Serial Scoop

Showtime will present a first-look screening of its highly anticipated new horror series PENNY DREADFUL at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival on Sunday, March 9 at 2 p.m. in the Vimeo Theater at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas. PENNY DREADFUL, from the creative mind of three-time Oscar(R) nominee John Logan (Hugo, The Aviator, Gladiator, Skyfall), has been selected as one of six shows for the Festival's brand new "Episodic" screening category. PENNY DREADFUL stars Josh Hartnett (Black Hawk Down) and Harry Treadaway (The Lone Ranger), along with famed genre master Juan Antonio Bayona (The Orphanage, The Impossible) who directed the first two episodes of the series, will be in attendance for an extended audience Q&A following the screening. PENNY DREADFUL will premiere on Sunday, May 11 at 10 p.m. only on Showtime.

For the first time ever, The Oscars preshow and full awards telecast will stream live for verified WATCH ABC viewers online and on mobile devices. The WATCH ABC app allows viewers with participating TV subscription services access to 24/7 live viewing of the network, as well as next day on demand access to most series, making it possible for fans to watch the entire The Oscars experience - including "Jimmy Kimmel Live: After the Oscars" -- in more places and at more times than ever before. Live streaming is currently available through Comcast, Cablevision, Cox Communications, Charter Communications, Midcontinent Communications, Verizon FiOS, Google Fiber and AT&T U-verse in ABC's eight Owned Station markets - New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham and Fresno. Once aired, the full Oscars telecast and pre-show will be available on demand via WATCH ABC for verified viewers for three days, through Wednesday, March 5. WATCH A

This Sunday, TVGN and Shazam(R) will offer viewers an interactive second screen engagement opportunity while watching TVGN LIVE WITH ET AT THE OSCARS(R), a live red carpet show featuring interviews with Hollywood's hottest stars, on Sunday, Mar. 2 at 5:00 PM, ET / 2:00 PM, PT (live on both coasts). Shazam is a mobile-based media service that allows users to identify, discover and share the music and television they love. Viewers tuning-in to the live premiere of TVGN's red carpet show at the Oscars can interact with the Shazam App on their mobile device to access and share celebrity interviews via social networks, vote on their favorite fashions and unlock exclusive bonus videos.

GENERAL HOSPITAL actress Kirsten Storms has been on maternity leave while giving birth to daughter Harper Rose, but now it's time for the actress to return to work and her role as Maxie Jones. Storms tweeted that she would be returning to the GH set next week. "Just spoke with [executive producer] Frank Valentini. Very exited to return to work next week," she wrote.  "I wonder what Maxie has been up to on her vacation... " Storms is married to her former GENERAL HOSPITAL co-star Brandon Barash (ex-Johnny). Serial Scoop will let you know as soon as we have an exact date for Maxie's return.

AMC released today a new trailer previewing its highly anticipated new scripted drama, TURN, starring Jamie Bell, which debuts with a 90-minute premiere on Sunday, April 6 at 9PM ET. TURN is a layered, character-driven spy thriller that unravels the untold story of America's first spy ring. Set during the Revolutionary War, we are taken behind the battlefront to a shadow war fought by everyday heroes: men and women who defy king and family to create a new nation while vowing to keep their work a secret. Based on remarkable new research in the book "Washington's Spies," by Alexander Rose, "TURN" centers around Abraham Woodhull, a farmer living behind enemy lines in British-occupied Long Island. Abraham bands together with a group of childhood friends to form The Culper Ring: an unlikely team of secret agents who help George Washington turn the tide of the war in favor of the Rebels. Their daring efforts revolutionized the art of espionage, giving birth to m

Jason Isaacs (AWAKE) has been tapped to play the lead role in USA Network's six episode event series DIG, an action adventure drama from co-creators and executive producers Tim Kring (HEROES) and Gideon Raff (HOMELAND). Isaacs will play Peter, an FBI agent stationed in Jerusalem who, while investigating a murder of a young female archeologist, uncovers a conspiracy 2000 years in the making. DIG, from Universal Cable Productions (UCP) and developed by Keshet in association with BermanBraun, will shoot in Jerusalem as well as in other international locations. The event series will premiere on USA Network in late 2014.

