Ever since I started watching The Pitt and learned that the actress behind Dr. Mel King, Taylor Dearden, was the daughter of Bryan Cranston, I’ve been wondering if he’d ever appear on the show. Then, I heard the Breaking Bad actor praise his kid's work, and that dream became bigger. Now, as Season 2 of Pitt prepares to premiere, an executive producer has opened up about whether that dream could ever become a reality.

This whole conversation about Cranston started when Chucky actor Brad Dourif was brought up during an interview with Rotten Tomatoes, because he guest-starred on The Pitt during Season 1. Notably, his daughter, Fiona Dourif, is a regular on the medical drama – she plays Dr. McKay – and her real-life dad got to portray her character’s father, Neil McKay. So, the interviewer asked if there was a “temptation” to “get Bryan to come in with Taylor.” In response, director and executive producer John Wells said:

Well, that settled things quickly. The odds of us ever seeing Bryan Cranston on The Pitt are slim to none. However, there’s a good reason behind it.

Overall, this medical drama is made up of extremely talented actors who were not super well-known, with the exception of Noah Wyle. That is a fact they’d like to maintain on the show, so the attention stays on the characters we know and love and the messages about healthcare workers and medicine they’re working to spread. Explaining that point further, Wells said:

To be blunt, if Bryan Cranston (or any A-lister for that matter) were to be on The Pitt, it’s possible that it would shift the focus of the show and leave people more likely in awe of the actor than the story at hand.

Don’t get me wrong, some series use A-list guest stars in very effective ways. I mean, Cranston won a 2025 Emmy for guest-starring on The Studio, which felt like it featured every famous person ever in it. However, other programs aren’t built to do things like that, and that’s the case for The Pitt.

So, as The Pitt gets ready to premiere on the 2026 TV schedule, don’t get your hopes up. However, don’t feel like this is a bad thing either. Sure, it’d be great to see the father-daughter duo on screen together, but they can do that elsewhere. When it comes to this medical drama (which was one of my favorite shows of 2025), the focus is going to stay on the actors we got to know last season and introduce us to new guest stars and regulars who will be played by talented actors who deserve the spotlight. That seems like a win to me.

Now, to see Taylor Dearden and the cast of The Pitt back in action, make sure your HBO Max subscription is ready. Season 2 premieres on January 8, and then it will air weekly on Thursdays after that.

Season 2 of The Pitt is going to premiere on the 2026 TV schedule in January, which means it’s almost time for the staff to clock in. However, when we return to this Pittsburgh hospital next season, things will have changed, as one doctor returns after a major controversy and another completely leaves.

So, when we finally get to the first hour of this second shift, there are two questions I need answered – one is about Langdon’s return and the other is about Collins' exit.

Why Is Dr. Langdon Allowed To Come Back?

At the end of Season 1, Langdon was not on good terms with Robby, and that’s putting it lightly. After Santos was suspicious of him for a while, it was revealed that he was stealing medicine from the hospital. Robby told him to leave after that, but he returned to help the hospital handle the victims of the mass shooting not long after.

So, his fate at the hospital at the end of Season 1 was uncertain at best, and it seemed highly likely he’d be out of a job. However, Patrick Ball, who plays Langdon, is returning for Season 2, which means his doctor will be back at work. Now, I’d like to know why he was allowed to return.

Thankfully, it turns out his return is an important point of the upcoming episodes, as showrunner R. Scott Gemmill told EW:

The showrunner also explained that when we come back, Langdon’s issue will have spread around the ER. This will also serve as the first time Ball’s doctor and Robby have seen each other since the end of Season 1.

So, there will be a lot to unpack when this Emmy-winning show returns, and that includes why Langdon was allowed to come back.

Where Is Dr. Collins?

Now, while Langdon’s return is surprising, I don’t think it was as shocking as the news that Tracy Ifeachor wouldn’t be returning as Dr. Collins.

Noah Wyle confirmed that Collins’ exit was a creative decision, noting how much they love the actress who plays her. Meanwhile, executive producer and director John Wells gave a bit more context about why her character won’t be on The Pitt while speaking with THR. Noting the reality of hospital staff turnover, he explained:

This is a great point. Hospital staffs evolve and change, so this kind of decision is natural. However, after Collins had a miscarriage and left work early in Season 1, I think many were hoping to hear what happened to her next.

Hopefully, we will learn something, because I’d like to know where she went. So, when Season 2 returns, I’d like at least a sentence of dialogue that tells us where Collins is and what she did between seasons.

Thankfully, we don’t have to wait long to return to The Pitt, because it will be back in January. In the meantime, you can theorize about the answers to these questions while streaming Season 1 with an HBO Max subscription.

From 1994 to 2005, Noah Wyle was beloved by many as Dr. John Carter on ER, where he earned five consecutive Emmy nominations. After that, however, that sort of recognition has eluded him — until this year, at least. He’ll be up for two trophies when the Primetime Emmy Awards air on the 2025 TV schedule — this time for a different medical drama, The Pitt — and Wyle opened up about how meaningful it is at this point in his career.

Noah Wyle plays Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch on The Pitt — a different character by design from ER’s John Carter — and he’s among those nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama at the upcoming awards show. It won’t be Wyle’s first Emmys rodeo come September 14, but the actor finds himself at a different stage of his life and career 26 years after his previous nomination, which he told People makes the whole thing a bit daunting. He said:

Noah Wyle said he was “annoyingly blasé” about being nominated for his role as John Carter more than two decades ago, because he didn’t realize it would be so long before he got another invitation to the big dance.

Until he was nominated for a 2025 Emmy Award for his role on The Pitt (which can be streamed via HBO Max subscription), he said he thought those days were behind him:

The actor isn’t taking credit for the recognition he’s received. John Wells, the venerable TV producer behind ER, The Pitt and so many other series, made this all happen (again), according to Noah Wyle, who said:

It’s probably safe to say that John Wells is pleased with the actor, as The Pitt has been a hit with general audiences and healthcare workers alike. It has appealed to fans of the horror genre and served as a more-than-sufficient replacement for Grey’s Anatomy fans during the ABC medical drama’s summer hiatus.

The Pitt Season 2 is set to premiere in January 2026, but before then we’ll get to see if Noah Wyle can finally bring home a trophy, when the 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards air at 8 p.m. ET Sunday, September 14, on CBS and streaming live with a Paramount+ subscription.

