TV Bits: Vince Gilligan, Dan Harmon, ‘Girls’, ‘The Newsroom’, ‘Doctor Who’, ‘Hannibal’, ‘Happy Endings’, ‘Falling Skies’
Sony is apparently eager to hear whatDan Harmonhas to say aboutCommunity’s fourth season. Also after the jump:
Walt and Jesse’s story ends one way or another this fall, but Saul (Bob Odenkirk) could live on yet if that rumored spinoff gets picked up. Although it may be a younger version of Saul than we’re used to — showrunnerVince Gilliganexplains that he’s still trying to figure out exactly how the new show would fit into that universe.
It’s still in its very early days. [We’re] trying to figure out, for instance, whether it’s a prequel or a sequel. We’re trying to figure out what kind of story we want to tell as it relates to Saul. But any story that at some point or another showed Saul at his peak, his abilities and his networking skills, would, I think, show the criminal underbelly of a fictional Albuquerque that really had Saul Goodman wired into pretty much the heart of it. This is a guy who kind of knows everybody… everybody in town, all the major players. And he has a hand in the business every which way he can. So we just have to figure out exactly what kind of story we’re telling. Is it a story about his creation of his own character? Because Saul Goodman, as he explains in his first episode, is not his real name. He is a self-created character, much like Heisenberg. Do we tell the story of his origins? We’re still trying to hash that out. But there are a lot of fun possibilities.
Breaking BadreturnsAugust 11. [Yahoo]Dan Harmon’sall setto return forCommunity’s next season, but first he’ll have to sit down and check outCommunity’s last season. And we may get to hear him do it.
“I have not seen the fourth season yet,” Harmon said at a recent event. But “Sony said they’re very interested in recording me watching it as a commentary track” for the Season 4 DVD, he added. I’m sure he’ll have plenty to say on that topic. [THR]
The suspense surrounding Hannibal the character hasn’t been resolved, but the suspense surroundingHannibalthe show has. NBC has renewed theByran Fuller-created series for a 13-episode second season, to debut “no earlier than midseason.” [HitFix]
In sadder news,Happy Endingsmay not be headed toward such a happy ending. USA expressed interest in possibly picking up the comedy even before ABC decided not to renew it, but now it appears that talks have stalled.
Before you start mourning the end of Brad and Jane, though, all hope’s not lost. There’s still a tiny sliver of hope that USA is still working things out, and word is that NBC and TBS have also started circling. [Vulture]
Suburgatoryis cleaning house. Thanks to budget cuts, the ABC comedy is looking to trim its cast, starting withAlan TudykandRex Lee. They could resurface as guest stars, but won’t appear as regulars in the upcoming third season. [Deadline]
Meanwhile, fellow ABC seriesRevengeis also doing a bit of cast reshuffling.Ashley Madekwewill not return for the next season, as producers felt her character had run her course.
In atweet, Madekwe threw out some ideas for her character’s end. “My preference is that Ashley Davenport dies in a blaze of glory. Preferable whilst wearing Valentino couture,” she wrote. “Or Chanel. I’m not fussy.” [Deadline]
The time has come for everyone’s favorite Time Lord to regenerate once more.Matt Smithannounced this weekend that he would be departingDoctor Whothis coming winter. His as-yet-unnamed replacement will take over during the next Christmas special episode.
It’s really anyone’s guess at this point whom that might turn out to be, but if you’re the betting type U.K. bookmakerWilliam Hillis offering 10/1 odds on names like Russell Tovey and Rupert Grint. [Variety]
Girlslost one of its guys earlier this year whenChristopher Abbottdecided not to returnfor the next season, but it looks like they’ve found another one to join the gang.Michael Zegenhas joined the cast in a mysterious recurring role. Zegen was last seen in the similarly themedFrancis Ha, which co-starsGirls' Adam Driver. In addition, he has a recurring part as Benny Siegel in HBO’sBoardwalk Empire. [Deadline]
AThe Descendantsreunion of sorts is shaping up at FX.Judy Greerhas signed on to star oppositeNat Faxonin an upcoming untitled comedy pilot byAndrew Gurland. She’ll play his wife, who gives him permission to get his needs met elsewhere when their sex life starts to flag. [Variety]
Dominic Westis returning to premium cable, albeit on Showtime instead of HBO. The formerThe Wirestar has booked the lead in the drama pilotThe Affair, fromIn Treatment’sSarah TreemandHagai Levi. He’ll play a married father who meets and falls for another man’s wife. The pair strike up an extramarital relationship with disruptive consequences for both families. [Coming Soon]
CBS’Under the Domeisn’t the onlySteven Spielberg-produced sci-fi series airing this summer. TNT has revealed a new poster and photos forFalling Skies, which returns for its third season next weekend.
Falling SkiesSeason 3 premieresJune 9. [TV Line]
I’m going to assume this teaser for Season 2 of HBO’sThe Newsroomis supposed to be artsy and metaphorical. Though itwouldbe an interesting twist if ACN just up and shifted its offices to the middle of the desert this season.
