News

February 24 marked the first anniversary of Star Trek: Discovery actor Kenneth Mitchell’s death following five years of living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Als), commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Mitchell, post-diagnosis, made the most of every moment as a husband, father, friend, and actor, and it’s well worth taking a look back at what he accomplished during his 49 years on Earth.

Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Mitchell initially gained traction as a model before shifting to acting. He amassed nearly 50 film and television credits before his death. Among those credits were the movies Miracle and Captain Marvel, recurring or series regular roles on Odyssey 5, Jericho, Ghost Whisperer, Switched at Birth, The Astronaut Wives Club, Frequency, Nancy Drew, and The Old Man, as well as numerous guest shots. He was, of course, best known for portraying the Klingon characters Kol, Kol-Sha, and Tenavik, as well as Aurellio,...

Exclusive: Yvonne Strahovski is set to star and executive produce a series adaptation of A Woman of Intelligence, based on Karin Tanabe’s bestselling novel. UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, is developing the project with Strahovski’s Anovi Peak Productions. A platform has yet to been determined.

Tom Bidwell serves as writer and executive producer.

In the series, overwhelmed with the relentlessness and loneliness of motherhood, a 1950’s housewife (Strahovski) finds a way to rediscover herself when she is asked by the FBI to infiltrate the Kgb. But before long, what started as a good way to get childcare fast turns into a nightmare and she realizes that her family’s future and the fate of the western world are in her hands.

Nina Tassler, Joan Boorstein, Mel McKeon and Laura Myones also will executive produce for Afa/Prime Talent Media.

Actor Akili McDowell has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of a 20-year-old man. On July 20, deputies from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a shooting in the parking lot of an apartment complex at 13503 North Thorntree in East Harris County, Houston, Texas.

Authorities have confirmed that 21-year-old Akili McDowell, known for his roles in shows like Billions, David Makes Man, and The Astronaut Wives Club has been charged with murder.

McDowell’s Acting Career

McDowell’s breakout role came in the 2015 series The Astronaut Wives Club, and he later starred in Criminal Activities and Billions. He is also set to appear in the upcoming movie The Waterboyz.

McDowell is recognized for his role in the series David Makes Man, created by Oscar winner Tarell Alvin McCraney and loosely based on his life.

McDowell portrayed the titular character, a teenage prodigy from the projects,...

Akili McDowell, known for his title role in David Makes Man, has been arrested and charged with murder in Houston, TX, in the shooting death of a man last month in an apartment complex parking lot.

The 21-year-old McDowell was arrested and booked on August 1 on charges of murder and theft, according to Harris County Sheriff’s Office online records. He has a court appearance Tuesday on the theft charge and on October 9 for the murder charge.

“On July 20, 2024, Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to an incident that occurred in the parking lot of an apartment complex at 13503 North Thorntree, near Wallisville and Uvalde (East Harris County), according to a statement by Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Ed Gonzalez. ” An adult male (possibly in his 20s) sustained gunshot wounds and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Suspect(s) fled the scene.”

The dead man was later identified as 20-year-old Cesar Peralta.

Yvonne Strahovski’s next role finds her tackling more social unrest — but with a twist.

The Handmaid’s Tale star will lead Peacock’s adaptation of Robert McCammon’s 1988 novel Stinger, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

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Executive-produced by James Wan, the horror-thriller, titled Teacup, will shift the story’s setting from Texas to rural Georgia...

Yvonne Strahovski will star in Peacock’s upcoming horror thriller series Teacup (FKA Unt. Ian McCulloch Project) in the series regular role of “Maggie Chenoweth,” and will produce.

The series follows a disparate group of people in rural Georgia who must come together in the face of a mysterious threat to survive. Inspired by the New York Times bestselling novel Stinger by Robert McCammon.

Atomic Monster’s James Wan, Michael Clear and Rob Hackett executive produce alongside writer / executive producer Ian McCulloch, director (101) / executive producer E.L. Katz, executive producer/author Robert McCammon, Francisca X. Hu and Kevin Tancharoen. Danielle Bozzone oversees for Atomic Monster. The studio is UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Strahovski is well known for her portrayal...

There’s one fewer star in the Star Trek universe: Kenneth Mitchell, who played four characters in Star Trek: Discovery and had voice roles in Star Trek: Lower Decks, has died at age 49. Mitchell passed away on Saturday, according to an announcement on his X page. No cause of death has been shared, but he had been battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Als, for more than five years. On Star Trek: Discovery, Mitchell played the Klingons Kol, Kol-Sha, and Tenavik (shown below), as well as the human scientist Aurellio. Star Trek/YouTube He also starred in the TV shows Jericho and The Astronaut Wives Club and recurred in the TV shows Notorious, Frequency, and Nancy Drew. He last appeared on screen in three episodes of The Old Man. Mitchell opened up about his Als diagnosis in a 2020 People interview, saying he got the news in August 2018 after noticing his muscles twitching.

