‘GG’ spinoff in talks
“Gossip Girl”: You know you love her, and so does The CW – enough to want more of her around.
The CW is seeking to develop a spinoff of the Monday-night series for next season, according to the trade magazines.
At the WWD Style + Media conference in Manhattan on Thursday, CW entertainment president Dawn Ostroff revealed that the network was working with “Gossip Girl” executive producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage to see what’s possible.
“Nothing really tangible yet, but we’re talking about it,” Ostroff said. “If it’s the right idea, we’d all embrace it and be enthusiastic, but nobody more than Josh and Stephanie want to make sure there’s the right idea that they can wrap their arms around and really be excited about.”
“GG” fans may recall that in June, there was talk of a spinoff based on the book series “The It Girl,” which was spun off of the original book series by Cicely von Ziegesar.
That series centered on the character Jenny Humphrey (Taylor Momsen) going off to a girls’ boarding school after getting into trouble. It doesn’t look like the spinoff will go this route, however, so the producers are back in talks.
It’s possible that the second half of this “Gossip Girl” season could serve as a backdoor pilot to test how fans react to one of the main characters pulling his/her own weight in a different setting.
Meanwhile, Ostroff still couldn’t say what will happen to the CW’s Sunday nights in terms of original programming.
Starting Nov. 30, the network pulled its previous programming block and instead aired reruns of sitcoms, “Jericho” and a movie.
Sundays will remain that way until further notice.
‘Flash Forward’ progress
Two more actors are on the verge of joining ABC’s sci fi-tinged pilot “Flash Forward.”
Joseph Fiennes (“Shakespeare in Love”) is in negotiations to take the lead role in the drama, which is set in a world where the entire population has blacked out for a couple minutes, during which time they have visions of their future.
John Cho (“Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay”) is also in talks to come aboard the show, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
They would join Courtney B. Vance and Jack Davenport, whose casting was announced earlier last week.
Fiennes would play an FBI agent and recovering alcoholic who has a frightening vision during his down time and tries to unravel the mystery behind it.
His recent credits include “Running with Scissors,” “The Escapist” and the FX pilot “Pretty/Handsome.”
Cho will play Fiennes’ partner. His vision is blank, which leads him to believe that he might be murdered.
David S. Goyer (“Batman Begins”) and Brannon Braga (“Star Trek: Enterprise”), who worked together on CBS’ “Threshold” a couple of seasons ago, are writing the pilot, which is based on a novel by Robert J. Sawyer. Goyer is also set to direct.
ABC seeks ‘Security’
ABC is hoping that the Department of Homeland Security will be able to provide it some protection against “American Idol” in January.
The network has booked an unscripted show called “Homeland Security USA,” which follows agents in the DHS’ various departments as they patrol the country’s borders, coastlines and airports.
It’s scheduled to premiere at 8 p.m. Jan. 6, a week before Fox raises the curtain on the new season of “Idol.”
The new show takes the place of “According to Jim,” which had originally been scheduled for the 8 p.m. Tuesday spot but will now fill in elsewhere.
“Homeland Security USA” is an American take on the Australian show “Border Security.” Each episode – filmed with the cooperation of the various agencies involved – will follow several cases across the country and be grouped by theme.
The premiere, called “This Is Your Car on Drugs,” will include stories about border agents discovering drugs wrapped in diapers at the Washington-British Columbia border; a woman with a suitcase full of “titillating surprises” at Los Angeles International Airport; and a catalog of unusual items that pass through an International Mail Center in Carson, Calif.
Arnold Shapiro (“Big Brother”) is executive producing.