'Scandal' Cast, Shonda Rhimes on Quinn's Reveal and Mellie's Endgame

ABC/COLLEEN HAYES

"Scandal's" Katie Lowes

"You learn who Quinn Perkins is in the first episode of the season and the question that emerges from the first episode is not, 'Who is Quinn Perkins' but 'Why is Quinn Perkins who she is and what happened to make her that way."

Showrunner Shonda Rhimes tells The Hollywood Reporter that Scandal will jump right back into the action when the ABC political fixer drama returns in September with its second -- and expanded -- season, answering one of the finale's biggest burning questions right off the bat and opening the door into a bigger mystery.

Quinn (Katie Lowes), the newest member of Pope & Associates, was taken into custody for her role in boyfriend Gideon's (Brendan Hines) murder in the seventh and final episode of Season 1 only to find her boss Olivia (Kerry Washington) reveal to the rest of the team of Gladiators in Suits that "Quinn" didn't really exist.

STORY: 'Scandal' Case Study: Shonda Rhimes on the Intense Finale, What's Next in Season 2

"It becomes why is all of this occurring in her life, in Olivia Pope's life," Lowes tells The Hollywood Reporter. "You get to see Quinn in a really, really, really terrible situation that is definitely crazy. It's foreign to me as an actress to me, too.

Lowes teases that the series will again use flashbacks to explore Quinn's history, which she warns is both violent and blue-collar -- and likely involves a guy -- while working to regain the trust of everyone at Pope, where she's also now a client.

"She's your normal mid-20s girl making some mistakes with the opposite sex," she says, noting that Quinn's past isn't quite as messed up as Huck's.

Newly promoted series regular Joshua Malina says his character David (the U.S. attorney) will be right in the middle of things with Quinn after doing his part to protect Olivia's newest team member.

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"It does put me right into the thick of it and the show definitely hits the ground running," he says, noting that the friction that exists between David and Olivia leaves the door open for romantic potential. "There's a certain level of trust that cyclically she earns then loses. Clearly she is dedicated first and foremost to her clients, so he's always going to be in a position of never quite being sure that what she's saying is entirely to be trusted."

Huck (Guillermo Diaz), meanwhile, was last seen promising Olivia that he wouldn't kill Billy after he went public with President Fitzgerald Grant's (Tony Goldwyn) sex tape and his relationship with Amanda.

The ex-CIA killer's past will also be further explored in flashbacks, Diaz warns, to reveal Huck's past that will "just blow people's minds."

STORY: 'Scandal's' Guillermo Diaz Dishes on Huck's Mysterious Past

"I say it in Episode 5 when Huck is torturing [Charlie], that he's been sober for a long time from torturing and killing people," Diaz says. "I think he's a drug addict with torturing and killing and being that type of person; you're never really cured from alcoholism, it's a disease that's always there and I think that stuff is always going to be in his blood and keep coming up."

For her part, First lady (and new series regular) Bellamy Young says Mellie has incredibly lofty goals that motivate her to fall on the sword and protect Fitz -- and by extension Olivia -- when she confesses to being the woman with Fitz on the tape.

"Mellie wants to be president down the road, she wants eight years with Fitz, four years off then she wants to run, no joke," Young says, noting the season premiere contains a "huge reveal" for her character. "She's smart enough, she knows what it all entails, she definitely has a point of view and she wants to be in charge. She's not good at interpersonal relations, but she's great at the game."

STORY: 'Scandal' Ups Bellamy Young to Series Regular for Season 2

After telling the press that she was pregnant, Young says Mellie will continue on her mission by any means necessary. "It's fine if he loves Olivia but Mellie just wants to be president, that's the bottom line. Mellie is the woman who didn't think it was possible, so she put law career on hold and put all her ducks behind Fitz."

While all the dangling story lines will pick up full steam with the Scandal pace, Rhimes says the second-year drama will start out with a season-long arc and potentially two should the series expand from its initial order for 13 episodes.

"We want to keep telling stories in that manner and because we're doing 13 episodes and if we get more than that, we'll be telling two different season-long arcs," Rhimes tells THR. We came back nervous -- can we top what we did last season -- and now we're all really excited because we figured out how we can."

What are your theories about Quinn? Hit the comments with your thoughts on Scandal's big mysteries. Scandal returns Thursday, Sept. 27 at 10 p.m. on ABC.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit

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TCA 2012: Charlie Sheen on 'Anger Management': "It's Different Now that I’m Not Insane"

FX

Charlie Sheen

Reviews be damned, you can expect to see much more of Charlie Sheen.

