Today's Updates Include:ABC's Black-Ish, Clementine, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. & Agent Carter; CBS' The McCarthys; NBC's Saturday Night Live; ABC Family's The Fosters; FX's Justified; and FOX's Red Band Society, Runner & Raising Hope.
ABC's BLACK-ISH (PILOT)
- ABC has given a pilot order to this single camera comedy created Kenya Barria loosely based on his personal experiences of fatherhood. Anthony Anderson had already signed on to play the lead role when ABC brought the script back in October 2013. Laurence Fishburne also serves as executive produce on the project and may also appear in the pilot. Other executive producers are Helen Sugland, Tom Russo, Peter Principato, Paul Young and Brian Dobbins. ABC Studios, Cinema Gypsy and Principato Young Entertainment will produce.
ABC's CLEMENTINE (PILOT)
- From ABC Studios-based The Mark Gordon Company, a pilot order has been given to this drama project from Dean Georgaris. Mark Gordon, Nick Pepper and Ilene Staple will executive produce this drama about a habitual criminal who possesses latent supernatural that may be used for either good or evil.
CBS' THE McCARTHYS (PILOT)
- Tyler Ritter - son of the late John Ritter (Three's Company) and younger brother to Jason Ritter (Parenthood) - has landed the leading role on CBS' retooled version of this comedy pilot. Now developed as a multi-camera sitcom, The McCarthys revolves around a big, sports-crazed Irish Catholic clan in Boston and the gay son (Ritter) whose greatest sin is not his sexuality but his desire to spend less time with his family.
NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
- On February 1, Mike & Molly star Melissa McCarthy will return to the Studio 8H for her third time as host. She will be joined by Imagine Dragons making their debut on the sketch comedy as musical guests.
ABC FAMILY's THE FOSTERS
- Southland vet Jamie McShane has landed a major recurring role on the ABC Family drama. He will play Callie (Maia Mitchell) and Jude's (Hayden Byerly) biological father. Dad was in prison after killing their mother in a drunk driving accident - but as the most recent episode revealed, he's been out of a slammer for over a year and hasn't reached out to the kids.
FOX's RED BAND SOCIETY (SERIES PROTOTYPE)
- After declaring the death of pilot season, FOX president Kevin Reilly, has given a "series prototype" order to this comedic drama - which amounts to a pilot production order plus the creation of additional scripts and a series bible. The potential series is an unorthodox mix of young soap, comedic one-hour, big-city hospital and (surrogate) family drama. Margaret Nagle will wrote the pilot for this ABC Studios/Amblin Television project. Steven Spielberg, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank and Sergio Aguero will executive produce.
FOX's RUNNER (OFF-CYCLE COMMITMENT)
- FOX has also announced further development for this potential drama series - from feature writer Michael Cooney - with an eyed production start for summer. In its description, "Runner is to guns what Traffic was to drugs and delves into the traditionally masculine world of Arms Dealing through the unexpected lens of a woman." Peter Horton has signed on to direct as well as executive produce alongside Ian Sander and Kim Moses for 20th Century Fox Television and Sander/Moses Productions.
ABC's MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.
- During his executive session at TCA's winter press tour, network president Paul Lee revealed that Jaimie Alexander will be reprising her character from the two Thor movies during the 15th episode of the drama's first season. She plays Sif, a warrior who fought alongside Thor (Chris Hemsworth) in Asgard.
FOX's RAISING HOPE
- Downton Abbey star Lesley Nicol will appear during the 19th episode of the comedy's current fourth season. She will play Eleanor, the late Nana's (Tippi Hedren) former maid who comes back after major surgery to fulfill her contract.
ABC's AGENT CARTER (SCRIPT COMMITMENT)
- At the TCA press tour, ABC president Paul Lee finally confirmed the existence of a potential drama series centered around the Agent Carter character in the Captain America: The First Soldier film. Hayley Atwell has signed on to reprise the leading role. The films writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely wrote the pilot script with Reaper creators Tara Butters and Michele Fazekas set to showrun the potential ABC Studios/Marvel Entertainment project.
FX's JUSTIFIED
- Academy Award-winning actress Mary Steenburgen - whose recent TV credits include episodes of 30 Rock and Wilfred - has been cast on the FX drama series. She will play Katherine Hale, a beautiful, southern belle who was the wife of Wynn Duffy's (Jere Burns) mentor in crime. She will first appear in the 10th episode of the season and recur for the rest of the fifth season.
