Rumors swirl about Jennifer Lopez leaving 'American Idol'

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Upfronts 2012: Preview 'Elementary,' 'Vegas,' 'Made in Jersey'

CBS renewed 19 series for the upcoming fall season, so they didn't have many schedule holes to fill, but the network did show off three new drama series at its Upfront presentation Wednesday.

Sherlock Holmes gets another modern-day updating (in addition to Stephen Moffat's "Sherlock") in "Elementary," starring Johnny Lee Miller as the world's greatest detective and Lucy Liu as his Dr. Watson. In this case, Watson is a sober companion for Holmes, who's attempting to clean himself up. Exiled from London, this Holmes decides to solve crimes in New York City with the assistance of Police Capt. Toby Gregson (Aidan Quinn).

Writer Rob Doherty, who wrote for the short-lived series "Headcases," is the show creator. It will air Thursdays at 10 p.m.

"Vegas," not to be confused with NBC's "Las Vegas" or the late 1970s ABC series "Vega$," is a look back at Las Vegas' boom days in the 1960s, when real-life Sheriff Ralph Lamb was brought in to clean up the town. In this series, created by "Goodfellas" writer Nicholas Pileggi, Dennis Quaid takes on the role of Lamb, called into the city from his ranch by the mayor to battle a ruthless Chicago gangster, played by Michael Chiklis.

Upfronts 2012: CBS unveils fall schedule; 'Men' moves to Thursday

Director James Mangold shot the pilot and is one of the series' executive producers. The series also stars Taylor Handley, Jason O'Mara and Carrie-Anne Moss. It will air Tuesdays at 10 p.m.

In "Made in Jersey," a street-smart Jersey girl shows that the Garden State's residents know more than GTL (gym, tan, laundry) as she works her way up through the ranks at a New York law firm. Janet Montgomery plays the Jersey girl and Kyle MacLachlan plays the firm's very un-Jersey founder, who takes a shine to her. Toni Trucks and Erin Cummings also star in the series created by former "Covert Affairs" writer Dana Calvo.

The series airs Fridays at 9 p.m.

Upfronts 2012: Adult Swim adds 'Harold & Kumar,' Dan Harmon show

-- Patrick Kevin Day

Photo: "Vegas." Credit: CBS

Twitter: @LATshowtracker

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Upfronts 2012: Watch previews of 'Malibu Country' and 'The Neighbors'

Reba McEntire returns to the sitcom world with "Malibu Country," ABC's traditional sitcom starring the country music star as a not-as-famous country music singer who moves her family to Malibu after leaving her cheating husband.

Helping Reba out is her mother, played by Lily Tomlin, who's got a medical marijuana prescription and isn't afraid to use it. Sara Rue (who also manages to star on NBC's new series "Guys With Kids") plays the overly familiar next-door neighbor.

Kevin Abbott, who wrote for Reba's previous sitcom, "Reba," created the series, which will air at 8:30 p.m. Fridays starting in November.

"The Neighbors" stars Jami Gertz and Lenny Venito as a couple trading in city life for life in the suburbs, only to find that the suburbs are filled with extraterrestrials posing as humans.

These aliens are Zabvronians, and they've been stationed on Earth for a decade. And like all aliens, they have some distinct differences from the human race (the men get pregnant and they leak green goo from their ears when they cry).

Dan Fogelman, writer of "Crazy, Stupid, Love," created this series, which also stars Simon Templeman, Toks Olagundoye, Clara Mamet and Tim Jo. It will air at 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays.

— Patrick Kevin Day

Photo: The cast of "The Neighbors." Credit: ABC.

Twitter: @LATshowtracker

VIDEO: Watch 2012 TV Previews

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Upfronts 2012: Watch preview for ABC's 'How to Live With Your Parents'

Anyone care to guess how long ABC's "How to Live With Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)" will air before marketing figures out a catchier (i.e. shorter) title?

The series finds Sarah Chalke freshly divorced and moving back in with her parents, played by Elizabeth Perkins and Brad Garrett. Only instead of the daughter being the wild one and her parents being the strict conservatives, it's the other way around.

Although she's taking a step backward in her life, Chalke's character isn't alone. There's her best friend, played by Orlando Jones; her ex-husband, played by Jon Dore; and her assistant, played by Rebecca Delgado Smith, all standing by to help her out. As best they can.

The series was created by Claudia Lonow and executive produced by Brian Grazer. It will air at 8 p.m. Tuesdays starting in January.

