News

Exclusive: Sofia Vassilieva and Dan Tracy are set for recurring roles in J.J. Abrams and Latoya Morgan’s Max period drama Duster, starring Josh Holloway and Rachel Hilson.

Co-written by Abrams and Latoya Morgan, in Duster, set in 1972, the first Black female FBI agent (Hilson) heads to the Southwest and recruits a gutsy getaway driver (Holloway) in a bold effort to take down a growing crime syndicate.

Vassilieva will play Jessica. Tracy will portray Agent Chad Grant. Character descriptions are being kept under wraps.

Keith David, Sydney Elisabeth, Greg Grunberg, Camille Guaty, Asivak Koostachin, Adriana Aluna Martinez and Benjamin Charles Watson also star. Corbin Bernsen and Gail O’Grady recur.

Duster is produced by Warner Bros. Television. The first two episodes are written by Abrams and Morgan. Steph Green directs the first two episodes and executive produces. Abrams and Rachel Rusch Rich executive produce for Bad Robot through its content partnership...

Exclusive: Three-time Emmy nominee Gail O’Grady is set for a key recurring role in J.J. Abrams and Latoya Morgan’s Max period drama Duster, starring Josh Holloway and Rachel Hilson.

Co-written by Abrams and Latoya Morgan, in Duster, set in 1972, the first Black female FBI agent (Hilson) heads to the Southwest and recruits a gutsy getaway driver (Holloway) in a bold effort to take down a growing crime syndicate.

O’Grady will play Charlotte, wife of Wade Ellis, played by Corbin Bernsen, and stepmother to Holloway’s character.

Keith David, Sydney Elisabeth, Greg Grunberg, Camille Guaty, Asivak Koostachin, Adriana Aluna Martinez and Benjamin Charles Watson also star.

Duster is produced by Warner Bros. Television. The first two episodes are written by Abrams and Morgan. Steph Green directs the first two episodes and executive produces. Abrams and Rachel Rusch Rich executive produce for Bad Robot through its content partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery and Wbtv,...

Exclusive: Corbin Bernsen (City On A Hill) is set for a key recurring role opposite Josh Holloway and Rachel Hilson in J.J. Abrams and Latoya Morgan’s HBO Max period drama Duster.

Co-written by Abrams and Latoya Morgan, in Duster, set in 1972, the first Black female FBI agent (Hilson) heads to the Southwest and recruits a gutsy getaway driver (Holloway) in a bold effort to take down a growing crime syndicate.

Bernsen will play Wade Ellis, the father of Holloway’s character.

Keith David, Sydney Elisabeth, Greg Grunberg, Camille Guaty, Asivak Koostachin, Adriana Aluna Martinez and Benjamin Charles Watson also star.

Duster is produced by Warner Bros. Television. The first two episodes are written by Abrams and Morgan. Steph Green directs the first two episodes and executive produces. Abrams and Rachel Rusch Rich executive produce for Bad Robot through its content partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery and Wbtv, and Morgan...

Evan Jones has signed with Buchwald for representation, Variety has learned exclusively. In addition, Jones has landed a recurring guest star role in the upcoming HBO Max crime drama series “Duster” from J.J. Abrams and Latoya Morgan. Jones will continue to be represented by Artists First and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis.

Jones is best known for his roles in films like “8 Mile,” in which he played Cheddar Bob, and “Jarhead,” in which he played Fowler. Jones’ other notable film roles include “Den of Thieves,” “The Book of Eli,” “Guardians of the Galaxy 2,” “A Million Ways to Die in the West,” “Shot Caller,” and “Hotel Artemis.”

In television, Jones has appeared in shows like “October Road,” “Houdini,” “Brothers & Sisters,” “Midnight, Texas,” and “CSI: Cyber.”

“Duster” was picked up to series at HBO Max in February. The eight-episode series is set in 1972. Per the official logline, “the first Black female...

Duster has been ordered to series by HBO Max and comes from JJ Abrams (Lost). The drama will star Rachel Hilson and Josh Holloway along with Keith David, Sydney Elisabeth, Greg Grunberg, Camille Guaty, Asivak Koostachin, Adriana Aluna Martinez, and Benjamin Charles Watson.

The eight-episode series is set in 1972 and follows the first Black female FBI agent (Hilson) as she tries to take down a crime syndicate with the help of a getaway driver (Holloway).

Read More…...

It's been a weird old time for JJ Abrams of late. Despite still being one of the most powerful creatives and producers working in the industry, he's seen his projects take a hit — a giant deal with Warner Bros. Discovery has seen slow development and several cancellations (including a Justice League Dark series), and Paramount has seen little forward movement on the Star Trek movie front – but it appears that the former relationship is finally paying off again as he as set up new series Duster at HBO Max starring Lost veteran Josh Holloway alongside Rachel Hilson.

