CBS 2011 Fall TV Premiere: A Gifted Man

Fans of Medium and Ghost Whisperer may find the premise of CBS’ new drama series A Gifted Man interesting. The series, which CBS has scheduled to air on Friday nights this fall, follows a successful surgeon whose life and perspective on his career changes drastically when his deceased ex-wife begins visiting him from the afterlife.

He sees dead people! (It’s not a dated joke. It’s retro…) Dr. Michael Holt (Patrick Wilson) actually just sees one dead person. According to CBS’ synopsis below, his deceased ex-wife Anna (Jennifer Ehle) shows up and begins encouraging him to help out at the clinic where she once worked. It’s there that he begins to see things from a new perspective. Julie Benz (Dexter, No Ordinary Family) is set to play Michael’s sister. I’m glad to see she’s set up in a new series, though it’s still disappointing that No Ordinary Family didn’t last more than a season.

A GIFTED MAN is a drama about a brilliant, charismatic surgeon whose life changes forever when his deceased ex-wife begins teaching him the meaning of life from the "hereafter."

Michael Holt (Patrick Wilson) is an exceptional doctor who lives a materialistic life of luxury thanks to his work-obsessed career and powerful and wealthy patients; however, Michael's ordered world is rocked when his ex-wife, Anna (Jennifer Ehle), an idealistic free-clinic doctor and the love of his life, mysteriously appears to him. Michael's off-beat sister, Christina (Julie Benz), a single mom to her teenaged son, Milo (Liam Aiken), is thrilled that Anna's back in her brother's life, even as an "illusion," because Michael was always a better person with her.

Curious about Michael's sudden change in behavior is his efficient assistant, Rita (Margo Martindale). When Anna asks Michael to go to her clinic to help keep it running, he meets Autumn (Afton Williamson), a volunteer carrying on Anna's work with the underprivileged. Touched by those in need and accepting of Anna's compassionate "presence," Michael's attitude toward serving the rich and poor is turned upside down, and he begins to see that there's room in his life for everyone. Academy Award nominee Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich), Academy Award winner Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs), Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly and Neal Baer (ER) are executive producers for CBS Television Studios.

A Gifted Man will air on Friday (8-9 p.m.) on CBS starting Fall 2011.

The CW Announces 2011-2012 Primetime Schedule: Sarah Michelle Gellar Returns, And More.

Today the CW announced their primetime lineup for the 2011-2012 season, and don't worry-- unlike all the other network announcements that have happened this week, this one won't take long to read. Because they only program two hours a night and have no half-hour long shows, the CW schedule is pretty short, despite the fact that they've added a remarkable 4 new shows to the lineup. Though we learned in February about three pilots they had ordered, only one, Hart of Dixie, made it to the lineup. Other new shows include Ringer, which marks Sarah Michelle Gellar's return to television as a woman running away from the Mob, and H8R, a reality series that forces people to meet celebrities they hate. Yup, it's the CW all right.

Check out the lineup below, and come back later today for more details on all the new shows.

The CW FALL 2011-12 SCHEDULE
(*New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)

MONDAY
8-9 p.m. – Gossip Girl
9-10 p.m. – HART OF DIXIE

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. – 90210
9-10 p.m. – RINGER

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. – H8R
9-10 p.m. -- America's Next Top Model

THURSDAY
8-9 p.m. – The Vampire Diaries
9-10 p.m. -- THE SECRET CIRCLE

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. – Nikita
9-10 p.m. – Supernatural

Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior Is Cancelled

May 17, 2011
CBS has canceled Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior after one season on the air. The spin-off series starred Forest Whitaker and premiered in February of this year as a mid-season replacement.
The show struggled in the ratings during its freshman season, failing to capitalize on its Wednesday time slot following the original Criminal Minds, which is now in its sixth season.
At this point 11 of Suspect Behavior's scheduled 13 episodes have aired, and the remaining two are still slotted to run on May 18 and 25.

Sky1 announces new comedy "Spy"

Sky1 has announced that it has ordered a new comedy called Spy.