— Patrick Kevin Day

Photo: The cast of "How to Live With Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)." Credit: ABC.

Twitter: @LATshowtracker

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Upfronts 2012: Watch previews of ABC's 'Nashville' and 'Red Widow'

Politics and country music go hand in hand in "Nashville," the ABC drama set to debut this fall.

Connie Britton is back on a regular series where we presume she won't end up as a ghost by the end of the first season, as she did in "American Horror Story." This time she's past-her-prime country singer Rayna James looking to reignite her career by teaming with young upstart Juliette Barnes, played by Hayden Panettiere, on a tour. Of course, the women don't get along. At all.

Meanwhile, James' powerful father, played by Powers Boothe, is looking to push her husband for mayor of Nashville. A move the singer isn't pleased about. At all.

"Thelma & Louise" screenwriter Callie Khouri created the series, which features documentary filmmaker R.J. Cutler as executive producer. It will air at 10 p.m. Wednesdays.

American television raids Dutch TV once again for "Red Widow," an adaptation of the series "Penoza." (Dutch TV previously gave us the basis for AMC's "The Killing.")

The ABC drama stars Radha Mitchell as a widowed mother out to protect her three children against the men responsible for husband's death. So she takes on the drug underworld as well as the FBI in her quest to clear her husband's name and stop the bad guys, including her husband's former business partners.

The series, adapted for U.S. television by "Twilight" screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg, also stars Wil Traval, Erin Moriarty, Lee Tergesen and Mido Hamada.

"Red Widow" will join the schedule midseason.

— Patrick Kevin Day

Photo: The cast of "Nashville." Credit: ABC.

Twitter: @LATshowtracker

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Upfronts 2012: Watch previews of ABC's 'Mistresses' and 'Zero Hour'

ABC's new prime-time soap "Mistresses" is an import from the U.K. with former "Gossip Girls" writer K.J. Steinberg giving it the American treatment.

The series stars Alysssa Milano, "Lost's" Yunjin Kim, Rochelle Aytes and Jes Macallan as friends making their way through the ups and downs of life. Milano plays the career woman who's also attempting to start a family with her husband, Macallan plays her wild child younger sister, Aytes plays their mutual friend, a widowed mother of two attempting to rebuild her life, and Kim plays a therapist attempting to rebuild her own life after getting way too close to a patient.

"Prison Break" creator Paul T. Scheuring is back with a "DaVinci Code"-like thriller called "Zero Hour."

Anthony Edwards plays a professional skeptic who discovers a vast conspiracy when his wife is abducted from her antique clock shop. How vast? It's the kind of conspiracy that reaches back centuries, threatens the entire human race and can be uncovered only by following clues on a treasure map and solving puzzles.

Jacinda Barrett plays the wife and Michael Nyqvist plays the mysterious bad guy, named White Vincent.

The series also stars Addison Timlin, Carmen Ejogo and Scott Michael Foster.

Both shows will join ABC midseason.

— Patrick Kevin Day

Photo: The cast of "Zero Hour." Credit: ABC.

Twitter: @LATshowtracker

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Upfronts 2012: Watch previews of ABC's '666 Park Avenue' and 'Last Resort'

ABC unveiled its new fall shows Tuesday, and two dramas look to recapture aspects of the magic that was "Lost."

The supernatural drama "666 Park Avenue" features the return of John Locke himself, Terry O'Quinn, to ABC's schedule. This time he plays Gavin Doran, the mysterious owner of the Drake, a New York apartment building that may look amazing but has a definite dark side.

Rachael Taylor and David Annable play the Midwestern couple hired to manage the building, who soon begin to notice the supernatural forces at work that ensnare the building's residents.

The series, based onbooks by Gabriella Pierce, was adapted by former "Fringe" writer David Wilcox and also stars Robert Buckley, Mercedes Masohn, Helena Mattsson, Samantha Logan and Vanessa Williams. It will air at 10 p.m. Sundays.

"The Shield" creator Shawn Ryan is back on network TV (his last series, "The Chicago Code," was canceled after 13 episodes last season) with "Last Resort." And like "Lost," this drama features characters attempting to remake civilization on an island paradise.

In this case, it's not the survivors of a plane crash but the crew of a U.S. ballistic missile submarine, Colorado, crippled by an attack and declared rogue enemies of the United States for defying orders to fire their missiles. Rather than attempt to sail home, they land on an island and attempt to start their lives over.

