UPDATE: Steve McPherson Says Plan To Kill Off Nicollette Sheridans Character Came Before Slap, Calls Trial Crazy

Freelance writer Dominic Patten is a Deadline contributor UPDATE, 2:57 PM:Former ABC Entertainment president Steve McPherson told the court this afternoon that he approved the killing off of Nicollette Sheridan’s Edie Britt character in May 2008, months before a head-hitting incident between Sheridan and Cherry on the Desperate Housewives set. He then told Deadline after his brief appearance on the stand that he is surprised the case ever got this far.”It’s kinda crazy,” McPherson said outside the courtroom. “Both parties are really nice people, and I’m surprised it even made it to trial,” he said. McPherson, who left ABC abruptly in 2010, declined to discuss the Cherry-Sheridan incident but told Deadline it hadnothing to do with the actress leaving the series. “We made the decision to get rid of the character six or seven months before anything happened — whatever happened,” he said, echoing his testimony. On the stand, McPherson confirmed Cherry’s and Pedowitz’s previous testimony that he gave his approval of the decision on May 22, 2008. “I was running the network, they needed my approval to kill of the character”, he told the jury. “I gave my approval.” The alleged Cherry-Sheridan head-slapping incident occurred in September 2008. Under questioning from Cherry defense lawyer Adam Levin, McPherson said he had no emails or memos about the decision because “we wanted to keep it confidential”. He testified that the only people at the meeting in his office that day were himself, Cherry, Pedowitz and Housewives producers Sabrina Wind and Bob Daily. He added that he would have done exactly the same thing in regards to the killing off of any major character on any major network series. “We didn’t want it to get out”, he said. Earlier in the afternoon, ABC human resources exec Volk continued her testimony over her hearing of the Sheridan-Cherry incident and the subsequent investigation weeks later. “I concluded that the story I was hearing was consistent”, she told the jury. “It appeared to be a minor incident that was resolved and I had received no further complaints, and I considered the matter closed.” Volk reiterated she never interviewed nor heard from Cherry or Sheridan about the incident. PREVIOUS, 1:42 PM: ABC human resources executive Lynne Volk testified today that the network did not open an investigation into the head-hitting confrontation between Desperate Housewives creator/executive producer Marc Cherry and series star Nicollette Sheridan until weeks after it occurred. “I recall being told that Ms. Sheridan and Mr. Cherry had an interaction,”Volktold the courtroom as she recollected her conversation with Housewivesline producer George Perkins hours after the incident on September 24, 2008. “Ms. Sheridan had been upset by their interaction, there had been an apology and everything was fine.”Thesubsequent investigation was launched only after Volk had a conversation with network business affairs executive Howard Davine in mid-October 2008, after then-ABC Studios boss MarkPedowitz read an article about the incident in the National Inquirer.That probe, according to earlier testimony from Pedowitz, did not include questioning Cherry or Sheridan and concluded that the complaints around the incident were “baseless”. Volk testified at Sheridan’s wrongful termination and battery trial against Cherry, ABC Studios and ABC that during the official probe she spoke to Housewives director Larry Shaw and Cherry’s assistant Jason Ganzel, both witnesses to the incident, during “relatively short” interviews November 15, 2008. She said though that she never spoke to Cherry or Sheridan. Volk said that Ganzel told her, as confirmed by her notes of her interview, that the incident was “inconsequential” and Cherry did not slap Sheridan. Pedowitz earlier testified that he received an “oral report” from Volk in early December 2008 that said complaints about the incident were “baseless”, and no further action was taken by the studio. Steve McPherson is expected to take the stand this afternoon for what is expected to be brief testimony. Judge Elizabeth Allen White told the jury earlier in the day that she expects to conclude by Tuesday.