Kenneth Mitchell, known for his multiple roles on “Star Trek: Discovery,” died from Als complications on Saturday. He was 49.

“For five and a half years, Ken faced a series of awful challenges from Als. And in truest Ken fashion, he managed to rise above each one with grace and commitment, to living a full and joyous life in each moment,” a statement reads on Mitchell’s official Instagram page. “He lived by the principals that each day is a gift and we never walk alone.”

On “Star Trek: Discovery,” Mitchell played Klingons Kol, Kol-Sha and Tenavik, as well as Aurellio. He also voiced several characters in an episode of “Star Trek: Lower Decks.” His other notable credits include portraying Carol Danvers’ father in “Captain Marvel” and Olympic hopeful in “Miracle.” Mitchell has also appeared in “Jericho,” “The Astronaut Wives Club,” “Ghost Whisperer” and “Switched at Birth.”

In 2020, Mitchell announced to...

Kenneth Mitchell, known for his portrayal of several characters in Star Trek: Discovery as well as roles in Captain Marvel and Jericho, has died. He was 49.

Mitchell died Saturday in Los Angeles from complications of Als, his family told The Hollywood Reporter.

“Kenny was the keeper of countless enduring friendships,” they said. “Like a massive star exploding with kindness, pureness and a particular brand of silly, you were pulled right into his orbit. Once captured, Kenny could bathe you in positivity, compassion, thoughtfulness, and hilarity, and make you feel so loved.”

Mitchell played four characters across three seasons of Paramount’s Star Trek: Discovery: Kol, Kol-Sha, Tenavik and Aurellio. He also portrayed a young Captain Marvel’s father in a flashback in Marvel’s Captain Marvel and World War II flyer Deke Slayton in ABC’s The Astronaut Wives Club.

Born in Toronto on Nov. 25, 1974, Mitchell booked his first studio...

Kenneth Mitchell has sadly passed away.

The Star Trek: Discovery actor died after a five year battle with Als at the age of 49, his family confirmed in a statement over the weekend.

“With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Kenneth Alexander Mitchell, beloved father, husband, brother, uncle, son and dear friend,” read the post.

“Ken was widely known as an actor in many films and television shows. He’s portrayed an Olympic hopeful, an apocalypse survivor, an astronaut, a superhero’s dad, and four unique Star Trekkers,” the statement continued.

Keep reading to find out more…

Kenneth was the father of two children, Lilah and Kallum, shared with his wife Susan.

“Ken was diligent and hardworking in everything he did, but as a father these traits found their fullest expression. He was extremely dedicated to being a positive and playful force in the lives of his children. Regardless of his later disabilities,...

Kenneth Mitchell, the actor best known for his work in Star Trek: Discovery and Jericho, has died. He was 49.

The news of his death was announced in a post to X on his personal account. The actor had been battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Als) for over five years; a GoFundMe fundraising link was shared to Mitchell’s X account on Sunday, with the actor requesting that any gifts “be directed toward Als research or in support of his children.”

More from TVLineChris Gauthier, of Once Upon a Time and Eureka, Dead at 48Pamela Salem, of EastEnders and Doctor Who, Dead...

Kenneth Mitchell, who played several characters in Star Trek: Discovery, and also was known for his roles in Jericho and Captain Marvel, has died from complications of Als, his family revealed Saturday. He was 49.

“With heavy hearts we announce the passing of Kenneth Alexander Mitchell, beloved father, husband, brother, uncle, son and dear friend,” his family shared on X/Twitter.

“For five and a half years, Ken faced a series of awful challenges from Als. And in truest Ken fashion, he managed to rise above each one with grace and commitment, to living a full and joyous life in each moment. He lived by the principals that each day is a gift and we never walk alone,” his family said in a partial statement on Instagram. You can see the entire statement below.

Mitchell announced publicly that he’d been diagnosed with Als (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease,...

More than four years after sci-fi fans heard that a new version of Battlestar Galactica was in development at Peacock, the project has new talent attached. Derek Simonds, creator of USA’s The Sinner, will serve as writer, executive producer, and showrunner of the updated Battlestar Galactica, according to Deadline. Simonds’ other writing credits include the TV series The Astronaut Wives Club and When We Rise, and he was an executive producer of the 2017 film Call Me By Your Name. Mike Pont/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival The new version of Battlestar Galactica is also executive-produced by Sam Esmail and Chad Hamilton, through their banner Esmail Corp, with the backing of Universal Content Productions. Esmail told Deadline in 2022 that he and his colleagues were “working” on the new BSG. “In fact, I just read a great outline, and it’s in great shape. Because the strike is over now...

