News

Earlier this month, we learned that Game of Thrones cast members Sophie Turner and Kit Harington will be reuniting for writer/director Natasha Kermani’s Gothic horror film The Dreadful… and close on the heels of that announcement comes the news that Turner has also signed on to star in a psychological thriller called Trust, which is coming our way from Twisted Pictures, the production company behind the Saw franchise.

Twisted Pictures has secured a multi-picture deal with Republic Pictures, with Republic Pictures acquiring the worldwide rights to Trust. As The Hollywood Reporter notes, “The Paramount Global housed Republic Pictures was revived in 2023 as an acquisitions only label, and has a slate that includes Samara Weaving starrer Azreal and Jon Voight action film The Painter.” The Republic Pictures name goes back to 1935 and the days when the company was a standalone studio that specialized in serials, Westerns, and B-movies.

Actress...

Hulu’s upcoming limited series The Dropout, about the rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos, continues to expand its cast with the addition of Dylan Minnette, Alan Ruck, Bashir Salahuddin and Mary Lynn Rajskub. Also joining the cast are Hart Bochner, James Hiroyuki Liao, Nicky Endres, Camryn Mi-Young Kim and Andrew Leeds. They will appear opposite Amanda Seyfried in the series from Liz Meriwether, Seachlight Television and Disney Television Studios’ 20th Television.

Created and executive produced by Meriwether, who also serves as showrunner, The Dropout is based on the ABC News/ABC Radio podcast. Holmes (Seyfried), the enigmatic Stanford dropout who founded medical testing start-up Theranos, was lauded as a Steve Jobs for the next tech generation. Once worth billions of dollars, the myth crumbled when it was revealed that none of the tech actually worked, putting thousands of people’s health in grave danger. Money. Romance. Tragedy.

Exclusive: We have learned that Will & Grace Emmy winning Best Actress Debra Messing is joining Netflix’s feature adaptation of Broadway’s 13: The Musical.

She joins the previously announced cast that we first told you about of Eli Golden, Gabriella Uhl, Jd McCrary, Frankie McNellis, Lindsey Blackwell, Jonathan Lengel, Ramon Reed, Nolen Dubuc, Luke Islam, Shechinah Mpumlwana, Kayleigh Cerezo, Wyatt Moss, Liam Wignall, and Khiyla Aynne in the Tamra Davis directed feature.

13: The Musical, produced by Neil Meron with Tony Award winner Robert Horn adapting the script off the book he co-wrote with Dan Elish, follows 12-year old Evan Goldman (12). He moves from NYC to small-town Indiana where he grapples with his parents’ divorce, prepares for his impending Bar Mitzvah, and navigates the complicated social circles of a new school. Messing will play Evan Goldman’s (Golden) mom.

Three-time Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown, who served...

Jeffrey M. Hayes, a longtime producer whose executive tenure at Paramount Pictures Network Television saw him overseeing the development of series including MacGyver and Star Trek: The Next Generation, died March 9 in Los Angeles from an illness unrelated to Covid-19. He was 68.

His death was announced by Michelle Orsi of Three.Sixty Marketing & Communications.

Hayes’s career in producing, writing and directing began at Aaron Spelling Productions, where his projects included Vega$ and T.J. Hooker. From there, Hayes became Executive VP of Paramount Pictures Network Television.

In the late 1980s, Hayes moved to Australia’s Gold Coast to help build a production operation that would span over 25 years and produce over 300 hours of US/International television. As President of Village Roadshow Pictures Television he executive produced Sahara, In Pursuit of Honor, the remake of the television series Mission Impossible and The Thorn Birds – The Missing Years with The Wolper Organization.

Throughout Emmy season, IndieWire will evaluate the top contenders for TV’s most prestigious prize, and it all starts here. At the bottom of this page are IndieWire TV Critic Ben Travers’ predictions for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie. This article will be updated throughout the coming months, along with all our predictions, to reflect an up-to-the-minute state of the race. Make sure to keep checking IndieWire for the latest coverage on the 2020 Emmys, including breaking news, analysis, interviews, podcasts, FYC event coverage, reviews of all the awards contenders, and more. The Creative Arts Emmy Awards will be given out the week of September 14. The 72nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will take place virtually on Sunday, September 20. (See our awards calendar for a more detailed breakdown of important dates.) ABC is broadcasting the ceremony.

Last Year’s Winner: Patricia Arquette, “The Act”

Still Eligible: No.

YouTube personality Jojo Siwa will star in the movie adaptation of the book “Bounce.”

Paramount Pictures won the rights to the novel following a competitive bidding war. Will Smith and James Lassiter will produce through their Overbrook Entertainment banner, alongside Caleeb Pinkett.