“Smart and Compelling” “WOW! This is such a great pilot!” “Adorable and Smart” “Amazing, I must watch more” “Can’t wait for more!” “I want to see another episode ASAP” “Well done! We need more programming like this” …and the customer reviews are still rolling in. In just one week since their debut, Amazon Studios’ new original pilots have quickly become fan favorites garnering rave reviews from thousands of customers. More than 85% of ratings are 4 or 5 stars, and critics are calling the pilots “fresh” and “the best pilot in years.” In addition, Amazon Instant Video saw more than a 100% increase in the average number of streams per show for prime time pilots and a 200% increase for kid’s pilots per show versus last year’s pilot season. All 10 pilots are currently available for any customer to view, rate and provide feedback on, ultimately helping determine which shows will become full series. The pilots are available to watch exclusively at www.amazonoriginals.com and on the

All will finally be revealed in the final season of Lifetime's critically-acclaimed hit series Drop Dead Diva (#DropDeadDiva), premiering Sunday, March 23, at 9pm ET/PT with a special two-hour premiere. Starring Brooke Elliott and Emmy Award nominee Margaret Cho, Drop Dead Diva follows the story of shallow model Deb who suddenly dies in an accident only to find her soul resurfacing in the body of a brilliant, plus-sized attorney, Jane. Colin Egglesfield (The Client List), Virginia Williams (How I Met Your Mother) and Corbin Bleu (High School Musical) guest star in the season opener, while Grammy winner Rick Springfield will make an appearance and perform later this season, along with Jay DeMarcus from Rascal Flatts. Golden Globe and Emmy winner S. Epatha Merkerson also reprises her role as Judge Hiller, while Emmy nominee John Ratzenberger returns as Kim's father, Larry Kaswell.

The NAACP and TV One announce today the second group of presenters confirmed to participate at the 45th NAACP Image Awards including Idris Elba, Vin Diesel, Terry Crews, Nia Long, Naomie Harris, Morris Chestnut, Chadwick Boseman, Tyrese Gibson, Ed Asner, and Ben Vereen. In addition, Oprah Winfrey will honor Nelson Mandela with a tribute during the 45th NAACP Image Awards which will broadcast LIVE from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Saturday, February 22, 9:00 p.m./6:00 p.m. ET/PT as a two-hour star-studded special on TV One. The telecast will also include "The 45th NAACP Image Awards Red Carpet Live" one-hour pre-show at 8:00 p.m./5:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Monday was a good night for ABC Family in the Nielsen ratings. Check out what the network had to say below: SWITCHED AT BIRTH (8:00 – 9:00 p.m.) At 8 o’clock, SWITCHED AT BIRTH set season highs in Adults 18-49 (974,000/0.8 rating), Women 18-49 (759,000/1.2 rating) and Women 18-34 (516,000/1.5 rating), and four-week highs in Total Viewers (1.7 million), Adults 18-34 (609,000/0.9 rating), Viewers 12-34 (908,000/1.0 rating) and Females 12-34 (792,000/1.7 rating) – since 1/13/14. SWITCHED AT BIRTH stood as cable TV’s #1 scripted telecast in the hour for its 5th-consecutive original airing among Women 18-34, Women 18-49, Viewers 12-34 and Females 12-34.

With the week of 2/9 coming to a close, for the 2013-14 season to date, The CW is up 14% in adults 18-49 year to year (0.8/2 vs. 0.7/2), up 3% in total viewers (1.9M vs. 1.84M), and flat in adults 18-34 (0.7/2). (Data is Most Current Nielsen ratings through 2/9/14). Additionally, some Live + 7 Day highlights for The CW from the week of 1/20-1/26/14: On a percentage basis, The CW is the most time-shifted network in primetime for the week, averaging a 46% lift in total viewers versus L+SD, a 58% gain in A18-34, and a 59% jump in A18-49 With Live + 7 Day data added in, THE ORIGINALS rises to become the second-highest rated show on The CW for the week in A18-49, growing 55% (1.7 vs. 1.1) versus L+SD. THE ORIGINALS had a 66% gain in A18-34 (1.4 vs 0.9) and a 67% increase in W18-34 (2.0 vs. 1.2) for the week. This season, THE ORIGINALS is averaging 3.3 million viewers in L+7 ratings, 1.6 in A18-34, 2.2 in W18-34, and 1.7 in A18-49.

