The Office's Rainn Wilson Goes Drama for Fox; Paint the Town with Cougar Town

Wednesday, January 08, 2014

The Office's Rainn Wilson Goes Drama for Fox; Paint the Town with Cougar Town

Fox Broadcasting Company (Fox) has given a 13-episode series order to Backstrom, a one-hour drama from 20th Century Fox Television, based on renowned Swedish criminologist and novelist Leif G.W. Persson's hit series of books of the same name. Created and executive-produced by Hart Hanson (Bones, The Finder), the series centers on Detective Everett Backstrom (three-time Emmy Award nominee Rainn Wilson, The Office), an offensive, irascible detective, as he tries, and fails, to change his self-destructive behavior. Throughout the series, Backstrom leads his team, the Serious Crimes Unit, as they navigate Portland's most sensitive cases.

Hanson serves as executive producer on the series with Persson and Niclas Salomonsson. Emmy Award-nominated director Mark Mylod (Entourage, Shameless, Ali G Indahouse) served as director and executive producer on the pilot. Production is scheduled to begin in early 2014. The series will air in the 2014-15 TV season. In the pilot episode, after the apparent suicide of a Senator's son is ruled a homicide, the Portland Police Bureau's Serious Crime Unit, led by Detective Backstrom (Wilson) must solve the case. Following the team's arrival on the scene, forensics expert Sergeant Peter Nierdermayer (Kristoffer Polaha, Ringer, Life Unexpected) verifies that the death was indeed a homicide. This starts the trail for Backstrom and his team: Detective Nicole Gravely, Detective Sergeant John Almond (Dennis Haysbert, The Unit, 24), uniformed officer Frank Moto (Page Kennedy, Weeds, S.W.A.T.) and the tech-savvy Nadia Paquet (Beatrice Rosen, The Dark Knight, Cuts). Together, they must follow leads, while trying to maintain a low profile in this highly scrutinized case.

Cougar Town

To kick off the fifth season of Cougar Town, which premiered last night (Tuesday) on TBS, the hit series has partnered with Pinot's Palette, pioneer of the upscale social art and wine experience, on an unprecedented promotion bringing fans closer than ever to their favorite characters...wine included. The new partnership will offer Cougar Town viewers and Pinot's Palette fans a chance attend exclusive painting parties by utilizing a Pinot's Palette code that will be posted on the Cougar Town Facebook page. These exclusive parties will feature a Cougar Town inspired painting and guests in select markets will also receive special co-branded merchandise. Pinot's Palette will also extend the Cougar Town celebration through the month of January with Cougar Town themed public painting parties in various markets. The series airs Tuesdays at 10:00pm on TBS!

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, June 18

Shifting Gears - "Restoration" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Matt, the widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop, is confronted with his most unexpected and challenging project yet when his estranged daughter, Riley, and her adolescent children come crashing back into his life.

Shifting Gears - "Accommodations" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Matt joins Riley at Carter’s high school open house, where he’s unsettled to learn about the “accommodations” made for his grandson’s anxiety. Meanwhile, Riley reconnects with Caitlin, a former classmate, and sets her up with Gabriel.

Shifting Gears - "Job" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Riley, desperate for work, reluctantly takes a job at Matt’s shop. Meanwhile, Gabriel and Stitch secretly stray from Matt’s vision on a high-stakes restomod project.

Shifting Gears - "Grief" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Riley discovers a closet filled with her late mother’s clothes, she insists Matt hasn’t processed her death and urges him to see a grief counselor. Meanwhile, Gabriel faces a crisis of confidence when he’s put in charge of the shop for a day.

Children Ruin Everything - "Emergencies" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT)
During a family emergency, with both James and Astrid busy at work, they need to rethink their childcare plan.

Children Ruin Everything - "Sex" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Astrid and James get some much-needed adult time when they convince Nisha to take the kids for the night; their night gets complicated however, when a small lie grows out of control.

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "House of Probation" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Calvin and Laura are met with unexpected news, while Curtis and Glo join forces against Mrs. Wellington; Calvin and Miranda must navigate the complexities of co-parenting.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "It Takes a Village" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Vinny attempts to take matters into his own hands with the armed crimes around the neighborhood; the facility is in an uproar regarding their safety after the armed crimes around the neighborhood.

The Ms. Pat Show - "The Graduation Party" (BET, 10:30PM ET/PT)
Janelle has a big confession to make at her high school graduation party; Brandon's surprise decision sparks a huge fight with Ashley.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 16)

Wednesday, June 18

Charlie Day (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia/Luis) - Watch Charlie on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) - Miley is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Annie Murphy (Kevin Can F**k Himself/Schitt's Creek) - Annie appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Allison Williams (Girls) - Allison drops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Cole Escola (Human Resources/Search Party/Mozart in the Jungle/Difficult People) - Cole appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Reid Scott (Veep/My Boys/It's All Relative) - Reid is a guest on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Keke Palmer (Scream Queens/True Jackson, VP) - E! News has an interview with Keke at 11pm on E!.
Retta (Parks and Recreation) - NBC's Today catches up with Retta in the 9am hour.
Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Michelle guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Cynthia Nixon (And Just Like That.../Sex and the City) - Cynthia talks about The Gilded Age on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Fortune Feimster (FUBAR/Kenan/Bless the Harts/Champions) - Fortune is sharing her hilarious take on the hottest headlines of the day and telling Drew about her latest Netflix standup special on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.