JJ Abrams Married Spy Show Begins Casting

A few months ago NBC picked up a new series from mastermind JJ Abrams (Alias, Fringe, Lost), currently titled Undercovers. The show centers on a husband and wife who also happen to be spies. Abrams appears to be expanding his oeuvre with this show, though, because it will be more of an action comedy than the drama for which he’s become known.

Fansite Abramsology dug up the casting call for the series regulars and posted them today, giving us an advance look at Samantha, Stephen, and the rest of their merry band of spies.

• Samantha: the wife, she’s very smart, hot, strong and sharp. Contenders for the role must be in great shape, and they’re looking for actresses aged 27-37.
• Stephen: the husband, he’s very attractive, smart, sharp, and has great sense of humor. Contenders for this role must also be in great shape, and they’re looking for actors aged 27-37.
• Carlton Shaw: he’s a smart, older (45-65) guy with a sarcastic wit.
• Lizzy: described as cute and a bit of a scatter brain, she’s fairly young (18-27).
• Bill Hoyt: another younger member of the team, he’s 18-29, enthusiastic and a bit of a brownnoser.

The age range for the leads is intriguing. If they cast on the younger side, then our lead couple may have only been married for a short time; if they cast on the older side, then they may have been together for a decade or more. It seems to me that the tone of the show could be very different, depending on who is cast. Who would you put in the lead roles? How about the supporting characters?

News Roundup: “Bones”, “Fringe” and “Supernatural”

News is going to start picking up about our fall returning programs. Bones‘ Hart Hanson tells us that Cyndi Lauper is going to guest star on this new season.

J.J. Abrams tells E!Online that he’s pretty excited about the new season of Fringe, with a new writing staff (except for Jeff Pinkner). “There’s been a massive influx of strange new faces with incredibly talented brains who are replacing many of the previous, equally talented brains in that room. There are some who are the same talented brains; there are some talented brains who have nothing to do with last year. Like any show, there’s a rate of attrition that sort of just happens, but I have to say, the Fringe writing room [is] electric. On fire. Great ideas. Fun. So I was thrilled about last year, and I’m equally if not more excited about this year.” (Source.)

Finally, TV Guide announced that evil demon, ‘Meg’, will be returning in the 5th season of Supernatural, and she will be played by Rachel Miner. Says creator Eric Kripke, “I’ve been continually asking the writers, ‘Where’s Meg?” She’s would make a really formidable adversary. I got impatient and ended up writing her into my own script.”

MovieWeb Interviews Josh Jackson and J.J. Abrams

Here is a transcript of a conference call interview with MovieWeb, Josh Jackson and J.J. Abrams on Fringe.

If you haven’t heard about J.J. Abrams new series, Fringe, then it seems unlikely that you aren’t even reading this since you probably don’t have Internet available. I was fortunate enough to catch the pilot at Comic-Con ( for my review of the pilot), which premieres on Tuesday, September 9 at 8 PM ET on Fox, and I have the utmost faith that this will be another Abrams success. I was fortunate enough to be in on a conference call with Abrams and one of the series’ stars, Joshua Jackson, and here’s what they both had to say about this new program.

This question is probably more for J.J., but Josh can answer if he wants. Like lots of people, I sort of have the election on the brain. I’m wondering do you view this show and its contemporary setting through the filter of anything that’s happening in American society at the moment? Does it really make any difference to Fringe which party takes over in January in terms of storytelling?

Read entire interview HERE.