ORIGINAL SERIES PENNY DREADFUL 1 hour, 8 episodes Premieres: Sunday, May 11th at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT) In PENNY DREADFUL, some of literature’s most famously terrifying characters – including Dr. Frankenstein, Dorian Gray and iconic figures from the novel Dracula, all brilliantly reimagined in a whole new light – have become embroiled in Victorian London. The series stars Josh Hartnett (Black Hawk Down), Timothy Dalton (The Living Daylights, License to Kill) and Eva Green (Casino Royale). Reeve Carney (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark), Rory Kinnear (Skyfall), Billie Piper (Doctor Who, Secret Diary of a Call Girl), Harry Treadaway (The Lone Ranger) and Danny Sapani (The Bill) also star. PENNY DREADFUL is a frightening psychosexual thriller created, written and executive produced by three-time Oscar® nominee John Logan (Hugo, The Aviator, Gladiator) and executive produced by Logan's Desert Wolf Productions, along with Oscar® winner Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall) and Pippa Har

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network continues to expand its scripted slate announcing today it has acquired the rights to adapt singer Darlene Love's memoir "My Name is Love: The Darlene Love Story" into the network's first original TV movie. The scripted project will be executive produced by Oprah Winfrey and Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Morgan Neville, with Love to serve as executive producer. Love was recently featured in the Academy Award-nominated documentary film "Twenty Feet From Stardom," directed by Neville. In addition, OWN has licensed the first broadcast window on cable television to air "Twenty Feet From Stardom" beginning in 2015. The documentary features the untold true story of the backup singers behind some of the greatest musical legends of the 21st century.

Starz this weekl released the official image of the key art, accompanied with a live action video version, for the anticipated second season of the historical fantasy “Da Vinci’s Demons,” an original series created by David S. Goyer (Man of Steel, The Dark Knight trilogy). The key art showcases a freefalling Leonardo da Vinci (played by Tom Riley), as he endeavors to reach new heights like the legend of Icarus. The story of Icarus is a metaphor for da Vinci’s journey in season two of “Da Vinci's Demons,” as he continues to put himself and those he loves in danger in his unending quest for truth and knowledge.

Amazon.com, Inc. this week announced a content licensing agreement with Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution that will make Prime Instant Video the exclusive online-only subscription home for streaming all past episodes of popular period drama The Americans. Prime members can experience all the tension and intrigue of the first season anytime, from hundreds of connected devices, just in time for the February 26th return of the series on FX.

Producers and writing partners Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer have signed on to Syfy’s new Supernatural drama Dominion as Executive Producers and to be co-Showrunners along with Executive Producer Vaun Wilmott, the channel announced today. The series is from Universal Cable Productions and Bold Films, and is slated to premiere on Syfy in June of this year. In joining Dominion, Slavkin & Swimmer extend a long-running creative working relationship with Syfy and Universal Cable Productions. They are Executive Producers and writers on the upcoming second season of Defiance, having been consulting producers for groundbreaking show’s first season in 2013. They were also consulting producers on the second season of Syfy’s original drama, Alphas from UCP.

Production has begun on TV Land’s newest sitcom pilot, Younger , starring Tony® Award winner Sutton Foster (“Bunheads”) Hilary Duff (“Lizzie McGuire”), Debi Mazar (“Entourage”) and Miriam Shor (“GCB”). The single-camera project, which is written, executive produced and directed by Darren Star (“Sex and the City”), is based on the novel “Younger” by Pamela Redmond Satran. Patricia Field, who worked with Star on “Sex and the City,” will be a costume consultant on the production.

Nominees for the 5th Annual Indie Series Awards were revealed in a   special episode of   We Love Soaps TV   earlier today. The ISAs celebrate the best in independently produced, scripted entertainment created for the Web. Hustling   led all web series with 9 nominations.   Out With Dad   was next among Dramas receiving 8 nominations, followed by   DeVanity   and   Progress   with 7, with   EastSiders   and   Thurston   earning 6. Among Comedies,   Wrecked   led with 7 nominations, followed by   Bloomers   and   Husbands   with 6.   Noirhouse   and   Professional Friend   each received 5. A record-breaking 56 web series received at least one nomination. The 5th Annual ISAs will take place on April 2 at the historic El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood, hosted by Carolyn Hennesy, who received a nomination in the "Best Guest Star - Comedy" category for her work on   Single Siblings . Check out the complete list of nominees below: