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donderdag 3 januari 2013

'Departed' Writer William Monahan Doing 1960s Drama 'Crime' for Starz


William Monahan, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of "The Departed," is writing and executive producing the 1960s drama "Crime" for Starz.

The series, the first TV show for Atlas Entertainment, is being produced in partnership with Henceforth Pictures for Starz and Sonar Entertainment. Starz described the series, now in development, as "a study of criminal enterprise and scandal across 1960s Britain."

“There’s very little more interesting to me than the Sixties in Britain,” said Monahan (pictured). “Taken from Profumo to psychedelia, from the London criminal world to the worlds of art and fashion -- all of which continually intersected. I know one thing: it’s very, very, funny.”

The project in development is being executive produced by Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven and William Green with Monahan. Atlas’ Andy Horwitz and Henceforth Pictures’ Justine Suzanne Jones are co-executive producing.

Monahan recently completed the screenplay for "The Gambler" for Martin Scorsese and producer Irwin Winkler at Paramount, and Robert Rodriguez’s "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For."


Frank Skinner: 'I asked for a role on Doctor Who'


Frank Skinner has revealed that he has been trying to get himself a cameo role in BBC series Doctor Who.

The comic is a big fan of the sci-fi show and joked that he would be willing to take any part, no matter how small.

"I asked my manager to get me a part in Doctor Who. I didn't need a big part - a monster or a lunar rock - but I would love to be able to tell my grandchildren I was in it," he told The Graham Norton Show.

"My manager said, 'I'm sure it won't be a problem'. He got in touch and got an email back that said, 'We are really happy that it is something Frank would like to do…' Somehow the end of the email seemed to have been cut off..."

Former Doctor Who actress Billie Piper is also on this week's Graham Norton Show and Skinner confessed that he had accidentally called her by her character name 'Rose' when he met her backstage before the show.

The Graham Norton Show airs this Friday (January 4) on BBC One.

Josh Groban and Example are the other guests on the chatshow this week.


Celebrity Big Brother: Everything you need to know for launch night


Don't bother signing up for that New Year gym membership, Celebrity Big Brother is back this week to blow away those post-Christmas blues and have you glued to the sofa for the next three weeks.

In case you were too busy stuffing your face with Quality Street and partying over the festive season to catch up on your reality TV news, here's a super-quick roundup of what you can expect from the latest series.

When is it back?

It launches tomorrow evening (Thursday, January 3) at 9pm. There's a hefty two-hour launch show from giddy host Brian Dowling, followed by the first episode of spin-off series/human zoo Bit on the Side, presented by the delightful Emma Willis.

Of course, there will be a twist on the opening night and producers are promising a "house from hell" and "nasty twists". Business as usual then.

Soap star overload

The rumoured list of housemates is stuffed with more soap stars than the Rovers Return on New Year's Eve. Student icon Toadie from Neighbours (Ryan Moloney), ex-EastEnders cast-off Gillian Taylforth, someone who used to be in Heartbeat (Tricia Penrose) and a chap that was briefly in Corrie (Sam Robertson) are all potentially heading into the compound. Soap duo Bruce Jones and Wendi Peters have also been tagged to take part by some newspapers.

If you don't know your Corrie cobbles from your Albert Square don't worry, Claire from Steps, some models you'll never have heard of, Rylan from X Factor and Frankie Dettori are also apparently taking part. It's like a who's who of people you can expect to see in panto next Christmas.

Meet Lacey Banghard

A celebrity in the very loosest sense of the word, Lacey Banghard is a Page 3 Idol winner, whose claim to fame appears to be having a pair of 26GG breasts that she is happy to share. You may not know her now, but you can expect to have seen every curve, flash of flesh and nipple she owns on the Daily Mail sidebar by the end of the series.

Oh, and by the way, that really is her name apparently.

Lindsay Lohan is going in! No she isn't! Yes she is! No, she probably isn't!

The 'Lindsay Lohan is doing Celebrity Big Brother rumour' will just never die. The troubled Hollywood star and Mean Girls actress is tipped to take part every year - anyone would think the producers deliberately leak her name to stoke up interest. Hmm.

The 2013 Celeb BB Lohan rumours have gone into overdrive in this past week because the jail-friendly star has handily flown into the UK at the right time. However, we suspect this is going the same way as that Charlie Sheen rumour a few years back, so don't get your hopes up.

