The Weekly Round Up for March 8 to 14

Here are the entertainment news items for this week:

CONDOLENCES

Lost Boy actor Corey Haim passed away this week at the young age of 38.

Pro football star turned actor Merlin Olsen who appeared in Little House on the Prairie and then his own show Aaron’s Way (among others) passed away this week. Co

Condolences are extended to both their families, friends and fans.

NEWS

Congratulations to all the Oscar winners especially Lauren Bacall (Governor’s Award), Sandy Powell (Costume Design for The Young Victoria) Mo’Nique, Sandra Bullock and Kathryn Bigelow.

The Glee tour has become so popular that additional dates have been added in both New York and Los Angeles. A matinee and evening performance on May 22 in Los Angeles and a May 29 matinee and new evening show on May 30 in New York.

TV SERIES NEWS

FOX has renewed Fringe for a third season. The series returns on April 1.

Jesse Plemons will not be returning for the fifth and final season of Friday Night Lights. He may return on a guest star basis, however. New episodes will start on NBC on April 30.

Lie To Me will be back with new episodes on FOX starting on June 7 at 8 PM.

The Human Target season finale has been moved up to April 14 to make room for repeats of Lie To Me from April 28 to May 12.

It looks like this will be the final season of the FOX drama 24. Official word is expected to be made in the next couple of days. However, rumor has it that NBC is showing some interest in picking the series up should it be canceled.

ABC officially canceled the Christian Slater-led series The Forgotten. Two remaining episodes have been shot, but it’s unclear whether the network will air them.

Jennifer Morrison will be returning to House for the April 12 episode to be directed by Hugh Laurie and she will be back next season for about 3 or 4 episodes.

ABC will air a special clip show called V: The Arrival on March 23 at 10 PM, allowing viewers to get caught up on the four episodes that aired last fall.

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Jon Voight and David Keith are set to appear in the FOX drama pilot Midland, which is about Robert Allen (Jimmy Wolk), a con artist juggling two lives in two Texas cities with two different women.

Constance Zimmer has one of the lead roles in the TBS drama pilot In Security about two sisters who take over their father’s private-security business protecting the super-elite while dealing with personal and family issues.

Stephen Rea will appear in the CBS drama pilot Chaos about rogue CIA operatives who combat bureaucratic gridlock, rampant incompetence and political infighting.

Elisha Cuthbert (24) has booked the female lead in the ABC comedy pilot Happy Endings about a couple that breaks up at the altar, forcing them and their group of friends to figure out how to maintain their friendships after the split.

Traylor Howard (Monk) landed a lead role in the ABC as-yet untitled comedy pilot about a guidance counselor (Dana Gould) at a local high school and father to two young children, who is caught between his father’s (Brian Dennehy) old school parenting beliefs and his wife’s very progressive ideals. Todd Stashwick (Heroes) also stars.

Alan Tudyk (Firefly) has joined the NBC drama pilot/remake of the Rockford Files.

The Colin Hanks/Bradley Whitford FOX drama that was known as Code 58 will now be called The Good Guys.

Nicholas Bishop (Past Life) has booked a lead role in the ABC drama pilot Body of Evidence about Megan Hunt (Dana Delany), a medical examiner whose background as a neurosurgeon gives her a unique and refreshing crime-solving perspective, but puts her at odds with nearly everyone.”

Breckin Meyer and Mark-Paul Gosselaar have landed title roles on the TBS drama pilot Franklin & Bash, which follows two street lawyers and lifelong friends who, after taking down a white-shoe law firm in a high-profile case, are recruited by the firm’s patriarch. Malcolm McDowell (Entourage) has also joined the cast.

Aly Michalka (Phil of the Future) and Gail O’Grady (NYPD Blue) have been cast in the CW drama presentation (not an actual full-fledged pilot) called Hellcats, which is set in the world of competitive college cheerleading.

Kathy Bates is in final talks to star in the NBC drama pilot Kindreds about a curmudgeonly former patent lawyer (Bates) and her group of misfit associates. Brittany Snow (American Dreams) has also joined the cast.

Scott Foley (The Unit) has landed a role on the ABC drama pilot True Blue about six former best friends who rose through the ranks at the San Francisco Police Department and reunite to solve the murder of one of their own.

Michael Cassidy (Privileged) has a lead role in the NBC comedy pilot The Pink House about two Midwestern guys who move to Los Angeles and rent a house on the beach.

Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous) and Melissa Rauch (The Big Bang Theory) have joined the ABC comedy pilot Wright Vs. Wrong about Evelyn Wright (Debra Messing) a driven conservative pundit who tries to maintain her public persona despite facing her own vulnerabilities.

Tom Cavanagh has landed the title role in the ABC pilot Edgar Floats, about a police psychologist who becomes a bounty hunter. Raoul Trujillo (True Blood) has also joined the cast.

Rob Morrow (Numb3rs) will star opposite Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck) in the ABC drama pilot The Whole Truth, a legal drama about Kathryn Pearle (Richardson), a successful New York prosecutor.

Jerry O’Connell will play the lead alongside Jim Belushi in the CBS drama pilot Defenders about two fiery Las Vegas defense attorneys who go to the mat for their clients.

Madchen Amick (Twin Peaks) will star in the FOX drama pilot Pleading Guilty alongside Jason Isaacs. The show is about an ex-cop and recovering alcoholic now serving as a partner in a top-drawer corporate law firm.

Anna Chlumsky (Cupid) has joined the cast of the CBS drama pilot The Quinn-Tuplets about the personal and professional lives of adult quintuplets, whose whole lives have been documented on TV.

Jimmy Smits will star in the NBC drama pilot Rough Justice about a Supreme Court Justice who excuses himself from the bench to go into private practice and fight constitutional injustices.

Jay Hernandez (Six Degrees) and Michael Beach (Stargate: Atlantis) have joined the as-yet untitled CBS medical project about a mobile medical team traveling the U.S. helping people in need.

Judy Greer (Miss Guided) will star alongside David Krumholtz (Numb3rs) in the FOX comedy pilot Tax Men about an IRS office in Fresno, California.

Keri Russell is in negotiations to star in the comedy pilot Wilde Kingdom about a Beverly Hills jackass who falls in love with a charitable tree-hugging woman who can’t stand his lifestyle or values.

Sendhil Ramamurthy (Heroes) has joined the cast of the upcoming USA drama Covert Affairs, which stars Piper Perabo as a young CIA trainee who is thrust into the inner sanctum of the agency when she is unexpectedly promoted to field operative.

Sarah Wynter (24) has scored a role in the ABC drama pilot Cutthroat about Nina Cabrera (Roselyn Sanchez), an upscale Beverly Hills widow and soccer mom who runs an international drug cartel.

Jean Smart has joined the CBS remake of the classic police drama Hawaii Five-O where she will play Governor Pat Jameson.

Nick Nolte is in talks and Richard Kind and Ian Hart (Dirt) have joined the HBO drama pilot Luck, which takes a look at the worlds of horse racing and gambling through a diverse group of characters surrounding a racetrack.

Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe has joined the Showtime comedy series, The Big C. that stars Laura Linney as Cathy, a repressed suburban wife and mother who reclaims her life after a terminal cancer diagnosis.

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Billie Piper and David Tennant (both from Doctor Who) are in talks to star in the urban thriller Love On The Murder Mile. Details of the movie are under wraps.

Anna Faris and Chris Evans are set to star in What’s Your Number?, a new comedy which focuses on a woman who decides to re-visit her ex-boyfriends in the hopes of finding the man of her dreams.

Liv Tyler, Patrick Wilson, Terrence Howard and Charlie Hunnam have joined The Ledge, which focuses on a man standing on a high-rise ledge who insists he will jump by noon as the cop below tries to manage the situation.

Ryan Gosling will star alongside Steve Carell in the as-yet unnamed comedy about a father dealing with a marital crisis.

Viggo Mortensen will star as Sigmund Freud in the David Cronenberg movie The Talking Cure, starring opposite Michael Fassbender as his pupil Jung. Keira Knightley will play Sabina, a disturbed young woman brought to see Jung by her father

Robert De Niro will play iconic coach Vince Lombardi in the ESPN Films biopic titled Lombardi. The film will focus on the 8 or so years that Lombardi rebuilt the Green Bay Packers into gridiron NFL champions.

Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess are in negotiations to join the movie One Day, an adaptation of a David Nicholls novel, about two people who met for the first time during their high school graduation in 1988 and meet one day every year for the next two decades. Over that time they led their own lives and have relationships with others until they realize they’re meant for each other.

Gary Oldman, Malin Akerman and Milo Ventimiglia will star in the indie gangster movie Criminal Empire for Dummys about a charismatic young guy who goes from a tragic childhood living in the ghetto to his current position as the head of a large multi-national organized crime syndicate. Michael Clarke Duncan and Harvey Keitel also star.

Barry Pepper has been cast in the western remake of True Grit, starring Matt Damon, Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld.

CASTING SCOOP

Coby Bell (Third Watch) will be joining Burn Notice next season as a series regular. He will play a cocky, smooth and sexy counter intelligence expert who has a chameleon-like ability to assume different aliases. He’s also able to read people instantaneously and come up with a character perfectly suited for preying on their vulnerabilities.

Kelly Carlson (Nip/Tuck) will be guest starring in an upcoming episode of Castle as a love interest for Richard.

Dania Ramirez (Heroes) will appear in the 7th season of Entourage as a new love interest for Turtle (Jerry Ferrara).

Lennie James (Jericho) is set to appear in the 2nd season of Hung as a potential love interest for Tanya (Jane Adams).

Kenny Johnson (Saving Grace) is set to recur on the FX drama Sons of Anarchy in its upcoming third season, in a role he had in the 2nd season.

Navi Rawat (Numb3rs) will make a guest appearance in an upcoming episode of Castle.

Emmanuelle Vaugier and Autumn Reeser will both make return appearances on upcoming episodes of Human Target. Guest stars on the series will also include Grace Park, Amy Acker, Moon Bloodgood, Lee Majors, Lennie James and Armand Assante.

Michael Madsen will appear in upcoming episodes of 24 as an ex-military guy from Jack’s past.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

The following movies, specials and new series will debut and/or air this weekend and throughout next week:

The Lifetime movie Who Is Clark Rockefeller?, starring Eric McCormack and Sherry Stringfield will air at 9 PM on Saturday, March 13.

