The unique TNT crime-solving drama Perception follows the life of Dr. Daniel Pierce (Eric McCormack), an eccentric neuroscience professor with paranoid schizophrenia who is recruited by the FBI to help solve complex cases.  Although he struggles with hallucinations and paranoid delusions, FBI agent and Pierce’s former student, Kate Moretti (Rachael Leigh Cook), is willing to look past Daniel’s peculiarities and utilize his uncanny ability to see patterns and look past people’s conscious emotions to see what lies beneath.  The show also stars Arjay Smith and Kelly Rowan.

During this recent exclusive phone interview with Collider, actor Eric McCormack talked about how this show came about, how intimidating it is to play someone so brilliant, that he loves all of the guest stars that his characters gets to interact with and get insight from, what it’s been like to work with this ensemble of actors, and how much he’d love to continue to play this role for possible future seasons of the show.  Check out what he has to say after the jump.

The unique TNT crime-solving drama Perception follows the life of Dr. Daniel Pierce (Eric McCormack), an eccentric neuroscience professor with paranoid schizophrenia who is recruited by the FBI to help solve complex cases.  Although he struggles with hallucinations and paranoid delusions, FBI agent and Pierce’s former student, Kate Moretti (Rachael Leigh Cook), is willing to look past Daniel’s peculiarities and utilize his uncanny ability to see patterns and look past people’s conscious emotions to see what lies beneath.

During this recent exclusive phone interview with Collider, actress Rachael Leigh Cook talked about auditioning for this show, what drew her to the story and character, how she sees the relationship between Daniel Pierce and Kate Moretti, having a love interest (played by Battlestar Galactica star Jamie Bamber), what most surprised her about her character, and how she hopes to continue to play this character for future seasons.  Check out what she had to say after the jump.

TNT apparently knows drama and TBS loves stuff that’s very funny, and now the two networks have just unveiled their development slate as they continue to illustrate those claims by way of their original programming. First up, with series renewals, TNT seems to be the only network out of the two announcing returning series with Rizzoli & Isles, The Closer, Men of a Certain Age, Leverage, HarthoRNe, Memphis Beat and Southland all returning for another season. Frankly, the only show that’s caught my interest out of these series is Men of a Certain Age, and I’m glad to have it around for another season.

As for new series that have been ordered, TBS has greenlit a one-hour comedy called The Wedding Band starring Brian Austin Green (Beverly Hills, 90210, Desperate Housewives), Harold Perrineau (Lost, Oz), Peter Cambor (NCIS: Los Angeles, Notes from the Underbelly), Derek Miller (Secret Girlfriend) and Melora Hardin (The Office). Smallville producer Mike Tollin serves as executive producer while South Park writers Josh Lobis and Darin moiselle scripted the series about the misadventures of four friends who spend their spare time performing in a band. Meanwhile, TNT has ordered Perception, a series starring Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) as a neuroscientist who works to solve complex criminal cases and a spin-off from The Closer called Major Crimes, starring Mary McDonnell as Brenda Johnson’s nemesis, Capt. Raydor.

The two networks also revealed a whole slate of series currently being developed, so if these two networks consistently have shows you love, you can find details what news stuff they have in store after the jump.

One of the many films to premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival was Japanese writer/director Shunji Iwai’s Vampire which stars Kevin Zegers, Amanda Plummer, Adelaide Clemens, Rachael Leigh Cook, Kristen Kreuk, Trevor Morgan and Keisha Castle-Hughes. Here’s what the Sundance website has on the film:

Simon seems like a fairly normal, average young man who’s devoted to his teaching job and ailing mother. Underneath the surface, however, things are not what they seem. Simon hunts through online chat rooms and message boards, searching for the perfect girl: beautiful, shy, and suicidal. Simon has a particular condition: he is compelled to drink blood.

Anyway, the other day I got to interview Rachael Leigh Cook and Adelaide Clemens about working on Vampire here at Sundance.  They talk about how Vampire is different from the Twilight films, their characters and the freedom that director Shunji Iwai gave them on set, the language barrier, upcoming projects, and a lot more.  Hit the jump to watch:

We have a few casting notices of the female persuasion this fine evening.  First up: Abigail Spencer (Mad Men) has signed on for a role in This Means War.  She joins Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Tom Hardy, and Angela Bassett.  The storcy centers on “two best friends (Pine and Hardy), who are also covert agents, that fall in love with the same woman (Witherspoon), setting in motion a battle between spies for the woman’s heart.”  According to Heat Vision, Spencer plays Hardy’s ex-wife; Bassett plays his boss. The comedy, directed by McG (Terminator Salvation), is currently shooting in British Columbia.

Hit the jump for more casting news on three TV pilots: HBO’s Veep, FX’s Wilfried, and TNT’s Perception.