The crazy world of Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag

If you've never heard of the double-headed reality TV monster that is Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag consider yourself very lucky. If you're planning on watching them in the Celebrity Big Brother house, you have our condolences.

The rubber-faced duo, who consist of 88% plastic boobs, 10% shiny teeth and 2% fake tan, found 'fame' in the US on the hit reality series The Hills. The duo are publicity hungry, headline-grabbing specialists who are fond of walking off reality shows, walking back into reality shows, getting married, getting re-married, splitting and getting back together.

Throw in some sex tape scandals, weird born-again Christian mumbo-jumbo, dodgy 9/11 conspiracy theories and a bit of bankruptcy and you'll understand a small slice of what you have to look forward to with this pair of oddballs.

They'll make Rylan look like a University Challenge contestant.

Channel 5 cut costs when it came to re-designs of the house and the Diary Room, with minimal changes between series. There is supposedly some sort of high-tech ice hotel/ski-lodge/IKEA closing-down sale theme, but to be honest, it looks pretty similar to every other house there's been on Channel 5.

Except for one thing. There's an igloo at one end of the garden. Which is pretty cool. Cool? Igloo? Geddit?

Celebrity Big Brother launches on Channel 5 on Thursday at 9pm.


Al Jazeera Completes Purchase of Current TV


Al Jazeera's purchase of Current TV will end Al Gore's liberal-minded station and give the Qatar-financed network access to 60 million U.S. homes for the first time.

In a statement, founders Al Gore and Joel Hyatt said that they are "proud and pleased" by the takeover, noting that the two news agencies share similar goals. Al Jazeera plans to discontinue Current's programming -- including a primetime lineup of liberal hosts -- and replace it with its own broadcasts.

No purchase price was disclosed, but The New York Times cited people with direct knowledge of the deal who said it was $500 million. That would mean a $100 million payout for the former vice president, the paper said.

Al Jazeera has long claimed independence from Qatar, saying it is much more than a propaganda arm for the small Middle Eastern country. Its efforts to build its journalistic reputation have been hindered by accusations of the Qatari royal family meddling in its coverage.

"We are proud and pleased that Al Jazeera, the award-winning international news organization, has bought Current TV," Gore and Hyatt said in a statement provided to TheWrap. "Since its founding in 2005, Current has grown into a national network available in nearly 60 million homes, offering thought-provoking commentary and Emmy and Peabody award-winning programming."

However, the newly purchased Current TV won't be seen by customers of Time Warner Cable. The cable carrier said Wednesday that it is terminating its carriage agreement with Current "as quickly as possible."

Current TV launched in 2005 with the goal of providing a progressive, independent voice in cable news. It has since assembled a liberal-minded primetime lineup, made up largely of personalities who came from other networks. Its most ambitious effort -- recruiting Keith Olbermann -- flamed out when the former MSNBC host failed, as he tends to do, to get along with his new bosses.

Olbermann's exit left others to try to meet the higher ratings he was expected to bring. But the rest of Current's personalities -- including former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and ex-CNN host and New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer -- struggled for audiences.

Al Jazeera, meanwhile, sought a larger U.S. audience. Al Jazeera is now available in only a few U.S. cities, including New York and Washington, but would establish a new U.S. channel based in New York, according to The New York Times. It would provide about 60 percent of the network's coverage, with the rest coming from Al Jazeera English, the network's existing English-language channel, the newspaper said.

Though Current's prospective buyer is a surprise, the possibility of a sale is not. Hyatt said in October that Current has had three inquiries from prospective buyers in the past year, and that it was weighing its options.


Celebrity Big Brother: Steps star Claire Richards hints at involvement


Claire Richards has fuelled reports that she is joining the upcoming series of Celebrity Big Brother in a new Twitter message.

The Steps singer has been rumoured as one of the stars to enter the Big Brother house this year, alongside the likes of Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt, and Rylan Clark.

Richards has remained coy about her involvement, neither confirming nor denying the reports.

However, she appeared to hint at her involvement on Wednesday, tweeting : "Right my lovely tweethearts! I wont be able to tweet you for a while…. so please follow @UrbanAssociates whilst i'm away… lots of love C."

Later, her husband Reece Richards tweeted from her account: "Hi, it's Reece here (Claire's husband) Just got home from work, she's not here and her suitcases are missing. Anyone got any ideas?!!"

The singer would be following in the footsteps of her bandmate Ian 'H' Watkins, who appeared on the show in 2007.

The new series of Celebrity Big Brother begins tonight (January 3) on Channel 5 at 9pm.