Co-created with Latoya Morgan, Duster is set in 1972 in the Southwest and follows the first Black female FBI agent (Hilson) as she recruits a gutsy getaway driver (Holloway) in a bold effort to take down a growing crime syndicate. The cast also features Keith David, Sydney Elisabeth, Greg Grunberg (an Abrams stalwart), Camille Guaty,...

For those like me who pay way too much attention to these sorts of things, you may remember the news that filmmaker J.J. Abrams had signed an immensely profitable deal with Warner Bros. Discovery. This enabled him to write, produce, and direct various projects on both the big screen and small, with the freedom to sell certain projects to other distributors as well as producing original stories for Warner Bros. and HBO Max. Discerning readers may also recall that, in the years since, absolutely nothing has actually come from that high-profile agreement -- not for lack of trying, mind you. There was that double-whammy announcement of a "Justice League Dark" project and a spin-off of "The Shining" called "Overlook" that had nerds everywhere all hyped up. Unfortunately, those ultimately never came to fruition for various reasons, along with an incredibly expensive sci-fi series called "Demimonde."

Finally, however, we're about to...

HBO Max has ordered the eight-episode drama Duster to series from J.J. Abrams, Latoya Morgan, and Warner Bros. Television. Rachel Hilson will star opposite Josh Holloway.

Logline: In 1972, the first Black female FBI agent heads to the Southwest and recruits a gutsy getaway driver in a bold effort to take down a growing crime syndicate.

Cast (in alphabetical order): Keith David as Ezra, Sydney Elisabeth as Genesis, Greg Grunberg as Abbott, Camille Guaty as Izzy, Rachel Hilson as Nina, Josh Holloway as Jim, Asivak Koostachin as Awan, Adriana Aluna Martinez as Luna, Benjamin Charles Watson as Royce.

Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content, HBO Max quote: “We are delighted to bring this high-voltage crime caper from the brilliant minds of J.J. Abrams and Latoya Morgan to the HBO Max audience. This show has all the elements of a great Max Original, with propulsive storytelling, fantastic characters, and some truly bad-ass car chases.

HBO Max, J.J. Abrams, and Latoya Morgan plan to introduce audiences to Duster, a period drama set in the Southwest starring Josh Holloway and Rachel Hilson. Duster is a concept Abrams and Morgan have been kicking around since April 2020, when it nearly got the green light from then HBO Max Chief Content Officer Kevin Reilly. The project remained in limbo since then, with HBO Max labeling it “in development.” The time has come for HBO Max to give Duster a series order after shooting a pilot episode.

Duster stars Rachel Hilson as Nina, the first Black FBI agent, who, in 1972, travels to the Southwest and gains a getaway driver, played by Josh Holloway. Together, the duo aims to take down a crime syndicate taking root in the area. Keith David, Sydney Elisabeth, Greg Grunberg, Camille Guaty, Asivak Koostachin, Adriana Aluna Martinez, and Benjamin Charles Watson also star.

Duster is an...

Rachel Hilson and Josh Holloway will star in HBO Max’s ‘Duster’

HBO Max has committed to eight episodes of J.J. Abrams and Latoya Morgan’s Duster. Josh Holloway (Yellowstone) and Rachel Hilson (This Is Us) are on board to star in the new crime caper set in the early 1970s.

“Latoya and I are thrilled at the chance to bring the wild, wily, and wacky world of Duster to life, especially with this exceptional cast, crew, and network,” said Abrams.

The series will also feature Keith David as Ezra, Sydney Elisabeth as Genesis, Greg Grunberg as Abbott, and Camille Guaty as Izzy. Asivak Koostachin is Awan, Adriana Aluna Martinez is Luna, and Benjamin Charles Watson is Royce.

“Duster is an amalgam of all my favorite things – high-octane storytelling with deep characters and so much heart,” explained Morgan. “It’s a dream project and I’m supremely grateful to all...

“Duster,” an eight-episode drama from “Lost” creator J.J. Abrams and Latoya Morgan, has been ordered to series by HBO Max, it was announced Thursday. The order comes almost three years after “Duster” was first revealed to be in development at the streamer in April 2021.

Additionally, Max unveiled the cast for the 1972-set series, with Rachel Hilson starring as Nina, a young Black FBI agent who journeys to the Southwest on an assignment to take down a crime syndicate. Josh Holloway, best known for playing Sawyer in Abrams’ ABC series “Lost,” stars opposite Hilson as Jim, a getaway driver recruited to help Nina on her mission; his casting was first reported by Variety in 2021.

“We are delighted to bring this high-voltage crime caper from the brilliant minds of J.J. Abrams and Latoya Morgan to the HBO Max audience,” HBO Max head of original content Sarah Aubrey said in a statement.

This Is Us standout Rachel Hilson has been cast alongside Josh Holloway in J.J. Abrams’ upcoming crime drama, Duster.

