Deadline.com has a teaser for Off the Map, ABC’s new medical hour from Shonda Rhimes and Jenna Bans that’s set to premiere on January 12. The drama revolves around a group of doctors working at a medical clinic in the South American jungle and stars Martin Henderson (The Ring), Caroline Dhavernas (Wonderfalls), Jason George (Grey’s Anatomy), Zach Gilford (Friday Night Lights), Rachelle Lefevre (What About Brian), and Mamie Gummer (The Good Wife).
It’s a Friends war: Chandler has pushed Monica off the ABC schedule.
The network announced that the prized post-Modern Family timeslot will be filled by Mr. Sunshine, a new comedy starring Matthew Perry. The show will debut Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 9:30/8:30c, while the Courteney Cox comedyCougar Town goes on hiatus until April 13.
As far as I’m concerned, Cougar Town can go on permanent hiatus. I have never been a fan of the show. I know a lot of you say the show has gotten better, but I just don’t find it funny at all. I love Matthew Perry, so I’m hoping his new show is good!
He’s mostly known for his roles in action flicks (X-Men) and romances (The Notebook). So what’s Marsden doing on ABC’s Modern Family? “James is hilarious,” series star Jesse Tyler Ferguson (pictured lying down) says of the actor, who appears in an episode early next year as a reiki practitioner who moves in next door to Mitchell (Ferguson) and Cam (Eric Stonestreet). “Believe me, he would not have been in Mitchell and Cam’s hot tub if he wasn’t funny — okay, funny and hot.”
Bristol Palin and Mark Ballas have received death threats and “Dancing with the Stars” has measurably heightened security … sources connected with the show tell TMZ.
TMZ is reporting the threats began to come in last week, after Bristol and Mark made the finals. Execs on the show told Mark to stop tweeting because it was inciting people. Mark complied.
Sources connected with the show say extra security will be on hand tonight for the show. And, if Bristol and Mark head to New York, execs are talking about breaking format and not doing their interview outside in Times Square — but rather in the studio, where it’s more secure.
TMZ broke the story … a staffer on the show opened a “fan letter” to Bristol on Friday and white powder fell out. Turns out it was talcum powder, but the FBI is investigating nonetheless.
As one source said, “Everyone is genuinely worried. This is a dance competition, and it’s just gotten crazy.”
The Walker Family better get ready for some fireworks! EW has learned that when Balthazar Getty’s Tommy returns home for the show’s 100th episode in January, he’ll bring along a feisty new lady love named Rose. She’s played by the gorgeous Cara Buono, best known for her depiction of Faye Miller in Mad Men.
“She is a hot-headed Italian, and I come home after having been gone for a while,” Getty told EW while attending a red carpet event earlier last weekend. “We’ve all been there, right?”
Getty and Buono are expected to appear in at least three episodes this season, with the possibility of more. Getty’s been missing in action this year; viewers are supposed to think his character has been up in Seattle to be closer to his daughter. The actor returns to the drama’s Los Angeles set today. “We have something really funny in store,” said Getty. “I told them, if I come back, let’s do something big. Let’s do something fun.”
So what excites Getty most about returning to the ABC drama? “Just to bully Matthew [Rhys] and Dave [Annable] probably. To try to distract them while they’re acting.”
Former Bachelorette Jen Schefft and husband Joe Waterman welcomed their first child, Mae Elizabeth Waterman, on Saturday, November 13.
“She was 7-pounds even at 20 inches,” Schefft tells UsMagazine.com exclusively. “She and her mommy are home now and doing great!”
It’s a storybook beginning for baby Mae. In October, Schefft, 34, showed Us around her Alice in Wonderland-themed nursery.
The Chicago PR-exec filled the room with shabby-chic furniture, including a $1,200 iron crib from PoshTots. “There are stenciled flowers, a teapot on the table and even the lights are colored with moss,” Schefft revealed.
ABC just closed a deal for a single-camera comedy starring Nicole Richie, which will be written by Jeff Rake (Miss Match). The network first took a stab at developing a comedy vehicle for Richie centered on a professional woman/mom character last development season when the script was written by Daisy Gardner and supervised by Warren Bell.
Richie, who had the initial idea for the show, will get a producer credit, along with her manager Michael Baum of Impression. Richie, who rose to fame as Paris Hilton’s co-star on the reality comedy The Simple Life, has done several guest appearances on comedy and drama series, including a two-episode stint on NBC’s Chuck.