Based on the book by Megan Shull, “Bounce” is a heartwarming story about a teenage girl who wishes she could trade her family for a new one on Christmas Eve. Her wish is granted and she finds herself “bouncing” into the lives of other girls and living Christmas Day on repeat — learning the value of family, finding your voice and the power of love.

Josann McGibbon will adapt the script. The studio is currently looking for a director.

While she broke onto the scene as one of Abby Lee Miller’s students on two seasons of “Dance Moms,” Siwa’s big break came with her debut single, “Boomerang.

Debra Messing is set to star in and executive produce a new comedy series in development at Starz called “East Wing.”

Ali Wentworth is writer and creator of the half-hour comedy, and will also appear in the series alongside Messing and Liz Tuccillo.

Here is the official description from Starz:

“East Wing” draws from the experiences of Ali Wentworth’s mother, who served as Social Secretary in the White House during Ronald Reagan’s presidency in the 1980s. It tells the story of Hollis Carlisle (Messing), a hostess extraordinaire who juggles her threatened husband, rebellious children, Nancy Reagan’s Chief of Staff and a crippling social anxiety disorder. Ali will reoccur as Hollis’s best friend, Kelly Forbes, who is a stay at home mom and is threatened by Hollis’s success.

Also Read: Netflix Pulls Episode of Bob Odenkirk and David Cross's 2015 Comedy Show Over Blackface Sketch

“The...

Starz is developing East Wing, a half-hour comedy series starring Will & Grace alumna Debra Messing. It is created and written by Ali Wentworth (Nightcap), who will also appear in the series alongside Messing, and Liz Tuccillo (Divorce). East Wing is produced by Lionsgate and executive produced by Messing, Wentworth, Tuccillo and 3 Arts Entertainment’s Howard Klein and Molly Madden.

East Wing draws from the experiences of Wentworth’s mother, who served as Social Secretary in the White House during Ronald Reagan’s presidency in the 1980s. It tells the story of Hollis Carlisle (Messing), a hostess extraordinaire who juggles her threatened husband, rebellious children, Nancy Reagan’s Chief of Staff and a crippling social anxiety disorder. Ali will recur as Hollis’ best friend, Kelly Forbes, who is a stay at home mom and is threatened by Hollis’ success.

“The charm and relatability Debra brings to every character she inhabits...

Starz is developing a new comedy series titled “East Wing” with Debra Messing attached in the lead role, Variety has learned.

The series hails from writers and creators Ali Wentworth and Liz Tuccillo, with Wentworth also set to star alongside Messing. The show is inspired by Wentworth’s mother, who who served as Social Secretary in the White House during Ronald Reagan’s presidency in the 1980s. It tells the story of Hollis Carlisle (Messing), a hostess extraordinaire who juggles her threatened husband, rebellious children, Nancy Reagan’s Chief of Staff and a crippling social anxiety disorder. Ali will reoccur as Hollis’ best friend, Kelly Forbes, a stay at home mom who is threatened by her friend’s success.

Messing will executive produce in addition to starring, with Wentworth and Tuccillo also executive producing along with Howard Klein of 3 Arts and Molly Madden. Lionsgate Television will produce.

“The charm and...

Last Year’s Winner: Merritt Wever, “Godless”

Still Eligible: No.

Hot Streak: No actress has ever won this category more than twice — Jane Alexander (“Playing for Time” and “Warm Springs”), Judy Davis (“Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story” and “The Starter Wife”), Colleen Dewhurst (“Between Two Women” and “Those She Left Behind”), and Mare Winningham (“Amber Waves” and “George Wallace”) are the only actresses to win twice for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie, and Regina King (“American Crime”) is the only actress to win two trophies consecutively.

Fun Fact: The Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie race has been somewhat immune to the streaming and premium cable dominance seen in other Emmy categories. Over the last five years, winners have come from broadcast, basic cable, premium cable, and streaming. If you expand the timeframe to this decade, two additional networks are represented,...

Starr Parodi was elected new president of the Alliance for Women Film Composers on Sunday, succeeding Lolita Ritmanis.

Parodi — who first came to prominence as a member of the “Arsenio Hall Show” house band — has extensive television credits including “The Division,” “The Starter Wife,” “G.I. Joe: Renegades” and “Transformers: Rescue Bots,” along with film credits including “Conversations With Other Women” and music for hundreds of movie trailers.

Her version of the James Bond Theme, created for the “GoldenEye” trailer with composing partner Jeff Eden Fair, was widely acclaimed and earned gold-record status in 2004 as part of the “Best of Bond” CD collection.