The eight-episode series (which has already earned a series order from HBO Max) will follow a “gutsy getaway driver (Holloway) for a growing crime syndicate [whose life] goes from awful to wildly, stupidly, dangerously awful.” Hilson will play a character named Nina, though exact details are Tbd.

More from TVLineJosh Holloway to Reunite With Lost's J.J. Abrams, Star in HBO Max's DusterThe Shining Offshoot Overlook Ordered to Series at HBO Max, From J.J. AbramsEast New York Sneak Peek: Does Suarez Want to Be the NYPD Commissioner?...

HBO Max has ordered the eight-episode drama “Duster” to series from J.J. Abrams, Latoya Morgan and Warner Bros. Television, HBO said Thursday.

The series, which is set in 1972, stars Rachel Hilson of “The Good Wife” and “This is Us” as Nina, the first Black female FBI and “Colony” star Josh Holloway as “gutsy getaway driver” Jim, who teams up with her to take down a growing crime syndicate.

The series reteams Holloway, who played James “Sawyer” Ford on “Lost,” with Abrams. Holloway also appeared in the 2011 Abrams-produced film “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.” His other series include “Intelligence” and a stint on “Yellowstone” as Roarke Carter.

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Elizabeth Olsen Gets Murderous in First ‘Love & Death’ Teaser (Video)

“We are delighted to bring this high-voltage crime caper from the brilliant minds of J.J. Abrams and Latoya Morgan to the HBO Max audience. This show has all the elements of a great Max Original,...

J.J. Abrams and HBO Max are officially putting a series into gear.

The streamer has picked up Duster, a 1970s-set drama from Abrams and Latoya Morgan (Into the Badlands, The Walking Dead). Rachel Hilson (Love, Victor, This Is Us) and Josh Holloway, who worked with Abrams on Lost, head the cast.

Duster is the first series to spring from a nine-figure film and TV deal Abrams’ Bad Robot company signed with WarnerMedia (now Warner Bros. Discovery) in 2019. In April 2020, Duster was one of three Bad Robot projects announced for the yet-to-launch HBO Max, along with The Shining offshoot Overlook and a Justice League Dark project. The latter two have since been scrapped (Bad Robot has shopped Overlook to other possible buyers), as has Abrams’ long-developing sci-fi series Demimonde (which was for the HBO parent channel) after concerns over its projected 200 million-plus budget.

As for Duster, it’s set in 1972 in...

Rachel Hilson will star alongside Josh Holloway in J.J. Abrams and Latoya Morgan’s period drama Duster as HBO Max has finally handed the project an official series order.

The project has been long in the works, it was first announced in April 2020, where it was seemingly given a series order by then HBO Max Chief Content Officer Kevin Reilly. However, that turned out to be development with a series commitment. It has remained active and recently landed an official series order after a pilot was shot.

Hilson will star as Nina, the first Black female FBI agent, who in 1972 heads to the Southwest and recruits a gutsy getaway driver, played by Holloway, the first in a bold effort to take down a growing crime syndicate.

Keith David, Sydney Elisabeth, Greg Grunberg, Camille Guaty, Asivak Koostachin, Adriana Aluna Martinez and Benjamin Charles Watson also star.

Hilson is best known for...

Jamie Andrew Jul 16, 2019

With season 4 yet to be announced, we explore whether Netflix saving Designated Survivor from cancellation paid off.

This Designated Survivor article contains spoilers. It comes from Den of Geek UK.

If I start watching a TV series, I have to finish it. No matter if the quality drops, the compulsivity factor fades, or a standard of snooze-inducing mediocrity is maintained throughout. I can't quit them... but they can quit me. Cancellations can sometimes come like a boon from above, a merciful release from the burden of being beholden to a bad or boring show.

Designated Survivor was one such series: its termination almost brought hot tears of gratitude to my eyes. It wasn't an irredeemably terrible show by any means, but after a largely entertaining - if occasionally mealy-mouthed - first season, it palpably struggled to justify its continued existence. Once the plot to topple the presidency...

Benjamin Charles Watson didn’t just join Designated Survivor for Season 3. No, he found himself jumping in with both feet, as White House Digital Officer Dontae Evans got pulled into the frenzy of an election campaign (and the illegal antics that can come with it), endured a daylight mugging and also tumbled into a torrid romance with Secret Service agent Troy Bae.

Watson also landed smack dab in the middle of some of the more mature themes that Season 3 embraced in its new, more liberal Netflix home — whether partaking in the saltier language or breaking down the complexities of an undetectable,...

Benjamin Charles Watson, likely best known Stateside as Tariq on the canceled CW drama, The L.A. Complex, has joined the season 3 cast of AMC's resuscitated drama, The Killing, playing a transgender teen. Watson will portray a character named Gay Ray, who's described as follows... ... A transgender teen who left home because of a domineering and bigoted adoptive father and has found acceptance and love in his street family. Although he calls himself "Rayna," he begrudgingly allows his friends to refer to him as Gay Ray, a nickname he's grown to appreciate. He is optimistic, funny, intelligent and a good friend. The 12-episode third season of The Killing will introduce a new case, and...

