The Weekly Round-Up for Nov. 8 to 12

Here are the entertainment news items for this past week:

TELEVISION NEWS

AMC has picked up The Walking Dead for a 13-episode second season.

Southland will return for its third season on TNT starting January 4 at 10 PM. Mark your calendars.

It looks like the new BBC America series Outcasts that includes stars Jamie Bamber (Battlestar Galactica) and Eric Mabius (Ugly Betty) who are among pioneers establishing a civilization on a new planet after Earth is no longer habitable will probably not air until early 2011.

AMC has decided not to renew Rubicon for a second season.

Congratulations to the winners of the Country Music Awards that were presented this past week, including Zac Brown Band, Miranda Lambert, Sugarland, Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum and Blake Shelton.

FOX has pulled its new comedy Running Wilde from its Tuesday lineup for the remainder of the November sweeps period (October 28-November 24). Repeats of Raising Hope will fill the Tuesday time slot for the next two weeks.

CONDOLENCES

Actress Jill Clayburgh, who was most recently seen in the TV series Dirty Sexy Money passed away late last week at the age of 66.

Legendary Italian movie producer Dino De Laurentiis passed away at the age of 91. A cause was not released.

ME: Condolences are extended to their families, friends and fans. A moment of silence, please….

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

FOX has picked up a drama project tentatively called Full Nelson, which is to be set in the music industry in the 1980s and follows a woman as she rises in the business. This project comes from Jeffrey Lieber and Jerry Bruckheimer Television.

Steven Weber (Wings) and D.L. Hughley (The Hughleys) have signed on to star in the as-yet untitled TNT pilot based on The Rabbit Factory novel by Marshall Karp. The pilot follows two Los Angeles detectives. Weber will portray Detective Mike Lomax, who still receives weekly letters from his dead wife a year after her passing. Hughley will play Terry Biggs, Lomax’s newly married partner.

Ron Moore (the man behind Battlestar Galactica) has sold an action-adventure series to NBC. The show is to focus on the men and women of the fictional Coast Guard cutter The McCulloch as they travel around the world.

Tisha Campbell-Martin and Chris Payne Gilbert (10 Items or Less) are set as leads opposite Ally Walker in the Lifetime drama pilot Exit 19, which follows single mother Gloria Shepherd (Walker) as she juggles her demanding personal and professional lives raising two children while working as a New York Police Department homicide detective. Campbell-Martin will play Gloria’s smart and vivacious partner. Gilbert will play Gloria’s younger brother, a recovering alcoholic, with whom she shares the house the two co-own.

Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert, the executive producers of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess as well as Legend of the Seeker and Spartacus: Blood and Sand, are working on a possible new series for Starz based on a 2001 anime called Noir, which is about female assassins.

MADE FOR TV MOVIES NEWS

NBC has booked the made-for-TV movie A Walk In My Shoes, which will be the third in the Walmart and Procter & Gamble’s “Family Movie Night” franchise. It will air on December 3 at 8 PM. Previous movies include Secrets of the Mountain and The Jensen Project (which aired on April 16 and July 16 respectively). Nancy Travis will star in this new movie as Trish Fahey, a stressed-out high school teacher who can’t understand her students’ lack of effort and why their parents don’t seem to care. This is especially true of Justin (Cameron Deane Stewart), a basketball star who is underperforming in her class. All of this changes when Trish wrecks her car and wakes to find herself living in the shoes of Justin’s mom (Jana Lee Hamblin), a woman she has personally judged and criticized.With the help of a mysterious stranger (Yara Martinez), Trish discovers the real reason behind her struggles, teaching her a whole new meaning of compassion. No one is left unchanged.”Philip Winchester (Crusoe) and Jackson Pace also star.

Catherine Bell (Army Wives and JAB) will star in the made for TV Lifetime movie called Close Quarters, which is about a special-ops agent-turned-suburban mom. Anthony Michael Hall (The Dead Zone) will play her husband, while Mekhi Phifer (Lie To Me) will co-star as another agent.

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Abigail Spencer (Mad Men), Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica) and legendary actress Cicely Tyson have joined the cast of the movie called The Haunting in Georgia, which has Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill) playing Andy Wyrick, the blue collar, no-nonsense husband to a young mother (Spencer) struggling with horrifying visions, a curse she shares with her wayward sister Joyce (Sackhoff).The mother now fears they have been passed on to her young daughter Heidi (newcomer Emily Alyn Lind).