Time Warner Cable Might Drop Lifetime, E!


Sorry -- or, perhaps, congratulations -- Time Warner Cable subscribers: you may soon lose access to the networks that brought you  "Liz & Dick" and "Keeping Up With the Kardashians."

Time Warner cautioned its customers this week that it may drop a number of networks, including Lifetime, E! and Starz, which all have agreements with Time Warner that are due to expire soon.

Numerous Encore networks and Al Gore's Current TV are also among the networks that could go on the chopping block, according to a notice published on Time Warner Cable's website.

"Time Warner Cable’s agreements with programmers and broadcasters to carry their services and stations routinely expire from time to time. We are usually able to obtain renewals or extensions of such agreements, but in order to comply with applicable regulations, we must inform you when an agreement is about to expire," the notice reads. "The following agreements are due to expire soon, and we may be required to cease carriage of one or more of these services/stations in the near future."

On New Year's Eve, Time Warner Cable decided to drop the arts-centric network Ovation along with its HD channel. The carrier did, however, strike a long-term deal with Crown Media Family Networks to continue carrying the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel. Time Warner also forged a short-term agreement with AMC Networks to keep airing AMC's IFC and WE tv, while the two companies continue to hammer out a more permanent pact for those networks.


John Barrowman: 'Doctor Who anniversary snub would be disappointing'


John Barrowman has said that he would be "disappointed" if Captain Jack Harkness doesn't return to Doctor Who for the show's 50th anniversary.

The Torchwood actor has been vocal about his desire to return to Doctor Who, despite the fact that he is currently playing Malcolm Merlyn on US series Arrow.

Barrowman has now suggested that he is still hoping to receive a call from Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat, according to The Los Angeles Times.

"I haven't been asked. I would love to [come back to Doctor Who] if they ask me," he stressed.

He went on to say: "[Arrow producer] Andrew Kreisberg has already said if they want me in the 50th anniversary, he will give me the time off to do it. But it's not up to me."

Barrowman's character Captain Jack Harkness debuted in the series one two-part story 'The Empty Child'/'The Doctor Dances', which was written by Moffat.

Captain Jack subsequently teamed up with The Doctor again in three episodes in the third series, and in the series four finale 'The Stolen Earth'/'Journey's End', where Torchwood, Sarah Jane Smith, Rose Tyler, Martha Jones and Donna Noble foiled a universe-ending plot by Davros and the Daleks.

Barrowman's spinoff show Torchwood aired its fourth series in 2011.

New Doctor Who companion Jenna-Louise Coleman recently promised that the 50th anniversary will be an event fans will remember for the rest of their lives.

The series returns with new episodes later this year on BBC One in the UK and BBC America in the US.


HBO Sued Over 'Luck' by Animal Care Worker Who Alleges Coverup in Horse Abuse


A former employee of the American Humane Association [AHA] who says she was fired from the HBO horse-racing drama "Luck" after complaining about abusive treatment of the animals on the set has filed a wrongful-termination suit against HBO, along with the AHA.

In the suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, Barbara Casey says that she was fired in January 2012 "in order to prevent her from reporting ... violation of animal abuse and cruelty laws and/or in retaliation for her efforts in reporting same."

HBO pulled the plug on "Luck" in March 2012, after multiple horse deaths during the production of the series.

Casey says that representatives for the AHA observed numerous instances of abuse, including the drugging of horses in order to get them to perform, and the use of underweight and sick horses that were unsuitable for the work involved. However, complaints were stymied by the show's producers and, at the urging of the show's producers, by the AHA itself, which "told its representatives not to document" the death of one horse "because he was killed during a summer hiatus from filming and therefore 'did not count.'"

"Plaintiff repeatedly complained to AHA and the Production Defendants about horses being criminal abused, neglected and/or mistreated on set," the suit reads. "She cited AHA and/or the Production Defendants to violations of laws and criminal statutes pertaining to the mistreatment and/or abuse of animals ... Plaintiff urged AHA to get the police, the district attorney and/or the city attorney involved."

However, the suit claims, "AHA bowed to political and financial pressure and refused to report the Production Defendants' conduct to the authorities."

In early January 2012, Casey alleges, she was canned by the AHA in order to keep her from complaining -- and it did so with the encouragement of the "Luck" producers.