Whoa! Joey Lawrence has a new gig: co-hosting "Splash," ABC's new diving reality series, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

THR reports that Espn SportsNation host Charissa Thompson will join Lawrence at the helm of "Splash," which premieres on Tuesday, March 19.

Greg Louganis will train the "Splash" cast, which includes Louie Anderson, Drake Bell, Chuy Bravo, Nicole Eggert, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Ndamukong Suh, Katherine Webb, Kendra Wilkinson, Rory Bushfield and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. David Boudia and Steve Foley will judge ABC's upcoming series.

In more casting news ...

Hope Davis is heading to "Law & Order: Svu." The actress will appear in the April 24 installment about violent youth as Viola Mesner, mother to Henry (Ethan Cutkosky), who is "wired wrong." [THR]

Brenda and Jax are retuning to "General Hospital." Vanessa Marcil and Ingo Rademacher will reprise their iconic roles in honor of the ABC soap's 50th anniversary. [EW]

"The Killing" beefs up its cast. Benjamin Charles Watson,...

It's a Brad Brad World all over again.

News

Smash's hot lawyer Neal Bledsoe has joined the cast of NBC's Ironside remake.

Brace yourselves. Jon Stewart will be taking a 12-week hiatus from The Daily Show, Deadline reports. Stewart take the time off to direct his first movie, Rosewater, about a London journalist who is imprisoned while covering the 2009 Iranian presidential election. Don't worry, The Daily Show will go on, with John Oliver sitting in Jon's chair. Let's hope that averts the curse that causes bad things to happen whenever Tds goes on break.

Ben McKenzie has grabbed a pilot role, joining The Advocates. The legal drama follows a lawyer and an ex-con (McKenzie) who try to help underdogs with legal troubles. So what does that mean for Southland? Is his Southland character Rookieboy going to be written out, or is McKenzie feeling pessimistic about Southland's future?

The...

Earlier this month, we learned that Bell Media had cancelled The La Complex after two seasons on the air. The low-rated drama aired on The CW here in the states but was produced in Canada.

Word was that The CW was involved in talks about possibly keeping the show going for a third season but we now know that won't happen. The CW has cancelled La Complex as well, according to THR.

The series was sold to nearly 170 territories so the show could potentially continue without the Us and Canada outlets but that seems highly unlikely.

The La Complex revolves around a diverse group of performers who are trying to make it in Hollywood while living in the same apartment complex. The ensemble cast includes Andra Fuller, Benjamin Charles Watson, Cassie Steele, Chelan Simmons, Ennis Esmer, Jewel Staite, Joe Dinicol,...

Network: The CW

Episodes: 19 (hour)

Seasons: Two

TV show dates: April 24, 2012 -- September 14, 2012

Series status: Cancelled

Performers include: Jonathan Patrick Moore, Jewel Staite, Joe Dinicol, Cassie Steele, Chelan Simmons, Andra Fuller, Benjamin Charles Watson, and Ennis Esmer.

TV show description:

This TV series follows a group of young and aspiring performers who are pursuing their dreams of stardom in Los Angeles. In search of fame and fortune, they live in an apartment-style motel -- The Delux Suites Motel -- and face similar challenges and opportunities as they go for Hollywood gold. The young hopefuls become neighbors, friends and, in some cases, the closest thing any of them have to family.

A charming actor with drop-dead good looks and a dark past, Connor Lake (Jonathan Patrick Moore) has just landed a leading role...

Toronto – This should drain the swimming pool: The CW has decided against ordering a third season of The L.A. Complex. A network spokesperson on Thursday said the U.S. network is parting ways with the steamy soap about Canadians chasing the Hollywood dream in Los Angeles. The decision follows indie producer Epitome Pictures scrambling in recent weeks to keep The L.A. Complex alive after Canada’s MuchMusic channel decided not to order a third season. Guest Blog: The 'L.A. Complex' Star Benjamin Charles Watson: 5 Things You Didn't Know About Me Losing its key North American distributors

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Bell Media has reportedly cancelled The La Complex after two seasons on the air. The low-rated drama may see a third season on The CW however.

The La Complex revolves around a diverse group of performers who are trying to make it in Hollywood while living in the same apartment complex. The ensemble cast includes Andra Fuller, Benjamin Charles Watson, Cassie Steele, Chelan Simmons, Ennis Esmer, Jewel Staite, Joe Dinicol, and Jonathan Patrick Moore.

Six episodes were ordered for the first season and then, before they had aired here in the States, Bell ordered a second season of 13 episodes. According to THR, the ratings for season two were down in Canada so the broadcaster has opted not to order any more.

"Unfortunately the performance of the show was not strong enough for Much to be able to order another season,"...