Casting one of Anne Rice’s most mysterious and sensual characters of all time is a tall order to fill, but AMC appears to have done just that.

Jack Huston (Fargo) has joined AMC+’s adaptation of Rice’s Mayfair Witches in the series-regular role of Lasher, described as a “powerful, shape-shifting entity who has been bound to the Mayfair witches for hundreds of years.”

More from TVLineAnne Rice's Mayfair Witches Series Ordered at AMC, to Follow Launch of Interview With the Vampire in 2022Lucy Hale Explains What Drew Her to the 'Dark, Gruesome' World of AMC+'s Ragdoll -- Plus,...

Exclusive: Dorian Missick (Shirley), Pamela Reed (Outside In), Amanda Warren and Jim Klock (The Underground Railroad) will round out the cast of Prime Video’s The Burial, which is currently in production.

They’re set to star alongside previously announced cast members including Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones, Jurnee Smollett, Mamoudou Athie and Bill Camp.

Based on the New Yorker article by Jonathan Harr, The Burial follows a charismatic personal injury lawyer famous for his impressive track record and loudly unconventional approach who decides to help a funeral home owner save his family business from a predatory corporate behemoth. In a move to bring emotional resonance to a dry contract law case, the lawyer digs up an unexpected and complex web of race, power and oppression that forces everyone to examine long-buried prejudices they didn’t know they had.

Maggie Betts is directing from a script by Doug Wright.

Exclusive: Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, who turned the Gossip Girl YA books into a hit series for the CW (and now HBO Max), are bringing another popular YA book series to the screen at the broadcast network. The CW is developing Sweet Valley, a TV series based on the Sweet Valley High books by Francine Pascal. The bestselling novels were previously adapted into the 1994 series Sweet Valley High, which aired in syndication before moving to one of the CW’s predecessors, Upn, for its fourth and final season.

The latest project is a co-production between new ViacomCBS corporate siblings CBS Studios and Paramount TV Studios in what is believed to be the first time the Paramount vault has been mined by the CW.

Ashley Wigfield, writer-producer on HBO Max’s Gossip Girl reboot, executive produced by Schwartz and Savage, will write the adaptation. It comes from Schwartz and Savage’s Fake Empire,...

Exclusive: Sean Astin (Stranger Things), Ali Larter (The Rookie), Madison Wolfe (The Conjuring 2), Brec Bassinger (Stargirl), Skai Jackson (Bunk’d), Gavin Warren (12 Mighty Orphans) and Julianne Arrieta (Reagan) have signed on to star in The Man in the White Van, a true-crime thriller from Garrison Film Productions, Legion M, XYZ Films and writer-director Warren Skeels (Siesta Key).

The film co-written by Sharon Y. Cobb is set in 1974, watching as an ominous white van begins stalking a young girl from the town of Brooksville, Fl. Her parents’ disbelief that this is really happening, given her tendency to exaggerate, leads in the end to a terrifying Halloween nightmare. Pic will explore the origins of the “white van” trope in popular culture, and chart the beginnings of the destruction fomented by real-world serial killer Billy Mansfield Jr.

Wolfe will play the lead role of Annie, with Bassinger cast as Annie’s sister Margaret.

Exclusive: Georgina Reilly (City on a Hill) and Wilson Bethel (All Rise) are set to star in director Marian Yeager’s upcoming indie, Match Me If You Can.

The romantic comedy written by Betsy Morris centers on Kip Parsons (Reilly), a female computer nerd who declares war on online dating services when she’s rejected by one as “unmatchable,” becoming a reluctant spokeswoman for all the frustrated singles out there. Riley Detamore (Bethel), the programmer and mastermind behind the dating service, wants to know why Kip is trashing his company, so he sets up a chance run-in. This produces an awkward chain of mishaps, ending with no answers and leaving them both feeling an undeniable spark.

Yeager is producing the film with Monica Lund. The project is scheduled to go before cameras in Austin, TX in late October.

Reilly most recently recurred on Showtime’s City on a Hill and...

AMC's Interview with the Vampire series has officially found its Lestat the vampire in Sam Reid. The British actor has reportedly signed on to star in the lead role as Lestat on the upcoming series based on the popular Anne Rice novel of the same name. It's said that this casting could represent a long-term investment in Reid, as AMC has also secured the rights to all of Rice's The Vampire Chronicles books, many of which also feature Lestat.

