[08/31/09 - 06:21 PM] Development Update: Monday, August 31 By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)
LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
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24 (FOX) - Mido Hamada ("Path to 9/11") is the latest addition the show's ever-expanding season eight ensemble. He'll play the recurring role of Mehran, "the leader of a group of operatives in an Islamic country working against their president." No other details were given.
DROP DEAD DIVA (Lifetime) - "American Idol" alum Paula Abdul has filmed a cameo for the show's September 20 episode. In said installment, she appears in a dream sequence as a judge (wearing "a chunky belt and glittery skirt below a flowing top crafted from a black judge robe") who motivates Brooke Elliott's character "to sue a clothing retailer that only sells small dresses."
HOUSE (FOX) - Michael Weston is set to reprise his role as Lucas Douglas on an upcoming episode of the series, Entertainment Weekly reports. The actor recurred last season as a private eye House hires to spy on his colleagues. Said role was apparently considered for a potential spin-off series however nothing materialized.
MERCY (NBC) - "Star Trek: Voyager" alum Kate Mulgrew is set to recur on the freshman drama, about a group of nurses and their relationships. She'll continue on as Jeannie Flanagan, the alcoholic mother of the Taylor Schilling's character, after guest starring in the pilot. No other details were released.
PARKS & RECREATION (NBC) - Entertainment Weekly reports Fred Armisen has booked a guest role on the show's sophomore season. He'll play the counterpart to Amy Poehler's character from Pawnee's sister city. "Leslie arranges for [Armisen and his colleagues] to come for a visit, but they're from a city in Venezuela," co-creator Michael Schur told the publication. "They're very confused because in Venezuela the government is so powerful; their parks department travels with military escorts and motorcades and stuff. They have all the money in the world because of their oil and they [don't understand] why Pawnee's parks department is so rinky-dink."
UNITED STATES OF TARA (Showtime) - Joshua Leonard ("Humpday") is set to recur on the show's upcoming second season. He'll play Ricky, a "boho-trustifarian." No other specifics were given about the role.
UNTITLED MATT WILLIAMS PROJECT (ABC, New!) - Former ABC mainstay Matt Williams ("Home Improvement," "Roseanne") has scored a script commitment from the network for a new multi-camera comedy about "a sports psychologist and father of three who runs his office out of his home and faces the challenges of being an involved dad in today's world." Williams will pen and executive produce the half-hour alongside his Wind Dancer Productions partners Carmen Finestra and David McFadzean. ABC Studios is behind the project, which has a penalty attached if it doesn't go to pilot.