Toronto – The CW drama The L.A. Complex isn’t getting a callback from Canadian broadcaster Bell Media for a third season. That signals an end to the low-rated soap from Epitome Pictures about Canadians chasing the Hollywood dream. The CW has made no decision on the future of the series on its channel as it holds crunch talks with the Canadian producer, according to sources. Guest Blog: The 'L.A. Complex' Star Benjamin Charles Watson: 5 Things You Didn't Know About Me Bell Media ordered an initial six one-hours of The L.A. Complex and aired the soap

read more...

Langford’S Picks And Pans

La Complex

Wow. I did not see that coming, I literally screamed during the shocking cliffhanger moment from this past week’s episode. I can’t even imagine where this story is going next after that one. As I’ve said before, this storyline continues to be absolutely terrific and consistently entertaining and engaging. Yes, it’s your typical coming out drama, but the show gives us interesting twists and turns, some wonderful performances and fantastic writing to make this one of the best gay sagas currently running. There were a lot of nice moments I loved in this clip, but I first want to address something from last week’s episode since there was no column last week.

It was nice to see Kal and Tariq together again. Not because I want them to reunite, I’ve made it clear that would be unacceptable...

While the first six episodes of "The L.A. Complex" dealt with the complicated relationship between closeted rapper Kaldrick King (Andra Fuller) and beatmaker Tariq (Benjamin Charles Watson), Season 2 has focused on Kal's evolution as a gay man and his relationship with lawyer Chris (Jarod Joseph).

Zap2it spoke with Joseph ahead of the two-hour Season 2 finale (airing Monday, Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. on The CW), and the actor promises a very surprising turn to the story.

"Things are going to be addressed that haven't been addressed," Joseph says (how vague!). "It goes in a different direction that might surprise some people."

Their relationship is a little surprising, considering that Chris seems to have little patience for Kal's in-the-closet paranoia. "I think that in the lawyer community, being gay probably isn't a cakewalk for him [either]," he says. "He can probably sense overcompensation."

As we've seen, Kal has slowly opened up as their relationship progresses,...

It might be the end of Abby (Cassie Steele) and Nick (Joe Dinicol) on "The L.A. Complex," but there are more romantic encounters in store for The CW's aspiring actress. Steele promises Zap2it that Abby will seek comfort elsewhere now that she's losing both her Bff and her boyfriend.

"She's going to try and fill that void some way," the actress says. "It's really hard, her going through a breakup, because Nick was really her only friend when she was there. [Her other Bff] Tariq [is gone], so I think it's natural for her to dive into something new to get her mind off it."

Photos: "The L.A. Complex" Season 2

And who will she turn to? "Your costars are obviously the most accessible, they're the people you're around the most, so it's just natural for them to get mixed up with each other," she says.

But don't think Nick will be pining. Although he wanted the relationship to work,...

Langford’S Picks And Pans

The L.A. Complex

Wow. I didn’t see that coming. Frankly though I have to admit I don’t quite buy Kal trying to kill himself. The character just didn’t seem like the type to take things in that direction. Still, it’s pretty compelling drama and Benjamin Charles Watson and Andra Fuller not only have terrific chemistry, but are very talented actors.

Their scenes together are very intense and I thought the moment where Tariq told Kal that he’d never be able to get involved with another man without thinking about the abuse he suffered to be quite powerful. This continues to be a really well done storyline and quite unique in that it features black gay men, which is sadly still a rarity on the gay television canon. I’m very glad this show is back and they’re continuing this compelling story,...

"The L.A. Complex" star Andra Fuller already hinted at the struggle for his closeted rapper character Kaldrick King during Season 2, but what of Tariq, his battered boyfriend? Benjamin Charles Watson tells Zap2it that although we saw Tariq leave Los Angeles in the premiere, he's not gone for good.

"I'll be back. That's just how it goes, especially when you have an ensemble cast like this," he explains. "Everyone has to have their story time."

While Season 1 mostly focused on Tariq's journey as he tried to make it in the music industry (and found love instead), Season 2 will focus on Kal's private struggle to come to terms with his sexuality -- a topic that seems extra important in the wake of singer Frank Ocean coming out of the closet in early July.

"You need to watch because it's an important story that hasn't been told yet," Watson says of the Tariq-less episodes.

Hollywood life isn't all it's cracked up to be.

That's the glaring truth a group of young 20-somethings have been quickly discovering on the edgy Canadian drama "The L.A. Complex." Returning for its second season tonight (in Canada at 9 p.m. on MuchMusic), the TV series follows aspiring actress Abby (Cassie Steele), stand-up comedian Nick (Joe Dinicol), handsome Australian actor (Jonathan Patrick Moore), struggling actress Raquel (Jewel Staite), gay hip-hop songwriter Tariq (Benjamin Charles Watson), dancer Alicia (Chelan Simmons) and successful hip-hop artist Kaldrick (Andra Fuller). Naturally, all of them are hoping to make it big in Tinsel Town, but there are more hard knocks than glamour, glitz or red carpets.

