Bill Nye to Host Peacock Science Series, Brannon Braga and Seth MacFarlane to Produce (EXCLUSIVE)

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFX has ordered a half-hour pilot from Christopher Storer, Variety has learned.“The Bear,” as the show is called, is about a young chef who returns to Chicago to run the family restaurant. Storer will write, direct, and executive produce the pilot.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The L Word: Generation Q” at Showtime has added Vanessa Williams in a recurring role for Season 2, Variety has learned exclusively.The new iteration of the series follows the intermingled lives of Bette Porter (Jennifer Beals), Shane McCutcheon (Katherine Moennig) and Alice Pieszecki (Leisha Hailey) from the original “The L Word” drama series that aired from 2004 to 2009.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterVera Farmiga has been cast in a lead role of the Apple drama series “Five Days at Memorial,” Variety has learned.The series is based on the Sheri Fink novel of the same name. It chronicles the first five days in a New Orleans, LA, hospital after Hurricane Katrina made landfall.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDianne Wiest is set to star opposite Jeremy Renner in the Paramount Plus series “Mayor of Kingstown” from Taylor Sheridan, Variety has learned.The series follows the McLusky family – power brokers in Kingstown, Michigan where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry. Tackling themes of systemic racism, corruption and inequality, the series provides a look at their attempt to bring order and justice to a town that has neither.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterShowtime has ordered a drama series about Zulu king Shaka, with Antoine Fuqua onboard to direct and executive produce, Variety has learned.“Shaka: King of the Zulu Nation” hails from writers and executive producers Olu Odebunmi and Tolu Awosika.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNatasha Lyonne will star in a mystery series for Peacock that hails from Rian Johnson.Johnson will serve as writer, director and executive producer on the one-hour series, which is titled “Poker Face,” with Lyonne executive producing in addition to starring. Peacock has ordered 10 episodes.“I’m very excited to dig into the type of fun, character driven, case-of-the-week mystery goodness I grew up watching,” Johnson said.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterWill Forte is attached to star in a drama series in development at Peacock from Harry and Jack Williams.Titled “Expiration Date,” the series is described as a dark suburban soap about Robin (Forte), who, consumed by grief, finds a life insurance policy that covers suicide, provided that the individual doesn’t carry out the deed within one year.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” is officially in production, Paramount Plus announced Friday.The announcement came in the form a video featuring series leads Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, and Ethan Peck, as well as newly added series regulars Babs Olusanmokun, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Jess Bush, and Melissa Navia.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterLucy Hale has signed on for a starring role in the AMC-Alibi series “Ragdoll,” Variety has learned exclusively.In the six-episode show, which was ordered to series back in February, six people have been murdered, dismembered, and sewn into the shape of one grotesque body — nicknamed the “Ragdoll.” Assigned to the shocking case are DS Nathan Wolf, recently reinstated to the London Met; his best friend and boss, DI Emily Baxter; and the unit’s new recruit, DC Lake Edmunds

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDakota Fanning has joined the cast of the Showtime drama series “Ripley,” Variety has learned.The series is based on Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley novels. She joins previously announced cast members Andrew Scott and Johnny Flynn.In the series, Tom Ripley (Scott), a grifter scraping by in early 1960s New York, is hired by a wealthy businessman to travel to Italy to try to convince his vagabond son to return home.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA series adaptation of the Victoria Schwab novel “City of Ghosts” is in the works at ABC Signature and Searchlight Television, Variety has learned exclusively.David Lowery and Sehaj Sethi are attached to write the adaptation, with Lowery also onboard to direct. Schwab will executive produce along with with Sailor Bear’s Toby Halbrooks and James M.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe TV adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s “Wild Card” book series is moving from Hulu to Peacock.The project was originally set up at Hulu in 2018.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCaitlin Kinnunen and Bella Ortiz have signed on for the lead roles in the untitled nun dramedy pilot at The CW, Variety has learned.The pilot centers on two millennial nuns: one a true believer and the other a new arrival who hasn’t taken her final vows.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDominique Fishback has signed on to co-star with Samuel L. Jackson in the Apple drama series “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey,” Variety has learned.In addition, Ramin Bahrani has come onboard to direct and executive produce the limited series, which is based on the novel of the same name by Walter Mosley.Jackson stars as Grey, a 91 year old man forgotten by his family, by his friends, by even himself.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe drama series about the Dan Brown character Robert Langdon has been ordered to series, but not at NBC as originally planned.The series has been picked up at NBCU streamer Peacock.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Queen of the South” will end after Season 5 at USA Network.The drama series was originally renewed for a fifth season in August 2019. Filming commenced on it last year but was shut down upon the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAfter a multi-studio bidding war, Paramount Television Studios has landed the thriller series “Grace” from writer Joseph Sousa with Scott Derrickson onboard as an executive producer, Variety has learned exclusively.According to sources, the project generated interest from around a dozen major studios and production companies when it was taken to market. The story focuses on a man on death row for killing his wife who is set free when she resurfaces.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Pose” will end with Season 3 at FX.The groundbreaking series was renewed for a third season back in 2019. The seven-episode final season is now set to debut on May 2 at 10 p.m.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe upcoming NBC drama series “La Brea” has added four new castmembers.Eoin Macken, Jack Martin, Jon Seda, and Lily Santiago have all joined the series. They join previously announced cast members Natalie Zea, Zyra Gorecki and Chiké Okonkwo.In the show, when a massive sinkhole mysteriously opens in Los Angeles, it tears a family in half, separating mother and son from father and daughter.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterApple has ordered a live-action series adaptation of the Korean webtoon “Dr. Brain.” The series will be the first completely Korean-language project at the streamer.Kim Jee-Woon will write and direct, with “Parasite” star Lee Sun-Kyun set to star.