News briefs : HBO sets premiere date for new detective murder miniseries

NEWS THIS WEEK

... With Burn Notice nearing the end of its seven-season run on USA (the series finale airs Thursday, September 12), creator Matt Nix is turning his attention to a new drama. His next project, Complications — about an ER doctor who is changed after being involved in a gang shooting—is nearing a pilot order at USA.

News Brief : New Poster for The Walking Dead, and Game Of Thrones casts a major character

... New poster for The Walking Dead's fourth season. Showing off different range of weapons used by the characters, Rick's there with his revolver, Daryl's  with his trusted crossbow (dude's got that thing since Season One), Tyreese is wielding his hammer like he's Black Thor, while Michonne is swinging her katana while riding on a horse.

... Game of Thrones has cast Prince Oberyn Martell. Chilean actor Pedro Pascal who has appeared in The Good Wife and presently stars in Graceland, will play the brash, charismatic prince from Dorne who comes to King's Landing looking for bloodthirsty revenge?

... Happy Endings is "OFFICIALLY" officially canceled. After weeks of trying to find a new home for the show, Sony TV has given up, and the cast's contracts expire this weekend. After the show's axing at the hands of ABC, there was word that the comedy might be shipped off to a cable network like USA, TBS, or TNT. But USA passed, and no other networks stepped in to pick it up. Sad though, Happy Endings was the funniest Friends ripoff-inspired comedy since Ross and Rachel got married.


... The Once Upon a Time spinoff Once Upon a Time in Wonderland will be longer than expected. The series was originally conceived as a 13-episode miniseries, but now it's going to get extra episodes. How many? We don't know yet. 


... The Good Wife is upping its sexy factor with the addition of Hunted's Melissa George in a recurring role next season. George will play the in-house counsel of Governor Florrick. George also appeared in Grey's Anatomy and Alias.

... Beverly Hills, 90210 vet Brian Austin Green is joining FX's Anger Management as the nemesis to Charlie Sheen's character. 

... Lots of Glee cast members won't be returning to the series as credited regulars in Season 5. Heather Morris (Brittany), Mark Salling (Puck), Amber Riley (Mercedes), and Harry Shum Jr. (Mike) are all expected to see a lot less screen time next season. Same goes for Dianna Agron (Quinn)—though to be fair, Agron wasn't all that present in Season 4.

... Lost's vet, Rebecca Mader will guest-star on the upcoming final season of Syfy's Warehouse 13. The actress has an affinity for science-fiction shows, she's appeared in shows like No Ordinary Family, Fringe and Alphas. 

ABC Orders 12 Series for 2013/2014 TV Season

ABC Picks Up 12 New Series, Including Joss Whedon's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

ABC's slate of new series includes lots of drinking, some fun nights, a few not-that-super heroes, and female assassins. The network ordered a dozen shows today, adding five new comedies and seven new dramas to its schedule for 2013-2014. You know how this goes by now, let's run through 'em:

..... "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D" >>> is the big highlight here; it was pretty much a lock to get picked up. From Joss Whedon, the drama follows the agents of an exclusive law-enforcement agency made popular in comic books and The Avengers movie. Clark Gregg, Ming Na, Brett Dalton, Iain De Caestecker, and Elizabeth Henstridge star, and the general consensus is that this will be a mega-hit if TV can keep up with superhero movies.

..... "Once Upon a Time In Wonderland" >>> is a spinoff of "Once Upon a Time", and might become a limited-run series that would air between seasons of Once Upon a Time. The series would tell the story of Alice in Wonderland from Alice's point of view. Sophie Lowe, Peter Gadiot, and Michael Socha star.

..... "Lucky 7" >>> is a drama about a group of gas station workers who chip in for a lottery jackpot and win. All of them have different reasons for needing for the money, and the series would follow the aftermath of their sudden good fortune as they deal with the changes in their lives. Stephen Louis Grush, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Summer Bishil, Anastasia Phillips, Christine Evangelista, Lorraine Bruce, and Luis Antonio Ramos star.

.... "Betrayal" >>> is a soapy drama that sounds extra lathery. A female photographer has an affair with a fancy lawyer, and then they wind up on opposite ends of a murder trial when her husband tries the case against her new lover. What are the chances of that? Hannah Ware, Stuart Townsend, Chris Johnson, and James Cromwell star.

.... "The Returned" >>> isn't your normal zombie drama. When the dead start coming back to life, they aren't seeking brains—they just want to reconcile with their loved ones! Omar Epps, Devin Kelley, Samaire Armstrong, and Kurtwood Smith star.

.... "Killer Women" >>> is an adaptation of the Argentinian telenovela Mujeres Asesinas. Tricia Helfer stars as the only female member of the Texas Rangers. She'll kick people's asses and look really good doing it. Marc Blucas and Michael Trucco also star.

.... "Mind Games" (formerly Influence) >>> comes from "Awake's Kyle Killen and stars Christian Slater and Steve Zahn as brothers who start a consulting firm that fixes clients' problems through the science of manipulation and motivation. Based on Killen's body of work, I can't help but look forward to this one.

.... 'Mixology" >>> is a high-concept single-camera comedy following singles at a bar over the course of one evening. It's from the writers of The Hangover and is just crazy enough that it might work. Kate Simses, Ginger Gonzaga, and Blake Lee star.

.... "Trophy Wife" >>> is a single-camera comedy starring Malin Akerman as a former party girl who marries an older man (Bradley Whitford) with three kids and a crazy ex-wife. Marcia Gay Harden and Natalie Morales also star.

.... "Back in the Game" >>> is a single-camera comedy starring Psych's Maggie Lawson as a recently divorced mother who moves back in with her dad (James Caan). Despite vowing to stay away from sports after being crushed by them in her youth, she agrees to coach her son's Little League team.

.... "Super Fun Night" >>> is a single-camera comedy about a group of fun-loving ladies who vow to make each Friday night "super fun." Thus, the name. Rebel Wilson, Kelen Coleman, and Kevin Bishop star.

.... "The Goldbergs" >>> comes from Adam F. Goldberg and is loosely based on his life. Set in the 1980s, the single-camera comedy is described as a dysfunctional The Wonder Years. Wendi McLendon-Covey, Jeff Garlin, and George Segal star.


Culled from TV.com