Editorial Staff
A number of small-screen bits that have crossed the wires over the past day or so…
Michael Cera (“Arrested Development”) and John Hawkes (“Deadwood”) are set for FX series “How And Why”, a new half-hour offering from Charlie Kaufman. According to Deadline, “How And Why tells the story of Goodman Hesselman (Hawkes), who can explain how and why a nuclear reactor works but is clueless about life. After losing his gig hosting children’s science show How And Why, he tries to start over with a new show in a little TV market in the middle of nowhere when he encounters the supernatural world. Cera plays Mendelson, Goodman’s new boss at the studio. Even though they legally cannot use any part of How And Why, Mendelson is confident they will replicate the show. “ Kaufman wrote and will direct the pilot.
Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg (‘’Kon-Tiki’’) are directing the first episode of Netflix’s new “Marco Polo” series, according to Deadline. The nine-episode drama is expected to premiere Fall 2014. Set to film in Malaysia, “Marco Polo” is described as a show fixing on “politics, manipulation and deadly warfare among clashing empire.”
The sixth season of “Justified” will likely be the show’s last, says Variety. This has nothing to do with ratings, and more about story. FX Prez Nick Grad says “We like having shows that rate really well, and there’s an instinct that you want it to go on forever. But it doesn’t. Another metric that’s important to us [beyond ratings] is, ‘What shows are going to be talked about in the next 20 years?’ If you’re making a great, 80-hour movie, it has to have a beginning, middle and end. Going out at the right time is going to make your show last forever — we want to make shows that stand the test of time.”
Zach Galifianakis will star in a new show, which he created, to be co-written by Louis CK, says Deadline. The show, the concept of which hasn’t been decided upon yet, will air on FX.
”Taxi-22”, a pilot based on the French-Canadian series of the same name and initially something James Gandolfini hoped to produce, has received a pilot order at CBS. The late actor will receive a posthumous executive producer credit on the series, which tells of a politically-incorrect NYC Cab Driver, according to THR. Tad Quill is the writer and executive producer of the show.