NOTE: This movie will reair on Monday, March 14 at 9 PM.

The ABC Family Channel movie The Cutting Edge 4: Fire & Ice will debut at 8 PM on Sunday, March 14. The movie stars Francia Raisa (Secret Life) and Brendan Fehr (Roswell).

The HBO 10-part mini-series The Pacific will premiere on Sunday, March 14 at 9 PM.

NOTE: This first episode will reair on Wednesday, March 17 at 10 PM.

Justified premieres on FX on Tuesday, March 16 at 10 PM.

FlashForward returns to ABC with a two-hour opener at 8 PM on Thursday, March 18.

NOTE: This two-hour premiere will reair on Saturday, March 20 at 8 PM.

The CBS special Thin Ice, which is a figure skating contest starring 10 pros, will air the first of two parts on Friday, March 19 at 8 PM.

NEW EPISODES OF EXISTING SHOWS

Here are the new episodes of the dramas that will be airing this coming week:

Saturday, March 13:
Survivors on BBC America at 9 PM
Parenthood (pilot) reairs on NBC at 8 PM

NOTE: Legend of the Seeker will air a repeat episode in syndication this weekend. Check your local listings for date, time and channel.

Sunday, March 14:
Desperate Housewives on ABC at 9 PM
Brothers & Sisters on ABC at 10:01 PM
Cold Case on CBS at 10 PM
Big Love on HBO at 9 PM

NOTE: Legend of the Seeker will air a repeat episode in syndication this weekend. Check your local listings for date, time and channel.

Monday, March 15:
Life Unexpected on the CW at 8 PM
Gossip Girl on the CW at 9 PM
House on FOX at 8 PM
24 on FOX at 9 PM
Chuck on NBC at 8 PM
Trauma on NBC at 9 PM
Law & Order on NBC at 10 PM
The Secret Life of the American Teenager on ABC Family at 8 PM
Greek on ABC Family at 10 PM
Damages on FX at 10 PM

Tuesday, March 16:
Lost on ABC at 9 PM
FlashForward Special on ABC at 10 PM
NCIS on CBS at 8 PM
NCIS: Los Angeles on CBS at 9 PM
The Good Wife on CBS at 10 PM
90210 on the CW at 8 PM
Melrose Place on the CW at 9 PM
Parenthood on NBC at 10 PM
Southland on TNT at 10 PM

Wednesday, March 17:
Ugly Betty on ABC at 10:01 PM
Human Target on FOX at 8 PM
Mercy on NBC at 8 PM
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on NBC at 10 PM
Being Erica on SOAPNet at 10 PM

Friday, March 19:
Caprica on Syfy at 9 PM
Spartacus: Blood and Sand on Starz at 10 PM

NOTE: Please check your local listings for the correct air dates and times for all of the above.

Have a great weekend!

Please note that I will feature a weekly round-up of sci-fi based (and similar genres) news items at our sister site located at http://scifitvzone.com/. Please visit there as often as you can. Thanks!

They Deserve Their Own Show (Part 40)

Here is the next installment of actors and actresses who are under-appreciated, deserving of more attention or perhaps even their own show:

Jamie Murray – Jaime made one of her first TV appearances in the pilot episode of the short-lived series Keen Eddie and has had recurring roles in Hustle and Dexter. She later had a lead role in the short-lived series Valentine and guest starred in Eli Stone, The Mentalist and NCIS. She has three upcoming projects: The Rapture, Possessions with Autumn Reeser (who was one of her co-stars in the series Valentine) and Devil’s Playground.

Paula Newsome – Some of Paula first TV appearances include Law & Order, Chicago Hope, Ally McBeal, ER, Any Day Now, Judging Amy and CSI. She appeared in the short-lived series The Lyon’s Den and guest starred in The Guardian, NYPD Blue, Criminal Minds and Heroes. She is probably best known for her role in the short-lived series Women’s Murder Club, though. She most recently appeared in episodes of Bone sand NCIS. Her movie roles include Things We Lost in the Fire, Reign Over Me and Little Miss Sunshine.

Marisa Ramirez – Marisa made one of her first appearances on TV in an episode of Roswell and then appeared in the soap operas Port Charles, General Hospital and The Young & the Restless. She then appeared in Without A Trace, Shark and Supernatural before being cast in the short-lived series Mental. She recently guest starred in Castle and she expected to appear in the new TNT drama Rizzoli that stars Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander.

Stephen Martines – This soap opera star from General Hospital and Guiding Light has also appeared in Monarch Cove and episodes of Bones and CSI: Miami.  He currently has a recurring role in the TNT series The Closer and he will soon be featured in a recurring multi-episode arch on The Vampire Diaries.

Johh Pyper-Ferguson – John has a long resume with some of his earliest work being on 21 Jump Street, MacGyver, The Commish and Walker Texas Ranger.  His movie roles include Unforgiven, McHale’s Navy and the mini-series Into the West.  He appeared in the short-lived series Jeremiah and is probably best known for his role in Brothers & Sisters.  He recently appeared in episodes of Cold Case, Bones, Mental, Lie to Me and will be seen in Caprica.  He also has two projects coming up:  Betty Anne Waters and Die.

Sebastian Spence – Sebastian first got noticed in the series First Wave and then appeared in several episodes of Dawson’s Creek.  He appeared in the made-for-TV movies Eve’s Christmas, To Have and to Hold, Daniel’s Daughter and NYC: Tornado Terror.  He was most recently seen in the short-lived series Sophie and a recurring role in Battlestar Galactica.  He has one project in the works called Sullivan High.

Do you agree? Disagree? Do you recognize any or are they all unknowns to you? NGTV would love to hear your thoughts. The next installment will be posted on Wednesday.

An Evening with the Cast and Crew of NCIS

The cast and crew of NCIS were honored at the 27th Annual Paley Festival held at the Saban Theatre on Monday March 1. The evening started with the Paley Center’s welcome video, followed by a short clip of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. from 1966, which starred David McCallum, who is, of course, the senior member of NCIS.

Immediately following that clip and just like the previous nights, Craig Hitchcock, Vice President and Executive Director of the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles, greeted the audience and excitedly stated, “I just meet David McCallum back stage. He talked to me.”

Co-Executive Producer and Writer Gary Glasberg was then brought on stage to introduce the episode that was to be screened: “Mother’s Day”, guest starring Gena Rowlands, Rena Sofer, Leann Hunley and Adam Kaufman, which aired on CBS the following night.

Once the screening was complete, the night’s moderator – Kevin Frazier from Entertainment Tonight (ET) – came on stage and told the audience that he loves being the ET correspondent who reports on NCIS because he loves the food provided on set, he believes the cast are the best group of people and he likes it that the show’s set is far removed from Hollywood to give a break from all the craziness.

Then the crew and cast of the number one rated program on television were introduced, starting with Executive Producers Mark Horowitz, Chas. Floyd Johnson and the aforementioned Gary Glasberg. Then each cast member was brought out: Rocky Carroll, Brian Dietzen, David McCallum, Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo and Sean Murray. Much to the disappointment of the audience Pauley Perrette was not part of the panel, as she was in Paris for a photo shoot.

The group  settled in with some ripping on the unusual sweater that Michael was wearing, a good-natured head slap by Mark to Michael after making a boating reference toward his character Gibbs and platitudes to David’s longevity in the industry – with him stating, “I’m probably the luckiest person in this whole room; I truly mean that.” – the Q&A session went into full swing.

The cast and crew shared the following:

• The show does very well internationally with fans recognizing the cast immediately; yet here in the States when Michael states he works on NCIS some reactions are, “You work for a radio station?”;

• Sean hopes the novelist part of McGee comes back, but he couldn’t recall what McGee’s books were about to which Michael reminded him in great detail how McGee made up characters exactly like the NCIS team;

• Cote was surprised by the fan reaction to ‘Tiva’ (the pairing of her character Ziva and Michael’s character Tony) as “it was not something we ever planned” and that “as long as we keep that unfulfilled sexual tension” it will be better;

• If Brian had any say in the casting of the very attractive actress who starred as the “morgue girl” who agreed to go on a date with his character Jimmy in the episode that was screened – to which he said he didn’t, but that it is “nice to see Jimmy get back in the saddle”;

• The cast talked about all the great guest stars the show has featured over the years, including Hal Holbrooke, Ralph Waite, Charles Durning, recent guest star Gena Rowlands who wanted to be on the show because she watches it every day on USA and even High School Musical star Zac Efron, who Cote mentioned numerous times;

• Cote still gets lost in translation, much like her character Ziva, even though she came to “this country when she was 10”;

• Michael and Cote shared a silly game they frequently play where he states a city and she is suppose to name their sports team (despite her not knowing sports), but gets them wrong nearly every time such as the following conversation shows:

Michael: “Baltimore”
Cote: “Bats”
Michael: “Seattle”
Cote: “Sox”
Michael: “New Mexico”
Cote: “Nuggets”
Michael: “Miami:
Cote: (after a slight struggle) “Dolphins”

• This exchange prompts Chaz Johnson to announce that a board game for the show should be out this summer, which prompts Cote to ask if there are action figures included in the game, which leads her to joke about bobble heads of the cast being part of the game and that prompts her to shake her head back-and-forth like a bobble head and joke with Michael much to the enjoyment of the audience;

• Kevin joked with Sean about if his character McGee will ever stop being called “Probie” by Tony – to which he answered, “No, it’s a nickname, a term of endearment”;

• Michael shared his thoughts on the show’s longevity by stating at the end of Season 4 he thought “one more” (as in can we get one more season) and then at the end of Season 5 it was “we’re still alive”;

• Rocky then chimed in that he told Mark he would like to see the show “run longer than Gunsmoke”, joking that “I just got here”; but then with sincerity Rocky stated the cast is a “real family unit” and Cote whole-heartedly agreed saying, “we really are like a family, and sometimes we…” only to be interrupted by Michael saying (all in jest), “Shut up”.