On an exceptionally warm Friday afternoon, it's pretty quiet on the Toronto set. There's a brief quarrel between two fresh faces -- Simon (Michael Levinson) and Beth (Dayle McLeod) -- but that's happening behind closed apartment doors. Even...

Hollywood life isn't all it's cracked up to be.

That's the glaring truth a group of young 20-somethings have been quickly discovering on the edgy Canadian drama "The L.A. Complex." Returning for its second season tonight (in Canada at 9 p.m. on MuchMusic), the TV series follows aspiring actress Abby (Cassie Steele), stand-up comedian Nick (Joe Dinicol), handsome Australian actor (Jonathan Patrick Moore), struggling actress Raquel (Jewel Staite), gay hip-hop songwriter Tariq (Benjamin Charles Watson), dancer Alicia (Chelan Simmons) and successful hip-hop artist Kaldrick (Andra Fuller). Naturally, all of them are hoping to make it big in Tinsel Town, but there are more hard knocks than glamour, glitz or red carpets.

On an exceptionally warm Friday afternoon, it's pretty quiet on the Toronto set. There's a brief quarrel between two fresh faces -- Simon (Michael Levinson) and Beth (Dayle McLeod) -- but that's happening behind closed apartment doors. Even...

After a finale that included blood, fire, pregnancy and heartbreak, The L.A. Complex is back.

When we last saw the residents of The Lux, Tariq (Benjamin Charles Watson) had been nearly beaten to death by his in-the-closet rap superstar boyfriend Kaldrick King (Andra Fuller), Abby (Cassie Steele) and Nick (Joe Dinicol) were officially a couple, Raquel (Jewel Staite) learned she was pregnant, Alicia (Chelan Simmons) booked the gig of a lifetime and Connor (Jonathan Patrick Moore) had purposely set his mansion on fire. When the series returns on Tuesday (9/8c, The CW), expect familiar faces to leave, newcomers to move in and immediate resolution to the freshman season's cliff-hangers.

Read More >...

We're just 11 days away from the return of 'The L.A. Complex,' so let's celebrate with some spoilers! Self-mutilation, porn, arson -- and that was just season one! The L.A. Complex returns for an even more twisted second season July 17 on The CW, and HollywoodLife.com has the scoop on all the insane drama to come. Ready? Here we go: 1. Someone threatens to kill Abby (Cassie Steele) again. That's death threat No. 2 for those of you keeping score at home! 2. There are two new vacancies at the Lux this season, and while it doesn't take long for Eddie to find new tenants, he should probably look into their backgrounds before handing over the keys. 3. Someone might be becoming a prostitute. Sort of. 4. Two words: Alan. Thicke. The Growing Pains dad proves to be a major thorn in Abby's side, and if she isn't careful, he could become a thorn in her future.

Langford’S Picks And Pans

Good Times, Bad Times

It’s been a while since I watched this show. Readers know I’ve had a long love-hate relationship with this glossy Dutch soap as the writing has always been hit or miss for me. And since the show killed off Lucas’ boyfriend Edwin a few months ago, I’ve really not cared for Lucas’ various adventures since, yet I still think killing off Edwin was the right idea. I liked the character, but he and Lucas and their pairing had gone as far as things could and it was time to move on. Anyway, I caught last week’s episodes and as usual, the writing is still hit or miss.

I liked the concept, but its execution just didn’t work for me. I felt that Lucas was being written out of character. It was not in his sleeping around with various men,...

Get the latest scoop on some of your favorite summer shows, including 'Teen Wolf ' and 'The L.A. Complex.' Summer TV is already in full swing, and I know you're dying to find out what's happening next on your favorite guilty pleasures. This week's Spoiler Party has scoop on the most dysfunctional couple of The L.A. Complex's just-announced second season, the major mystery of Teen Wolf's current season, and so much more. The L.A. Complex The CW officially announced today that it will air the second season of The L.A. Complex beginning July 17, so let's celebrate with a little scoop! I spoke with Benjamin Charles Watson about the future of Tariq's relationship with Kaldrick King (Andra Fuller), and it doesn't sound like it's going to get any less emotional — or violent. "Let's just put it this way: I shot last Thursday and Friday and I spent those...

The stars were out on Wednesday night to celebrate Belvedere Vodka's Nylon Summer Music Issue Celebration, with host Shirley Manson and special performance by Garbage. Luckily, I (TheInsider.com's very own Meg Swertlow!) also got an invite to the music-tastic soiree -- and I didn't even have to give up a kidney or my first born. Here are some of the VIP party deets!

After getting locked in the stairwell of parking lot – I feared my friend Kate and I would miss seeing my high school icon perform. But after a lot of yelling, a lot of scrambling up and down several flights of stairs in high heels, we got there just in time to see the amazing Shirley Manson take to the stage and prove once again she ain’t no stupid girl. While she the saucy Scottish singer and her band may have not come out with a record for seven years, the electrifying...

