When Suits LA was first announced, there was no indication that the NBC spinoff airing on the 2025 TV schedule would have any connection to the original Suits beyond simply existing in the same universe. Then in November 2024, it was announced that Gabriel Macht would reprise Harvey Specter for three episodes, and now we can also expect the return of Rick Hoffman as Louis Litt and David Costabile as antagonist Daniel Hardman. So which OG Suits alum could appear on LA next? Lex Scott Davis gave me her pick when I recently chatted with her, and I’d be down for seeing this pairing.

In addition to Davis, who plays Erica Rollins, informing me about what’s ahead for Black & Associates now that the Lester Thompson trial is over, she also expressed interest in Gina Torres’ Jessica Pearson stopping by Suits LA. She mentioned this while answering my question about what it means to her that these Suits actors are taking part in the spinoff she co-stars in alongside Stephen Amell, Josh McDermitt and Bryan Greenberg. Davis started off with her saying:

So far the only Suits tie that’s been established in Suits LA came from Gabriel Macht’s appearance in “Batman Returns,” though he was playing Harvey Specter in 2010 as part of the show’s flashback storyline, i.e. roughly a year before Lex Scott Davis is thankful he, Rick Hoffman and David Costabile are willing to lend their talents to the spinoff. Because these actors are supporting Suits LA in this way, Suits fans get to see how these long-established characters interact with the new lineup of talent.

Let’s also keep in mind that when Suits concluded its nine-season run on USA Network in 2019, there was no indication that this world would ever be revisited. But then the series blew up on Netflix in 2023, and by February 2024, Suits LA got a pilot order. Whether or not the show will be renewed for a second season remains to be seen, but if that happens, Lex Scott Davis is crossing her fingers that Erica Rollins meets Jessica Pearson. As she continued:

Gina Torres was a series regular during Suits’ first seven seasons, having co-founded the law firm where all the main characters worked. Torres then departed the series for her own spinoff, Pearson, which saw Jessica moving to Chicago and becoming a political player in the Windy City. Pearson only lasted for one season, but like Suits and Suits LA, it can be streamed with a Peacock subscription.

Jessica Pearson was never seen on Suits during its final two seasons, so if an opportunity comes along for her to visit Los Angeles for lawyer-y reasons, I join Lex Scott Davis in hoping this happens. Seeing Jessica paired with Erica sounds like an enticing prospect and provides an additional reason for why Suits LA Season 2 should happen.

The summer of 2023 brought a pretty big surprise for fans of the former USA network drama, Suits. Not only did it become available for those with a Netflix subscription, but when it did, the legal series turned into an immediate streaming mega-hit. The nine-season show (which starred Gabriel Macht, Gina Torres, Patrick J. Adams, Meghan Markle, Sarah Rafferty and more) even ended up as the most streamed series of 2023. And, star Gina Torres revealed an obstacle that’s come from the show’s recent revival in popularity.

What Did Suits’ Gina Torres Say About There Being A Challenge That’s Come From Its Resurgence?

It can be hard to get a show on the air and have it run for nine seasons, so people who are lucky enough to have that experience probably don’t even consider the possibility of said TV series getting a second shot at making an impact on viewers. But, that’s exactly what happened when Suits landed on Netflix and captured the TV-loving public like never before. In fact, the renewed success has spawned a rewatch podcast with Adams and Rafferty, and an upcoming spinoff, Suits L.A., starring Stephen Amell.

Gina Torres, who portrayed everyone’s favorite legal boss-lady Jessica Pearson, opened up to The Hollywood Reporter about the show’s new popularity and what it’s meant for her, saying:

While other Suits cast members like Rafferty had previously admitted to being “gobsmacked” by the drama’s suddenly massive popularity, and even the Duchess of Sussex eventually said it was “wild,” no one has talked much about a very understandable challenge with having an old show of yours now having soooooo many new fans: you become more recognizable than ever.

As the actress (who recently finished her emotional run as paramedic captain Tommy Vega on 9-1-1: Lone Star) said, Suits was likely incredibly “aspirational” for a lot of people, with pretty much the whole cast always being unbelievably smart, streetwise, cunning, funny, and just all around “well-dressed” and “good-looking” literally all the time, which mostly never happens as seemingly easily in real life as it did for Harvey, Rachel, Jessica, Mike, and Donna.

We don’t yet know where we’ll be able to see Torres in a new role, but you can always relive some of Jessica Pearson’s glory days on Netflix.

Spoilers lie ahead for 9-1-1: Lone Star's Season 5, Episode 7, “Kiddos.”

9-1-1: Lone Star’s final season is a major title on the 2024 TV schedule, and it's been intense, to say the least. Since the first few episodes featured a train derailment and a dangerous gas leak, the personal and professional emergencies have arguably been enough to keep fans on the edge of their seats. Amid all that, Gina Torres' Tommy Vega has been diagnosed with breast cancer, and the actress isn't holding back her thoughts on the storyline.

It was in last week's episode, “Naked Truth,” that it was revealed that Tommy Vega had breast cancer. The reveal came after she received a mammogram in solidarity with Nancy after Tommy found a lump on her breast following an accidental NSFW picture leak. The series led fans to believe Nancy would have cancer since she had multiple family members die from it, but then came the twist.

In last night’s episode, “Kiddos,” Tommy's cancer was confirmed to be Stage 2B, to be exact. Speaking with TVLine, Torres shared how she initially felt about the storyline, especially considering all that Tommy has been through already:

Tommy lost her husband, she just broke up with her boyfriend, she nearly died at the beginning of the season and on a few other occasions, and you’d think that they’d finally give her a break. However, it should be pointed out that Sierra McClain had pitched the “genius” storyline before leaving the series, knowing that if anyone could do it justice, Torres could.

That doesn’t mean that she didn’t eventually warm up to it, especially since it meant honoring the real first responders whose lives have been affected by cancer. The Suits alum called it “challenging but also gratifying,” and even though it’s a tough job, it’s certainly an important one:

Working on a show about first responders is challenging as is, but having to juggle emotional storylines such as this one about breast cancer adds even more emotion to it.

With just a handful of episodes until Lone Star's end, it’s hard to predict how it will all go. Toward the end of the most recent episode, Tommy collapsed due to over-exertion, pushing herself after her lumpectomy since she wanted to keep working without telling anyone about her cancer. She wound up in the hospital after her girls called 911 and got her help, finally revealing her diagnosis to her daughters and Judd.

When Nancy visited Tommy in the hospital, she revealed that she was leaving the 126 and it could be for a while too. But she was putting captain duties onto Nancy, knowing that she’d be able to keep things in check. How this storyline will continue will be something to look forward to, because it’s going to be a lot to get used to for the characters, especially Tommy.

The final episodes of 9-1-1: Lone Star air on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.

Warning: spoilers ahead for Episode 6 of 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 5, called "Naked Truth."

9-1-1: Lone Star hit the halfway point of its fifth and final season in the 2024 TV schedule with "Naked Truth," which seemed to be setting Nancy up for a tearjerking story to last for the rest of the series. Instead, Nancy went from expecting the worst with Tommy as her support to Nancy getting the best news possible while Tommy's future is uncertain. Tommy has breast cancer, which is of course terrible for the character and her loved ones... but I'm already excited to see Gina Torres flexing her acting muscles for the storyline.

In a twist of fate, Tommy only learned of her breast cancer when she scheduled a mammogram for no reason other than to join Nancy in the waiting room and lend her support when she needed somebody other than Mateo to lean on. The episode (available streaming with a Hulu subscription) pretty perfectly set up a breast cancer arc for Nancy, up to and including the deaths of women in her family from the same diagnosis.

So, it was a bit of an emotional gut punch when "Naked Truth" revealed the wonderful news for Nancy just before the awful news for Tommy, foreshadowed only by the nuances in Gina Torres' performance as Tommy built herself up to revealing the results of her own mammogram. There was something just a little bit off with Tommy as soon as she answered the door, and she was clearly very genuinely thrilled for Nancy that her own diagnosis was of just a cyst. Once Nancy clocked that something was wrong, though, Tommy finally admitted it:

Tommy more than deserved the hug she got from Nancy as she began to cry, not least because her daughters were just in another room. The promo for the next episode also proves that 9-1-1: Lone Star is going to dig into how "bad" it actually is for Tommy, confirming that her diagnosis is of breast cancer and that she'll need to walk away from the 126. Take a look:

Well, here's hoping that Owen really did take care of his sleepwalking/sleeptalking/sleep-choking issue in "Naked Truth," because Tommy might need all the support she can get as the final season continues! He's always there for his firefighters when they need him, including when Marjan withdrew her name from the running for lieutenant so Paul would be guaranteed the promotion), as well as for Judd before he had decided to come back to the 126 with Gracie (and actress Sierra McClain) absent. Hopefully Tommy can count on his support as well; it certainly looks like she'll have Nancy by her side.

All in all, we can only wait and see what 9-1-1: Lone Star has in store for Tommy with the final six episodes of the entire series, but I'm already confident that Gina Torres is going to crush the material and I'm looking forward to watching (and maybe even tearing up a bit) as Season 5 continues. Keep tuning in to Fox on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of 9-1-1: Lone Star, or stream with a Hulu subscription. 9-1-1 is currently airing its nerve-wracking eighth season on Thursdays over on ABC.

When USA Network was known for airing scripted series unlike nearly anything else on television, it premiered an irresistibly unique legal drama called Suits, which ran from 2011 to 2019. Created by Aaron Korsh, the series followed the unlikely partnership of Mike Ross — a college dropout on the run from a drug deal gone bad — and a top-ranking New York attorney named Harvey Specter, who accepts him on to his team at Pearson Hardman LLC. Let's review what the talented ensemble has been up to since closing the case below.

Gabriel Macht (Harvey Reginald Specter)

Prior to playing Harvey Specter, Gabriel Macht (the son of actor Stephen Macht, who once had recurring role on Suits) was best known for movies like 2001’s Behind Enemy Lines, Robert De Niro’s The Good Shepherd from 2006, and a comic book movie that deserves a reboot, 2008’s The Spirit, as the titular vigilante. Following the end of Suits, the actor told would appear in a Super Bowl T-Mobile ad with Patrick J. Adams in 2024 and is recurring as Harvey on the new spin-off, Suits L.A., which debuted with some interesting twists on NBC in February.

Patrick J. Adams (Michael James Ross)

Despite debuting in a classic comedy like 2003’s Old School and guest-starring on several hit series like Lost and Friday Night Lights, playing Mike Ross on Suits really saw a career breakthrough for Patrick J. Adams. After leaving the series in Season 7, he led Disney+’s The Right Stuff cast as John Glenn and a 2023 time travel miniseries called Plan B, Amazon Prime’s A League of the Their Own series reboot, and did movies like 2022’s The Swearing Jar and He Went That Way from 2023. That same year, Adams joined a Johann Wolfgang von Goethe adaptation called Young Werther and, the following year, he was cast in an upcoming Netflix/BBC miniseries called Lockerbie.

Meghan Markle (Rachel Elizabeth Zane)

Easily the Suits cast’s most famous face is Meghan Markle, who had many notable small roles (including as a Deal or No Deal briefcase model) before she was cast as paralegal-turned-attorney and, later, Mike’s wife, Rachel Zane. She would also leave her role in Season 7 and retire from acting after she became engaged to Prince Harry, but after the couple stepped down from their working positions in the Royal Family, the Duchess of Sussex started hosting her podcast, Archetypes, and appeared in the Netflix documentary, Harry & Meghan. There are also rumors suggesting Markle will show up in Suits L.A., but without confirmation.

Rick Hoffman (Louis Marlowe Litt)

The shady former managing and name partner of Litt Wheeler Williams Bennett, Louis Litt, is played by Rick Hoffman, whose first major small-screen role after the Suits finale was a recurring part on Showtime’s Billions as Dr. Swerdlow. In 2023, he reunited with his Hostel director, Eli Roth, to star in the 2023 slasher, Thanksgiving, and appeared in a Hallmark original time loop movie called Round and Round from the same year. According to THR, Hoffman will next star in an action comedy titled London Calling and a drama called Wildfire.

Sarah Rafferty (Donna Roberta Paulsen)

As Harvey’s assistant-turned-wife, Donna Paulsen, we have Sarah Rafferty, whose first major follow-up to the end of Suits was a recurring role on Grey’s Anatomy in 2020 and, that same year, she appeared opposite still-acting former child star Lukas Haas in a thriller called Browse. She went on to have a recurring stint on NBC’s Chicago Med and a starring role on the Netflix original 2023 TV show, My Life with the Walter Boys. As Variety reported in June 2024, Rafferty is teaming up with Adams for Sidebar: A Suits Watch Podcast, in which the former co-stars will discuss their experiences watching the series for the first time.

Gina Torres (Jessica Lourdes Pearson)

Previously best known for playing Zoë in the Firefly cast, Gina Torres starred on Suits as Jessica Pearson, who led her own short-lived, self-titled spin-off in 2019. In addition to voice acting roles (the most recent being Ms. Moreno on the Disney Channel series Kindergarten: The Musical), the actor would find a starring TV series role again in Tommy Vega on 9-1-1: Lone Star. She was also in a 2023 Netflix rom-com called The Perfect Find and her upcoming film The Everything Pot premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2024.