Before the audience is invited to ask questions, Gary, Chaz and Mark Horowitz give credit to the writers who are in the audience and then each cast member states their favorite episode:

Sean – “Probie”
Cote – “Hiatus”
Michael – “Every show when it finishes I just think, that’s my favorite”
Mark – “Call of Silence”
David – “Heartland”
Brian – “Requiem
Rocky – “Faith”

Some of the better audience questions fielded by the cast and crew were:

• What’s the deal with CafPow (the drink that Abby – Pauley Perrette – always has)? – to which Mark Horowitz states that came from show creator Donald Bellisario, as he wanted Abby to drink “something that had a lot of caffeine similar to the Big Gulp”;

• Is Mark Harmon more comfortable with computers than Gibbs? – to which he answered, “ I can do email; I’m a little better”;

• What is David’s grand wish? – to which he stated, “I have a funny dream, and that is when I die and go to heaven, every single character I’ve ever played is waiting for me.”

With that being said, the night’s panel came to a close and the fans swarmed the stage for autographs, which the cast was more than happy to provide.

NCIS airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on CBS.

Spring TV Here I Come

Even though the mid-season of the television season officially started on March 1 with a couple of new series debuting over the course of the past week (or so) and most shows returning to their usual airings, there is still a great deal of programming coming our way over the next few months.

The shows for which I am eager to see upon their return or debut over the next two months include:

1. The Guard is a new series that will air on ION on March 13 with back-to-back episodes at 9 and 10 PM and covers the lives of an imperfect, offbeat and sometimes difficult Canadian Coast Guard Search and Rescue team. Steve Bacic is part of the cast.

2. The new, gritty FX drama Justified will debut on FX on March 16 at 10 PM. The series stars Timothy Olyphant, as a modern day 19th century-style U.S. marshal, who enforces his own brand of justice in a way that puts a target on his back with criminals and places him at odds with his bosses in the Marshal Service. He ends up reassigned to the district that includes his rural Kentucky hometown.

3. FlashForward will be back on ABC on March 18 with a two-hour premiere starting at 8 PM. While the series garnered rave reviews prior to its initial 10 episode run, it ran into trouble ratings- and storyline-wise. At best the show is standing on unsteady ground for a renewal. The only hope for fans of the show is that when it returns it will be more groundbreaking and provide revealing information along with some surprises during its remaining run.

4. Survivors, the BBC series, about the remaining survivors of a terrible medical pandemic not only through the United Kingdom but all over the world, will debut its second season on BBC America on a new night – Tuesdays – starting March 23 at 9 PM.

5. The ABC remake of the 80’s sci-fi classic V will be back at 10 PM on March 30, bringing with it the tale of visitors from another planet, who claim “to be of peace always,” but are hiding their identities behind a façade and their true plan for our planet is nefarious at best.

6. In Plain Sight will return on the USA Network on March 31, picking up where the season finale left off with Mary being critically wounded.

7. Stargate Universe is back with new episodes on Syfy on April 2 at 9 PM. I cannot wait to see what new adventures befall the inhabitants of the Ancient ship known as the Destiny.

8. One of my favorite series Army Wives will return on Lifetime on April 11 at 10 PM, bringing more stories of the wives at Fort Marshall especially for the Sherwood family after the season finale cliffhanger gunshot ending in their home and the Burton family, which found Joan under fire in Iraq.

9. Glee will be back on FOX on April 13 at 9 PM with more singing and dancing by McKinley High School’s best and brightest, er, well, the Gleeks, who just won sectionals, but now have regionals and Vocal Adrenaline to conquer.

10. Doctor Who is returning to BBC America on April 17 with the new doctor – Matt Smith – and his new companion.

There are, of course, many other shows returning to the prime-time line-up with a number of shows airing their season finales as well as quite a number of made-for-TV movies being aired over the next few months. You can learn more about what is coming up on television by visiting our mid-season (and beyond) TV calendar at http://nicegirlstv.com/2010/03/01/the-new-mid-season-tv-calendar-and-beyond/.

The Weekly Round for March 1 to 5

Here are the entertainment news items for this week:

NEWS

Congrats to the winners at the 41st Annual NAACP Image Awards.

TV SERIES NEWS

The second season of Drop Dead Diva will premiere on Lifetime on Sunday, June 6.

Reports state that Robert Baker and Nora Zehetner are not expected to return next season to Grey’s Anatomy. Official word has yet to come down but it looks like Jesse Williams and Sarah Drew may stick around long-term.

An all-day marathon of Drop Dead Diva will air on Sunday, May 30 from 10am to 11pm on Lifetime.

The CW renewed Smallville for a 10th season.

Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica) has joined the cast of the TNT drama Dark Blue.

The Emmy Awards will air on NBC on August 29 and will be aired live on both coasts.

When Neil Patrick Harris appears on Glee when it returns this Spring, his character will be a nemesis to Matthew Morrison’s character Will Schuester.

Michelle Rodriguez will return to the island of Lost for its final season.

Ashley Jensen and Freddy Rodriguez will return to Ugly Betty and it’s possible that Chris Gorham MAY be back as Henry but there is no confirmation of his return as yet.

Do you want to see the cast of Glee perform live in concert? Their concert schedule is as follows:

May 18 – Phoenix, AZ Dodge Theatre
May 20 – Los Angeles, CA Gibson Amphitheatre
May 21 – Los Angeles, CA Gibson Amphitheatre
May 25 – Chicago, IL Rosemont Theatre
May 26 – Chicago, IL Rosemont Theatre
May 28 – New York City, NY Radio City Music Hall
May 29 – New York City, NY Radio City Music Hall

If you are an American Express card member, presale tickets will be available starting March 5 with tickets for the general public being available on March 12 for the Phoenix dates and March 13 for Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. Visit www.gleetour2010.com for details.

NOTE: Due to overwhelming demands for Tickets, the Glee Tour added an extra stop in Los Angeles on May 22.

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Blair Underwood will play the president in the NBC drama pilot The Event, which focuses on a large-scale government cover-up.

Dylan Walsh (Nip/Tuck) will appear in the lead role in the CBS drama pilot ATF that follows an ATF agent who hunts down the most dangerous criminals while trying to balance life as a father to the teenage daughter who has re-entered his life.”

Eric Close (Without a Trace) has joined the CBS drama pilot Chaos which is about a group of rogue CIA operatives who combat bureaucratic gridlock, rampant incompetence and political infighting.

Jacob Vargas (Moonlight) will be seen in the CBS drama pilot The Odds about cops in Las Vegas who are as outrageous as the crimes they solve.

Amber Tamblyn, Kenneth Mitchell and Sam Witwer have been cast in roles in the CBS drama pilot The Quinn-Tuplets about 31-year-old quintuplets – Patrick, a cop; Joseph, a construction foreman; Rachel, a sports reporter; Martin, a school headmaster; Miriam, a doctor – who reunite after the death of their mother, who opted to have their childhood filmed as a reality show.

Janeane Garofalo has been added to the cast of the as-yet untitled Hannah Shakespeare CBS pilot about a mobile medical team that travels the U.S. helping those in need get through life-and-death medical crises.

Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck) has a lead role in the ABC legal drama pilot The Whole Truth that shows the defense and prosecution sides equally.

Jaime King (Gary Unmarried) and Mehcad Brooks (True Blood) are the latest additions to the drama pilot Generation Y at ABC. The series is about the lives of eight young adults during a 10-year span in Austin and the events that have shaped their lives.

Dermot Mulroney (My Best Friend’s Wedding) has been tapped for the title role in the NBC drama pilot (remake) The Rockford Files, which is about a roguish private eye who tackles the dangerous, quirky and unpredictable cases that no other detective wants to handle.

Peggy Lipton and Jon Seda (The Pacific) have joined Roselyn Sanchez in the ABC drama pilot Cutthroat, which is about an upscale Beverly Hills widow and soccer mom who runs an international drug cartel.

Fran Kranz (Dollhouse”) is the first to be cast in the NBC comedy pilot Friends with Benefits, which explores modern-day romance through the eyes of five friends, each looking for ‘the one’ but in the meantime settling for ‘friends with benefits.

Adrianne Palicki (Friday Night Lights) and Bryce Johnson (Popular) have each landed roles on the FOX drama pilot Midland about Robert Allen (Jimmy Wolk), a con artist – who’s married to two women – that’s looking to get inside his wealthy in-laws’ oil business.

Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos), James McDaniel (NYPD Blue) and Erin Cummings (Spartacus: Blood and Sand) have booked the lead role in the ABC drama pilot 187 Detroit which focuses on Detroit’s top homicide division as seen through the cameras of a fictitious documentary crew.

Claire Forlani and Kathleen Rose Perkins (NCIS: Los Angeles) have joined the Matt LeBlanc Showtime comedy Episodes about a British couple whose hit UK show is turned into a dumbed-down American sit-com starring LeBlanc (as himself).

Jason Behr (Roswell) has landed a role on the ABC drama pilot Matadors about two feuding families’ battle against each other as one populates the state attorney’s office and the other manages an influential private law firm.”

Jason Isaacs (Brotherhood) has been tapped for the lead role in the FOX drama pilot Pleading Guilty about an ex-cop and recovering alcoholic now serving as a partner in a top-drawer corporate law firm.

Jesse Bradford (The West Wing) is the first to book a role on the NBC drama pilot Rough Justice about Cyrus Garza, a conservative Supreme Court justice who goes into private practice.

Nicole Steinwedell (The Unit) and Brooke Nevin (The 4400) are the latest additions to the FOX drama pilot Breakout Kings, which is about a team of U.S. Marshals paired with a group of convicts to apprehend recently escaped prisoners.

Alicia Witt (Friday Night Lights) has been cast in the ABC drama pilot Edgar Floats about a police psychologist-turned-bounty hunter. Robert Patrick (The Unit) has also been cast in the pilot.

Ana Ortiz (Ugly Betty) has joined Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Marc Blucas and Poppy Montgomery in the ABC drama pilot True Blue, which is about a group of San Francisco homicide detectives reunited to solve the murder of one of their own.

Will Yun Lee (Bionic Woman) and Richard T. Jones (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) will star in the as-yet untitled ABC drama pilot starring Katee Sackhoff as a female detective named Julia Scott who teams with Angus Martin, a disgraced ex-cop to solve crimes.