Netflix Settling Being Cable Service: Report

The other day Netflix Boss Reed Hastings saidthat the options of having cable operators offer his streaming video intend to their customers was “not for a while” just like a possibility — but was “in natural direction over time. His concept of “short” and “long” can be obtained to talk about, though: He’s already in talks with “some in the greatest U.S. cable companies,” Reuters reviews. It adds thatby year finish at leastone cable company could offer Netflix by having an experimental basis.The story doesn’t identify the operators settling with Netflix Comcast recently revealed its movie service referred to as Streampix. A Netflix-cable alliance could diminish the discuss cord cutting. Some experts condition that pay TV clients searching to economize progressively will cancel the $65 monthly video service and alter it with Netflix’ $7.99 monthly package, which mostly includes older Television films and shows. Furthermore, it gives cable clients a substitute for premium channels introduced by Cinemax. Yet some experts wonder if Netflix’s talks with cable are a sign of weakness. It “could signal that (Netflix) needs new systems to operate a vehicle sub growth so it might be concerned about the pending implementation” of broadband usage based prices — which might make heavy clients pay greater costs — states Janney Capital Areas’ Tony Wible. He adds that Cinemax could respond by supplying its Cinemax Go streaming service right to clients, instead of requiring those to first subscribe to fundamental cable. That could turn the premium funnel in to a formidable competitor to Netflix. Still, traders seem to love what is the news: Netflix shares are up 3.9% in pre-market purchasing and selling.

Screenwriters: Can't Accept Them, Can't Request Those to Stop Navel-Searching

Is it possible to believe that someone is accusing the authors from the Means War to become... lazy? "The truth is, though, that lots of people dont launch into film-studies lectures around the first date, not unless of course obviously theyre inside the movie business. After they accomplish this in the romantic comedy its a giveaway the film author was too lazy and unimaginative to supply their figures any hobbies they don't have themselves. It changes the story even more from reality." Seriously! It's getting bad. Someone start a human rights petition. [The Economist with the Awl]

REVIEW: Project X, a Todd Phillips Production, Designed for Individuals Who Discover the Hangover Franchise Too Sophisticated

Im confident I destroyed the evening of the pair teenage boys huddled within the back row of the recent screening of Project X, a celebration disaster movie specific at kids who discover the Hangover franchise too sophisticated. All Used to do was sit lower beside them, however i should have poked my mind up to their treehouse. Women ruin everything, particularly the unmitigated enjoyment of the new Todd Phillips movie. A couple of seconds following the lights when lower, like a shrill junior impresario named Costa (Oliver Cooper) began shouting 2 Live Crew lyrics about wanting pussy, the main one with me at night started twisting within an agony I found enjoy a lot more compared to movie i was watching. Costa isn't a complicated guy. 2 Live Crew could really do a lot of his speaking for him. This really is hilariously ironic because Costa is really a schlubby whitened kid who wears sweater vests and dangles by helping cover their two equally mollusk-like pals, JB (Jonathan Daniel Brown) and Thomas (Thomas Mann). The script, by Michael Bacall and Matt Drake, has enough "bitches" and "faggots" and midgets thrown into ovens to scandalize everyone, which appeared to become their finest hope. When Project X starts Thomass parents are going to disappear for that weekend to celebrate their anniversary, that also is actually Thomass 17th birthday. Costa is pushing for any party, the large social event which will using them as in a major way gamers in school. Oh, theres also Dax (Dax Flame), the little one who's recording exactly what happens. An email prefacing the film (Warner Bros. want to thank everybody who led footage) causes it to be obvious that this is another found footage exercise. After first drawing focus on the conceit, first-time director Nima Nourizadeh (Phillips may be the producer and Project X is heavily top quality together with his title) allows it fade in to the background. Especially when the party will get began, the number of smart, conceit-driven camerawork to clever video montages of booty-shorts bacchanalia is way enough from whack that you simply question why they bothered using the construct to begin with. Phillips got his begin in documentary, particularly Frat House, the 1998 expos of fraternity existence. Youthful Dax Flame, whom we glimpse occasionally mirror shot, grew to become a YouTube star by recording his senior high school existence in Texas. But Project X isn't thinking about showing us what its enjoy whenever a senior high school party goes nuclear. Such As The Blair Witch Project and also the recent Chronicle, it really wants to apply the relation to found footage realism for an established genre. Even though it reacts as though its nearest antecedent is really a John Hughes teen movie, Project X plays a lot more like a mix of music video, College Rules-style porn, and apocalypse-looking. Its all hyper-physical expensive and amateur titillation, aint it awesome party-dogging as well as an ecstatic taxonomy of all of the different methods for you to drink a beer. Thomas, lengthy, pale and apprehensive, comes with a particular Alan Ruck vibe. And the father is very protective of his fancy vehicle. But further evaluations to Ferris Buellers Break is only going to make you need to cry. On the 1000 people go to Thomass very trendy Pasadena house, and also at everything his better judgment is overruled through the commitment of recognition. An attractive neighborhood friend (Kirby Bliss Blanton) appears receptive, but Thomas is steered -- by Costa, who only will get more pointlessly awful because the evening continues -- to consider a lot more like a social climber, and choose the lady most abundant in cachet. Obviously that girl, like all the others, will remove her clothes pretty much on command. Project X intends being slightly interesting just like the party makes its way into a dying spin and Thomas takes his first hit of ecstasy. Anybody that has tossed a bender while mother and father were away and become in over his mind knows the effects do seem like the finish around the globe. However the pitch of the amazingly fatuous, tediously low-well developed, strongly sensational movie is simply too erratic for that Im famous, bitch! nihilism from the finale to relate anything real. It is simply an adjustment from the volume inside a movie that handles to feel and look in addition to seem like endless noise. Follow Michelle Orange on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

