TV Bits: Is This The Leaked Script For The Season 5 Premiere Of ‘Breaking Bad’? Plus: ‘The Newsroom’, ‘True Blood’, ‘24’, ‘Saturday Night Live’, ‘Sons Of Anarchy’, And More
There’s atonof TV news coming down the pipeline, so let’s get right to it. After the jump:
The Fox Network commemorates its 25th birthday this year, and as part of the celebration it’s bringing back stars from some of its greatest hits.Mila Kunis,Ashton Kutcher,Laura Prepon, andWilmer Valderramawill appear for a partial reunion of theThat ’70s Showcast, whileEd O’Neill,Katey Sagal,Christina Applegate, andDavid Faustinowill representMarried… With Children— the network’s first-ever primetime series.The X-FilescreatorChris Carteris on board as well, along with starsGillian AndersonandDavid Duchovny.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The star-studded two-hour special will also feature appearances by24’sKiefer Sutherland;Family Guy’sSeth MacFarlane;Ally McBeal’sCalista Flokhart;Beverly Hills, 90210’sShannen Doherty,Ian Ziering, andGabrielle Carteris;The Tick’sPatrick Warburton;In Living Color’sKeenen Ivory Wayans,Marlon WayansandShawn Wayans; andAmerican Idol’sRyan Seacrest,Jennifer Lopez,Randy Jackson, andSteven Tyler.Fox’s 25th Anniversary Specialwill air Sunday,April 22at 8 PM. [THR]
The24movie schedule keeps getting pushed around, and it now seems unlikely to get going anytime before Spring 2013. When it finally does come together, though, starElisha Cuthbertsays she’ll be ready. “I think it’s all pretty much there and ready to go, it’s just a matter of when [Kiefer Sutherland] wants to do it,” she toldTHR. “I’m confident that it will happen because, for a long time, I heard nothing about it and then got a call. They basically said be on standby, and of course I’d be thrilled to do it.” [viaHuffPo]
Even asSaturday Night Livesadds a new featured player inKate McKinnon, the sketch show could be preparing to lose three of its longtime stars. According to two sources who spoke withUs Weekly,Kristen Wiig,Andy Samberg, andJason Sudeikisare looking to exit after the end of the current season. For what it’s worth, Wiig and Sudeikis' rep insists that “No decisions are made until the season is over.” Considering how well all three are doing in their feature film careers, though — and how long each of them have been on the series — I’m thinking that the time is ripe for their departure. [viaVulture]
The CW has yet to give an official renewal toSupernatural, but if and when the series returns (and it probably will) it’ll be under some new leasership.Jeremy Carver, co-showrunner of Syfy’sBeing Human, is set to boardSupernaturalas executive producer and co-showrunner, replacingSera Gamble. Though Gamble’s been with the series since its early days, starting out as a writer in Season 1, she reportedly declined to renew her contract.Robert Singer, who along with Gamble has been serving as co-showrunner for the past two seasons, remains on board.
Carver’s arrival to the series is actually a return, since he worked as a co-producer onSupernaturalin 2009 and 2010 before leaving forBeing Human. Carver will remain an executive producer onBeing Human, though his former co-showrunner (and current wife)Anna Frickewill now take over as that series' only showrunner. [Deadline]
Veronica MarscreatorRob Thomas,This American LifehostIra Glass, andOwen Wilsonare teaming up at HBO for the tentatively titledThrillsville, a new drama based onaThis American Lifesegment. The drama will fictionalize the real-life tale ofJames Spring, a one-time meth smuggler turned family man and copywriter. As his 40th birthday approaches, Spring decides that he wants to do something big to help others. He takes it upon himself to find and rescue two girls who’d been kidnapped and taken to Mexico by suspected murderers involved with the drug trade. It’s not exactly the return ofVeronica Mars, but I’ll take what I can get. [Variety]
Funny or Die’sDrunk Historycould be moving from your computer monitor to your television screen. Comedy Central has just ordered a half-hour pilot based on the popular web series, which features celebrities doing drunken reenactments of historical events. The TV version, calledDrunk History Across America, will also include “travel elements and interviews with city locals who will drunkenly narrate local and personal history which, too, will be re-enacted by guest actors.”
Gary Sanchez’sWill Ferrell,Adam McKay, andChris Henchyare on board to executive produce, along with creatorDerek Waters, directorJeremy Konner, andOwen Burke. Check out a web episode featuringRyan GoslingandEva Mendesbelow:
[DeadlineviaScreen Crush]
Breaking Bad’s fifth and final season won’t kick off for another several months yet, but a new script that’s been leaked online could offer a comprehensive early look at the premiere episode — that is, if it’s actually the real thing and not just an especially well written piece of fanfiction.
I haven’t seen any of the supposedly leaked script, titled “Truckers Deluxe,” myself and I won’t give away any potential spoilers here, butScreen Crushreports it “certainly feels enough like aBreaking Badepisode to be the genuine article,” noting that one new character introduced in the script seems to fit with a genuine casting call posted in recent weeks.Click here to get a look, but be warned that (obviously) potentially major spoilers abound. AMC has yet to issue an official response.
Although he’s still best remembered for playing a cop onNYPD Blue,Jimmy Smitswill be switching sides in his next small-screen role. Smits has joined FX’sSons of Anarchyfor a major, season-long arc as Neron “Nero” Padilla, a gangbanger and a mentor for lead character Jax (Charlie Hunnam). Nero is described as a dark, dangerous, “heavily tattooed” type with “an exit strategy.“Sons of Anarchywill return for its fifth season this fall. [Deadline]
