Reaper), 20th Century Fox Television, and ABC Studios, about a single mom who runs a drug cartel in Beverly Hills in order to keep up financially with her neighbors; and Jerry Bruckheimer-executive produced legal drama The Whole Truth, from writer Tom Donaghy, which gives equal weight to both the legal defense and the prosecution. (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Michael McKean will will reprise his role as Perry White on the CW's Smallville. News comes on the heels of the announcement that Annette O'Toole, McKean's real-life wife, will return to the superhero drama. "We’re thrilled to have Michael back on the show and to be able to link it with the anticipated return of Martha Kent is just a phenomenal way to gear up to the end of the season," executive producer Brian Peterson told Ausiello. "We finally get to see the legendary introduction between Perry White and the intrepid Lois Lane." McKean and O'Toole will appear in the 21st episode of the season. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Madchen Amick (Californication) has been cast in a recurring role on CBS' CSI: NY, where she will play a romantic interest for Detective Taylor (Gary Sinise). (Hollywood Reporter)

TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams talks with Grey's Anatomy's Jessica Capshaw about what's coming up for Callie and Arizona. "When they have issues, they communicate," said Capshaw. "They have fights, but they're there for one another. Clearly it wouldn't be a one-hour drama if there wasn't some conflict around the corner, so I'm sure there will be challenges soon, but right now they're riding the little wave of being happy." (TVGuide.com)

FOX has given a pilot order to multi-camera comedy Strange Brew, from writer/executive producers David Kohan and Max Mutchnick (Will & Grace). Project, which hails from Warner Bros. Television, revolves around a family that runs a brewery. (Hollywood Reporter)

A&E has ordered ten half-hour episodes of an untitled docusoap that will follow David Hasselhoff as he raises two teenage daughters as a single dad and attempts to help them achieve their dreams of becoming singers. Series, from FremantleMedia North America, is slated to air later this year. (via press release)

ION has ordered unscripted series The Emeril Lagasse Show, which will "capture Emeril's passion for people, entertainment, music, food and celebration." Series, set to debut March 28th, will feature Lagasse interacting with celebrity guests and the studio audience and pre-taped field pieces shot in New York City. (Hollywood Reporter)

Steve Harvey will replace John O'Hurley as the host of Family Feud beginning this fall. O'Hurley will depart the syndicated series after four seasons and will next be seen in a touring show of Chicago. (Broadcasting & Cable, Variety)

Stay tuned.

AMC Gives Pilot Orders to "The Walking Dead" and "The Killing"

AMC today announced that it has given pilot orders to two projects in development.

Both zombie drama The Walking Dead, based on the comic book by Robert Kirkman, and crime drama The Killing, a US adaptation of Danish television series Forbrydelsen have received pilot orders and will begin production in the second quarter of 2010.

"The Walking Dead and The Killing are alone in their class in terms of the quality of the storytelling," said Joel Stillerman, AMC’s senior vice president of original programming, production and digital content, in a statement. "Both have remarkable talent behind them, and present that rare opportunity to raise the bar significantly within a genre. It is a very exciting next step in our continuing commitment to presenting smart, sophisticated storytelling with broad appeal."

Robert Kirkman will serve as an executive producer on The Walking Dead and while Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile) will write, direct and executive produce the pilot, alongside Gale Anne Hurd and David Alpert.

The Killing, written and executive produced by Veena Sud (Cold Case), hails from Fox Television Studios and revolves around the murder of a young girl which leads to a major police investigation.

The full press release from AMC can be found below.

AMC ORDERS TWO PILOTS, BUILDING ON NETWORK’S
ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING STRATEGY

Pilot Order For
THE WALKING DEAD
Based on the Comic Book Series by Robert Kirkman

Pilot Order For
THE KILLING
Adapted from the Danish Series “Forbrydelsen”

New York, NY - January 20, 2010 - AMC announced today two pilot orders for The Walking Dead and The Killing. Based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead, has been in publication since October 2003 and is one of the most celebrated contemporary genre comics. The Killing is based on the wildly successful Danish series Forbrydelsen. Both pilots go into production in second quarter 2010. Today’s announcement marks the fourth and fifth pilot orders from AMC. The first three pilots developed were Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and Rubicon, which all led to full series orders. Today’s announcement comes on the heels of AMC becoming the only network, in television history, to win three consecutive (2008, 2009, 2010) Golden Globe Awards for Best Dramatic Series for Mad Men.

“In a short time AMC has become known for telling the best stories on television. Today’s announcement underscores the network’s commitment to working with the premier talent in the industry and further supports AMC’s commitment to being the home for premium television on basic cable,” said Charlie Collier, president and general manager of AMC.

“The Walking Dead and The Killing are alone in their class in terms of the quality of the storytelling. Both have remarkable talent behind them, and present that rare opportunity to raise the bar significantly within a genre. It is a very exciting next step in our continuing commitment to presenting smart, sophisticated storytelling with broad appeal,” said Joel Stillerman, AMC’s senior vice president of original programming, production and digital content.

Previously announced as a project in development, Robert Kirkman has signed on to serve as an executive producer on The Walking Dead and three-time Academy Award nominee Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile) has signed on to write, direct and executive produce. Valhalla Motion Pictures has signed on as the production company to produce the series with its Chairman, Gale Anne Hurd (The Terminator, Aliens, Armageddon, The Incredible Hulk) to executive produce. David Alpert from Circle of Confusion has also signed on as executive producer.

Written and executive produced by Veena Sud (Cold Case) The Killing is a drama series based on the murder of a young girl that then prompts a major police investigation. From Fox Television Studios, The Killing is executive produced by Mikkel Bondesen (Burn Notice) from Fuse Entertainment. Fuse’s Kristen Campo is also a co-producer.

About The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead tells the story of the months and years that follow after a zombie apocalypse. It follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes, who travel in search of a safe and secure home. The comic goes on to explore the challenges of life in a world overrun by zombies who take a toll on the survivors, and sometimes the interpersonal conflicts present a greater danger to their continuing survival than the zombies that roam the country. Over time, the characters are changed by the constant exposure to death and some grow willing to do anything to survive.

About The Killing
The Killing ties together three distinct stories by a single murder and as the detectives assigned to the case disagree about the best course of action, they chase down a variety of leads and suspects. Along the way there are major repercussions for the victim’s family, the detectives, the suspects, and the local politicians connected to the case. It is an exploration of Seattle politics; a unique portrayal of a victim’s grieving family, and a study of the personal life of a cop. There are no accidents in The Killing. Everyone has a secret, and while our characters think they’ve moved on, their past isn’t done with them.

