Joss Whedon

Recently Whedonage previewed the networks’ 2010-2011 television seasons, highlighting shows with Whedon alumni coming to a screen near you; very near, as in your very own home. Now we’re bringing you news of a few of your favorite Whedon writers and the shows to which they are currently contributing.

Sarah Fain and Elizabeth Craft - The Angel duo left Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse after the first season and reunited with another Angel writer, Shawn Ryan (The Shield) on Fox’s Lie to Me. The series revolves around Dr. Cal Lightman, the world’s leading deception expert. He studies facial expressions and body language to determine whether a person is lying and why, which helps law enforcement and government agencies uncover the truth. While Lie to Me has been renewed, its scheduling fate remains unfixed. With Bones permanently on Fox Thursdays, Lie to Me has taken up the mantel of pinch-hitter for the network.

Best Angel episodes: S4’s "Happy, Shiny People," "Underneath," and "Soulless."

Shawn Ryan - Fain and Craft may have set up shop on Lie to Me’s set, Ryan has since moved on and will be working on the new Fox series, Ride Along. Starring Jason Clarke and Jennifer Beals, the series will be a mid-season debut for the network. The show is set up so the viewer gets to play civilian passenger, spending a shift in a squad car as a fictional version of the Chicago Police Department goes about its business. Best Angel episodes: S2’s "First Impressions," "Blood Money" and "The Thin Dead Line."

Jane Espenson - Espenson has been very busy since her Buffy and Angel days, having worked on such series as Tim Minear’s The Inside, Battlestar Galactica, and Dollhouse. Now she turns her best creative efforts to SyFy channel’s original series Caprica. Set some 50 years before the events of Galactica, Caprica is a peaceful planet where amazing breakthroughs in artificial intelligence will bring about dire consequences for humanity. The series also has another Whedonverse connection in James Marsters, who has a recurring role as activist Barnabas Greeley. The series will be returning for the remainder of its first season in September 2010. Despite moderate ratings, Alpha Airlock is reporting that the show looks fairly good for a second season pickup.

Best Angel episode, S1’s "Rm w/a Vu." Best Buffy episodes, S3’s "Gingerbread," S7’s "Conversations With Dead People," and "End of Days." Best Dollhouse episode, S1’s "Haunted."

Marti Noxon - Noxon has worked on quite a few commercial shows since her Buffy the Vampire Slayer days, among them Prison Break, Grey’s Anatomy, and Private Practice. Most recently Noxon has turned her attention to AMC’s award winning series, Mad Men. Marti along with other members of the Mad Men writing team were presented with the WGA (Writers Guild of America) award, both in 2009 and 2010. Mad Men’s 4th season begins on Sunday July 25th at 10 PM ET/PT. The series set in the 1960’s revolves around one of New York’s most prestigious advertising agencies.

Best Buffy episodes: S2’s "I Only Have Eyes For You," S3’s "The Wish," S5’s "Buffy vs. Dracula," "Forever."

Steven S. DeKnight - DeKnight has kept busy in genre television by working on Dollhouse and Smallville since Angel was canceled. Now he’s branched in historical action with Spartacus: Blood and Sand for Starz. As creator, writer and executive producer, DeKnight is as hand’s-on as it gets. After concluding a successful and critically-acclaimed first season, Spartacus was sidelined when its star, Andy Whitfield was diagnosed with cancer. As he’s undergoing treatment, DeKnight and the Spartacus team are working on a 6-episode prequel to the show. The S1 DVD will be released on September 21st.

Best Buffy episodes: S5’s "Blood Ties" and S6’s "Seeing Red." Best Angel episodes: S4’s "Deep Down," "Apocalypse, Nowish," "Calvary," S5’s "Shells." Best Dollhouse episode: S1’s "The Target."

Ben Edlund - Following Angel, Edlund spent time working on Marti Noxon’s short-lived series Point Pleasant before moving on to Supernatural. There Edlund has served as co-executive producer for 4 seasons and written some fan favorite episodes including S4’s "On The Head of a Pin." Supernatural is the story of two brothers who were trained by their father as warriors, who fight demons and all manner of otherworldly baddies. The series was recently renewed for a 6th season and will be returning to The CW in September 2010.

Best Angel episodes: S5’s "Life of the Party," "Smile Time" and "Time Bomb."

David Greenwalt - Co-Creator of Angel, Greenwalt has spent most of his time since Angel was canceled in a producer capacity, helming such series as Eureka, Kidnapped, and Moonlight before leaving the later for exhaustion. Lately his presence has been felt on USA’s In Plain Sight. In Plain Sight is currently airing the second part of its second season on Wednesday night’s at 9 PM ET/PT.

Best Angel Episodes: S1’s "City of...," "I Will Remember You," S2’s "Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been," and S3’s "Sleep Tight."

David Fury - Since Angel, Fury has worked for another vastly popular genre favorite, Lost, on ABC. He has also contributed to Tim Minear’s The Inside and most recently concluded the final season of 24 on Fox. Now Fury is partnering with Steven Spielberg on the new Fox acquisition, Terra Nova. Set for a mid-season debut, the series is about an ordinary family that travels back in time to prehistoric Earth as part of a massive experiment to save the human race.

Best Angel Episodes: S4’s "Awakening," "Peace Out," S5’s "You’re Welcome," and "Power Play."