'Happy Face' Brings In The Kids And A Recurring David Harewood

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  The upcoming Paramount+ drama series Happy Face has found all of its series regulars and jonesed for its recurring talk show host and Melissa’s boss. The final series regulars found are  Khiyla Aynne   and Benjamin Mackey, while Supergirl alum David Harewood is racking in the ratings. As one could surmise, Aynne and Mackey play Melissa (played by Annaleigh Ashford )’s kids with husband Ben, played by James Wolk . Specifically, Aynne  plays Hazel, their  secure and happy  15-year-old daughter who initially believes that her mother is off on a simple business trip. However,  she soon starts suspecting that something dire is going on, beginning to investigate and uncover the shocking circumstances of her mother’s past.  Mackey plays  lively   9-year-old Max, who takes his stable upbringing for granted and doesn’t grow his older sister’s suspicions regarding mom’s sudden absence. He instead steadfastly believes she’s producing some sort of on-location segment for  The Dr. Greg Show . A
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‘Nurse Jackie’ & ‘Weeds’ Sequels In Development At Showtime With Original Stars Returning

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Image source: Showtime

As Showtime shifts its programming strategy to expand the IP it already has, the next selections seem to be two of its biggest comedies: Weeds and Nurse Jackie. Sequel series for both series are in early development, still being molded with deals still in negotiations. However, the series' respective leads, Mary-Louise Parker and Edie Falco are attached to star and executive produce. They come from Lionsgate Television and former Showtime President of Entertainment Robert Greenblatt, who has a deal with the studio.

The Weeds revival would be written and executive produced by Christian Torpe, who created the popular Danish series Rita. It would pick up featuring Nancy Botwin, played by Parker, living in Copenhagen. The original series aired from 2005-2012 and was created by Jenji Kohan, who eventually became creator  of Orange is the New Black. It followed Botwin, a widowed mother of two boys, played by Hunter Parrish and Alexander Gould, who begins selling marijuana to support her family. Justin Kirk, Kevin Nealon, Elizabeth Perkins. Andy Milder, Allie Grant, Tonye Patano and Romany Malco also starred. Weeds won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, and a WGA. Untitled Entertainment is producing this Weeds revival.

Previous continuation attempts include a 2019 effort where Lionsgate TV sibling Starz announced one from writer Victoria Morrow. This one picks up with the Botwin family 10 years after the events of the original series in an era of marijuana legalization. Variety seems to be treating this latest step as the next in that version's development, that it has simply shifted networks rather than started over. Nevertheless, Kirk, who played brother-in-law Andy Botwin isn't so enthused about the prospect. questioning whether even the fans would want to see them so older in their returns, also calling the extensive work on reviving the show "trying to drag its tired carcass out".

The Nurse Jackie follow-up, still finalizing its concept, would be written and executive produced by original series writers-producers Abe Sylvia and Liz Flahive. The original series ran from 2009 to 2015 and was created and executive produced by Liz Brixius, Linda Wallem, and Evan Dunksy. It starred Falco as Jackie Peyton, a duplicitous, pill-addicted ER nurse, and mom. The series won five Primetime Emmy Awards out of 24 nominations, with individual wins for Falco and Merritt Wever. Caryn Mandabach and John Melfi also executive produced. Paul Schulze and Peter Facinelli were the only two other series regulars to stick with the show from start to finish in that status.

It was Greenblatt's idea to revive Nurse Jackie and so he recruited Falco and Sylvia back. He's an executive producer on both projects. They have been put on fast-track development to launch as early as early 2024 depending on how quickly the writers' strike resolves. This is to fit into Showtime’s new programming strategy focused on IP franchise building, which includes new spinoffs of their other hits, including The L Word, Billions, and Dexter, despite already having different offshoots in The L Word: Generation Q and Dexter: New Blood that they opted to cancel. Of course, by Q1 2024, Showtime won't just be Showtime anymore. It'll be Paramount+ with Showtime, a rebrand and integration that is supposed to occur by the end of this year, unifying it as a streaming and linear brand. The Paramount+ brand is very familiar with sequel series for IP by this point, having ones for iCarly and Frasier, as well as Star Trek: Picard and arguably Star Trek: Prodigy.

 Sources: Deadline, Variety

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