Jack Bauer as President of the United States? Not quite, but Kiefer Sutherland is returning to primetime television to play POTUS in a new ABC drama.
Sutherland will star in "Designated Survivor," a conspiracy thriller ordered straight to series by the network, according to Deadline. It will be "24" star's first TV show since "24: Live Another Day" in 2014.
"Designated Survivor" centers on a lower level United States Cabinet member (Sutherland) who is suddenly appointed President after a catastrophic attack during the State of the Union kills everyone above him in the presidential line of succession.
Deadline describes the series, written by David Guggenheim, as "a family drama wrapped around a conspiracy thriller about an ordinary man in an extraordinary situation." "Designated survivor" is the term assigned to the Cabinet member who remains in a safe location when the president and the country's other top officials gather at one event, such as the State of the Union or presidential inaugurations.
Simon Kinberg ("The Martian," "X-Men") will serve as executive producer.
Continue reading for more of today's TV news.
Margaret Cho to Star in Pot Comedy for Amazon
Amazon is developing the hour-long dramedy series, "Highland," to star Margaret Cho, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The comedian will play a version of herself who, after court-ordered rehab, tries to start a new life, but must move back into with her family who now run a pot dispensary.
Liz Sarnoff is writing the script and will executive produce alongside Cho, Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements.
Kathyrn Bigelow Developing HBO Series About Jihadi Recruitment
Kathryn Bigelow and rapper-poet K'Naan Warsam are developing a new series for HBO about jihadi recruitment called, "The Recruiters," according to The New York Times. Warsam will write and direct the show set in Minnesota and put out a casting call on his Twitter for the lead role of a "young Somali man."
MTV Picks Up Three New Female-Skewing Comedy Series
MTV has give series orders to three female-skewing comedy pilots, according to Deadline. They include an untitled project from MTV's "Girl Code" comedian Nicole Byer, an untitled project from Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont, and the show, "Little Darlings," created by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson.
"We're looking for creators and stories that capture the passionate voice of youth," MTV president Sean Atkins said. "Each of these very tonally and visually different series, represents a unique and provocative point of view and we're excited to bring them to life on MTV."
WGN America Announces "Underground" Premiere Date and Releases Two New Trailers
WGN America's upcoming series, "Underground," will premiere on Wednesday, March 9. From executive producer John Legend, the show follows a group of slaves who plan their escape from a Georgia plantation and attempt to flee 600 miles to freedom.
Watch the two trailers below:
Casting News:
BLINDSPOT: "Hannibal" star Aaron Abrams will start a recurring role on the NBC freshmen drama when the show returns on Feb. 29, according to Entertainment Weekly. He will play "a driven Assistant U.S. Attorney who develops a relationship with Agent Zapata (Audrey Esparza).
OUTLANDER: The Starz series has cast Richard Rankin to play the grown-up version of Rev. Wakefield's son, who first appeared in season one, according to TVLine. He is described as an "intelligent, kindhearted and charming" who is now a professor at Oxford, very interested in history.
GRANDFATHERED: Michael Trucco will guest star on the Fox comedy, starring John Stamos and Paget Brewster, according to Deadline. He will play Craig, a sexy hipster musician who is an old flame of Sara's (Brewster) that comes back into her life as a new love interest.
Bonus: Bob Saget's appearance on "Grandfathered" will air on Tuesday, Jan. 12.
