TV News Wrap-Up: Gina Torres to Headline ‘The Brides,’ ‘The Magicians’ to End with Season 5, ‘Stranger Things’ Promotes Brett Gelman to Series Regular, & More

Where to begin with this week?

The biggest news is probably that SXSW was canceled due to coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns. The cancellation came after more and more networks pulled out of the festival.

This is the first time the annual Austin festival has been canceled in 34 years, and the festival organizers have reported they’re working to reschedule the conference or provide a virtual SXSW experience as soon as possible for 2020 participants.

While the cancelation is big news, that doesn’t stop the 2020 pilot season from being in full swing. There were plenty of casting announcements for pilot episodes featuring some of your favorite actors and a few cancellations of both beloved and panned shows. 

Take a look at this week’s highlights in our TV news wrap-up.

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Troian Bellisario (Pretty Little Liars) has been cast in the CBS pilot Ways & Means opposite Patrick Dempsey (Grey’s Anatomy). Deadline reports that Bellisario will play the female lead, a young idealistic congresswoman to Dempsey’s jaded congressional leader. The character’s name is Claire, and she’s described as “…a newly elected, progressive, idealistic freshman Democratic Congresswoman who leads with her intelligence and straightforwardness. She’s going to have to figure out how to merge her idealism with her ambition – she will either change Congress, or Congress will change her.”

Syfy has announced that The Magicians will end with Season 5. The Syfy drama following a group of students attending a magical graduate school, based off of the books by Lev Grossman. will take its final with a finale scheduled to air April 1st. You can read more about this cancellation right here. 

The Gossip Girl reboot has found its lead. Emily Alyn Lind (Code Black) will star in the HBO Max reboot as Audrey. According to Deadline, “Audrey has been in a long term relationship and is beginning to wonder what more could be out there.”

Gina Torres (Suits, Pearson) has been cast in the ABC pilot for The Brides. The series will be written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Riverdale, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and directed by Maggie Kelly. In a Deadline report, the series is described as “…a sexy contemporary reimagining of Dracula…with strong horror elements, The Brides is a vampire soap about empowered, immortal women and the things they do to maintain wealth, prestige, legacy — and their non-traditional family.” Torres will play Cleo Phillips, one of the three brides of Dracula, and the leader of the group. In contemporary times, Cleo is a “maven of New York City real estate, Cleo is challenged professionally by a mysterious newcomer — even as her ties to her sisters are dangerously fraying.”

Fox has canceled Almost Family after one season. The fertility clinic drama starred Timothy Hutton, as a doctor who used his own sperm to fertilize dozens of women. TV Line reports that the series debuted in October with an underwhelming 2.7 million total viewers and a 0.7 demo rating. Ratings continued to dwindle and eventually, the network moved the drama to Saturday nights in January to finish out its freshman season run. The thirteen-episode season averaged a 0.4 demo rating and 1.53 million total viewers. 

Rose McIver (iZombie) has been cast in the CBS comedy pilot Ghosts. Deadline reports that McIver will play Samantha, who inherits a beautiful country house with her partner Ryan. However, the house i sboth falling apart and inhabited by several of the home’s previous residents. The comedy hails from Joe Port & Joe Wiseman, Lionsgate Television, BBC Studios and CBS Television Studios. 

Julie Bowen (Modern Family) will headline a CBS comedy entitled Raised by Wolves. The project will star bowen as Frankie Wolfe a fiercely independent crisis manager whose life is turned upside down for the first time when she adopts and raises an 11-year-old girl with the help of her fragile, nervous wreck sister. According to Deadline, the two-time Emmy winner has landed a premium deal paying $250,000+ an episode. The project was formerly known as Please Hold for Frankie Wolfe, and comes from Will & Grace creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan and Universal TV

Luke Mitchell (Blindspot, The Code) has landed a role in the pilot of The Republic of Sarah. According to Deadline, Mitchell will play the male lead opposite Stella Baker. Written by Jeffrey Paul King, the series will follow a rebellious history teacher who finds a cartographical loophole to declare independence and save her town from a greedy mining company. Mitchell will play Danny who has returned to their hometown as the harbinger of its demise. 

Jason Issacs has been cast in the CBS pilot Good Sam. The family medical drama pilot hails from Katie Wech, Jennie Snyder Urman and her Sutton St. Productions. He will star opposite Sophia Bush. A Deadline report details that Issacs will play Griff, Sam’s pompous boss who falls into a coma. Sam talks over his leadership role, but then when he awakens and wants to resume his previous role, “it falls to [Sam] to supervise this overbearing blowhard who never acknowledged her talents — and also happens to be her father.”

Netflix has canceled AJ and the Queen after one season. Series creator RuPaul Charles confirmed the cancellation on Twitter saying, “End of the road for AJ and The Queen. Netflix has decided to not extend our trip across America. Thank you for all the love & support. We’re so very proud of the work.” The project was the work of Charles and 2 Broke Girls creator Michael Patrick King. The show starred Charles as Ruby Red, a down on her luck drag queen who travels across America from club to club with a rundown 1990s RV and her unfortunate sidekick AJ (Izzy G), a recently-orphaned nine-year-old stowaway.

Another Stranger Things cast member is getting promoted to series regular. A Deadline exclusive announced, Brett Gelman, who plays Murray Bauman will be making regular appearances in the newest installment of the series. The journalist-turned-conspiracy-theorist was introduced on Stranger Things Season 2 and had a significant role on Stranger Things Season 3. Gelman’s previous appearances include the Amazon Prime series, Fleabag. On both shows, Gelman has shared SAG ensemble nominations with the cast. 

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What is your favorite bit of TV news from this week? Let us know in the comments below. 

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