TV News Roundup: Alan Cumming to Star in New CBS Series, ‘Born This Way’ Renewed for Season 3
In today’s TV news roundup, CBS casts Alan Cumming in a new potential series “Dr. Death,” A&E Network renews “Born This Way” and Vice President Joe Biden will appear on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.”
DEVELOPMENT:
“The Good Wife” alum Alan Cumming has been cast in CBS crime drama “Dr. Death,” Deadline reports. The Emmy-nominated actor will play a former CIA operative who returns to his old life to help the NYPD stop a serial killer. The series in development is based on a book of the same name, to be published in February 2017 by James Patterson who will executive produce along with Alex Kurtzman and Michael Rauch.
CASTING:
Ryan Hill, science editor for Nerdist, has been chosen to host “MythBusters: The Search,” a new show to premiere on The Science Channel in 2017. The show will consist of contestants being judged in their attempts to bust myths using their build skills and scientific knowledge. Hill previously contributed to the Science Channel’s “How To Build…Everything” and is also the host of the Nerdist show “Because Science.”
Bill Pullman will star opposite Jessica Biel in the pilot of USA’s “The Sinner,” the network announced Monday. The show follows a young mother (Biel) who commits an act of public violence when she is overcome by an inexplicable fit of rage. Pullman will play Detective Harry Ambrose, a dogged policeman who is both disturbed and fascinated by the mother’s actions. Pullman’s previous credits include 1996’s “Independence Day.”
GREENLIGHTS:
A&E Network has announced the renewal of their Emmy-winning docuseries “Born This Way” for a third season. The series, which won the 2016 Emmy Award for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Series, centers around a group of young men and women with Down Syndrome as they pursue their passions and explore friendships while fighting against society’s expectations. Season 3 will comprise of ten hour-long episodes. The renewal comes ahead of the Season 2 finale of “Born This Way,” which airs tomorrow night.
EXECUTIVE NEWS:
Former “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!” executive producer Chris Brogden has been appointed as chief creative officer at Studio Ramsay, the multimedia production company owned by TV chef Gordon Ramsay. The UK-based company produces mostly cooking and hospitality-related shows including “Hotel Hell,” “MasterChef,” and “MasterChef Junior.” Brogden will oversee the company’s growing international presence after leaving his previous post as creative director of entertainment at Tinopolis.
Lifetime has promoted Mariana Flynn to the role of SVP of unscripted development and programming. Flynn joined the company in 2013 as vice president from TLC where she oversaw the development of shows such as “Cheer Perfection,” “Gypsy Sisters” and “All-American Muslim.”
Dennis Camlek, former senior vice president of Turner Media Group, has joined the National Geographic Channel as EVP of strategy and consumer marketing. While at Turner, Camlek managed the on-air and paid media campaigns for several series and sports launches, including “Animal Kingdom,” “Angie Tribeca,” “Conan,” “The Last Ship” and “NCAA March Madness.”
SPECIALS:
After receiving widespread criticism for his softball interviews of the two presidential candidates, Jimmy Fallon’s next high profile political guest on “The Tonight Show” will be vice president Joe Biden, airing this Thursday night. Biden’s appearance marks his first on Fallon’s show. In 2015, he gave an emotional interview with Stephen Colbert on “The Late Show,” during which he recounted stories of his son Beau who died.
FIRST LOOK:
Syfy has announced that its annual “31 Days of Halloween” celebration will run throughout October, bringing viewers both horror movies and spooky original Syfy series. The program includes the premiere of the channel’s original anthology series “Channel Zero: Candle Cove.” Check out the “Candle Cover” trailer, and program dates below.
Saturday, Oct. 1 at 9 p.m.– “The Crooked Man”
Saturday, Oct. 8 at p.m.– “Day of Reckoning”
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at p.m.– “Channel Zero: Candle Cove”
Saturday, Oct. 15 at p.m. – “Stake Land 2”
Saturday, Oct. 22 at p.m. – “Shadows of the Dead”
Saturday, Oct. 29 at p.m. – “The Night Before Halloween”
DATES:
The iconic MTV show “TRL” (“Total Request Live”), which last aired in 2008, will be resurrected for a one-off special as “Total Registration Live.” The live one-hour show aims to rally millennials to register to vote, and will feature a performance from Ty Dolla $ign and appearances from Kendall Jenner and “Stranger Things” actress Natalia Dyer. The show will air Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 6 p.m.
WE tv has announced that Season 2 of “Growing Up Hip Hop,” which follows the next generation of hip hop artists as they try and step outside from the shadow of their famous families, will premiere Thursday, Oct. 13 at 9 p.m. The second season sees the return of stars such as Angela Simmons and Romeo Miller, while adding André King and Briana Latrise.
Viceland will make its first foray into late night television with the premiere of its daily show “Desus & Mero.” The show will be hosted by the titular pair of comedians Desus Nice and The Kid Mero, who have previously worked on MTV’s “Wild ‘N Out,” as they sound off on the issues of the day covering news and pop culture. The premiere airs Monday, Oct. 17 at 11 p.m.
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