By Rachel Bennett
Television Editor & Columnist
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TOP STORIES
• The first trailer for Netflix’s original series House of Cards is online. Not to be overly dramatic, but its success could change TV as we know it.
• ABC’s new musical drama Nashville, staring Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere, received a full season from the alphabet network.
• It looks as though HBO’s Girls will get a third season. The comedy’s second season premieres Jan. 13.
• HBO announced it will air Louis C.K.‘s (FX’S Louie) next stand-up special. It will be filmed during his current tour and broadcast in 2013.
• Despite being canceled this summer, AMC’s The Killing may come back to life.
SHOW BIZ
• Along with Nashville, NBC’s Chicago Fire will also have a full first season. “We all love this thrilling new drama with its sexy breakout cast,” says Jennifer Salke, president of NBC Entertainment. “We are excited to see it gaining traction on our schedule.”
• Following this week’s especially crazy episode, FX announced that American Horror Story will keep haunting viewers for a third season. Star Jessica Lange will come back along with other regulars who have yet to be named.
• MTV’s Jersey Shore may be ending, but its spinoffs aren’t. In addition to Snooki & JWoww and The Pauly D Project, the network has added The Show With Vinny, which will feature Vinny Guadagnino inviting celebs over to eat dinner with his family.
• The CW gave its new drama Beauty and the Beast a full season.
• NBC’s Today is getting a new producing team. Alexandra Wallace, who executive produces the network’s Rock Center With Brian Williams, will step in as Executive in Charge. She will be the first woman to oversee the morning program.
• Most likely due to the success of Lincoln, NBC is developing a series on the life of another U.S. president: George Washington. The show will be modeled on Ron Chernow‘s book Washington: A Life.
• The first season of comedian Marc Maron‘s autobiographical show just completed filming. The IFC series will most likely premiere in June 2013.
• ABC is working on a “supernatural adventure drama” series based on Disney’s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad rollercoaster.
COMINGS AND GOINGS
• Whatever you think about HBO’s The Newsroom, you have to admit it has a fantastic cast. Rosemarie DeWitt (Showtime’s United States of Tara) and Patton Oswalt (HBO’s Bored to Death) are about to make it even better. Grace Gummer, daughter of Meryl Streep and sister of Mamie Gummer, will also be joining the series’ second season.
• It was only a matter of time: Liza Minnelli will show up as herself on the second season of NBC’s Smash.
• Brandon T. Jackson (Tropic Thunder) has been cast as the lead in the TV reboot of Beverly Hills Cop. He’ll play the son of Axel Foley, Eddie Murphy‘s character in the film.
• Liz Lemon’s (Tina Fey) ex-boyfriend Dennis Duffy (Dean Winters) just can’t stay away from NBC’s 30 Rock. He’ll appear on the Nov. 29 episode of the comedy.
• In addition to Maura Tierney, Nathan Lane, Christina Ricci, Amanda Peet, T.R. Knight, Brian Dennehy and Stockard Channing, CBS’s The Good Wife is recruiting Kyle MacLachlan (ABC’s Desperate Housewives) for its fourth season. Matthew Perry (NBC’s Go On) will also return as gubernatorial candidate Mike Kresteva.
• Billy Dee Williams (Star Wars) will guest star as himself on an upcoming episode of ABC’s Modern Family. Nathan Lane will also take a break from The Good Wife and come back for an episode of the comedy.
• Seth Gabel (Fox’s Fringe) has been cast as a supervillain on The CW’s Arrow. His character will be based on Vertigo, the DC Comics character.
• Two more agents have been added to ABC’s S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot. Elizabeth Henstridge and Iain De Caestecker will join alongside the already cast Ming-Na and Clark Gregg.
• Dylan Walsh (FX’s Nip/Tuck) will appear in multiple episodes of ABC’s Revenge.
RUMOR MILL
• Fans of NBC’s Community and Parks and Recreation may be in trouble. “We just want a different brand,” explains Jennifer Salke, president of NBC Entertainment. “We don’t want a narrow brand in the sense of some of those shows that we inherited here, which we’re huge fans of, [but] have a very narrow audience.” Ruh-roh.
• Another character from The Walking Dead comics will be coming to the AMC TV series. “A big deal fan favorite from the comic book is introduced into the show in this episode,” Robert Kirkman, the comic creator and an executive producer of the show, says of the Dec. 2 finale.
• Lindsay Lohan, who is promoting the new Lifetime movie Liz & Dick, pulled out of her highly anticipated interview with Barbara Walters. The actress’ publicist said that Lohan “[didn’t] feel up to it,” even though part of the interview was already filmed.
• On the long-awaited Party Down movie, star Lizzy Caplan says, “We all really want to do it, and they’re almost done with the script. I’m sure the script will be wonderful, and hopefully we’ll be able to shoot it soon.”
• E!’s The Soup host Joel McHale, our dream SNL host, is the legit owner of a Rose Bowl ring. Who knew?!
• Cheryl Burke, a pro dancer on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, wants to be on the network’s The Bachelorette.
SNEAK PEEK
• The teaser poster for HBO’s Game of Thrones has been released. 03.31.13 cannot come soon enough.
• You’ve been cordially invited to the wedding of 30 Rock‘s Liz Lemon.
• Take a look at the new cast photos for ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game.
• Check out these stills from the Dec. 2 episode of Revenge.
• Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) is fighting back in these pics from the Nov. 25 episode of ABC’s Once Upon a Time.
FRIDAY FUN
• If anyone could convince me to love Gangnam style, it would Damian Lewis (Showtime’s Homeland).