About AMC
AMC reigns as the only basic cable network to win back-to-back Primetime Emmy® Awards for Outstanding Drama Series and Golden Globe® Awards for Best Television Series - Drama and boasts a comprehensive library of the most entertaining movies of all time. Whether commemorating favorite films from every genre and decade or creating acclaimed original productions, the AMC experience is an uncompromising celebration of great stories. AMC's original stories include the Emmy® Award-winning dramas Mad Men and Breaking Bad, the upcoming miniseries The Prisoner and insightful non-scripted programming such as AMC News. AMC further demonstrates its commitment to the art of storytelling with curated movie franchises like AMC Hollywood Icon and AMC Complete Collection. Available in more than 95 million homes (Source: Nielsen Media Research), AMC is a subsidiary of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, which includes sister networks IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv and Wedding Central. AMC is available across all platforms including on-air, online, on demand and mobile. AMC: Story Matters Here.

Television(ary) on the Radio

Missed my radio appearance earlier today on NPR's Colin McEnroe Show?

No worries as you can stream or download today's episode here or download today's show from the iTunes store here.

Listen as I discuss television with host Colin McEnroe and USA Today's Whitney Matheson and segments with Royal Holloway University of London Lecturer of Media Arts Adam Ganz, Fordham University's Brian McFadden, and Fionn Murtagh, Professor of Computer Science at the University of London.

Among my topics: what to watch this winter, including Syfy's Caprica, ABC's Lost, FX's Archer, Justified, and Damages, and HBO's Big Love.

Give it a listen!

Beyond the Dreams of Avarice: An Advance Review of Season Three of FX's "Damages"

I've long been a fan of FX's serpentine legal drama Damages, a taut, serialized journey down the rabbit hole of legal briefs, cutthroat business dealings, and vengeful murders.

The first season of the award-winning drama series, created by Daniel Zelman and Glenn and Todd A. Kessler, offered up a deeply layered narrative that blended together a nonlinear structure infused with the tension of a first-rate thriller. Multiple mysteries, deeply conflicted characters, and a morally grey area kept the pacing moving at a breakneck speed while offering a battle between two indomitable wills: seemingly innocent young lawyer Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne) and ruthless crusader Patty Hewes (Glenn Close). Over the course of the first season of Damages, these two women shared secrets, engaged in conspiracies, and became enmeshed in a case that lead them to do some Very Bad Things to one another.

The second season, while still gripping television, lacked some of the killer instinct of the freshman run. The plot focused less on a case directly involving Ellen and Patty--whereas the Frobisher case in the first season pulled Ellen's boyfriend David and his sister Katie into its orbit and led, rather tangentially, to a murder attempt on Ellen's life--and more on a ripped-from-the-headlines case that was separate from some of the other, darker goings-on. There was less of a throughline in the second season to keep us as riveted to the plot, which involved a man from Patty's past (later revealed to be the father of her son), an environmental disaster, the breakdown of Patty's marriage, the spiritual awakening of Aurthur Frobisher (Ted Danson), and a huge cover-up. We did learn more about Patty's own secretive past but Ellen's revenge storyline and her collusion with the FBI (or the not-the-FBI) lacked the same visceral punch of the first season.

However, Season Three of Damages begins on Monday and has already managed, after watching the first two episodes, to place me under its dark spell, offering a strong central mystery that ensnares all three of our central characters (Ellen, Patty, and Tate Donovan's Tom Shayes) and a deeply relevant and mercurial case that has more than just echoes of the Bernie Madoff financial scandal.

It's this scandal that kicks off the action in Season Three. Just as Charles Dickens' "Little Dorrit" used a similar Ponzi scheme to investigate the mores of the 19th century gentry and debtors (and those who came into contact with them), so too does Damages use a massive Ponzi scheme as a means to get into the story. In this case, the villain is Louis Tobin (Len Cariou), a shadowy Wall Street financier who has swindled his clients out of millions of dollars which he lavished on his family. That family would include his tough-as-nails wife Marilyn (Lily Tomlin) and his moral-minded son Joseph (Campbell Scott), the latter of whom wants to rectify his family's tarnished reputation and help his father's victims. (And in true Dickensian style, there's a class diversity to the plot's characters which range from billionaire criminals to the destitute.)

But the case is already underway as Patty Hewes has been hired by the Tobins' victims to restore their lost assets and she and Tom are doggedly pursuing all available leads in order to find where Tobin may have hidden away the money. They're hindered in their task by the Tobin's family lawyer, the vicious Leonard Winstone (Martin Short), and by the Manhattan D.A.'s office, which is itself pursuing a criminal case against Tobin and which doesn't want to jeopardize its case by teaming up with Hewes & Associates.

So where's Ellen in all of this then? Without saying too much, it's been roughly six months since Ellen and Patty have spoken but Patty, as prophesied in last season's finale, knows that it's only a matter of time before Ellen reenters their lives. It's a sentiment that's echoed in the fact that Patty has yet to order Ellen's old office cleared out and there's a sense that, no matter what murderous thoughts passed between them, that Patty can't quite let go. As for Ellen, she's now employed at the D.A.'s office, a very different atmosphere to the cloistered ivory tower of Patty's firm. She's left behind her former life and is attempting to do some good. But Patty's influence is a hard thing to shake off.

And, this being Damages, it's only a matter of time before their two worlds collide once more.

Within two episodes, the writers set up an overarching storyline that once again utilizes the nonlinear structure of the first two seasons to great effect, offering viewers an intense Rubik's Cube of a central mystery, a volatile one that--as mentioned earlier--involves all of the main characters, both new and old. In this case, an everyday occurrence--a car accident on the streets of Manhattan--takes on a menacing overtone as certain facts quickly become apparent. And, rather wisely, the producers have opted to bring back one of my favorite Season One characters, Detective Victor Huntley (Tom Noonan), whose zen-like calm belies the precise nature of a crack investigator. (He also manages to pull off one of the most Dickensian names on television outside of ABC's Lost.)