This casting makes Reid the third actor to portray the vampire Lestat in a live-action movie on the big screen. He was famously played by Tom Cruise in 1994's Interview with the Vampire before Stuart Townsend later took on another incarnation of the character for 2002's Queen of the Damned. Should Reid end up reprising the role in addition projects for AMC, he would be the first to play Lestat multiple times.

Sam Reid will play the vampire Lestat in AMC’s “Interview With the Vampire,” which is based on Ann Rice’s popular novels.

Last year, AMC acquired the rights to Rice’s bestselling “Vampire Chronicles” and “Lives of the Mayfair Witches” book series, giving the network access to develop film and television projects from any of the 18 titles under both best-selling series.

The series will be available on both AMC and AMC+.

The author and her son Christopher Rice will serve as executive producers on all series and films under their deal with AMC, which gives the network and its external partners comprehensive rights to develop projects using Rice’s intellectual property.

The Rices have been trying to develop a series based on “The Vampire Chronicles” for years. In July 2018 there was a project set up at Hulu that did not move forward.

Rolin Jones will serve as creator, showrunner and executive producer of “Interview.

Sam Reid has been cast in the lead role of Lestat in AMC’s “Interview With the Vampire” series, Variety has learned.

The show, which was officially greenlit in June, is based on the Anne Rice novel of the same name. The book centers on the vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac as he relates the story of his life to a reporter, in particular how he was turned into a vampire and then mentored by Lestat de Lioncourt.

The casting could represent a long-term investment in Reid on AMC’s part. As the company has the rights to all of Rice’s “The Vampire Chronicles” books and Lestat appears in multiple entries, Reid could find himself portraying the character across multiple series. At this time, however, “Interview With the Vampire” is only “Vampire Chronicles” series that has been greenlit by AMC.

He will be the third actor to portray Lestat onscreen,...

Exclusive: Joel Johnstone (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) has signed on to star opposite Yara Martinez in Good Egg.

The film, written and directed by Nicole Gomez Fisher, centers on Jessica Nieves-Sanders (Martinez), a high school drama teacher in Queens who longs to be a mother before she hits 40 and is forced to explore alternative methods to become one, after several failed attempts at IVF. Just as Jessica’s about to throw in the towel, she meets a young professional con-artist named Bridget, who she believes will be able to give her what she most desires, striking up a deal with her. Subsequently, though, she gets caught up in a criminal underworld, and is forced to consider how she wound up in dire straits.

Johnstone will play Jessica’s high school sweetheart-turned-husband, Gordon, a seemingly meager desktop analyst with a heart of gold, who dreams of having a large family.

Longtime Disney/ABC exec Emily Cummins has been named president of Julie Plec’s Universal Television-based banner My So-Called Company.

There, she will oversee development and produce projects for the company, including those that “Vampire Diaries” creator Plec creates and writes.

“I’ve known Emily for years,” said Plec. “We’ve had a lot of good times together as we both grew up from assistants and baby execs into the established women we are today. She’s smart and driven and fearless — and most importantly she’s a good human. She’ll be a terrific creative partner for me and any storyteller who walks through our (virtual) doors at My So-Called Company.”

Cummins has been vice president of drama development for Disney/ABC Signature Television since 2011, recruiting writers, producers and directors and shepherding limited-series and one-hour drama development. She developed “Nashville,” “Intelligence,” “Red Band Society,” “The Whispers,” “Astronaut Wives Club,...

It wouldn’t be unfair to say that Ray Fisher owes his entire career to the Dceu, with the actor having never appeared in a movie outside the confines of Warner Bros.’ shared universe, while the HBO Max exclusive release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League will mark just his third small screen credit after showing up in a single episode of ABC drama The Astronaut Wives Club and playing a main role in the third season of True Detective.

Being cast as a superhero in a massive franchise where you get the opportunity to rub shoulders with the likes of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman looks like a game-changer on paper, but Fisher’s tenure as Cyborg hasn’t exactly gone to plan. He was a virtual non-entity in the theatrical edition of Justice League, and his planned standalone outing was quietly shelved as the Dceu reshuffled the deck...

When Liz Tigelaar first read Little Fires Everywhere, she knew the book would lend itself perfectly to a limited series. The former Casual showrunner and executive producer is no stranger to adapting existing IP for television — her work on Bates Motel, The Astronaut Wives Club and Once Upon a Time are only a few examples — so its adaptability for the screen is something she recognized immediately.

"I don't mean to say it was easy, because it wasn't easy at all. It was incredibly challenging," Tigelaar told The Hollywood Reporter of the series she created based on Celeste ...

Exclusive: Topic, First Look Media’s streaming service, has picked up North American rights to Australian drama Lambs of God starring The End of the F**king World’s Jessica Barden, The Babadook’s Essie Davis and The Handmaid’s Tale’s Ann Dowd.

