Two-time Will & Grace Emmy winner Megan Mullally is already rebounding from the recent failure of her 2009 ABC midseason sitcom In the Motherhood. Earlier this week, cable network Starz announced the actress and former talk show host is the latest talent to join the cast of its popular original comedy Party Down.

The sophomore series revolves around a group of aspiring entertainers who toil as caterers in Los Angeles while waiting for their big break to finally happen. Mullally is set to play Lydia Dunfree, an optimistic middle-aged single mother of one 13-year-old daughter named — check this out — …read more

Samantha Who? may not have made it past a sophomore season, but already former star Melissa McCarthy has lined up a new comedy-TV gig.

Entertainment Weekly scoops that the Gilmore Girls alumna is next set to appear in another ABC sitcom, the new Kelsey Grammer series Hank.
After describing the upcoming show as “painfully unfunny” (I wouldn’t know personally since I haven’t watched any clips yet), EW reports that McCarthy will have a recurring role portraying a character named Dawn, who just happens to be the sister-in-law of Grammer’s title character via marriage to his brother Grady (The Office’s David Koechner).
Unfunny or …read more

Very nice casting news here. TV Guide Magazine reports that Cheers alumna Shelley Long has landed a recurring role on ABC’s highly anticipated upcoming sitcom Modern Family.

Long will play Dede Pritchett, the former wife of Ed O’Neill’s (Married with Children) lead character Jay. Described as somewhat “fragile” and “searching for herself in the world,” Dede will arrive in town when Jay marries his much hotter and much younger new wife Gloria (The Knights of Prosperity’s Sofía Vergara), a native of Colombia.

Wow, that was fast! Actor Dave Franco, who wrapped up a short-lived stint on the canceled CW dramedy Privileged in February, has already landed another comedy gig. The 24-year-old Greek and Do Not Disturb alum will next appear as a new regular cast member of ABC’s long-running medical sitcom Scrubs.

According to reports, Franco’s character, Cole, is a rich yet not-too-bright — and proud of it — medical student who will no doubt enjoy special treatment from some since his parents donated an entire wing to the school that will serve as the series’ next primary setting.
One of the people who …read more

Lifetime’s original comedy Rita Rocks is a very lucky show indeed. The network announced this week that the series has landed Pushing Daisies alumna Swoosie Kurtz for a recurring role during the upcoming sophomore season.

Kurtz played eyepatch-wearing Lily Charles on the late great ABC dramedy, and she also recently had a guest-star gig on the “Tiny Bubbles” episode of Showtime’s hit rookie comedy Nurse Jackie, where she played one of Coop’s two moms, alongside fellow veteran actress Blythe Danner.
On Rita Rocks, Kurtz is set to portray a mother yet again, this time that of the garage band-member main character Rita …read more

It had to happen sooner or later, Woodcock fans.
Recent casting news indicates that actor Eddie Kaye Thomas, who played popular Jeff Woodcock on the Fox sitcom ‘Til Death for its first two seasons, has scored a role on HBO’s forthcoming comedy series How to Make It in America.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Thomas’ new job is a regular role, which should supplement his voice work as the character Barry on the Fox animated series American Dad! quite well.
The former ‘Til Death regular guest starred in the pilot for the HBO newcomer, which was titled simply How to Make It then …read more

How do you know when a show is pretty much over before the official announcement? When a lead actor ups and joins the cast of another show … on another network. That’s exactly what former Will & Grace and current Trust Me star Eric McCormack has done.
According to reports, the Emmy-winning actor, who presently stars as ad man Mason McGuire on TNT’s latest original series, is also now the lead for an untitled sitcom in development at ABC. He plays Dean, a heart surgeon, new father, and close friend of contractor Seth, played by co-lead Reno Wilson …read more

If all goes well, it looks like Scrubs star Donald Faison will be staying at ABC and in the comedy genre for his next acting gig.
Reports indicate that the man many know and love as hilarious Chris Turk on the eight-season sitcom has lined up a role in the pilot for The Law. The potential comedy series follows the adventures of reserve officers for the Los Angeles Police Department in a way that I hope isn’t too reminiscent of Reno 911!.
Already onboard are Cedric the Entertainer (Barbershop, The Steve Harvey Show) and Mädchen Amick (My Own Worst Enemy, Californication), …read more

Cougar Town, Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence’s buzzworthy half-hour comedy pilot starring Friends alum Courteney Cox, is busily beefing up its cast. If greenlit for a season, the series will follow Cox’s 40-year-old character, the mother of a teenage son who begins actively dating again when she becomes single.
Recently added to the cast of the highly anticipated series is Dawson’s Creek and Freaks and Geeks alum Busy Philipps, most recently seen in a recurring role on Fox’s Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. As a series lead, she’ll play the younger woman who hangs out with Cox’s character.
Following on that …read more

My TV-lover heart breaks a little more each time I hear another piece of casting news involving an actor from a prematurely canceled show I happen to love.
This time the damage is due to learning that Jason George — who most recently played Keith Bennett, effective attorney and possibly Patti’s future son-in-law, on Eli Stone — has been added to the pilot for another ABC project, the potential drama Inside the Box.
That high-profile series comes from the mind of Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes. Considering her clout as a result of Grey’s and its spinoff Private Practice’s success, there’s …read more