As always, the action is anchored by whip-smart writing and the high-wire acting abilities of Damages' extraordinary cast, filled out this season by Short, Tomlin, Scott, Cariou, Reiko Aylesworth, and others. There's a taut energy to the cast as well as an almost Lynchian atmosphere surrounding them in the opening installments, a sense of dread and foreboding that's hard to shake.

Ultimately, the first two masterful episodes of Season Three of Damages kickstart what promises to be a spellbinding (and possibly final) season of a series that rewrote the rules of what was possible within the legal drama sub-genre. Given that fact, there's a dangerous unpredictability to the action this season, rendering the peril of the characters all the more vivid and real. It's anyone's guess just where the various story threads are heading but I predict some major damage (and Damages) lay ahead. You'll want to tune in for the inevitable fireworks.



Season Three of Damages launches Monday, January 25th at 10 pm ET/PT on FX.

Talk Back: Winter Premiere of USA's "White Collar"

Not everything is what it appears to be, even on White Collar.

You had the chance to read my advance review of last night's winter premiere, but now that the episode has aired, I'm curious to hear what you thought. Did you think that Jeff Eastin and the writing staff managed to keep the tension throughout the hour while also keeping Neal and Peter's partnership intact? Did the episode live up to the fall finale cliffhanger? Is Kate playing Neal and secretly working with Fowler or does she really love Neal? Just where is this mysterious amber music box and what will Neal have to do to obtain it?

And, most importantly, are you hooked once more on White Collar?

Talk back here.

Next week on White Collar ("Bad Judgment"), Peter and Neal discover a connection between Fowler and an estate judge who's committing mortgage fraud and set out to take them both down.

2010 William S. Paley Television Festival Lineup Announced

The Paley Center for Media has announced the lineup for the the 27th Annual William S. Paley Television Festival (known affectionately to its attendees as PaleyFest).

Critical darling Modern Family will kick off the festival on February 26th. Other series getting individual sessions include ABC's Lost, CW's The Vampire Diaries, FOX's Glee, NBC's Community, ABC's Cougar Town ABC's FlashForward, TNT's Men of a Certain Age, CBS' NCIS, Showtime's Dexter, AMC's Breaking Bad, and HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, the latter of which will be the festival's final offering this year.

Additionally, keep your eyes peeled for Seth MacFarlane and Friends, an evening celebrating McFarlane's animated comedies Family Guy, American Dad, and The Cleveland Show.

The day-by-day breakdown of the festival can be found below. (All panels begin at 7 pm.)

Feb. 26th: Modern Family
Feb. 27th : Lost
March 1st: NCIS
March 3rd: Community
March 4th: Dexter
March 5th: Cougar Town
March 6th: The Vampire Diaries
March 9th: Seth MacFarlane and Friends
March 10th: Breaking Bad
March 11th: FlashForward
March 12th: Men of a Certain Age
March 13th: Glee
March 14th: Curb Your Enthusiasm

The 27th Annual William S. Paley Television Festival runs from February 26th to March 14th at the festival's new location, The Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. Tickets go on sale Friday, January 22nd for members and January 24th for the general public.

Individual tickets will go on sale to Paley Center Members on Friday, January 22, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. PT. Individual tickets will become available to the general public beginning the following Sunday, January 24, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. PT. For Paley Center Members, ticket prices are $60/$35/$25/$15 per event. For the general public, tickets are $75/$45/$35/$25 per event. All PaleyFest2010 tickets are available only via TicketWeb at www.ticketweb.com or call TicketWeb toll-free at (866) 468-3399 (service charges apply).

Concept Calamity: Opening Night on "Last Restaurant Standing"

I'm not quite sure what to make of the couples assembled for this season of BBC America's Last Restaurant Standing (which airs in the UK under the title The Restaurant). As always, they are a motley lot comprised of people who believe that they can open a restaurant because they give good dinner party and those who seemingly have no knowledge of food, no culinary training, and no common sense.

Last night's episode of Last Restaurant Standing ("Opening Night"), the season's third, finally had the couples getting the keys to their very own restaurant spaces, picked at random and representing a number of diverse locations all around the city of Bristol, from quayside eateries to balconied high-traffic spaces.

To me, this is where any season of Last Restaurant Standing should really begin. I appreciated what Raymond Blanc and the producers attempted with the first week auditions and the second week's trial by fire on the line of three high street restaurant chains, but the format's strength lies mainly in the fact that it's essentially Restaurant Wars every week. (Or, for the first two seasons, every other episode, alternating with a Challenge, now sadly gone.)

This week, the couple's first task was to create an amuse bouche that encapsulated their restaurant concept and then hit the streets of Bristol to market their eateries ahead of opening night. But several teams' performances left me scratching my head in confusion. Shouldn't there be some actual cooking involved in these amuses? Shouldn't it showcase the skill of the chef and the charm of the front of house manager? Hmmm... Wasn't sure what to make of Barney and Badger's two dishes: a strawberry with cream and a piece of melon with some Parma ham (the latter of which Badger kept referring to as pineapple and Parmesan). Tasty? Perhaps, but anyone could prepare either of the cold dishes at home. Would it really lure any potential diners into their restaurant?

I did feel a little bad for Frances and Lucy, whose restaurant oven failed to work. Sans gas, they attempted to make a cold amuse of toast and whipped goat cheese with a shallot marmalade. Considering that their whole concept hinged on the locality of ingredients, it was shocking to me that they purchased French goat cheese to make this and then, due to the non-working oven, only whipped the cheese, plopped it on some round toasts, and put a drop of marmalade on top. Where was the thought or the reactive instinct? Surely, they could have dressed up their dish better. Why not some local roe or fresh herbs? It looked terrible and certainly didn't sum up their style of cuisine or restaurant concept.

(Meanwhile, people seemed to like Stephen and Rebecca's arancini--or "deep fried risotto balls"--but, again, an Italian dish didn't really seem to suit their hearty British grub concept.)

As for the restaurants' opening night, it was a predictable disaster. Despite Barney's manic energy in the kitchen, Badger actually managed to keep things running smoothly in the front of house, a real feat considering his lack of knowledge about cuisine and his lack of experience. (No surprise then that the duo won Raymond's Restaurant of the Week award.) Chris' calm and grit in the kitchen was undermined completely by Nathan's inexperience in front, which he compounded by not realizing the state of the chaos nor what position he was putting Chris in in the kitchen.