Pixomondo opens Baton Rouge branch

Pixomondo, the visual effects studio that needed home an Oscar for "Hugo" on Sunday, is opening a branch in Baton Rouge, La., the business introduced Wednesday. Pixomondo initially invested $1.2 million inside the greater than 6,000 sq foot . facility within the Celtic Media Center. Inside an unusual disclosure, work of Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal mentioned Pixomondo will hire 50 folks its newbie, growing to 75 with the finish of the season two, which average annual salaries will top $65,000. The Pixomondo Baton Rouge branch will service movies, TV and ads, whether shot in Louisiana or elsewhere in the world. Pixomondo features a unique structure among vfx houses since it has lots of branches around the globe, including La, London, China, Canada and several in Germany (where it began). Company founder Thilo Kuther mentioned Pixomondo has became a member of with Louisiana Condition U.'s science departments "to help setup remote render farms and virtualization with this particular other art galleries." Contact David S. Cohen at david.cohen@variety.com

Sundance LUV Duo Lands At Gersh

EXCLUSIVE: Gersh has signed Sheldon Candis and Justin Wilson. They co-authored and Candis made his directorial debut on LUV, which opened at Sundance in america Dramatic Competition and was acquired by Indomina and Wager inside a 7-figure deal for United States theatrical and broadcast privileges. The film, which stars Common, Michael Rainey Junior, Dennis Haysbert and Danny Glover, premieres within the fall. Candis & Wilson are developing film and television projects through their Cinephile Academy banner, plus they continue being handled by Jeremy Platt and Jelani Manley at Generate.

