Frank Darabont's 'LA Noir' Nears Series Order At TNT

Frank Darabont’s LA Noir continues to gain momentum at TNT. I hear the project, Darabont’s followup to The Walking Dead, is expected to land a series order after TNT brass officially screen it early next month. LA Noir tells the true story of a decades-long conflict between the LAPD, under the determined leadership of Police Chief Parker (Neal McDonough), and ruthless criminal elements led by mobster Mickey Cohen, a one-time boxer who rose to the top of LA’s criminal world.

Additionally, TNT may renew all four series currently on the air. Rizzoli & Isles and freshman Dallas are considered shoe-ins — Rizzoli & Isles is The Closer‘s heir apparent as TNT’s new flagship series, and Dallas is considered a marquee property. Despite a significant dropoff in Week 2, Falling Skies is still the No.1 scripted cable show in adults 18-49. The sci-fi series also anchors TNT’s genre Sunday night and is big internationally, making it even more lucrative for the network, which owns it. That makes a renewal is likely. Franklin & Bash posted an encouraging ratings uptick this week though TNT will probably monitor the dramedy’s performance for another week or two before making a decision. Franklin & Bash star Breckin Meyer just got a renewal for his other series at Turner, TBS comedy Men At Work, which he created and exec produces but doesn’t appear in.