I'm hoping that Daisy and Nadine stick around for a while; I like the innovative restaurant concept (Westernized Nigerian cuisine) at D'Soiree though Daisy needs to stop cooking the goat to the point that it becomes overly chewy (especially as she's serving such thin pieces of meat). As for Rebecca and Stephen, I was slightly baffled by her efforts to hire a saxophonist AND a magician for their opening night and by his style of cooking at The Front Room. As judge Sarah Willingham rightly put it, the huge, sloppy portions did look like something you might throw together and then eat in front of the telly in your own front room, certainly not something you would pay for at a restaurant. I'd be surprised if they stick around for very long.

What can I say about JJ and James, whose picnic-eating concept still throws me for a loop? Once again, James seemed to be clueless about the troubles in the front of house, with many diners waiting for orders and those who did get their food being very unimpressed, despite JJ's claim to fame with the "wet" Scotch egg and asparagus. But it was JJ who truly shocked me by not actually cooking anything that went out of the kitchen, not working on any station, and remaining at the pass to expedite. Remember, after all, this is a culinary competition and he's the chef of the team. Just... wow.

Finally, there was Frances and Lucy, who basically collapsed under the pressure of the evening, sending out disgusting looking plates that were half dressed (remember the beurre noisette?) and not running anything remotely resembling a professional restaurant. It was no surprise that Raymond closed their restaurant. Frances was too young and inexperienced and lacked the authority and confidence to keep things under control in her kitchen. A shame as Lucy seemed to be quite in control at the front of house. But I can't say that I was surprised.

What did you think of this week's episode? Did the right team go home? Discuss.

Next week on Last Restaurant Standing ("The Seasonal Ingredient"), the remaining teams must create dishes using only seasonal, local ingredients while still remaining true to their individual restaurant concepts.

Channel Surfing: Team Darlton Talk Season Six of "Lost," Alan Ball Dishes on "Blood" Connection, Summit Developing "Push" Series, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan has published the first part of a massive and fantastic Q&A with Lost showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse. The best part? It's 100 percent spoiler-free, so even the spoiler-averse among us can enjoy. [Editor: Go, Mo!] "We... spent a lot of time talking about how we don’t want the last season of the show to be didactic," said Cuse, when asked whether they anticipated a harshly critical reaction to the final season. "It’s very dangerous to basically create a checklist of answers and then start trying to tick them off, because we want to make sure we’re telling engaging stories. For us really, while the mythology is important, for us it’s a story about these characters. And so most of our focus has been on, how are we going to resolve the character stories?" (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

SPOILER ALERT! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello talks to True Blood creator Alan Ball about two potential, er, erotic connections next season on the vampire drama, one of which might be very surprising to fans of the show. [Editor: I can't imagine that it would go much further than some steamy dreams, to be honest.] (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Summit Entertainment, the indie studio behind the Twilight franchise, has announced that they are teaming up with E1 Entertainment to develop a series project based on the 2009 feature film Push, about a group of individuals with paranormal abilities who band together to take down a ruthless government agency. The pilot will be written by David Hayter (Watchmen), who will executive produce alongside Benedict Carter, Noreen Halpern, and John Morayniss. The companies are currently shopping the project to US networks. (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Billy Baldwin (Dirty Sexy Money) has signed on to appear in at least three episodes of the CW's Gossip Girl this season, where he will play Serena and Eric's father, William van der Woodsen. His first appearance is slated to air in April. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Pilot order alert!ABC has ordered two drama pilots and one comedy pilot; FOX and NBC each ordered a comedy, and CBS is said to be considering one drama. At ABC, the pickups were for Shonda Rhimes-executive produced medical drama Off the Map, about a group of doctors who work in a clinic in a remote area of the world, from writer Jenna Bans; Chris Murphey's crime procedural Body of Evidence, about a female medical examiner; and single-camera comedy Happy Endings, about a group of friends whose lives are thrown into chaos when two of them break up at the altar, from writer Dave Caspe, executive producer Jamie Tarses, and Sony Pictures Television. FOX has given a greenlight to pilot an untitled Ajay Sahgal comedy (a.k.a. Nevermind Nirvana) from 20th Century Fox Television, about two Indian brothers, one of whom enters a traditional arranged marriage and the other who marries a white woman. Over at NBC, the Peacock ordered a pilot for creators/stars Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant's multi-camera comedy The Strip, about an aged child star who owns a strip-mall Hooters-style restaurant on the outskirts of Las Vegas, which hails from Universal Media Studios. And CBS is said to be considering a pilot order for Joel Silver-executive produced buddy cop comedy The Odds, from writer Jeff Wadlow and Warner Bros. Television, about two cops in Las Vegas who are said to be "just as outrageous as the crimes they solve." (Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Hollywood Reporter)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Annette O'Toole will reprise her role as Martha Kent on the CW's Smallville later this season, citing unnamed sources. "Producers are still working out the exact timing of Martha’s reappearance, but a Smallville insider tells me it’ll most likely fall during May sweeps," writes Ausiello. "That same source hints that the mother-son reunion will be rocked by an 'unexpected surprise' or two." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Theresa Rebeck (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) has been hired to write the pilot script for Showtime's untitled Broadway project, from executive producers Steven Spielberg, Justin Falvey, and Daryl Frank. Project follows the development of a Broadway musical from idea to opening night and producers plan to take the musical to the real-life stage should the project get ordered to series. (Hollywood Reporter)

Twentieth Television's game show Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? will get a second round of syndication, following the conclusion of a renewal deal in the top five markets. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Pawns and Players: An Advance Review of the Winter Premiere of USA's "White Collar"

When we last watched USA's White Collar, the fun and frothy crime series might have seemed as though it had itself taken a swan dive onto a bakery awning, offering a cliffhanger reveal that called into question everything that we had seen up until that point, most notably the tenuous partnership between semi-reformed criminal Neal Caffrey (Matthew Bomer) and gruff g-man Peter Burke (Tim DeKay).

Fortunately, tonight's brand-new episode of White Collar ("Hard Sell"), the series' winter premiere, deals head-on with that pesky reveal over the course of the hour via a series of plot twists that test the characters' preconceptions and their own trust issues.

Lest you worry that White Collar has jumped the shark, that couldn't be further from the case. With a facile ease and a gleeful wink at the shock of the viewing audience, the writers not only explain why a ring-clad Peter met with Kate but just what the significance of that scene really was. In other words: whatever you think you saw, guess again.