"The Production Defendants provided advice, encouragement and/or moral support to AHA to terminate Plaintiff," the complaint alleges. "The Production Defendants aided and abetted in Plaintiff's termination so that the 'Luck' production would not be made more costly, time consuming and/or otherwise disrupted."

HBO denies that it has any part in Casey's allegations, saying that the network "took every precaution" for the horses' safety, and that her grievance is with her former employer, not with the network.

"We took every precaution to ensure that our horses were treated humanely and with the utmost care, exceeding every safeguard of all protocols and guidelines required of the production," an HBO spokeswoman told TheWrap in a statement. "Barbara Casey was not an employee of HBO, and any questions regarding her employment should be directed to the AHA."


Gok Wan: 'I'm the best flirt in the world'


Gok Wan has claimed to be the best flirt in the world.

The TV presenter told Metro that he did not have to swot up on his dating techniques for his show Baggage, which aims to help single women looking for love.

"I'm the best flirt in the world," said Wan.

"I love dating. Where else can you go and talk about yourself for three hours? I flirt with everyone - normally to get my own way."

Asked for his flirting tips, he added: "Never give too much away, there needs to be a bit of mystery - and always make sure you're presenting yourself the best way you can. It's all about seduction.

"Language is important, you need to make sure you're saying the right things and being suggestive. Be very controlled. Dating is a real control sport. Don't get too hammered."

Baggage will return for a second series on Channel 4 later this year.


Microsoft Acquires Startup R2 to Improve XBox Unit


R2 was created in May 2011 by Blake Krikorian, whose Sling Media Inc., developed the Slingbox for watching TV on computers. R2, meanwhile, is working on technology to distribute digital media to TVs, the Journal said.

The Silicon Valley-based R2 also talked to Google and Apple about a possible deal, people familiar with the matter told the Journal.

The purchase comes as Microsoft expands Xbox from its early days as primarily a videogame system to a hub connecting traditional TV with the Internet.

As of 10:05 a.m. ET Thursday, Microsoft stock was down .49 percent to $27.49 per share.


Development Update: The 3rd of January


FEEL THE FORCE (ABC, New!) - Bill Lawrence ("Cougar Town") has snagged a put pilot commitment from the Alphabet for a domestic take on Georgia Pritchett's short-lived U.K. comedy, about "two rookie female cops who struggle to prove themselves in a male-dominated police force." Lawrence will pen the single-camera project with Jeff Ingold also executive producing via their Warner Bros. Television-based Doozer banner. The original six-episode series was broadcast here on BBC America in 2007. (Deadline.com)

GATES (NBC) - Cathy Yuspa and Josh Goldsmith's comedy - about the hijinks that ensue when parents drop off and pick up their kids at school each day - has been formally ordered to pilot. 20th Century Fox Television is behind the single-camera project with Kapital Entertainment's Aaron Kaplan and Feelgood Fiction's Laurence Bowen and Philip Clarke are executive producing alongside the duo. Andrew Collins, Richard Preddy, Ava Vidal, Dan Sefton and Abigail Wilson created the original incarnation, which aired on the U.K.'s Sky Living earlier this year. (Deadline.com)

NCIS: LOS ANGELES (CBS) - The Eye is reportedly mulling a new planted spin-off of the "NCIS" franchise. Executive producer Shane Brennan is spearheading the effort, which will "follow a small mobile team of agents, who are forced to live and work together, as they crisscross the country solving crimes." As has become custom - from "NCIS" on "JAG" and "NCIS: LA" on "NCIS" - the proposed characters will be featured in a two-part episode during the parent series. CBS Television Studios will produce the hour should it move forward. (Deadline.com)

PHYS ED (ABC Family) - Samm Levine, Sunkrish Bala and Chelsea Harris are the latest additions to the comedy pilot, about a high school's star jock, Ed (Ryan Sypek), who returns to teach at his former alma mater only to find that, even though he's changed, nothing else really has. Levine will play Matt Nealy, "a nerdy and needy chemistry teacher and a bit of a gossip who makes quick friends with Ed"; with Bala as Alan Rapaport, "an English teacher who likes being the alpha male at the school and feels an overpowering urge to put Ed in his place, as if they were both still in high school"; and Harris as Wendy Kleinman, "the hot history teacher and cheerleading coach who is rumored to be having an affair with Alan." Kate Lang Johnson also stars in the multi-camera project, from writer David H. Steinberg and director Ted Wass. (THR.com)

