Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

The USA Network has renewed White Collar and Covert Affairs both for a new 16-episode season while Royal Pains has been renewed, getting a two season order for 26 episodes (most likely 13 episodes for each season). Covert Affairs will be back with new episodes of its current season on October 16 while Royal Pains will have a 2-hour holiday movie (Evan and Paige’s wedding) on December 16 and White Collar will be back in January. (Kimberly Roots at TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actresses Teri Polo (Meet the Parents) and Sherri Saum (In Treatment) will star in the ABC Family drama pilot The Fosters (from executive produced by Jennifer Lopez). The project tells the story of Stef (Polo) and Lena (Saum) Foster, a mixed race couple who are raising a biological son, along with several adopted children. When Lena decides to take in Callie, a troubled teen with an abusive past, Callie’s disruptive ways threaten to turn the Fosters lives upside down. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Box office directors Joel and Ethan Coen have closed a deal to bring the box office flick Fargo to TV via the cable network FX. This will be an hour-long project loosely based on their 1996 comedic crime drama. The Coen brothers would serve as executive with Noah Hawley (The Unusuals) as writer/executive producer. The original film starred Frances McDormand as a pregnant Minnesota police chief who follows the trail of two bumbling criminals (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) hired by a car salesman (William H. Macy) to kidnap his wife. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE MOVIE NEWS

Actress Rachelle Lefevre (the first two Twilight Saga films) has joined the cast of the box office film White House Down, which stars Channing Tatum as a secret service agent forced to save the White House. Lefevre would play Tatum’s ex-wife in the film. She will also appear in the box office film called Homefront, which is about an ex-DEA agent (Jason Statham) fighting a local drug lord in a small town. In this film Lefevre will play a school psychologist who tries to warn the family about the dangers of living there. (Borys Kit at The Hollywood Reporter)

Q&A SECTION (with Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Question: I love Grimm! It is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me! It hurts to have to wait until Friday for new episodes, and I would be really, really, really happy if you could share a few scoops with me. —Oliver

Ausiello: Oliver, grab a paper bag and start blowing into it — your question has been selected for this week’s Ask Ausiello. The Event‘s First Lady ala Lisa Vidal has been tapped to guest-star in this season’s 11th episode as Lauren Castro, Portland’s ambitious DA who intends to run for mayor and won’t let anything — or anyone — get in her way. FYI: Vidal shows up in the same episode in which Jason Gedrick appears.

Question: Could you spare any information on Justified — maybe something you found out at the Emmys? — Audrey

Ausiello: Production on Season 4 starts Oct. 3 and, according to co-star Joelle Carter (Ava), the action will pick up “a couple of weeks” after the Season 3 finale. “I visited the writers, and there’s some exciting new stuff [planned],” she told us at HBO’s post-Emmy bash. “I think it will be the best season ever. They’re going to stick [closer to] home a little bit more and work with already-developed storylines.”

Question: I’m ecstatic Lifetime has renewed Army Wives, but what’s going on with Kim Delaney? Will she be part of the new season? —Diana

Ausiello: If she is, I hear it will be a limited capacity. The actress doesn’t have a Season 7 deal in place and word is, she’s unlikely to return as a series regular. A source close to the show, however, insists no final decisions have been made — and they most likely won’t be until closer to the start of production later this year.

Question: Anything on Suits? —Jessica

Ausiello: Remember how exec producer Aaron Korsh told us that Hardman’s absence will “shift the perception” of the firm in the legal community and “possibly make them a little bit more vulnerable”? Well, I think the show is on the lookout for someone to capitalize on that vulnerability. Producers are searching for a Brit or Aussie actor to play the fortysomething head of a London-based international law firm on a recurring basis. “Avuncular, unassuming, likeable, you’d think he inherited his position — but he didn’t,” reads the casting notice. “He uses his simple-man charm to cover the fact that he’s deceptively smart.”

That’s it. Enjoy!