This week's episode of White Collar finds Neal going undercover to bust up a boiler room operation that is swindling unsuspecting investors out of thousands of dollars. It's a case that tests not only his ability to remain charming, charismatic, and utterly convincing but also puts his relationship with Peter under increased scrutiny, after Neal makes a shocking discovery about his partner.

What price would it take to betray the people closest to you? It's this question which hovers over the action of tonight's episode and which will make you question some of the foundations of the series itself. Along the way, there's also a nice caper for Neal and Peter to pull off if they can keep it together long enough not to sell the other out. Throw in a vault, comic books, a shotgun, and some amber and you have the makings of a fantastic installment that deepens the series' central relationships and offers a new direction for the overarching plot.

Both Bomer and DeKay are sensational in this week's installment and the undercover angle gives both men the opportunity to take on different personas than their usual regular identities. Much of the series' charm is derived from their banter and by the begrudging respect each of them has for each other. Place that and their working relationship in jeopardy and we begin to see just how dangerous each of them is in their own way, as well as how clever and crafty. Trust--and betrayal--is a very powerful thing.

And that's all I'll say for now, lest I ruin tonight's plot twists. But be sure to tune in and find out just what happens.



White Collar returns tonight at 10 pm ET/PT on USA.

The Ring Cycle: Operation Awesome on "Chuck"

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you tell a kick-ass spy story with heart, humor, and unexpected plot twists.

Last night's episode of Chuck ("Chuck Versus Operation Awesome"), written by Zev Borow and directed by Robert Duncan McNeill, is hands-down my favorite installment of the new season so far. (Next week's is pretty damn fantastic too.) Quickly revealing the resolution to last week's cliffhanger ending, it nicely restated some overarching themes for the season--family versus duty, personal lives versus private ones--without resorting to clunky dialogue or telling rather than showing.

It also introduced one hell of a recurring character in Special Agent Shaw (Brandon Routh), a welcome addition to the Chuck universe. I'll admit that I was nervous about Routh coming on board the series for such a lengthy spell but last night's episode erased any doubts in my mind. Shaw adds an unpredictable element to the series (undoubtedly, there will be a new love triangle in the making between Shaw, Sarah, and Chuck) and some tension but also provides a sympatico element for both Chuck and Sarah.

What did I think of last night's episode? Let's discuss. (Note: while I've seen the first five episodes of Chuck's third season, I'm keeping the discussion limited strictly to the first four installments.)

After teasing Awesome's in-the-field involvement last week, Devon was not only a tangential member of the team but arguably the main spy in the field this week. It was an unwelcome position that not only placed him and Ellie in danger but also forced Chuck into the role of a handler, stepping up to shield his brother-in-law from bodily harm and maneuver him into position. A deft piece of role-reversal, really.

In a nice twist, both Awesome and Chuck had the opportunity to prove themselves, given the fact that Sarah and Casey were locked in their mobile Castle van and unable to assist either of them. Which rendered the mission's success all the more important and critical; there was no backup, no safety net, no platoon of gun-toting agents ready to burst in and save them should things go pear-shaped. More than last week's mission, it truly showed Devon just what the stakes are in Chuck's world: one slip-up means the difference between life and death.

Given The Ring's GPS-and-explosives-laden earpiece, they clearly meant to forcibly recruit Devon to their side. I have a feeling that Sydney (guest star Angie Harmon) has pulled this trick before to flip agents and force them to work for The Ring. Devon's involvement in the mission therefore had to have the patina of professionalism; no risks could be taken to allow The Ring to think they had the wrong guy (otherwise: Devon goes boom) or have them believe that the mission was in fact a ruse.

As I said before, I thought that Routh did a fantastic job making Shaw three-dimensional and believable rather than a stereotypical master spy. Besides, what other series could have a character make their first appearance by faking their own death... by shooting themselves in the shoulder? (Not many, I'd wager.) It immediately set up Shaw as particularly bad-ass while also rendering The Ring as even more deadly. They want Shaw removed because he knows too much and he's only too happy to make it seem like they've gotten their wish. He's a character that's likely going to be a thorn in Chuck's side because he knows what the stakes are more than anyone and he was willing to place himself in jeopardy in order to ensure that The Ring believe he's been removed from the playing field.

But there's more to Shaw than meets the eye, really. I loved the fact that while he orders Chuck to shoot him he ends up taking the gun away from him and doing it himself, saying that he doesn't like guns either. (When's the last time you heard a spy say that?) Plus, Shaw is clearly struggling through some emotional pain of his own as well. There was a lovely and subtle reveal at the end of the episode where Shaw is watching the gang enjoy a dinner party at Chuck and Morgan's and then rather solemnly puts on a wedding ring. Could it be that he too has sat at a table such as that? Could it be that he's lost something irreplaceable and understands all too well what Chuck and Sarah are saying about relationships? In a flash, Shaw went from being a tough-as-nails superspy to being one of the series' most tragic figures to date. And I for one can't wait to see where they take his character.

What else did I love? Devon's hysterical attempts to lie to Ellie about where he's been (a decapitated bear); the John Casey drunken exposure cover story; Fight Club subplot at the Buy More, Chuck knocking out Lester with a roundhouse kick; Sydney's death; Chuck shooting the tranquilizer gun to take out about eight CIA agents; Shaw's introduction (naturally); the return of the "Ass Man" sobriquet; numerous pop culture shout-outs to everything from Under Seige to Animal House; and, oh, much more.

All in all, a fantastic installment that kicked the Ring storyline into top gear and further explored the central relationships of the series. The only downside: it's a week's wait until another new episode.

What did you think of this week's episode? What did you think of Shaw? Want to see more Awesome in the field? Discuss.



Next week on Chuck ("Chuck Versus First Class"), Shaw sends Chuck goes on his first solo mission to Paris, despite Sarah and Casey's objections; Chuck flashes on another passenger (guest star Steve Austin) and connects with a beautiful woman (Kristin Kreuk); Casey helps Morgan battle Jeff and Lester for control of the Buy More.

Eternity: Til Death Do Us Part on "Big Love"

"It's always complicated with you." - Heather

"There's work to be done." - Joey

"Without an eternal marriage, this is just all there is." - Barb

This week's phenomenal episode of Big Love ("The Greater Good"), written by Paul Redford and directed by David Knoller, picked up many of the series' weightiest themes--family, marriage, fidelity, eternity--and ran with them, offering an intelligent and gripping installment that pushed several characters past their breaking points and advanced the season's overarching plot.