Pilot Season: Lost's Emilie p Ravin Moves to Americana

Paul Deen Paula Deen, the butter full, is constantly on the spread her Southern style on television... but possibly less thick. After revealing they has Diabetes type 2 symptoms within the month of the month of january, Deen has the capacity to proceed and promote her slightly less fatty cuisine. Just more expensive her to eliminate that tub of butter completely. "I am who I am. But what I'm going to be doing is supplying up lighter versions of my quality quality recipes," the foods Network star told The Connected Press within the South Beach Wine and Food Festival on Friday. "I'll have a very bigger platform now, attempting to behave for everybody. However, you realize, I'm Southern by roots. I used to be trained [to organize] by my grandmother and zilch I am able to perform would change that." Paula Deen: I have Diabetes type 2 symptoms Deen stands by her on-air cooking style, but clarifies that she'll have much healthier quality quality recipes to the mix to draw in increasing numbers of people. The prepare makes another modifications in her own personal existence, including walking around the treadmill, quitting smoking and getting rid of sweet tea. Deen received backlash within the month of the month of january when she revealed she'd known about her diabetes for three years prior but had ongoing to market her butter- and the body body fat-laden quality quality recipes. "It needed me 20 a very long time out and remain true and say, 'Hey, my name's Paula and i'm agoraphobic,'" she mentioned. "I used to be so ashamed, so embarrassed. To [reveal my diabetes] by 50 percent-and-a-half years, I thought it had been excellent.In . She also received critique for reaping helpful benefits on her behalf account diagnosis by becoming the paid out representative for Novo Nordisk's drug Victoza an online-based program, Diabetes in the New Light. Deen shrugged it well, however, and mentioned, "It is the obvious method of the earth. It's the American way. However I'm going for part of that compensation and passing onto the [American] Diabetes Association." Anthony Bourdain's celebrity chef smackdown: Paula Deen's food sucks In those days she revealed her diabetes, fellow food TV personality Anthony Bourdain was very vocal about his disapproval, telling Eater.com, "Once your signature dish is hamburger among a doughnut, and you've got been happily selling these products knowing all along you have Diabetes type 2 symptoms ... It's in bad taste if very little else.Inch "In my opinion a few individuals who've utilization of a TV camera and ink kind of preferred to hate on me for lowering with something," she told the AP. "However so don't get worried relating to this.In . Are you able to watch Paula Deen's new cooking show?

L.A. production increases 14% for year's high

Offlot production in La heated a week ago towards the greatest degree of 2012, rising 14% within the same week last year and striking an annual high. Production seemed to be up a lot more than 25% in the 2011 weekly average to 728 days, based on figures provided Tuesday through the FilmL.A. enabling agency. Features totalled 92 days a week ago -- a lot more than double the amount sluggish period last year. "The Moment" was probably the most active film shooting a week ago with 15 days with a lot of the lensing in a private residence close to the Silver Lake reservoir. Other films presently shooting offlot in La include "Brahmin Bulls," "Cellar," "Directing," "Coffee Town," "Wise Ass," "Your Dog Who Saved Christmas Eve" and "Vigilandia." TV shoots rejected 9% to 385 days due partially to pilot season beginning after this past year. Top TV shoot was tallied up by Fuse's webisode/mobisode "Mountain Dew" with 36 days. Other shows shooting in your area incorporated "Awake," "Criminal Minds," "Revenge," "The Customer List," "Southland," "Touch," "Windsor Square," "America's Got Talent," "House Crashers," "Overtones, " "Push Women" and "The Glee Project." Advertisements demonstrated robust activity a week ago with 251 days, up 39% over same week this past year. A Visa place was probably the most active with 12 days. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

No Relaxation For That Wicked Tops Spains Goya Honours Artist Is Better European Film

Spains film academy passed out its Oscar equivalent, the Goyas, last evening in Madrid. Enrique Urbizus police thriller No Habr Paz Para Los Malvados (No Relaxation For That Wicked) required best picture, best director, original script, editing, seem and finest actor for Jos Coronado. Urbizu outperform Pedro Almodovar within the pointing category even though The spanish language masters Your Skin My Home Is gained the very best actress prize for Elena Anaya in addition to honors for music, make-up and finest new actor Jan Cornet. Another multiple champion was Mateo Gils Blackthorn, a western by having an worldwide cast which includes Mike Shepard, Eduardo Noriega and Stephen Rea. The film required production design, cinematography, artistic direction and costume design. Also scoring wins were Kike Mallos Avoi, which gained the very best new director prize and war drama La Voz Dormida (The Sleeping Voice) for original song, supporting actress (Ana Wagener) and finest new actress (Maria Leon). The Artist also acquired another prize, this time around for the best European film.

USA's Common Law Hosts a Lost Reunion

Rob Fahey, Kevin Tighe Lost alums Rob Fahey and Kevin Tighe have showed up roles on USA's forthcoming cop drama Common Law, EW reviews.Fahey - who starred as Captain Frank Lapidus on Lost - may have a drugs detective who struggles along with his own substance abuse issues, while Tighe (who carried out John Locke's father, Anthony Cooper), is positioned to portray military services weapons persons detective.Have the full scoop on pilot season!The duo will join former Lost co-star Sonya Walger , who'll recur as Dr. Emma Ryan, a wise and attractive Beverly Slopes mental health expert who splits her time writing pill medicines on her behalf wealthy clients and offering low-cost group therapy within the neighborhood center. Walger carried out Cent Widmore round the ABC hit.The series, that's slated to premiere this summer season, stars Michael Ealy and Warren Kole as homicide detectives that are bought into couples counseling by their captain.

