USA Today is reporting that Isaiah Washington is getting his first TV gig after being fired from Grey's Anatomy last month. He's set to join NBC's new sci-fi drama Bionic Woman for a prolonged story line that begins in the series' early episodes, and the announcement could come today when NBC executives brief reporters on developments for their new and returning shows. Maybe Jamie Sommers will need a good cardiothorasic surgeon after that accident.
Washington's departure all started after making an anti-gay slur on the Grey's Anatomy set that he repeated during the Golden Globes in January. His later comments that his firing was a case of racial discrimination makes it unlikely he will ever return to Seattle Grace to explain why his character left Dr. Yang at the altar in the season finale.
Bionic Woman will air Wednesdays at 8:00pm CT this fall, opposite the Grey's spinoff Private Practice, and CBS' Criminal Minds, which has suddenly and surprisingly lost its biggest star over the summer.
Also new on the NBC front, programming chief Ben Silverman will reportedly announce that the network has re-hired Donald Trump for at least one more season of The Apprentice, with what's rumored to be a game-changing new twist. If he really wants to be game-changing, let's make Donald Junior compete to keep his job with the Trump Organization.
The producers of NBC's exceptional sophomore drama Friday Night Lights are trying to bring more female viewers into the fold by focusing less on the football action and more on the characters. I always thought the football scenes were the weakest of the show anyway. If you haven't seen Friday Night Lights, the first season DVD hits stores at the end of August and is only $19.99 on Amazon. It's worth the investment to see this show from the beginning.
Anyone ready for the new season yet?