TV Mad Man

Some casting news to start a slow Tuesday. 24‘s long-time heroin Kiefer Sutherland is teaming back up with his eight-season network. FOX has cast him in the 20th and Chernin Entertainment pilot Touch that surrounds a father (Sutherland) who’s autistic son can seemingly predict the future with various methods. However, due to Sutherland’s Broadway show That Champonship Season, he is unable to shoot the pilot (which is to be directed by The Good Wife‘s Charles McDougall) until late May, which only allows the pilot to be in contention for midseason.

Touch is written by Heroes‘ creator Tim Kring, and having read the script is an intriguing concept and story that is sure to get my attention. You may think of Kring and go, really, as he did not have the biggest repour at running a series beyond a stellar first season, but this may be a whole another animal but it does have a distinct worldly feel as Heroes did.

Above you can check out the first promotional art for ABC’s midseason drama Body of Proof, starring Dana Delany as a ex-neurosurgeon turned medical examiner, who works closely with the cops to solve crime. ABC won’t say just yet when it will premiere, just “early next year” but expect an announcement very soon. Body of Proof also stars John Carroll Lynch, Sonja Sohn, and Jeri Ryan.

Off the Map

Shonda Rhimes, creator of ABC hits Private Practice and Grey’s Anatomy, may have another hit at ABC come January 12th. She is producing along with creator Jenna Bans, on Off the Map, which will premiere Wednesday, January 12th at 10/9c, according to a release by the network this afternoon

The series stars the young talent of Caroline Dhavernas (Wonderfalls), Rachelle Lefevre (Twilight), Mamie Gummer (The Good Wife), and Zach Gilford (Friday Night Lights), among others, as young doctors that go to work on a remote tropical location, to find themselves, and discover some unique medical situations.

Off the Map was originally scheduled to take over for Brothers and Sisters on Sundays, but when the 5th-year drama hit a ratings boost this year and got an additional pickup things changed. New ABC president Paul Lee is said to be high on the project shooting in Hawaii, granting Off the Map a full 13 episode pickup, opposed to the seven episodes it originally got.

It is unclear at the time whether this will be the permanent location for the series on ABC’s midseason schedule that will include Matthew Perry-led Mr. Sunshine, new comedy Happy Endings, and a new drama starring Dana Delany entitled Body of Proof, expect a full release tomorrow.

The mini-release by ABC is below on the show…. (more…)

The cast of Undercovers talk to critics

NBC, oh NBC, what a crazy up and down year it has been for you and to present to a bunch of critics that have not been so kind over the last was not that easy. Alas, NBC is looking in pretty positive shape coming this fall with new shows, good promotion, and strong acting and buzz. Here are the highlights from their day at the Television Critics Association Press Tour:

• The network decided to change some of its fall premiere dates to better launch new and returning shows. Parenthood will premiere a week early September 14th at 10/9c, after America’s Got Talent, while new drama Outlaw with Jimmy Smits will preview after the Talent finale the next day at 10/9c. It will then settle into its regular slot, Fridays at 10/9c on the 17th. The Apprentice will get a two-hour launch on the 16th now, while Law and Order: LA will get pushed to September 29th.
• Speaking of LOLA, lots of news as production starts Monday for the franchise spinoff. The cast is now locked with Terrence Howard napping a DDA role which will rotate with Alfred Molina, Regina Hall will play the ADA Eva Price, and Wanda De Jesus plays Lieutenant Arleen Gonzales. Also, according to TV Guide, Mariska Hargitay may stop by for the premiere from SVU to give the show synergy with its lead-in.
• 30 Rock will perform a LIVE episode on the 14th of October for both coasts. Live episode are especially exciting for the unknown factor, but veterans Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin are doing it from the SNL stage so its nothing new for them. Also in comedies, Drew Carey and Rob Corddry will pop up on Community, and Kathy Bates and Amy Ryan will return to The Office. Ryan stay will last most of the season (Hell yes!!).
• Other Office gossip was presented to NBC President Angela Bromstad who said that the news that Steve Carrell is leaving the show in May was not a surprise and that they have a plan which will be a mystery throughout the year. Someone will replace him.
• Now for some quick takes about the new and returning shows: Rob Lowe is now a series regular on Parks and Recreation, The Event producers want you to not feel cheated and repeatedly say it’s not Lost, Chase got Eddie Cibrian for multiple episodes, Outlaw is getting retooled a lot, the Undercovers‘ leads race is a pretty big step for TV and people should care, and Outsourced is still not funny. Oops.

To read more in depth and full reports check out the following sites: The Futon Critic, Hollywood Reporter, Ausiello Files, and Variety.

CBS's The Talk

It’s the end of July, Comic-Con is over, and the TV world turns its attention fully into the start of production on the fall season and the networks present their fall slates again more formally at the Television Critics Associations Press Tour. The tour began today with CBS and continues with CW, Showtime, NBC, ABC, FOX in the coming days followed by a variety of cable shows. I scoured the web for the best highlights of today’s panels and check it out below….

• Nina Tassler, CBS President, started the day off by commenting on the big news of the week that ABC executive Steve McPherson resigned yesterday. She said, “Damn it, he got out of doing press tour,” always good to start on a fun note.
• CBS has five new series in the fall, Hawaii 5-0 airs on Monday and CBS wanted to make it clear it was not a remake, more of the new cool term, “re-imagaining.” The pilot will shine a light on island life and not be fully be procedural based.
• The two new comedies, S&%* My Dad Says and Mike & Molly, received lukewarm feelings from critics, while the former’s star William Shatner is upset they aren’t using the real expletive in the title.
• CBS is also premiering a new daytime talk show in October with the title, “The Talk.” The show centers around moms and the creator Sara Gilbert (Rosanne) recruited Julie Chen, Leah Remini, Holly Robinson Peete, Sharon Osbourne, and Marissa Jaret Winokur to talk about all the subjects they want too. Chen seems to be all over the net and will step down as a day-to-day duties at The Early Show.
• Two surprising positives from the network seem to be the new Friday drama Blue Bloods about a family of New York Cops, with its star Tom Selleck and Donnie Wahlberg really selling the idea that it’s really about the family not the crime. Also The Defenders, where as much as Jim Belushi wants to shake off the hatred toward According to Jim, he just can’t with the critics, but his show is sure garnering positives.
• Finally, Nina Tassler has no decision on Flashpoint‘s return next summer as nothing has been decided.

To read more in depth and full reports check out the following sites: The Futon Critic, Hollywood Reporter, Ausiello Files, and Variety.