News Briefs: American Horror Story Season 3 Will Be Romantic

NEWS STRAIGHT FROM THE RIPPED-OUT BLEEDING HEART

... Hey guys! We got ourselves some Season 3 American Horror Story details! Creator Ryan Murphy held a screening of the finale with important people and told them that the next chapter of the series will be set in present day (Season 2 has spent much of its time in the '60s) AND that it will have a romance at the center of it. Murphy also confirmed that Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, and Jessica Lange will all return next season. I can also confirm that it will be weird. [Deadline Hollywood]

BUSINESS TIME

... HBO will team up with Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg once again for a third miniseries set during World War II. Following Band of Brothers and The Pacific, the crew will set their sights on the air battles that took place over Europe, relying on the book Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany for inspiration. [THR]

... NBC has ordered a trio of comedy pilots that fit into its "broad comedy" model. The Office's Greg Daniels will produce an untitled pilot about 20-somethings dating (snooooooze). Will Ferrell and Adam McKay will produce Assistance, about a female assistant caught between her "work husband" and her real fiancé while meeting the demands of her overbearing boss. And Donor Party follows an irresponsible man who discovers he has several children from his days as a sperm donor. [Deadline Hollywood]

... Nickelodeon has picked up 20 episodes of The Haunted Hathaways, a half-hour comedy about one super weird family dynamic! A mom and her two daughters move to New Orleans only to discover that their new house already has occupants: a dad and two sons, who happen to be DEAD! And they're ghosts! Call it The Boo-rady Bunch! Hahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahahahahahahahaha *deep breath* hahahahahahahahahahaha. LOL. [Deadline Hollywood]

SCHEDULES, RATINGS, AND STUFF

... The final 12 episodes of ABC Family's The Secret Life of the American Teenager will begin March 18. Just 12 more episodes until you can become a movie star, Shailene Woodley, you can make it 'til then! [Deadline Hollywood]

... Oprah Winfrey got the big score when American bicyclist and injector of everything Lance Armstrong chose her as the person he'd admit his crimes against humanity to (maybe you heard about this). But how many tuned in to watch Lance sort-of confess and deflect blame? 3.2 million viewers, a great tally for OWN but not exactly the barn-buster one would expect from such a national headline. Maybe Oprah waited too long to air it (the interview was filmed on Monday) or maybe too many details leaked out or maybe the Manti Te'o story overtook it or maybe and probably more accurately we all just decided fuck you, Lance Armstrong. [TV Guide]

CASTING NEWS

... Revolution has cast the president of the Georgia Federation! 24's Leslie Hope will play President Foster for multiple episodes when Revolution returns on March 25. A lady president? Now this show is getting REALLY ridiculous. (Just kidding ladies, love ya!) [TV Line]

... Dave Annable of the late 666 Park Avenue will guest-star on Fox's Ben and Kate, which sounds about right. When BJ and Kate go back to school, they meet an ethics teacher (Annable) who doesn't always follow his own lesson plan. [TV Guide]

... When Homeland returns for Season 3, it will do so without one of its main characters. Claire Danes... will be back! Haha, got you. Anyway. Diego Klattenhoff, who plays lovelorn Mike, will be demoted from regular status with the potential to appear in some episodes. But who is going to cook Dana breakfast? [TV Line]

SAD NEWS

... Robert F. Chew, the actor who played Prop Joe in HBO's The Wire, has passed away at the age of 52. Chew died of apparent heart failure in his Baltimore home. Prop Joe was always one of my favorite characters from one of my favorite shows and will truly be missed. [Baltimore Sun]