Guy Pearce, Peter Stomare and Tom Hollander will star in the sci-fi action feature called Lockout. Pearce will play a government agent trying to save the president’s daughter (Maggie Grace) from rioting convicts in an outer-space maximum-security prison. This movie won’t be out until 2012, though.

Kyra Sedgwick has joined the cast of the thriller movie called Man On A Ledge, which stars Sam Worthington as adisgraced cop who stands on a ledge atop a high rise threatening tokill himself. Sedgwick will play the reporter trying to figure out if hemeans it or if he has an ulterior motive. Elizabeth Banks, JamieBell, Ed Harris and Titus Welliver also star.

Rebecca Hall (The Town) is in talks to take the lead role in the adaptation of the Tom Bradby novel Shadow Dancer, which is about a young woman who is a former IRA terrorist turned informer for Britain’s MI5. Guy Pearce may also be slated to star in this movie.

Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer are in negotiations, while Hilary Swank and Ashton Kutcher are circling key roles in the planned sequel (of sorts) to the movie Valentine’s Day called New Year’s Eve for which Lea Michele (Glee) and Abigail Breslin are already set to star. If the sign on, De Niro will play a bitter, dying man in a hospital; Pfeiffer would be a frustrated secretary tackling her unfulfilled resolutions; Swank would play a producer of the Times Square New Year’s Eve show, and Kutcher plays a guy who hates the holiday.

Camilla Belle is in negotiations and Ryan Kwanten (True Blood) is set to star in the inspirational drama Zebras, based on the true-life story of a music producer who discovers talented young soccer players in the ghettos of South Africa. He soon forms them into a successful team dubbed the Zebras because it brings together black and white players.

Patrick Fugit will appear in the box office movie called We Bought a Zoo, which is an adaptation of a memoir by Benjamin Mee. The story follows a man (Matt Damon) who used his family’s life savings to buy a dilapidated zoo in the English countryside. Mee and his children had to balance caring for his terminally ill wife and dealing with all the related animal issues including readying the zoo for a reopening. There are no details on Fugit’s role as of yet. Also, Elle Fanning will portray a thirteen-year-old worker at the zoo despite being not legally old enough to have a job.Scarlett Johansson is in final negotiations to play a zookeeper on the estate. Colin Ford will play Damon’s son, while Thomas Haden Church is Damon’s brother.

Channing Tatum is at the top of the list for the lead role in the film adaptation of the TV series 21 Jump Street. The story follows a group of baby-faced cops who go undercover at high schools.

Actress Elizabeth Banks is in final negotiations to join Chris Pine in the DreamWorks movie called Welcome to People, which marks the directorial debut by Pine himself. The story follows a young businessman who returns home after the sudden death of his wealthy yet estranged father. He learns a devastating family secret that sends him on an unexpected journey of self-discovery. Banks will play the alcoholic sister who Pine has never met.

Lots of people are getting involved in the new Muppets movie that is to star Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother). Paul Rudd will provide the voice of Walter, a new, hip, young Muppet named Walter. Jane Lynch (Glee), Danny Trejo (Machete) and Donald Glover (Community) will also show up in the film. Glover’s role isn’t known as of yet, but Lynch will play a prison guard while Trejo will play her prisoner. Zach Galifianakis will make a cameo as a character called Hobo Jo. The cast already includes Chris Cooper (The Town), Amy Adams (Enchanted) and Rashida Jones (Parks & Recreation). Rumor also has it that singer Lady Gaga may somehow be involved and her entourage is reportedly going to be made up of John Krasinski (The Office), Ed Helms (The Hangover) and Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family). And topping off the new additions is Jack Black in an unspecified role. The film will have Segel and new Muppet Walter attempting to save a failing theater by showcasing the talents of Kermit the Frog and the rest of the gang.

Actor Lee Majors (The Six Million Dollar Man and the original The Big Valley) has been tapped to play his old character’s father, Tom Barkley, in a 2011 big-screen remake. The movie has been delayed in filming for various reasons, which could cost the movie Stephen Moyer (True Blood), who was to play Tom’s son Jarrod who will need to film his TV series and that will probably conflict with the movie’s filming so he will probably have to drop out. However, that has not been confirmed as of yet.

CASTING SCOOP

Actress Fiona Shaw (Aunt Petunia from the Harry Potter movies) will have a regular role on True Blood as Marnie, a mousy, timid and secretly self-loathing storefront medium and palm reader who is taken over by the spirit of a powerful witch.