Andre Braugher stars as the sub's captain, and Scott Speedman is his XO. Daisy Betts, Dichen Lachman, Daniel Lissing, Sahr Ngaujah, Camille De Pazzis, Autumn Reeser and Jessy Schram also star.

The series will air at 8 p.m. Thursdays.

Upfronts 2012: ABC looks to more nighttime soaps for fall

Upfronts 2012: ABC star Sofia Vergara promotes Univision

— Patrick Kevin Day

Photo: The cast of "666 Park Avenue." Credit: ABC.

Twitter: @LATshowtracker

Anti-gay group slams J.C. Penney for hiring Ellen DeGeneres

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Ellen DeGeneres to receive Mark Twain Prize for American Humor

This fall, Ellen DeGeneres will join Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Whoopi Goldberg, Tina Fey, George Carlin and Will Ferrell in a very exclusive comedy club: recipients of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

The Emmy-winning host of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" is being honored for her stand-up work, her daytime show, her various hosting gigs, activism and books.

According to the Kennedy Center, recipients of the Mark Twain Prize are "people who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to the distinguished 19th century novelist and essayist Samuel Clemens."

Mark Twain never had a daytime talk show, but he might have enjoyed hosting one.

In a statement, DeGeneres said, "It's such an honor to receive the Mark Twain Prize. To get the same award that has been given to people like Bill Cosby, Tina Fey and Will Ferrell, it really makes me wonder … why didn't I get this sooner?"

DeGeneres will have to make room on her already crowded awards shelf. She's already won 12 People's Choice Awards, three Teen Choice Awards, two Genesis Awards, a GLAAD Media Award and her talk show has won 35 Daytime Emmy Awards.

DeGeneres will receive her award during a ceremony at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 22.

Ellen DeGeneres ads: Anti-gay group's J.C. Penney boycott fizzles

-- Patrick Kevin Day

Photo: Ellen DeGeneres. Credit: Chris Pizzello / Associated Press

Twitter: @LATshowtracker

Upfronts 2012: Watch previews of 'The Following,' 'Goodwin Games'

Fox unveiled two new midseason shows Monday: a creepy serial killer drama from Kevin Williamson titled "The Following" and "The Goodwin Games," a comedy created by Carter Bays, Craig Thomas and Chris Harris of "How I Met Your Mother."

"The Following" stars Kevin Bacon as former FBI agent Ryan Hardy, who gets pulled back into the game to consult on the hunt for Joe Carroll (James Purefoy), an escaped serial killer cultivating a following of like-minded killers through the Internet.

Of course, Hardy is a broken man with a drinking problem, haunted by his past. And Carroll is charming and British. And Hardy's got two younger, better-looking FBI agents at his side, played by Jeananne Goossen and Shawn Ashmore.

Upfronts 2012: Britney Spears and Demi Lovato officially join 'X Factor'

Creator Kevin Williamson knows creepy: He wrote the "Scream" movies, after all. The only question is whether this series will be one of his hits (like "The Vampire Diaries") or misses (like "Wasteland").

"The Goodwin Games" stars Scott Foley, Becki Newton and Jake Lacy as three often combative siblings who stand to inherit their deceased father's $23-million fortune -- if they can learn to get along. They have to make it through a series of challenges (including a uniquely tailored game of Trivial Pursuit) in order to win the money.

Beau Bridges plays their (deceased) dad, and Melissa Tang plays the family's attorney.

Carter Bays, Craig Thomas and Chris Harris of "How I Met Your Mother" created the series, with director Peyton Reed as executive producer.

Upfronts 2012: Watch previews of 'The Mindy Project' and 'Ben and Kate'

Photo: Kevin Bacon in "The Following." Credit: Fox

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Upfronts 2012: Watch a preview of 'The Mob Doctor'

Fox's only new drama for the fall takes two familiar genres (the medical drama and the mob drama) and smooshes them together to create something new. The mobical drama?

"The Mob Doctor" stars Jordana Spiro as a promising young physician who finds herself involved with made men from the South Side of Chicago when she has to take them on as patients to pay off her brother's gambling debts. So the young lady doc spends her days in the ER and her nights patching up wiseguys. Of course no one on the hospital realizes what she's up to.

The series was created by TV writers Josh Berman and Rob Wright, most recently of the series "Drop Dead Diva," and was executive produced by director Michael Dinner.