The digital service will launch the four-part series on May 7. It comes after the series won a total of nine Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards in 2019 and was picked up by UK streamer BritBox for its launch slate.

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The show, originally commissioned by Australia’s Foxtel and produced by Lingo Pictures, was written by Sarah Lambert and directed by Jeffrey Walker.

Exclusive: Akili McDowell, the star of Own’s acclaimed new series David Makes Man, is set for a major recurring role on the upcoming fifth season of Billions, Showtime’s Wall Street drama series starring Paul Giamatti and Damian Lewis.

McDowell will play Savion Williams, a young kid growing up in Axe’s (Lewis) childhood hometown. Season 5 is in production in New York and will premiere May 3.

Created by executive producers/showrunners Brian Koppelman and David Levien, along with Andrew Ross Sorkin, in season five of Billions, Bobby Axelrod (Lewis) and Chuck Rhoades (Giamatti) see their vicious rivalry reignited, while new enemies rise and take aim. Social impact pioneer Mike Prince (guest star Corey Stoll) poses a true threat to Axe’s dominance, and Chuck feuds with a formidable district attorney. Taylor Mason (Asia Kate Dillon) is forced back to Axe Capital, where they must fight to protect their employees and their assets.

Liz Tigelaar is set to adapt the Judy Blume novel “Summer Sisters” as a limited series at Hulu.

The project is in development at the streamer, with Tigelaar set to serve as writer and executive producer. The one-hour series chronicles the coming-of-age of two best friends and the relationship that defines their lives. Set on Martha’s Vineyard, the story explores the impact of female friendship.

Blume will also executive produce along with Stacey Silverman, Tigelaar’s partner in the production company Best Day Ever. ABC Signature Studios, where Best Day Ever is currently under an overall deal, will produce. “Summer Sisters” marks the first project for Best Day Ever under the deal.

According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, Tigelaar has been a fan of Blume’s work for some time and wroter her a letter nearly 20 years ago asking to adapt “Summer Sisters” as a series.

Is ABC’s thirtysomething sequel actually taking place in National City?

Supergirl actress Odette Annable has joined the pilot’s cast, just days after fellow alum Chris Wood boarded the project.

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First ordered to pilot in January, the potential follow-up series — titled thirtysomething(else) — will follow the grown-up children of the original thirtysomething characters. Per our sister site Deadline, Annable will play the adult version of Janey Steadman,...

“It’s rare that the interiority of black men is depicted on screen,” said Academy Award-winner Tarell Alvin McCraney. That theme permeated the Oscar-winning “Moonlight” and it’s at the center of McCraney’s new Own series, “David Makes Man.” The hour-long drama centers on a 14-year-old prodigy (Akili McDowell) from the projects who is haunted by the death of his closest friend as his hard-working mother looks to him to find a way out of poverty. In choosing between the streets that raised him, or the higher education that may offer a way out, the interior struggle gives the series its soul.

It’s a series in which David’s interior life is generously examined, and sumptuously illustrated, bringing to life the dreams and disappointments of young black men from poor and working-class backgrounds who live in a constant state of uncertainty and anxiety. “A black man enters any...

1979: The Edge of Night's Steve saved Paige's life.

1981: General Hospital's Mikkos hosted a dinner party.

1984: Santa Barbara's Joe broke into the Capwell estate.

2004: Martha Madison debuted as Belle on Days of our Lives."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1945: On radio soap opera Portia Faces Life, Kathie was shocked to see Portia's late husband, Walter (Bartlett Robinson), alive and well!

1967: On Dark Shadows, Maggie (Kathryn Leigh Scott) returned to the Blue Whale Café -- and ran into her former tormentor, Barnabas Collins...

Own: Oprah Winfrey Network announced today that its anticipated new drama series David Makes Man from Academy Award winner Tarell Alvin McCraney (Moonlight) and Warner Horizon Scripted Television will premiere on Wednesday, August 14 at 10 p.m. Et/Pt following the network's critically acclaimed drama Queen Sugar (Wednesdays at 9 p.m. Et/Pt). The series premiere will be presented by Lexus with limited commercial interruption.

David Makes Man centers on a 14-year-old prodigy from the projects who is haunted by the death of his closest friend and relied on by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty. He must choose between the streets that raised him or the higher education that may offer him a way out. Set in South Florida, the series is inspired by events in McCraney's own life and explores childhood trauma and the power of imagination to survive. The drama stars Akili McDowell (The Astronaut Wives Club) as David,...