Parodi was the first woman to compose orchestral music for the 85-year-old Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach, where she continues to be a featured composer. Her recent neoclassical album “The Heart of Frida,” celebrating the spirit of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, won Solo Piano Album of...

Rachel Brosnahan has won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy TV Series for “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” besting a competitive field of contenders that included Kristen Bell (“The Good Place”), Candice Bergen (“Murphy Brown”), Alison Brie (“Glow”), and Debra Messing (“Will & Grace”). Last year’s prize also went to Brosnahan.

The nominees featured an unusual mix of new and returning characters, as both “Murphy Brown” and “Will & Grace” are back on the air years after their original endings and “The Good Place,” “Glow,” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” have each aired three seasons or fewer. Brosnahan also won the Emmy for her performance as the title character in Amy Sherman-Palladino’s comedy for Amazon, which follows a housewife-turned-comedian in late-1950s New York.

Messing has received six prior Globe nods for her leading role on “Will & Grace” (plus two more for “The Starter Wife...

In one of the surprises of the morning, Debra Messing received a Golden Globe nomination in Best TV Comedy/Musical Actress for “Will & Grace” on Thursday. Great news for her, but if she doesn’t win next month, it would stretch the show’s dismal Globes record to 0-30.

Despite being one of three shows where the main stars have all won Emmy Awards, the NBC comedy is the biggest TV loser at the Globes. “Will & Grace” amassed 27 nominations and zero wins when it was first on the air from 1998 to 2006. Last year, it added two more nominations, for Best TV Comedy/Musical Series and Best TV Comedy/Musical Actor for Eric McCormack, to bring its record to 0-29. To their credit, the stars have had a good sense of humor about it, often toasting on the Globes when their names weren’t announced.

See Golden Globes 2019:...

2017-08-10T13:45:43-07:00'Will & Grace' Revival Begins Shooting

They’re back and better than ever! Debra Messing and Megan Mullally celebrated the first day of taping the Will & Grace reboot.

“It’s opening night!” Messing, 48, said in an Instagram video on Wednesday, August 9. “We’re about to shoot it!”

Mullally, 58, then hilariously chimed in, “We’re on Broadway! Oh wait. That’s not right.”

The Starter Wife actress then panned the camera over her fellow cast members, including Sean Hayes and Eric McCormack, who were all smiles as they cheered her on.

Read the rest of this article at Us Weekly.

Eric McCormack also stars in Travelers.

When Sara Parriott and Josann McGibbon first teamed up 32 years ago, the door had just started to crack open for female film writers.

“We came at the right time, it was right when women writers were coming into vogue,” McGibbon said. “It was the time of ‘Thelma and Louise’ and there was two of us — a blonde and a brunette and it all fell into place.”

Parriott and McGibbon’s latest project, “Descendants 2,” premieres Friday night on Disney Channel, as well as ABC, Freeform, Disney Xd and Lifetime. It’s now a key franchise for Disney, and the latest career twist for Parriott and McGibbon, who now boast one of the longest-running writing partnerships in all of Hollywood.

Read MoreAt D23, Disney Showed Off Its Mighty Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar Muscle — Full Report

The duo initially chose film over TV because “we felt in success we could still...

After Disney Channel's The Descendants was the top cable TV movie of 2015, a sequel was quickly ordered, with the beloved characters from the first movie all set to return, along with a few new characters as well. Today we have the first poster and trailer for Descendants 2, which offers our first look at Uma, the daughter of Little Mermaid villain Ursula, played by China Anne McClain. We also have a photo that features Uma alongside two more new characters, Harry (Thomas Doherty), the son of Peter Pan villain Captain Hook and Gus (Dylan Playfair), the son of Beauty and the Beast villain Gaston. Here's what director Kenny Ortega had to say about these new characters, and how they fit into the story.

"The Isle of the Lost is an island that houses the most infamous villains, so it seemed natural for a pirate gang including the offspring of Ursula,...

USA Network dominated during the early aughts with their comedy series Monk (18 nominations, eight wins), and then with 2007 miniseries The Starter Wife (10 noms, one win) and 2013 Political Animals (five noms, one win). However, today the cable network and Universal Cable Productions earned their first Drama Series nomination with its cyber thriller series Mr. Robot. In total, the show landed six noms including a first Emmy nom for leading actor Rami Malek, who plays…...

Twenty-five years ago, costume designer Margot Wilson was a student living in Paris when she picked up a roll of red, moire silk fabric during a shopping trip to Milan. She didn’t know why, or what for; she wasn’t even a costume designer then, just a talented young fashion grad from East Sydney Tech on a six-month scholarship to France. When it was time to go home, she took the beautiful roll of fabric back down under with her.