Fall TV: Fox unveils 2012-13 schedule; 'Glee' moves to Thursdays

William Forsythe plays the head mobster, Constantine Alexander, Zach Gilford plays her boyfriend and James Carpinello plays her ex-boyfriend and current mob guy, Franco.

The series airs at 9 p.m. Mondays.

Upfronts 2012: Britney Spears and Demi Lovato officially join 'X Factor'

Photo: Jordana Spiro is "The Mob Doctor." Credit: Nathaniel Bell / Fox.

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Upfronts 2012: Watch previews of 'The Mindy Project' and 'Ben and Kate'

Fox unveiled its new fall shows on Monday afternoon, including two new comedies that are set to debut this fall.

Mindy Kaling is leaving "The Office" for her own comedy series, called "The Mindy Project."

In this series, which she created, Kaling plays OB/GYN Mindy Lahiri, who's on the hunt for a man to share her life while simultaneously dealing with the kooky personalities in her medical practice, including self-absorbed fellow doctor Jeremy Reed (Ed Weeks), whom Mindy keeps ending up with, and hot-headed Danny Castellano (Chris Messina), who steals her patients.

The series also stars Zoe Jarman, Anna Camp and Dana DeLorenzo. It will air at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesdays.

"Ben and Kate" stars newcomer Dakota Johnson and Nat Faxon (who recently won an Oscar for co-writing "The Descendents") as a brother and sister attempting to make ends meet while raising the sister's young daughter (played by Maggie Jones).

Since this is a comedy, the siblings are an odd couple: The brother is one of those wacky schemers and the sister is the level-headed single mother who never finished college because she got pregnant.

The series was created by "What Happens in Vegas" writer Dana Fox and executive produced by director Jake Kasdan. It will air 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays.

Fall TV: Fox unveils 2012-13 schedule; 'Glee' moves to Thursdays

Upfronts 2012: Britney Spears and Demi Lovato officially join 'X Factor'

Photo: Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader in "The Mindy Project." Credit: Beth Dubber / Fox.

Twitter: @LATshowtracker

Upfronts 2012: Watch previews of NBC's 'Go On', 'Animal Practice'

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Upfronts 2012: Watch previews of 4 NBC midseason series

In addition to its fall lineup, NBC released trailers from its mid-season shows on Monday as well. Among the projects waiting in the wings are the White House comedy "1600 Penn" (giving us a chance to see Bill Pullman back in a presidential role for the first time since "Independence Day" in 1996), the Dane Cook talk-radio comedy "Next Caller," the Jekyll-and-Hyde doctor drama "Do No Harm" and the Anne Heche housewife-as-prophet comedy "Save Me."

"Book of Mormon" star Josh Gad appears in and is one of the executive producers of "1600 Penn," which puts a typical wacky American family in the White House. Like NBC's previous White House hit, "The West Wing," this series boasts some insider knowledge — former presidential speechwriter Jon Lovett is also a producer.

Jenna Elfman plays the first lady in the series, which also stars Marth MacIsaac, Andre Holland and Amara Miller.

Dane Cook's series, "Next Caller," is the first series to be set in the world of satellite radio (as opposed to traditional broadcast radio), but the sexual dynamics are as old as the hills. Cook plays the nasty host of "Booty Calls," and his new partner is the perky NPR-trained feminist Stella (Collette Wolfe), who won't let Cook's character get away with business as usual.

Jeffrey Tambor and Jay Osmanski also star in this series created by former "Weeds" producer Stephen Falk.

In "Do No Harm," Steven Pasquale stars as a brilliant neurosurgeon who has a bit of a brain defect himself — he's got an evil alter-ego. And that evil alter-ego is starting to reassert itself after years of dormancy.

Former "Desperate Housewives" writer David Schulner created the drama series, which also stars Alana De La Garza, Mousa Kraish, Michael Esper, Ruta Gedmintas and Phylicia Rashad.

Anne Heche plays a Midwestern housewife who survives choking on a sandwich and believes that she now has a direct line to God in "Save Me," the comedy series from novelist John Scott Shepherd. Michael Landes plays her skeptical husband and Alexandra Breckinridge plays the "other woman" in their marriage.

Upfronts 2012: Watch previews of NBC's 'New Normal,' 'Guys With Kids'

— Patrick Kevin Day

Photo: The cast of "1600 Penn." Credit: NBC.

Twitter: @LATshowtracker