TV Talk

American Gods Has Its Mr. Wednesday, and Other TV News

by | March 3, 2016 | Comments

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This week in TV news, we have a Mr. Wednesday, there are going to be some new Emmy awards, lots of casting news, and more!


2016 EMMYS ADD CATEGORY FOR SHORT-FORM TV

LOS ANGELES - SEP 22: Emmy Statue during Preparations for the Emmy awards on September 22, 2012 in Los Angeles, CA; Shutterstock ID 113604022; Usage: web; Issue Date: N/A
You can expect to hear of a few new awards handed out at this year’s Creative Arts Emmys. The academy will be recognizing short-form content with awards for best male and female actors, and their shows. The pool of nominees will include series that have a minimum of six episodes, an average length of 15 minutes or less each, that can be seen on TV or on the Internet.

TV ADAPTATION OF TRUE CRIME BOOK THE VON BÜLOW AFFAIR IS IN DEVELOPMENT

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After the success of Netflix’s Making a Murderer, HBO’s The Jinx, and FX’s People v. O.J Simpson:American Crime Story, more networks are jumping into the true-crime pool. Universal Cable Productions is looking to develop a scripted adaptation of the 1983 book The Von Bulow Affair by author-playwright William Wright. Writer Ilene Rosenzweig (Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce), is attached. The subject of the series will be the trials of Claus Von Bulow, a British socialite accused of killing his wife, Sunny, by means of insulin injections, causing her to slip into a vegetative state for the remainder of her life. A guilty conviction from a first trial was reversed; he was found not guilty after a second trial. No network is attached as of yet.

LEADS HAVE BEEN FOUND IN HOLLYWOOD’S REIMAGINING OF MODERN CLASSICS

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Nancy Drew has found it’s Nancy Drew! Yay! CBS’s modernized take on the classic has cast Sarah Shahi as the famed detective. Shahi credits include starring roles in Person of Interest and USA’s Fairly Legal; as well as significant roles on The L Word and Chicago Fire. CBS has made a point that this rendition of Nancy will include a diverse and inclusive cast. Shahi, who was born in Texas, is of Iranian, Persian and Spanish ancestry. And while we are talking leading ladies, Cruel Intentions has cast its Annette Hargrove. The role made famous by Reese Witherspoon will be played by Drop Dead Diva alum Kate Levering. Levering’s Annette has to deal with the sudden death of her husband and the aftermath of her son discovering who his biological father is… the scandalous Sebastian Valmont (aka Ryan Phillippe in the original).  Last but certainly not least, ABC’s musical event Dirty Dancing has cast Modern Family star Sarah Hyland as Baby’s big sis. Hyland will play Lisa Houseman, who spends summer vacation at the Catskill Mountains and falls in love with that horrible womanizing waiter Robbie. Well, it looks like some fun is definitely brewing in making the not-so-old new again.

NICKELODEON IS BRINGING YOUR CHILDHOOD BACK IN MOVIE FORM

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Earlier this week Variety reported that Nickelodeon would be bringing back 90s game show favorite Legends of the Hidden Temple – as a movie! Not much is known other than the TV film will be live-action and “inspired” by the original show, which ran on the network from 1993 to 1995. No word yet on casting, but we’re excited to see who will be cast as the voice of the Olmec Head and we can only hope the final action sequence will include putting together that darn Shrine of the Silver Monkey statue! Nickelodeon is also wrapping up the cliffhanger that ended Hey Arnold!, which ran from 1996 to 2004, with a theatrical movie released in 2002. Series creator Craig Bartlett, who left after disputes with the network before the final season aired,  is on board for the two-part movie, which he announced on his Instagram. Maybe we’ll finally find out what really happened to Arnold’s parents.

STARZ’S AMERICAN GODS HAS ITS MR. WEDNESDAY

Ian McShane as Andrew Finney in Ray Donovan (Season 3, Episode 10). - Photo: Greg Gayne/SHOWTIME - Photo ID: RayDonovan_310_4959.R
Starz announced this week that Ian McShane (Deadwood, Ray Donovan) has been cast as Mr. Wednesday in the upcoming adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed contemporary fantasy novel, American Gods. Playing Mr. Wednesday, McShane joins Ricky Whittle, who was recently announced to play Shadow Moon. Mr. Wednesday is a crafty and endlessly charismatic con man, full of perverse wisdom, curious magic, and grand plans. He hires ex-con Shadow Moon to be his bodyguard as he journeys across America, using his charms to recruit others like him as he prepares for the ultimate battle for power. American Gods will begin shooting in April.