Amanda Schull (Katrina Amanda Bennett)

Before corporate attorney Katrina Bennett became a main character in Season 8, Amanda Schull recurred in the role on Suits from 2013 to 2018 while starring on SyFy’s 12 Monkeys series. Schull would later appear in Netflix’s action-comedy series The Recruit, reunite with Torres for five episodes on 9-1-1: Lone Star in 2023, and has found success starring in Hallmark movies — including 2024’s Family Practice Mysteries: Coming Home. Next, she will appear in the upcoming Spider-Man TV show, Spider-Noir.

Dulé Hill (Alex Williams)

Also recurring before joining the main ensemble was Alex Williams — played by Emmy nominee Dulé Hill, who was previously known from the West Wing cast and fellow USA hit Psych, which spawned three feature-length continuations he also starred in. Today, Hill plays Bill Williams on ABC’s The Wonder Years reboot and has been cast in an upcoming Hulu miniseries based on the story of Natalia Grace called Good American Family. He is also reuniting with Psych co-star James Roday Rodriguez for a dramedy called American Dog.

Katherine Heigl (Samantha Wheeler)

Essentially brought in as Meghan Markle’s replacement was former Grey’s Anatomy cast member Katherine Heigl as Zane Specter Litt’s newest partner, Samanatha Wheeler. The Emmy-winner later found a starring role on Netflix's hit drama Firefly Lane in 2021 and starred in a psychological thriller called Fear of Rain the same year. Heigl is set to star in a romantic-comedy musical called That’s Amore! and is playing the first female presidential candidate, Victoria Woodhull, in an upcoming miniseries called Woodhull.

In addition to these main Suits cast members, we also wanted to highlight Robert Zane actor Wendell Pierce (who went on to star on Amazon Prime’s Jack Ryan series), Abigail Spencer (who currently stars on NBC’s Extended Family) as Scottie, and Rachael Harris, whose notable credits after playing Sheila Sazs include Hulu’s Goosebumps series and Netflix’s Unfrosted. Could we see any of them reunite with Gabriel Macht in Suits L.A.? For now, the jury is still out.

Spoiler alert! This story contains spoilers for the April 25 episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star, “Tongues Out,” so consider yourself warned!

Suits fans have enjoyed seeing the big reunion between Gina Torres and D.B. Woodside this season on 9-1-1: Lone Star, or maybe I should say Jessica and Jeff? But things weren’t looking too good for Tommy Vega and her pastor/boyfriend Trevor Parks in the latest episode, “Tongues Out,” when church gossipers got in the reverend’s head. It was not surprising that Tommy was able to handle that situation with confidence and grace; however, the move she pulled at church the next Sunday was truly shocking, and Torres opened up about her character’s wise breakup words and that badass “come at me” moment at the pulpit.

In “Tongues Out,” Grace (Sierra McClain) overheard two of the women joking that the reverend was “filling Tommy with more than the Holy Spirit” after Bible study one day. Tommy laughed it off when Grace relayed the message, but Trevor had a different reaction. He got so scared, in fact, that he broke up with Tommy right then and there, telling her, “I’ve never met anyone like you.” The paramedic was stunned but gave the absolute best response, telling him, “You never will again.” Gina Torres spoke to TV Line about the power of those words, saying: 

I call B.S. on Trevor for not foreseeing the church gossip mill, especially since he explained that rumors about his ex-wife were the reason he was forced to leave his previous church. If he was going to get so bent out of shape about people talking about him and Tommy, why did he start the relationship in the first place? But I digress.

My annoyance with Trevor continued when Tommy said she’d have to find a new church, because, “who wants to be lectured to for an hour every week by the guy that dumped you?” Ugh, so true, but the thought of her being pushed out of her church was so infuriating. 

It turns out, though, Tommy had a plan, and that plan involved walking into church late, strutting her stuff in a gorgeous red pantsuit straight up to the pulpit and reading a Bible verse about gossipers. She then proceeded to call out the gossiping ladies by name, telling them, “If you can’t say something nice, keep your damn mouth shut.” Gina Torres said she loved strolling down that aisle, and while the script had called for her to be wearing a red dress, she said the pantsuit called her name during the wardrobe fitting. The actress continued:

Indeed she didn’t, and while the purpose of her speech didn’t seem to be to win Trevor back, it did the trick, as the pastor professed his love and kissed her in front of the whole congregation. So can we assume that means we’ll be seeing more of Tommy and Trevor? The actress said:  

So maybe this Suits reunion isn’t over after all! 9-1-1: Lone Star is nearing its Season 4 finale, and after Owen had plenty of drama of his own this week, he and Tommy look to be in the middle of something way more serious than church gossip in next week’s episode, “Donors.” Check out the preview: 

Only two episodes remain before the season finale, and Julian Works has teased that trauma is going to strike the 126 before it’s all over. (But what about the Tarlos wedding?!) 9-1-1: Lone Star returns at 8 p.m. ET next Tuesday, May 2, on Fox, and be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what other premieres are coming up. 

Warning! Minor spoilers ahead for the January 31 episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star, “The New Hot Mess.”

Tommy Vega is getting back on the dating horse in Season 4 of 9-1-1: Lone Star. In last week’s season premiere, the paramedic gave her number to a repeat victim she felt a connection to, only to find out later that he was the new pastor at her church. Despite the complication, the relationship progressed in “The New Hot Mess,” and while Reverend Trevor Park may be new to Tommy, the pairing is one Suits fans are quite familiar with. Trevor is played by D.B. Woodside, who portrayed Jessica Pearson’s lover on the USA legal drama. Gina Torres opened up about reuniting with Woodside and the possibility of more Suits reunions to come.

Despite feeling like she’s finally ready to move on after her husband’s death, Tommy was conflicted in the latest episode about dating her pastor. She invited Grace (Sierra McClain) and Judd (Jim Parrack) to “chaperone” her first date with Trevor, and while he seemed disappointed, he was not deterred, and the night ended with a goodnight kiss and the promise of a second date to come. But for Suits fans who were feeling nostalgic for Jessica and Jeff Malone, Gina Torres says not so fast, telling TV Guide: 

While Gina Torres and D.B. Woodside have a history on screen thanks to working together on 24 and Pearson as well as Suits, the actress said it was an extra challenge for her to create a new relationship between Tommy and Trevor, to where memories of their past characters don’t distract the 9-1-1: Lone Star audience. She admits, though, that steamy dream she had about the reverend might have contributed to the Suits vibes. Torres continued: 

D.B. Woodside is set to return for at least several more episodes in Season 4, so fans are promised more of this welcome reunion. Suits fans have already seen a couple of other familiar faces this season as well, with Neal McDonough and Amanda Schull recurring in a storyline that involves Rob Lowe’s Owen Strand. Whether or not they’ll cross paths with Tommy is something Gina Torres is keeping close to the vest, saying: 

You definitely don’t have to have been a Suits fan to be excited about what’s ahead for 9-1-1: Lone Star. Like Gina Torres said, it’s a broad universe, and there seems to be plenty of drama ahead for Owen and his “motorcycle gang,” as well as T.K. and Carlos after that big twist in the season premiere. New episodes air each Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Be sure to check out our 2023 TV schedule to see what other premieres are coming up. 

Spoiler alert! This story contains spoilers for the Season 3 episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star, “Impulse Control.” 

Last week Tommy dipped her toes in the water when she went out on a date for the first time since her husband’s death, and in the latest episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star, she took another huge leap in moving forward. It’s not all smooth sailing as she continues to grieve for Charles, however, and actress Gina Torres even admitted that she thought it was “too soon” when she got a call regarding a huge moment for Tommy that happened in the latest episode. So what made the actress change her mind, and what does it mean for Tommy going forward?

“Impulse Control” saw Tommy get an unexpected visit from Charles’ brother, Julius (Nathan Owens) at the twins’ birthday party. She turned him away, still carrying resentment that he hadn’t shown up to Charles’ funeral. However, it was later revealed that Julius did drive up for the funeral, but was so overcome with grief that he wasn’t able to get out of the car. Tommy comforted her brother-in-law, and as she got closer to him, they shared a brief (and shocking!) kiss. Viewers were likely in well-deserved shock, but Gina Torres told TVLine that her old Firefly buddy Tim Minear didn’t allow her to be blind-sided in the same way:

It also helped, the actress said, that the characters both reacted appropriately by recognizing the moment for what it was — grief — and not allowing the situation to become overblown. She said both characters realized the need to be mature and set the kiss aside, because Evie and Isabella wanted and needed to have their Uncle Julius in their lives. 

It doesn’t sound like that’s where the story ends, though. At the end of the episode, Tommy invited Julius to stay in the guest room, saying she liked the idea of having Charles’ whole family under one roof. It was also sweet that Julius was able to tell stories about his brother that Tommy nor their daughters had ever heard. The Suits alum didn’t reveal too much about what’s to come, but she did sound satisfied with the direction the story is taking her character, and said we will see Tommy and Julius together again in the coming weeks. But in what capacity? Torres teased:

Moving forward and rediscovering herself is an important step, not just for Tommy, Gina Torres said, but for women in general. Women take on different roles as they get older, including wife and mother, but what happens when those titles go away? 

I’m excited to see Tommy as she continues to find her way in this next phase of her life, and Julius was pretty easy on the eyes, so I definitely won’t be sad to see him hanging around again. 9-1-1: Lone Star continues next Monday, April 25, on Fox. Check out our 2022 TV schedule to see what shows are premiering soon, and swing by our spring TV finale schedule for when the biggest shows are ending for the season.

Warning: gross spoilers ahead for the February 14 episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 3, called “The ATX-Files.” 

9-1-1: Lone Star has officially moved on from the ice storm that nearly claimed T.K.’s life and delivered what seemed like more of a comedic episode… at first. Owen revealing himself to be a devoted believer in Ancient Aliens and member of the Mutual UFO Network was worth a laugh (and possibly a nod to Rob Lowe’s reality show), but I’m guessing I’m not the only one who wasn’t laughing at one of the emergency calls that Tommy, Nancy, and T.K. responded to in “The ATX-Files.”  Seriously, I wish I could unsee what happened when the paramedic team responded to a call involving what looked like tentacles wriggling out of a young woman’s nose… and mouth. 

Luckily – I guess – the tentacles weren’t part of some bizarre alien creature that Owen probably could have identified, but roundworms that Liza had accidentally ingested and had grown A WHOLE LOT since then. She was visiting a medium named Marta, who was advising her about her belief that she was cursed by her ex. Liza explained that she felt a pain and sickness “deep inside” of her, and like something was sucking her life force. 

In all fairness to Liza, she was ultimately right about something making her sick inside of her. A hex just might have been less traumatizing than what actually happened! When she sneezed, roundworms started squirming out of her nose and mouth, and I – probably like Liza – started questioning my life choices. T.K. looked like he would have been happier back in his coma world with cookies and his imaginary mom, but Tommy leapt right into action. 

Tommy managed to pull the two roundworms out of Liza and informed her that she needs to wash her vegetables better if she’s going to eat farm-to-table. If nothing else, this episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star is probably good for convincing viewers to all but boil their lettuce until the image of poor Liza fades away. 

When Liza found out that the roundworms got into her via fecal matter, she started gagging and vomiting all over again, and Tommy had to literally suction more worms out of her and into a bag. There were enough worms that Tommy handed the bag over to T.K. to save for Pathology, and he pretty much summed up my general feeling about it: 

9-1-1 has delivered its fair share of gross emergencies, including some that were worm-related, but I think the Lone Star spinoff wins the prize for the most memorable worm-related crisis that will be burned into my memory for the foreseeable future. Kudos to the show for pulling it off so believably, and for having the nerve to air something so downright creepy. Gina Torres even shared what it was like to film the worm scene, telling TV Insider:

In all seriousness, it’s a sign of the versatility of 9-1-1: Lone Star that it’s still finding new ways to freak out viewers that haven’t already been done before the same way on 9-1-1 or previous seasons of its own show. Whether or not the 9-1-1 franchise expands to include another spinoff, it’s impressive that two first responder dramas are still managing to get creative with their crises. 

The only problem might be trying to find ways to top themselves. 9-1-1 itself has arguably run into that issue already by delivering the Titanic-esque tsunami storyline back in Season 3 and eclipsing pretty much anything that came before or after. If Lone Star has something on the way to eclipse the roundworms in Liza’s nose, I will happily tune in! See what happens for the characters with the next new episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star on Monday, February 21 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox in the 2022 TV schedule.

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Spotted. Some familiar faces galavanting among Gossip Girl’s New York elite. While the scandalous 2007 CW series made household names of the main cast, including Blake Lively and Penn Badgley, a number of other young actors like Krysten Ritter and Sebastian Stan have gone on to big careers following their guest appearances on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

With a Gossip Girl reboot now streaming on HBO Max — which critics are definitely not loving — fans can’t help but remember the controversial fun times of 2007. It's the perfect opportunity to take a look back at the salacious world of our favorite privileged private school students and the many other faces who graced our screens for the OG series’ six-season run. So, who are they? That’s one secret I’ll never tell. JKJK, I just wanted use my Kristen Bell voice again. Let’s take a look at 13 actors you probably forgot were on the original Gossip Girl series.

Sebastian Stan (Carter Baizen)

Sebastian Stan appeared on Gossip Girl 11 times as bad boy (Weren't they all?) Carter Baizen, with Carter always inserting himself into some kind of drama, including swindling Nate at a poker game, consistently pissing off Chuck, and becoming romantically involved with both Blair and Serena. While Sebastian Stan has amassed a number of film and TV credits, he was most recently seen as Bucky Barnes, a.k.a. Winter Soldier, in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and the accompanying MCU movies, and he bared it all in the relationship drama Monday. He is also set to star as Tommy Lee in the upcoming Hulu biopic Pam & Tommy.

Hilary Duff (Olivia Burke)

Hilary Duff, best known for playing the title character on Disney’s Lizzie McGuire, guest starred in six episodes of Gossip Girl Season 3 as movie star Olivia Burke. Olivia started dating Dan and became Vanessa’s roommate at NYU, which led the former Disney star to engage in some very un-Disney-like behavior when the trio had a threesome. Duff is also known as Kelsey Peters on Younger and is set to star in the How I Met Your Mother sequel spinoff, How I Met Your Father.

Krysten Ritter (Carol Rhodes)

Krysten Ritter plays Lily van der Woodsen’s older, rebellious sister Carol in Season 2’s “Valley Girl,” which flashes back to a crazy night with the college-aged Rhodes sisters that ends in them getting arrested after a fight breaks out at the house party. The Jessica Jones star is also known as Jane from Breaking Bad, her starring role in Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 and guest roles on other popular shows, including Lucy on Gilmore Girls and Gia Goodman in the Veronica Mars cast.

Armie Hammer (Gabriel Edwards)

It’s the rare instance when an actor’s real-life controversy overshadows anything their Gossip Girl character did, but here we are with Armie Hammer, who played Gabriel Edwards in a recurring role in Season 2. Gabriel and his girlfriend, Poppy Lifton, duped the Upper East Side gang into funding a phony philanthropy. There was also an awkward moment when Serena thought she’d married Gabriel in Spain. Hammer is also known for playing twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss in The Social Network cast.

Rachel Brosnahan (Pill purchaser)

Rachel Brosnahan makes a brief appearance in the Season 3 episode “It’s A Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad World,” when she confronts Jenny Humphrey for selling her antibiotics instead of OxyContin. The role may have been just a few seconds long, but the line, "I didn't get high, I got a yeast infection," lives forever. These days Brosnahan is known for her award-winning portrayals of Midge Maisel in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Rachel Posner in the House of Cards cast.

Sam Page (Colin Forrester)

Sam Page appeared in four episodes in Season 4 of Gossip Girl as Colin Forrester, a guest professor at Columbia who was also a billionaire (naturally). Colin's job at the university was threatened when he became involved with Serena (a student), so he quit. He and Serena broke up anyway, leaving Colin to cry into his billions. Page is known for playing Greg Harris on Mad Men and has had recurring roles in shows including Switched at Birth and House of Cards.

Gina Torres (Gabriela Abrams)

While Vanessa spent much of the original series feeling much like an extension of the Humphrey family, we got a couple of guest appearances in Season 3 from her mother, Gabriela Adams, played by Gina Torres. Torres, who is known for playing powerful lawyer Jessica Pearson on Suits and Zoe Washburne on the series Firefly and movie sequel Serenity, has most recently taken on an emotional role as Tommy Vega on 9-1-1: Lone Star.

Brittany Snow (Lily Rhodes)

Like Krysten Ritter, Brittany Snow only appeared in one episode of Gossip Girl, Season 2’s “Valley Girls,” as a young Lily Rhodes (pre-van der Woodsen), who had just been expelled from boarding school and took off to Santa Barbara to find her sister, Carol (Ritter). The Pitch Perfect cast member is also known for playing Meg Pryor on American Dreams and co-starring in the Netflix movie Someone Great. Snow has also had recurring roles on the series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Ben and Kate, and Nip/Tuck.

Sofia Black-D’Elia (Sage Spence)

You might know Sofia Black-D'Elia as the spoiled, trouble-making teen Sabrina Pemberton from Fox's The Mick. But, for nine episodes of Gossip Girl's sixth and final season, Black-D'Elia played the spoiled, trouble-making teen Sage Spence. Sage, who dated Nate, was the teenage daughter of Serena's boyfriend. Yeah, nothing icky about that scenario at all. Black-D'Elia has most recently played Frannie on Your Honor, as a teacher having an affair with a student, and was Heather in To All the Boys: Always and Forever.

Jerrika Hinton (Waitress)

Before she was Dr. Stephanie Edwards on Grey's Anatomy, Jerrika Hinton had a blink-and-you'll-miss-it role in Season 2’s “Valley Girl” flashback episode. Hinton played a waitress at the restaurant where young Lily Rhodes went looking for her sister. The flashback scenes of this episode featured some well-known faces, likely because it was originally written as the pilot for a potential spinoff. Others you might recognize in "Valley Girls" (besides previously mentioned Krysten Ritter and Brittany Snow) include Ryan Hansen, Matt Barr, and there was even a performance by Gwen Stefani and her band No Doubt. Since leaving Grey's, Hinton has had roles on HBO's Here and Now and the Amazon Prime drama Hunters.

Clémence Poésy (Eva Coupeau)

Careful, Upper East Siders, there's a witch walking amongst you, and she's been getting pretty friendly with Chuck Bass! Clémence Poésy, known by Harry Potter fans the world over as Fleur Delacour, played Eva Coupeau for four episodes of Gossip Girl in Season 4. Eva saved Chuck's life after he was shot in Paris, and while the couple played house in France for a while, they couldn't find the same domestic bliss in New York — you know, where Blair lived. Poésy is also known for her roles in films like Tenet, In Bruges and 127 Hours.

Kevin Zegers (Damian Daalgard)

Kevin Zegers appeared in ten episodes across Seasons 3 and 4 as international drug dealer Damian Daalgard. Besides being the go-to person to text anytime drugs were needed, Daalgard had brief relationships with Jenny and Serena, pulling each of them into his dealings (as well as most of the main cast, if we're being honest). Zegers' other television roles include Dr. Nathaniel Flynn as a member of the short-lived drama Rebel cast, and Mel on AMC's Fear the Walking Dead. He is also known for starring in the Air Bud movies, as well as for his roles in 2005's Transamerica and the 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake.

Mädchen Amick (Duchess Catherine Beaton)

Mädchen Amick is widely known for her role as Shelly Johnson Briggs in Twin Peaks, but for four episodes in Season 2 of Gossip Girl, she played Duchess Catherine Beaton, a married woman who was having an affair with Nate (yuck). Catherine's stepson, Marcus, was dating Blair (Yuck), but it was quickly revealed that Catherine was also having an affair with Marcus (YUCK). Amick can currently be seen on Riverdale as Alice Cooper and has had a number of film and TV roles on shows including Central Park West, Gilmore Girls, ER, Witches of East End and American Horror Story: Hotel.

Outside of guest appearances, Gossip Girl was known for dropping A-listers into episodes as themselves. Vera Wang appeared in the series to design Blair's wedding dress. Rachel Zoe was a good sport, getting chocolate fondue spilled on her at one of Blair's birthday parties. Tim Gunn offered his opinion on Jenny's fashion pieces. Former gymnast Nastia Liukin flirted with Chuck at a party. The list of celebrity cameos is long, and for good reason — it lent credibility to the series as being part of the landscape of NYC's upper crust.

Only time will tell if the reboot will use the same tactics to stand the test of time like its predecessor. If you want to go back and find these famous faces (and see how many others you see!), the entire original series of Gossip Girl is streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes of the reboot dropping every Thursday. Also be sure to check out our 2021 Summer TV schedule to find even more things to watch.

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS ahead for the May 17 episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star on Fox, called "One Day."

9-1-1: Lone Star made a major change to the cast for the second season when Liv Tyler was replaced by Gina Torres as the paramedic captain due to Tyler's departure from the series over hiatus. Torres came into the show fairly fresh off the end of her run as Jessica Pearson over on USA, but she easily slid into playing new and very different character as Tommy Vega. Sadly, Tommy underwent a huge tragedy in "One Day" with the unexpected death of her husband, and the heartbreaking episode proved to me that Torres is the best part of the second season.

In the aftermath of the destruction of the firehouse in last week's episode, "One Day" was much lighter on disasters than most episodes of 9-1-1: Lone Star since the firefighters couldn't race into action. And the episode did manage to introduce an emergency by creating a hostage crisis in the hospital where Tommy and Owen both were, but the emotional weight of "One Day" fell on Gina Torres' shoulders, and she more than carried it in an episode that required a delicate balance.

Tommy spent most of the episode pushing down her feelings of grief and plowing ahead in getting answers, making breakfast for her daughters as usual and not breaking the news to anybody. She didn't even tell her doctor friend that her husband had died, and the doctor only found out when she opened the body bag and saw who she was tasked with performing an autopsy on.

Tommy didn't break down until the very end, but Gina Torres managed to show that Tommy wasn't being cold or unfeeling in her refusal to show emotion in the face of the tragedy. Torres made it clear that Tommy was only just holding on and needed to cut herself off from her loved ones in order to keep moving forward, and it was plain that it was only a matter of time before Tommy broke.

Lone Star focused almost entirely on Tommy in "One Day," and the episode wouldn't have worked at all if Gina Torres hadn't been able to pull off the layers of emotion that Tommy was feeling before finally breaking down. Torres opened up about how Tommy chose to handle her husband's death, telling TVLine:

It became clear early in the episode that Tommy was going to have an unexpected reaction to Charles' death when she came to the conclusion that he had been down for too long to be resuscitated, and reacted by reciting the facts to the 9-1-1 dispatcher and then requesting that the responding paramedics not use the lights or the siren so that the girls wouldn't wake up. It was the beginning of her emotional journey of trying to put up and hold emotional walls, but there were cracks in those walls from the start, and Gina Torres portrayed them so well.

And yes, the hostage situation (such as it was) did deliver enough of a crisis that this was still an episode of 9-1-1: Lone Star, and the end of the episode revealed that the Season 2 finale is going to pit the Lone Star heroes up against the kind of dust storm that the heroes over on 9-1-1 never have to deal with in Los Angeles.

See how Lone Star wraps the second season with the finale on Monday, May 24 at 9 p.m. ET on Fox following the potentially deadly Season 4 finale of 9-1-1. Both shows have finally been renewed for the 2021-2022 TV season, so there's no need to worry that the season finales will double as series finales, which isn't the case for every Fox show.

Before she was Paramedic Captain Tommy Vega on 9-1-1: Lone Star or managing partner Jessica Pearson on all seven seasons of Suits, Gina Torres portrayed Zoë Washburn on the Fox sci-fi series Firefly. Although only lasting one season, the series has received strong fan support, put up strong home video sales, and won an Emmy in 2003. Nearly two decades later, Torres is speaking out about what her initial thoughts were on the short-lived drama.

With Firefly currently available to stream on Hulu, fans new and old are discovering and rediscovering the series. Gina Torres spoke to Newsweek about how it holds up as a fan favorite all these years later, and how it’s resonated with people over that period. Said Torres,

Created by Joss Whedon and Tim Minear, Firefly was set in the year 2517, after the arrival of humans in a new star system, and follows the crew of Serenity: a “Firefly-class” spaceship. Besides Gina Torres, the series stars an ensemble cast including Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Jewel Staite and Sean Maher. The sci-fi series lasted for a single, 14-episode season from 2002-2003. However, a film, titled Serenity, came out in 2005 that was a continuation of the series and took place after the events of the finale.

The Firefly alum revealed earlier this year how the series brought her to other Fox drama, 9-1-1: Lone Star, as co-creator of the on-going hit Tim Minear wrote and directed multiple episodes of the sci-fi series (not to mention was an executive producer). Gina Torres has also recalled one of her favorite scenes, which was a pretty epic moment for Zoë, and has relished the opportunity to work with other Firefly alums, which occurred when she reunited with Nathan Fillion on Castle.

As mentoned, Gina Torres is currently starring on 9-1-1: Lone Star. The show is on hiatus for another few weeks but then it will return on April 19 to finish off Season 2. Given her continued relationship with Firefly's Tim Minear, who knows if there will be a reunion sometime in the future, like how there’s been reunions on Nathan Fillion’s ABC cop drama, The Rookie. Only time will tell – but even when she is saving lives as Captain Vega, Torres will always be Zoë Washburn. Hopefully it won’t be long until she’s reunited with some former co-stars!

Fox’s 9-1-1 and spinoff series 9-1-1: Lone Star are currently on midseason hiatus ,and both left fans on the edge of their seats at the end of their respective eighth episodes. Although some probably aren't looking forward to the wait for new episodes, the first responder dramas will make their return to Fox very soon!

When Is 9-1-1 Season 4 Returning to Fox?

Season 4 of 9-1-1 will return on Monday, April 19! While it seems like that’s still quite a long ways away, Fox is re-airing the “Begins” episodes of each character in its timeslot each week so fans can relive the stories of the members of the 118 while the show is on hiatus.

In the most recent episode, “Breaking Point,” Chimney and Maddie made some tough decisions about their birth plan for their daughter, specifically regarding whether to still have the baby at the hospital or home at home since everything has changed due to COVID-19. Meanwhile, Hen and Karen, who were getting close to being able to adopt little Nia, discovered that Nia’s birth mother is ready to bring her home. Check out the trailer for the show's return down below:

When Season 4 of 9-1-1 returns, fans can expect to see the birth of Baby Buckley-Han and the continuing storyline of Nia and her birth mother. Also, from the looks of the trailer, it seems as if the 118 will be dealing with a massive freeway pileup!

When Is 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 2 Returning to Fox?

Season 2 of 9-1-1: Lone Star will also return on Monday, April 19 with new episodes! And while it's on hiatus, Fox is airing episodes of the newly revived America’s Most Wanted in its place. While it’s not Lone Star, it is still TV viewing that will surely keep people on the edge of their seats.

9-1-1: Lone Star’s winter finale, “Bad Call,” had the 126 paramedic team, comprised of Tommy, T.K. and Nancy, being taken hostage in an attempt to save a criminal’s life. Owen and Carlos teamed up and discovered where they were being held, saving them just in time.

As Owen, Gwyneth and Carlos were visiting a hospital-bound T.K., who had been hit on the head by a gun, Judd and Grace made their way to Judd’s father’s house during a rainy night. That setup alone can only mean one thing. When they were discussing the possibility of having kids, headlights were shown in their direction. Judd tried to swerve out of the way and, as a result, he drove right through the railings on a bridge, sending the car into a lake and shocking fans everywhere. Check out the teaser for the new episodes:

Showrunner Tim Minear told TVLine that when the show comes back, the episode will focus on Judd and Grace and how they met, sort of a “Begins” episode. The episode will kick off with a flashback, before shifting between more flashbacks and Judd and Grace being saved in the present. Even though there is no official trailer for new episodes, the teaser alone will give any fan goosebumps, as they're likely hoping for the best for the firefighter and dispatcher.

What exactly fans can expect from both spring premieres of 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star and how they'll ultimately play out is up in the air. While we are praying that Judd and Grace make it, it will be hard to wait until April 19. Hopefully, the time passes quickly! In the meantime, catch up on both series on Hulu, as all episodes of both dramas are currently streaming there.

Gina Torres is widely known for a number of the roles she’s played over the years, yet one of her most famous and revered performances is that of Zoe Washburne in the short-lived Firefly. In the years since the series was prematurely cancelled, Torres has gone on to play a number of other notable roles, and she recently joined the second season of Fox’s 9-1-1: Lone Star in the role of Tommy Vega. But as it turns it, it was her role on Firefly that helped her land her 9-1-1 gig.

9-1-1: Lone Star was co-created by Tim Minear, who previously wrote and directed episodes of Firefly years ago. While speaking to TVLine, cites Minear as being the person who brought her onto 9-1-1, and the actress couldn’t help but express gratitude to him for reaching out about the show, especially when Hollywood is currently dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic:

It’s not uncommon for actors to reteam with collaborators on projects, whether it be in television or film. It’s always nice to see Gina Torres on TV, but it’s even sweeter knowing that she’s reunited with a creative that she loves.

Torres still seems to have a lot of love for Firefly and has looked back on the show on more than one occasion. For instance, she once recalled one of her favorite scenes, which is a pretty epic moment for Zoe. The actress also relishes the opportunity to work with other Firefly alums, which occurred when she reunited with Nathan Fillion on Castle.

Following its initial debut in 2003, the love for Joss Whedon’s Firefly runs deep, as many wonder what could have been had the show not been canned after a single 14-episode season. Although fans did get to see more of the franchise through the 2005 film Serenity, they probably wouldn’t mind more adventures with the intergalactic crew.

Until any such project happens, Gina Torres will have plenty of things to keep her occupied on 9-1-1: Lone Star, as the explosive new season is only just ramping up. And let’s hope Tim Minear and his collaborators give Torres some great moments that rival the ones she had on Firefly.

Keep it here at CinemaBlend for more news from the world of TV and movies.

The news that The Matrix 4 was happening was certainly a shock to many fans. The trilogy of films starring Keanu Reeves had a pretty definitive ending, and so, as popular as they were no sequel was expected. Certainly, there was a feeling that, if we ever went back to The Matrix it would be in the form of a spinoff or reboot or some sort of story that took the concepts of the original films forward will all new characters. And so what's even more surprising than the fact that we're getting a Matrix 4 at all is the fact that the film really is a direct sequel, and it will star Keanu Reeves and everything.

This is an interesting fact, of course, because Keanu Reeves' character in the films, along with that of his co-star Carrie-Anne Moss, were dead at the end of the movies, and yet they'll both be back for The Matrix 4. Gina Torres, however, who played the role of Cas in the two sequels, survived the movies, and yet as far as we know she won't be returning. The Firefly and Suits actress does find it interesting that the characters who lived aren't the ones coming back. The actress tells Variety...

If Gina Torres is maybe a little frustrated that a new Matrix movie is happening without her, I'm not sure anybody could blame her. She's not the only person who would like to be part of the new movie who apparently will not be. Having said that, Torres' comments here mirror those of a lot of people. Exactly what the story of The Matrix 4 will even be, and how these deceased characters will factor into it, is a big question. One has to assume that the fact that these characters died but will somehow be back will be important to the story overall.

There is one character who survived the Matrix trilogy who is also expected to be back for The Matrix 4. Jada Pinkett Smith's Niobe is reported to be returning as well. If anything, the fact that there will be both living and dead returning characters makes things with The Matrix 4 that much more confusing. If only dead characters were coming back, then that in itself could mean something. The Matrix 4 is set for release this December, which means we could see a trailer as soon as this summer. Maybe then, all these questions will get some answers.

9-1-1: Lone Star hit the small screen earlier in 2020 as a spinoff of the popular Fox series 9-1-1, and now the second season has recruited a Suits star. Gina Torres, whose own spinoff failed to launch after a short run in 2019, is coming to 9-1-1: Lone Star in a series regular role. This time, however, she won't be dominating a courtroom. Here's what's in store.

Gina Torres is coming to 9-1-1: Lone Star as a series regular alongside Liv Tyler and Rob Lowe, according to Deadline, with the second season scheduled to begin production at some point this fall in Los Angeles for a launch in Fox's midseason lineup early next year. Torres' new character will be no Jessica Pearson, who Torres first played on Suits and then reprised for the short-lived Pearson spinoff, but she definitely sounds formidable.

For 9-1-1: Lone Star, Gina Torres will play a paramedic captain by the name of Tommy Vega. She gave up her work to raise her twin daughters, stepping away from the action when she was at the top of her game. The COVID-19 pandemic changes her life when her husband's restaurant fails, and she has to go back into the workforce after eight years to support her family.

The separation from her daughters will be rough on Tommy, but she'll prove that she's "still a boss" when she dons her uniform, no matter how many years she spent away. Joining 9-1-1: Lone Star will reunite Gina Torres with showrunner Tim Minear, as they worked together on Fox's Firefly before Torres' Suits days.

The role of Tommy on 9-1-1: Lone Star should showcase a different side of Torres than she was able to show off on Suits and Pearson; Jessica was very career-oriented, with not a lot in the way of family. Tommy gave up her career to focus on her family.

Tommy's status as a paramedic captain presumably means that Gina Torres will share scenes with Liv Tyler as Michelle Blake, especially since both are on board as series regulars. They join Rob Lowe, whose Owen was a sophisticated firefighter out of New York who relocated with his son to Texas.

9-1-1: Lone Star was a hit right out of the gate when it premiered in January 2020. At the time that renewals for both 9-1-1 and its spinoff were announced, Lone Star stood as the top new series in the 18-49 demographic (although tied with another Fox series), and it was a success in post-live viewing as well. Lone Star also stands as one of the relatively few major scripted broadcast TV shows of the 2019-2020 TV season that managed to wrap before production had to stop due to the pandemic.

Gina Torres' plot as Tommy proves that 9-1-1: Lone Star will tackle the pandemic as part of its plot; my biggest questions at this point are whether Season 2 will pick up in real time and if Fox will somehow deliver a crossover between the spinoff and the parent show in the next season.

In case you missed the first season of 9-1-1: Lone Star and want to catch up before Gina Torres makes her debut, you can find the full Season 1 streaming on Hulu now. Two seasons of 9-1-1 (including all the episodes dealing with the tsunami that was quite literally on Titanic scale) are streaming on Hulu as well. For some additional viewing options now and in the coming weeks, check out our 2020 fall TV premiere guide.

In the future… people are more likely to be blue or green than Asian, Hispanic, Black, or Native American. At least that’s how it seems when you watch sci-fi movies and TV shows, since the medium hasn’t really been all that representative to people of color. Sure, Star Trek was putting a Japanese man and a black woman on the Starship Enterprise back in 1966 with Sulu (George Takei) and Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), respectively. But overall, POC were often more alien in Sci-fi movies and TV shows than the actual aliens themselves.

I’d love to say that things have changed dramatically today, but they really haven’t. Sure, you’re much more likely to see more diverse casts now than you ever did before (and sci-fi shows like Black Mirror are making a better effort than most). But for the most part, the future doesn’t look too rosy if you’re a person of color. That’s why I want to highlight some of my favorite POC in movies and TV. Because in space, nobody can hear you scream Black Lives Matter.

John Cho as Sulu

John Cho had some big shoes to fill when he took on the role of Sulu in the Star Trek remake (reboot? Reimagining?), but thankfully, he managed to fill them quite nicely. John Cho, using his trademark charm and unassuming coolness, made the role his own in all three movies.

And next up, in what can only be described as perfect casting, John Cho will be playing the bounty hunter, Spike Spiegel, in the live-action Netflix series of Cowboy Bebop. No white-washing, Ghost in the Shell here. No siree.

Michelle Rodriguez as Trudy Chacon

Michelle Rodriguez might be most famous for her work in the Fast and the Furious series as Letty Ortiz, but she’s also made quite a few contributions to the sci-fi genre as well. She was of course in one of the biggest movies of all time as combat pilot, Trudy Chacon, in Avatar.

She also played Rain Ocampo in the first Resident Evil movie, Technical Sergeant, Elena Santos, in Battle: Los Angeles, and also Ana Lucia Cortez on the TV show, Lost. You go, girl!

Gina Torres as Zoe Washburne

Any sci-fi fan worth their Browncoat knows Gina Torres as Captain Mal’s second-in-command, Zoe Washburne on Firefly. There, she kicked ass and took names, and always looked tough doing it.

But she also appeared in The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions as Cas, and also had roles in the TV show, Cleopatra 2525 as Hel, and as Arnold Weber’s wife, Lauren, on Westworld. Cool.

Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus

Speaking of The Matrix, can I offer you a pill? They come in two colors. Red or blue. Laurence Fishburne, of course, played a prominent role in the Matrix trilogy as Morpheus, the captain of the Nebuchadnezzar.

But late in his career, he also found himself in two comic worlds—one as Perry White in Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman, and one as Bill Foster in Ant-Man and the Wasp. And let’s not forget him as Captain Miller in Event Horizon. Chilling stuff!

Ken Watanabe as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa

Mr. “Let them fight,” himself, Japanese actor, Ken Watanabe, is a serious actor, playing serious roles in movies like The Last Samurai and Letters from Iwo Jima. That said, he’s not above being in a movie where giant monsters slam into each other, as he also played Dr. Ishiro Serizawa in both MonsterVerse Godzilla movies.

He’s also no stranger to other sci-fi films, as he played Lieutenant Hide Yoshida in Pokemon Detective Pikachu, voiced Drift in Transformers: Age of Extinction, and also played Saito in the masterpiece, Inception. In other words, he’s dreamy.

Edward James Olmos as William "Bill" Adama

Set it and forget it, Edward James Olmos has been putting in work since 1974. I first saw Olmos in Stand and Deliver as he played real-life teacher, Jamie Escalante. Great work to be sure, but Olmos will probably most be known for his portrayal as Admiral William “Bill” Adama on the super popular reimagining of Battlestar Galactica. Of note, his son, Bodie Olmos, also played Brendan “Hot Dog” Costanza, another character on the show, so it was a family affair.

Olmos also spent some time in the Marvel Universe as Robert Gonzales in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. He was also the police officer, Gaff, in both the original Blade Runner, and Blade Runner 2049. The verdict is still out on whether he’s a replicant or not.

Donnie Yen as Chirrut Imwe

Mr. Ip Man himself, Donnie Yen is definitely more known for martial arts than he is for sci-fi, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t dipped his space boot into the genre. Case in point, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Yen played Chirrut Imwe, a blind, spiritual warrior monk who is one with the force. The force is with him!

But like pretty much everybody in existence, Donnie Yen is ALSO in a Marvel movie. Just not in the Cinematic Universe. He played Snowman in Blade II. Because if you can act, then you’ve probably been in a Marvel flick. It’s just facts.

Will Smith as Dr. Robert Neville

Big Willie Style. It’s crazy to think that one of the biggest movie stars on the planet is also big into Sci-fi movies. He played Dr. Robert Neville in I Am Legend, Agent J in Men in Black, a drunk superhero in Hancock, Del Spooner in I, Robot, Captain Steven Hiller in Independence Day. God, what else?

Oh, yeah! Cypher Raige in After Earth, Deadshot in Suicide Squad, Henry Brogan AND Junior in the recent Gemini Man, and even James West in Wild, Wild West, which is steampunk, a sub-genre of Science Fiction. I’m sorry, but when you’re starring in sub-genres of science fiction, you’ve made it, man. You’ve made it.

There are other people of color in sci-fi movies and TV shows that I haven’t mentioned (like Michael Pena and Zoe Saldana), but this list wouldn’t, unfortunately, be all that much longer if I had included them. Sci-fi is a fascinating genre, but it would be so much better if there were more people of color in it. Oh, well. Hopefully, this current generation will boldly go where people in the past never went before. So there’s always hope, and hope is good.

Few shows define the term “cult TV favorite” as perfectly as creator Joss Whedon’s Firefly, which follows a group of outlaws traveling through the stars in a colonized solar system. The series is heralded today as one of the best sci-fi TV shows of all time – despite being cancelled in 2003 after airing 11 of its 14 produced episodes – for its unique incorporation of traditional Western elements into a space odyssey.

Luckily, fans would receive some closure in the form of the space movie favorite, Serenity – a feature-length continuation released in theaters in 2005. So, what has the Firefly cast been up to since then? Buckle up and read on to find out.

Nathan Fillion (Capt. Malcolm Reynolds)

To many, Firefly is still the best TV show starring Nathan Fillion – whose performance as Serenity’s no-nonsense captain, “Mal” Reynolds, made him a “Geek God.” He would maintain that reputation by voicing Green Lantern in many animated DC titles and stealing the show as morally corrupt superhero Captain Hammer in Joss Whedon’s musical web series, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, to name a few. 

He would expand his audience as the lead of popular crime series Castle, which ran for eight seasons, and The Rookie, which has its seventh season on the way, as well as memorable recurring roles on Netflix’s Santa Clarita Diet and Big Mouth (the latter of which he voices himself in). He is about to make his live-action debut as Green Lantern (the Guy Gardner version) in James Gunn’s Superman cast, which marks his latest of many collaborations with the filmmaker – including 2006’s horror-comedy movie favorite, Slither, and his two MCU roles in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies.

Gina Torres (Zoë Washburne)

Even before playing Serenity’s first mate, Zoë, Gina Torres was already living the cult sci-fi hero lifestyle. She had recurring appearances on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and a main role on the obscure, short-lived dystopian series, Cleopatra 2525, in addition to playing Cas in The Matrix franchise the same year Firefly was cancelled. 

Her career has since been blessed with an intriguing variety of projects – from voicing Wonder Woman in some animated DC ventures, to playing Jessica Pearson in USA’s Suits cast (and later leading her own spin-off in the role), and playing Arnold Weber’s wife, Lauren, on Westworld. Torres would return to network television with a main role on Fox’s 9-1-1: Lone Star, starred in a Netflix rom-com in 2023 called The Perfect Find, and her latest film, The Everything Pot, recently premiered at 2024’s Tribeca Film Festival.

Alan Tudyk (Hoban Washburne)

Another one of Firefly’s undisputed “Geek Gods” is Alan Tudyk, who broke through on the series as “Wash” – Serenity’s pilot and Zoë’s husband. This would lead to a wonderfully eclectic career of voice acting (including many Disney animated movies like the Frozen films), playing numerous DC characters in live-action and animation, and reuniting with almost all of his Firefly co-stars on Con Man – an Emmy-nominated satirical web series he also created.

The Resident Alien star is coming back as Hei Hei for 2024’s upcoming sequel, Moana 2 and is also lending his voice to the upcoming DC TV show, Creature Commandos, as Doctor Phosphorus. Also, based on Tony Gilroy’s comments to Collider, we might be able to expect to see him reprise his role from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, reprogrammed imperial droid K-2SO, in Andor Season 2 for Disney+.

Morena Baccarin (Inara Serra)

Another Firefly alum with extensive experience in things nerds love is Morena Baccarin, whose sex worker role, Inara, had a “will they, won’t they” dynamic with Mal. She would go on to play the love interest to more iconic heroes, such as Talia Al Ghul in several animated Batman movies and Wade Wilson’s beloved Vanessa, whom she is reprising in the MCU’s Deadpool & Wolverine. 

The Brazilian actor has also played her fair share of heroes and villains, such as the voice of Gideon (an A.I. character from The Flash) and her leading role in NBC’s The Endgame cast as expert thief Elena Fedorova. Baccarin has another upcoming 2024 movie called Elevation on its way, as well as Greenland: Migration – a sequel to her 2020 disaster movie hit.

Adam Baldwin (Jayne Cobb)

Before playing Serenity’s trigger-happy mercenary Jayne Cobb, Adam Baldwin was best known for classic ‘80s movies like Full Metal Jacket and ‘90s movie favorites like Independence Day. After Firefly, he found more regular roles on series like Chuck as CIA Agent John Casey and TNT’s The Last Ship, and lent his voice to many video games – including Injustice: Gods Among Us, for which he got to play Green Lantern.

Baldwin starred in the 2021 Kurt Warner biopic, American Underdog, as Coach Allen and has reunited with some of his Firefly co-stars on the likes of Castle and 9-1-1: Lone Star. He also recently starred in the 2024 war history drama, Love, Courage, and the Battle of Bushy Run. 

Jewel Staite (Kaylee Frye)

Before playing Serenity’s young mechanic, Kaylee Frye, Jewel Staite unwittingly found the perfect way to practice for Firefly’s interplanetary environment on Nickelodeon’s teen sci-fi adventure series Space Cases in the late 1990s. Sci-fi television would continue to be her bread and butter in most cases – having been cast in Stargate: Atlantis, guest starring on Legends of Tomorrow, and landing a recurring role on SyFy’s The Magicians in 2019. 

Staite, more recently, found a regular role on a more grounded type of series as a member of a dysfunctional family of lawyers on the Canadian drama, Family Law. She is also starring opposite Bryan Austin Green in an upcoming feature-length thriller called Chasing Midnight. 

Sean Maher (Dr. Simon Tam)

After playing Serenity’s resident doctor, Simon Tam, Sean Maher led a career path similar to his co-stars, in the sense that Firefly would remain one of his better known credits while finding more roles of a nerdy variety. For instance, he has voiced Dick Grayson (a.k.a., Nightwing) in multiple animated DC movies and starred in a couple episodes of Arrow as Shrapnel.

In 2011, Maher came out as gay (via CNN) after playing a closeted man on the short-lived series, The Playboy Club in 2011, reunited with Joss Whedon for the director’s modern retelling of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing the following year, and has also reunited with the likes of Fillion on The Rookie and Tudyk on Con Man. His most recent acting credit is a scripted Stranger Things podcast spin-off called Rebel Robin: Surviving Hawkins, from 2021.

Summer Glau (River Tam)

Being a lifelong ballet dancer helped Summer Glau earn her first job as a dancer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s acclaimed spin-off, Angel. She would be able to use those skills in a different way when Whedon cast her on Firefly as Simon’s intellectually gifted, but socially challenged sister, River. 

The fan-favorite role led her to play more ass-kicking characters – including a cyborg named Cameron on another short-lived, but much-loved TV show, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, a supervillain on Arrow, and a larper who must fight an actual demon in the 2013 fantasy comedy, Knights of Badassdom. Glau’s most recent acting credit is Netflix’s Wu Assassins from 2019, but as she insinuated in a video shared on YouTube by a paparazzi, the mother of two is putting most of her attention into family these days.

Ron Glass (Shepherd Derrial Book)

When Ron Glass got his first acting job as a guest on All In the Family in 1973, some of his Firefly co-stars had not even been born yet. Prior to playing Shepherd Derrial Book – whom you could call Serenity’s resident chaplain – the actor rose to prominence from 1975-1982 in his Emmy-nominated role on the funny, classic TV mystery series, Barney Miller. 

Most modern audiences not familiar with Firefly may recognize his voice as Susie Carmichael’s father in Rugrats and All Grown Up or God’s cousin, Rod, on ABC’s short-lived Teen Angel. His more recent notable roles include the 2010 remake of Death at a Funeral (the original of which starred Tudyk) and a reunion with Whedon on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in 2014, but sadly, Glass has since passed away in 2016, at the age of 71, due to respiratory failure.

There has actually been much talk of a Firefly revival off and on for years, which may not be the same without Shepherd or Washburne (both of whom died in Serenity). However, for fans who wish to see more than the 14 episodes available to stream with a Hulu subscription and Serenity, it would be a dream come true.

Sometimes life gives you lemons, but then turns right around and makes it easy for you to transform the sour fruit into lemonade. Such is the case for any actor who's stint on one show wraps up, but they find themselves getting another wonderful opportunity before too much longer. And, this is exactly what's happened to former Suits (and Pearson) star Gina Torres, because she'll be starring in a new pilot called The Brides.

Gina Torres has signed up to lead the cast of The Brides in the ABC pilot from Riverdale and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina executive producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. Torres will play Cleo Phillips on the series, and if you think she's going to just be some newlywed adjusting to married life, then you know nothing about Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. The Brides actually focuses on the three brides of Dracula. Yeah, you read that right. These ladies are vampires!

According to Deadline, The Brides is going to be a sexy, modern reimagining of the Dracula tale as a family drama that sees three powerful women at the center of the narrative. Gina Torres' Cleo is the leader of the three women, and is considered to be "an imperious woman with a queenly manner," mostly due to the fact that she was, indeed, a queen in her human life, but was turned into a vampire by Dracula after her husband's death.

Cleo is now a New York-based real estate mogul who we'll see be challenged in her professional life by a mysterious newcomer. But, that won't be the only trouble that Cleo has, because her personal life will be beset by issues when her formerly close ties to her vampire bride sisters begin to fray to dangerous degrees. The Brides will see each of the women struggle to maintain their wealth, power and legacy, while also trying to maintain their immortal family. Even though the drama is focused on the women, Dracula will also be featured on the series.

The pilot comes from Aguirre-Sacasa, Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, and will be written by Aguirre-Sacasa, as well. Directing duties will be handled by Maggie Kiley, who's helmed episodes of Dirty John as well as working with Aguirre-Sacasa on Sabrina and Riverdale. Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter will executive produce the pilot for The Brides, along with Kiley and Aguirre-Sacasa.

Gina Torres wrapped her run as a series regular on the popular USA legal drama Suits during the Season 6 midseason finale in 2016. While her contract was, indeed, up, there were also rumors that a spinoff was on the horizon which would follow the character as she practiced law away from New York City. It took three years for that spinoff to materialize, but Pearson did debut last summer. Unfortunately, the new show didn't get the response that most were hoping, and not even two full months after the Season 1 finale, Pearson was cancelled by USA.

Luckily, fans who love watching Gina Torres do her commanding, strong, intelligent woman thing might have the chance to watch her in a whole new type of show before too long. The Brides is, obviously, still in the very early stages, but should the pilot be finished and approved, it could end up on ABC within a year.

There's no telling right now whether or not The Brides will get a series order, or how many episodes we could see if it does, so be sure to stay tuned to CInemaBlend for the latest on that and everything else happening in TV right now!

It’s always a little bit bittersweet when a long-running series such as Suits is ending. Fans grow familiar with favorite characters and storylines and saying goodbye can be hard. It’s not just the fans who have feelings about shows ending, however. The cast is often affected emotionally as a series wraps, and that is certainly true of Suits.

While the final few Suits episodes haven’t aired on USA yet, the show did finish filming in Toronto this past week. Series lead Gabriel Macht, who has stuck with Suits since the very beginning, talked about some of the sacrifices he and his co-workers made with their families and in their personal lives in order to make Suits happen for nine years. He said:

People have long been obsessed with Harvey and Donna’s relationship in Suits, but during the final hours of filming, series actress Sarah Rafferty spent some time taking photos with people behind the scenes, including the USA series’ tailor and others related to the show. In addition, she also shared an image with Rick Hoffman, who plays Louis Litt on Suits. Although Louis has long admired Donna, she has always tended to keep him at arms length, although they have shared a love for theater over the years.

Rick Hoffman himself has been documenting the last several weeks on the set of Suits via his Instagram. His last post, however, was maybe the most poignant, as he pointed out the next chapter of his life is starting right now.

Over the years, Suits has changed its lineup somewhat. The series originally also starred Meghan Markle, Patrick J. Adams and Gina Torres, the latter of whom has moved on to her own spinoff Pearson as Suits ends its run. She’s still a fan of the show and the lasting relationships she made over the years and shared her own post as the series wrapped production.

During the final season of Suits, the show is seeing some major cast members return. Original lead actor Patrick J. Adams came back to play Mike during a Season 9 episode that aired in August, and he said previously he felt like returning was the only real choice. Per Adams:

Suits returned to the schedule for Season 9 earlier this summer and new episodes of Pearson air afterwards. Four more episodes are left to air until the end of an era, and you can catch the next one on September 4. If you are wondering how the series will end, newer lead Katherine Heigl has also revealed the worst way she feels the USA drama could wrap.

Gina Torres’ long-awaited Suits spinoff is almost here! The actress initially departed the series and her role as powerhouse attorney Jessica Pearson back in Season 6. Torres appeared in Season 7. That installment's mid-season finale set up the character’s spinoff. Torres had starred on Suits since it began.

Now, she is almost back on television as the star of her own series: Pearson! It turns out that Gina Torres had no desire to reprise the role after she left Suits. In a sign of how time can change things, Torres explained what ended up making her decide to play Jessica again. Torres told TVLine:

Earlier this year, the former Suits actress shared similar sentiments regarding why she wanted Jessica Pearson to get a spinoff. It has been a seemingly long journey to get one. While there was buzz surrounding a spinoff back in 2017, it finally moved forward a year later.

Earlier this year, an exhilarating trailer for Pearson arrived. It showed Jessica Pearson in her element. The Suits spinoff will follow Jessica as she takes on a career as the Mayor of Chicago’s right-hand fixer. Pearson promises to chronicle Jessica’ internal conflict as she tries to pursue winning and doing the right thing.