Goran Visnjic (ER) will appear on Leverage as Damian Moreau, a ruthless international financier who runs money for drug dealers, gun runners, smugglers and other nefarious groups. Nate (Timothy Hutton) and his team searched for Moreau throughout the third season at the behest of a mysterious woman known only as The Italian (guest star Elisabeth Canalis).But when the team members finally come face to face with Moreau, they will be forced to rethink their strategy to take him down and avoid retaliation from The Italian. Leverage returns with a holiday episode on December 12 at 9 PM followed by the two-part season finale on December 19.

Dean Norris (Breaking Bad) will guest star on Law & Order: Los Angeles, playing the father of a college student whose girlfriend’s brother is murdered.

Rebecca Mader (Lost) will appear on No Ordinary Family, playing an employee of Global Tech — the company where Stephanie (Julie Benz) works — who may be hiding a few secrets of her own. This episode is slated to premiere in January.

Shohreh Aghdashloo (24 and FlashForward) will appear in an upcoming episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, playing Sunny Qadar, an employee of the Brooklyn DA’s office.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner (Cosby Show) will appear in an upcoming episode of Community, starring as Andre, the ex-husband of Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown).

Della Reese (Touched By An Angel) will guest star in an upcoming episode of the ABC drama Detroit 1-8-7 that is set to air on December 7. She will portray Lorraine Henderson, an urban, working class mother in her 70s, whose son’s body is found in an abandoned fallout shelter.

Darren Criss, who debuted on this week’s episode of Glee, is in talks to become a full-fledged series regular. This promotion would likely happen at the start of the show’s third season.

British actor Rob Kazinsky (EastEnders and one of the many stars in the upcoming The Hobbit movie) will appear on Brothers & Sisters as Dr. Rick, an ex-boyfriend of Annie’s (Odette Yustman) who makes Justin (Dave Annable) jealous. He is expected to appear in only one episode, but more may be planned.

Actress Arlene Tur (Crash) is joining the 4th season of Torchwood as recurring character Vera Juarez, a surgeon. Enver Gjokai (Dollhouse) and Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill) had been circling the new male role — a sharp-as-nails, funny-as-hell, tough-as-rawhide CIA agent — but producers ultimately deemed neither to be a good fit. Meanwhile Amber Stevens (Greek) had been circling the female part — a CIA Watch Analyst who possesses an unshakable faith in human nature.

Jason Wiles (Third Watch and Persons Unknown) will appear in No Ordinary Family as Mike Powell, the brother of Jim (Michael Chiklis). He is signed for just one episode.

Legendary actor/comedian Bob Newhart will guest star on NCIS as a medical-examiner, who will be working closely with Ducky (David McCallum). His episode is scheduled to air in January.

Parenthood is recasting Sarah’s (Lauren Graham) ex-hubby and the father to Amber and Drew. Darin Heames (Sons of Anarchy) played the role of Seth in the show’s pilot. This character will appear in multiple episodes.

Drea de Matteo (Sopranos and Desperate Housewives) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, playing a pregnant, battered wife. The episode will air in early 2011.

Alanna Ubach (Legally Blonde and Hung) will play Michelle, a possible love interest for Joe (Ray Romano) in five episodes of Men of a Certain Age, which returns to TNT on December 6.

It would seem the folks behind The Event are pursuing actress Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights) for a major recurring role in the series. No word yet on if she has accepted let alone is considering the offer.

Actress Courtney Ford (Dexter and Mrs. Brandon Routh [of Superman Returns]) will appear in the next season of True Blood, playing Andy’s sister Portia Bellefleur, who is an attorney. Some TV viewers may have also seen her in recent episodes of NCIS and The Vampire Diaries.

There is a boatload of guest stars lined up for the next season of the popular TV Land comedy Hot in Cleveland, including Bonnie Franklin (One Day At a Time), Melanie Griffith, Illeana Douglas, Wayne Knight (Seinfeld), John Schneider, Sherri Shepherd (The View) and Jack Wagner (The Bold and the Beautiful).

