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Channel Surfing: Jennie Garth Returns to "90210," Kelly Carlson Works Black Book for "Melrose," Erika Christensen Offers "Lie" to FOX, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Looks like Kelly isn't going anywhere. Jennie Garth has signed a deal to reprise her role as Kelly Taylor on Season Two of the CW's 90210, where she will appear in multiple episodes, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. "Garth reappears in episode 3," writes Ausiello, "when Kelly gives Harry advice on how to deal with his, ahem, situation with Annie." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Elsewhere at the CW,Melrose Place continues to get more and more crowded. Nip/Tuck's Kelly Carlson (yes, Kimber!) has signed on to join the cast of Melrose Place this fall, where she will play a madam who "eventually entices Lauren (Stephanie Jacobson) to work for her as part of her prostitution ring." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Parenthood's Erika Christensen has booked a guest starring role on Season Two of FOX's Lie to Me this fall. Christensen will play Tricia, a woman who turns to Cal Lightman (Tim Roth) for help when she experiences a vision of a murder and Lightman uncovers that Tricia is actually a woman with multiple personalities. Lie to Me returns on September 28th with Christensen's episode. [Editor: New showrunner Shawn Ryan had teased the casting last week via Twitter.] (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Melanie Nicholls King (Law and Order), Enuka Okumu (24), Travis Milne (Bionic Woman), Ben Bass (Bury the Lead), Eric Johnson (Smallville), Matt Gordon (The Dresden Files), Noam Jenkins (The State Within), and Aidan Devine (A History of Violence) have all be added to the cast of the Canadian drama Copper, which will air Stateside on ABC. Project is shooting in Toronto and will wrap production in November. (Hollywood Reporter)

Producers on the CW's upcoming fall drama series The Beautiful Life are said to have come up with a contingency plan should Mischa Barton not be able to return to work when production on the series begins, according to unnamed sources cited by Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. "Said plan involves the addition of a new female character to fill the void left by Barton," writes Ausiello. "While not a direct recast, the new recurring character -- tentatively named Jane -- would bear a striking resemblance to Barton's experienced supermodel, Sonja Stone. Casting is underway." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Syfy has announced that Stargate Universe will launch with a two-hour premiere on Friday, October 2nd at 9 pm ET/PT and Sanctuary will launch its second season the following week on October 9th at 10 pm. The cabler also slated telepic Open Graves, starring Eliza Dushku, for September 9th and a remake of Children of the Corn for September 26th and renewed Destination Truth for a third season, kicking off on September 9th while Scare Tactics returns on October 6th. (Variety)

John Schneider (Smallville) has joined the cast of the CW's 90210, where he will recur throughout the second season as the step-father of Matt Lanter's bad boy Liam. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Writer Matt Tarses (Worst Week) has signed a two-year overall deal with Sony Pictures Television, under which he will develop new half-hour comedy projects for the studio and will take the first project out to networks in the next few weeks rather than be immediately assigned to an existing Sony Pictures TV series. (Variety)

ABC has ordered reality series Shaq Vs., featuring Shaquille O'Neal as he competes against athletes at their own sports specialty. Series, from Media Rights Capital and Dick Clark Prods., will launch August 18th. (Hollywood Reporter)

Lifetime has cast Daniel Sunjata, Andie MacDowell, Diahann Carroll, Annabeth Gish, and Ashley Williams in telepics At Risk and The Front, both based on Patricia Cornwell novels. Both projects are written by John Pielmeier and will be directed by Tom McLoughlin. (Variety)

20th Century Fox Television has announced a corporate restructuring that will see marketing and communications split into two separate teams. Chris Alexander will oversee publicity and talent relations under the new organizational structure while Mark Pearson will head up marketing and research. Both report to Gary Newman and Dana Walden. (Variety)

Stay tuned.
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Comments

Lila said…
I don't know why they wouldn't just recast Mischa Barton's character on The Beautiful Life rather than just coming up with a new character who, basically, would just be a designer knockoff.
7/21/2009
Anonymous said…
I'm excited MP is back! Isn't Kelly Carlson a little old for the re-boot? I guess if she's playing a madam, then no? Bring Jack back too;)
7/21/2009
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