NBC has shipped pirate drama Crossbones to Saturday for its last two airings, with this Friday’s episode the last to air in the series’ regular Friday 10 PM slot. The John Malkovich starrer will then be replaced by an NBC News special and Dateline for the following two weeks. Crossbones, which had been in the works…

It wasn't literally the explosions of Macy's 4th Of July Fireworks Spectacular of last week but the return of Crossbones (0.6/2) cut a path through the Friday ratings wilderness for NBC last night. In fact, it was a good night all round for NBC and ABC with their end of week originals all seeing ratings climbs. Back…

Barbara Walters’ 20/20 interview with Elliot Rodger’s father was the cornerstone of Friday night’s scant original programming, drawing 6.2 million total viewers and rallying ABC in the evening’s win among all broadcast networks to 5.1M total viewers besting CBS (4.9M), NBC (3.3M), Fox (2.05M) and CW (898K).  Though 20…

There was a break from the NBA Finals and the NHL Stanley Cup Final on Friday but there was still action on the seas on TV last night, in more ways than one.  The only network with a full schedule of originals, NBC started its Friday primetime with Brian Williams Reporting: Journey To Normandy (0.9/4). Including an…

Last Friday the only original drama on television was the Season 2 finale of NBC's Hannibal. Last night, the only original drama on television was also on NBC and it was the debut of Crossbones (1.1/4). Originally intended to premiere midseason and be paired with Grimm, the lush action-adventure pirate series from Luth…

Lots going on in this first trailer for NBC‘s new pirate drama. Crossbones stars a white-goateed John Malkovich as Blackbeard — Genius. Madman. Legend., we’re told — who reigns over a rogues gallery of outlaws and miscreant sailors in 1715. He comes up against Tom Lowe (Richard Coyle), an assassin masquerading as a…

Melissa Ponzio has booked a recurring role on NBC’s firefighter drama Chicago Fire.  She will play Donna, a love interest to Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker).  Ponzio, repped by Domain and Kass Management, recently recurred on The Walking Dead and Teen Wolf. Copper alum Kevin Ryan is set to recur on another NBC…

Lucky 7 co-star Christine Evangelista has been cast in a recurring role on NBC’s firefighter drama series Chicago Fire. She will play Allison Rafferty, a new paramedic at 51, a firecracker who gives as good as she gets and knows what she’s doing when the bells go off. Evangelista is with WME, MJ Management and Rick…

Switched At Birth co-star Gilles Marini is set for a recurring role on CBS comedy 2 Broke Girls. The Dancing With The Stars alum, repped by APA and Authentic Management, will play Nicolas, the handsome, sexy, French “master baker” who owns and teaches at the Manhattan School of Pastry where Max (Kat Dennings) enrolls…

Alcatraz alum David Hoflin and Yasmine Al Massri have been cast as regulars in the NBC pirate drama Crossbones, from Luther creator Neil Cross. The series is set in 1715 on the Bahamian island of New Providence where the diabolical pirate Edward Teach, aka Blackbeard (John Malkovich), reigns over a rogue nation of…

EXCLUSIVE UPDATED: British actor Richard Coyle (W.E.) has been cast as the co-lead opposite John Malkovich in the NBC pirate drama Crossbones. Also cast in the series, from Luther creator Neil Cross and producers Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald, are Claire Foy and Tracy Ifeachor. Crossbones is set in 1715 on the…

EXCLUSIVE: Feature and TV director David Slade (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse) is set to direct the opening episode of the upcoming NBC pirate drama Crossbones starring John Malkovich. Crossbones, from Luther creator Neil Cross and producers Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald, is set in 1715 on the Bahamian island of…