... THIS SOUNDS PRETTY COOL NEWS
... Super famous director Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth) is teaming up with HBO for a possible series based on the Japanese manga Monster, from author Naoki Urasawa. The 18-volume series follows a doctor who tracks down a psychotic teen—and the teen happens to be the child whose life he saved years earlier—to stop him from committing terrible atrocities on the world. So it's a feel-good story, basically.
...BBC America is replicating "Orphan Black" for a second season. The sci-fi series about clones has been renewed, with 10 new episodes due next year. "Orphan Black& is led by the performance of Tatiana Maslany, who plays multiple characters, all clones of one another.
... TNT has upped the episode order for the second season of Major Crimes from 15 episodes to 19 episodes following its wildly successful first season, which averaged 7 million viewers per episode. The network was also feeling generosity toward "Perception", and ordered an extra episode of that, too. Both "Franklin and Bas"h are still waiting by their phones.
... Netflix has slapped a premiere date on "Orange is the New Black", its next original series. The show from "Weeds" creator Jenji Kohan will debut July 11 and release all its episodes at once, as is the Netflix way. "Orange is the New Black" is a dramedy about a woman who gets thrown in jail and must learn to adapt to her new surroundings.
,.. ABC Family has picked up its pilot "Terminales" to series, but on one condition: The show has to change its name! The drama, an adaptation of a Mexican soap, follows a female journalist who balances work and family... and cancer. The new name of the series is "Chasing Life".
... NBC has given "Smash" a tiny lift for its season (and likely series) finale. The two-hour Season 2 ender being moved from the series' normal Saturday time-slot (LOL Saturday) to Sunday, May 26 at 9pm.
... Having already mastered drama, A&E Networks is now getting into original comedy with the pilot "Whitey". Producer Leslie Greif, who ushered in the surprise hit miniseries "Hatfields & McCoys", is behind the project that is apparently being earmarked for the History Channel. It's about a conservative guy (played by David Koechner, "The Office") in his 40s who doesn't know what to do after he gets fired.
... Lifetime's "Drop Dead Diva" has a return date: Season 5 will start June 23.
SHOWRUNNER NEWS
... "Criminal Minds" showrunner Erica Messer has signed a new deal with ABC Studios, which could trigger the first domino to fall like a house of cards in the "Criminal Minds" contract negotiations. The CBS procedural remains un-renewed as the cast has not penned new deals, but Messer's autograph bodes well for this standoff to come to an end soon.
... "Cougar Town" producer Blake McCormick will take over showrunning duties next season, the comedy's fifth overall and second on TBS. McCormick replaces Ric Swartzlander, who took over for creator Bill Lawrence after Season 3.
... ABC's "Malibu Country" is looking for a new showrunner should it be picked up for a second season. Nastaran Dibai stepped in to take over showrunning duties during the first season, but is leaving over creative differences.
CASTING NEWS
... Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) will star in and produce a pilot for HBO. The untitled half-hour dramedy will center on retired and active athletes living in Miami. Johnson will play one of the athletes. Peter Berg (Battleship, Hancock) will direct.
... The "Pretty Little Liars" spin-off "Ravenswood" has found its chunk o' hunk male lead. Tyler Blackburn, who currently stars on PLL as Caleb, will depart the ABC Family hit for the spin-off and start his journey in the annual PLL Halloween episode. If Caleb had a hard time with homicidal teen cliques, it won't be much better for him in Ravenswood. The show is set in the titular Pennsylvania town, which happens to suffer a curse that five youngsters must unravel. Ravenswood will premiere the day after the "Pretty Little Liars" Halloween episode.
... "Royal Pains" is welcoming some cool guest-stars to its fifth season, foremost among them being "Community"s Danny Pudi. Abed will play a radio personality who gets help from the doc when he loses his voice before a career-making gig. Also coming to "Royal Pains" will be "Grimm"s Claire Coffee and Tony-winner Stephen Spinella.
... "Ben & Kate" star Nat Faxon has grabbed the lead in the untitled FX comedy pilot from Andrew Gurland (The Last Exorcism). Faxon will play one half of a married couple who agree to "shake things up" in order to save their marriage.
Culled from TV.com
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