It’s been nearly 20 years (or five presidential elections) since Josiah Bartlet left the fictional White House of The West Wing. Yet, with the series as rewatchable as ever for those with an HBO Max subscription, there’s no shortage of calls for a revival. Executive producer John Wells said it’s something he and creator Aaron Sorkin have discussed over the years, but he admitted to being “worried” about rebooting the political drama today.

The West Wing is the kind of show that makes you feel a little better about the world, even if you just have it on in the background while folding laundry. So there’s no mystery why fans are craving more from that idealized universe. It doesn’t help that cast members like Joshua Malina constantly tease reunion talks, or that Richard Schiff pitched an idea that Sorkin apparently loved. The famed screenwriter himself has even teased ideas for new episodes. However, in today’s politically volatile climate, John Wells has reservations, telling THR:

There’s certainly a challenge in today’s world to create anything with “political” in the description without alienating a large portion of potential viewers. Would a theoretical West Wing reboot be able to avoid making political statements? Would audiences infer them anyway? John Wells points out that’s never what The American President-inspired series was about, continuing:

The West Wing evolved from its original premise when Martin Sheen’s President Bartlet ended up being such a profound presence on the series. The president was originally not intended to be a main character, with Aaron Sorkin wanting to focus on the day-to-day happenings of the White House senior staff.

Of course, fans still got that, with Bradley Whitford, Allison Janney, Richard Schiff, Rob Lowe, Dulé Hill, John Spencer and more always trying to put the good of the American people first, even when they fell short. I’d love to think something like that is still possible. I mean, political dramas do still exist on the 2025 TV schedule.

Could we not visit a world where Sam Seaborn was president (assuming he’s been found since Rob Lowe’s “Missing Person” milk cartons went out)? Or, as Richard Schiff supposedly proposed years ago, focus on government outside of the White House, perhaps at the state level, where OG characters could still pop in to consult?

It feels like there are definitely ways to revisit one of the best shows currently streaming on HBO Max, but I also think John Wells has a pretty valid concern. I expect we’ll continue to be teased with such a project for years to come. For now, though, it fans can see two of their favorite senior staffers reunite in a different fictional White House.

Allison Janney plays Vice President Grace Penn on The Diplomat, and Bradley Whitford will join the cast as her husband in Season 3 this fall. Keep your eye out for that 2025 Netflix premiere date, and in the meantime, go ahead and rewatch your favorite episodes of The West Wing on HBO Max.

Noah Wyle made his TV medical drama comeback amid the 2025 TV schedule with Max’s The Pitt. The show has since become a hit, and it quickly landed a Season 2 renewal. Not too much is known about the second season, but what's been reported is that it'll take place over Fourth of July weekend, meaning that the doctors, nurses, and staff at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital will be dealing with quite a bit. All of that aside, though the series' EPs are also addressing whether the new episodes will explore the characters' home lives.

The end of The Pitt’s first season gave fans a little look into the personal lives of some of the doctors following the craziness that was their 15-hour shift. From Whitaker sleeping in an empty wing of the hospital to Mel picking up her autistic sister, to Robby, Abbot, Mohan and Javadi, among others, gathering for a much-needed post-shift beer. It wasn’t much, but it was great to see them outside the hospital. For those hoping that it will continue, executive producer R. Scott Gemmill told TV Insider that his thinking is elswhere:

As great as it would be to see the characters outside the hospital, it would be difficult for the show to accommodate those kinds of storylines. Each episode takes place over the course of an hour in one shift, so it would be tough for the writers to balance the drama at the hospital with anything substantial going outside its walls. So Gemmill's approach does make sense. Fellow executive producer John Wells echoed his colleague's sentiments with some cerebral thoughts of his own:

There are plenty of shows that center around a specific workplace, but very few are as visceral as this show. Every episode provides a detailed look at what it's like to work in a medical facility. With that, the producers seem keen on keeping the bulk of the action confined to Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital. Sure, it’s possible that The Pitt Season 2 will once again end with the characters all going home or hanging out somewhere, but it sounds like fans shouldn’t expect that to happen during the season.

Of course, it's not like The Pitt, which is one of the best shows streaming on Max, will be grasping for storylines for Season 2. A Fourth of July weekend backdrop could certainly create some pretty intense emergencies and introduce some interesting patients. (Why do I get the feeling a fireworks-related incident is on the horizon?) The season will also see Langdon return from rehab, which will (hopefully) be compelling as well.

Whether the stories take place in the hospital or not, I'll certainly continue to watch The Pitt. Ahead of Season 2's premiere in 2026, grab a Max subscription and stream the first season.

Back in the early aughts, The West Wing had a pretty heady task in winning over American audiences in the wake of the Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal. But with an idealized White House, an amazing cast and the musical writing of Aaron Sorkin, the political drama did just that. Before there was The West Wing, though, there was The American President, the romantic comedy starring Michael Douglas and Annette Bening that was also penned by Sorkin. That’s no coincidence, either, as it turns out the idea for the NBC series was inspired by Rob Reiner’s 1995 film. 

It’s easy to see the similarities between the two projects. Aaron Sorkin’s quick and witty dialogue is unmistakable, and their two fictional presidents — Michael Douglas’ Andrew Shepherd and Martin Sheen’s Jed Bartlet — are equally beloved for being smart, capable and, above all, good-hearted. So how did a romantic comedy film deliver one of the best television shows of all time? 

How The West Wing Was Inspired By The American President 

In The American President, the story mostly focuses on the president himself and his budding relationship with environmental lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening) in a re-election year. The West Wing was intended to be the opposite — the exploration of the president’s senior staff with very little of the big guy himself — made possible through Aaron Sorkin’s overachieving first script. The writer said in The West Wing (The Official Companion): 

While Martin Sheen’s portrayal of President Bartlet necessitated that he play a bigger role in the series than originally intended, his character’s story never overshadowed those of his staff, as we were gifted with one of the best ensemble casts of all time in John Spencer (chief of staff Leo McGarry), Bradley Whitford (deputy chief of staff Josh Lyman), Richard Schiff (communications director Toby Ziegler), Rob Lowe (deputy communications director Sam Seaborn), Allison Janney (press secretary C.J. Cregg), Dulé Hill (president aide Charlie Hill) and many others over the course of its seven-season run. 