If you had questions that never got answered about Jessica Pearson on Suits, Pearson is the show for you! Prepare to delve a lot deeper into the fan-favorite. Gina Torres talked about exploring Jessica in a more in-depth way in the spinoff, saying:

It sounds like fans are going to get a much more detailed glimpse into the life of Jessica Pearson. Jessica is going to be front-and-center with a newfound spotlight that should uncover even more layers to the dynamic character.

Will Suits other characters join her on the spinoff? Suits creator Aaron Korsh shared his thoughts on the potential of that happening. As Pearson begins, Suits will begin its end. Patrick J. Adams has revealed how the series will say goodbye to Meghan Markle’s character, Rachel.

Mike and Rachel got married and went off into the sunset together. Patrick J. Adams will be bringing Mike back for the final season. Also on board is a Star Trek: The Next Generation vet, whose character will have bad news for Harvey. For those who want the Suits universe to live on after the original is gone, Pearson will be keeping it spinning!

Gina Torres’ Suits spinoff, Pearson, has its series premiere Wednesday, July 17 at 10 p.m. ET on USA. The spinoff is one of this year’s summer premieres. Suits returns for its ninth and final season on July 17 at 9 p.m. ET on USA.

Gina Torres is revealing why she wanted her Suits character, Jessica Pearson, to get her own spinoff. CinemaBlend’s Nick Venable was at the TCA panel when Torres shared what motivated her to do Pearson and why it seemed like a great next step for her career. According to Torres,

Now, Jessica Pearson is heading back to television via Pearson. After seven seasons playing Jessica Pearson on USA's Suits, Gina Torres ultimately opted to leave the series, although the Season 7 finale acted as a backdoor pilot for her spinoff. Part of that set of events included Jessica opting for a change of venue, which explained why she wanted to leave Pearson Specter Litt. She moved from New York to Chicago, where the new series will be set.

Accordingly, her return to television will follow her as she wades into the world of Chicago politics. There, Jessica will take on the pivotal role of Mayor Bobby Novak’s “right hand fixer.”

Considering Jessica Pearson and, in extension, Gina Torres’ popularity on Suits, getting behind a spinoff set on the character likely made the decision an easy one. Creatively speaking, moving forward with a spinoff felt like a natural transition for the character, according to showrunner Daniel Arkin. Arkin also explained why the spinoff got off of the ground, saying:

The preview teased a high-powered drama with equally heightened stakes. The Suits franchise has chosen an excellent character to get behind. Pearson is getting started just as its originating series is ending. So, it seems like a good time for the network to try something new as Suits ends with its ninth season.

Pearson will help keep the world of Suits alive. It is always a positive thing when fans of a show know that a spinoff is coming because the story made sense. Gina Torres expressing that she thought the character was in her past only to be inspired by the character's potential future, is a great sign.

How often do spinoffs originate from such a naturally creative place? Pearson will definitely benefit from that lift. As showrunner Daniel Arkin mentioned, Jessica will be trying to get back to why she wanted to become a lawyer in the first place.

Trying to do good things in the world of politics can be a tricky business. Along for the ride will be The Mist’s Morgan Spector. He will star as the new mayor of Chicago, Bobby Novack. The Mindy Project’s Rebecca Whittenhouse will also be playing an ambitious lawyer.

Jessica Pearson fans have had to wait a while to see her back on their screen. How much longer that wait will wear on is currently unclear. Regarding an exact release date, the recently released teaser only offered a vague “coming soon.” However, we do know that Pearson is currently slated to premiere in the summer of 2019. The second half of Suits Season 8 is currently airing new, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on USA. The legal drama is among many shows returning this winter.

Meghan Markle has dominated a bulk of Suits headlines as of late, but that's soon to change as Gina Torres' Suits spinoff just got some great news. The world will once again get to see Jessica Pearson in action. The show based on Jessica just got the green-light at USA. On top of that, the series will get a nice jumpstart, as the Suits team will prime its audience for a new lawyer drama on the network with a backdoor pilot.

The spinoff will get to kick things off on Suits, which was renewed for Season 8 despite many high profile departures from the show. The original series will introduce the new spinoff in the Season 7 finale. The backdoor pilot should give those interested a good idea what the show will be about as past reports have indicated that the series will introduce two characters from the spinoff in addition to some background on Pearson's Chicago story. No release date, episode count, or title for the series have been announced at this time.

What is known is that the Jessica Pearson Suits spinoff will take place in Chicago and follow Jessica in the Windy City as she looks to navigate through Chicago's politics and its legal system. Pearson will get her hands dirty with the likes of Bobby Golec, the charismatic mayor of Chicago who will seek re-election six-months from when the series begins. She will also come in contact with attorney Keri Allen, whose character description listed her as the unofficial right hand of Mayor Golec. No information has surfaced on whether or not these two characters will be people Pearson is working with or against in the upcoming series, but their presence in the Suits Season 7 finale should answer that question prior to the show's start.

Suits fans can expect a lot of what they love about that series to carry over in the spinoff, as the show is executive produced and written by Suits creator Aaron Korsh and Suits executive producer Daniel Arkin. Gina Torres is listed as an executive producer as well and will share the role with others such as Hypnotic's Doug Liman, David Bartis, and Gene Klein. While a release date for the project has not been announced, we already know that the Suits Season 7 finale will serve as a backdoor pilot. With the Season 7 finale happening Wednesday, April 25, it's possible the spinoff could be looking to start sometime around then or during the summer months. It's not incredibly likely considering the series was just green-lit and doesn't even have an official name yet, but it's possible.

The Suits spinoff has no release date at this time, but Suits is set to return for new Season 7 episodes on USA Wednesday, March 28 at 9:00 p.m. ET. For a list of other shows set to return to television around the same time, head on over to our midseason premiere guide.

Warning: major spoilers ahead for the Season 7 midseason finale of Suits, called "Donna."

Jessica Pearson was a key member of the Suits cast from the very beginning, all the way up until the Season 6 midseason finale when Gina Torres departed the series as a regular. A Suits spinoff all about Jessica has been in the works for a while, and fans have had to wait and wait to discover just how Suits would send Jessica off to her own legal exploits in Chicago when so much of her life was based in New York City. Well, the midseason finale revealed just why Jessica is going to cut her ties with practicing law in New York City: she's being disbarred in the state of New York.

Here's what happened. The majority of the episode saw Harvey, Mike, and Donna facing off against Deputy Attorney General Andrew Malik in the court room. While it seemed like Malik was guaranteed a win, the folks at Pearson Specter Litt figured out how to take him down. Unfortunately, their win came at a price. Malik retaliated by revealing to Harvey that he was working to disbar Jessica for her actions in defending Mike's fraud, and it was immediately clear that this was going to be one sticky situation Harvey wouldn't be able to talk his way out of. Jessica herself turned up in the end to confirm the disbarment.

Sadly, after confirming the disbarment, Jessica made it clear to Harvey that she intends to make a clean break with her life in New York City. When he protested that there was no way a law firm could bear the name of a disbarred lawyer and Jessica therefore needed to fight the case, Jessica simply responded that she had come to take the Pearson out of Pearson Specter Litt. Harvey and Louis just needed to buy her out, and she would be free of the final legal strings attaching her to New York.

The good news about the disbarment is that Suits is clearly going to a great deal of effort to craft a way to write out Jessica that respects her character and makes it clear that she has a future elsewhere. The bad news is that the disbarment might mean that Gina Torres will be done in the Suits world if her spinoff flops. Jessica won't be able to just return to New York and re-add Pearson to Specter Litt.

The spinoff will star Jessica Pearson as a lawyer exploring the world of dirty politics in Chicago. She hasn't been disbarred in the state of Illinois, so aside from a bit of scandal and gossip, her career may not be too tarnished by how she was forced out of New York. Jessica will face new challenges in Chicago that will require all of her legal brilliance. The spinoff will get off to an official start in the Suits Season 7 finale, which will double as a backdoor pilot for the new series. The backdoor pilot is being written by Suits creator and executive producer Aaron Korsh, who will also executive produce the new show.

"Donna" also featured the resolution of Rachel and Robert's case, a catharsis from Louis, some legal tricks from Alex, and a big kiss between Harvey and Donna. All things considered, Suits should have plenty going for it when it returns for the second half of Season 7 in early 2018 on USA. For what you can watch in the meantime, take a look at our fall TV premiere schedule.

Suits has been a big hit for USA over the years, largely thanks to the cast of characters that has stuck around from the very beginning. The core cast was shaken up in a big way back in Season 6 when Gina Torres left the show, meaning that Harvey and Co. would have to try and keep Pearson Specter Litt afloat without Jessica Pearson's leadership. Losing Jessica was a bummer for fans, but there was good news: USA was considering a spinoff all about Jessica. Now, we finally have some details about how the spinoff will get going: via backdoor pilot.

The Season 7 finale of Suits will serve as a pilot to launch a potential spinoff centering on Jessica Pearson's life in Chicago. Her new life in the new city will present some new challenges that she didn't need to deal with in New York. She'll be forced to enter a world of dirty politics in Chicago, and it will take all of her legal brilliance to establish a place for herself in the Windy City. The backdoor pilot will see Jessica reunite with her old crew from New York to give her a hand.

Suits isn't exactly the first show to attempt to launch a spinoff via backdoor pilot, but few shows will necessarily dedicate as huge an episode as a season finale to trying to set up a new show. USA clearly has a lot of faith in the idea that Gina Torres as Jessica Pearson has what it takes to draw upon the Suits audience and anchor a series of her own.

Of course, it's not like the show is dedicating its season finale to a minor character or newcomer; Jessica was a pivotal member of the Suits cast from the series premiere all the way to her departure as a regular in the Season 6 midseason finale. In fact, she's come back a few times since her big departure to lend a hand, first with Mike's case in the Season 6 finale as he was attempting to earn the right to legally practice law, and then again in Season 7 to give Harvey some pointers now that he's taken her former job as managing partner of the firm.

Suits creator and executive producer Aaron Korsh is on board to executive producer and write the pilot for the prospective spinoff, and Suits veteran director Anton Cropper will helm the episodes. Unfortunately, we still have a while to wait before we get to see Jessica Pearson in her first episode as leading lady. The first half of Season 7 is currently airing, with the second half not set to pick up until at some point in the first quarter of 2018. We'll just have to hope that Jessica will find more reasons to return to New York between now and the Season 7 finale.

You can catch news episodes of Suits on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on USA. Pearson Specter Litt added an unexpected new partner this season, and a new actor has mixed up the cast, so it's definitely worth tuning in. For your other options, take a peek at our fall TV premiere guide.

Warning: spoilers ahead for the final episode of Suits Season 6, "Character and Fitness."

Season 6 of Suits has officially come to an end, and fans are now facing months without any more legal drama from the likes of Harvey and Mike. Luckily, the sixth season ended on a high note as it brought back a very familiar face to seal the deal on Mike's future. Jessica Pearson herself returned for a surprise finale appearance, and her contribution means that Suits will be a very different show when it's back for Season 7.

When "Character and Fitness" kicked off, Mike was facing his final set of trials before he would either be admitted to the bar and allowed to become a lawyer or turned away by a set of panelists. Unfortunately for Mike, a unanimous vote was required if he was going to pass, and one of the panelists was seriously biased against him. There was no way he or any of his pals in New York were going to be able to convince the antagonistic Anita Gibbs to vote in Mike's favor... but that didn't mean that nobody could. Jessica Person dropped in at the very end to argue Mike's case and remind Anita that a little compassion was warranted.

Because Jessica is the best thing that ever happened to any of the Suits characters, Anita ultimately voted in Mike's favor, and Mike will officially become an actual lawyer. The show that began as the story of hotshot lawyer Harvey and his fraudulent genius protege Mike has been turned into something brand new now that Mike is a lawyer, and it's all thanks to Jessica flying back to New York from her life (presumably) in Chicago. She didn't seem to have any regrets about her decision to leave when she made her big exit in the Season 6 summer finale, but evidently Mike's future in jeopardy was reason enough for her to come back to the Big Apple and save the day.

Personally, I was so caught up in the finale that I was floored when Jessica showed up to make Mike's case for him, and it was the best kind of surprise. I've been missing Jessica, and hiatus might not feel so hard after getting to see her one more time back in action. Executive producer Aaron Korsh has explained why Jessica absolutely needed to return to Suits in the Season 6 finale, saying this in a chat with TVLine:

Jessica only returned with a few minutes to spare in the episode, so we didn't get to see too much of her. Fortunately, her surprise finale appearance won't be the last time that we see Gina Torres back in action as Jessica Pearson. The spinoff centering on Jessica is moving forward, and although details are currently scarce, we can at least say for sure that we'll see a lot more of Torres as her kickass Suits character.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest news in new and returning series. We already know that Suits has been renewed for Season 7 on USA, and if the show follows the same schedule as it did for the first six seasons, we can count on a premiere sometime in June or July 2017. Check out our midseason TV premiere schedule to see what you can watch in the meantime.

There are episode-specific spoilers in this article if you haven't caught last night's episode of Suits, yet. If you are holding off, feel free to check out one of our other excellent articles.

