Tony Hale gets recurring roles on Samantha Who? and Chuck

Tony HaleAccording to The Hollywood Reporter, Tony Hale, who played Buster on Arrested Development, has signed on to two second-year series to play recurring roles. On Chuck, Hale will play Emmett, an efficiency expert sent in by Buy More who stays on as the store’s assistant manager after he sees how poorly the store is being run (which is going to happen when one of your techs and one of your salespeople work for government agencies). On Samantha Who?, Hale will play Samantha’s new doctor, Andy Adams.

I’m pretty sure neither role will be as funny as Hale’s turn as Buster, the hook-handed soldier / mama’s boy that was always one of my favorite AD characters. But, hey, an actor’s gotta work, and Hale picked two pretty good shows to work on. By the way, right at the top of Hale’s IMDb profile are some of the sweetest words I’ve read all month: “Arrested Development (2009) (announced) …. Byron ’Buster’ Bluth”

[via Pop Candy]

Neil Gaiman to write for Doctor Who?

Doctor WhoAccording to Rich Johnston at Comic Book Resources, new Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat has put forth a request to legendary writer Neil Gaiman to pen an episode for the 2010 season. I will step back while you shriek with excitement.

Neil Gaiman first garnered fame for his comic book of the 80’s and 90’s, The Sandman, which endeared him to all sorts of people who are now influential in the entertainment industry. He has written novels (one of which, Stardust, was recently adapted into a movie). He has written movies (most recently Beowulf). He has written for television before as well (the Babylon 5 episode “Day of the Dead”).

I hope this rumor is true. Gaiman is well-versed in the fantasy genre and would add a great deal of knowledge and depth to the program. Given how the Doctor is portrayed more or less as a wizard with his sonic screwdriver doubling as a magic wand, perhaps Gaiman could add some more fantasy elements to it. Perhaps the Doctor could even meet Death.