With the half-hour entry garnering ratings above the threshold necessary for renewal, FX Networks president John Landgraf noted that the odds to return for an additional 90 episodes are overwhelmingly in the shows favor. And to hear Sheen tell it, 90 wont be enough.

Its exciting as hell, Sheen says of his latest series, which is currently averaging an impressive 3.1 rating in the coveted 18 to 49 demo. I feel like weve barely scratched the surface.

Critics, as Landgraf acknowledged, are less enthusiastic. The network chief, who added that he is pleased creatively and commercially with the new entry, urged the roomful of reviewers to reconsider how the Lionsgate-produced sitcom is assessed. As he sees it, it should be compared with such multicamera efforts as Two and a Half Men andMike & Molly, rather than FXs narrower, edgier single-cam series likeLouie and Wilfred.

STORY: TCA 2012: FX Renews 'Louie,' 'Brand X,' Adds Martin Sheen to 'Anger Management'

Showrunner Bruce Helford used the platform before the TV press to explain just how different the production process is for this show, which includes little room for notes and network oversight. On Management, they shoot two episodes per week with many scenes done out of order, leaving the group no time for rehearsals. Helfordacknowledges it has thrown each of his actors, which all of them approaching him at some point to ask: What am I doing?

Helford hammered home the value of the "partnership" he has with Sheen, a kind of creative input he suggests the actor didn't have onMen. Sheen nods, having showered praise on his showrunner earlier in the panel (hardly something he has been known to do with Men boss Chuck Lorre). As for his own behavior, Sheen acknowledges he's a different man today. "My life is different now that Im not insane anymore," he says, appearing twitchy but engaged on stage.

To date, the formula seems to be paying off. While FX brass is keeping mum on details, sources say Anger is selling at the highest CPM rates FX has ever seen for a first-year series.The studio, which with Debmar-Mercury will begin peddling Anger to stations for a fall 2014 syndication debut, has sold the series in Canada, Latin America, Germany, Scandinavia and Australia for roughly $600,000 an episode, more than what established sitcom hits Seinfeld and Sheen's own Two and a Half Men commanded out of the gate.

Assuming an additional 90 episodes are ordered (per the Debmar model tried first with Tyler Perry efforts), Martin Sheen will join the cast as a series regular. The elder Sheen, who guests on a later episode of the shows first season, is expected to appear in some 20 of the 90 episodes, says sources, though execs involved insist that it wont become the Charlie and Martin Show.

As Landgraf sees it, the addition will make the series more of a multi-generational family comedy, much as Two and a Half Men once was with Sheen at the helm. Sheen reminded critics that his father had appeared with him on episodes of bothMen andSpin City, too. I think its the best episode we did, Sheen says of working with his father on Management. He brings a whole different energy. Its not Martinville, but it sure isnt Charlieville when he does it.

Email: Lacey.Rose@THR.com; Twitter: @LaceyVRose

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TCA 2012: Louis C.K. On Pushing Boundaries, Awards Silliness and his Love for 'Project Runway'

From "somwhere" in Albany, Louie executive producer and starLouis CK greeted members of the Television Critics Association Saturday with his thoughts on fashion, comedy and FX's standards and practices division.

Here's a look at the many topics he tackled during his half hour before the press.

On Comedys Boundaries

It is rare for FX to have to reign CK in. Im like a dog with a shock collar. You can take the collar off after a while; I know where the fence is, he said via satellite (CK is en route to the Adirondacks to retrieve his daughter from sleepaway camp), recognizing the valuable service that the nets standards and practices division provides. Still, exceptions exist, including a bit that was potentially offensive to Catholics in the God episode earlier in the series run. It certainly didnt upset me any, CK said of FX Networks president John Landgrafs note, because hes usually right.

STORY: TCA 2012: FX Renews 'Louie,' 'Brand X With Russell Brand,' Adds Martin Sheen to 'Anger Management'

On His Emmy Record

If people expected CK to start gushing about his seven Emmy nominations (for both his FX series and his stand-up special), they dont know CK. The very idea of records and competition, he said, should be more of an athletics things. Not that he isnt flattered, and pleased for his cast and network. The record was previously held by David Lynch, who was a big hero of mine, he added. To take something away from him is bittersweet.