Naomi W Is Princess Diana In 'Caught In Flight'

Natalie Portman is marking her large go back to acting following her "Black Swan" Oscar win with several Terrence Malick movies. Meanwhile, Naomi W has arrived as well as-coveted role of Princess Diana inside a new movie, Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep could star inside a movie about the building of "Mary Poppins" and John Goodman joins "Challenge with the bend.Inch It's Feb 9, and you are attentiveness for present day casting call. Natalie Portman Returns To Acting In 2 Terrence Malick Films It may sound such as the publish-baby acting hiatus has ended for Natalie Portman! Deadline is confirming the "Black Swan" star is filming a couple of Terrence Malick's films -- "Dark night of Cups" and "Lawless" -- consecutive. Not sure yet how "Thor 2" suits that picture, but "Dark night of Cups" begins filming within the summer time and "Lawless" will lense within the fall. Naomi W To Experience Princess Diana In New Film British-born Naomi W just arrived the role a person can have. Ecosse Films introduced inside a pr release that she'll be playing Princess Diana within an approaching film concerning the Princess of Wales's latter many years of existence. Known as "Caught flying," the film will start production within the United kingdom later this season. Tom Hanks And Meryl Streep Rumored For "Saving Mr. Banks" Couple of people might realize that behind the Disney classic "Mary Poppins" there is really a great deal of drama. But that is the storyline that Kelly Marcel's 2011 Black List script, "Saving Mr. Banks," will probably be telling. Within an interesting move, The Wally Disney Clients are approaching an offer to get the film, which informs the storyline of methods Wally Disney convinced Australian author P.L. Travers to market him her script to "Mary Poppins," which required 14 years. Deadline has got the news, as well as reviews that Meryl Streep is eying the role of Travers while Tom Hanks is thinking about the role of Disney. John Goodman Joins "Challenge With The BendInch John Goodman may be the latest actor to become listed on Clint Eastwood's latest directorial effort, "Challenge with the bend.Inch Variety has found that he'll play Pete Klein, a classic friend of Eastwood's character who is another baseball scouter. The film also stars Can Be and Justin Timberlake. Glenn Close, Tom Felton And Elizabeth Olsen For "Therese Raquin" Deadline has found that Glenn Close, Tom Felton and Elizabeth Olsen have been in discussions for any giant screen adaptation of classic Emile Zola novel, "Therese Raquin." Olsen will have the titular character, Felton will have the husband she killings and who later haunts her like a ghost, Camille, and Close will have Madame Raquin, aunt to Therese and mother of Camille. Jaimie Alexander To Star In "Intersection" Variety is confirming that Jaimie Alexander has had the feminine lead within the approaching thriller, "Intersection." She'll star opposite "The Gray" star Frank Grillo like a lady who, together with her current love, intends to murder her husband. Things get complicated rapidly, though, as her lover and husband finish up inside a vehicle accident with each other along the side of a road in The other agents. Inform us your ideas about present day Casting Get in touch with your comments ought to section below or on Twitter!

