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Channel Surfing: "Wonderfalls" Crossover Slated for "Pushing Daisies," Jesse L. Martin Donates to "Philanthropist," "Desperate Housewives," and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing. I will admit that I felt the loss not having a new installment of The Office to watch last night and I still have Episodes Two and Three (next week's episode) to watch of Ugly Betty, but I did laugh my butt off watching the one-hour It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia last night, which not only gave us Mac and Charlie faking their own deaths but the very odd sight of Mac in a pawn shop wedding dress. (Congrats, BTW, to Rob McElhenny, who wed his Sunny co-star Kaitlin Olson this week.)

While the ratings for the launch of Pushing Daisies, were not exactly as sweet as honey for ABC, fans of the brilliant series can look forward to, among other things, a cross-over with Bryan Fuller's tragically-missed Wonderfalls in the eighth episode of the current season, according to Fuller in an interview. Just what this means and which Wonderfalls characters have been cast (an interesting dilemma as Lee Pace starred on that series as well) remains to be seen. But I for one would love to see Caroline Dhavernas' Jaye Tyler show up... (iF Magazine)

Jesse L. Martin (Law & Order) has been cast in NBC's upcoming drama The Philanthropist, opposite James Purefoy who plays Teddy Rist, a wealthy billionaire playboy who uses his wealth and connections to help people in need. Martin will play Philip Maidstone, Teddy's business partner and close friend. Production is slated to begin soon in London though the network has reduced the series' initial 13-episode commitment by several segments. (Hollywood Reporter)

Steven Weber (Brothers & Sisters) will turn up on ABC's Desperate Housewives this season as the thrice-divorced college professor lover of Susan's adult daughter Julie (Andrea Bowen). Look for the duo to turn up on Wisteria Lane next month. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

In other casting news, Wallace Shawn (The Princess Bride) has been cast in a multiple-episode arc on the CW's Gossip Girl, where he'll play the father of Serena's new boyfriend Aaron (Vanished's John Patrick Amedori) and a potential love interest for Blair's mother Eleanor. He'll first show up in the November 11th episode. (TV Guide)

Zeljko Ivanek will return for Season Two of Damages, despite shooting himself to death in the first season's penultimate episode. Ivanek, who won an Emmy last month for his amazing turn as Ray Fiske, will be making "several appearances" in Season Two... but something tells me that he won't be returning from the dead any time soon, unless Damages brings the Pie Maker to Hewes & Associates. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

AMC is developing a sci-fi series based on Kim Stanley Robinson's novel "Red Mars," with writer/executive producer Jonathan Hensleigh (Armageddon), about the inhabitants of the first human colony on Mars. (Hollywood Reporter)

NBC has moved the premiere of its six-episode reality competition series Momma's Boys to this fall, airing in the Wednesdays at 9 pm timeslot vacated by America's Got Talent beginning October 29th. Lest you think that NBC isn't wedded to this concept--in which 32 women try to win over three bachelors and their all-important mothers--casting on the second season has already begun this week. (Variety)

USA Today's Robert Bianco reviews the CW's Sunday night lineup, which it leased out to Media Rights Capital. In a view that's hardly surprising, Bianco says that all of the series are "missable"
and goes on to say that Valentine is "badly cast and sadly inept." Ouch. (USA Today)

ShineReveille International has come on board to distribute NBC's upcoming reality series Howie Do It, executive produced by and hosted by Howie Mandel (Deal or No Deal). Let's just hope that it's better than Mandel's performance at the Emmys last month. (Hollywood Reporter)
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Anonymous said…
I would love to see Jaye Tyler on Pushing Daisies! But, as you said, I'm not quite sure how the crossover would work since Lee Pace played Jaye's brother and Diana Scarwid, who was their mom on Wonderfalls, is now playing the Mother Superior character on Pushing Daisies. Maybe Jaye's obsession with talking to inanimate objects drove her to the nunnery?
10/03/2008
Anonymous said…
It will be fun to see Wallace Shawn on Gossip Girl...especially paired with Blair's mother, who I think is fantastic.

And I'm thrilled that we'll see Zeljko Ivanek again on Damages!
10/03/2008
Anonymous said…
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned that in a way, Bryan Fuller already crossed Pushing Daisies with both Dead Like Me and with Wonderfalls. The first episode of the 2nd season has Diana Scarwid as mother superior at the nunnery. She played Jay's mother on Wonderfalls. Also, Ned mentioned the Happy Time temp agency, and that's the agency from Dead Like Me where George worked.
10/03/2008
Anonymous said…
@anonymous. That was mentioned above. Bella beat me to it and said that Diana Scarwid played the Mother Superior. Jace also mentioned these points in his review of PD the other day.

I'd love to see Jaye and Mahandra show up at the Pie Hole and solve a mystery with the gang (a la Scooby Doo's team ups) but it would be definitely weird as Lee Pace played Jaye's bro and Mahandra's boyfriend. Maybe they'll remark that Ned looks familiar? :)
10/03/2008
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