AFTER HOURS (NBC) - Ken Leung and Jeananne Goossen have both landed roles on the drama pilot, about the graveyard shift in the ER at San Antonio Medical Center. Leung will play Topher, "a flip-flops and shorts-wearing Emergency Room doctor who was previously a surgeon on the battlefield, where he became hardened and jaded"; with Goossen as "a beautiful and stylish resident at the hospital." Eoin Macken and Freddy Rodriguez also star in the Sony Pictures Television-based hour, from co-creators Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah. (Deadline.com)

BAR SCENE (NBC, New!) - Chris Alberghini and Mike Chessler ("90210") have sold a potential drama to the Peacock about "a team of misfit lawyers who start their own practice." Said effort is based on the life of Jackie Davis. Sony Pictures Television-based FanFare is behind the hour with the company's Jamie Tarses and Stephanie Davis executive producing alongside Exhibit A's Seth Gordon. (Deadline.com)

BREAK, THE (FOX, New!) - Elizabeth Chandler ("Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants") has landed a potential drama at the network about "the personal lives and relationships of a group of young adults in the close-knit community where surfing is everything." The Santa Cruz-set hour, from ABC Studios, is "told through the eyes of Mia Walker, a 16-year-old girl with a troubled and mysterious past who is sent to the surfing town to live with the father she's never known." Gary A. Randall and Tim Bogart of Boardwalk Entertainment Group are executive producing alongside Chandler. (THR.com)

BRIDGE, THE (FX) - Emily Rios ("Breaking Bad") has scored a role on the drama pilot, about two detectives from the United States (Diane Kruger) and Mexico (Demian Bichir) who must work together to hunt down a serial killer operating on both sides of the American-Mexican border. She'll recur as Adrianna Perez, "a young, diligent reporter who works at the El Paso Times." Meredith Stiehm and Elwood Reid are behind the hour, which also stars Annabeth Gish, Ted Levine and Thomas M. Wright. (Deadline.com)

DISCOUNTED (ABC, New!) - "Chelsea Lately" mainstay Fortune Feimster is set to star in a potential comedy at the Alphabet about "half-sisters Julie and Missy (Feimster), who are trying desperately to keep their family's furniture store afloat." Jim Freeman and Brian Jarvis will co-write the half-hour alongside Feimster and serve as co-executive producers. Michael Pennie and Borderline Amazing Productions' Chelsea Handler, Tom Brunelle and Brad Wollack are executive producing for Universal Television. (Deadline.com)

GIANT BABY (TV Land) - Eric Petersen ("Shrek the Musical") has joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about Madison "Maddie" Banks (Kirstie Alley), a Broadway star who finds her life turned upside down when Arlo, the son she gave up for adoption 26 years ago, turns up looking to connect after his adopted mother has died. He'll play said nerdy and schlubby son in the half-hour, which comes from writer Marco Pennette. Rhea Perlman also stars. (Deadline.com)

GROW THE F--- UP (NBC, New!) - Alexandra Rushfield ("Parks and Recreation") has set up a new comedy at the Peacock about "a 36-year-old woman with arrested development who has a relationship with the only person who gets her - a 20-year-old college student." Universal Television is behind the half-hour with Likely Story's Anthony Bregman also on board to executive produce and Jesse Peretz attached to direct and likewise executive produce. (Deadline.com)

HOW TO GROW UP (CBS, New!) - Feature writers Evan Susser and Van Robichaux have booked a potential comedy at the Eye about "a 30-year-old lawyer who reconnects with his inner child when he discovers a box of VHS taped messages he recorded when he was 10 years old, containing pointed advice for his future self on how to not grow up to be a 'stupid, boring adult.'" Jeff and Jackie Filgo are on board to executive produce the half-hour for ABC Studios. (Deadline.com)

MERIDIAN HILLS (The CW, New!) - Newcomer Sydney Sidner has sold a period drama to the netlet about "a young, newly married woman who joins the Junior League, discovering an eclectic group of other young women who become unlikely allies in her quest to change the system." The CBS Television Studios-based hour, set in a boozy Midwest country club circa 1972, will be executive produced by Mila Kunis, Chris Keyser, Eric Tannenbaum, Kim Tannenbaum, Lisa Sterbakov, Cami Curtis and Susan Curtis. (Deadline.com)

OUTLANDER (Starz, New!) - Ronald D. Moore's small screen take on Diana Gabaldon's seven-book series has found a home at the pay channel. Said effort - about a former World War II combat nurse on her second honeymoon who, after touching a boulder in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles, finds herself transported to 1743 - comes from Sony Pictures Television where Moore will write and executive produce alongside Story Mining and Supply Company's Jim Kohlberg. (Deadline.com)