Suits has featured an awful lot of twists and turns during its Season 6 run, and the USA drama showed no signs of slowing down during the Season 6 midseason finale. In fact, during last night's summer finale, major character Jessica Pearson ended up leaving the series to head to Chicago with Jeff. This morning, actress Gina Torres, who plays Jessica Pearson on the show, explained exactly why she decided to leave the series. Here's what she had to say in a statement:

A lot of actors and actresses have had trouble filming shows that shoot outside of Los Angeles, where a lot of their lives and homes are. For example, the move from Los Angeles to Toronto cost Supergirl Calista Flockhart in a full-time capacity. And Gina Torres isn't the only Suits actor who has never totally been enamored with Toronto; in the past other series lead Gabriel Macht has lamented that Suits really should be filmed in New York, where it is set. However, there is another reason that Gina Torres is heading back to Los Angeles.

TV Line reports that Gina Torres has landed a gig on the sophomore season of The Catch. The flashy drama stars Peter Krause and Mireille Enos as a con artist and a fraud investigator, respectively. The Catch isn't expected to return to the schedule until midseason, so it could be some time before we know what sort of character Torres will be playing on the drama, but we do know that the gig will be recurring. All in all, that should be a pretty good transition for the veteran actress.

As for Suits, we have some time to wait until the final six episodes of Season 6 will hit the schedule. For the last several seasons, USA has created a split schedule for each season, with some episodes airing in the summer and some airing in the winter. Presumably, we're going to have the same sort of thing this TV season. Have no fear, though, even without Gina Torres, Suits isn't going anywhere. The long-lasting USA drama has already been renewed for Season 7, as well.

While we wait for more episodes of Suits, here's when the rest of your favorites are returning.

Warning: major spoilers ahead for the summer finale of Suits Season 6.

Suits has officially come to an end in 2016 now that the midseason finale of Season 6 has finally aired. Season 6 brought a lot of big changes for Suits fans. Pearson Specter Litt was a shell of what it had once been after most of the firm abandoned ship. Mike spent most of the first ten episodes in prison with Harvey and Donna trying to help from the outside. Jessica and Rachel teamed up to help a wrongfully imprisoned man. Louis found love. Fans had to deal with a lot of changes when Season 6 kicked off; now, with the departure of Gina Torres as the awesome Jessica Pearson, the show will have to enter a whole new era.

Jessica's departure in the final minutes of the midseason finale wasn't too much of a shock considering that Gina Torres had been cast as the lead in a new pilot for ABC. Her original contract for Suits ran for six years and would be fulfilled with the first half of Season 6. Torres made the choice to move on to a starring role, and Suits was able to craft a believable exit for the show's most formidable corporate lawyer.

For those of us who might not have known that the midseason finale was set to be Gina Torres' swan song as a regular on Suits, the episode was coming to a suspiciously happy ending before Jessica dropped the bomb that she was leaving everything she knew behind in New York to go to Chicago with Jeff. In true Suits style, she finished her final case for Pearson Specter Litt with one last movie homage via an A Few Good Men-esque courtroom showdown. Her faith in Harvey and Louis was rewarded when they managed to save the firm without her. The episode seemed, for a moment, like it would end on the characters taking a break from the corporate craziness to drink good scotch and prepare to do it all again the next day. Alas, there was the reveal that Jessica was done with the legal life.

All in all, the midseason finale was as fantastic a sendoff as Jessica could have possibly gotten on Suits. The episode featured flashbacks that both explained why Jessica became a lawyer and justified why she might not have wanted to be the kind of lawyer that she became forever. She became a lawyer because she felt a passion for the law, but that wasn't all she ever felt passionate about. Her decision to leave Pearson Specter Litt despite the battle to keep the firm alive made sense, and she got to leave on a high note rather than be forced out by unfortunate circumstances. It was as happy an ending as was possible.

Luckily, it was also an ending that didn't rule out the possibility of Jessica returning in the future. Her tearful final toast to Pearson Specter Litt certainly gave the impression that she wasn't planning on rejoining the firm, but there's no reason why Jessica can't drop by for a visit every once in a while. Something tells me she'll still be able to put Harvey and Louis in their places even if her name is no longer on the building. They may need it more than ever in the near future.

Now, we can only wonder what's going to happen next without Jessica at the helm of the firm. Even as they became more equal as professionals, Jessica was clearly always the boss of Harvey and Louis. They always had that one person above them to deal with the fallout of their various fiascos. The boys may find it difficult to continue with the firm without Jessica there as a buffer and all around badass lawyer. Even Donna and Rachel could always appeal to Jessica as a higher power if the guys of Pearson Specter Litt were making terrible decisions. Suits will be a different show without Jessica Pearson; hopefully, it will still be a show worth watching.

Suits will return to USA in winter 2017, and it has already been renewed for a Season 7, so fans don't have to worry that they won't get to see how the show moves on without Gina Torres as Jessica Pearson. Check out our fall TV premiere schedule to see what you'll be able to watch to pass the time until Suits returns.

When they start out, most fledgling actors simply want to earn a livable wage in the profession. Obviously, when they leap this first hurdle, they then look to broaden their careers and see how far up the Hollywood echelon they can go. Some even reach a level where they’re recognized on the streets for their work, while a handful are even mobbed everywhere they go.

But, after originally excelling, some actors never quite reach the level of fame that you assumed they would. In fact, here are 8 actors who should actually be way more famous than they actually are. Wouldn't you agree?

John Hawkes

John Hawkes is the kind of actor that you not only immediately recognize, but who also improves a film just through his presence. It’s easy to see why, because he just oozes a rugged, workmanlike screen presence that is seldom seen anymore. Hawkes is also one of those rare actors who is able to move from the small to the big screen without an issue, bringing the same level of intent and talent to every performance. Hawkes’ workmanlike appeal comes from the fact that he has been a jobbing actor now since 1985. Over the course of the last 31 years, he has appeared in From Dusk 'Til Dawn, Rush Hour, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, The Perfect Storm, Miami Vice, American Gangster, Lincoln, Everest, Martha Marcy May Marlene, The Sessions, and Winter’s Bone. The latter three saw him receive numerous award nominations, while he even received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for Winter’s Bone.

Because of this, you’d have hoped for a Paul Giamatti or, maybe pushing it a tad, Philip Seymour Hoffman boost to his career. That has yet to materialize. But until it does, we’re all just happy for him to make even the most tedious of projects better.

Gina Torres

There was a period in the early 2000s when it looked like Gina Torres was about to become a bona-fide leading lady in the action genre. Her performances as Cas in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions had proven that she had the cinematic muscle to flourish on the big screen, and this was boosted exponentially through her performance in Joss Whedon’s Serenity. Not only did she go toe-to-toe with leading man Nathan Fillion (another actor who probably should be more famous) but her performance suggested that this was just the beginning.

Unfortunately, further roles of this ilk never materialized. In fact, her biggest role since the release of Serenity was in I Think I Love My Wife, the 2007 Chris Rock comedy. Instead, she has excelled on the small screen, taking leading roles in Suits and Hannibal. But despite her prowess on these shows, it’s hard not to wonder what might have been if she’d been given further cinematic chances.

Ben Foster

It says a lot about Ben Foster’s talent that despite appearing in the X-Men franchise, more was expected from the 35-year-old American. After bursting onto the scene opposite Justin Timberlake and Emile Hirsch in Alpha Dog, Ben Foster followed this up with performances in the huge Hollywood productions of X-Men: The Last Stand and 3:10 To Yuma, while his role in The Messenger earned him numerous awards nominations back in 2000. Ben Foster was in the perfect position to take Hollywood by storm.

Unfortunately, it just hasn’t panned out that way. Sure, his work in The Mechanic, Lone Survivor, and Ain't Them Bodies Saints was impressive, but they all mostly flew under the radar. As has his performance as Lance Armstrong in The Program, which, once touted for a potential Oscar nomination, is instead being released under the radar almost a month after the Academy Awards ceremony. There’s still hope though, because he’s leading the way in Warcraft this summer. But if Warcraft is a flop, like the recently flopped The Finest Hour, Ben Foster will have to think long and hard about his next role, otherwise he could descend in obscurity.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

While on the face of it, Mary Elizabeth Winstead has a wholesome girl next door appeal, her performances are each underlined with a drive and intensity that permeates into her films. That’s why she has been perfect for a whole host of scream queen roles, which have seen her pop up in Final Destination 3, Black Christmas, Death Proof, and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. But she’s also made sure to compliment these turns with more dramatic and complex roles, with her performance in Smashed being one of the finest of the last 5 years.

Yet these have never quite earned her the recognition she deserved, while even her parts in big budget productions (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, A Good Day To The Die Hard) didn’t push her further up the Hollywood ladder due to a poor box office return and critical response, respectively. That should all change with 10 Cloverfield Lane though. Because if its box office matches the critical reception it recently received, then Mary Elizabeth Winstead should have a franchise all to herself.

Jacki Weaver

Twice nominated for Best Supporting Actress Academy Awards for her performances in 2010’s Animal Kingdom and 2012’s Silver Linings Playbook, 68-year-old Jacki Weaver only came to the attention of American moviegoers in the last half a decade or so. But she was actually a huge star in Australia from the 1970s, thanks to her work in Stork, Alvin Purple, Peter Weir’s Picnic At Hanging Rock, and Caddie, which saw her win her second Australian Film Institute Award.

Unfortunately, Jacki Weaver was unable to find role in film or television as she got older, which is why she wasn’t able to make the leap into American movies. Instead, the world of theater reaped the rewards of cinema’s oversight, as she played a role in several huge Australian productions, including A Streetcar Named Desire, and Death Of A Salesman. Sure, Jacki Weaver’s turn in Animal Kingdom finally allowed her to get her Hollywood debut with The Five-Year Engagement. But it should have come earlier. And if it had, she could have been rivaling the stature of Judi Dench, Helen Mirren and Maggie Smith. Great company to keep.

Adam Pally

Adam Pally has the sort of rapscallion on-screen personality that would suit itself perfectly in Hollywood comedies. I mean, anyone who has ever seen Happy Endings or The Mindy Project knows just how consistently funny he can be, while still emanating a warm and likable persona that means you just want to become BFFs with him. But Adam Pally is yet to find the movie roles that have brought out the best of his comedic sensibilities.

That’s not for the want of trying though, because Adam Pally has appeared in several low-budget comedies over the last two years (Slow Learners, Life After Beth, The To Do List) that have each failed to pop. While his appearances in bigger-budgeted comedies have either not been widely released (Search Party) or were just plain awful (Bad Grandpda). It speaks volumes that his most memorable role, to date, came in Iron Man 3 as Gary The Cameraman. But even though he was in the blockbuster for just a few minutes, Adam Pally still provided laughs, and proved that he should be given bigger parts.

Ellen Page

OK, so we all know who Ellen Page is. Having first wowed audiences with her performances in Hard Candy, a role that won her the Best Actress at the Austin Film Critics Association, and Juno, which quadrupled down on this success as she received Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild nominations, she then followed this up as Kitty Pryde in X-Men’s The Last Stand and Days Of Future Past, as well as Inception. Obviously she has done well for herself. Which, considering how she can swerve from comedy to drama so deftly, while always remaining on point with her characterization, was always likely to happen.

But, barring Days Of Future Past, Ellen Page has somewhat disappeared from the movie landscape over the last six years. Hopefully this is just a brief blip in her career though, and we all know that she has acting ability to slip back in as if she’s never been away. The worry is though is that there just aren’t enough challenging roles out there for her that are different to what she’s already done. If that’s the case then shame on Hollywood.

Toby Kebbell

Fantastic Four’s catastrophic failure last summer wasn’t just bad news for 20th Century Fox, it was also devastating for those of us who have been watching Toby Kebbell’s rise ever since his debut in the cult British thriller Dead Man’s Shoes. Since then Toby Kebbell has proven himself with stand out roles in Control and RocknRolla, before then steadily building his Hollywood reputation by appearing in Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, War Horse, and Wrath Of The Titans. His villainous double whammy in Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes and Fantastic Four was supposed to move him further up the echelon.

But while Dawn fared well, Fantastic Four’s failure stagnated his progress. But since he's appearing in Warcraft, Ben-Hur, and Kong: Skull Island, all of which are due out in the next 18 months or so, it's safe to say that Toby Kebbell is still right on track.

The late, great canceled FOX show Firefly continues to inspire thousands of fans all over the world, even though the show ended in early 2003 after only 11 episodes had aired. The cast reunites frequently in their new projects and for fan conventions around the country, so they clearly have fond memories of working on the show. Actress Gina Torres, who played Zoë Washburne, has some concrete ideas of what made Firefly special for her.

Gina Torres spoke with TV Line about some of her fondest memories of the shows she’s been a part of, and, of course, Firefly came up. Her role on the series wasn’t her first leading part on a TV show (that honor goes to a goofy little gem called Cleopatra 2525) but it did become the part she is most loved for bringing to life.

In case you need a refresher on your Firefly history, it was a space Western that focused on the crew and paying passengers of a starship in the far future. The crew often steals and smuggles to make ends meet and frequently run afoul of law enforcement, those they steal from and other, more unscrupulous, characters. Gina Torres played second in command to the ship’s captain, Mal (Nathan Fillion). The quote was from the fifth episode of the series, “Safe,” and was uttered after Mal and Zoë storm in to recuse two of their kidnapped passengers, who are about to be burned alive.

It’s no surprise that Gina Torres chose the “big damn heroes” line as her favorite moment of the series. Riding to the rescue must be a fun part of the job for any actor who gets a shot at it, and playing a character bold enough to know when they’ve saved the day and then proudly announce it has to feel pretty cool. Another key to this phrase is that it was heartily embraced by many of Firefly’s biggest fans. They all know the importance of the saying.

