Matt’s Inside Line: Scoop on FBI, Skeleton Crew, Lioness, The Equalizer, Elsbeth, WCTH, Matlock, Night Court, Gen V, NCIS: Sydney and More!
Will FBI bring on another new agent? Will a Clone Wars pirate raid the Skeleton Crew? What twists await both NCIS: Sydney and NCIS: Origins? Read on for answers to those questions and others! (You can and should email any brand-new Qs to InsideLine@tvline.com.)
What’s going on with Scola’s partner situation now that the new FBI actress (Lisette Olivera) is on her way out already? –Claire
Second time’s the charm, maybe…? The hit CBS drama is currently casting the recurring role (with the option to become a series regular next season) of a thirtysomething female agent who has gobs of undercover experience.
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I’ve seen speculation that a live-action Hondo Ohnaka will appear in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. True or false? –Corey
A freighter resembling Hondo’s was spotted in the distance at Port Borgo in Episode 2, but series creators Chris Ford and Jon Watts confirmed for me that we won’t be meeting the Clone Wars pirate. “We’ll rip off that Band-Aid and say no, we don’t have any Hondo,” Ford told TVLine. “Honestly, we love Hondo, but there wasn’t really a part in our story that offered a good enough role for him. Like, if we were trying to cast him in this, he would be like, ‘This part is not big enough for Hondo!’” Which is not to say Skeleton Crew, in success, won’t ever feature the interstellar buccaneer. “We would love to keep doing this,” Ford said, “and keep exploring the whole pirate side of the galaxy, and build up to that.”
I enjoyed seeing Sean Patrick Thomas in the Cruel Intentions reboot. Do you have any idea if that kept him from being in Gen V Season 2? –Lasha
Thomas was properly cagey when we asked about his Gen V future — “I don’t want to give too much away,” he hedged — “but Polarity will be in Season 2,” he confirmed. What’s more, he shared that “Season 2 is really going to be, in a lot of ways, a tribute to Chance Perdomo,” who played Polarity’s son Andre and died in March. “Hopefully, we do him justice.”
Equalizer scoop, please! –Amanda
Casting is now underway for the two characters who will be introduced later this season, to possibly front the CBS reboot’s spinoff. Specifically, they’re looking for a man in his late 50s/early 60s to play a high-ranking CIA operative who mysteriously and abrupt got out of the spook biz, and a woman in her late 20s/early 30s who has a particular set of skills of her own and is poised to embark on a journey of… equalizing.
Any scoop on Fire Country? –Natalie
It’s a rough time for Gabriela this Friday, when the awkward aftermath of her getting her drink on at Smokey’s (…alongside Camden) — coupled with other, borderline reckless behavior — gets Sharon’s attention. Meanwhile, when Bode, Audrey and Camden get caught up in a pot shop robbery, who do you think will wind up grappling with the twitchy gunman? And who will wind up taking a bullet?
Anything on NCIS: Origins? –Cristin
This Monday’s episode, “Vivo o Muerto,” is one of series lead Austin Stowell’s favorites. “It’s going to be really, really powerful,” he told me. “There are events within that episode that mean a great deal to the fan base, I hope, and I’m very much looking forward to seeing their reaction to them.”
Any new scoop on NCIS: Sydney Season 2 that you can share? –Maria
I have Inside Line columns to feed, so when I shared with you all that first teaser trailer, I admittedly left out a most curious part of the Season 2 premiere logline, here now in bold: “With a rogue assassin on the run, NCIS: Sydney will do whatever it takes to crack the case on DeShawn’s first day as boss.” Hmmm….
Will we ever get to see Matlock‘s daughter in flashbacks? –Shayne
Inside Line told you back in September who’d been cast as dearly departed Ellie; I am now hearing that that flashback-y episode (this season’s 12th) will air in mid- to late February.
With Lone Star confirmed to end, has the 9-1-1 showrunner reached out to express interest in using any of the spinoff characters? –Steve
Although 9-1-1 showrunner Tim Minear previously told TVLine that he has “no current plans” to bring any Lone Star characters over to the franchise’s next offshoot, he adds that “it’s not impossible” — a sentiment echoed by Lone Star co-showrunner Rashad Raisani. “I love all of these actors and characters, so never say never,” Raisani tells TVLine. “To be honest, I do feel like we ended too soon. Realistically and logistically, I know that this is it for the show in its current iteration, but I just keep hoping against hope that it finds a way. I don’t have full control over [bringing characters to the spinoff], but if I’m able to make it happen, I would.”
Several weeks back, When Calls the Heart‘s Chris McNally teased a new love interest being introduced for Lucas in Season 12. May you ask him to spill the tea on his new lady friend, just enough to tide us over? –H.A.
I did not pick Chris’ brain (nor do I use the term “spill tea”), but a Hallmark rep shared with Inside Line that in Season 12, “a lawyer who has inherited her uncle’s cattle ranch near Hope Valley butts heads with Lucas over community policy. And then throughout the season, we’ll see a friendship develop — and possibly some sparks.”
Will Cruz and Josie return in Lioness Season 3? I’m obsessed with these two. –Clo
Whoa, there, slow down. Those two (and the rest of wounded Joe’s team) have a whole season finale to get through this Sunday. And while Josie and Cruz do very much look forward to sitting down and (ahem) “not talking” after this mission, the fact is that things go very, very bad in Iran. Like, “several of the good guys get shot” levels of bad. Have wine ready.
Is there a possibility to see sexy fire marshal Jake on Elsbeth again? –Josh
“We decided that firemen are all attracted to Elsbeth. So I don’t know if fireman Jake will be back,” showrunner Jonathan Tolins recently told TVLine, “but it, certainly, is something that’s going to continue.” To that end, look out for a fun scene in this Thursday’s episode.
Any news on Season 2 of Poker Face? –Evan
Only that filming on the long-awaited Season 2 continues — including in Westchester, N.Y., later this month.
Any scoop on Erin or Baez in the final episodes of Blue Bloods? –Adriana
This Friday’s penultimate episode features one of the most delightful Erin/Jack scenes ever. Also, we learn a bit about who Baez was when she was younger — and it may surprise you as much as it does Danny!
I am really enjoying Ryan Hansen on Night Court. Any news if he will appear in future episodes? –Kate
Hansen will be back for more episodes this season, the NBC comedy’s producers told Inside Line, adding: “We’re excited for viewers to see what’s to come for Jake and Abby.”
When Rescue: HI-Surf returns from its mid-season break, will we get more background on Em and Will’s relationship and their subsequent breakup? –Clara
I am hearing that the next couple of episodes do not delve into the past, but instead explore where their new, illicit relationship is going. Are they going to really try to rekindle their romance? Or are they going to keep it professional and strictly a friendship?
Do YOU want scoop/have questions about a favorite show? Email InsideLine@tvline.com! Questions plopped in Comments will not be considered and may count against your final score. (With additional reporting by Andy Swift and Vlada Gelman)
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