RUN BLACK (FOX, New!) - Simon Mirren ("Criminal Minds") has booked a new drama at the network about "a brilliant and dangerous prisoner who is given a chance to reduce his sentence when the FBI recruits him to partner up with a book-smart but painfully naive agent to infiltrate and dismantle a criminal empire on the outside." He'll write and executive produce alongside Exhibit A's Seth Gordon - who may potentially direct - for Sony Pictures Television. (Deadline.com)

SLOUCHING TOWARDS ADULTHOOD (NBC, New!) - Sally Koslow's book of the same name, subtitled "Observations from the Not-So-Empty Nest," is being developed as a comedy at the Peacock. Said half-hour, "a messy blended family show where adult children are still living at home," will be penned by filmmaker Kat Coiro ("Departure Date"). Oly Obst, David Miner and Christy Fletcher likewise are on board to executive produce for 3 Arts Entertainment. (Deadline.com)

TAO OF MARTHA, THE (FOX, New!) - Jen Lancaster's upcoming book - about "a highly disorganized, scattered former party girl" who uses Martha Stewart's "teachings" to "become a better role model for her daughter and write a new book about changing her life" - is being developed as a single-camera comedy at the network. Stewart herself is executive producing the half-hour alongside Brian Grazer and Francie Calfo via their 20th Century Fox Television-based Imagine Television. Austin Winsberg ("Jake in Progress") is on board to pen the script and likewise executive produce. (Deadline.com)

THOSE WHO KILL (A&E) - Bahar Soomekh ("Day Break") has boarded the drama pilot, which stars Chloë Sevigny and James D'Arcy as a police detective and forensic profiler who possess a deep understanding of the serial killers they hunt. She'll play the latter's wife, "a dignified woman who adores Thomas, understands his nature yet is concerned about his tendency to get so deep into his work that he loses himself." Omid Abtahi also stars in the Fox 21-based hour, which Joe Carnahan is directing from a script by Glen Morgan. (Deadline.com)

UNTITLED JEFF LOWELL PROJECT (NBC, New!) - Jeff Lowell ("Common Law") has sold a new comedy to the Peacock set in two time periods: "in the present, centering on a married couple with children, and in the 1980, following that same couple as teenagers dealing with their parents." Universal Television-based TBD Productions is behind the presumably single-camera project with the company's Peter Traugott and Rachel Kaplan executive producing alongside Lowell. (Deadline.com)

BLACK SAILS (Starz) - Hannah New (The CW's "Shelter") has been cast in the upcoming drama, which centers on the tales of Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and his men, and takes place 20 years prior to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic "Treasure Island." She's set as Eleanor, "the beautiful, courageous and determined owner of a rowdy Open Nassau saloon who wields considerable influence in her dual roles as fence/supplier and party host." Jessica Parker Kennedy and Tom Hopper also star in the Michael Bay-produced project, from co-creators Jon Steinberg and Robert Levine. (Deadline.com)

FIVE 2 (Lifetime, New!) - Jennifer Hudson, Melissa Leo, Octavia Spencer and Sarah Hyland have all been cast in the follow up to the cable channel's film anthology, which depicted various characters dealing with breast cancer. Executive producers Jennifer Aniston, Marta Kauffman, Kristin Hahn, Kevin Chinoy and Francesca Silvestri will once again executive produce the sequel, which will turn its focus to address mental illness. Bonnie Hunt and Laura Dern are already on board to direct two of the segments for Sony Pictures Television, Echo Films and Freestyle Picture Co. (THR.com,, Variety.com)

MAX GENERAL (NBC, New!)/NIGHT HUNTERS (FOX, New)! - Feature writer Thompson Evans ("Hit List") has sold potential dramas to said networks. FOX's "Night Hunters," from ABC Studios, is about "undercover NYC police officers who pose as taxi drivers"; while NBC's "Max General," from Universal Television, takes place "in the trauma division of a big city hospital." The Littlefield Co.'s Warren Littlefield and Ann Johnson are also on board to executive produce both hours alongside Evans. (Deadline.com)