On CKs Personal TV Habits

When CK is asked about his favorite TV shows, the roomful of TV reporters anticipate titles like Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad orCurb your Enthusiasm. Instead, CK starts praising Lifetimes Project Runway. I love it because I actually really enjoy fashion And I love thatTim Gunn guy. Hes got a really great work either, he quips, adding that hell watch big-tent competition shows like American Idol andAmericas Got Talent, too. Im a real sucker for very maudlin emotional stuff, he said, claiming he used to cry like a baby while watching Deal or No Deal.

On his Stand Up Future

To hear him tell it, CK will never stop doing stand-up. In addition to loving the format and the comedic inspiration born out of the live experience, he acknowledged that he still makes way more money on tour than he does on TV. "Stand-up takes the pressure off of doing other things," he continued. Whats more, it keeps his blood moving and is what he argues hes best at.

STORY: FX's John Landgraf Calls Out Netflix, Bashes Rivals and Admits Fighting with Showrunners

OtherLouieImitations

Following on Landgrafs stated desire to have more multi-dimensional comedians sign on to doLouie-like shows, CK was asked who would be capable. He mentions a multi-hyphenate likeChris Rock,who appeared earlier in the day to peddleTotally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. His advice for those who attempt the model: Youve got to educate yourself technically, he allowed, noting the importance of respecting the craft and knowing how such things as cameras work. Some people draw a line between the technical and the creative, and thats a mistake.

Email: Lacey.Rose@THR.com; Twitter: @LaceyVRose

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Jason Bateman Tweets Michael Cera Pics From 'Arrested Development' Set (Photo)

Jason Bateman/Twitter

The Bluth family reunion is afoot.

Jason Bateman on Saturday provided Arrested Development fans -- those dedicated television junkies that believed and protested long enough to bring the show back to the dead and on to Netflix -- a couple brief treats from what looks to be a very work-in-progress set.

"My son, arriving yesterday," he tweeted, attaching a photo of his TV son, Michael Cera. Now grown up, seeing Cera back as George Michael Bluth -- the role that made him famous -- will provide a stark reminder of just how long it's been since the show went off the air in 2006.

Bateman then tweeted another photo of Cera, writing, "A grandson, looking for his Gangee."

Earlier in the week, executive producer and narrator Ron Howard posted a photo of a script, tweeting, "Very very funny :-) Lots of lines for the narrator too!"

Creator Mitch Hurwitz revealed in April that, though they had initially intended the fourth season to work as an anthology, with each character getting its own episode tracing the last seven years, before the big feature film, it has become more of a traditional TV show once again... not that the show was all that traditional in the first place.

The show will start streaming in the first half of 2013.

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'Suburgatory's' Emily Kapnek Previews Season 2: Romance for Tessa, George and Guest Star Rachel Dratch

ABC

Jane Levy of 'Suburgatory'

The first season of ABC comedySuburgatory ended with a couple of very dramatic moments. Tessa (Jane Levy) met her maternal grandmother and began exploring more about her family and absentee mother, which offered her an escape route from Chatswin for the summer.

Over at the Shea household, Lisa (Allie Grant) found out she's very much Sheila (Ana Gasteyer) and Fred's (Chris Parnell) biological daughter, with her brother Ryan (Parker Young), in a big twist, being the one who's adopted.

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The Hollywood Reporter caught up with showrunner Emily Kapnekon Friday at ABC's cocktail party at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour and got the scoop on season two, which will find Tessa returning home with a new perspective, and feature guest star Rachel Dratch.

The Hollywood Reporter: Does season two pick up exactly where we left off at the end of season one?
Emily Kapnek:We're jumping ahead a few months. We'll get some pops in flashback of what happened over the summer. So we're on a train back to Chatswin and Tessa is saying, "If you told me a year ago that I'd get to spend part of my summer in New York, I'd have said no f---ing way but I found this one crazy exit strategy my dad couldn't say no to: my grandma." Tessa gets off the train.

PHOTOS: Emmys 2012: 15 of the Biggest Snubs

What's in store for Tessa's dad, George (Jeremy Sisto)?

George has gone through his own metamorphosis while she's been gone. Eden (Alicia Silverstone) has moved on. The baby is there with Noah (Alan Tudyk). We're excited to see him in his single dad role because Jill's off on her book tour. We're going to be moving pretty fast and furious into the George and Dallas relationship. The time is right and everybody wants it and we want to see it. We have some really great stuff planned. I was just making Cheryl Hines blush today, telling her about an episode we have planned which is essentially the seduction of George Altman, where she's spent a lot of time, energy and resources in exactly how she's going to seduce George and it's really going to be funny.