The West Wing’s Pilot Script Came Straight From The American President’s Cutting Room Floor 

It’s funny to think that the first draft of The American President might have included larger stories for chief of staff A.J. (played by a pre-Bartlet Martin Sheen) or staffer Lewis (Michael J. Fox), but apparently that’s exactly what happened. The West Wing’s executive producer John Wells recalled that being part of his conversation with Aaron Sorkin as The West Wing was being developed. Wells told Empire: 

One of those stories that was left on The American President’s cutting room floor became the basis for The West Wing’s series premiere, which aired on NBC on September 22, 1999. In the same interview with Empire, Aaron Sorkin said: 

This should come as no surprise to anyone who’s seen at least The West Wing’s first season and Rob Reiner’s rom-com, as there are some pretty obvious similarities between the two. 

In the episode “A Proportional Response,” Jed Bartlet expresses frustration after being advised to issue a measured attack against forces abroad that shot down a plane carrying U.S. citizens. His question “What is the virtue of a proportional response?” is practically identical to Andrew Shepherd’s in a similar situation in The American President, where he tells his advisors: “Someday, someone's gonna have to explain to me the virtue of a proportional response.”

In The West Wing episode that followed — “Five Votes Down” — Bartlet’s gun control bill is one of the central focuses, particularly how the staff tries to drum up support for their admittedly weak legislation. It’s also the episode where Leo’s wife leaves him, as he tells her that as long as Bartlet is in the White House, his job is more important than his marriage. 

Fans of The American President will surely see similarities to the movie here, as President Shepherd steals votes from Sydney in order to get his crime bill passed. His girlfriend loses her job over it and in her breakup rant she tells the president, “Congratulations, it’s only taken you three years to put together crime prevention legislation that has no hope of preventing crime.” 

Several Cast Members Appeared In Both The Movie And The TV Series 

There are plenty of actors you probably forgot were on The West Wing, but several of them you may have recognized from The American President, because the plot isn’t the only place where the two overlap. Obviously Martin Sheen was promoted to the Oval Office for the NBC series after serving as chief of staff in the movie, but he’s not the only Sorkin player to double-dip. 

Anna Deavere Smith recurred as National Security Advisor Nancy McNally from Seasons 2 to 7 after playing press secretary Robin McCall in The American President; Joshua Malina, who joined The West Wing in Season 4, was a colleague of Sydney’s in the romantic comedy; and Nina Siemaszko, who played Sydney’s sister in the movie, appeared in nine episodes of The West Wing as one of the First Daughters. 

Both of these projects are beloved pieces of work from Aaron Sorkin, and fans of The West Wing are likely more than grateful that the writer was so inspired by his White House research that he created the characters of the Bartlet White House that we love so much. The West Wing is currently one of the best shows streaming on Max, so fire up your Max subscription. While The American President isn’t available to stream anywhere currently, you can rent or buy the movie on digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video or YouTube. 

Shameless returns to Showtime for its final season soon, and as was the case with many shows this past year, the series was impacted by COVID-19. In fact, the novel coronavirus ended up influencing the final season in a major way, but not just because of the production shutdowns. Instead, the writers went back into what they had written and made sure that the pandemic was factored into the plot.

Executive producer John Wells spoke with TVLine about Season 11 of Shameless, and the decision to make COVID-19 a part of the final season. Wells spoke about the necessity of factoring the pandemic of 2020 into the series, and how it impacted the work that was done on the series ahead of the decision.

Shameless removed or re-worked a chunk of what it had planned for Season 11, and made sure it covered COVID-19 in a way that only the Gallagher family can. It's certainly a bold decision for the final season, but John Wells added that it seemed like a series that is "a ribald satire about public policy" wouldn't be doing things right by sidestepping the pandemic.

As an example of how the Gallaghers do lockdown, John Wells mentioned that Shameless viewers will be seeing Frank without a mask while other characters are wearing them. This is tied to the character's "libertarianism" which apparently convinced Frank to believe the COVID-19 crisis is more or less some kind of plot. Wells also hinted that it's hard to read exactly whether or not the character truly believes that, or he's just trying to get others around him worked up.

Shameless Season 11 also intends to showcase the impact COVID-19 had on already struggling families, and how a pandemic and shutdowns took jobs from people who really needed the money. Of course, it's also still going to use its signature brand of humor, so expect the Showtime series to also find a way to laugh at what a miserable year 2020 has been for many.

Shameless' final season premieres on Showtime Sunday, December 6 at 9:00 p.m. ET. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for more on the series during its final run, and for more news happening in television and movies now and in the coming weeks.

Fans were stunned when Shameless star Emmy Rossum decided to take her leave of the long-running series after Season 9. They were obviously worried that with the heart of the Gallagher clan gone that the show wouldn't be brought back, but a Season 10 renewal was granted. Now, though, we know that Shameless will, indeed, end with the Season 11 finale, which will land on Showtime at some point later this year. So, audiences want to know: will Rossum be back at all for the final season? Unfortunately, the answer isn't as cut and dry as anyone would like.

Shameless aired its Season 10 finale last night, and while a lot of things came to a nice sort-of end, there are plenty of places that showrunner John Wells and his team of writers can take the Gallaghers (and their friends) in the last season. But, the biggest question on everyone's minds will probably be whether or not anything will lead to a return from former star Emmy Rossum during Season 11. Here's what Wells had to say when asked if getting Rossum back before the end is a priority:

Well, this answer from John Wells, who spoke with TVLine, is certainly not of the more-Emmy-Rossum-on-Shameless dream crushing variety, but I think we can all see why I mentioned above that it wouldn't be a simple one, either. It's pretty clear that, even though Rossum and the show seem to have parted on very good terms, getting her back on Shameless, even for just a teeny surprise guest spot, will be a wait-and-see situation for the show, as much as it is for fans.

John Wells admitted that, had he his druthers, he never would have had to figure out a way to write out Emmy Rossum's Fiona in the first place, and that rings true considering how she left the show. Instead of having Fiona burn alive in a fire, overdose on drugs, get caught in some very illegal gun play or succumb to her injuries after a drunk driving incident, the long-suffering (sometimes through her own fault) Gallagher care-taker got a windfall and decided to use the cash to take off and leave Chicago's South Side (and her nutty family) behind.