MISSIONARY, THE (HBO) - Benjamin Walker ("Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter") has been tapped for the lead role on the drama pilot, about Roy, "a young American missionary who gets caught up in Cold War intrigue while helping a young woman escape East Berlin." He'll take over for Aaron Paul, who was previously in talks to play said role. Baltasar Kormakur ("The Deep") is also on board to helm the hour from a script by Charles Randolph and Malcolm Gladwell. Stephen Levinson and Mark Wahlberg also serve as executive producers. (Deadline.com)

NORFOLK (The CW, New!) - Sera Gamble ("Supernatural") is developing a new drama at the netlet about "the lives and loves of the young people at the Norfolk Naval Station." Oscar-nominee Taylor Hackford ("Ray") is on board to direct and executive produce the potential hour for CBS Television Studios, with writer Gamble likewise executive producing alongside Bill Haber of Ostar Productions. (THR.com)

TROOPER (TNT) - Alimi Ballard ("Numb3rs") has scored a role on the drama pilot, about K.J. Flaxton (Mira Sorvino), "a recently divorced female state trooper who is as unconventional at work as she is at home raising her three kids." He'll play Hollis Figgins, a member of the K9 unit who has a crush on Sorvino's character. Gary Wilmes played said role in the original CBS pilot. Writer Aron Eli Coleite and director Jason Ensler are behind the project, which is set up at the Warner Horizon Television-based Jerry Bruckheimer Television. (Deadline.com)

AFTER HOURS (NBC) - Brigid Brannagh ("Army Wives") and Robert Bailey, Jr. ("Model Minority") have both been cast in the drama pilot, about the graveyard shift in the ER at San Antonio Medical Center. She'll play Dr. Atthea Martin, "who is easing into her old job as a trauma doctor while grieving the loss of her husband, killed by a drunk driver"; while he's set as Paul, "a young, eager but squeamish resident at the hospital." The Sony Pictures Television-based hour also stars Eoin Macken, Freddy Rodriguez, Jeananne Goossen and Ken Leung. Pierre Morel is directing from a script by Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah. (Deadline.com)

HORIZON (USA, New!) - Bridget Tyler ("Burn Notice") has booked a sci-fi period drama at the network about "a secretary at the FBI during World War II who believes her husband may have been killed in a battle with an alien spaceship in the South Pacific." Tyler will write and co-executive produce for the Universal Cable Productions-based Valhalla Entertainment. The company's Gale Anne Hurd is executive producing. (Variety.com)

JANE WAYNE (USA, New!) - Heather Zuhlke ("Southland") has sold a new drama to the cable channel about "a female cop and her patrol sergeant husband who falls into a criminal conspiracy scandal." Said hour is set up at the Universal Cable Productions-based Valhalla Entertainment with Gale Anne Hurd executive producing and Zuhlke serving as a co-executive producer. (Variety.com)

RECONSTRUCTION (History, New!) - Screenwriters John Rice and Joe Batteer ("Windtalkers") are developing a post-Civil War era drama at the cable channel about "a Southern man's struggle in his hometown after fighting in the war for the North." Universal Cable Productions-based Valhalla Entertainment is behind the hour with Gale Anne Hurd executive producing alongside the duo. (Variety.com)

SUPER FUN NIGHT (ABC) - Liza Lapira ("Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23") has been cast in the Rebel Wilson-led comedy pilot, about three nerdy female friends on a quest to have super fun every Friday night. She'll play Helen-Alice, Kimmie's (Wilson) super-smart best friend and roommate. The original multi-camera version at CBS featured Jenny Slate in said role. Lapira's casting is the result of a talenting holding deal the actress signed with the network in July. Warner Bros. Television-based Conaco Productions is behind the half-hour. (Deadline.com)

THOSE WHO KILL (A&E) - James Morrison ("Revenge") and Kerry O'Malley ("Boardwalk Empire") are the latest additions to the drama pilot, about police detective Catherine Jensen (Chloë Sevigny) and forensic profiler Thomas Schaffer (James D'Arcy), who possess a deep understanding of the serial killers they hunt. He's on board as Captain Frank Bisgaard, "Jensen's tough, no-nonsense superior"; while she'll play "the precinct's forensic pathologist and Catherine's best friend." The Fox 21-based hour, from director Joe Carnahan and writer Glen Morgan, also stars Bahar Soomekh and Omid Abtahi. (Deadline.com)

TROOPER (TNT) - Eion Bailey ("Covert Affairs") has booked the male lead on the drama pilot, about K.J. Flaxton (Mira Sorvino), a recently divorced female state trooper who is as unconventional at work as she is at home raising her three kids. He'll play her partner James Burk, "a widowed father who has a much more by-the-book approach to policing." Jay Hernandez played said role in the original CBS incarnation. Alimi Ballard and Brooke Nevin also star in the hour, which is set up at the Warner Horizon Television-based Jerry Bruckheimer Television. Jason Ensler is directing from a script by Aron Eli Coleite. (Deadline.com)


TV Tonight 3rd of January 2013


The daily list in alphabetical order, of all the new episodes airing.