Debra Messing (Will & Grace) will star and executive produce the ABC comedy pilot Wright Vs. Wrong about a driven conservative pundit who tries to maintain her public persona despite facing her own vulnerabilities.

Dana Delaney has been invited by ABC to star in the ABC pilot Body of Evidence, but her commitment to this drama has yet to be confirmed. Also, Jeri Ryan has booked a role in this drama about a brilliant, tenacious medical examiner whose background as a neurosurgeon gives her a unique and refreshing crime-solving perspective but puts her at odds with nearly everyone.

Scott Porter (Friday Night Lights) will star in Nomads, an hour-long drama pilot for The CW about a group of young backpackers who work odd jobs for the CIA.

Jason George (Eli Stone and Grey’s Anatomy) and Mamie Gummer (aka daughter of Meryl Streep) have joined the cast of Off the Map, the ABC drama pilot produced by Shonda Rhimes.

Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica) and Scott Caan (Entourage) have joined the CBS drama pilot (remake) Hawaii Five-O. Caan will play Danno.

Ten episodes of the comedy series Hot in Cleveland has been picked up by TV Land and will star Valerie Bertinelli, Wendie Malick, and Jane Leeves as three women traveling to Paris who end up living together in Cleveland.

Matt Lauria (Friday Night Lights) has joined the FOX drama pilot Ridealong set and filmed in Chicago, which revolves around three groups of police officers. It’s unclear how Lauria’s involvement will affect his status on Friday Night Lights.

Alan Ruck has joined the cast of the as yet untitled CW drama pilot, which stars Sean Faris as a horse trainer who becomes the patriarch of a Wyoming ranch responsible for his three younger sisters after their parents die.”

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Rachel McAdams, Owen Wilson and Marion Cotillard will star in the next Woody Allen movie.

Jessica Biel is expected to star alongside Richard Gere in the remake of the 1948 political drama State of the Union about a businessman who must reunite with his estranged wife in order to improve his campaign run for the President of the United States.

Real-life couple Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis will star in the movie My American Dream.

Nicole Kidman will star in the romantic comedy The Wedding Doctor, playing a relationship analyst who advises couples on their interpersonal dynamics before marriage.

James McAvoy has dropped out of the untitled cancer comedy due to an undisclosed family emergency. Joseph Gordon-Levitt will step in.

CASTING SCOOP

Adam Scott (Party Down) will reportedly join the cast of Parks & Recreation next season as a lost interest for Leslie (Amy Poehler). It also looks like Rob Lowe will be leaving Brothers & Sisters for the NBC comedy.

Tom Bergeron, Bill Bellamy, Fred Willard, French Stewart, Yeardley Smith will guest star in an upcoming episode of Castle.

Margaret Cho (Drop Dead Diva) will reprise her role as a teacher of the occult in two more episodes of Ghost Whisperer.

Jewel Staite will appear in an upcoming episode of Warehouse 13. She stated on Twitter that “Browncoats are gonna freak.”

Catherine Dent (The Shield) will also come appear in a future episode of Ghost Whisperer.

Matt Frewer (Eureka) will appear as Pestilence, one of the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse, in an upcoming episode of Supernatural.

Caterina Scorsone (Syfy’s Alice movie) will appear as Dr. Amelia Shepherd (Derek’s little sister) in an upcoming April episode of Private Practice.

Edwin Hodge will be joining his younger brother Aldis in the TNT drama Leverage for its upcoming third season premiere.

RUMOR PATROL

Rumor has it that ABC will air a recap special of their series V on Tuesday, March 23 at 10 PM.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

The following movies, specials and new series will debut and/or air this weekend and throughout next week:

The Hallmark Channel movie Uncorked will debut on Saturday, March 6 at 9 PM. The movie is about a workaholic (Julie Benz) who takes a business trip that unexpectedly turns into a vacation after her schedule opens up. The movie co-stars Scott Elrod and JoBeth Williams.

NOTE: This movie will reair at 9 PM on Sunday, March 7.

The 82nd Annual Academy Awards will air on ABC starting at 5:30 PM (West Coast time) on Sunday, March 7. Check your local listings for time in your area.

Barbara Walters’ final Oscar interview special will also air on ABC on Sunday, March 7. Check your local listings for time.

NEW EPISODES OF EXISTING SHOWS

Here are the new episodes of the dramas that will be airing this coming week:

Saturday, March 6:
Survivors on BBC America at 9 PM
Parenthood (pilot) reairs on NBC at 8 PM

NOTE: Legend of the Seeker will air a repeat episode in syndication this weekend. Check your local listings for date, time and channel.

Sunday, March 7:
Cold Case on CBS at 10 PM
Big Love on HBO at 9 PM

NOTE: Legend of the Seeker will air a repeat episode in syndication this weekend. Check your local listings for date, time and channel.

Monday, March 8:
Castle on ABC at 10 PM
CSI: Miami on CBS at 10 PM
Life Unexpected on the CW at 8 PM
Gossip Girl on the CW at 9 PM
House on FOX at 8 PM
24 on FOX at 9 PM
Chuck on NBC at 8 PM
Trauma on NBC at 9 PM
Law & Order on NBC at 10 PM
The Secret Life of the American Teenager on ABC Family at 8 PM
Make It or Break It on ABC Family at 9 PM
Greek on ABC Family at 10 PM
Damages on FX at 10 PM

Tuesday, March 9:
Lost on ABC at 9 PM
The Forgotten on ABC at 10 PM (Finale)
NCIS on CBS at 8 PM
NCIS: Los Angeles on CBS at 9 PM
The Good Wife on CBS at 10 PM
90210 on the CW at 8 PM
Melrose Place on the CW at 9 PM
Parenthood on NBC at 10 PM
Southland on TNT at 10 PM
White Collar on USA at 10 PM (finale)

Wednesday, March 10:
Ugly Betty on ABC at 10:01 PM
Criminal Minds on CBS at 9 PM
CSI: NY on CBS at 10 PM
Human Target on FOX at 8 PM
Mercy on NBC at 8 PM
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on NBC at 9 PM and 10 PM
Psych on USA at 10 PM (finale)
Being Erica on SOAPNet at 10 PM
Spartacus: Blood and Sand (reair) on Starz at 10 PM

Thursday, March 11:
Grey’s Anatomy on ABC at 9 PM
Private Practice on ABC at 10:01 PM
CSI on CBS at 9 PM
The Mentalist on CBS at 10 PM

Friday, March 12:
Ghost Whisperer on CBS at 8 PM
Medium on CBS at 9 PM
Numb3rs on CBS at 10 PM
Caprica on Syfy at 9 PM
Spartacus: Blood and Sand on Starz at 10 PM

NOTE: Please check your local listings for the correct air dates and times for all of the above.
Have a great weekend!

Please note that I will feature a weekly round-up of sci-fi based (and similar genres) news items at our sister site located at http://scifitvzone.com/. Please visit there as often as you can. Thanks!

They Deserve Their Own Show (Part 39)

Here is the next installment of actors and actresses who are under-appreciated, deserving of more attention or perhaps even their own show:

Romola Garai – Romola is probably best known for her roles in the Australian movie Mary Bryant, that also starred Alex O’Loughlin, and the box office release Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. She has also appeared in the movies Nicolas Nickelby, Atonement and Vanity Fair and recently appeared in the made-for-TV movie Emma, starring alongside Jonny Lee Miller.

Siena Goines – Siena started out in guest appearances in The Big Easy and Chicago Hope before landing a role in the soap opera The Young and the Restless. She then appeared in episodes of Charmed, The Division and Judging Amy. She is probably best known for her recurring role in the short-lived series Jericho and appeared in a number of episodes of Passions. Her movie roles include The Sweetest Thing and The 40 Year Old Virgin. Most recently she appeared in episodes of Castle and Private Practice.

Zoe McClellan – Zoe (pronounced Zo)  got her start in episodes of Nowhere Man, Sliders and Diagnosis Murder. She then made the leap over to episodes of Star Trek: Voyager and The Invisible Man before landing a recurring role in the long-running series JAG. Most recently she appeared in the short-lived ABC series Dirty Sexy Money and her movie roles include Inventing the Abbotts and Dungeons & Dragons. She has three projects in the works, including House Rules, Deadly Honeymoon with Summer Glau and One Fall.

Christopher Egan – This Australian actor got his start on the Aussie series Home and Away and then appeared in the mini-series Empire. He made a guest appearance in Everwood before moving on to the movies Eragon and Resident Evil: Extinction. He also appeared in both short-lived series Vanished and Kings. He will next be seen in the box office movie Letters to Juliet alongside Amanda Seyfried.

Jeff Hephner – Jeff first got noticed in a recurring role on The O.C. and appeared in the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie The Water is Wide. He appeared in episodes of CSI: Miami, Nip/Tuck, House and Cold Case. Since then he has appeared in the short-lived series Easy Money and made several appearances in Mercy. He also guest starred in episodes of NCIS and CSI.

Tyler Hoechlin – Tyler made his feature film debut in the movie Road to Perdition alongside Tom Hanks and the late (great) Paul Newman. He then moved to the small screen starring in several seasons of 7th Heaven. Since then he has appeared in episodes of CSI: Miami, Castle, My Boys and Lincoln Heights. His next project is the TV version of Teen Wolf.

Do you agree? Disagree? Do you recognize any or are they all unknowns to you? NGTV would love to hear your thoughts. The next installment will be posted on Wednesday.

Lost Goes To PaleyFest For Final Season Clues, Celebration

On Saturday, February 27 the annual Paley Festival held its second night of panels saluting favorite television series, their cast and crew. This particular night was a big one as the Paley Fest was honoring the innovative ABC drama Lost.

The evening’s event started with the Paley Fest’s video introduction followed by a short welcome speech by Craig Hitchcock, Vice President and Executive Director of the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles. The night’s event was sponsored by TV Guide Magazine and Mr. Hitchcock introduced the magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Debra Birnbaum, who did the honors of speaking briefly about the series Lost and bringing Executive Producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse to the stage.

The masterminds behind the show, since nearly its inception, were greeted by thunderous applause from the nearly 1,900-strong audience, to which Damon commented he is still not used to that sort of reception. Carlton, in turn, thanked many of the fans for braving the rain (which had been falling off and on for most of the day), as he learned many of them were tweeting about it on Twitter.