With the notable and quite obvious exception of her dad, Frank, Fiona was thanked by the many family members she sacrificed for throughout her young life in order to try giving everyone a more stable childhood and actual promising future. Basically, Fiona was fed up and needed a break, and we know that she's been in contact with some of her folks since leaving, so, technically, she could pop back up in Chicago at any time.

As John Wells noted, Emmy Rossum is working on other things for the foreseeable future. Currently, Rossum is starring in the steamy story of Los Angeles' famous billboard queen in the eponymous Angelyne, so her schedule is likely pretty tight right now. With Shameless wrapping up this year, it'll probably be a bit of a struggle to get her on set before all is said and done, but it's not really impossible.

If you're worried, though, about Shameless ending without more Fiona sightings and think it would negatively impact the show, John Wells can at least put you at ease on that front. Here's what he had to say about whether or not he thinks the Gallaghers need her for their ending to have some real closure::

That's a very zen response, isn't it? Fans might be desperate for Emmy Rossum to bring Fiona back before the finale rolls credits for the last time, but it's good to know that John Wells feels it isn't an absolute necessity in order for Shameless to get the send off it deserves after eleven seasons.

Shameless Season 11 doesn't have a premiere date yet, but it is coming later this year, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest on the Gallagher family saga as it winds down.

Major spoilers below for anyone who hasn't yet watched the Season 4 finale of Animal Kingdom.

While TNT's Animal Kingdom has been the same gritty, violent and unapologetic drama for the past four seasons, everything changed (to a certain extent) with the penultimate episode, which did the dirty deed of killing off Ellen Barkin's main character Janine "Smurf" Cody. The season finale didn't magically bring her back to life – much to Barkin's displeasure – but it definitely made things more complicated and hectic for the Cody boys in Season 5.

Denis Leary's Billy made a heck of a surprising return, both for audiences and for his son Deran, but it was somehow still Smurf's actions from beyond the grave that shook all the characters the hardest, considering her will left basically everything to a former criminal accomplice who went to jail while Smurf did not. Combine that with the sons' need to reinforce how intimidating and unbreakable the Smurf-free Cody family still is, and it sounds like a mental shit-show for all involved.

Executive producer John Wells spoke with Deadline about how Smurf's history and various relationships will continue to play roles in the lives of the Cody boys. In his words:

I think the biggest opportunity and challenge rolled into one is finding a way to showcase the depth and importance of Smurf’s role in the Cody family psychologically. Next season, the writers will get a chance to explore how our characters were formed by Smurf and how those twisted connections continue to affect them after she’s gone. There is a lot to unpack there.

As it sometimes goes, a death can lead to a string of discoveries that throws that person's family into a whirlwind of panic and confusion. When you're talking about Ellen Barkin's Smurf, though, you're taking that concept to the nth degree. From the various baby-daddies she courted to the criminals she partnered with, Smurf was often chaos incarnate, and her warped take on love and motherhood will undoubtedly coil itself around the hearts of Pope, Deran, Craig and J as they continue maintaining their reputation in Smurf's absence.

If Animal Kingdom really wanted to go down the unbeaten path, it would show audiences connections that Smurf made in her past that weren't twisted at all. But then that would probably only make for a ten-minute-long episode.

When asked about a previous moment in Season 4 that spoke to where the show's future was heading, John Wells spoke to an episode that aired a few weeks ago, saying this:

In "SHTF" (Episode 409), nobody in the family knows where Smurf is. Her absence forces each of our characters to think about a future without Smurf, at the same time that the audience sees Smurf planning her grand finale. Pope, thinking Smurf left for good, reveals her illness to the rest of the family. Smurf’s reappearance at the end of the episode feels like a surprise, and is the jumping off point for Smurf to set her last job into motion, with all of the boys heading into the job already feeling the weight of Smurf’s potential demise, even if they don’t know that it is coming so soon.

Just two episodes later, in the John Wells-directed "Ghosts," Smurf led an attack against Jed and his people, making it look like a gold robbery when it was in fact a kamikaze attempt. Not wanting to potentially wither away as a cancer patient, Smurf made up her mind to get taken down in a gunfight, and gets extremely pissed off at Pope for disrupting it. After she unsuccessfully tries threatening Pope into killing her, J. is the one that steps in and puts her down, which almost got him booted from the gang, family or no family.

J. managed to buy himself a bowling alley and a laundromat with money he siphoned away from Smurf, which ended up being the wisest move possible ahead of her death. Not that I believer he and the others will be able to turn a fully honest profit through the businesses, since that would make things too easy. But we'll have to see what he and Frankie get into when Season 5 comes around.

Are you guys excited to see what the Cody sons will destroy in Season 5? Will it once again be the face of Angel's brother Mike? Will the sons end up getting the will faked, or will they really go unrewarded for their loyalty to Smurf's leadership?

Find out when Season 5 of Animal Kingdom hits TNT at some point presumably in 2020.

Warning! Major spoilers below for the penultimate Season 4 episode of Animal Kingdom, so read at your own risk.

With the dysfunctionally family-driven crime drama Animal Kingdom on its way to a fifth season at TNT, the impending Season 4 finale seemed like a big time opportunity to deliver a game-changing moment. Little did fans realize that the show's creative team was going to drop is big bomb in the second-to-last episode, which (somewhat) shockingly killed off Ellen Barkin's matriarch Smurf Cody. And not in the slow, drawn-out-by-cancer way, either.

Smurf's diagnosis already did not bode well for Ellen Barkin's chances of sticking around for another few years. And even though that angle could have been reversed through the magic of storytelling, Smurf made it clear she wanted to end things on her terms, which were essentially "soon" and "by someone else's gun." J ended up being the one to take Smurf's life when all was said and done, seemingly tying their relationship up with a twisted little bow that matched the one Pope was hanging onto.

Executive producer John Wells, who wrote and directed the episode, explained why Animal Kingdom killed off its family matriarch, bringing Ellen Barkin's primetime TV streak to a halt (at least in the current timeline). First mentioning the challenge of keeping audiences interested by shaking things up in certain ways, Wells told this to EW:

Definitely a salient point. Similar to the constantly in-turmoil family at the heart of another John Wells-produced drama, Shameless, the Cody clan was so accustomed to the pecking order that arguably the most interesting move to make at this point was to cut off the chaotic head of the family tree. That's a metaphor, obviously, since bullets were used to do it.