Natalie Portman On For Two Malick Movies

She'll make Knight Of Cups & LawlessThere was talk last month of the Wachowskis trying to tempt Natalie Portman into starring in their new, developing sci-fi project Jupiter Ascending. But while that collaboration may still happen, the actress has locked in her next couple of films, signing on to the cast of not one, not three, but two new Terrence Malick movies.The Malick duo (you've got to admire the man, who is clearly making up for the long stretch he spent away from filmmaking) is set as Knight Of Cups and Lawless.Knight stars Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and Isabel Lucas. As usual with the secretive Malick, very little has been revealed plot-wise, so we don't know whom Portman will be playing.That film will shoot in the summer, followed by Bale, Blanchett and Portman then following up with Lawless, which will also feature Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara and Haley Bennett. The secrecy shield is very much still in place on that one as well, though Bale has been spending time working out and hung with the director at the Austin City Limits music festival, where he told fans his character was "kind of an asshole." Oh, good. Good for him. Though the films share some cast members, they've been described as separate narratives, so cast your guesses as to whether they're linked in any plot way. And those two are not the only Malick films heading our way as he's also got his still-untitled, Ben Affleck/Rachel McAdams-starring romance pic chuntering through post-production along with documentary Voyage Of Time.As for Portman, we assume she'll also need to find some time to fit in filming on Thor 2...

NCIS Boss on the 200th Episode: Gibbs Took a Big Step Forward

NCIS Although Leroy Jethro Gibbs got to see how his life could have played out differently on the landmark 200th episode of NCIS, he decided he wouldn't have it any other way.NCIS celebrates 200 episodes with an emotional "what if?" storyAfter being fired at while enjoying his morning cup of coffee at a diner, Gibbs (Mark Harmon) was led by the ghosts of Mike Franks (Muse Watson), Riley McCallister (Michael O'Neill) and Gibbs' wife Shannon (Darby Stanchfield) to some of the defining moments of Gibbs' life and the series. What if Gibbs had stopped a sniper from killing agent Kate Todd (Sasha Alexander)? What if Gibbs hadn't killed the man who murdered his family? And what if Gibbs hadn't been an NCIS agent at all?In the end, truth was better than fiction for Gibbs. We chatted with executive producer Gary Glasberg about creating this one-of-a-kind hour, the technical wizardry used to recreate certain scenes, and the first appearance of Gibbs' mother (Clare Carey). Plus: How will this experience change Gibbs' outlook on the future?Congratulations on reaching this milestone! What sort of feedback have you gotten today?Gary Glasberg: So far what I've seen and heard has been very positive. This episode was really an homage to the fans, and the goal was to make people think a little bit, not only about decisions in their own lives, but in Gibbs' life as well and where [his decisions] have taken him over nine seasons. It's a challenge to pack nine seasons into 42 minutes. I hope I accomplished it.Get more scoop on your favorite shows in our Winter TV previewHow did you go about deciding which specific moments you wanted to revisit in this episode?Glasberg: There were lots of moments that our other characters were the deciding factors in. But because of the standpoint we took in this show it was really about Gibbs. That was something that helped us separate one moment from another. These are the moments that we thought if Gibbs had handled himself differently, how would it have worked out?These are also the moments that Gibbs perhaps still feels guilty about? Glasberg: A big part of Gibbs and any sort of hero character is what they're carrying around inside and the weight that's on those shoulders. A big part of what drives Leroy Jethro Gibbs is these decisions that he's made. Whether he was right or wrong, in his mind, he acted the way he needed to in the moment. I think we all look back on things that we may have wanted to do differently, and this is what he's been carrying around.One of the biggest moments had to be the reveal of Gibbs' mother.Glasberg: This was a very unique opportunity to meet this woman who was hugely influential in his life that he lost at a very young age. It was an opportunity to reconnect with her and see what kind of woman she was and what kind of effect she would have had. I don't know when this kind of opportunity may come up again, but we wanted to seize it and take advantage of it.Do you think we will ever see her again?Glasberg: If something else arises, I'm not going to say no. We'll see what the writers come up with and if we feel like it's a direction we want to go in again. Clare is a fantastic actress and she totally delivered for us. It's nice to know that we can add her to the arsenal.NCIS Exclusive: Entourage's Perrey Reeves to play Tony's [SPOILER!] You obviously used lots of familiar faces in this episode. How did you decide which characters would get a scene versus a knowing glance?Glasberg: That was part of the fun. For months now, we've been trying to determine how we could pull this off -who would speak and who wouldn't speak and who we could get to come and play with us. It's tricky filming an episode around the holidays because you never know if people are going to be in town or if we can get them. So you have instances where you have the actor walk through the diner ... or you have some situations where we optically re-created it. It was a big challenge, but it was fun and we were happy to be able to do both.How much trickery was going on in some of those optically re-created scenes?Glasberg: My hat is off to my post-production team because they have spent weeks and weeks and weeks doing those sequences. It's very tricky, whether it was Jenny Shepard (Lauren Holly) sitting in that booth for the brief moment that she was, or Sasha Alexander, who was out of the country atthe time. We took that image from the episode with the plague, and totally recut it. We went back into dailies and made that work. And Kate married and had a baby with Tony (Michael Weatherly)! I guess "Gibbs' rules" don't apply in fantasyland.Glasberg: I'd like to think that in our instance, you can bend the rules a little bit. In truth, the way we laid it out in this story, Tony and Kate get together and Gibbs, feeling the pressure of what happened to his wife and child, ended up leaving the agency entirely. So the rules don't necessarily apply because he removed himself from the scenario. Believe me, hours and hours were spent talking through all this, and whether it all completely fits or not, we were pretty careful about trying to make sure everything clicked.Check out our list of TV's sexiest crime fighters!And yet you still managed to have a crime story.Glasberg: That was the fun part. I didn't want to deliver an episode that didn't have a crime to it and was just made up of the "what if" moments. Compared to many of our more complex [mysteries], there's a very simple story there about a father's desperation and what he's willing to do to provide for his son. There are absolutely overlaps of decision-making and loss that parallel [Gibbs' story]. The goal was at the end to have one story dovetail into the other.McGee (Sean Murray) also faced a big decision: whether or not to leave his team for a promotion in Japan.Glasberg: I wanted to give McGee the opportunity to make some tough decisions as well. This was an opportunity to do something professionally that he probably would have really enjoyed, but he wasn't ready to leave his family.Even in some of the darker "what if" moments, Gibbs had the support of his team. Was that one of the take-aways you wanted?Glasberg: Yeah. I like to think that bond is stronger than ever. None of these things would have come together had he not decided to join NCIS and ultimately become an NCIS agent. At the end of the day, he has to appreciate at least what got him here. And even though he's experienced tremendous loss and pain along the way, [the team] is his family now.Look back at 200 episodes worth of photo from NCISWhy did you want to have several characters tell Gibbs that life "doesn't work that way" during these sequences?Glasberg: I think it's really about that, unfortunately, the world doesn't always allow us to steer things in the direction we want. Things unfold and happen that are sometimes difficult. And we have to accept them and move on.So, will we see Gibbs movingon with a changed perspective?Glasberg: I don't know if Gibbs will ever really be able to let go of all of the demons. But I think as he recognizes the truths of what he's been through and the complexities of what he's experienced that he will be able to move forward a little bit. It's two steps back and one big step forward. Hopefully, now that he's gone through this, it will have an impact as he looks to the future.What did you think of NCIS' 200th episode?