Before the cast and crew were brought on stage, Damon and Carlton asked for acknowledgment of the 400 people it takes to make the show, which was met with much applause. Damon then stated that they knew they couldn’t be there without providing the audience with a short clip of the show; and much emphasis was put on the word short.

After the short clip was run, Debra (from TV Guide Magazine) came back on stage to introduce the cast and crew, which included cast member Nestor Carbonell (Richard), writing team/producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, Damon and Carlton, writer/producer Elizabeth Sarnoff, director Jack Bender and cast members Zuleikha Robinson (Ilana), Michael Emerson (Ben Linus) and Terry O’Quinn (Locke) followed by panel moderator, comedian and actor Paul Scheer.

Paul first ran down some of the silly questions people had sent to his Twitter account, which included “Will we finally get a musical episode?”, “Why aren’t there any monkeys on the island?” and “Which house would the sorting hat from ‘Harry Potter’ put each character?”

After the laughter died down from these and several other silly questions, the real ‘grilling’ began. First of all, the crew was asked which episode they were currently writing with Carlton stating they are writing the finale right now and Damon mentioned that Liz, Adam and Eddie just submitted the penultimate episode. Eddie also joked that fans have told him most not to “screw it up” on the final episodes. Meanwhile, Damon and Carlton stated there are a lot of little questions they won’t have time to answer; however, they will answer what they can (beyond what has already been revealed in the final episodes thus far).

Throughout the panel, the cast and crew were asked the following:

• If they ever pitched any ideas for the show – to which Terry swiftly said “No”;
• Who among the actors on the show hit the hardest – to which Michael stated “the younger the actor, the more inflamed their performance, the more likely they are to hurt you.”
• If any of them had amorous fans – to which Damon and Carlton commented they were walking on the Disney lot, heard a car behind them and discovered the studio’s fire marshal inside who asked them, “What’s the smoke monster?”
• If the rumor of Disney changing Tom Sawyer’s island into a Lost island was true to which none of them confirmed but merely joked about their ideas of what the theme park ride would be like:
  Michael: “A wild ride on a VW bus with a distracted Hurley at the wheel.”
  Eddie: “A tunnel with flashbacks of an evil father.”
  Damon: “A dark room, (where you) spin them around, let them out (of the room) and punch them in the face, (telling them) you’ve just had the ‘Lost’ experience.”
• If any of the crew were responsible for any of the ‘water cooler’ moments – to which Damon stated Adam and Eddie were responsible for the idea of Hurley driving out of the jungle in the VW bus, which generated 9 other story ideas leading up to that scene.
• Damon and Carlton were asked, “What’s up with Walt?” – to which Carlton explained they would have kept Malcolm David Kelley on the show if it were possible for him not to age; however, they are “working on a way to bring Walt back before all things are said and done.”
• What was their favorite moments during filming of the show:
• Carlton: The raft launch combined with the music used to accompany the scene.
  Terry: The time they sit around between filming when (for example) Jorge sings “Are You Lonesome Tonight” and Naveen plays his guitar.
  Nestor: Finally finding out “who the hell I am.”
  Damon: How fans critiqued the CGI used in the scenes set in London (when Ben meet with Widmore in his apartment and Sun meet with Widmore along the Thames), which were actually filmed there.

There was then a round of quick fire questions to which the cast and crew simply had to answer yes, no or pass:

1. In the flash sideways, is Jack married to someone we know? – “Yes”
2. Was the bus that hit Juliet’s husband actually the smoke monster? – “No”
3. Was Jacob right that someone is coming to the island? – “Yes”
4. Will we learn about the connection between Libby and Hurley? – “Yes”
5. Will we learn why women can’t have babies on the island? – “Pass”
6. Will we ever get Vincent’s back story? – “No” (but we will see Vincent again)
7. What happens to Rose and Bernard? – “In which timeline” (asked Damon) to which he followed up with “We might see Bernard in a sideways”.

The audience was then invited to ask questions and some of the better ones included:

• Why there aren’t any outtakes on the DVD sets – to which the crew and cast explained that while they do make mistakes, they aren’t that funny and they don’t have time for a gag reel; Nestor also complimented Michael on always being prepared.
• Will there be anything left for Charlie fans in the remaining episodes – Yes
• Did Desmond move seats or disappear? – to which Carlton stated, “you will get the answer to that question very shortly in the show.”

And, to close off the night, Damon stated that the word “water” is what encapsulates the remaining episodes. With that the panel was brought to a close and then the audience quickly descended on the stage to get autographs. Thankfully, most of the cast and crew were obliging.

The final season of Lost airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC.

So Much to Do, So Little Time

Wow! What a weekend I had and what a busy few weeks I will have upcoming.

I attended the annual Paley Festival this past Saturday, getting to participate in their salute to the ABC series Lost. I will have more coverage on that event in a separate article to be posted here at NiceGirlsTV very soon; but I can say it was great fun to see Terry O’Quinn, Michael Emerson, Nester Carbonell and Zuleikha Robinson in attendance along with Executive Producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse as well as producers/writers Elizabeth Sarnoff, Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis and director Jack Bender.

As for this week, it started off with attending the Paley Festival’s salute to the number one rated dramatic series on TV: NCIS – which was featured last night at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. I will also have coverage of last night’s panel very soon here at NiceGirlsTV. In addition, a new episode of Chuck aired last night for which I hope to catch up on very soon so I don’t get too spoiled by all the talk over at our sister site ChuckTV.net.

Tonight’s main event on TV- besides new episodes of Lost, NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles as well as another new episode of White Collar – will be the premiere of the new family drama Parenthood on NBC at 10 PM. This series boasts an impressive cast including Craig T. Nelson, Bonnie Bedelia, Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Monica Potter, Dax Shepard, Sam Jaeger and Erika Christensen and comes from Ron Howard and Brian Grazer with Jason Katims (the man behind Roswell and Friday Night Lights just to name a few) as Executive Producer. I have high hopes for this new series and hope the viewing audience will tune in for the show.

Then, this coming weekend I will be attending the Paley Festival’s salute to the new CW series The Vampire Diaries, which is to include Executive Producers Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec and lead actors Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder as well as hopefully some of the other cast members and crew. Given the ever-growing popularity of this series, the crowd outside the Saban Theatre will be big and very anticipatory of a great panel.

As I look toward next week, there are the finale episodes of Psych, White Collar and Burn Notice over on the USA Network to look forward to as well as the move of the new CW series Life Unexpected to its new timeslot of 8 PM on Mondays. Oh, and there is also a little thing called the Oscars that will take place on Sunday, March 7.

As March progresses, I will be attending more of the Paley Festival, as it salutes both the ABC series FlashForward and ends with the panel honoring the critic- and audience-favorite FOX series Glee. There will, of course, be countless shows to watch during those weeks as well, given the fact the Olympics are now over and the television season ramps back up with all new episodes of their shows.

I will end the month of March with a fan convention, coordinated by Creation Entertainment, in honor of the series Supernatural. The convention is to include appearances by stars Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki as well as cast members Misha Collins and Jim Beaver and guest stars AJ Buckley and Travis Wester (who are part of the Ghost Facers) and Rob Benedict (who plays the “prophet” and Supernatural novelist Chuck), Kurt Fuller (who plays Angel Zachariah) and Richard Speight, Jr. (who plays the Trickster).

When all is said and done between my daily 9 to 5 job, all my TV viewing – which can be anywhere between 20 to 30 hour-long shows a week – and all the events to attend, I’m going to be one busy NiceGirl. In fact, I won’t have a free weekend until April 3; but don’t get me started on all the activities in April because that month is nearly becoming as busy as March.

But, it’s all good, as variety is the spice of life, right? As long as you can get enough sleep in between all that variety, of course.

If any of our readers are going to be at any of these events, I hope you have a wonderful time and if you can find me in the crowd, please stop by to say hello.

The New Mid-Season TV Calendar (and Beyond)

With the Olympics now complete and the TV season back in full swing, keeping track of all the new and returning shows as well as all the made-for-TV movies on the major networks and cable channels could become impossible.

We here at NiceGirlsTV wanted to bring you an updated version of the TV calendar to help you with all your viewing options. Please keep in mind these dates and times could change so please watch your local listings for alterations.

In the meantime, get your pencils sharpened and have your calendars ready, as it’s going to be one hell of a ride:

MARCH

March 1 – New episodes of Law & Order start tonight on NBC

March 2 – Parenthood will debut on NBC at 10 PM

Show Synopsis: Based on the box-office comedy hit of the same name introduces audiences to the very large, very colorful and imperfect Braverman family. The cast boasts the likes of Peter Krause (Sports Night and Dirty Sexy Money), Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls), Craig T. Nelson (The District), Dax Shepard (Baby Mama), Bonnie Bedelia (The Division), Monica Potter (Boston Legal) and Erika Christensen (Six Degrees and Swimfan) and Mae Whitman (State of Grace and Thief)

March 2 – Southland will have its second season premiere on TNT at 10 PM

March 3 – New episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit start tonight on NBC

March 6 – The movie Uncorked will air on the Hallmark Channel (check local listings for time).

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: In this romantic comedy, a workaholic CFO (Julie Benz, Dexter) on business to Southern California’s wine country meets a world-famous chef (Scott Elrod, Men In Trees).

March 8 – Make It or Break It will air its season finale on ABC Family Channel at 9 PM

March 8 – Life Unexpected will move to its new time slot on the CW at 8 PM

March 8 – Gossip Girl returns from its hiatus on the CW at 9 PM

March 8 – Trauma will return to the NBC line-up at 9 PM

March 9 – 90210 and Melrose Place return with new episodes on the CW at 8 and 9 PM

March 11 – Burn Notice is expected to air its season finale on the USA Network at 9 PM

March 11 – White Collar is expected to air its season finale on the USA Network at 10 PM

March 11 – Past Life will air its final episode of its first season on FOX

March 12 – Psych is expected to air its season finale on the USA Network at 10 PM

March 13 – The new series The Guard will debut on ION with back-to-back episodes at 9 and 10 PM

Show Synopsis: Steve Bacic (Andromeda) star in this series about the lives of an imperfect, offbeat and sometimes difficult Canadian Coast Guard Search and Rescue team. David James Elliott (JAG) andguest stars.

