Cupid

It's not like TV remakes are anything new (holla, 90210!). But a show's creator getting another shot at his or her own failed series is practically unheard of. That's why I'm curious about Cupid, the new — well, and old — series from Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas that starts tonight on ABC.

The first Cupid, starring Jeremy Piven and Paula Marshall, aired 10 years ago on ABC but only lasted 14 episodes. Thomas said back at the TCA press tour in January that he hadn't even talked about the show in almost a decade. "There was no reason to," he said. "It was an idea that I had gotten on the air. There was no reason to believe anyone would want to do it again." Then ABC approached him about a remake (as did the CW, which ended up making the short-lived Valentine, Inc. instead), and soon he was jumping back into Cupid's world.

This version of the story stars Bobby Cannavale in Piven's old role and Sarah Paulson in Marshall's. The premise is essentially the same: Cannavale believes he's Cupid sent down from heaven to match up lovelorn singles; only after 100 successful love matches can he return to Mt. Olympus. Paulson is a well-regarded relationship therapist and skeptic assigned to Cupid's case (though she calls him by his human name, Trevor).

I wasn't a fan of the original series (nor was I a detractor — I somehow missed the whole thing entirely), but I saw enough in the first episode of this Cupid to keep me watching for a while. Specifically, Cannavale is a lot of fun as the goofy Trevor, and while I'm less a fan of Paulson, she plays well off of him. What I didn't like was the dull couple-of-the-week story, and those are going to have to get better in a hurry if Cupid wants to keep me around. But I'm most curious to see what fans of the original have to say about this one, so if that applies to you, come back here and tell me, OK? In the meantime, to watch a couple of clips from tonight's premiere, just read more

• It's on: The Sex and the City ladies have signed their contracts for the film sequel. — E!
• Check out Diablo Cody's list of her top 10 movie badasses. — MTV Movies Blog
• And here's an exclusive interview with Paul McCartney. — Popwatch
• Is Gossip Girl stealing plotlines from Anne Hathaway's love life? — The Ausiello Files
• Tech talk with Gabrielle Union. — geeksugar
• This video short about a Valentine's Day breakup is making me chuckle. — Cinematical
• ABC's Cupid remake is so plagued with drama, why even bother? — TV Squad
• 10 more self-help books imagined as Drew Barrymore movies. — Vulture
• Slumdog Millionaire continued its winning streak at the Film Critics' Circle Awards in London. — PopSugarUK

Photo courtesy of New Line Cinema

CBS and ABC both released their midseason schedules this week, and the CW dribbled out a few little teases, giving us an almost complete picture of what we'll be watching on TV in 2009. It's good news for fans of Reaper and Nathan Fillion, and not such good news for those who love Pushing Daisies or Ashton Kutcher reality shows.

Some of the highlights:

• Castle, Cupid, and The Unusuals all made ABC's midseason schedule. Castle will air Mondays at 10 p.m. starting March 9, Cupid will air at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays starting March 24, and The Unusuals will get the post-Lost time slot of 10 p.m. on Wednesdays starting April 8.
• Harper's Island, which CBS is calling a "13-episode mystery event," will air on Thursdays at 10 p.m. after CSI from April 9 through July 2. It's actually one of the only changes to the CBS schedule; another is that Flashpoint, which aired last Summer, will start its second season Friday, Jan. 9 at 9 p.m.

For a couple of others, including the premiere date for Reaper, just read more

I've been curious for a while now about ABC's Cupid, which is expected to air sometime this Spring. It comes from the mind of Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas, who's been given the chance to remake his own short-lived 1998 show. We first heard about the remake more than a year ago, and finally, there's some footage!

Bobby Cannavale (one of my favorite "that guy"s who seems to turn up everywhere) stars as Trevor — or, as he'd rather be known, Cupid, the Roman God of love. He believes he's been put on this earth to bring couples together for their chance at true love, but other people just think he's crazy. Like, certifiably crazy — which is where psychologist Claire Allen (Sarah Paulson) comes in. She's devoted her life's work to helping singles find their soul mates, but even she isn't totally convinced that Trevor is Cupid in the flesh.

