Supernatural

Few Supernatural fans cried into their Jared Padalecki pillowcases when it was announced that actress Katie Cassidy, better known as the demonic Ruby, wouldn't be returning for season 4 of the series.  Creator Eric Kripke wanted the actress back, but claimed that the budget just wouldn't allow for it.  There are plenty of fans who never warmed up to the actress for one reason or another, so the loss of the character didn't exactly rile up loyal viewers.

For those Supernatural fans who enjoyed Cassidy's ambiguously evil turn, TV Guide is reporting that the actress has landed one of the lead roles on the CBS mid-season drama Harper's Island.  Oddly enough, it's also rumored that Jim Beaver, who plays Bobby Singer on the CW series, may be up for a role as well.

Harper's Island has an interesting and unique premise, which means CBS will likely cancel it after two or three episodes.  As the network proved with Moonlight, they don't have a clue what to do with a show that's not a procedural crime drama.  The show, which takes its inspiration from Scream and Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians, finds friends and family attending a wedding celebration on an island off the coast of Seattle.  When people start getting killed one by one, it's up to both the audience and the characters to try to solve the murder mystery.

Harper's Island hasn't had an easy time making it to the screen.  Much like with Moonlight, an entire pilot presentation was created and shown to execs, who then decided that the episode needed massive retooling.  All but one cast member was fired, and new actors including Christopher Gorham (Ugly Betty) and Cassidy have been brought in for reshoots.  Angel vet Jeffrey Bell has been hired on as the showrunner, and will also rewrite the pilot episode.  As for Jim Beaver's involvement, Wikipedia has him listed as playing the character of Sheriff Mills, but that information hasn't been confirmed anywhere else.

Cassidy will be playing the character of Trish Wellington, the bride-to-be who's engaged to Gorham's Henry Dunn.  There's no word on whether the serial killer will knock off any of the show's main characters, but I'd imagine the leads might be in danger as well.

Harper's Island is set to debut on CBS in early 2009.  Thirteen episodes have been ordered, but we'll have to wait and see if the network lets them all play out.  There's nothing worse than a murder mystery canceled in the middle of its run.  As for Supernatural, it returns to the CW for its Cassidy-free season on September 18.


- Don Williams, BuddyTV Staff Writer
Source: TV Guide
(Image courtesy of the CW)