NBC upped Rob Lowe to a series regular on Parks and Recreation -- one of many announcements the network made today during its annual session with the nation’s TV critics. NBC also revealed that Kathy Bates will return for a guest spot on The Office, while Drew Carey will guest star on Community.
In other news, 30 Rock will perform a live episode of the show from New York’s Studio 8H on Oct. 14. And NBC closed a development deal with Peter Berg’s Film 44, which means the network is still committed to rebooting Prime Suspect for a possible midseason berth. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit will kick off with a two-hour premiere on Sept. 22, Parenthood will bow on Sept 14, followed by the debut of the Jimmy Smits drama Outlaw on Sept. 15, and The Apprentice will return with a two-hour premiere Sept. 16.
The new drama Law & Order: Los Angeles will bow Sept. 29.
Image credit: John M. Heller/Getty Images
Would that be the “Prime Suspect” series that starred Helen Mirren on UK television? Now that was a great show!!
There was a time when i thought he was “Will” in Will & Grace…. But now I look back at it and feel stupid
So did I! When he was first starting on The West Wing I totally thought “Wow, how did Eric McCormack’s acting get so much better so fast?
Wow. I wish I was that young.
Sooooo…is Adam Scott staying on too? Not like he’s busy with ‘Party Down’ anymore. HEY! ‘Party Down’s cancellation also means Megan Mullally is free for another guest stint as Ron’s ex, right?
Happy happy, joy joy!
They already confirmed Megan Mullally would be back for “Ron and Tammy part 2.” Can’t wait!
AWESOME!
Lowe is joining full time just to leave the show early like he usually does.
I was gonna say the same thing. He gets bored to easily.
I like Rob Lowe, but the cast is already so great that the show doesn’t need him.
Please make Adam Scott a regular. I liked his character so much better.
Adam Scott was already named a regular when he first began
best news ever. he’s really handsome. rob lowe too.
This better not cut down on scream time for scene stealers like Tom, April, Andy, Donna and Jerry.
Amen to that!
I give it two years before Rob gets restless, because they’re :not using him properly.”
All this fuss over a show that is so weak it will not return until 2011. The new NBC. laugh laugh
I think it’s NBC that’s made the mistake. The show itself has become very, very funny. NBC is just once again making a bad scheduling decision.
Finally a live 30 Rock!!!! I’m in heaven!
Does Rob know that it’s an ensamble cast — that the show’s title will not change to “The Rob Lowe Show? – he tends to have a problem that.
Why do people whine about Rob Lowe leaving shows so much? First of all, he usually stays on for, like, 4 seasons before moving on. Second, if he annoys people that much, they should be glad he leaves. Some actors like change and it’s better than him sleepwalking through a role just for the money.
The problem, jbj, is that once you agree to do a show, the writers start mapping out a story arc, sometimes across multiple seasons. They work on building a story towards a certain outcome. If an actor suddenly decides in the middle “I am outta here”, it leaves the show in a lurch, and they have to scramble to re-write a story in a different way than planned. That is not exactly a nice way to treat a show that has provided you a job.
30 Rock live. awesome…I love the ep performed live at the UCB on the season 2 dvd.
30 Rock live?! Yay!It’s like Will and Grace! (Although, they won’t be able to do cutaways…)
Drew Carey and Joel McHale is an early contender for the most inspired pairing of the season.
He is funny and DogOwnersDating was good