Own: Oprah Winfrey Network has set a Wednesday, August 14 at 10 p.m. Et/Pt premiere date for its anticipated new drama series “David Makes Man,” from Academy Award winner Tarell Alvin McCraney (“Moonlight”) and Warner Horizon Scripted Television.

An Oscar to his credit, his script for Netflix’s Steven Soderbergh drama “High Flying Bird” drawing high praise, and his Broadway production “Choir Boy” having wrapped up a successful run in March, playwright and screenwriter McCraney continues to impress with his initial foray into television with the deeply personal “David Makes Man.”

Inspired by the writer’s impoverished youth in Florida, the milieu naturally calls to mind “Moonlight,” and even borrows some of the film’s stylistic touchstones, bathing images in evocative colors, accompanied by a melancholic score that sets the lyrical tone.

The hourlong drama centers on a 14-year-old prodigy from the projects who is haunted by the death of...

Good news: ABC won Monday night ratings with The Bachelorette accepting the rose for the top numbers of the evening, holding steady with 5.5 million viewers and a 1.5 adults 18-49 Live+same day rating. As for the Eva Longoria-produced new series Grand Hotel, the news isn’t as good. It wasn’t as grand of a debut as they wanted to have. The drama premiered on ABC with 3.72 million viewers tuning in and a 0.7 demo rating — hopefully audiences won’t have an early check out on this one.

Still, helped by The Bachelorette’s lead-in, Grand Hotel’s opening was respectable by summer standards. It marks the highest-rated summertime drama debut in nearly 2 years among Adults 18-49, since NBC’s Midnight, Texas in 2017. Grand Hotel also premiered as ABC’s top summertime drama in 4 years among Adults 18-49 – since The Astronaut Wives Club in 2015.

Dateline NBC tied with the premiere...

ABC’s Grand Hotel opened on Monday to 3.7 million total viewers and a 0.7 demo rating, up a tick from The Proposal‘s summer 2018 average in the post-Bachelorette time slot.

Grand Hotel marks ABC’s top-rated summertime drama launch in four years, since The Astronaut Wives Club. TVLine readers gave the premiere >an average grade of “B,” with 83 percent planning to “extend their stay.”

Opening the night, The Bachelorette was steady with 5.5 mil and a 1.5, easily winning Monday in both measures.

Elsewhere….

NBC | American Ninja Warrior did 4.8 mil/0.9, down a tick in the demo from its year-ago Monday opener (though up...

Exclusive: Daredevil alum Wilson Bethel is set as a series regular in CBS’ legal drama pilot Courthouse, from writer Greg Spottiswood (Remedy) and Warner Bros. TV.

Written and executive produced by Canadian writer Spottiswood and directed by Mike Robin, Courthouse is a show that pulls back the curtain on the court system. It follows the dedicated, chaotic, hopeful, and sometimes absurd lives of the judges, assistant district attorneys, and public defenders as they work with bailiffs, clerks, cops and jurors to bring justice to the people of Los Angeles.

Bethel will play Mark, a roguish, highly successful Deputy District Attorney whose best friend and colleague Lola (Tbd) has been just been appointed a judge. Never great with boundaries, Mark struggles with the personal and professional changes in their relationship.

He joins previously cast series regular Jessica Camacho.

Len Goldstein and Robin also executive produce. Warner Bros. TV is the studio.

Exclusive: Odette Annable (Supergirl) is set as the female lead, Eve, in Fox’s single-camera comedy pilot Adam & Eve, based on the French-Canadian format. In addition, prolific single-camera comedy helmer Claire Scanlon has been tapped to direct the pilot, from writer Jon Beckerman, original series producers Avanti Groupe and 20th Century Fox TV.

Written by Beckerman, Adam & Eve follows one couple, Adam and Eve (Annable) at three stages of their relationship — young and passionate, middle-aged with kids, and navigating retirement. It’s a comedy about the big questions: What makes a marriage last? Do people ever really change? And, after 40 years together, why can’t we pick a place for dinner without it turning into a whole, you know, “thing?

Beckerman executive produces with Avanti Group’s Claude Meunier and Luc Wiseman.

Annable played Reign/Sam on the third season on the CW’s Supergirl and most recently starred with her husband,...

Exclusive: Emmy-nominated producer Janice Williams has signed her Well Red banner to a first look deal with Bruna Papandrea’s Made Up Stories. This follows their successful collaboration on the Facebook Watch series Queen America. They worked together on the Andrew Jarecki-directed All Good Things and the Gus Van Sant-directed Oscar winner Milk.

Made Up Stories is coming off a strong Sundance, produced the Abe Forsythe-directed Lupita Nyong’o dark zombie comedy Little Monsters that was bought by Neon and Hulu and Jennifer Kent’s Nightingale which landed at IFC. On the TV side, the company is currently in pre-production on the David E. Kelley-scripted Susanne Bier-directed HBO limited series The Undoing, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant, and in post-production on the TNT series Tell Me Your Secrets, written by Harriet Warner and directed by Houda Benyamina.

