[Televisionary]

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing. AMC has given a series order to pilot The Killing , which hails from writer/executive producer Veena Sud and Fox Television Studios and is based on Danish television series Forbrydelsen , ordering thirteen episodes which will air sometime in 2011. Series, which will star Big Love 's Mireille Enos, revolves around the murder of a young girl and a police investigation that connects several seemingly separate story threads. "We are thrilled to be moving forward with this stunning piece of television," said Joel Stillerman, AMC's senior vp of original programming, production and digital content, in a statement. "It is a crime drama, but it is also a gripping character based story that pulls you in and doesn't let go. The storytelling is completely compelling, and the show is visually breathtaking." In addition to Enos, the project--which will be renamed, sadly--also stars Billy Campbell, Michelle Forbes, ...

No, it's not quite the morning after the Emmys but I spent yesterday recovering from a bit too much overindulgence the night before and still wanted to get in my thoughts about this year's Emmy awards before the door for such discussion slams shut. Emmy host is a rather thankless job and we've seen, thanks to last year, just how much the show can go off the rails in the hands of less-than-qualified hosts. However, I thought that Neil Patrick Harris did a legendary job and infused the proceedings with wit, sparkle, and humor and kept things running smoothly. (Did we really only run over by a few minutes? Fantastic.) I spent the evening carousing at two post-Emmy bashes, HBO's luxe red-hewed affair at the Pacific Design Center and AMC's latenight after-after-party at Chateau Marmont. Both fetes were absolutely, ridiculously fun and the stars were out in full-force for both events, with this gleeful partier catching glimpses of Jon Hamm, Glenn Close, Ricky Gervais, Chl...

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing. Entertainment Weekly 's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Ed Norton will guest star on an upcoming episode of ABC's new comedy series Modern Family . Norton will play "the bassist of a famous band whom Claire (Julie Bowen) hires as an anniversary surprise for husband Phil (Ty Burrell)," writes Ausiello. His episode is slated to air in November. ( Entertainment Weekly 's Ausiello Files ) Pushing Daisies ' Bryan Fuller and Bryan Singer are teaming up to develop SelleVision , a comedic one-hour adaptation of Augusten Burrough's novel, which is set behind the scenes at a home shopping network. Fuller will write the pilot script while Singer is attached to direct; both will executive produce with Mark Bozek and Russell Nuce. Universal Media Studio is behind the adaptation. "We were all big fans of Augusten and the book, and we all got along great," Fuller told Variety . "So we decided to get ...

I'm hopeful that in the years to come Bryan Fuller's gorgeously technicolored and bittersweet drama series Pushing Daisies will be remembered for not only its wacky and memorable characters but also for being one of the most original, compelling, and groundbreaking series to arrive on the small screen in quite a long time. Pushing Daisies was, rather sadly, also one of the most mistreated series in recent memory as well, having its first critically-acclaimed season cut short by the writers strike (only nine episodes were shot) and then its sophomore season even more cruelly cut short by ABC, which held on to the final three episodes of its run for several months and then unceremoniously dumped them on Saturday nights. Today, however, fans of Pushing Daisies have something to celebrate as Warner Home Video releases a four-disc box set of the series' sensational second season, complete with a plethora of bonus features, all in a honey-themed jewel case that deliciously ap...

In the topsy-turvy world of Bryan Fuller's candy-colored Pushing Daisies , death isn't always the ending but quite often the beginning. This weekend's series finale of Pushing Daisies ("Kerplunk"), which sadly went off the air without much in the way of fanfare after being delayed six months and unceremoniously dumped on Saturday evenings, followed through on this underlying thread, which had deliciously wriggled its way through the entire series. After all, it's a series that began with the resurrection of a beloved dog by a grief-stricken young boy who soon learns that he has the power to bring the dead back to life with a touch. But it's an ability that has deadly consequences for those around him, even if he uses his powers to solve murders and avenge the dead. The death of lonely tourist Charlotte Charles has lasting repercussions, particularly to her aunts Lily and Vivian (or, I should say, her mother and her aunt), who have become withdrawn recluse...

Each airing of Pushing Daisies is like another knife in my heart and Saturday's airing of the penultimate episode, "Water and Power," was like another slash from a bitter dagger. I reviewed the final three episodes of Pushing Daisies back in April but I've been watching them again as they air on Saturday nights on ABC, just so I can squeeze just a little more enjoyment out of them before they disappear into the television graveyard forever. And no magical touch from Ned is going to bring them back to life. This week's installment of Pushing Daisies ("Water and Power"), written by Peter Ocko with a story by Lisa Joy and Jim D. Gray, provided some answers about Emerson's mysterious past... specifically his relationship to his baby-stealing baby mama Lila Robinson, who was played with delicious flair by the incandescent Gina Torres. Even as our stylish gumshoe finally found happiness with dog trainer Simone Hundin (Christine Adams). Meanwhile, Chuck...

I saw the final three episodes of Pushing Daisies back in April but that hasn't stopped me from getting excited (and saddened) all over again now that ABC is airing the last three unaired installments this month on Saturday nights. (You can read my original advance review of Daisies ' swan song here .) This week's delightful episode of Pushing Daisies ("Window Dressed to Kill"), written by Abby Gewanter, picks up where we last saw the gang at the Pie Hole: with Olive and Ned dangling precipitously off of a branch over a rather yawning chasm. Fortunately, neither the dashing Pie Maker nor the delicious Pie Waitress perish though the near-death encounter is not without complication, thanks to Ned's unforeseen usage of a certain double negative, which infuriates the love-struck Olive to no end. Furthermore, Ned's decision to become just an ordinary guy who makes pies and doesn't touch dead things and bring them back to life leads to a parting of ways am...