As it sometimes goes with crime stories of this sort, Smurf's story came full-circle in a way with the episode "Ghosts." Viewers watched a flashback showing Colin's brother Jed getting rapey with Smurf and tackling her, causing her to go into premature labor with Pope and Julia. In the present, the Cody crew hit Jed's compound, where Smurf put an end to the douchebag portrayed by The Originals' Joseph Morgan. But it wasn't solely about revenge or anything. Smurf's ulterior motive was actually to die in the gunfight that ensued.

John Wells, who was also an executive producer on ER (and doesn't want a reboot), talks about arriving at that decision for the proper way to take Smurf out of the story.

When driven back to her most primal instincts, Smurf admitted she wanted to die on the same ground where Colin died. Naturally, her primal instincts also had her choosing that situation to tell Pope who his father was, and also to try and provoke Pope into shooting her. He somehow didn't, despite her screaming insults and actually taking a shot at him. J was the one who made the call to do her bidding.

Now what? For one, Pope's truck was left on the compound property, so Jed's underlings are going to put 2 and 2 together. Plus, the boys are scheming to get Smurf's body through the system without the cops being alerted to exactly how she died. Not to mention whatever new problems are going to crop up to set Season 5 up.

For those wondering how Ellen Barkin felt about getting the bad Smurf news, John Wells stated that being from the film world, she was still surprised at how long it lasted in the first place. What's more, he claims she loved the story and was full of excitement when her final scene came together.

How shocked were you guys to see Smurf get killed like that? Did you think she would beat cancer, or maybe find out it was somehow a false diagnosis? Will we get more flashbacks with other big recurring stars in the future?

It'll be a long week, but the Animal Kingdom Season 4 finale will air next Tuesday on TNT at 9:00 p.m. ET.

While NBC's Will & Grace has proven that former TV hits are capable of returning to reconnect with mass numbers of viewers, and did so without causing any off-screen drama, it's something of a rarity. Still, network execs are generally game to at least try bringing back yesteryear's classics for today's audiences, and there have been murmurs at NBC that ER is on a shortlist of much-desired revivals. But the medical drama's executive producer John Wells isn't so keen on that idea, saying:

He's got a point, naturally. Back when ER launched in 1994, it was a thousand times harder for TV fans to be able to freely find and watch whatever shows were desired. There was syndication, of course, as well as the more classic days of Nick at Nite's throwback programming. But in many cases, it was easier (so to speak) for a network to just remake a formerly popular concept as opposed to trying to get the original series released in some way. (The days before DVDs were trash.)

Now, though, the amount of streaming services alone is higher than the number of channels people could watch on TV 60 years ago. Plus, many of those services contain the entire runs of some of the medium's most popular and influential series, meaning viewers are never far away from reliving all the TV magic they can handle. Not all shows have made it to the streaming era, to be sure, but ER's 331 episodes are available to get busy with at a moment's notice.

John Wells' argument isn't just about the fact that all of ER's episodes are available to watch somewhere online, but he also points out that the episodes they made for NBC (until its end in 2009) can still be used as conversation-starters for all the relevant points they made. Here's how he put it to TVLine.

Sure, there are probably some storylines that feel a little clunky all these years later, and watching Dr. Robert Romano do things is good for raising one's blood pressure. But for the most part, ER can still be as powerful as any other TV drama out there. Those earliest eps are definitely guilty of the weird hairstyles, but that's also where fans got to watch the opening chords of Dr. Carter's tumultuous relationship with Dr. Benton. As well as when Doug Ross and Mark Green were running them halls.

So, if there ever comes a point in time where virtually all of the emotional and thematic decisions witnessed on ER are deemed universally moot, then MAYBE John Wells might consider a trip back through the ER's swinging doors for another round of medical emergencies. But until that happens, I think we can all appreciate the 331 episodes that are currently available to stream on Hulu.

Medical emergencies, emotional dramas and more can be found in the midseason schedule, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled to see what else is on the way. And in case you missed it, ER's gigantic episode count was beaten by none other than Grey's Anatomy.

Shameless fans were already reeling from the news Emmy Rossum was exiting the program when they were hit with another bombshell regarding another actor's departure. Cameron Monaghan announced he would be exiting the series ahead of what was said to be his final episode as Ian Gallagher. Executive producer John Wells shared some background on Monaghan's departure, and whether or not there's a chance Ian Gallagher will ever appear on Shameless again.

John Wells indicated the door is always open for Cameron Monaghan to return to Shameless, and the executive producer gets why he's wanting to move on. Monaghan's spent a decade on the program, so Wells seems to understand why he would like to try something new. Monaghan's rise in star power thanks to Shameless and Gotham may make him a hot commodity in Hollywood, especially seeing as he'll be free from his acting obligation to the latter soon.

John Wells told TVline he and the Shameless crew understand the actor's concerns, which may be why they gave Ian a somewhat happy ending that could be revisited if Monaghan returned. Ian ended up serving his jail sentence for his role in blowing up a van in protest of conversion therapy, but ended up bunkmates with former boyfriend Mickey. The two shared a tender kiss that could close out Ian's story for good, or be the start of yet another one.

It feels as though it wouldn't be hard to squeeze in a couple Ian appearances in future seasons, if Cameron Monaghan is willing. The show could check in while he serves his two-year jail sentence, and follow up on how things are going between he and Mickey. This video shows they've had an up and down relationship throughout the years, so it wouldn't be surprising to learn the honeymoon was over between the two after months as bunkmates.

Another idea is that Shameless could do an episode when Ian's jail sentence is up, which would give Cameron Monaghan more time to spread his wings and get into other projects. Of course, that's reliant on Shameless remaining on television another two seasons, although the Showtime drama hasn't had a hard time staying on television thus far. It may be somewhat harder for the series to snag renewals going forward without Monaghan and Emmy Rossum keeping fans entertained, so there's really no telling what could happen next.

Shameless will return for the second half of Season 9 on Showtime Sunday, January 20. For a look at some of the major programs coming to television before then, head on over to our fall premiere guide.