Another favorite aspect of the show that the fans have always appreciated, and that Gina Torres enjoyed herself, is the relationship between Zoë and her husband Wash (Alan Tudyk). Torres notes that she enjoyed the “sweet” interactions between the two, and that they led to her character being a well-rounded woman.

Fans of Firefly can certainly name many favorite moments from the show, so it’s always good to hear that stars like Gina Torres have their own best-of-show times to reflect on. Hearing them talk so fondly of the series is the closest we may get to having it back on the air.

In case if you missed it, Marvel spent the morning dropping bombs about everything its doing through 2020. Apparently we’re getting Civil War. We’re getting Black Panther. We’re getting more Guardians Of The Galaxy. It’s a pretty great time to be a comic book fan and to be Chadwick Boseman, who was cast as Black Panther this morning.

As much as we learned about Marvel this morning, however, we’re still missing one extremely key detail. Who is going to play Captain Marvel? With Boseman in place, joining the previously announced Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, we need a strong, charismatic woman who can compete.

Here are Cinema Blend’s choices for Carol Danvers…

Katee Sackhoff

The favorite for what seems like a majority of fans, Katee Sackhoff has been linked to the role on several occasions, but nothing has ever come of it. Depressingly, many of those rumors came so long ago that one would think if she was going to be signed, it would have happened and been announced today. Still, with plenty of badass experience (Battlestar Galactica and Longmire), she’s someone who could bring plenty of confidence and swagger to the part.

Genesis Rodriguez

With some action work already underneath her belt in The Last Stand, as well as some Marvel/Disney connections as the voice of Honey Lemon in the new film Big Hero 6, Genesis Rodriguez makes for a great candidate. Her schedule should be open as soon as she's done making Yoga Hosers for Kevin Smith, providing she's not cast in the third and final entry in the True North Trilogy, Moose Jaws. No offense to Kevin Smith, but I think most people would pick Carol Danvers.

Emily Blunt

Emily Blunt was almost a Marvel Studios player back when Iron Man 2 was in production. Unfortunately a contractual obligation forced her to pass on the role and star in Gulliver's Travels for 20th Century Fox. However, it's that blessing in disguise that allowed Blunt to eventually star in Edge Of Tomorrow, which has us more than convinced that she's ready for a comic movie of her own.

America Fererra

Another wildcard pick of ours, America Ferrera hasn't really had a lot of opportunity to flex her action movie muscles. That said, she's a Disney mainstay from her Ugly Betty days, and she's done a good job voicing a badass as Astrid in the How To Train Your Dragon series. It doesn't seem that far off to give her a real costume, and to put her into the game for real. She's lost weight. She's looking good, and in the right situation, she could kick some ass.

Gina Torres

A graduate of the Joss Whedon Academy of Bad Ass Women, Gina Torres is a prime choice to play Captain Marvel. Seeing as how Whedon loves to promote from within, it would be a surprise if she wasn't already being courted in some unofficial capacity. Her days on Firefly prove that she can kick ass, while at the same time convey heart and warmth whilst reloading. And whether Whedon is still involved with Marvel down the road or not, one would imagine he would still be rooting for the same team.

Zoe Bell

One of Quentin Tarantino's favorite stunt/leading ladies as of late, Zoe Bell is more than comfortable with the stunts that a Captain Marvel would require. Better still, she'd be able to do all of her own practical stunts without needing a double, which means the writers can really go wild with what they plan in telling Carol Danvers' story. Maybe we can even get QT involved in writing/directing this puppy at that rate!

Gina Carano

Gina Carano's action pedigree is solid, with her appearances in the Fast And Furious franchise, as well as her UFC background both coming in handy. This film will be more of a test to her dramatic mettle, but if she can make an action movie with Steven Soderbergh, there should be very little adjustments to be made when working with whoever Marvel is able to land for this.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Another geek favorite pick is Ramona Flowers herself, Mary Elizabeth Winstead. She's tackled both action and comic reading material in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, so Winstead obviously has no problem with bringing a creation of ink and paint into three dimensional life. And if she ever needs a letter of recommendation, she could turn to former Live Free Or Die Hard co-star Bruce Willis for help.

Adrianne Palecki

Now here's an oddball theory. Considering Adrianne Palecki is the new Mockingbird on Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., this sounds crazy, right? But considering the fact that they're already breaking from the comic origins by not (as of yet) having her end up with Hawkeye, why not use this opportunity to shake things up a little more and turn Bobbi Morse into a full blown super?

Tricia Helfer

Another former Battlestar Galactica co-star ready for a big screen burst of glory is Tricia Helfer. While she was sinister as Six on Battlestar, she can also win one for the good guys, much like she did on ABC's Killer Women. Though if Disney needs another reason to re-hire Helfer, they should consider the fact that she was the voice of The Grid itself in Tron: Uprising. Helfer knows what it's like to have all of that power, and she handles it well.

Since Firefly became such a cult phenomenon, Gina Torres and Nathan Fillion should have had plenty of excuses to run into one another at conventions and the like. However, now the two will meet back up on the small screen, with Torres joining Fillion’s starring vehicle, Castle, for a special episode. I hope the two characters will maintain the verbal rapport they had in Joss Whedon's series, but one thing’s for certain, Torres will not be playing Fillion’s second-in-command.

Torres is scheduled to guest star in an episode of ABC’s hit drama that TV Line is speculating will air in February. Her character, Samantha Foster, is tough and navigates the world without fear or mercy, always looking out for herself. As a successful businesswoman in the fashion industry, her skill sets come in handy, but they also allow her to access a devious side. Since Castle is a crime drama, I wonder if she will find herself in trouble with the law.

Since Firefly ended its brief run back in 2003, Torres has enjoyed both big screen and TV roles, including a lengthy stint on 24 and, most recently, Suits, where she also plays a tough character, albeit a fair one. If you are a Castle fan, you’ll know this isn’t the first time ABC has hooked up a Firefly reunion of sorts on the hit show. Last spring, Adam Baldwin also appeared in the drama as another detective whom Castle was paired up with to solve a case. That was a winning episode, and here’s hoping that when Torres appears in the episode “Reality Star Struck,” her role will be able to bring the same fanboy glee out of us.

ABC’s Castle airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.

Hello Browncoats. You know why we're here.

It's the Comic Con 10th Anniversary Firefly Reunion with Joss Whedon, Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Alan Tudyk, Sean Maher, and Summer Glau.

Will there be news now that Joss Whedon has the power of The Avengers behind him? Serenity 2? New Comics? SOMETHING? Let's find out!

12:43 "Ten Years ago" comes on screen, everyone goes apepoop. "Now we're getting the band back together" Shots of Mal to "I'm sexy and I know it."

12:45 Jeff Jensen takes the stage, introduces writer Jose Molina, Exec Prod Tim Minear, Alan Tudyk...

12:46 Nathan Fillion gets a full minute standing ovation. And Summer Glau hasn't even taken the stage yet.

12:47 Sean takes the stage, Adam Baldwin takes the stage, everyone is standing....FOR JOSS WHEDON

12:49 We're told to sit down and the entire panel waves and exits the stage like the panel was over, except Summer Glau who didn't get the memo about the group joke.

12:50 'We always knew from the very beginning that we were doing things for the right reasons in the right way...we are more than the sum of our parts...it was the best cast I'll ever work with." - Joss on Firefly. He says this has gone way beyond vindication, vindication happened a long time ago.

12:51 Nathan Fillion is getting a little emotional, which just makes him want to be funnier. Before Firefly, he was always guy number 5 or a bit part that could have been anyone, but Joss gave him Mal, the "best character I've ever played."

12:52"I wanted to tell an american immigrant story and a western but if I don't have spaceships, I get cranky." - Joss

12:53 Tim Minar makes a "my other spaceship" genitals joke. Joss was told that the only thing that was going to make Firefly work was to hire Tim and he did and it was the only way.

12:55 Jose Molina said writing on Firefly was being like a "pig in poop." He didn't say "poop" the first time. Jose got assigned homework of watching a lot of westerns, but ended up doing more of the sci-fi stuff when writing "Ariel." Joss praises him for coming up with the heist from that episode.

12:57 Sean says he's never considered the show "sci-fi" and instead calls it a "post apocalyptic western." Ariel was one of his favorite episodes, but he didn't get most of his pages until the night before. Sean to Jose: "Thanks for that."

12:59 When they first started shooting the series, Nathan came up to everyone and said: "We're learning everyone's names, it's a contest, I'm winning." Then walked away. And it created the atmosphere for everyone to learn names then get close through the work.

1:01 Clip time! Jayne gets his hat in the post from Mom, everyone cheers when the hat goes on screen. Clip ends, Adam pulls out the real hat. Cheers again!

1:02 A woman in the office knitted those hats. Adam really liked it, so decided to wear it the entire episode. Tim didn't really go with it, but Joss wasn't there, so the hat is now part of the series. Adam is going to give away the hat, these fans are going to eat each other.

1:06"What was the planet that Tracy wanted to be buried on?" Whomever answers this trivia question gets the hat. No one knows the answer off the top of their head, not even Joss. So- what? No one gets the hat?

1:07 Another clip! "You wanna meet the real me now?"

1:09 Joss is asked why he cast Summer. Summer says: "Can't change your mind now." Joss: "George Lucas could. I'm not saying we've had meetings..."

1:11 Joss starts talking about casting Nathan Fillion and Nathan Fillion makes faces that changes the context of what Joss Whedon says. It's lost on you, live blog readers, I apologize.

1:16 We're getting to fan questions after a lot of "We love you Browncoats." From Adam Baldwin. Joss says the movie Serenity was one of the finest nervious breakdowns a person can have. It changed him and changed the way he works, because after the series was over her had to get the movie together no matter what.

1:18 First fan question: St. Albums (sic) she wins the hat. She asks what their favorite fan memory was. Adam Baldwin's favorite is seeing everyone in line last night and getting a cupcake.

1:19 Fillion fan memory: "I remember a woman who walked up to Joss and just started crying." Joss: "I kicked her." Fillion: "Well obviously, like this woman said you saved her life." Joss: "I touched her."

1:21 Fillion reveals he brought Mal's gun.

1:22 Are we going to get Inara's story in a comic? Joss revels A Shepherd's Tale is one of Dark Horse's best selling books. And there will be more stuff because Zak Whedon and Joss started talking about it and they have "crazy cool shit." So - yes, more comics, some going into the future.

1:24 Alan's sister made a painting of Joss protecting a firefly in a jar from scary Fox Suits. It's Joss' favorite piece of fan art and is apparently

1:25 Would Firefly ever be an animated series? Joss: "Actually, I thought radio show." Alan and Nathan improv a short radio drama about Mal hitting on Zoe.

1:27 Asian American asks if Joss will ever revisit the Chinese/English hybrid world with Asian actors. Joss answers seriously that it was a bit more complex than that, Nathan Fillion answers by suggesting Summer kind of looks Asian.

to me and apologize to me for seeing it on the DVD and I say: 'wait, you waited to watch the show until I was getting paid for it'."

1:31 Fan question: "Have you ever camped out over night for anything and if so what was it?" Joss: "Camping."

1:32 "If you would have known there would only be 1 season of Firefly, how would the finale have differed from Serenity?" Everyone oohs because the last question is a good one.

1:33 Joss said they would have delved more heavily into Blue Sun conspiracy which got cut from the movie, Book and Inara's stories would have been told and "I wouldn't have killed anyone." Alan Tudyk raises his arms in triumph.

1:35 What do the fans mean to you? Joss starts crying, Nathan starts crying, No one has to say anything, everyone gives a standing ovation.

1:38 Everyone is still standing. "The way in which you have inhabited this universe, you're living Firefly. When I see you guys, I don't think the show is off the air." Joss gets drowned out by slowly building cheers.

Surprise, surprise... Another brand new show is doing the promo rounds this week, this time it's USA Network's legal dramedy Suits. Using the searingly catchy logline, "Two Lawyers, One Degree," this legal procedural with a Good Will Hunting-esque twist surely can't miss. I mean, legal dramedies? We haven't got one of those since, like, every pilot season since the invention of the medium.

To be fair, there is something that might make Suits unique and give it a fighting chance. A big plus, in my mind, is that it's not produced by any of the four major networks since, without question, the best TV is being made any and everywhere else. AMC's The Killing instantly springs to mind as they've managed to take what seems to be another ordinary police procedural and instead deliver a slow-burning and realistic portrait of that Seattle community.

The USA network has also found frequent success with their (niche) original programming, dating all the way back to Monk and more recently with White Collar and Burn Notice. Since they've brought in Kevin Bray to direct the Suits pilot, a frequent director for both White Collar and Burn Notice they seem to be trying to replicate that winning formula.

So will Suits be just another courtroom drama or can USA follow the non-network mold and produce something seemingly original and maybe a little off the beaten path. Watch the clips and see if they're headed down the right one.

Suits stars Patrick J. Adams and Gabriel Macht as the aforementioned two lawyers (the latter being the one with the degree) plus it features Meghan Markle, Gina Torres, Rick Hoffman and Sarah Rafferty. Kevin Bray directed the pilot from a script by series creator Aaron Korsh. Suits, from Exec Producer Doug Liman, premieres on the USA Network on Thursday, June 23 at 10 p.m. ET.

Official Synopsis,