Fast forward three decades and a couple of dozen films later (including Lantana, Bran Nue Dae and Lawless), and Wilson has finally found a screen role for her magnificent weave – on Oscar winner Kate Winslet in the film adaptation of Rosalie Ham’s bestselling novel, The Dressmaker. “I’ve been carrying that roll of fabric around forever,” laughs Wilson, who designed all of Winslet’s costumes in the movie.

The Disney Channel’s new original movie “Descendants” brings together the children of many iconic Disney characters, no easy feat for screenwriters Josann McGibbon and Sara Parriot. The writing duo behind “Runaway Bride” and the USA series “The Starter Wife” starring Debra Messing were approached to take on a story surrounding Disney’s second generation and relished the opportunity to re-imagine their favorite childhood characters 20 years later. In the TV movie, the sons and daughters of four classic Disney villains — Jafar from “Aladdin,” Cruella De Vil from “101 Dalmations,” the Evil Queen from “Snow White” and Maleficent from “Sleeping Beauty” —...

High School Musical director Kenny Ortega is returning to the Disney Channel with the all-new original TV movie Descendants, which brings some awfully wicked offspring to life. The first 6-minutes have debuted online, with Kenny Ortega introducing the movie and the wild thrills it contains. Here, we get to meet the teenage son of Belle and Beast, who rule over the fantasy kingdom of Auradon. All of the fairytale kingdoms have come together as one, for a story about what happens after 'happily ever after'.

Kenny Ortega describes Disney's Descendants as a modern fairy tale. As he puts it, it's a 'Once Upon a Now' story that will surely resonate with today's youth, as well as their parents alike. This opening prologue springs from the interface of an iPad, telling how Beast became president of Auradon, booting all of the villains and their sidekicks off to the Isle of the Lost.

NBC on Wednesday is giving audiences a sneak peek at its new action-comedy The Mysteries of Laura (10/9c), which finds Debra Messing packing heat… and school lunches.

Related Fall TV Spectacular: Exclusive Scoop and Photos on 42 Returning Favorites!

The former Smash star pulls double duty as an NYPD homicide detective and mother of twin boys — actually, make that twin terrors — and executive producer Jeff Rake tells TVLine that the constant struggle for balance is what makes Messing perfect for Laura, which is based on a Spanish-language procedural.

“We all know her comedic chops from Will & Grace, but for those who saw The Starter Wife,...

Childhood's End, a Us science fiction mini-series based on a classic Arthur C. Clarke novel which begins filming in Melbourne on December 1, will be a great gig for Australian cast and crew and, most probably, VFX houses.

A high percentage of the cast and crew will be Australian, according to Brett Popplewell, who is partnered with Jeff Hayes in HayPop, the service company contracted by Universal Cable Productions.

Popplewell and Hayes were approached by NBCUniversal executives in February/March to assess whether the six-hour series could be made in Australia and, if so, to work out a creative and financial structure.

The Docklands Studios and Melbourne locations won out thanks to a number of factors including the Victorian government.s financial assistance, the location rebate, cast and crew availability, locations and a weakening of the local dollar versus the greenback.

Film Victoria CEO Jenni Tosi .really drove [the project] and helped push it over the line,...

Actress Miranda Otto is joining the many familiar faces who have signed onto HBO’s increasingly intriguing Westworld. The Lord of the Rings and War of the Worlds co-star has joined the cast of the sci-fi pilot, about a futuristic theme park that caters to dark human desires.

Otto will play “Virginia Pittman,” the head of the park’s Quality Assurance department. We’re told “her brutal honesty with her colleagues and her ruthless efficiency in dealing with malfunctioning ‘property’ have made her a formidable and unpredictable power player in Westworld.”

The Westworld cast has grown rapidly over the past several weeks.

Westworld has unveiled its newest attraction: Miranda Otto.

The Rake actress has joined the sprawling cast of HBO’s sci-fi pilot, which revolves around a futuristic theme park where robots go berserk and attack the guests.

Related Cable Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Been Cancelled?

Otto will play Virginia Pittman, the head of the park’s Quality Assurance department whose brutal honesty with her colleagues and her ruthless efficiency in dealing with malfunctioning “property” have made her a formidable and unpredictable power player in Westworld.

Inspired by Michael Crichton’s 1973 movie of the same name, Westworld‘s...

