TV News Wrap-Up: Netflix Cancels ‘Jessica Jones’, ‘Jane The Virgin’ Taps Sophia Bush, Sophie Turner Teases ‘Game of Thrones’

It’s almost time for mid-season and spring debuts in the television world. That means there’s more casting news, final season announcements, and new series orders to be had. 

Take a look at this week’s TV News Wrap-Up to find out more. 

Teasers & Spoilers

Sophie Turner teased a little bit about what will happen to Sansa Stark in the highly anticipated final season of Game of Thrones. In an Entertainment Weekly exclusive interview, Turner says that she will finally get armor. She describes the armor as being “… jet-black ensemble made of thick leather or similar material.” The costume has yet to be pictured in any of the Season 8 footage. 

Casting News

Sophia Bush will be joining the Jane the Virgin cast for the show’s final season! TV Line reports that the One Tree Hill and Chicago P.D. alum will appear in a guest role on the show’s fifth and final season. The casting was originally revealed by Justin Buldoni (aka Rafael Solano) but he couldn’t reveal who Bush would be playing. He did say that “… some of you may not be happy about it.”

Alicia Witt will make an appearance on Orange Is The New Black Season 7. According to TV Line, Witt will play a Zelda, a professional fundraiser for high-end, non-profit organizations. The logline for the character describes her character as a New York sophisticate and Dartmouth alum, who strives to maintain control of each situation. 

Natalie Dormer is joining the Penny Dreadful: City of Angels! TV Line reports that the Game of Thrones star will be joining the cast as a “supernatural-tinged series regular.” The show is a descendant of the Showtime series Penny Dreadful but this one will be infused with Mexican-American folklore and social tension. 

Rachael Leigh Cook will be making her way to Criminal Minds. A TV Line exclusive states that Cook will appear in at least two out of the CBS procedural’s final ten episodes as the Max, a quirky, kind-hearted woman who strikes up an unusual relationship with one of the analysts. Check out the exclusive for some spoilers. 

Empire is mulling a recast in the wake of Jussie Smollett’s ouster. A TV Line exclusive reports that producers are considering recasting the role of Jamal Lyon. This news comes after Empire executive producers made the decision to remove Smollett from the final two episodes of the show’s fifth season, and after charges were filed against Smollett for perpetuating a hate crime attack against himself because he was dissatisfied with his Empire salary. Lee Daniels, executive producer is backing the idea of a recast since he loosely based Jamal on himself.  

Cancellations and Renewals

CBS has renewed Young Sheldon for two seasons. According to TV Line, the renewal ensures that The Big Bang Theory‘s prequel will remain on the air until at least the 2020-21 television season. This comes just a couple of weeks after another Chuck Lorre series, Mom, was also given a double renewal. 

Jessica Jones and The Punisher have been canceled at Netflix, officially ending the partnership with Marvel. A TV Line article reports that the cancellations aren’t entirely unexpected, with other Marvel properties getting axed in recent months. Netflix previously renewed Jessica Jones for a third season, which will still air on the platform, but The Punisher‘s Season 2 finale will now serve as its series finale.

Netflix also canceled Friends from College after two seasons! According to TV Line, the news of the cancellation of the ensemble cast comedy came on the heels of the two Marvel properties.

Syfy canceled Nightflyers after one season. TV Line reports that the space-horror based on the novella written by George R.R. Martin. Syfy cited low ratings as the culprit for the cancellation. Syfy took an unconventional approach with the series, airing all ten episodes over a consecutive ten-day period with limited commercial interruption. 

Amazon announced that The Man in the High Castle will end with Season 4. According to TV Line, the alt-history series will come to a conclusion after the fourth season premieres this fall. Amazon also released the first teaser for the new season. 

New and In the Works

Netflix announced that it’s ordering the new scripted series Firefly Lane. The series will be based on the book by New York Times Best-Selling Author Kristin Hannah. In a press release, the logline for the series is as follows: “Kate and Tully meet as young girls and become inseparable best friends throughout thirty years of ups and downs, successes and failures, depression and disappointments. When an unthinkable betrayal breaks them apart, the two women go their separate ways and it’s unclear whether they will ever be able to reconcile.”

—

What is your favorite bit of television news from this week? Let us know what you’re most excited for in the comments below.

 Follow us on Twitter! 

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here.

One Day at a Time is One of the Most Important TV Shows You Can Watch Right Now