Tag Archives: series regular

Gillian Anderson locked in as series regular for ‘Hannibal’ season 3

News, Television, , , ,

Cast additions and statuses typically don’t make waves here at [e-i-a]. But this is one that cannot fly under the radar. Gillian Anderson, who plays Hannibal Lector’s shrink Bedelia du Maurier, has been upgraded from guest star to SERIES REGULAR for the upcoming third season of NBC’s serial killer thriller Hannibal. This is the most delectable kind of news for Fannibals because Anderson brings a remarkable sense of elegance and subtle jest to an already stellar cast led by Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen.

At the very, very end of season 2, a bonus post-credits scene revealed Anderson’s Bedelia flying away with the murderous Dr. Lector. Is she in cahoots with the mad man, or is something even sinister happening here? Whatever the case may be, viewers can rest assured that Hannibal creator Bryan Fuller has free reign to tell her story and explore her intentions at length now that Gillian is properly on board for the season.

It’s been spilled that Hannibal and Bedelia are off to Europe and that the season 3 premiere episode will essentially act like “a pilot for a new series starring Mads Mikkelsen and Gillian Anderson.” Does that amazing, or does that sound amazing.

TVLine broke the news and Fuller shared the following statement: “The cast and crew of Hannibal are positively giddy to be welcoming Gillian to Season 3 as a series regular. A striking presence on stage and screen, she brings wit, grace and intelligence to every role she embodies. Screenwriting is so much easier when you’re inspired by a great actor and Gillian has filled the Hannibal writers room with wonderful inspiration. I can’t wait for audiences to see her make a bigger meal out of the Cannibal than ever before.”

The X-Files actress has been enjoying quite the career resurgence as of late. Disregarding her failed NBC series Crisis, Anderson has been wowing audiences during her guest stint on Hannibal and she also currently stars in the fantastic BBC Two/Netflix crime drama The Fall. If you haven’t had the pleasure of getting sucked into that Irish/British series I highly recommend you watch binge it today.

Hannibal returns in midseason to NBC.

Comic Con: ‘Person of Interest’ hits close to home with Machine/Prism comparisons

Image cache, News, Television, Video, , , , , ,

This year’s Person of Interest panel at Comic Con wasn’t as revealing as the last one, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t just as fun. The panel kicked off with a video that proves how on the nose this crime procedural/serial hybrid truly is. The Machine from POI is juxtaposed with the real-life government surveillance system known as Prism. It’s actually scary how close to home this series hits. In addition to Prism comparisons, the clip contains a couple never-before-scenes; one featuring a young Finch (so that is his real name?) speaking with his father played by Bruce Greenwood and the other starring Root in the mental institution where we left her.

Speaking of Root, her portrayer Amy Acker is sticking around for season 3 as she’s been promoted to series regular along with Sarah Shahi who plays Agent Shaw.

After watching the video, jump after the break to view a new POI poster made exclusively for the Con. Continue reading Comic Con: ‘Person of Interest’ hits close to home with Machine/Prism comparisons →

Odette Annable joins ‘House’ as series regular

News, Television, , , , , , ,

Still can’t get over the fact that FOX decided to cancel the rising midseason comedy Breaking In? Though there’s still an eensy bit of hope that the network might resurrect the Christian Slater/Brett Harrison sitcom from the grave, we can all sleep well at night now that we know Breaking In breakout female star Odette Annable is returning to the small screen to assist Dr. House and his team of diagnosticians this fall. That’s right–Annable is bringing her charm to the FOX medical drama where she will serve as a series regular. As Deadline so astutely points out, this marks the first regular addition to the cast since the promotion of Olivia Wilde, Peter Jacobson, and Kal Penn in season four. According to various sources, House will meet Annable’s character in the season seven premiere and she’ll be requested to join him at Princeton-Plainsboro. With Lisa Edelstein’s Dr. Cuddy and Amber Tamblyn’s Martha Masters out of the show (and Olivia Wilde’s Thirteen in and out due to blossoming movie deals), Annable (as of right now) will be the only full-time female cast member next season. This may change soon once the team behind House casts Cuddy’s replacement. And for all you Breaking In fans hoping for a comeback, fear not; Deadline reports, “There is time carved into Annable’s deal for House that would allow her to also do Breaking In should Fox opt to pick up the series for a second season.” Booyah!

[Via Deadline]

James Spader joins ‘The Office’ as new Sabre CEO

News, Television, , , , ,

Following his short but oh-so-sweet cameo on The Office season seven finale this past May, James Spader (Boston Legal) will return next season as a regular. He will replace Kathy Bates’ Jo Bennett as he quickly rises in the ranks to become the Sabre CEO. Office executive producer and series regular Paul Lieberstein (Toby) explains: “James will reprise his role as Robert California, this uber-salesman that has a power to convince and manipulate, like a high-class weirdo Jedi warrior. He’ll have been hired over the summer as the new manager, but within hours, got himself promoted. Within days, he took over the company. James has an energy that is completely his own, and ‘The Office’ has no tools for dealing with this guy. We’re thrilled he’s joining our cast.”

If you need a refresh on the character hop over to Hulu to watch Spader’s phenomenally entrancing performance as Robert California, a very smart man who firmly believes “there is no such thing as a product…there is only sex.”

[Via Deadline]

Terry O’Quinn joins ‘Hawaii Five-0’ for season 2

News, Television, , , , , , , , ,

It’s a Lost reunion in Hawaii! The incredibly talented Terry O’Quinn (John Locke) decided it is time to go baaaack to the Island and join his fellow castaway Daniel Dae Kim (Jin Kwon, now Chin Ho Kelly) in what TVLine describes is a “pivotal recurring role” on Hawaii Five-0. Furthermore the source says, “O’Quinn will play a Navy Seal Lt. Commander who trained Alex O’Loughlin’s McGarrett in Coronado, and served with his father in Vietnam. Described as strong, stubborn and a man you want in your corner when things go south, the character holds some of the answers to the mysteries surrounding the respective murders of McGarrett’s mother and father.” O’Quinn was ready to star in Marc Cherry’s ABC pilot Hallelujah but it was not picked up. Also, at one point he was supposed to star alongside Lost alum Michael Emerson in the tentatively titled Odd Jobs but that idea is shelved for the time being. Fortunately for us it all worked out in the end–O’Quinn returns to TV this fall! (And so does Emerson in the CBS procedural Person of Interest).

In related Five-0 casting news, Masi Oka (Heroes) who plays the quirky coroner has been promoted to series regular status. So you can expect to see much more of him next season. All good news.

[Via TVLine 1, 2]

Rob Lowe becomes a series regular on Parks and Rec!

News, Television, , , ,

Chris Traeger, the world’s most fit, energetic, and positive-thinking auditor, will be sticking around Pawnee, Indiana for the foreseeable future.  NBC has named Rob Lowe a series regular on their rising Thursday night comedy Parks and Recreation.  With Party Down (unfortunately) out of the picture, let’s hope Adam Scott can prove he’s a valuable assest to the show, too.  This ensemble cast just keeps getting better and better.  It’s a damn shame we have to wait until mid-season for new episodes!

[Via EW-HollywoodInsider]