Happy Sunday! This is slightly stunning, so brace yourselves: Netflix is so desperate for some good publicity that they’re bringing back Arrested Development. Yes, really. I know this sounds like a joke, but I swear it isn’t, as far as I can tell.
When you’ve recovered from the shock, let’s move on to a roundup of the midseason scheduling news the networks announced this week . . .
At ABC: Midseason premiere dates: January 3: Work It, February 7: The River, March 4: GCB, March 15: Missing. Body of Proof is getting three more episodes, for a total of 21, while Pan Am may be getting one more and Man Up will be done at 13. Cougar Town is not on the schedule yet (though ABC swears it will be, probably in March), and has had its order cut from 22 episodes to 15. Also not yet scheduled: Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt. 23 and Scandal.
At NBC: More midseason premiere dates! The Firm is set for January 8, Are You There, Chelsea? for January 11, and Smash for February 6. Up All Night and Whitney are switching timeslots, Harry’s Law is moving to Sundays. Speaking of Harry’s Law, it’s getting a full season, and Grimm is getting more episodes, while Prime Suspect is more or less gone. Community is not on the midseason schedule, but NBC promises it will return eventually.
Meanwhile, over at CBS, the order for Rules of Engagement has been cut to 13 episodes so they can fit in the new Rob Schneider show. That show is now called ¡Rob!, and I would like to register my objection to any character not on a standard keyboard being used in a show’s title. Anyway, it’s premiering January 12 at 8:30. A Gifted Man got a three-episode back order.
Showtime has renewed Dexter for two more seasons.
FX has given up on Outlaw Country but is still working on Powers.
Finale news: If you’d like to see the title of the Chuck series finale, click here. The American Horror Story finale will be 90 minutes rather than the previously-advertised two hours.
I don’t always talk about miniseries here, but this is so exciting that I have to mention it: Wolf Hall! From the writers of Tinker Tailor! Sometimes I think Deadline writes its headlines just for me.
And in other miniseries-too-good-not-to-cover news, the new series of Downtown Abbey and Sherlock will be premiering on PBS on January 8 and May 6, respectively.
The Munsters is still on track at NBC.
Guest stars!
The Big Bang Theory: Lance Barber
Blue Bloods: Timothy Busfield
Body of Proof: Marcia Gay Harden
Criminal Minds: Dean Cain
Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt. 23: Kiernan Shipka, Nora Dunn
Grey’s Anatomy: Nia Vardalos, Peri Gilpin
Grimm: Amy Acker
Harry’s Law: Erica Durance, Emily Rose
Modern Family: Greg Kinnear
Revenge: Roger Bart
The Secret Circle: Michael Graziadei, Sammi Rotibi
Suburgatory: Mike Sorrentino
Supernatural: Jason Dohring
Switched at Birth: Meredith Baxter
Up All Night: Megan Mullally
Returns:
30 Rock: Kelsey Grammer
The Good Wife: Carrie Preston
Casting:
30 Rock: Kristen Schaal
Are You There, Chelsea?: Estelle Harris, Natasha Leggero
Castle: Derek Webster
CSI: Elisabeth Shue
Game of Thrones: Edward Dogliani
Happy Endings: James Wolk
How I Met Your Mother: Becki Newton
Law & Order: SVU: Laura Benanti
Masters & Johnson: Teddy Sears, Nick D’Agosto
Parenthood: Courtney Ford
Pretty Little Liars: Lachlan Buchanan
Smash: Grace Gummer
Sullivan and Son: Christine Ebersole
True Blood: Kelly Overton, Louis Herthum, Valentina Cervi
Unforgettable: Jane Curtin
The Vampire Diaries: Robert Ri’chard
Untitled Jeff Eastin pilot: Aaron Tveit
Photo courtesy of ABC.