Shameless is paving the way for the beginning of the end for Emmy Rossum's Fiona. The second half of the Showtime dramedy's ninth season will mark Rossum's last. So, is the show setting Fiona up for a happy ending of some sort? When asked if there is still hope for her to have one, Shameless' executive producer John Wells said:

From the sound of things, Fiona may get a happy ending. Just not in the traditional "happily ever after" way. John Wells' answer to TVLine is hopeful while drawing on viewers' anticipation. Based on his response, there should be a sense of closure on Fiona's journey. The thing is, Shameless fans may be in for quite the ride as she gets there.

Nothing comes easy for the characters on the Showtime dramedy. So, Fiona's final chapter will be no different. Having spiraled towards the end of Season 9's first half, it seemed things could not get any worse. Well, John Wells went on to tease a farther fall for Fiona as Season 9 progresses, saying:

Having devoted her life to bringing up her siblings, Fiona is now facing a bit of empty-nest-style emotions. They do not need her in the way they once did. Having never experienced an adult life without taking care of her siblings, she will need to define herself as an individual.

It should be the beginning of an intriguing journey for Fiona. As of the midseason finale, her life is in shambles. Whether she can put herself on a path to happiness in seven episodes will be interesting to learn.

Emmy Rossum announced her upcoming exit ahead of the premiere of the first half of Season 9. So, fans have had time to brace themselves. Shameless has undergone some significant changes, as Season 9 heralds a new chapter for the long-running series. Having already said goodbye to Cameron Monaghan's Ian, the show is preparing to bid farewell to its co-lead.

Given that the show was able to give Ian a bittersweet ending, there is reason to hope they can do the same for Fiona. While he ended up going to prison, he was reunited with his ex, Mickey. The two ended up being cellmates, and in an uplifting move, they got back together.

For her part, Fiona was not able to see Ian off due to a car accident. It is moments like that which marked low points for Fiona throughout the first half of Season 9. Whether she can end up surfacing in time to find happiness will probably remain a mystery until the very end.

Seven episodes seem like they could be more than enough time to make it happen. Find out if it does! The second half of Shameless Season 9, a.k.a. Emmy Rossum's last, will premiere January 20, 2019, on Showtime. While you wait for the dramedy's return, there is no shortage of content arriving over fall.

It was the news that shocked Shameless fans: Emmy Rossum announced that she would be departing the Showtime series, therefore making the show's upcoming Season 9 her last. Given the pivotal role that Rossum's Fiona has on the series, it stands to reason that fans may be wondering how and if the show will go on without her. Well, Shameless' creator, John Wells, has opened up about the future of the show without Rossum. Wells said:

Based on the Shameless creator's statement, fans can breathe a sigh of relief regarding the future of the show, per TVLine. From the sound of things, John Wells plans to forge ahead on Season 10. So, the good news is that the show will go on, meaning you will not have to say goodbye to all the Gallaghers. The sad news is that it will go on without one of its lead stars. Should she decide to return, the door will be open for Emmy Rossum and her character to come back.

It is another part of John Wells' statement that should ease any fears that Fiona's exit story will restrict her ability to return. Emmy Rossum in an original cast member, whose integral role on the series should leave a pretty big hole on the dramatic comedy. Season 9 will have the heavy task of bringing Fiona's story to the point of sendoff, while potentially passing the torch to the character that will fill the void.

Emmy Rossum broke the sad news that she would be exiting the show on August 30 in a poignant post on her personal Facebook page, Rossum praised the team behind Shameless, both in front of and behind the scenes. She also shared her appreciation for the stability being on the show for the past eight years has provided her. The actress also praised the writing of her "layered and dynamic" character. Rossum did not disclose an exact reason for her exit.

While fans savor their last season with Emmy Rossum and Fiona, the toughest season is arguably still on the horizon: the first one without her in it. They still have time before it comes to that. The first half of Season 9 will air this year, while the second half will premiere in 2019. As a result, fans will not know how Fiona exits Shameless until next year. Savor her time on the show while it lasts.

You can catch Emmy Rossum in the first half of her final season on the dramatic comedy when Shameless Season 9 premieres Sunday, September 9 at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime. It will conclude on October 21. The second half of Season 9 premieres January 20, 2019. For new television that will arrive alongside Shameless this fall, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's fall premieres.

Jamie Dornan is arguably having the biggest year of his career in 2015. The Northern Irish actor got attention for his turn in shows like Once Upon A Time and BBC's The Fall, his notoriety took a major step up thanks to his starring role in Fifty Shades of Grey. But if you were hoping that you'd next be able to see Dornan in the upcoming cooking drama Burnt, I have some bad news: his scenes have been left out of the final cut.

Entertainment Weekly has the scoop on this story, having gotten confirmation from director John Wells that all of Dornan's screentime in Burnt has been removed. To explain why the actor no longer appears in the movie, Wells released an official statement, saying,

There is a sad irony that comes with this story, and it stems from the fact that this is the second time that Sienna Miller has been involved with a story about axed screentime. It was just three weeks ago that director Scott Cooper went on the record explaining why the actress had been entirely cut out of the crime drama Black Mass (citing "narrative choices"). Obviously the headline here is that Jamie Dornan's performance got cut entirely, but I'm sure that Miller isn't too happy about a chunk of her character's backstory disappearing from what will be the final cut of the movie.

Based on a story by Michael Kalesniko, and a screenplay by Steven Knight, Burnt tells the story of a chef named Adam Jones, who winds up destroying his career with drugs, horrible behavior and a terrible attitude. After putting himself back together, however, he makes a mission for himself to go to London, start a new restaurant, and earn the coveted three Michelin stars. Sienna Miller plays a character named Helene, and while the trailer suggests that she will wind up being Jones' romantic interest, not much else is known about her. As such, it's hard to say exactly how Jamie Dornan would have fit into her narrative.

Burnt looks like it could be positioned to be a part of this year's Academy Award conversation, but whether or not it actually will be is unclear at the moment. The movie is skipping all of the big fall festivals - including the Toronto International Film Festival and the Venice Festival - so nobody has gotten a chance to get a look at it just yet. Instead, it looks like we'll have to wait for it to arrive in theaters - which will happen on October 23rd.