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

With the fall season fully upon us, there is a lot of programming for which to keep track. The list below covers most of what you can expect this coming weekend and next week:

Saturday, November 13:
Hawaii Five-0 on CBS at 9 PM (reair)
Outlaw on NBC at 8 PM
The Big C on Showtime at 8 PM (reair)
Weeds on Showtime at 8:30 PM (reair)
The Lost Future movie on Syfy at 9 PM (Debut)
Maternal Obsession movie on Lifetime Movie Network at 8 PM (reair)
The Good Witch’s Gift movie on Hallmark at 8 and 10 PM (Debut)

Sunday, November 14:
Desperate Housewives on ABC at 9 PM
Brothers & Sisters on ABC at 10:01 PM
CSI: Miami on CBS at 10 PM
Luther on BBC America at 7 PM
The Walking Dead on AMC at 10 PM
Dexter on Showtime at 9 PM (New)
Weeds on Showtime at 10 PM (reair)
The Big C on Showtime at 10:30 PM (reair)
Boardwalk Empire on HBO at 9 PM
The Good Witch’s Gift movie on Hallmark at 8 PM (reair)

Monday, November 15:
Hawaii Five-0 on CBS at 10 PM
Castle on ABC at 10:01 PM
90210 on The CW at 8 PM
Gossip Girl on The CW at 9 PM
House on FOX at 8 PM
Lie To Me on FOX at 9 PM
Chuck on NBC at 8 PM
The Event on NBC at 9 PM
Chase on NBC at 10 PM
Dexter on Showtime at 9 PM (reair)
Weeds on Showtime at 10 PM
The Big C on Showtime at 10:30 PM
Boardwalk Empire on HBO2 at 8 PM (reair)
In Treatment on HBO at 9 and 9:30 PM (New)
One Angry Juror movie on Lifetime at 9 PM (Debut)

Tuesday, November 16:
No Ordinary Family on ABC at 8 PM
Detroit 1-8-7 on ABC at 10:01 PM
NCIS on CBS at 8 PM
NCIS: Los Angeles on CBS at 9 PM
The Good Wife on CBS at 10 PM
One Tree Hill on the CW at 8 PM
Life Unexpected on the CW at 9 PM
Glee on FOX at 8 PM
Parenthood on NBC at 10 PM
Sons of Anarchy on FX at 10 PM
Tower Prep on Cartoon Network at 8 PM
Stargate Universe on Syfy at 9 PM
Glory Daze on TBS at 10 PM (Debut)
Weeds on Showtime at 9 PM (reair)
The Big C on Showtime at 9:30 PM (reair)
Dexter on Showtime at 10 PM (reair)
In Treatment on HBO at 8 and 8:30 PM (reairs)
In Treatment on HBO at 9 and 9:30 PM (New)

Wednesday, November 17:
People Magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive Special on ABC at 10:01 PM
Criminal Minds on CBS at 9 PM
The Defenders on CBS at 10 PM
Hellcats on The CW at 9 PM
Human Target on FOX at 8 PM (Return)
Undercovers on NBC at 8 PM
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on NBC at 9 PM
Law & Order: Los Angeles on NBC at 10 PM
Terriers on FX at 10 PM
Friday Night Lights on DirecTV at 9 PM
Psych on USA Network at 10 PM
Law & Order: UK on BBC America at 8 PM (reair)
Boardwalk Empire on HBO at 8, 9 and 10 PM (reairs)
In Treatment on HBO Signature at 9, 9:30, 10 and 10:30 PM (reairs)
Dexter on Showtime2 at 8 PM (reair)
The Big C on Showtime2 at 9 PM (reair)
Weeds on Showtime2 at 9:30 PM (reair)
Avalon High movie on Disney at 8 PM (reair)

Thursday, November 18:
CSI on CBS at 9 PM
The Mentalist on CBS at 10 PM
Grey’s Anatomy on ABC at 9 PM
Private Practice on ABC at 10:01 PM
Bones on FOX at 8 PM
Fringe on FOX at 9 PM
Weeds on Showtime2 at 9 PM (reair)
The Big C on Showtime2 at 9:30 PM (reair)
Dexter on Showtime at 10 PM (reair)
Boardwalk Empire on HBO2 at 10 PM (reair)
Burn Notice on USA Network at 10 PM

Friday, November 19:
Medium on CBS at 8 PM
CSI: NY on CBS at 9 PM
Blue Bloods on CBS at 10 PM
Smallville on the CW at 8 PM
Supernatural on the CW at 9 PM
House on FOX at 8 PM (reair)
The Good Guys on FOX at 9 PM
The Walking Dead on AMC at 10 PM (reair)
Law & Order: UK on BBC America at 9 and 10 PM (reairs)
Sanctuary on Syfy at 10 PM
Gigantic on Teen Nick at 9:30 PM
Weeds on Showtime at 8 PM (reair)
The Big C on Showtime at 8:30 PM (reair)
Dexter on Showtime2 at 9 PM (reair)
In Treatment on HBO2 at 10 and 10:30 PM (reair)
The Good Witch’s Gift movie on Hallmark at 8 PM (reair)

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

Have a great weekend!