TV News Trifecta: Dirk Gently, Castle, Walking Dead

? Last year the BBC aired a Dirk Gently pilot that starred Stephen Mangan (who fans of obscure comedies may also know from Green Wing and Episodes). It was enough of a modest success to spawn a three-part follow-up series very loosely based on Douglas Adams’ two books about the holistic detective. The creative force behind the show is Howard Overman, who tones down the anarchy of his other series, Misfits, to present Gently as a delightful oddball played wonderfully by Mangan. As an Adams fanatic who has sang the late authors praises many times before around these parts, I have to say that the pilot captured the essence of Dirk beautifully…even if it did stray from the source material. As always, your mileage may vary. It should be interesting to see what Overman and his cohorts have planned for these new adventures. The episodes begin airing in the UK on Monday, March 5th. As of right now, no U.S. debut has been announced.

? Fresh off of Chuck (a show I still irrationally blame for killing Journeyman), Adam Baldwin will be stopping by to do a guest shot on Castle. Reuniting with former Firefly cohort/traumatized voiceover actor Nathan Fillion, Baldwin will play “a rough and tumble cop from the city’s gang unit who lands a case that Castle is desperate to follow.” It’s not a full blown reunion of the Serenity gang, but it’s something, right? (Via Blastr)

? Something big is happening on The Walking Dead. Something that you probably figured out awhile back. Hit the jump for all the spoilery (yet totally obvious) details.

Whoops! Bad news for you Jon Bernthal fans out there. (Berthalians?)

AMC accidentally posted promotional copy for a Blu-ray set for the second season
that includes “Shane’s last episode” among other ostensibly exciting
fare, like “an extended zombie gut scene.” This is but the most recent
entry in the chronicle of Shane’s death foretold: The TV character has
already greatly out-lived his comic-book counterpoint (OG Shane dies
after Carl shoots him in the neck shortly after Rick joins the
survivors), and Bernthal has already been cast on another show — from TWD‘s ex-showrunner Frank Darabont.

Shane’s impending death isn’t a shock for anyone who was ever read The Walking Dead comic, and he’s already lived way past his expiration date on the series. With his comic demise came a bunch of story opportunities for Rick and the others, something AMC’s show could desperately use right about now. Between this development, the upcoming reveal of Rick’s big CDC secret and the arrival of David Morrissey as the Governor next season, things are looking up indeed. (Via Vulture).