“Let me give you a little inside information about God. God likes to watch. He’s a prankster.”

To that effect, God must be heading up NBC, as the network is setting everything on fire and starting development on a series adaptation of Taylor Hackford’s off the rails 1997 supernatural drama The Devil’s Advocate. You know, the one where Al Pacino turns from a debonair smoothtalker into a raging devil incarnate. Okay, so that’s probably 40 percent of his cinematic output. This is the one where Keanu Reeves plays a dull, lifeless…well, you know what I’m talking about.

According to Deadline, NBC has given the project a pilot commitment, though the creative team behind The Devil’s Advocate almost certainly warrants a full series order in the future. Spearheading the project are Oscar-winning producer Arnold Kopelson (Platoon, Se7en) and Emmy winner John Wells (The West Wing). (Wells also successfully transported the hit British series Shameless for Showtime.) Writing the pilot is Matt Venne, whose biggest works to date include the Bag of Bones miniseries and the upcoming horror sequel The Haunting of Molly Hartley.

It’s assumed that this potential series wouldn’t just tell an A-B-C story like the film did. In it, Reeves plays Kevin Lomax, an up-and-coming Southern lawyer who signs with a New York law firm, where he finds himself working for John Milton (Pacino), a man who gets what he wants when he wants it. (Spoiler: it’s because he’s Satan.) Kevin starts spending more time at work doing morally questionable duties, avoiding spending time with his wife Mary Ann (Charlize Theron) and fantasizing about a coworker. As this isn’t really a mystery, I feel no remorse in saying the scene where Pacino reveals his underworldly origins to Kevin is one of cinema’s most ridiculously glorious sequences. Relive it below.

The Devil’s Advocate was a big success, taking in over $150 million on a $57 million budget. And there is admittedly material to mine out of some relatively innocent young sap forming a working relationship with the devil. Assuming, of course, that they find actors who are actually able to pull off the accents they are given, or that all accents are nullified from the script going forward. (Reeves and Theron as southerners are less convincing than an Onion story.) Want to listen to people funnier than me rail on The Devil’s Advocate? Listen to the always hilarious podcast How Did This Get Made? below.

This project is still in the early stages, so who knows what might happen between now and The Devil’s Advocate actually making it to TV. A plague of frogs or two, perhaps?

Benedict Cumberbatch's triple feature tour through the Toronto International Film Festival has come to an end. It began with the world premiere of Bill Condon's The Fifth Estate, then came Steve McQueen's 12 Years A Slave, and finally John Wells' August: Osage County. With the screenings of the first two on that list we got some extended looks at new footage, including a new clip from the former and a featurette for the latter, but we've been left waiting for a new look at the adaptation of Tracy Letts' play of the same name. Two days after its debut at Toronto we now have this brand new trailer, courtesy of Yahoo!

While Cumberbatch has his own moment in the spotlight in this trailer, what you're really focusing on the whole time is the insane number of recognizable faces there are in the movie. Adapted by Letts himself, the story centers of the strong women of the expansive Weston family who are all brought back together in the Oklahoma homestead after a family crisis and must deal with their dysfunctional matriarch. In addition to Cumberbatch the film stars Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Abigail Breslin, Juliette Lewis, Dermon Mulroney, Sam Shepard, Julianne Nicholson, Chris Cooper and Margo Martindale.

When you get this kind of cast together you expect results, and according to our own Sean O'Connell August: Osage County definitely delivers. Present at the world premiere screening in Toronto, Sean wrote of the film in his review, "Every actor realizes this is an all-star ensemble, and when Wells gives them a turn in the spotlight, they all rise to the occasion. They rise to the occasion, having been handed fine-tuned dialogue that drips with scorn and attitude off each performer’s tongue." It's high praise for a film that is likely to find itself as on of the titles competing in this year's Oscar race (and not just because it's being released by The Weinstein Company).

If the finished result is as good as Sean says it is, then this is certainly an accurate preview. I'm a big fan of stories where characters are forced into a situation or location and just have to talk and talk to hash out their issues - this seems to be just that, plus packed with an insanely talented cast. Just from this trailer you can tell there are an incredible number of conflicts brewing under the surface and it should be entertaining to watch it all bubble over.

While August: Osage County is starting its buzz campaign now, sadly we still have a long time to wait before we get to see it for ourselves. Later this year it will be going toe-to-toe with The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Jack Ryan, Grudge Match and 47 Ronin on Christmas Day, solidifying its entry into this year's award season.

It was ridiculously exciting to hear the recent news about Jon Favreau going indie again with his film Chef, which he’d be starring in. But that was so last week. Now here’s another movie called Chef making waves, and it sounds almost as intriguing.

Even though the ridiculously well-cast drama August: Osage County still hasn’t been released – it’s coming out in November – The Weinstein Company is reteaming with its director John Wells for a character drama titled Chef. And take this with a grain of salt, given recent events, but Deadline reports Bradley Cooper is set to be the titular chef. Chances are he’ll have to postpone his Broadway revival of The Elephant Man .

Working rom a seemingly clichéd script written by Steven Knight, Cooper will be playing Adam Jones, a Paris chef on the rise who temporarily throws his life into chaos with booze and drugs before sobering up and coming back better than ever, devoted to running a Michelin star-earning restaurant. Cooper’s interest arose when he got an early look at August: Osage County, which stars Julia Roberts, Benedict Cumberbatch, Meryl Streep, Ewan McGregor, Abigail Breslin and Chris Cooper, and then some. Wells is obviously comfortable directing talent. We’ll have to wait and see how audiences feel about it.

It’s worth noting that Cooper has already portrayed one of the most famous chefs in the world, Anthony Bordain, in the short-lived but hilarious Fox sitcom Kitchen Confidential, which was based on Bordain’s best-selling memoir. Granted, Cooper played a very watered-down network television version of the rough-edged chef, but this could be a second chance to find that energy and put it into his food. I mean his acting.

It's still going to be a gargantuan task for the Weinstein Company to adapt Tracy Letts's massive play August: Osage County for the screen, but the studio is slowly building up the star power to at least make the road a little smoother. Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep are already set to take the two lead roles, as the bossy oldest daughter in an Oklahoma family and the pill-addled mother who drives her crazy, and now they've added another A-lister behind the scenes-- The LA Times reports that George Clooney and his producing partner Grant Heslov have signed on to produce the film, which is reportedly set to begin shooting in the fall.