Williams hatched her company in early 2018 after an...

JoAnna Garcia Swisher has signed on for a leading role in the ABC single-camera comedy pilot “Happy Accident,” Variety has learned.

She joins previously announced cast member Matt Walsh. The show follows two Pittsburgh families – father Bud (Walsh) with three adult daughters, and a hotel lounge singer with her med student son – are forced together after a decades-old secret is revealed. Garcia Swisher will play Eleanor Bennett, a professor at Pitt who is also Bud’s oldest daughter.

The casting continues Garcia Swisher’s long relationship with ABC. She has previously starred in ABC shows like “Once Upon a Time,” “Kevin (Probably) Saves the World,” and “The Astronaut Wives Club.” She is also known for roles in shows like “Reba,” “Are You Afraid of the Dark?,” and “Animal Practice.” On the film side, she has held roles in projects like “Not Another Teen Movie,” “Fist Fight,” and “The Internship.”

She...

ABC vet JoAnna Garcia Swisher (Kevin… Saves the World, Once Upon a Time, The Astronaut Wives Club, etc.) is returning to the Alphabet fold with a starring role in the comedy pilot Happy Accident, TVLine has learned.

The single-cam project, from Modern Family EPs Abraham Higginbotham and Jon Pollack, centers on two Pittsburgh families who are forced together after a decades-old secret is revealed. Swisher will play Eleanor, the eldest daughter of the family headed by patriarch Bud (Veep‘s Matt Walsh).

Swisher most recently starred in Fox’s ill-fated comedy pilot Dan the Weatherman.

Kevin (Probably) Saves The World and Once Upon A Time alumna JoAnna Garcia Swisher is returning to ABC as a lead opposite Matt Walsh in Happy Accident, ABC’s single-camera family comedy pilot from Modern Family writers Abraham Higginbotham and Jon Pollack, 20th Century Fox TV.

Written and executive produced by Higginbotham and Pollack, Happy Accident revolves around two Pittsburgh families — a father, Bud (Walsh), with three adult daughters, and a hotel lounge singer with her med student son — who are forced together after a decades-old secret is revealed.

Swisher will play Eleanor Bennett, a professor at Pitt who is also Bud’s (Walsh) oldest daughter.

Swisher most recently starred as Amy Cabrera in Kevin (Probably) Saves the World) which aired for one season on ABC. She previously recurred as Ariel on ABC’s Once Upon A Time and played a lead on the network’s limited series The Astronaut Wives Club.

1980: Edge of Night's Calvin and Star were married.

1983: General Hospital's Luke was found after an avalanche.

1984: One Life to Live's Asa was not happy with Clint.

2006: Days' Bo and Hope said goodbye to Zack."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1968: On Dark Shadows, angered and frightened by Angelique Bouchard (Lara Parker), Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) attempted to meet Josette duPres (Kathryn Leigh Scot). Angelique sent a bat to spy on him.

1972: On The Doctors, Dr. Hendryx insisted that he could not find...

Witness the awe inspiring Supergirl: The Complete Third Season as it soars into homes. To celebrate, we are giving 2 lucky readers the chance to win a copy of the film on Blu-ray

In Season Three, Kara Danvers grapples with the sacrifices she’s made personally while saving National City as Supergirl. She even considers covering up her human identity altogether. Being human and vulnerable is hard. Maybe she’s better off embracing her alien DNA and only being the “Girl of Steel.” As Kara struggles with her path forward, she continues to work with Hank Henshaw and her sister, Alex, at the Department of Extranormal Operations to battle all threats to National City, including new villains Morgan Edge, and the “Worldkiller,” known as Reign. Everything Kara’s ever known and everyone she’s ever loved will be tested in all 23 supercharged Supergirl adventures.

Supergirl: The Complete Third Season stars Melissa Benoist...

As the fourth Supergirl season premiere approaches on The CW, you can now rewatch the most courageous Super Heroine on TV, who flies into danger to save her city as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment brings you Supergirl: The Complete Third Season on Blu-ray and DVD on September 18, 2018.

In Season Three, Kara Danvers grapples with the sacrifices she’s made personally while saving National City as Supergirl. She even considers covering up her human identity altogether. Being human and vulnerable is hard. Maybe she’s better off embracing her alien DNA and only being the “Girl of Steel.” As Kara struggles with her path forward, she continues to work with Hank Henshaw and her sister, Alex, at the Department of Extranormal Operations to battle all threats to National City, including new villains Morgan Edge, and the “Worldkiller,” known as Reign. Everything Kara’s ever known and everyone she’s ever loved...