While the focus fell primarily on the domestic sphere this week, the episode also picked up the larger forces operating around the Henrickson clan, thrusting their stories against a larger backdrop of destiny and free will, the secular and the spiritual, matters of church and state, and pre-determinism. Will their little nation of polygamists be able to chart their own destiny? Can they take rein of their own political future? And can the light of prophethood ever truly be snuffed out?

Add in several new mysteries coming to light and you have the makings of a remarkable installment that effortlessly set up the season to come.

The title of this week's episode is clearly meant to bring up a discussion of utilitarian principles: what does one man's--or one family's--happiness matter compared to the happiness of the larger group? It's a question that's lain at the heart of the series since the very first episode. In a marriage or in a family, one's own happiness is often second to that of the group and we've seen this explored through the multiple wives and characters of the Henrickson clan. The path they've largely been on throughout the series has been one of secrecy and fear: each of the wives attempts to hold onto their individuality by retaining control of their own inner mysteries while each is terrified of being exposed for what they are and what they believe.

In this week's episode, Bill made a decision that will affect not just each of their own personal lives but also the lives of the polygamist nation at large. In attempting to run for public office and eventually expose his true self, he's taking the first steps towards creating a new political destiny for the believers of The Principle, hoping to not only seize control of their own political power but also offer a public face for polygamy, one that isn't bound up with the abuses of Juniper Creek or the relics of a bygone century.

But not everyone believes that Bill's testimony should point him toward a state senatorship. Margene is outright opposed to the idea for her own personal reasons as her lucrative business gets off the ground (she has a projected yearly revenue of over $130,000) while Barb hates the idea of groveling and lying to the Mormon Church in order to pretend to be reconciled against polygamy and on the side of singular marriage. Lying is lying, even if it is only temporary but a strong public facade is what is needed for this campaign, the promise of family values and Mormon belief.

It's Nicki who believes Bill is destined for great things but not the grubbiness of public service; she--like Bill's brother Joey, newly returned from Arizona--feels that Bill should be the next prophet of Juniper Creek. Roman wrongly wrested control from the Henricksons and Bill should be the rightful heir. It's a sentiment that's strongly echoed by Joey, who gives Bill a copy of their grandfather's testimony. But it's a celestial kingdom that the pragmatic Bill doesn't want control of--he believes he can better help the 10,000 believers in Juniper Creek through bureaucratic rather than spiritual means. But, as in many a Shakespearean tragedy, Bill may not have control over his path; kings and prophets are ordained by God, after all, and a throne is a hard thing to refuse.

Besides, Bill's rival for control of Juniper Creek is Alby, who is already using Roman's death as an opportunity. His hunger for power knows no bounds and we see him approach Adaleen about a power grab using spiritual leverage: he can continue to disseminate Roman's words and wishes from beyond the grave. But Alby's quest will perhaps be tempered by his own carnal desires as he's fallen head over heels for the UEB's newly appointed state trustee Dale (with whom he previously enjoyed some, er, parkside sex). The scene between the two of them at Alignment spoke of a powerful attraction that can't be diverted, no matter what the consequence. Could it be that Alby is more human than we realized?

Joey and Wanda's return from Arizona, meanwhile, kicked up suspicion in Nicki's ex-husband JJ (who happens to be Wanda's brother); he knows that Joey was involved in Roman's death (even if he doesn't know the specifics) and claims to have seen him at the big house the night of Roman's murder. But there's something else going too, another mystery to be solved at a later date. Just what did JJ mean when he said that he had "something precious" of Wanda's? And why did she freak out when she heard him say this? Hmmm... Could it be that Wanda herself has an unknown child? Or is it a secret even more damning?

As for JJ, Zeljko Ivanek infuses him with more subtle horror than I thought possible. The dinner scene in the Henricksons' backyard was palpably filled with tension and with the threat of violence. Add to that the fact that Margene subtly noticed that the cruciform vegetable-averse JJ had no fingernails and we have ourselves the start of yet another intriguing subplot. Just what is going on in Kansas and why does JJ want Bill to stay away? What did happen to JJ's fingernails? Were they forcibly removed during torture? Did they fall off of their own accord? (And why can't I stop shuddering when I think about it?)

Plus, JJ doesn't quite seem to be done with Nicki. He's letting her off too easily, really, after she kidnapped Cara Lynn and has placed her back in mainstream schooling. Cassi Thomson's Cara Lynn has been a fantastic addition to the series so far this season. Her mattress-flipping scene with Nicki, where they discuss questioning their faith, was absolutely fantastic. It's good to see Nicki have someone to bounce off of, even if Nicki seems blinded that Cara Lynn is going down the same path she did. But Nicki herself is trying to feel, even in the face of her upbringing. She's questioning her feelings for Bill while acknowledging her ongoing attraction towards Ray Henry (Charles Esten), even when he slams the door in her face.

But it was the final scene of the episode, which depicted Sarah's wedding to Scott, in which Nicki's true feelings came to the fore. After Sarah attempted to secretly wed Scott in front of a justice of the peace--a ceremony to be attended only by Ben and Heather (a very thankful reconciliation, I might add)--and threw off Barb and Bill's desire to see her sealed in their newly consecrated church, she finally came round to understand that she did want her parents at her wedding, even if they don't share the same belief system that she does. But it was her decision to arrange a secular wedding, free from the eternal sealing, that struck home for Nicki.

As Barb says earlier, without the promise of eternity, life on earth is all that there is. For Nicki, the notion of Sarah parting with her husband upon death is absolutely heartbreaking and one can't shake the sense that she truly believes that our lives are akin to the blink of an eye, a flap of butterfly wings in the face of the eternal and immortal. But, even if that is the case, Nicki would seem to finally understand that life on Earth also means giving into your feelings, whether that be mourning the passing of one's parents or the pangs of love and loss.



Next week on Big Love ("Strange Bedfellows"), Bill, Nicki, and Cara Lynn travel to Washington, D.C., where Bill tries to obtain a Congressional endorsement and repair his relationship with Nicki; Margene's product line heads to primetime but her on-air triumph is tempered by a case of mistaken identity; Barb and Sarah lead a series of seminars on sensitivity training at the casino and hit a young Native American woman with their car, prompting Sarah to personally compensate the victim and her baby.