NOTE: The series will continue to air each Saturday night with back-to-back episodes at the same times.

March 13 – The Lifetime movie Who is Clark Rockefeller? will air at 9 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Eric McCormack, Sherry Stringfield and Regina Taylor star in the movie that is based on a true shocking story that explores the inconceivable life of a con artist (McCormack) who ran the longest running con in FBI history, brilliantly impersonating numerous people, ranging from a talk show host to a Pentagon Advisor and even a member of the powerful Rockefeller family.

March 13 – The Syfy movie Dinoshark will debut at 9 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: A lush Mexico vacation spot is terrorized by a mysterious prehistoric creature no one believes exists, except for a young boat captain (Eric Balfour from 24). The movie was produced by Roger Corman (director/producer of The Little Shop of Horrors among many others) and Julie Corman.

March 14 – The mini-series The Pacific will debut on HBO at 9 PM (and will every Sunday night until May 16).

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: The movie tells the intertwined stories of three Marines during America’s battle with the Japanese in the Pacific during World War II. The mini-series stars James Badge Dale (24), William Sadler (Roswell), Isabel Lucas (Transformers 2), Nathan Corddry (Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip), Joseph Mazzello (Jurassic Park), Jon Seda (Close to Home), Matt Craven (Timeline) and Jon Bernthal (Eastwick).

NOTE: The mini-series will air from March 14 through May 16.

March 14 – The movie The Cutting Edge: Fire & Ice will premiere on ABC Family at 8 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Francia Raisa (The Secret Life of the American Teenager) is back as Alexandra “Alex” Delgado whose figure skating career is in jeopardy because her partner (on and off the ice) gets injured. As their love affairs cools off, she stops competing and turns to teach. Enter James Van Behr (Brenden Fehr, Roswell and Bones), the bad boy of speed skating who wants Alex as his partner since he was banned from the sport.

March 15 – Secret Diary of Call Girl will air its season finale on Showtime at 10 PM

March 16 – Justified is a new series on FX that will debut at 10 PM

Show Synopsis: FX has picked up this new series for a 13-episode run, which is about modern day 19th century-style lawman U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant), enforcing his brand of justice in a way that puts a target on his back with criminals and places him at odds with his bosses in the Marshal service. He ends up reassigned to the district that includes his rural Kentucky hometown. Co-stars include Nick Searcy (CSI), Jacob Pitts (21) and Erica Tazel (Life). Guest stars include Walton Goggins (The Shield), Joelle Carter (CSI: Miami) and Natalie Zea (Dirty Sexy Money).

March 18 – Repeats of Bones and Fringe will take over on FOX at 8 and 9 PM due to the cancellation of Past Life

March 18 – FlashForward will return to ABC at 8 PM with a two-hour Spring premiere

March 19 – Caprica is expected to air its season finale on Syfy at 9 PM

March 20 – The season finale of the first season of Survivors will air on BBC America at 9 PM

March 20 – The Hallmark Channel movie Healing Hands will air (check local listing for time)

Movie Synopsis: Eddie Cibrian (Invasion) plays a school janitor who awakens from a coma and realizes he has the ability to heal others just by touching them. His fiancee is played by Lisa Sheridan (who coincidentally starred as his wife in Invasion).

March 21 – Breaking Bad returns to AMC for its third season (check local listings for time)

March 22 – Nurse Jackie will return to Showtime at 10 PM

March 22 – United States of Tara will return to Showtime at 10:30 PM

March 22 – The Secret Life of the American Teenager will air it season finale on ABC Family Channel at 8 PM

March 23 – The second season of Survivors kicks off on BBC America at 9 PM (now seen on a new night)

March 27 – The Syfy movie Dark Relic will premiere at 9 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: James Frain (The Tudors) stars as a battle-weary warrior leading his men home after years of fighting, but the Holy Relic he’s carrying contains a terrible curse, which frees a bloodthirsty demon.

March 28 – The Lifetime Movie Network movie Amish Grace will premiere at 8 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Kimberly Williams-Paisley stars in this fact based movie about the aftermath of the 2006 schoolhouse shooting in the Amish community of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania. Paisley plays the mother of one of the victims of the shooting and the movie follows her personal journey as she copes with the tragic loss and the subsequent questioning of her faith. Matt Letscher (Eli Stone) star as her husband and Tammy Blanchard (Life with Judy Garland) stars as the shooter’s widow.

March 29 – Greek will air its season finale on ABC Family Channel at 10 PM

March 29 – 10 Things I Hate About You returns to ABC Family at 8 PM

NOTE: There will be an all-day marathon of all the episodes of 10 Things I Hate About You, leading up to the first new episode since its break.

March 29 – Saving Grace will return to TNT for its final season, airing two back-to-back episodes starting at 9 PM

March 30 – V will be back on ABC at a new time – 10 PM (following Lost)

March 30 – New episodes of Law & Order: Criminal Intent will begin on the USA Network at 10 PM

March 31 – In Plain Sight will be back on the USA Network with new episodes (check local listings for time)

SPRING

Spring 2010 – The film You Don’t Know Jack will air on HBO (check local listings for date and time)

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: The story of Dr. Jack Kevorkian (also known as Dr. Death) is chronicled in this movie which stars Al Pacino in the lead role. The film will follow the doctor’s creation, the infamous Mercitron and the media frenzy he created. The film also stars Susan Sarandon, John Goodman, Danny Huston and Brenda Vaccaro.

Spring 2010 – The Special Relationship film will air on HBO (check local listings for date and time)

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: The unique and sometimes turbulent political relationship between newly installed British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President Bill Clinton will be depicted with Michael Sheen as Blair and Dennis Quaid as Clinton. The film also Hope Davis and Helen McCrory.

APRIL

April – The new HBO series Treme will debut (date and time to be determined)

Show Synopsis: Wendell Pierce (The Wire) stars as a trombonist trying to make ends meet in a struggling music scene; Khandi Alexander (CSI: Miami) will play his ex-wife, who owns a bar; Clarke Peters (The Wire) is the chief of a tribe of Mardi Gras Indians who returns to New Orleans to rebuild his home and culture; Rob Brown (Stop-Loss) as his son, a well-known musician; Steve Zahn (Sahara) as a DJ and music scene regular; Kim Dickens (Friday Night Lights) as a chef trying to keep her restaurant afloat; Melissa Leo (Homicide: Life on the Street) as a civil rights lawyer and John Goodman (Roseanne) as an outspoken professor. All these characters appear in this series that explores the lives of residents of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

April 1 – Bones will air on FOX at 8 PM

April 1 – Fringe will be back on FOX at 9 PM

April 2 – The second season of the UK series Merlin will begin to air on Syfy (check local listings for time)

April 2 – Stargate Universe is back with more new episodes on Syfy (check local listings for time)

April 2 – Miami Medical (formerly known as Miami Trauma) will be debut on CBS at 10 PM

Show Synopsis: This medical drama centers on a team of trauma surgeons saving critically injured patients in Miami, Florida. The show stars Lana Parrilla (Swingtown), Jeremy Northam (The Tudors), Elisabeth Harnois (Point Pleasant), Mike Vogel (Cloverfield) and Omar Gooding (The Playmakers).

April 5 – Back-to-back new episodes of 24 will air on FOX at 8 PM

April 5 – Saving Grace moves to its regular timeslot of 10 PM on TNT

April 6 – Spartacus: Sand and Blood is expected to air its season finale on Starz at 10 PM

April 6 – Marathon of 2nd season of Southland will air today on TNT, starting at 5 PM with the final episode set to air at 10 PM

April 7 – Being Erica will have its season finale on SoapNet at 10 PM

April 10 – The Lifetime movie At Risk will air at 9 PM

Movie Synopsis: This movie is based on the Patricia Cornwell best-selling crime novel [the first time ever that Cromwell’s books have been adapted for the screen] and is about high-powered and glamorous District Attorney Monique Lamont (Andie MacDowell), who seeks to further her political aspirations by solving a decades-old murder. Not convinced of the purity of his boss’ motives, Monique’s colleague, Win Garano (Daniel Sunjata, Rescue Me), grudgingly takes on the assignment. But, the deeper he delves into this cold case, the more twisted it becomes and more apparent that there is much more at stake. Co-stars include Diahann Carroll, Annabeth Gish (Brotherhood) and Ashley Williams (Good Morning, Miami).

April 10 – The Hallmark Channel movie Lies Between Friends will air at 9 PM

Movie Synopsis: When seven college friends reunite a decade after graduation for a weekend getaway, one of the woman is found murdered, and long-buried secrets must be dug up. Stars Gabrielle Anwar (Burn Notice) and Craig Sheffer (One Tree Hill).

April 11 – The Tudors will return for its final season on Showtime at 9 PM

April 11 – Army Wives returns to Lifetime at 10 PM

April 12 – Life UnExpected will have its season finale on the CW at 8 PM

April 13 – Glee will return to FOX on a new night at 9 PM

NEWLY ADDED:
April 14 – Human Target will air its season finale on FOX at 8 PM

April 14 – Ugly Betty will have its series finale tonight on ABC (check local listings for time)

April 17 – The Lifetime movie The Front will air at 9 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: This movie is also based on the Patricia Cornwell best-selling crime novel about Boston District Attorney Monique Lamont (Andie MacDowell) and her favorite ace detective, Win Garano (Daniel Sunjata, Rescue Me) in a fast-paced mystery. Determined to generate much-needed publicity as her career in politics begins to lose its shine, Monique orders Win to re-open an investigation into an unsolved homicide that took place in one of Boston’s small outlying communities served by “The Front,” a coalition of small, local police departments that have banded together to fight crime. Co-stars include Diahann Carroll, Annabeth Gish (Brotherhood) and Ashley Williams (Good Morning, Miami).

April 17 – The new season of Doctor Who, starring Matt Smith as the Doctor, will debut on BBC America (check local listings for time)

April 18 – The ABC Family Channel movie Beauty & the Briefcase will debut at 8 PM

Movie Synopsis: Based on the book by Daniella Brodsky, Diary of a Working Girl, Hilary Duff stars as Lane Daniels, a bright fashion journalist whose career and love life come together in an unusual way after her article “Switching Careers to Find Love” in Cosmopolitan magazine is accepted and that article changes her life in unexpected ways. Also starring in the movie are Matt Dallas (Eastwick and Kyle XY) and Chris Carmack (The O.C.).