1979: The Edge of Night's Steve saved Paige's life.

1981: General Hospital's Mikkos hosted a dinner party.

1984: Santa Barbara's Joe broke into the Capwell estate.

2004: Martha Madison debuted as Belle on Days of our Lives."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1945: On radio soap opera Portia Faces Life, Kathie was shocked to see Portia's late husband, Walter (Bartlett Robinson), alive and well!

1967: On Dark Shadows, Maggie (Kathryn Leigh Scott) returned to the Blue Whale Café -- and ran into her former tormentor, Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid).

1972: On Another World, Pat Randolph (Beverly Penberthy) brought her twins,...

File this under “Adorable”: Real-life husband and wife Dave and Odette Annable will star together in the Freeform holiday movie No Sleep ‘Til Christmas, our sister site Deadline reports.

In the flick — airing as part of the network’s annual “25 Days of Christmas” promotion — Odette’s Lizzie is an event planner preparing for her wedding, who lies awake nightly while her fiancé rests peacefully. When a sleep-deprived incident causes her to run into Billy (Dave), a bartender who is just as sleepless and frustrated as she is, they discover that they can only fall asleep while next to each other.

Parenthood vet Sam Jaeger‘s new role may require tears of sadness and fright: The actor will star in CBS All Access’ upcoming fairy tale-inspired psychological thriller Tell Me a Story, our sister site Deadline reports.

The series — created by Kevin Williamson (The Vampire Diaries) — reimagines classic children’s tales such as “Little Red Riding Hood” and “The Three Little Pigs” as a subversive story of love, loss, greed, revenge and murder in modern-day New York City.

Jaeger will play a recently widowed single father — cue those waterworks — who moves to NYC with his troubled daughter (The Originals‘ Danielle Campbell...

Exclusive: Own’s coming -of-age drama series, from Oscar-winning Moonlight co-writer Tarell Alvin McCraney in his TV debut, will be titled David Makes Man. The project, from Warner Horizon Scripted Television, has set a cast led by veteran Phylicia Rashad and young actor Akili McDowell (The Astronaut Wives Club) in the title role, with Nathaniel Logan McIntyre (Magic Camp and Barry), Broadway actor Isaiah Johnson (Hamilton, The Color Purple), Ade Chike Torbert (East Los High), Jordan Bolger (Peaky Blinders), Cayden K. Williams (Girls Trip), and Travis Coles (Liza on Demand) co-starring.

Additionally, Dee Harris-Lawrence has been named showrunner and will executive produce alongside McCraney, who wrote the script, Mike Kelley & Melissa Loy, actor Michael B. Jordan and Own’s Oprah Winfrey. Production will begin this summer in Orlando, Florida, for a 2019 premiere.

David Makes Man centers on David (McDowell), a 14-year-old prodigy from the projects who is...

The Fox comedy “Dan the Weatherman” is recasting two key roles, Variety has learned.

JoAnna Garcia Swisher is joining the project as Deborah, taking over the role played in the original pilot by Ashley Williams. Jack Stanton will play Dan Jr., the role originally played by Dashiell McGaha-Schletter. The pair will join the rest of the cast to re-shoot scenes from the pilot this summer, with the single-cam series still in contention for a midseason pickup at the broadcaster.

Williams most recently appeared as Ariel in ABC’s “Once Upon a Time,” in addition to starring in fellow ABC series “Kevin Probably Saves the World.” Her other TV credits include roles in “Reba,” “The Astronaut Wives Club,” “Gossip Girl,” and “Animal Practice.

For Stanton, joining “Dan the Weatherman” keeps him in the Fox family. He previously starred as Ben in the Fox comedy series “The Mick,” which was recently canceled after two seasons.

Fox is making casting changes on its single-camera comedy pilot Dan the Weatherman, toplined by Thomas Lennon. JoAnna Garcia Swisher has been tapped as the new female lead, replacing Ashley Williams, who was in the pilot. Additionally, child actor Jack Stanton has been cast as Dan’s (Lennon) son in another recasting.

Both Swisher and Stanton just became available after their series, ABC’s Kevin (Probably) Saves the World and Fox’s The Mick, respectively, were cancelled last month.

As we previously reported, Fox brass liked Lennon in Dan the Weatherman but had issues with other aspects of the pilot, which did not make the cut to series was left alive for possible retooling/recasting/reshooting and midseason consideration. The pilot will now reshoot several scenes in the summer.

Fox currently has no comedy series on deck for a midseason launch after the network slotted its three new half-hour shows — all multi-camera — for fall,...