USA greenlights new original series

'To Love & Die' starring Shiri Appleby

Also starring Frances Fisher and Tim Matheson

LOS ANGELES, California, July 15, 2007 - USA Network has given a series pickup to its newest original action comedy, TO LOVE & DIE (working title), starring Shiri Appleby ("Six Degrees," "Roswell"), Frances Fisher ("Titanic," "Laws of Attraction") and Tim Matheson ("The West Wing," "Animal House"). The series also stars Kristin Dattilo ("Courting Alex") and Christine Adams ("Home Again"). Sara Goodman is the creator and executive producer along with Carla Kettner and JoAnn Alfano as executive producers and Andrew Singer as producer. The project is from Lorne Michaels Broadway Video Television in association with Universal Media Studios. The series is slated to launch in 2008 with 12 episodes. The announcement was made by Jeff Wachtel, USA's executive vice president, original programming.

"To Love & Die has a high-concept character with a light tone and a slightly twisted soul at its core, which fits our brand perfectly," said Wachtel.

TO LOVE & DIE centers on Hildy (Appleby), a sassy young woman with intimacy issues who is convinced that her dating problems will be resolved if she can track down the father (Matheson) she never knew. When she finds him and discovers that he's a contract killer, she realizes she has a real knack for her father's line of work. Hildy's intrusive and overbearing mother (Fisher) is a refined, meddlesome woman who is on her seventh husband and who constantly inserts herself into her daughter's messy love life. Hildy often seeks advice from her older sister, Nancy (Dattilo), who, unlike herself, has played it safe in life, opting for a quiet suburban home, two kids and a nice, boring husband. Then there is Eddie (Adams), a key member of Matheson's contracting organization -- a bi-sexual technical genius whose skill in creating advanced weapons and high-tech gadgets often comes in handy when planning and executing her boss's latest hit. Ivan Sergei co-stars in the pilot as Hildy's father's protg, who meets his match when he meets the boss's daughter.

Appleby began her acting career at the young age of four. After appearing in various national commercials she earned her first television job in daytime appearing on "Santa Barbara." Next came roles on "thirtysomething," "Doogie Howser, M.D.," "7th Heaven" and "City Guys" among others. Soon after, Appleby landed the role of Liz Parker on "Roswell" and was most recently seen on the series "Six Degrees." She has also appeared in numerous films including "Swimfan," "The Other Sister" and "What Love Is" and will next be seen in "Charlie Wilson's War," written by Aaron Sorkin, directed by Mike Nichols and starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts.

July, 2007
The Futon Critic