April 18 – Syfy will air the four-hour mini-series Riverworld starting at 7 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: The mini-series is based on the Philip Jose Farmer classic) covers the same basic storyline: about people who’ve died and wake up very much alive along a seemingly endless river, finding everyone else who has ever lived and died on Earth also there. The main stars are Tahmoh Penikett (Battlestar Galactica and Dollhouse) and Laura Vandervoort (Smallville and V). Alan Cumming and Peter Wingfield co-star.

April 19 – One Tree Hill is expected to return from its hiatus on the CW at 8 PM

April 23 – Party Down is back for its second season on Starz (check local listings for time)

April 25 – The CBS original movie When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story will premiere at 9 PM

MOVIE SYNPOSIS: The movie is based on the true story of the enduring but troubled love between Lois Wilson (portrayed by Winona Ryder), co-founder of Al-Anon, and her alcoholic husband Bill Wilson (played by Barry Pepper), co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous.

April 28 Happy Town will be a new series on ABC at 10 PM

Show Synopsis: Haplin, a small town in Minnesota has its first crime following a period of peace after a series of unsolved kidnappings. The series stars Geoff Stults (7th Heaven and October Road), Lauren German (A Walk to Remember), Amy Acker (Angel and Dollhouse), Steve Weber (Wings), Sarah Gadon (Being Erica), Jay Paulson (October Road), newcomer Ben Schnetzer, Robert Wisdom (Prison Break and The Wire) and Sam Neill (Jurassic Park).

April 30 – Friday Night Lights will be back on NBC at 8 PM

MAY-JUNE-JULY

May 2 – The two-hour seasonf finale of Cold Case will air on CBS at 9 PM

May 9 – The movie Jesse Stone: No Remorse will air on CBS at 9 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Tom Selleck returns for the sixth Jesse Stone film, that finds the lead character, after being suspended, moonlighting for a friend on a series of Boston murders that are believed to be connected to a notorious crime boss. Co-stars include Kathy Baker, Saul Rubinek, Stephen McHattie and William Sadler.

May 10 – Trauma will air its season finale on NBC ( check local listings for time)

May 12 – NBC will air the season finale of Mercy (check local listings for time)

May 16: Final airing of HBO mini-series The Pacific will air at 9 PM.

May 17 – The season finale of House will air on FOX at 8 PM

May 19 – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit will air its season finale on NBC (check local listings for time)

NEWLY UPDATED:
May 19 – Special preview of the new FOX drama The Good Guys will air at 8 PM [show was formerly known as Code 58]

Show Synopsis: The series follows a young, ambitious and by-the-book detective (Colin Hanks, Roswell) who is relegated to the mundane petty crimes department with his boozy, maverick old-school partner (Bradley Whitford, The West Wing). The series also stars Jenny Wade (Reaper) and Diana Maria Riva (Side Order of Life).

May 20 – Bones will have its season finale on FOX at 8 PM

May 20 – The season finale of Fringe will air at 9 PM on FOX

May 23 – Lost will air its two-hour series finale on ABC at 9 PM

May 24 – The two-hour season finale of 24 will air at 8 PM on FOX

May 24 – Chuck will air its two-hour season finale on NBC starting at 8 PM

May 24 – Law & Order will also have its season finale on NBC at 10 PM

NEWLY ADDED:
May 28 – Past Life will be back on FOX for a 2-hour summer premiere at 8 PM

May 30 – Lifetime will reair the entire first season of Drop Dead Diva in a marathon from 10 AM to 11 PM

June – The Syfy movie The Phantom will debut this month (check your local listings for more details).

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: Chris Moore’s life is suddenly turned upside down when he learns that he is not only adopted, but is also the son of the late Kit Walker – a capped crusader known as The Phantom. After his adoptive parents are viciously killed by his father’s arch nemesis, he has no choice but to accept his fate. The movie stars Ryan Carnes in the lead role with Sandrine Holt, Jean Marchand, Cas Anvar and Isabella Rossellini co-starring.

NEWLY ADDED:
June 4 and 11 – Past Life will air both nights on FOX at 8 PM

June 6 – Drop Dead Diva will return to Lifetime for its second season (check local listings for time)

NEWLY ADDED:
June 7 – New episodes of Lie To Me will air at 8 PM with The Good Guys moving to its regular timeslot at 9 PM both on FOX

June 7 – Nurse Jackie will have it season finale on Showtime at 10 PM

June 7 – United States of Tara will have it season finale on Showtime 10:30 PM

June 7 – Series Premiere of FOX drama The Good Guys will air at 9 PM [show was formerly known as Code 58

June 7 – The new series Persons Unknown will debut on NBC at 10 PM

Show Synopsis: This Mexican-produced series was picked up for a 13-episode run by NBC and follows a group of people who awaken in a deserted town with no memory of how they got there, and cannot leave. They are watched by security cameras, and are occasionally fed information via remote-controlled televisions. No matter what they try, their attempts to escape the town are thwarted by mysterious forces. The series stars newcomer Daisy Betts, Jason Wiles (Third Watch), Sean O’Bryan (Yes Man and Six Feet Under), Alan Ruck (Spin City) and Chadwick Boseman (Lincoln Heights). James Read (Charmed) and Kandyse McClure (Battlestar Galactica) are set to guest star.

June 8 – Glee will air its season finale on FOX at 9 PM

June 13 – The Tudors will air its series finale on Showtime at 9 PM

NEWLY ADDED:
June 16 –Glee will have encore airings starting tonight on FOX at 8 PM

June 20 – Encore airings of Law & Order: Criminal Intent (originals airing on USA starting March 30) will start airing on NBC at 10 PM

July 13 – Warehouse 13 will be back for 12 new episodes starting tonight on Syfy (check your local listings for time)

July 16 – The NBC movie The Jensen Project will air at 8 PM

MOVIE SYNOPSIS: The movie explores the secret community of world-class geniuses who do cutting-edge research that they share anonymously to help the world. Stars include Patricia Richardson (Home Improvement), LeVar Burton (Star Trek: TNG), Kellie Martin (ER), and Brady Smith (CSI).

COMING SOON

Copper will be a new series on ABC

Show Synopsis: This Canadian drama about five rookie cops at work and at play has been picked up for a 13-episode run on ABC; and will star Eric Johnson (Smallville and Flash Gordon), Gregory Smith (Everwood) and Missy Peregrym (Reaper).

The Bridge will be a new series on CBS

Show Synopsis: This is another Canadian drama about a tough and dedicated police officer who is voted to become the police union’s dynamic leader, which was picked up for an 11-episode order by CBS. The series will star Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica), Ona Grauer (Stargate Universe) and Paul Popowich (Angela’s Eyes).

Day One will be a mini-series on NBC (rather than an originally planned new series)

Show Synopsis: In the aftermath of a global event that devastates the world’s infrastructures, a small band of survivors strive to rebuild society and unravel the mysteries of why the event took place and what the future has in store. Told from the point of view of an eclectic group of neighbors in a Van Nuys, California apartment building, this journey of survival will show us that hope is found in the smallest of victories and heroes are born every day. The series stars David Lyons (ER), Julie Gonzalo (Eli Stone and Veronica Mars), Adam Campbell (Harper’s Island), Carly Pope (Popular, Dirt and 24), Catherine Dent (The Shield), April Grace (The Nine), Xander Berkeley (24), Derek Mio (Greek), Thekla Reuten (Sleeper Cell) and Addison Timlin (Cashmere Mafia).

So, there you have the long list of what to expect starting in March and into the summer from the major networks and cable channels. Please remember any of these dates and times can change quickly so keep a close eye on your local listings.

The Weekly Round-Up for Feb. 22 to 26

Here are the entertainment news items for this week:

NEWS

Congrats to all the winners of the British Academy Film Awards (aka BAFTA).

First Lady Michelle Obama invited the cast of Glee to perform at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on April 5 and they are going to do it. Congrats to the cast for receiving this honor.

TV SERIES NEWS

Adam Rodriguez is returning to CSI: Miami on a full-time basis next season.

The ABC Family Channel has renewed Greek for a fourth season.

Dina Meyer will return to NCIS as Holly Snow, the sultry DC madam. Her episode should air on April 6.

Neil Patrick Harris will definitely be appearing on a future episode of Glee, but he will be more Dr. Horrible-esque, playing a really funny but really mean character in the series.

Starz announced this week they are canceling their drama series Crash due to declining ratings.

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

D.J. Cotrona (Windfall) has joined the ABC drama pilot 187 Detroit, which is about a top homicide division as seen through the lens of a fictional documentary crew.

Zeljko Ivanek (Damages and Heroes), Laura Innes (ER) and Scott Patterson (Gilmore Girls) have joined the cast of the NBC drama pilot The Event about Sean (Jason Ritter), who is a regular man fighting his way through the mysterious circumstances of a conspiracy to assassinate the U.S. president.

Julian Morris (24), Daniella Alonso (Friday Night Lights) and Kelli Garner (Lars and the Real Girl) are have joined the ABC drama pilot Generation Y, which follows a group of young adults during a 10-year span in Austin.

Becki Newton (Ugly Betty) has joined the NBC drama pilot Love Bites, which is to be an anthology of love and sex.

Rachael Leigh Cook has joined the cast of the FOX comedy pilot Nevermind Nirvana, which is to be about two grown Indian-American brothers who clash with their controlling immigrant parents as they assimilate American culture.

Neal McDonough (Desperate Housewives), Leven Rambin (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), Vanessa Marano (Dexter) and Carlos Bernard (24) have will join Virginia Madsen in the ABC drama pilot Scoundrels. The series follows the matriarch (Madsen) of a family of criminals who decides it’s time for her brood to go straight after her husband is sentenced to a long prison term.

Charles Dutton, Lea Thompson and Jeff Davis are joining the TBS drama pilot Uncle Nigel, which stars Gary Cole in the lead role of a veteran Philadelphia homicide detective who takes on his inexperienced, incompetent nephew Ronnie (Matt Jones) as a partner.