Maybe it's just Cannavale's spirited singing, but this trailer makes the show look like a perfect fit with the equally fantastical Eli Stone — or even Pushing Daisies, should the show still be around in the Spring (fingers crossed). I'm curious to hear what you fans of the original Cupid think of this new footage. To check it out, just read more

The Fall TV season hasn't even started yet, and already, at least one network is looking a few months ahead. ABC, which only has one new scripted show (Life on Mars) on its Fall schedule, has picked up three dramas and two comedies for midseason.

Among them: Rob Thomas's Cupid, his remake of his own 1998 show, which now stars Sarah Paulson and Bobby Cannavale (at right). I've been curious about that project for a while now, so I'm glad it's taken the next step toward becoming a series.

The other dramas:

• Castle — Starring Nathan Fillion, the show focuses on a horror novelist who helps the NYPD solve crimes.
• The Unusuals — Starring Amber Tamblyn, this one's described as an "ensemble dramedy" set in a police precinct.

For descriptions of the comedies, and to see what else ABC has in its pipeline, read more

Sarah Paulson, last seen as the uptight Harriet Hayes on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, is heading back to TV — in a comedy this time. Paulson has landed the female lead in Cupid, Rob Thomas' remake of his own 1998 series.

Paulson will play opposite Bobby Cannavale on the show, which originally aired for one season on ABC. Cupid focuses on Trevor Hale, who believes he's a Roman god sent to earth to help people find love. Paulson will play his therapist, Claire, who's assigned to cure him of his delusions. In the original, Paula Marshall played Claire, while Jeremy Piven starred as Trevor/Cupid.

It's not every day that we get to see a producer remake his own material, so I'm curious to see what becomes of this pilot. If you've never seen the original, TV critic Alan Sepinwall has a great set of recaps of the whole series, which is available nearly in full on YouTube. The only thing missing is the start of the first episode, so to check out the script for that part, just head over here.

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• Will Smith's kids Willow and Jaden will star in Amulet, a fantasy feature film their father is producing, Zap2it reports.
• The creators of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia are working on a comedy series for Fox set aboard a spaceship, Variety reports.
• Rob Thomas isn't just penning a remake of 90210 — he's also gotten the OK to remake his own series, Cupid, for ABC, writes the Hollywood Reporter.
• Sheryl Crow has told the Associated Press that she has plans to collaborate with Fleetwood Mac.
• TV Guide reports that the CW has picked up a horror-themed reality show from director Sam Raimi.
• Yes, it's true: Paris Hilton will use her MTV reality show to find a new BFF; details are at The Futon Critic.
• ComingSoon reports that Sarah Michelle Gellar is in talks for the lead role in the indie drama Veronika Decides to Die, replacing Kate Bosworth.

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"Veronica Mars" creator Rob Thomas has a new project: a remake ... of his own canceled show.

Thomas and ABC have signed a deal to resurrect "Cupid," Thomas' short-lived 1998 show about a man (Jeremy Piven, post-"Ellen" and pre-"Entourage") who thinks he's the legendary matchmaker, sent to earth by Zeus and tasked with helping loveless souls. The show lasted for just 15 episodes, but it was reasonably well-regarded and attracted more than a few die-hard fans.

The idea to bring it back, according to Variety, came when Thomas and ABC executives were talking about writing a big, sweeping love story a la "The Love Boat." They kept coming back to "Cupid," and the network ultimately asked Thomas for a do-over of the series. Piven won't be in this one, and the setting will shift from Chicago to Los Angeles, but the sensibility of the series will remain intact.

I have only vague memories of "Cupid" from the first time around, but one YouTube user has put every single episode online. For those of you who did watch, tell me: Are you willing to be shot by "Cupid"'s arrow again?

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