Channel Surfing: FOX Developing US "Torchwood," "Veronica Mars" Movie Dead, O'Loughlin Eyed for "Five-O," Whedon and Neil Patrick Harris, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

The Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed is reporting that FOX is developing a US version of British sci-fi series Torchwood that will hail from BBC Worldwide. Remake will be written by creator Russell T. Davies. and will feature the production team of the original series, including Julie Gardner and Jane Tranter. But that's not all. According to THR, it's possible that Torchwood's UK cast--including John Barrowman and Eve Myles--could star in the project, should it be ordered to pilot. "As for the new show’s plot," writes James Hibberd, "the U.S. version will contain a global story line compared to the more localized sensibility of the first two BBC seasons." Good news for the Torchwood team... or a disaster waiting to happen? (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Bad news for Veronica Mars fans: the feature film adaptation of the much-missed UPN/CW drama series has stalled, according to creator Rob Thomas. "No," Thomas told Futon Critic's Brian Ford Sullivan, who asked if the big-screen version of Veronica Mars would happen. "I would write it if anyone would finance it. If anyone's interested in making that movie I am available, Kristen's [Bell] available. I would love to do it. I think the closest we came was Joel [Silver] pushing it at Warner Bros. and they didn't bite. It has sort of gone away." (Futon Critic)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Alex O'Loughlin (Moonlight, Three Rivers) is being offered the lead role in CBS' pilot remake of long-running crime drama Hawaii Five-O, according to unnamed sources. "Talks are ongoing," and undisclosed insider told Ausiello. "CBS really wants to do another series with him." The remake is being overseen by Fringe co-creators Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci and Peter Lenkov (CSI: New York). (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Is a reunion between Joss Whedon and Neil Patrick Harris in the cards? Looks like it though it's not Dr. Horrible 2, unfortunately. (Not yet, anyway.) According to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, Harris is said to be in talks to appear on FOX's Glee in the May episode that will be directed by Whedon and which would feature the How I Met Your Mother star in a singing/dancing role. "The one possible snag — and there’s always one, isn’t there? CBS has to OK its MVP’s appearance on Fox’s breakout hit," writes Ausiello. "But at least since HIMYM and Glee are both produced by 20th Century Fox, there’s no conflict on their end." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Joss Whedon, meanwhile, is set to meet with FX president John Landgraf in the next few weeks. (Televisionary)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos is reporting that Jennifer Lopez is in talks to join Glee as a cafeteria worker in at least one episode. "Discussions are ongoing and we haven't gotten into the episode(s) she'd be appearing in," Glee executive producer Brad Falchuk told Dos Santos. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

And in other Glee-related news, Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello spoke to Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy on Sunday evening (right before Glee took home the top musical or comedy TV prize) about what's coming up for the gleeful teens. Hint: it involves Puck and Rachel, a boyfriend for Kurt, the songs of Madonna, and some guest stars. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Jay Leno has addressed the controversy surrounding his eponymous 10 pm show, The Tonight Show, Conan O'Brien, and NBC, addressing his audience last night directly about the behind-the-scenes goings-on at the Peacock. "This is all business," said Leno. "If you don't get the ratings, they take you off the air." (Variety)

A must-read for everyone interested in television, not just those closely following the NBC/Jay Leno/Conan O'Brien fiasco: James Hibberd's insightful "Eight Ways NBC Has Damaged Itself" over at The Hollywood Reporter. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

FOX has given pilot orders to two projects, including drama Midland, from writer Kyle Killen (The Beaver), and an untitled multi-camera comedy from writer Adam Goldberg and director Seth Gordon. Midland, which hails from 20th Century Fox Television, revolves around a polygamist with a double life who works in the oil industry. The untitled Adam Goldberg/Seth Gordon comedy, meanwhile, will follow a group of twenty-somethings who hack computer security systems. (Hollywood Reporter)

FX has announced a Tuesday, March 16th launch date for its Elmore Leonard crime series Justified, starring Timothy Olyphant. (Futon Critic)

AMC is developing historical miniseres Black Gold: The Teapot Dome Scandal, from writer Kirk Ellis (John Adams) and executive producers Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank. Project, based on a nonfiction book by Laton McCartney, is set in the 1920s and depicts a major political scandal involving the election of President Warren G. Harding and big-time oil companies. (Hollywood Reporter)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello has some additional information about the return of Jennifer Morrison's Cameron to FOX drama House later this season. "The audience is going to get the information they were looking for," Morrison told Ausiello. But don't expect Cameron to stick around permanently. "I don’t believe that they have plans to pick up my option," she told Ausiello. "That does not mean I won’t be back for a handful of episodes, but it does mean I probably will not be a series regular next season." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Undercovers casting alert! Another actor has come aboard J.J. Abrams' NBC espionage drama pilot Undercovers. Jessica Parker Kennedy (Smallville) will play the younger sister of Gugu Mbatha-Raw's Samantha, a caterer. (Hollywood Reporter)

BBC America announced a spring start for its new musical reality series The Choir, in which choirmaster Gareth Malone travels to blue collar areas to create musical choirs. "The 13 episodes that BBC America will show are a compilation of short multi-seg bursts and specials that have aired across the Pond since the show launched on BBC Two in 2006," writes Variety's Jon Weisman. (Variety)

E! has given a series order to docudrama Pretty Wild, which follows three socialite sisters--Taylor, Alexis, and Gabrielle Neiers--in Hollywood. Project, from Borderline Amazing Prods., New Wave Entertainment, and Five Five Prods., will launch in March. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Wet, Wet, Wet: The 67th Golden Globe Awards

Just a few quick words about last night's Golden Globes.

I spent the evening watching the (thankfully) live telecast from home and then went over to the Beverly Hilton for HBO's Golden Globes after-party at Circa 55. As usual, HBO did an incredible job transforming the outdoor space (right at the poolside)... but, rather sadly, the network's handiwork was undone by the weather, rendering the glass-enclosed firepits and open-air seating unusable.