Katee Sackhoff (24 and Battlestar Galactica) is set to star in the as-yet untitled ABC drama pilot, about a beautiful female detective who teams with a disgraced ex-cop to solve crimes and untangle the conspiracy that sent him underground.

Nicollette Sheridan has joined the cast of an as-yet untitled CBS pilot presentation about a British lowlife (Paul Kaye) who moves to L.A. to reconnect with his daughter, a precocious teen superstar.

Sean Faris, who was most recently seen in The Vampire Diaries, and newcomer Renee Smith have joined the as-yet untitled CW pilot about a horse trainer who becomes the patriarch of a Wyoming ranch and responsible for his three younger sisters – Dinah, Maggie and Bird – after their parents die.

The name of the Colin Hanks and Bradley Whitford FOX drama is being changed from Code 58 to The Five Eight.

Caroline Dhavernas (Wonderfalls) and Valerie Cruz (True Blood) have joined the ABC drama pilot Off the Map from Shonda Rhimes about three doctors who leave the comfort of the U.S. to work at an isolated tropical clinic.

Jay Harrington and Bill Pullman will star in the NBC comedy Nathan vs. Nurture that centers on successful and hardworking surgeon Nathan (Harrington) who was adopted as a child and reunites with his birth dad Arthur (Pullman) and his biological-brothers only to find them to be the underachieving type.

Jim Belushi is set to star in the CBS drama The Defenders that is to center on two charismatic and fiery Las Vegas defense attorneys who go to the mat for their clients. Jurnee Smollett (Friday Night Lights) has also been cast in this new pilot.

William Shatner will star in the CBS comedy pilot Shit My Dad Says.

Kelli Giddish (Past Life) will have a lead role in the NBC drama pilot Chase, which is about a U.S. Marshal who heads up a Texas unit devoted to hunting down the U.S.’ most dangerous fugitives.

British actor Ben Chaplin is the first to be cast in the NBC drama pilot Kindreds, which is to be about a curmudgeonly ex-patent lawyer and his group of misfit associates as their lives come together to form an unconventional kind of law practice.

Eric Lange (Lost) and Malcolm-Jamal Warner have joined the ABC drama pilot True Blue, which is about a group of San Francisco homicide detectives who reunite to solve the murder of one of their own.

Kelly Hu has been in cast in the CBS drama pilot The Odds about two Las Vegas cops (Donald Faison and Sullivan Stapleton) who are as outrageous as the crimes they solve.

NBC has decided to postpone production on the American version of the UK hit Prime Suspect until June.

A&E has ordered the pilot Sugarloaf to series. The show will star Matt Passmore as a homicide detective who’s run out of Chicago following a sex scandal and becomes wrapped up in a murder case in Miami.

Dennis Farina and John Ortiz have been cast in the HBO drama pilot Luck that is being billed as a provocative look at the worlds of horse racing and gambling told through a diverse group of characters surrounding a racetrack.

MADE FOR TV MOVIES NEWS

PBS and BBC Worldwide will co-produce new productions of the classic Upstairs Downstairs, a contemporary version of Sherlock Holmes and three Aurelio Zen mysteries, adapted from the best-selling novels by Michael Dibden set in Italy.

Upstairs Downstairs will air in three-parts and feature Jean Marsh in her Emmy award winning role of Rose, the parlor maid. The modern-day Sherlock Holmes will star Benedict Cumberbatch (Atonement) in the lead role with Martin Freeman (The Office UK) as Doctor John Watson and Rupert Graves is Inspector Lestrade. As announced last week, Rufus Sewell (The Eleventh Hour) will star as Italian detective Aurelio Zen.

Kimberly Williams-Paisley will star in the Lifetime Movie Network movie Amish Grace on March 28 at 8 PM. The movie is based on a true story about the aftermath that followed the 2006 schoolhouse shooting in the Amish community of Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania with Williams-Paisley starring as the mother of one of the shooting victims. Matt Letscher (Eli Stone) will star as her husband and Tammy Blanchard (Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows) as the shooter’s widow.

The ABC Family Channel movie formerly known as The Business of Falling in Love has been changed to Beauty & the Briefcase and will air on April 18 at 8 PM. The movie stars Hilary Duff as a fashion journalist who pitches an article to Cosmopolitan magazine and gets the chance of a story of a lifetime. Matt Dallas (Kyle XY), Chris Carmack (The O.C.) and Jamie Pressly (My Name Is Earl) co-star.

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Charlotte Ross will appear in the thriller Drive Angry alongside Nicolas Cage, as a man who is driven by rage to chase the people who killed his daughter and kidnapped her baby.

Isla Fisher will star in the rom-com Kiss & Tell that follows a woman who learns she has the ability to kiss a man and instantly see how a long-term relationship with him will play out.

Kellan Lutz (Twilight), Ashley Tisdale (High School Musical) and Brittany Snow (Prom Night) have all joined the movie A Misfits’ Christmas that follows eight friends who spend consecutive Christmas Eve’s together during their four years of college.

Matt Damon is set to star in the Robert F. Kennedy biopic that will follow how the younger brother of JFK went from being in the shadow of his sibling to rising up as a strong national leader in his own right before his assassination in 1968.

Anjelica Huston and Philip Baker Hall have joined the cast of the untitled cancer comedy, starring James McAvoy as a young man diagnosed with cancer who successfully beats the disease. The story is based on the real life of Will Reiser who penned the script. Seth Rogen stars as his friend while Anna Kendrick and Bryce Dallas Howard also star as their love interests.

Vanessa Redgrave, David Thewlis and Rhys Ifans have joined the Shakespeare-themed royal political thriller Anonymous, which explores the theory that Shakespeare was not the author of his plays, but rather Edward De Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford; it will also explore the declining years of Elizabeth the First’s reign as her court devolved into feuding factions between the Cecils and the Essex’s.

Jennifer Garner and Anna Faris are teaming for the romantic comedy The Bachelorette Party, that is based on the novel by Karen McCullah Lutz and is described as a female version of ‘The Hangover’.

Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl) will appear in dramedy The Oranges with Hugh Laurie (House) and Catherine Keener. The movie follows a man who gets into a relationship with the daughter of a family friend.

CASTING SCOOP

Actress Ann-Margaret will guest star in the same episode of Law & Order: SVU as Jaclyn Smith.  The episode is set to air on March 31 and will also feature Morgan Fairchild, Susan Anton, William Atherton and Renee Taylor and will be directed by actress Helen Shaver.

Actor Jake McLaughlin (TV series Crash) has been cast as the estranged younger brother of Alex Karev on Grey’s Anatomy. He is expected to appear in one episode in April.

Dichen Lachman (Dollhouse) will guest star in an upcoming episode of NCIS: Los Angeles.

Elon Gold, who starred in the short-lived sitcom Stacked, will join Bones in April as a new love interest for Cam (Tamara Taylor).

Wendy Raquel Robinson (The Game) will guest star on an upcoming episode of Grey’s Anatomy as a very tough patient who will get help from Owen, Teddy, Callie and Cristina.

Malcolm McDowell will guest star on an upcoming episode of The Mentalist, playing the leader of a twisted religious cult in which Jane (Simon Baker) gets entangled. McDowell will also guest star on the March 1 episode of CSI: Miami.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

The following movies, specials and new series will debut and/or air this weekend and throughout next week:

The Syfy movie Beauty and the Beasts: A Dark Tale will air on Saturday, February 27 at 9 PM. The movie stars Estella Warren.

The Winter Olympics come to a close over the weekend with the closing ceremonies on Sunday.

The new series Parenthood will debut on NBC on Tuesday, March 2 at 10 PM. The series stars Craig T. Nelson, Bonnie Bedelia, Lauren Graham, Peter Krause, Monica Potter, Dax Shepard, Sam Jaeger and Erika Christensen.

NEW EPISODES OF EXISTING SHOWS

Here are the new episodes of the dramas that will be airing this coming week:

Saturday, February 27:
Survivors on BBC America at 9 PM

NOTE: Legend of the Seeker will air a new episode in syndication this weekend. Check your local listings for date, time and channel.

Sunday, February 28:
Desperate Housewives on ABC at 9 PM
Brothers & Sisters on ABC at 10 PM
Big Love on HBO at 9 PM

NOTE: Legend of the Seeker will air a new episode in syndication this weekend. Check your local listings for date, time and channel.

Monday, March 1:
Life Unexpected on the CW at 9 PM
24 on FOX at 9 PM
Chuck on NBC at 8 PM
Law & Order on NBC at 9 PM (Two Hours)
CSI: Miami on CBS at 10 PM
The Secret Life of the American Teenager on ABC Family at 8 PM
Make It or Break It on ABC Family at 9 PM
Greek on ABC Family at 10 PM
Damages on FX at 10 PM

Tuesday, March 2:
Lost on ABC at 9 PM
NCIS on CBS at 8 PM
NCIS: Los Angeles on CBS at 9 PM
The Good Wife on CBS at 10 PM
Southland on TNT at 10 PM
White Collar on USA at 10 PM

Wednesday, March 3:
Criminal Minds on CBS at 9 PM
CSI: NY on CBS at 10 PM
Life Unexpected (reair) on the CW at 8 PM
Mercy on NBC at 8 PM
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on NBC at 9 PM and 10 PM
Nip/Tuck on FX at 10 PM
Psych on USA at 10 PM
Being Erica on SOAPNet at 10 PM
Spartacus: Blood and Sand (reair) on Starz at 10 PM

Thursday, March 4:
Grey’s Anatomy on ABC at 9 PM
Private Practice on ABC at 10:01 PM
CSI on CBS at 9 PM
The Mentalist on CBS at 10 PM
Burn Notice on USA at 10 PM (finale)

Friday, March 5:
Ghost Whisperer on CBS at 8 PM
Medium on CBS at 9 PM
Numb3rs on CBS at 10 PM
Caprica on Syfy at 9 PM
Spartacus: Blood and Sand on Starz at 10 PM

NOTE: Please check your local listings for the correct air dates and times for all of the above.

Have a great weekend!

Please note that I will feature a weekly round-up of sci-fi based (and similar genres) news items at our sister site located at http://scifitvzone.com/. Please visit there as often as you can. Thanks!

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