John Iacovelli on James Yarnell

Posted: Fri., Feb. 3, 2012, 4:00am PTBy 'Dancing with the Stars'IacovelliJohn Iacovelli on James Yarnell, production designer, "American Idol" and "Dancing with the Stars"The production design of some television shows becomes instantly iconic. Think of "Hollywood Squares" or "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." They inhabit our psyche and are forever a part of the visual history of the small screen.James Yarnell has created such icons with his production designs for "American Idol" and "Dancing With the Stars," both nominated by the Art Directors Guild for our annual award for Excellence in Production Design. I was afforded a backstage tour of these shows last year in their massive adjoining soundstages at CBS Television City in Los Angeles.What I admire about both shows is they have large-scale sets designed for the intimacy of the TV screen."Idol" has a future-forward look. It proclaims, "This is success, this is triumph!" Eschewing the curtains and backstage Broadway look of earlier talent shows like "Star Search," the set of "Idol" instead evokes the pageantry of a coliseum and the explosive technology of a rock concert. This is where stars are born.On the flipside, walking from one stage to another I was impressed by the sense of Hollywood glamour and grandeur in the gold and red palette of "Dancing With the Stars." As a viewer, you feel as if you have been invited to the Governors Ball after an awards ceremony. This is where stars are reborn.John Iacovelli's credits include "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids," "Los Americans" and "Lincoln Heights."ADG AWARDS 2012Tightening the definitionDesigners on designProduction designers and art directors comment on the ADG-nominated work of their peersJohn Muto on Dante Ferretti | Greg Grande on Jefferson Sage | Norm Newberry on Stuart Craig | John Sabato on Patti Podesta | Ken Averill on Christopher Glass | John Shaffner on Steve Bass | Dave Blass on Mark Worthington | John Iacovelli on James Yarnell Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