Tariq and Kal's secret relationship on "The L.A. Complex" is complicated enough, considering one of them's a mega-famous musician and the other's a struggling creative type trying to make his way in the industry. But add in the fact that they're both gay men in the notoriously homophobic hip-hop community, and there's a whole other layer of complication that makes it very hard for our two favorite characters to live in their own skin.

Before you object, yes -- that is a broad generalization of a culture -- but it's not unfounded, so let's agree that homosexuality is looked down upon in certain circles. Why else would closeted hip-hop stars have their own slang term -- "on the down-low"?

"A lot of people have been commenting saying 'Wow, that's not realistic, they should come out and be happy together,' but they can't," Benjamin Charles Watson, who plays Tariq, tells Zap2it.

If you're part of the small but devoted audience that's been watching The La Complex on The CW, there's some good news for you. It appears that there are more episodes on the way.

If you haven't seen it, The La Complex revolves around a diverse group of performers who are trying to make it in Hollywood while living in the same apartment complex. The ensemble cast includes Andra Fuller, Benjamin Charles Watson, Cassie Steele, Chelan Simmons, Ennis Esmer, Jewel Staite, Joe Dinicol, and Jonathan Patrick Moore.

The TV series is produced by Bell Media's MuchMusic in Canada and The CW licensed the six episodes of season one to air here in the states. They started airing in January in Canada and began running here in the states late last month.

Though The CW's ratings have ended up being quite poor,...

The CW recently cancelled shows like Ringer and The Secret Circle but there hasn't been any word about The CW's La Complex. Has it been cancelled as well or will it be back for season two?

The La Complex revolves around a group of young singers, dancers, and actors who are trying to make it in Hollywood. The ensemble cast includes Jonathan Patrick Moore, Jewel Staite, Joe Dinicol, Cassie Steele, Chelan Simmons, Andra Fuller, Benjamin Charles Watson, and Ennis Esmer.

The series had a truly terrible premiere on The CW on April 24th. It registered a mere 0.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 630,000 total viewers. The ratings have dropped each week since then. The fourth and most recent episode drew a 0.2 rating with 530,000 viewers.

  La Complex is produced in Canada by Bell Media for their MuchMusic,...

Tariq (Benjamin Charles Watson) and Kaldrick (Andra Fuller) connect on La Complex

If you’ve been watching the new CW drama The La Complex you know the big surprise at the end of last week’s episode was the aggressive man-on-man kissing by good guy Tariq (Benjamin Charles Watson) and bad boy hip-hopper Kaldrick (Andra Fuller). While the rest of the residents at the La Complex have been dealing with their own relationship dramas, Tariq, working as a production assistant at a music company, was recently given the daunting task of handling superstar Kaldrick, which was no easy feat due to the star's arrogance, red hot temper and macho attitude. Who knew that underneath all that hip-hop bravado was a burning-with-desire gay man?

AfterElton chatted with Watson and Fuller about the development with their characters, response from fans to the gay storyline and whether the “Taldrick” relationship is purely physical...

Plus, Abby becomes a prostitute! (And they say L.A. doesn't change people...) Maybe I have a sixth sense for this sort of thing, but I knew Kaldrick King (Andra Fuller) was gay the moment he appeared on the May 1 episode of The L.A. Complex. The fact that he dropped lines like "come get my ass" and had perfectly sculpted eyebrows certainly didn't help his cause -- nor did his angry hook up with Tariq (Ben Watson) at the end of the hour. Yes, my friends, the King is a queen. In other unsurprising news, Abby (Cassie Steele) may not be a good stripper -- she didn't know customers could touch her in the champagne room, which is like Stripping 101 -- but it turns out she's a great prostitute! She beat out Raquel (Jewel Staite) for a guest-starring role as a hooker on Cause of Death, which gave the aging actress another glorious frown line.

While The L.A. Complex had a dubious ratings start for The CW, the drama series already has a second season order in Canada where it first aired. The show features several young people who have hit Hollywood looking for their big break. Among them, Benjamin Charles Watson plays Tariq, a talented musician trying to climb the ranks to producer. In addition to the The L.A. Complex, the Toronto resident was in the award-winning Canadian film, The Limits, and appeared on Syfy’s Warehouse 13 and on the CBS movie, Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost. Story: 'The L.A. Complex' -- Who's

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Ben tells HollywoodLife.com that Tariq's 'all work and no play' lifestyle is finally about to end -- but there's a dangerous catch. Tariq's (Ben Watson) career in the hop-hop industry is taking off, but because no one can have the best of both worlds on The L.A. Complex, his personal life is about to take a major hit on the May 1 episode. "At the end of the day, we're all human beings and we all need love," Ben tells HollywoodLife.com. "It may be a forbidden love, but we're in 2012 now. Nothing's really forbidden in love, anymore." So what "forbidden love" is Ben talking about? Ok, here's where the spoilers start... Tonight's episode features a surprise hook up -- or not so surprising depending on how closely you watched The CW's promos for the show -- between Tariq and hip-hop star Kaldrick King (Andre Fuller), which Ben says opens...

