— NBC is developing a potential spin-off for Rainn Wilson‘s Dwight, which would have The Office character move back to the Schrute family beet farm and run a bed a breakfast (a B&B&B?). First of all, doesn’t Dwight already live there? So it’s just him quitting Dunder-Mifflin and opening up a B&B, right?
Could NBC be toying with the idea of canning The Office? Let’s be honest, it hasn’t exactly been all that great since Steve Carell left last year and the Jim/Pam ‘shippers don’t really have much to see this season since Jenna Fischer is on maternity leave. A lot of people are seeing this as the second coming of NBC’s Joey — but on second thought, I could see how this might work — if it has a Fawlty Towers vibe to it. Let’s have Dwight and Angela (Angela Kinsey) open up the bed and breakfast. We’d obviously have Mose (Michael Schur) and let’s bring Mindy Kaling‘s Kelly over as something hilarious like the “bed and breakfast entertainment co-ordinator”? Angela would be a “stay-at-home” mom (that kid is totally Dwight’s, right?) that sorta takes over micromanaging the B&B. So basically, it would be like The Office but at an Bed and Breakfast.
Think of the crossover potential even if The Office gets cancelled: a vacationing Michael and Holly Scott or Jim and Pam need a break from the kids, Stanley’s having ANOTHER affair, Phyllis and Bob Vance from Vance Refrigeration role play as out-of-towners, Ryan’s having a stay-cation. Sweeps would be fun.
— Jon Bernthal, who plays Shane on The Walking Dead is in talks to star the pilot of TNT’s L.A. Noir, which will be produced by Frank Darabont (Bernthal’s former boss at The Walking Dead). Does this mean they’re planning on killing Shane off this season?
— After both ABC and The CW announced they were developing pilots based on Beauty and the Beast, Vulture has come up ideas for other networks. The FX version is my fav.
— CBS has greenlit Super Fun Night, a comedy starring Rebel Wilson (Bridesmaids) from Warner Bros. and Conan O’Brien.
— A film studio has dropped out of its commitment to finance Steven Soderbergh‘s new film because it’s rumoured to star Blake Lively…Ouch, indeed.
— Here are my picks for tonight (no new The Vampire Diaries, Up All Night or The Office, but we do get a bonus 30 Rock!)
On 30 Rock (8 p.m. on NBC and Citytv): Devin Banks (Will Arnett) returns to blackmail Jack (Alec Baldwin). Tracy (Tracy Morgan) challenges Liz (Tina Fey) by leading his own protest in defines of idiots everywhere. Jack interferes with Liz’s relationship by giving Criss (James Marsden) and ultimatum. Kelsey Grammar and Denise Richards also guest star.
On Parks & Recreation (8:30 p.m. on NBC and Citytv): Leslie (Amy Poehler) and Ben (Adam Scott) decide to hold a casual bowling party to gather support for her campaign.
On 30 Rock (new bonus episode at 9 p.m. on NBC): Liz uses Jack’s own playbook to handle her contract negotiations. Tracy and Jenna (Jane Krakowski) are hired as entertainment for their accounts sons bar mitzvah. Suze Orman, Kristen Schaal and Terri Conn guest star. UPDATE (Friday, Jan. 27): So this wasn’t the episode that NBC decided to air last night, it’ll probably air next week.
Over in late night: Daniel Radcliffe is on Strombo; Seal is on Kimmel; Jon Heder is on Conan; Tilda Swinton is on The Daily Show and Drew Barrymore is on Colbert. For more late night listings, click here.
— Should I go all Six-Degrees with this post? Why not. So, the Dwight spin-off has people going off on Joey, which co-starred Andrea Anders, who would later star on The Class with Jon Bernthal. Let’s take it one step further…tonight’s second 30 Rock will feature an appearance by Terri Conn (Breaker High, As the World Turns, One Life to Live), who tested for the part Anders got in Joey…30 Rock stars Jane Krakowski who appeared on Search for Tomorrow. Who also appeared on SFT? KEVIN BACON!
