Tag Archives: East New York

CBS to Air Kevin Alejandro’s “Fire Country” Following January’s AFC Championship Game

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Kevin Alejandro will be bringing the fire this NFL season…

CBS will air a special episode of its hit drama series Fire Country, starring the 46-year-old Mexican American, in January after the eye network airs the AFC Championship game.

Kevin AlejandroThe football game is set to take place on Sunday, January 29 at 6:40 p.m. ET with the Max Thieriot-led show airing right after.

Fire Country has been a hit with viewers ranking as the No. 1 new series this season averaging 8.26 million viewers to date. The premiere of the series on October 7 gave CBS their best seven-day audience for a series in the time period since May 8, 2020. The seven-day streaming on Paramount+, CBS.com and the CBS app, meanwhile, is up 245% from Magnum P.I. last year based on average minute audience.

Due to its initial success, Fire Country, alongside East New York and So Help Me Todd have been given full season orders.

“CBS is off to a tremendous start this season,” Kelly Kahl, President, CBS Entertainment, said in a statement. “We are thrilled to have the three most watched new series, each with their own unique settings, characters and storylines. These dramas are elevating our already successful lineup, resonating with diverse audiences both on-air and on streaming, and continuing to grow each week. We thank the talented casts, executive producers and their incredible writing and production teams for bringing these shows to life. Additional kudos to our CBS programming teams for shepherding these series to success. We are delighted to give them well deserved full season orders.”

Thieriot stars in Fire Country as Bode Donovan, a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining a prison release firefighting program in Northern California, where he and other inmates are partnered with elite firefighters to extinguish massive, unpredictable wildfires across the region. It’s a high-risk, high-reward assignment, and the heat is turned up when Bode is assigned to the program in his rural hometown, where he was once a golden all-American son – until his troubles began. Five years ago, Bode burned down everything in his life, leaving town with a big secret. Now he’s back, with the rap sheet of a criminal and the audacity to believe in a chance for redemption with Cal Fire.

Alejandro portrays Manny on the series.

Jimmy Smits to Star in CBS’ Cop Series Pilot “East New York”

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Jimmy Smits is officially on the beat…

The 66-year-old half-Puerto Rican actor and NYPD Blue alum has been cast as the male lead opposite Amanda Warren in CBS’ hourlong cop-series pilot East New York.

Jimmy SmitsCo-written by William Finkelstein and Mike Flynn and directed by Mike Robin, the project centers on Regina Haywood (Warren), the newly promoted deputy inspector of East New York, an impoverished, working-class neighborhood at the eastern edge of Brooklyn. She leads a diverse group of officers and detectives, some of whom are reluctant to deploy her creative methods of serving and protecting during the midst of social upheaval and the early seeds of gentrification.

Smits will play three-star Chief John Suarez, whose experience, commanding presence and strong moral center helps oversee the melding of communities and the precincts that serve them.

The Emmy-winning actor has a personal connection to the project. Born in Brooklyn, Smits grew up around the East New York section of the borough and went to school there. Additionally, East New York reunites Smits with Finkelstein, with whom he worked on NYPD Blue, and with Robin, who was a director-producer on the Smits-starring series, NYPD Blue and L.A. Law.

Warner Bros. Television is the studio.

Smits, who won an Emmy for L.A. Law, recently was recently seen in the feature adaptation of In the Heights. His series credits also include Sons of Anarchy and Dexter.

Ruben Santiago Hudson to Star in CBS’ Drama Pilot “East New York”

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Ruben Santiago Hudson is heading East…

The 65-year-old half-Puerto Rican actor, playwright and director has been cast as a series regular opposite Amanda Warren in the CBS drama pilot East New York.

Ruben Santiago-Hudson

In East New York, co-written by William Finkelstein and Mike Flynn, Regina Haywood (Warren) is the newly promoted deputy inspector of East New York, an impoverished, working-class neighborhood at the eastern edge of Brooklyn. She leads a diverse group of officers and detectives, some of whom are reluctant to deploy her creative methods of serving and protecting during the midst of social upheaval and the early seeds of gentrification.

Hudson will play Marvin Sandeford, who could have become a boss or a detective, but he never wanted to be anything but a street cop. He’s very opinionated and given to quick, intractable judgments, but not without compassion. No one knows as much about East New York as he does.

Finkelstein and Flynn executive produce with Mike Robin of Skyemac Productions, Christine Holder and Mark Holder of Wonder Street. Andrew Maher of Skyemac is co-executive producing. Warner Bros. Television is the studio.

Hudson is a two-time Tony Award winner and star/writer/director of Lackawanna Blues on Broadway. He also write Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.