Anderson Live S02E77: "Co-Host Melissa Joan Hart | 2013 Resolution Solutions"
Bargain Hunt S33E02: "Series 33, Episode 2"
Beyond Scared Straight S03E12: "Oklahoma County, OK"
Big Brother's Bit on the Side S06E01: "Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side - 1"
Buck Wild S01E02: "Dump Truck Pool Party"
Buck Wild S01E01: "F. the Neighborhood (Pilot)"
Celebrity Big Brother S11E01: "Series 11 - Live Launch"
Celebrity Mastermind S11E08: "Series 11, Episode 8"
Daybreak S03E82: "January 3, 2013"
Days of our Lives S48E38: "Ep. #11994"
Deal Or No Deal (UK) S08E124: "Episode 2117"
Der Tatortreiniger S02E03: "Schottys Kampf"
Doctors S14E161: "Through a Glass Darkly"
EastEnders S29E02: "January 3, 2013"
Elementary S01E11: "Dirty Laundry"
Emmerdale S42E03: "January 3, 2013"
Emmerdale S42E04: "January 3, 2013 [Episode 2]"
Four Weddings (2010) S04E32: "…and a Pilgrim"
General Hospital (US) S50E189: "#12717"
Generator Rex S03E19: "Endgame (2)"
Hollyoaks S19E02: "January 3, 2013"
House Hunters S51E03: "Opinionated Law Professor Settles Down In St. Louis"
House of Anubis S03E01: "House of Arrivals"
House of Anubis S03E02: "House of Presents"
Impact Wrestling S08E118: "Sting Returns!"
Impractical Jokers S02E09: "TBA"
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon S02E391: "Mayor Michael Bloomberg, NeNe Leakes, T.I."
Late Show with David Letterman S20E61: "Regis Philbin, Marv Albert, Everest"
Location Location Location S16E01: "Series 16, Episode 1"
Loose Women S17E72: "Series 17, Show 72"
Mobbed S01E10: "We're Having a Baby"
Mobbed S01E09: "Marry Me Now or It's Over"
Nature's Weirdest Events S02E03: "Series 2, Episode 3"
Pasila S06E02: "Virginia heartbreaker"
Person of Interest S02E11: "2-Pi-R"
Pointless S08E02: "Series 8, Episode 2"
Project Runway All-Stars S02E10: "All Stars and Stripes"
Queen Victoria’s Children S01E03: "Episode 3"
Rocket City Rednecks S02E11: "Sweet Drone Alabama"
Rocket City Rednecks S02E12: "Papa John's Pizza Bike"
Selling New York S06E03
Sweet Genius S03E10: "Electric Genius"
Tegen de Sterren op S03E04: "Season 3, Episode 4"
The Big Bang Theory S06E12: "The Egg Salad Equivalency"
The Bold and the Beautiful S26E197: "Ep. #6481"
The Chase (2009) S06E42: "Series 6, Episode 42"
The Chew S02E82: "Episode 320"
The Jeremy Kyle Show S08E77: "January 3, 2013"
The Project S05E03: "Season 5, Episode 3"
The Real Housewives of Miami S02E17: "Reunion, Part 2"
The Restoration Man S02E13: "Series 2, Episode 13"
The Talk S03E77: "Tom Selleck, Leeza Gibbons"
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno S21E12
The Young and the Restless S40E198: "Ep. #10067"
Thuis S18E94: "Season 18, Episode 94"
Tipping Point S02E02: "Series 2, Episode 2"
Tonight S15E01: "Is Britain Overcrowded?"
Trouble Abroad S01E01: "Episode 1"
Two and a Half Men S10E12: "Welcome to Alancrest"
University Challenge (1994) S19E29: "Celebrity University Challenge"
Wanted Down Under S07E02: "Series 7, Episode 2"
Waterloo Road S08E11: "Series 8, Episode 11"
What Not To Wear (US) S10E01: "Tiffany"
Wie is... de Mol? S13E01: "Season 13, Episode 1"