Debra Messing first won our hearts as Grace Adler on "Will & Grace" (we've seen every episode … twice), and then continued with roles on TV shows like "The Starter Wife" and "Smash." Now, the Emmy-winning actress is starring as a homicide detective in the upcoming NBC drama, "The Mysteries of Laura."Messing took time out of her busy schedule on set to catch up with toofab's Rachel Hoffman, where she talked about everything from a "Will & Grace" reunion to her recent 20-pound weight loss. It's been eight years since "Will & Grace" went off the air, but Grace Adler continues to be an iconic character. Rumors recently started swirling that a reunion special was in the works, but NBC inevitably shot down those reports.When we asked Debra about all the buzz, she said, "I never say never to anything, but it would be hard to have a reunion show because the...

Around this time last year I wrote a piece gushing about the operatic ghoulishness of NBC’s Hannibal. This Season carnage maestro Bryan Fuller and his merry band of dismemberists returned to outdo their own impressive bodycount and mess with our minds, expectations, and appetites. This week the season finale promises to explain the mind-boggling fight-to-the-death that opened the season, and presumably to send the story off in another unexpected direction for the eagerly anticipated – and recently announced – Season 3.

As we near the bloody finish, let’s look back at a few of the moments that we will never be able to get out of our heads, even with the assistance of a bonesaw.

(in roughly chron order)

1. Jack Attacks Hannibal

The season started with a bang, as Jack Crawford (Lawrence Fishburne) appeared at Hannibal’s (Mads Mikkelsen) house – not to sup on his delicious, homemade gourmet meals, but to fuck his shit up.

The new Fox comedy, Rake, is the next entry in the category of television shows remade from overseas efforts, and while it doesn’t come with all the same hurdles as most similar efforts, it has a tricky road ahead of it. The normal course would be to talk about the differences in comedic styles inherent in moving something across the pond, a problem Fox will soon face when it tries to “Americanize” the beloved, and wonderful, Gavin & Stacey with the upcoming Us & Them. This time, the show is from Australia, originally starred Richard Roxburgh, and aimed for a dark and tragic brand of comedy that was almost completely unique.

Roxburgh was not only brilliant, but brilliantly cast, relaying enough charm and delivering the proper form of wit to keep the character engaging and likable, no matter what he did. A modern version of a frequent side character in Elizabethan...

Tracey Vieira, Ausfilm.s La-based Executive Vice President, International Production, is returning to her native Queensland as CEO of Screen Queensland.

The well-regarded Vieira will take up the post on February 17, hopefully bringing stability to an organisation which was rocked by the departure of CEO Bryan Lowe late last year and the exit last Friday of Jennie Hughes, chief operating officer and director of the Brisbane International Film Festival.

Her appointment was immediately welcomed by film industry figures. "I am delighted," says Pictures in Paradise's Chris Brown, who co-produced The Railway Man. "She has a long history with the agency and is eminently qualified for the job."

Another producer tells If, "She's smart and ticks a lot of boxes and with her Queensland connections knows the lie of the land."

Village Roadshow Studios president Lynne Benzie said, "This is great news for Queensland. Having worked with Tracey when she was...

News and notes spanning the TV galaxy:

- Been playing those new Beyonce videos over and over on your computer, wishing you could see them on a bigger screen? Well, you're in luck. Fuse will air all 17 videos from Beyonce's surprise self-titled "visual album" back-to-back on Monday (Dec. 23) at 8 p.m. Et. The exclusive airing is a one-time deal, though, so be sure to set your DVRs!

- HBO will air a special honoring "Sopranos" star James Gandolfini at 8:30 p.m. Et Sunday (Dec. 22). "James Gandolfini: Tribute to a Friend" will feature some two dozen colleagues and friends sharing their memories of the actor, who died in June, as well as clips and behind-the-scenes moments.

- Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Judy Davis ("The Starter Wife," "Husbands and Wives") has joined the cast of Fox's miniseries "24: Live Another Day." She'll have a recurring part as Margot, the widow of an infamous terrorist.

Disney Channel has announced "Descendants," a contemporary live-action adventure-comedy which will raid the studio's vault of beloved characters.

Kenny Ortega ("High School Musical") will direct the project set in a present-day idyllic kingdom where the benevolent teenage son of King Beast and Queen Belle offers a chance at redemption for the troublemaking offspring of Cruella De Vil (Carlos), Maleficent (Mal), the Evil Queen (Evvie) and Jafar (Jay).

The four have been imprisoned on a forbidden island with the other villains, sidekicks, evil stepmothers and stepsisters. Allowed back into the kingdom to attend prep school alongside Disney heroes like the Fairy Godmother, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel and Mulan, they face the dilemma of either following in their evil parents' footsteps or embracing their goodness.

Josanna McGibbon and Sara Parriott ("The Starter Wife," "Desperate Housewives") penned the script and casting is underway.

Source: The Live Feed...

Exclusive: Meet the offspring of Cruella De Vil, Maleficent, the Evil Queen and Jafar. Disney Channel has ordered to production Descendants, its first live-action original movie tapping into Disney’s vault of classic fairytale characters. Directed by High School Musical helmer and choreographer Kenny Ortega in his return to Disney Channel, the contemporary adventure-comedy revolves around the progeny of some of Disney’s most evil villains, introducing a modern generation of teenagers who question the evil that’s always been in their hearts. Casting is underway, overseen by High School Musical casting directors Natalie Hart and Jason La Padura, with production slated to begin in the spring for a 2015 premiere on Disney Channel. “We mined Disney’s treasure trove of stories and developed a new, comedic approach to the fabled characters everyone knows and loves,” said Gary Marsh, President and Chief Creative Officer of Disney Channels Worldwide. “The result is...

"Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge" has cast Gigi Edgley as host of the new competition series coming to Syfy. The "Farscape" actress has a long history with the producing Jim Henson Company.

In the "Creature Shop Challenge," competitors will design and build various characters ranging from mechanical creations to whimsical beasts. Those that can best bring such creatures to life will vie for a $100,000 prize and a contract job for Jim Henson's Creature Shop.

Starring as Chiana on "Farscape" -- a co-production with the Jim Henson Company, Edgley later went on to appear in numerous projects in both her native Australia and in the United States. Her credits include the USA mini-series, "The Starter Wife," and the acclaimed Australian drama, "The Secret Life of Us."

Edgley will be joined by a trio of judges on the show. Creature fabricator Beth Hathaway and creature designer Kirk Thatcher will critique the various...

Five years ago, I started watching The Starter Wife for Debra Messing, but I stayed for Stephen Moyer. Only, I didn’t realize it was Stephen Moyer until years later.

Let me back up: The Starter Wife was a USA miniseries about a recently divorced single mother who was trying to develop her skills as a writer. It was based on the novel of the same name by Gigi Levangie Grazer, but all I really remember about it is that Debra Messing played the lead character, Molly Kagan, who lived in a gorgeous oceanfront house with her daughter. And after divorcing her very rich husband,...

Exclusive: Gigi Levangie, who previously helped adapt her novels The Starter Wife and Maneater as successful mini-series, is taking another novel to television. Levangie is set to co-write Seven Deadlies, a drama project for MTV based on her upcoming book of the same name, which will be published this fall by Blue Rider/Penguin. Seven Deadlies, which Levangie will be co-writing with Stacey Title and Jonathan Penner, is set in an exclusive, private high school and centers on a Latina scholarship student who  discovers that her classmates carry the bloodlines of the seven deadly sins, and that she must defeat them in order to save the world all while maintaining her Gpa. The project reunites Levangie with MTV topper Susanne Daniels who, while running Lifetime, put Maneater in development. The Starter Wife mini premiered to big ratings on USA, spawning a regular series, which aired for one season. Levangie is repped by Wme,...

We told you back in April that Bryan Fuller‘s pilot for Syfy, High Moon, had gone into production. Four months later they’re announcing lead casting, so I’m trying to not be concerned about the time that’s elapsed, and instead be pleased about this forward momentum.

I love Bryan Fuller‘s work with Our Kind of Shows (Pushing Daisies, Dead Like Me, Wonderfalls and more), so I’d really love to see this one go forward.

Chris Diamantopoulos And Jake Sandvig Sign On For Lead Roles In Syfy’S New Scripted Series Pilot High Moon

New York – August 13, 2013 – Syfy has inked actors Chris Diamantopoulos and Jake Sandvig for starring roles in High Moon, a 90-minute pilot, co-produced by Universal Cable Productions and Lark Productions set to commence shooting August 26 in Vancouver BC. The project is based on the novel “The Lotus Caves” by John Christopher.

High Moon is an imaginative,...

On TV this weekend: 666 Park Avenue ends, Batman begins, a new villain welcomes back Being Human and The Newsroom‘s second season goes live. As a supplement to TVLine’s features (linked within), here are 15 programs to keep on your radar.

Saturday, July 13

10 am Beware the Batman (Cartoon Network) | Series premiere: Batman (voiced by Anthony Ruivivar, Southland) stops vigilantes from taking their revenge.

Related | Save the Dates: Your July Calendar of More than 70 Premieres and Finales

8 pm Zero Hour (ABC) | Hoping Theo is alive, Beck searches for him; Mr. Galliston becomes involved in a confrontation.

8:30 pm The Haunted Hathaways...

Fox has one of its better slates coming your way with the new season, especially if you take the midseason shows into account. Some of these shows may not jump out at you now as must-see, but some of them are going to take over, if I’m any judge anyway.

Clear showcase offerings Dads, Almost Human, and Us & Them are guaranteed to take off early. Almost Human has J.J. Abrams recognition to pull people in, though it looks to be a show that could flounder after a few episodes, even if I hope it doesn’t. The other two are going to become hits. Unfortunately, we have to wait until mid-season for the Gavin & Stacey remake.

Rake also looks like a winner, as long as the translation can be made to work as an Americanized product, and the show actually delivers what made the Australian original so brilliant.

Take...

On TV this Monday: Lost Girl has one mother (and father?) of a season finale, Bones races to save Arastoo, RuPaul holds court and Sundance’s new Rectify tastes life on the outside. Here are 10 programs to keep on your radar.

Related | May Sweeps/Season Finale Preview for Bones, 90210 and Many More Shows

8 pm Bones (Fox) | When a mutated virus infects Arastoo, the Jeffersonian team’s only chance of saving him is by solving the murder of a journalist felled by the same bug. (Read Emily Deschanel’s preview.)

8:30 pm Rules of Engagement (CBS) | Megyn Price makes her directorial debut with tonight’s episode,...

Debra Messing has landed the lead in an untitled CBS comedy pilot essentially confirming what the entire TV industry already knows: NBC's "Smash" is dead.

Messing will star as a fortysomething mother of three who can't stop telling lies -- big lies and little lies -- to balance her hectic life, relationships and responsibilities. The concept is based on an Israeli series and the American version will be overseen by Emmy-nominated "Sex and the City" writers Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky, who also worked on "Smash."

The show marks a return to half-hour comedy for Messing, who won an Emmy for "Will & Grace" in 2003 before going on to headline USA's miniseries-turned-series "The Starter Wife."

Meanwhile, NBC's "Smash" will air two more episodes in its Tuesday timeslot before being exiled to Saturday nights to finish off a disastrously low-rated Season 2. Season-to-date "Smash" is averaging 3.36 million viewers and a 0.9 in the 18-49 demo.

By Rachel Bennett

Television Editor & Columnist

***

It’s pilot season, which means your favorite out-of-work TV actors, actresses, creators and writers are getting a chance to return to the small screen once more.

Although we have yet to know what new series we’ll see next year, the networks have been busy selecting projects to consider for their schedules. So far, almost 100 scripts have been chosen, and audiences will only get to see a handful actually come to fruition.

Several are duds, but there are a few promising prospects that I hope network executives will keep around for the 2013-2014 season — even if it means they have to cancel old favorites to make room (just keep Parks and Recreation, Ok, NBC?).

Check out my choices for the best prospective ABC and Fox pilots, and read my selections for NBC and CBS if you missed them yesterday:

ABC

Drama

1. S.H.I.E.L.D.

• Premise:...

USA Network has promoted the executive responsible for overseeing production on some of its top series, including “Monk” and “Necessary Roughness.” Michael Sluchan, who develops and oversees production on new shows for the network, has been handed the title of senior vice president, original scripted programming, the cable network announced Monday. “Michael is a truly talented executive with vast relationships in the creative community and an incredible ability to nurture the types of writers and producers we love to work with,” Bill McGoldrick, executive vice president, original scripted programming, said in a statement. Since joining the network in 1999, Sluchan has overseen a number of successful series, including “Royal Pains,” “The Starter Wife” with Debra Messing, and the limited event series “Political Animals,” which boasted a cast that included Sigourney Weaver and Ciarán Hinds. In addition to his work at USA, Sluchan serves as a governor at the Academy of Television...

The case is closed on "Common Law." USA has opted to cancel the detectives-in-therapy drama after a single low-rated season.

The future looked bleak for the series earlier this week when star Warren Kole nabbed a recurring role on Fox's upcoming serial killer thriller "The Following."

"Common Law," starring Kole and Michael Ealy, becomes one of the rare one-and-done original series on USA, which has lately been a reliable producer of cable TV hits. The last original series to only last a single season on the network was 2008's miniseries continuation "The Starter Wife" starring Debra Messing.

The "Common Law" cancellation was confirmed on Twitter by USA exec Ted Linhart, who tweeted: "I can confirm to those who have asked that we are not renewing Common Law. Thanks to all the fans who watched and expressed their support."

USA has yet to decide the fate of summer miniseries "Political Animals,...

By Rachel Bennett

Television Editor & Columnist

***

A week ago, Breaking Bad finished the first half of its fifth and final season. In other words, summer TV has ended.

Although some shows, such as FX’s Louie and AMC’s Hell on Wheels, still have more episodes to go before their seasons conclude, NBC will be unveiling some of its new fall series this week — and the other networks won’t be too far behind.

