‘Transplant’: Torri Higginson Upped To Series Regular For Season 2

SPOILER ALERT: Do Not Read if you have not seen Wednesday’s episode.

After installments that profiled Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso, the Nat Geo dramatic series “Genius” turns to the life of the singular talent that is Aretha Franklin with “Genius: Aretha.” Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet”) steps into the giant shoes of this music legend, even admirably tackling some of Franklin’s biggest hits herself, as writer Suzan-Lori Parks (a Pulitzer Prize winner for “Topdog/Underdog”) jumps back and forth, connecting Franklin’s youth to the decisions she made and art she

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFX has ordered a limited series based on the Taffy Brodesser-Akner novel “Fleishman Is in Trouble.”Brodesser-Akner will serve as the writer and executive producer on the series, with Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, and Susannah Grant also executive producing. ABC Signature is the studio, with Timberman-Beverly currently under an overall deal at the studio.

Doom Patrol has found its Madame Rouge in The Flight Attendant‘s Michelle Gomez.

EXCLUSIVE: Famke Janssen (When They See Us) is set to recur opposite Rose Rollins, Josh Lucas and Jeff Schine in Long Slow Exhale, Spectrum Originals’ upcoming drama series from L.A. Finest‘s Pam Veasey, Anton Cropper and John Dove and Paramount TV Studios. After a nine-month exclusive run on Spectrum, the series will air with a second window on BET.

EXCLUSIVE: Showtime’s forthcoming American Rust has added Mark Pellegrino (Dexter) as a series regular. He joins Jeff Daniels and Maura Tierney in the drama series which is scheduled to begin production in Pittsburgh in late March.

Mr Turner and Summer Of Rockets actor Timothy Spall has joined Lesley Manville to headline PBS/BritBox crime series Magpie Murders, which goes into production next week in Suffolk and Ireland.

On the heels of the Golden Globe win for Ted Lasso star and creator Jason Sudeikis, Apple has announced a new cast member for the second season.

EXCLUSIVE: Jeff Schine (SEAL Team) is set as a series regular opposite Rose Rollins and Josh Lucas in Long Slow Exhale, Spectrum Originals’ upcoming drama series from L.A. Finest‘s Pam Veasey, Anton Cropper and John Dove and Paramount TV Studios. After a nine-month exclusive run on Spectrum, the series will air with a second window on BET.

EXCLUSIVE: Chelsea Harris, who currently recurs as Sykes in the second season of TNT’s sci-fi thriller series Snowpiercer, has been promoted to series regular for the upcoming third season.

Dakota Fanning is taking on a big new role.

Dakota Fanning is set to pportray Susan Elizabeth Ford opposite Michelle Pfeiffer’s Betty Ford and Aaron Eckhart’s Gerald Ford in Showtime’s anthology series The First Lady, headlined by Viola Davis, Pfeiffer and Gillian Anderson. Davis executive produces the series, directed and executive produced by Susanne Bier and produced by Lionsgate TV and Showtime.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDakota Fanning has signed on to play Susan Ford in the Showtime anthology series “The First Lady,” Variety has learned.Susan is the only daughter of Betty Ford and President Gerald Ford, who will be played in the series by Michelle Pfeiffer and Aaron Eckhart respectively.

EXCLUSIVE: The Strain and SMILF alum Miguel Gomez is joining the Season 2 cast of CBS’ drama series FBI: Most Wanted as a new series regular.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Cobra Kai” has promoted both Vanessa Rubio and Peyton List to series regular status ahead of Season 4 on Netflix.Rubio has been with the show since Season 1 in the role of Carmen Diaz, the mother of Johnny Lawrence’s star pupil, Miguel.

After recurring on Cobra Kai, Vanessa Rubio and Peyton List have been promoted to series regulars for the upcoming Season 4 of the popular Netflix series starring Ralph Macchio and William Zabka. Additionally, Dallas Dupree Young (Cousins for Life) and newcomer Oona O’Brien have been tapped for recurring roles on the fourth season of the Karate Kid sequel series.

EXCLUSIVE: After recurring on the first season of Perry Mason. Eric Lange and Justin Kirk have been promoted to series regulars for season 2 of the HBO series.