"Smash" helmer to direct NBC drama pilot

As "Smash" readies because of its premiere in a few days, NBC has drawn on helmer Michael Mayer to direct another Peacock pilot, "Don' Harm." The Jekyll and Hyde-designed drama involves an excellent neurosurgeon who wresles together with his harmful alter-ego. David Schulner composed the pilot and professional producers with Rachel Kaplan and Peter Traugott for Universal TV. Mayer will function as a co-professional producer. Mayer makes his mark on Broadway recently after helming tuners "Spring Awakening" and "American Idiot." NBC's tuner-drama "Smash" marked his first TV pilot. He most lately helmed the Primary Stem revival of "On the Obvious Day You Can Observe Forever" with Harry Connick Junior. Contact Cynthia Littleton at cynthia.littleton@variety.com

Summit, Lionsgate to sort out foreign

How the Summit-Lionsgate merger plays out overseas will be interesting both in terms of its foreign sales operation and Summit's existing output deals across a raft of territories. As it stands, sources indicate that Summit's and Lionsgate's sales operations will continue as is for the rest of 2012, with both operations (Summit's headed by David Garrett and Lionsgate's by Helen Lee Kim) reporting to Patrick Wachsberger. As Summit's entire operation mushroomed from international sales, dealmakers appear keen for the sales arm to stay intact under the eye of a Summit exec. As for output deals, Summit has a raft of contracts set up in countries including Blighty (eOne), Spain (Aurum), Australia (Hopscotch/eOne), Russia (Central Partnership) and Germany (Tele Munchen). In addition, Summit funnels its own productions in Latin America through IDC Films, a joint venture with NuVision founder-director Pedro Rodriguez. Insiders reveal that, at present, these existing deals will be fulfilled until the end of 2012 at least. How existing contracts will pan out after that remains to be seen. EOne and eOne/Hopscotch both renewed output deals last year for three years while exclusive six-year outputs with Central Partnership and Tele Munchen and a three-year output with Aurum were inked pre-AFM in November. While these deals can be viewed as attractive assets to Lionsgate, Summit's biggest cash cow internationally has undoubtedly been the "Twilight" franchise, with other Summit product generally performing tepidly at the box office. In Blighty, the four "Twilight" installments have generated more than $150 million for distrib eOne (including $16.3 million from the first installment with Contender, before eOne's acquisition) while in Spain the franchise has grossed more than $95 million. Going forward, the company can decide under which banner to greenlight pics and whether Summit would be the most attractive option given an existing an output deal. The territory that will most feel the affects of the merger in the longterm is the U.K., where Lionsgate already has a thriving distribution hub. After the three-year contract with eOne is seen through, it would make more sense for the company to funnel production through its own operation. Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com

Andrews directs 'Mousical'

It's going to be a family affair this fall when Julie Andrews directs a new musical, "The Great American Mousical," based on the 2006 children's book the actress wrote with her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton.The show will receive a workshop production Nov. 8-Dec. 2 at Goodspeed Musical's Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn.Tony Walton -- Hamilton's father, Andrews' former husband and the illustrator of the book -- will design sets and costumes for the musical.Writer-performer Hunter Bell ("[title of show]," "Silence! The Musical") will write the script with music by Zina Goldrich and lyrics by Marcy Heisler. Christopher Gatelli choreographs.The book centers on a troupe of musical-making mice living in a theater threatened by demolition.At the Goodspeed Opera House, Andrews previously staged a 2005 revival of the musical "The Boy Friend," a production that then toured during the 2005-06 season. Walton helmed and designed "Where's Charley?" at the theater. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com