The L.A. Complex may be a snarky series revolving around twenty-somethings trying to make it in Hollywood, but the Morning After Pill storyline in the pilot is a perfect example of the deft way Complex talks about tricky topics without getting preachy. Tonight's episode introduces another important issue, thanks to Benjamin Charles Watson's character, Tariq. And for those of you who don't mind a little spoiler, I chatted with the actor about this boundary-crossing storyline.

Insider.com: What is it that you like about Tariq?

Benjamin Charles Watson: He's not the kind of person who will only see one way out when backed into a corner – Tariq is so intelligent that he finds multiple ways to get out of any situation and multiple ways to get what he wants. He always wants more, always wants to strive for more, so when people tell him "No," he won't take that for an answer.

Insider: Last week...

The CW has pretty much struck out this season. Essentially all of their new dramas could be cancelled next month. So, how did their mid-season entry, The La Complex, do last night?

This new TV series revolves around a group of aspiring performers who are pursuing stardom in Los Angeles. It stars a group of actors who, in real life, have already logged time on television -- Jonathan Patrick Moore, Jewel Staite, Joe Dinicol, Cassie Steele, Chelan Simmons, Andra Fuller, and Benjamin Charles Watson.

Premiering in Ringer's former timeslot, The La Complex drew a pitiful 0.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic and just 646,000 viewers. That's horrible. Compared to last week's disappointing finale Ringer, The CW was down by 40% in the demo and and 46% in total viewers. Yikes.

The numbers may have been slightly affected by the fact that The...

Are you already addicted to 'The L.A. Complex'? Trust me, the insanity has only just begun. Every show on TV professes to feature countless "Wtf" moments, but few are able to squeeze so many into a single hour as effortlessly as The L.A. Complex, which premiered April 24 on The CW. Real talk: When the main character gets an abortion, vomits on a piano and becomes a stripper all in the pilot episode, you're in for an awesome ride. The series premiere introduced viewers to the residents of the Deluxe Suites Motel, a Melrose Place-style complex whose inhabitants are as hot as the scandals they cook up. There's Abby (Cassie Steele), a newbie actress who recently moved from Toronto; Connor (Jonathan Patrick Moore), the star of a new medical drama; Nick (Joe Dinicol), a "comedian" who's as clueless about women as he is about comedy; Alicia (Chelan Simmons...

It was all about shattered dreams on tonight’s premiere of the CW’s La Complex, a soapy Canadian import about a crew of Hollywood wannabes trying to make it big—or just enough to pay rent in their Melrose Place-like apartment building.

Frazzled actress Abby (Cassie Steele) botches an audition for a musical TV role by puking all over the piano and the casting director. As the director puts it, “When there’s vomit on the piano, it’s time to stop the audition.” I’m choosing to forgive her for injecting my primetime TV with bodily fluids because...

Call it "Melrose Place" meets "Fame" ... meets Canada.

Young showbiz hopefuls from up north make their way to Los Angeles to seek stardom, while occupying neighboring apartments, as The CW gives the seriocomic Canadian series "The L.A. Complex" its American premiere Tuesday, April 24. The initial six stories already have aired in the show's native country, where a 13-episode second season has been ordered.

Some of the ensemble cast will be familiar to U.S. viewers, including Cassie Steele, who worked with the same producers on the youth-oriented "Degrassi" franchise. She now plays Abby, who goes on acting auditions while resisting her boyfriend's pleas to return home. Jewel Staite ("Firefly," "Stargate Atlantis") also stars as Raquel, who's been there and back -- and wants to get there again, to the point of boldly suggesting that a producer change a character's ethnicity to accommodate her.

Chelan Simmons ("Kyle Xy") calls her own...

Chicago – The CW continues to waste the goodwill generated by pop culture hits like “Gossip Girl,” “The Vampire Diaries,” and “Supernatural” with yet another misfire in the worst year in the fledgling network’s history. “The L.A. Complex” makes the trip tonight via Canada and this generic, cliched snooze isn’t bad enough to be entertaining in a B-movie kind of way. It’s just the worst thing TV can be — boring.

TV Rating: 2.0/5.0

Like CBS’s “Flashpoint” and ABC’s “Rookie Blue,” “The L.A. Complex” is another Canadian import, a show that played to reasonable audiences (by Canadian standards) North of the border and now fills one of many holes in the schedule of The CW. To say that we’ve seen this overly familiar soap opera before would be an understatement. It’s yet another saga of beautiful young men and women trying to get their break in the city of angels.