TV News: Charlie Sheen, ‘Revenge’, ‘Childhood’s End’, ‘Vice Principals’, more

Currently Airing Series

Revenge. Gina Torres (Suits, Firefly, Hannibal) will have a recurring role in the 2nd half of the current season of the ABC drama. She’ll play “aspiring socialite” Natalie Walsh. (TVLine)

The Goldbergs. Charlie Sheen has been cast in an homage to his Ferris Bueller’s Day Off bad boy character in ABC’s sophomore sitcom. (People)

About a Boy. Dax Shepard (Parenthood) will have a repeat guest spot on the January 13 episode. (THR)

Scorpion. JAG’s David James Elliott will have a guest spot in early 2015 as Bruce Jones, a retired Secret Service agent who enlists the team to help him recover a buried memory that will help him defeat some terrorists. (THR)

The Flash. Peyton List (The Tomorrow People) and Nicholas Gonzalez (Sleepy Hollow) will appear in Episode 16 of CW’s freshman super hero show. List will play bad guy Leonard Snart’s little sister, Lisa, while Gonzalez will play Cisco’s older brother Dante. (TVLine)

In Production

Childhood’s End. The six-hour SyFy mini based on Arthur C. Clarke’s novel about a seemingly benign Earth invasion has added Julian McMahon (Nip/Tuck) and Daisy Betts (Shutter Island). McMahon will play “enigmatic American entrepreneur” Rupert Boyce and Betts will play Ellie, “an arts graduate engaged to marry Ricky (Mike Vogel), the most influencial human in the world.” (Press Release)

Vice Principals. HBO’s 18-episode Danny McBride/Jody Hill (Eastbound and Down) comedy about the running of a high school has cast Da’vine Joy Randolph (Selfie) as the principal opposite McBride’s vice principal. (Deadline)

In Development

Quality Time. TBS has ordered a half hour comedy pilot from Broken Lizard alumni Paul Soter, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme and Erik Stolhanske. No further details are known. (Deadline)

Wet Hot American Summer. An adaptation of the cult movie hit has been kicking around since at least last spring is coming to Netflix as a miniseries set to begin filming in January. The original 2001 film starred relatively unknowns Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd and Elizabeth Banks as well as Christopher Meloni, David Hyde Pierce, Molly Shannon and Janeane Garofalo. (E!)

Pickups

Cucumber and Banana. Logo and BBC have ordered to series two interlinked dramas developed over a year ago by Russell T. Davies who created the original UK version of Queer as Folk and revived beloved UK sci-fi show Doctor Who. The hour-long Cucumber will dramatize gay life in the modern world as experienced by Henry and his boyfriend of nine years. Banana clocks in at 30 minutes and will tell the story of the younger characters in Henry’s orbit. Both shows will take place in Manchester, England. (THR)

Recovery Road. ABC Family has picked up the drama based on Blake Nelson’s YA novel of the same name. It tells the story of teen Maddie whose partying ways land her in rehab. (TVbtN)

Renewals/Cancellations

The Missing. STARZ has announced a sequel to the limited series which revolved around the disappearance of a five-year-old and concludes January 10. According to the press release, “The new eight-part installment will again be written by brothers Harry and Jack Williams and unfold over two time frames but this time follows a new case, new characters and new location.” (Press Release)

Published by Craig Kennedy

Craig Kennedy is looking for the best on screens small and large. Follow him on Twitter (@LivingInCinema), on tvtag, on Facebook and listen to him along with Sasha and Ryan on the Oscar Podcast.