Will Tessa get a new love interest in season two?
We are growing the chemistry between Tessa and Ryan. There are a bunch of situations where he comes to her rescue and he makes it very clear that he wants her back. I think that over time, he'll wear her down. The one thing about Ryan is he's so endearing and his heart's in the right place. I think old Tessa obviously loathed herself for being interested in someone like him but after being around cynical New Yorkers, we can understand why she'd be smitten with someone who's so enamored of her and so loving toward her, the genuine article of, "What you see is what you get kind of guy."

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Lisa was so traumatized when she discovered she was not the adopted Shea sibling at the end of last season. What's in store for her?

We'll get a little flashback glimpse of the adoption, when young Sheila and Fred first held baby Ryan.

Any fun guest stars planned?
Rachel Dratch is going to be in the Halloween episode. It's going to be so much fun to have her and Ana Gasteyer and Chris Parnell together.

What are you looking forward to seeing next season?Suburgatory returns in the plumb post-Modern Family time slot onWednesday, Oct. 17 at 9:30 p.m. on ABC.

Email: diane.gordon@thr.com Twitter @thesurfreport

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'The Office' Hires 'Better With You's' Jake Lacy

Jake Lacy

Dunder Mifflin has added a new office mate.

Better With You's Jake Lacy has joined NBC's The Office, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

As first reported by TV Line, Lacy will be a series regular on the veteran comedy's upcoming ninth season as the series continues its reboot for Season 9.

For Lacy, the casting comes not long after he was dropped from Fox's midseason comedy The Goodwin Games, where he co-starred in the pilot alongside Becki Newton and Scott Foley.

Lacy joins new co-star Clark Duke (Greek), who also joins The Office as a series regular as the series -- NBC's top comedy -- looks to rejuvinate itself amid a revolving door both in front and behind the camera.

Co-star Mindy Kaling confirmed she will return to the series as Kelly Kapoor for a handful of episodes while juggling writing and acting duties on her freshman Fox comedy The Mindy Project.

B.J. Novak also will not return as a series regular, reducing his role to recurring and continuing to write and direct episodes of the series. (Novak was an executive producer on Mindy and will contribute to her Fox comedy though he does not have a permanent position on the series.)

Meanwhile, starsEd Helms,John KrasinskiandJenna Fisher, are all poised to return to the comedy, with Season 8 recurring guest starCatherine Tateuppedto series regular in June.

The Officehas seen a somewhat revolving door since starSteve Carell's departure last year. In addition to the cast moves, showrunnerPaul Liebersteinstepped down to focus on a potentialRainn Wilson-centered Dwight spinoff, with Greg Daniels returning to helm the series, which was renewed in May after the cast finalized deals to return.

The series also added two new executive producers -- Dan Sterling and Brent Forrester -- to help fill the void left by Lieberstein's departure.

Lacy is repped by ICM Partners and Beth Rosner Management.

The Officereturns Thursday, Sept. 20 at 9:30 p.m. on NBC.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit

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TCA 2012: FX Sets Cast for 'Bronx Warrants' Pilot, Orders Project From 'Cold Case' EPs

Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Denis Leary

FX has set the cast for its comedy pilot Bronx Warrants andordered a drama pilot based on the Danish series The Bridge from the executive producers from Cold Case.

Stand-up comic Godfrey and Robert Kelly, among others,will star in the effort that's based on the life of David Joglar and Richard Wetzel, who co-produce, the project revolves around a group of warrant detectives in the Bronx assigned to arrest individuals with outstanding warrants.With bonuses paid out for each "body" they bring in, the detectives are out to get rich rather than dole out justice.

STORY: FX Orders Comedy Pilot From 'Arrested Development,' 'Rescue Me' EPs

Created by Arrested Development's Dean Lorey, Rescue Me's Denis Leary and Jim Serpico will executive produce Bronx Warrants.

In announcing the cast of relative newcomers, FX president and GM John Landgraf also noted Scott Ellis has boarded the project to direct the pilot.

FX ordered the pilot in June, mere months after the cable network's New York-set firefighter dramaRescue Me wrapped its run.Bronx,if ordered to series, would join a scripted comedy roster that includesIts Always Sunny in Philadelphia,The League,Louie,Wilfredand the animated Archer.

For its part, The Bridge hails from Cold Case's Meredith Stiem (Homeland) and executive produced by Elwood Reid. The pilot hails from Shine America and FX Productions. The series has an eerie semblance to AMC's now-canceled drama The Killing and revolves around the police drama investigation that begins with the discovery of a body on a bridge. The Danish concept was recently picked up for a second season.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit

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