To be honest, summer TV isn’t my favorite. I use the season to catch up on TV I’ve missed more than I do to watch such new offerings as TBS’s Men at Work and E!’s Married to Jonas.

However, this doesn’t mean all of summer TV is a bust.

Here are the choices for the brightest and darkest spots of summer TV 2012:

Biggest Disappointment

The Newsroom (HBO)

It’s no...

Amazon Prime is making hundreds of episodes of shows including "Parks and Recreation," "Friday Night Lights," "Parenthood" and "The Starter Wife" available for streaming in a new deal with NBCUniversal. None of the titles are streamed exclusively through Amazon. The titles add to the 22,000 videos available for streaming through Prime Instant Video. Amazon streams more than 120,000 videos in all. Related Articles:  Amazon Adds Universal Titles to Its Movie-Streaming Catalog...

USA Network has opted not to move forward with Political Animals. The "limited series event" from Greg Berlanti and Laurence Mark was ordered straight to series with the door left open for a potential additional order -- following the same model the cable network did with miniseries The Starter Wife and The 4400.  Video: 'Political Animals' Star James Wolk Talks Show's Future   "We are proud of Political Animals, our miniseries that attracted critical acclaim and impacted the cultural conversation this summer," USA said in a statement. "It was a pleasure to work with Greg Berlanti and Laurence Mark

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Despite being billed as a ‘limited series event,’ a second term for USA Network’s sizzling summer series Political Animals remains a distinct possibility. Or at least that was our takeaway from a recent one-on-one with creator Greg Berlanti during this week’s Television Critics Association Press Tour that saw us muster every ounce of journalist integrity (Read: Refrain from gushing over Everwood and Jack & Bobby with the brains behind two of our all-time favorite shows) to ask a serious and far more pressing question.

“Political Animals was only called a ‘limited series’ because we knew we were only capable of making six in that first year,” explained Berlanti during a media scrum following Monday’s panel touting his latest fall offering Arrow. “Because the series happened so fast — having gone from casting in February to shooting in May — USA Network’s experience with The Starter Wife led them to...

Sigourney Weaver starrer Political Animals didn't see the strongest debut on USA Network last night. The Sunday premiere of the six-part miniseries brought in 2.6 million viewers over its slightly extended broadcast at 10 p.m., with 834,000 viewers falling into the adults 25-54 demo and 675,000 with adults 18-49. Though billed as a "limited series event," the door does seem to be open for an additional order -- much as the network did with minis The Starter Wife and The 4400 -- but initial returns don't make a compelling case. (In 2007, The Starter

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When prolific TV producer Greg Berlanti started developing a series about Political Animals — first and foremost a former First Lady-turned-Secretary of State (played by Sigourney Weaver) who is trying to get out from under her philandering husband’s shadow — he frankly had no idea where it would ultimately call home.

“It was about politics, it had a lead of a woman who’s over 30, there’s [salty] language, there’s sex…. There were a lot of reasons people were like, ‘Who’s going to make that?’” the man who previously gave us Everwood and Eli Stone recalls. “There were only a...

"The Starter Wife" is going to be an ex-wife!Debra Messing has filed for divorce from Daniel Zelman, her husband of eleven-and-a-half years, TMZ is reporting exclusively.The actress, 43, met Zelman in 1990, when they were both grad students at Nyu. They wed in 2000 and welcomed a son, Roman, in 2004.Debra and Daniel separated back in 2011 but continued to live together and raise Roman.Although she is citing "irreconcilable differences" in the divorce documents, sources close to the couple say they are still friendly. Debra is asking for joint custody of Roman.Debra is best known for her roles on "Will & Grace" and "Smash." Read more...

Jennifer Garner and Alfred Molina star in Serena, a short film written and directed by Rodrigo Garcia, a co-founder of Wigs along with Jon Avnet and Jake Avnet. Garner plays Serena, a woman who makes a series of shocking confessions to her Priest (Molina).

“Serena,” the first Wigs short film, is premiering now on youtube.com/wigs.

“Jennifer and Alfred were perfect,” remarked Rodrigo Garcia. “They elevated the script and found feeling and laughter where I had not seen it. I wish everything was this easy and fun.”

“Serena” is the first of 10 short films planned for Wigs, and comes on the heels of the channel’s first series, “Jan.” The first six episodes of “Jan,” which stars Caitlin Gerard, Virginia Madsen, and Stephen Moyer, are available on youtube.com/wigs.

Over the coming weeks and months, Wigs will continue to release content produced with a renowned group of writers and filmmakers,...