But the party must go on and it was moved under the tents and inside Circa 55 itself, where executives, celebrities, and bon vivants sipped Copper-tinis and Moet et Chandon champagne. Those celebrities included Mad Men's January Jones and Entourage's Jeremy Piven, Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet, Big Love's Chloe Sevigny (Golden Globe-winner Chloe Sevigny, I should say), Ginnifer Goodwin, and Mary Kay Place, True Blood's Anna Camp, Hung's Natalie Zea (with whom I chatted about her role in FX's upcoming drama series Justified), Grace Jones, and many, many others. Spotted at the Hilton on the way into the party: Tina Fey, the cast of Glee, White Collar's Tim DeKay, Busy Philipps, Aaron Paul (of HBO's Big Love and AMC's Breaking Bad), Flipping Out's Jenny Pulos, True Blood's Kristin Bauer, Mad Men's Christina Hendricks (and husband Geoffrey Arend), and... I'm forgetting a ton of others. (Forgive me, I'm still recovering.)

As for the actual telecast itself, it was a mixed bag, really.

I thought that Ricky Gervais' self-deprecating opening bit was absolutely hysterical but there was too little Gervais sprinkled throughout the ceremony, which seemed oddly stiff and rudderless at the same time. After the Hollywood Foreign Press Association made such a big deal about hiring a host for the awards telecast (the first time since 1995), it was odd that the evening seemed so, well, hostless.

I think that Gervais' humor, despite the copious amounts of alcohol flowing at the relatively more laid-back Golden Globes, is perhaps more suited for the Emmys in the end, where his seemingly impromptu comedy killed last fall. Here, there are so many categories to cover in two mediums, a host of celebrity presenters, and a hell of a lot of confusion. I didn't quite feel like Gervais had the MC role over the entire evening but rather just offered a comedic introduction to the evening's festivities.

As for the television awards themselves, I was happy to see both Alec Baldwin and Chloe Sevigny take home statuettes for their respective work in 30 Rock and Big Love. Considering that Big Love got shut out in the other categories--losing Best TV Drama to AMC's Mad Men--I was glad to see that Sevigny was recognized for her honest and soul-baring performance on the last season of Big Love.

I figured that Glee and Mad Men would take home the top prizes in their categories as well, so I wasn't surprised, though I was hoping that Modern Family would have won for Best TV Comedy. Yes, Glee fuses together comedy and music (thus making it perhaps the first honest double contender in the comedy or musical category) but Modern Family definitely deserved to win for its winning comedic chops.

Was happy to see Michael C. Hall win for Showtime's Dexter (would have loved to see Bill Paxton win an award for a change) as well as that for John Lithgow, but I was surprised by Julianna Margulies' win... but then again the HFPA does love to give awards to new series and The Good Wife was the only new drama in that category. Additionally, I was pulling for Edie Falco to win for Best Actress (Comedy) but that accolade went to Toni Collette. Still, very happy with the love very deservedly heaped on Grey Gardens, which won for Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television and Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television for Drew Barrymore's amazing turn as Little Edie Beale. (Which, incidentally, must be seen and heard to be believed.)

What did you think of the awards? Who were you happy to see win and who would you have rather had take home the statue? Which winner surprised you the most? And who had the best ensemble? Discuss.

I've Got a Feeling: Joss Whedon to Meet with FX President

Could Joss Whedon's next series project end up at FX?

Signs are pointing towards the remote possibility at least, following comments made by FX President John Landgraf at today's Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour in Pasadena.

While there are no deals in place and no project necessarily on the table, Whedon is set to meet with Landgraf in a few weeks' time.

"Actually his representatives called and scheduled a lunch," said Landgraf when asked about Whedon possibly developing something for FX. "I think I'm supposed to have lunch with Joss in the next two or three weeks... I have enormous respect for him. And by the way, if you look at Shawn Ryan who created The Shield and is running Terriers, Shawn learned at the feet of Joss Whedon, the Joss Whedon school. (And Carlton Cuse, by the way, as well.) I don't really know Joss, but I'm really looking forward to meeting him. I love his stuff."

What do you think? Is cable the right home for Whedon's dramatic sensibilities? How much would a Joss Whedon FX series rock? Discuss.

BBC America Offers Sneak Peeks of "Survivor," "The Choir," "Top Gear"

BBC America held its session today at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour in Pasadena, offering panels on Survivors and The Choir allowing critics the opportunity to pose questions to Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear via satellite.

Post-apocalyptic drama Survivors will launch on February 13th with the first two seasons airing back-to-back on Saturday nights. Top Gear Season 13 premieres Monday, January 25th at 8 pm and The Choir is set to debut later this spring.

Promotional videos for BBC America's Survivors, The Choir, and Season 13 of Top Gear can be found below.

Trailer: Survivors:



Sneak Peak: BBC America's The Choir:



Trailer: Top Gear Season 13:



Stay tuned.

NBC Unveils New Post-Leno Primetime Schedule

Remember when NBC announced that they were going to cut the 10 pm hour out of their primetime schedule and fill it with a cheaply-produced talk show hosted by Jay Leno? We all scratched our heads.

Flash forward about seven months to the present as NBC has announced that it's pulling Jay Leno out of the 10 pm hour and now filling it back up with a mix of scripted and unscripted offerings. Yes, you might be scratching your head as to how everyone but the Peacock seemed to see that this was a doomed strategy from the first place.

NBC yesterday lifted the curtain on its primetime midseason schedule, which includes reality series The Marriage Ref, The Celebrity Apprentice, and Minute to Win It (formerly known as Perfect 10) and drama series Parenthood, Friday Night Lights, and Trauma.

The full NBC midseason schedule can be found below.

Monday
8-9 pm: Chuck
9-10 pm: Trauma
10-11 pm: Law & Order

Tuesday
8-10 pm: The Biggest Loser
10-11 pm: Parenthood

Wednesday
8-9 pm: Mercy
9-10 pm: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (repeat)
10-11 pm: Law & Order Special Victims Unit

Thursday
8-8:30 pm: Community
8:30-9 pm: Parks and Recreation
9-9:30 pm: The Office
9:30-10 pm: 30 Rock
10-11 pm: The Marriage Ref

Friday
8-9 pm: Who Do You Think You Are?
9-11 pm: Dateline NBC

**Note: Friday Night Lights will take over at 10 pm ET/PT beginning Friday, April 30th.**

Saturday
8-9 pm: The Biggest Loser (repeat)
9-10 pm: Law & Order (repeat)
10-11 pm: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (repeat)

Sunday
7-8 pm: Dateline NBC
8-9 pm: Minute to Win It (formerly known as Perfect 10)
9-11 pm: The Celebrity Apprentice

What do you make of the Peacock's new lineup? Does it work for you? Or would you have rather they just kept Southland this season instead of sending it off to TNT? Discuss.

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

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stay tuned.