Clooney isn't likely to take a role onscreen, which if you've seen the play is actually a good thing-- there's not really a meaty part that he seems suited for, and this saga of Middle America doesn't really have space for a suave, Cary Grant-type figure like Clooney (yes, I realize he's from Kentucky, but you know what I mean). This will make Clooney's second play adaptation in a row, after last year's directorial effort The Ides of March, and a considerably more high profile one-- August: Osage County won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2008 after its Broadway run, along with the Tony Award for Best Play, and comes with the kind of theatrical pedigree that makes a lot of people sit up, pay attention, and demand Oscar buzz.

That's undoubtedly what the Weinstein Company is hoping for, and with the stars they're attracting so far, they'll have no trouble getting it. The more interesting x-factor is who's working behind the scenes-- Letts is adapting his own play for the screen, which is a good thing, but the director is John Wells, who had an acclaimed career on TV before making the earnest but slightly stiff drama The Company Men, which got a bizarrely curtailed release last year. Can Wells reign in the high drama and black humor of August: Osage County? I'm not sure I'd even be bold enough to try, so hats off to Wells for being up to the challenge-- and best of luck in finding the right actors to round out the unforgettable Weston clan before shooting begins.

If you wind up procrastinating this holiday season and need a late Christmas gift for a TV lover in your family, Showtime's Shameless will be there for you in your time of need. Warner Home Video has announced that the show's first season will be arriving on Blu-ray and DVD on December 27th. You might think it would make more sense to put it out before Christmas, but that's just typical of the Gallaghers.

If you never caught Shameless during its run earlier this year, you may still have heard it referenced online as "that show where Emmy Rossum gets really, really naked on a regular basis." Fortunately, if Emmy Rossum's unmentionables aren't enough to lure you in, the show also happens to be pretty damn funny. Based on a British show of the same name, Shameless tells the story of the dysfunctional Gallagher clan, a dead-broke Chicago family who struggles to make ends meet, even as their patriarch, the alcoholic Frank (William H. Macy), struggles to stay drunk at all times. Emmy Rossum plays Fiona, the eldest Gallagher child, and the one saddled with keeping the family running while Frank stumbles about in a booze-soaked haze. The show is exec produced by TV veteran John Wells (ER, The West Wing).

The show deftly balances dark humor and more dramatic moments, and never attempts to blunt the harshness of the Gallaghers' poverty-stricken existence or Frank's horrible parenting. Rossum is stellar is a young woman who's had to grow up too fast thanks to ineffectual or absent parents, and is now simply trying to carve out something for herself in the world. If you missed it during its run, I can't recommend the DVD release highly enough. Well, that's not quite true. So far the listings for set don't mention any bonus features at all, so fingers crossed that it's simply an oversight. At any rate, the show will be well worth your $49.99 on Blu-ray or $39.98 on DVD.

Shameless will return to Showtime for a second season on Sunday, January 8th, 2012.

August: Osage County is one of the most successful new plays to come to Broadway in years, a sprawling, three-hour story about an Oklahoma family, their infinite dark secrets and their many hilarious, terrifying fights. It's a great play with literally half a dozen great roles, and as soon as The Weinstein Company picked up the rights to Tracy Letts's work nearly two years ago, I predicted every actress in Hollywood would have their agents beating down the door for a chance at this one.

It's taken a while, but the Weinsteins are finally ready to move forward with the film, and to start things off they've made some decent but very, very predictable casting choices. According to Deadline, Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts will anchor the cast as Violet and Barbara, respectively; Violet is the drug-addled, acid-tongued matriarch memorably played by Deanna Dunagan in the original Broadway run, and Barbara is her eldest daughter who finds herself falling apart when she learns her husband is having an affair and that her teenage daughter is growing up way, way too fast.

On board to direct is John Wells, who had only directed a handful of ER episodes before making The Company Men, a respectable but slightly stuffy drama that made its debut at Sundance this year and has yet to see release.

The choice of Wells as a director-- perfectly capable but not too exciting-- kind of sums up why I'm not thrilled about this news. Of course Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts are immensely talented actresses, and of course it will be fun to see such famous faces sparring as mother and daughter. But the roles in August: Osage County are so wonderful that i was kind of rooting for actresses with a little less attention-- Glenn Close for Violet, say, or Amy Ryan as Barbara-- to get a shot at it. With Streep and Roberts on board they'll inevitably be able to fill out the rest of the cast with more huge names, and maybe some of those underused actresses will get a shot, but I really was hoping for a little more adventurous choices in the lead roles.

We'll keep an eye on how the rest of the cast fills out-- if you want a great list of suggestions, Nathaniel Rogers at The Film Experience got a great conversation going about fantasy casting-- and, obviously, a translation of a great play to the screen starring Meryl Streep is a must-see. Feel free to just leave me in my corner with my slight bitterness.

With pilot season heavily under way, there are lots of series getting picked up, as well as casting on the ones that have already been greenlit. ABC's Matthew Perry pilot, Mr. Sunshine, has snagged Allison Janney to play Perry's boss. The show centers around Perry's San Diego stadium manager realizing it's time to grow up.

Showtime's pilot Shameless also has a prominent recurring role lined up for Janney. In that series, she'll play the love interest of William H. Macy's drunken father of a large family that's been abandoned by their mother. If both series were to get picked up, it remains possible that Janney could stay featured on both, though the latter would be easier to drop out of.

In other pilot news, ABC picked up It Takes a Village, a single-camera comedy formerly known as Family Values. The premise should resonate with many modern families, as it spotlights two parents who are no longer together, but working together with their new significant others to raise a 15-year old teenage boy. NBC is looking to love in their latest comedy pilot. Perfect Couples comes from the pens of Jon Pollack (30 Rock) and Scott Silveri (Friends) and spotlights three different couples who define the perfect relationship in three very different ways.

CBS made a couple of drama pick-ups. Two of the minds behind The Sopranos, Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess, are back with Reagan's Law. The drama takes a look at a multigenerational family of police officers in New York. ER's John Wells has a new angle on the medical drama. The untitled project taps into the current feelings on health care by having a roving team of medical professionals travel the country helping the less fortunate in need.