Just a quick reminder that Pushing Daisies returns tomorrow evening with a brand new episode. While Daisies is sadly dead (and even Ned can't bring it back to life with a touch), ABC will be airing the final three unaired episodes of Pushing Daisies Saturdays at 10 pm ET/PT beginning this weekend. I had the opportunity to see the final three installments of Bryan Fuller's masterpiece back in April and I loved every second of the three gorgeously crafted unaired episodes. (You can read my advance review of Daisies ' final three installments here .) It's with more than a little sadness that Daisies wraps its run but, given the series' own penchant for blending life with death, I urge you to approach these episodes with the excitement and zest that they deserve. (And be sure to come back here each Monday to discuss the latest installment.) So why not grab yourself a piece of pie (preferably with gruyere baked in the crust), get out the plastic wrap, and settle in t...

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing. Still reeling from last night's season finale of ABC's Grey's Anatomy ? Entertainment Weekly 's Michael Ausiello has an exclusive interview with series creator Shonda Rhimes about some of the shocking plot twists in last night's season ender. Responding to rumors about whether Katherine Heigl and T.R. Knight wanted off of Grey's Anatomy and how this impacted their characters' fates, Rhimes said simply, "I don't think there are any coincidences. I think Katherine's stated publicly that she's happy to stay. I think that there have been lots of rumors about TR, but TR's never said anything. Take from it what you will." Rhimes also discusses the fates of Izzie and George, Mer and Der's wedding day, Jessica Capshaw, and a host of other Grey's related issues. ( Entertainment Weekly 's Ausiello Files ) FOX has given a series order to supernatural drama Past Life (formerly kn...

"True love stories never have endings." - Richard Bach Yesterday, I joined a sold-out crowd at the Cinerama Dome at the Arclight in Hollywood to see Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller introduce a Paley Festival screening of the final three episodes of Pushing Daisies , which ABC will finally air (after a delay of several months) beginning at the end of May. On hand to send off Pushing Daisies with Fuller were series stars Chi McBride (who jokingly said that they would be giving out "torches and pitchforks" in the lobby after the screening) and a tearful Ellen Greene, who said that as much as the audience loved these characters, the actors who played them loved them even more. And love them we did. I'm not at all ashamed to admit that I got misty-eyed watching the exquisite final episode of Pushing Daisies , which manages to both offer closure for those of us who were utterly devoted to the whimsical series while also leaving things open-ended enough for Ful...

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing. Talk about perfect casting. Star Trek legend Leonard Nimoy will beam down to FOX drama series Fringe , where he will play none other than the enigmatic William Bell, the former lab partner of Walter Bishop (John Noble) and the founder of Massive Dynamic. "It was a delight to work with Mr. Nimoy on Star Trek ," executive producer J.J. Abrams told Michael Ausiello. "The idea that he will play the mysterious, much-referenced William Bell is a thrill. I know I sound like a goofy fan boy, but I can't help it: Leonard is an icon of the genre and such a wonderful actor. To have him come on board Fringe is a mind-blowing honor." Nimoy is expected to first appear in the season finale of Fringe and then appear in Season Two in an extended story arc. ( Entertaiment Weekly 's Ausiello Files ) E! Online meanwhile checked in with Star Trek and Fringe writer/executive producer Roberto Orci about the casting of Nimo...

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing. The Pie Maker returns to ABC! Pushing Daisies fans will finally be able to catch the final three episodes of the prematurely canceled series. ABC is expected to officially announce that it will air the final three episodes of Pushing Daisies on Saturday evenings at 10 pm ET/PT beginning May 30th. (Sadly, still no news for when or if Dirty Sexy Money or Eli Stone will return to the lineup to burn off their remaining installments.) Also on tap for May on ABC: four-hour mini-series Diamonds , starring Judy Davis and James Purefoy, on May 24th and 26th; the launch of The Bachelorette on May 18th; the return of reality competition series Opportunity Knocks on May 26th; Wipeout returns on May 27th; and comedy The Goode Family will kick off on May 27th. ( Futon Critic ) Despite her character seemingly dying in the fifth season finale of Melrose Place (where she was run over on her wedding day), Laura Leighton will reprise her role a...

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing. AMC has renewed drama Breaking Bad for a third season, only four episodes into the series' sophomore season, which launched with 1.7 million viewers, a 21 percent increase over the series premiere episode. Series, which stars Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn, RJ Mitte, Dean Norris, and Betsy Brandt, will join the ranks of AMC drama Mad Men , also renewed for a third year. ( Hollywood Reporter ) The battle over Project Runway has finally ended and now that the dust has cleared, it's Lifetime who will air the sixth season of the reality series this summer. "I couldn’t be more excited that Lifetime will bring its viewers an amazing, all-new season of Project Runway this summer," said Lifetime president/CEO Andrea Wong in a statement. "As the highest-rated cable network for women, Lifetime is the perfect home for this outstanding program as well as its companion series Models of the Runway . All of us at L...