The show stars Darren Boyd as a single father called Tim who quits his job in an attempt to impress his 9-year-old son Marcus (Jude Wright). However, Tim's life is shaken up when he is accidentally recruited as a trainee at MI5. He ends up having to balance his family life with his new career and struggles to keep it a secret. Boyd recently starred in Whites and Case Sensitive and has also worked in shows including Dirk Gently and Green Wing.

The six-part series will also star My Family's Robert Lindsay as Tim's boss The Examiner, Dolly Wells as his ex-wife Judith, Tom Goodman-Hill as Judith's boyfriend Philip, and Mathew Baynton as Tim's friend Chris. Elsewhere, Rebekah Staton will play Tim's fellow spy Caitlin, who is a possible love interest, while Rosie Cavaliero will star as an "obsessive" social worker called Paula.

Sky's head of comedy Lucy Lumsden said: "In Spy we have an exciting young cast and a brilliant new writer in Simeon Goulden. It is the first of several new British comedies aimed at a family audience to sit alongside our fantastic US lineup including Modern Family, The Middle and The Simpsons."

Meanwhile, the show's executive producer Jimmy Mulville said that Spy is "one of the funniest and strangest takes on the family comedy", adding: "Dysfunctional doesn't begin to do it justice!"

Spy is expected to air in the autumn on Sky1.

"Family Guy", "Cleveland Show" renewed by Fox.

Family Guy and The Cleveland Show have been renewed for an additional season.

The animated Seth MacFarlane series will get a tenth and fourth season respectively, as confirmed by Fox via an official statement on Monday.

"For nine seasons, our viewers have been cracked up, delighted, surprised and, at times, gloriously disturbed by the mind of Seth MacFarlane - and they keep coming back for more," said Fox President of Entertainment Kevin Reilly.

"The Griffins and the Browns have become cornerstones of our Sunday nights, and we can't wait to find out what new adventures Seth, Mike and Rich cook up for them next season."

Family Guy will air a special one-hour season finale on May 22 while The Cleveland Show will end its current season on May 15.

Fox's planned crossover between Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show was recently postponed due to tornadoes which devastated the American Southern Midwest.

A comic book series based on Family Guy is due to launch this July.

"Walking Dead" team 'anxious' for Stephen King

Robert Kirkman has offered an update on Stephen King's potential contribution to The Walking Dead television series.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the creator of the original Image Comics title discussed the rumours of the legendary horror writer penning an episode of the show.

"That's been discussed a little bit," he said. "Everyone involved on both sides of that are very anxious to make that happen; AMC is excited; [Creator/executive producer/director] Frank Darabont is excited; I'm excited. I know Stephen King and [his son and fellow writer] Joe Hill are excited. We'll see if we can make that come together. I can neither confirm nor deny."

He once again dismissed rumours of scriptwriters being fired from the show. "We have a full writing staff; there are three full-time staff writers and a freelancer: Evan Reilly (Rescue Me), Scott Gimple (FlashForward) and Angela Kang (Terriers) and one freelancer," he said.

"Darabont and [new executive producer] Glen Mazzara and myself are all working on the show. All that reporting about the writers being fired and going freelance, that was all something that never really happened."

King revealed earlier in the year that he had been involved in discussions with the makers of the Walking Dead television adaptation.

"House" to end after eighth season?

House star Hugh Laurie has suggested that the show could end after its eighth season.

The Fox medical drama's seventh season will conclude on May 23, with negotiations currently ongoing between Fox, NBC Universal and various cast members for another run.

Speaking to the Radio Times, Laurie said: "The end of that [eighth] season, right now, looks like the end of the show."

The actor is currently contracted for one more season, while many of his co-stars have yet to sign up for an eighth year

"That [additional season is] as far as they've got me for," he clarified.

House star Lisa Edelstein (Cuddy) recently insisted that the shows future is secure for the foreseeable future.

"Nobody at work seems to think [that the show] won't [return]," she said. "Everybody wants to come to a deal."

House continues on Mondays at 8/7c on Fox in the US and on Thursdays at 10pm on Sky1 in the UK.