Edited by Maj Canton.

This year's TCA 2012 Winter Press Tour closed out with a rapid-fire slew of panels, showcasing a variety of new and returning shows from the FX network. Following an executive session with network President and General Manager John Landgraf, FX presented panels for JUSTIFIED, ARCHER, WILFRED, LOUIE, and STRANGELY UPLIFTING, where the stars dished about their upcoming seasons.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

The day started with a Q&A with network President and General Manager John Landgraf in which he exposited on FX's recent successful period and candidly elaborated on some of the network's future plans, including the status of the superhero show POWERS, the pilot of which may be facing reshoots, and Charlie Sheen's new show ANGER MANAGEMENT, a show based on the Adam Sandler film of the same name from 2003. Sheen's presence in any media these days is enough to stir up some controversy, but Landgraf was insistent that the TWO AND A HALF MEN star could still redeem himself. "You saw a very different Charlie Sheen than you'd been seeing through the press through the end of TWO AND A HALF MEN … What I heard was a really good pitch for a comedy series: funny, complicated and the character Charlie ought to be playing." Landgraf explained that FX decided to pick up 90 episodes based on a very high ratings threshold. Whether Sheen will be able to move past his recent history of abuse remains to be seen. Either way, ANGER MANAGEMENT will debut on FX this June.

John Landgraf, President and General Manager, FX Networks

at the FX TCA Winter Press Tour.. Photo credit: Phil McCarten / FX.

JUSTIFIED

The day's biggest panel was its first, and many of the principal cast of JUSTIFIED, including Timothy Olyphant, Neal McDonough, Walton Goggins, and Joelle Carter, appeared to talk about the premiere of the third season. Executive producer and creator of the original Raylan Givens character and novels, Elmore Leonard, was also on hand to discuss the show's direction and what to expect in future episodes. This season's arc will draw heavily from Leonard's latest novel, "Raylan."

Timothy Olyphant (left) and Walton Goggins (right)

at the FX TCA Winter Press Tour. Photo credit: Phil McCarten / FX.

Much of the discussion revolved around two of the newcomers to the show, Mykelti Williamson and Neal McDonough, who will appear as antagonists, filling the spot of Margo Martindale's villainous Mags Bennett, who did herself in at the close of season 2. Executive Producer Graham Yost says he was certain of the decision to write Mags out, though he isn't without regrets: "I don't regret that we killed Mags. I do regret not having Margo around." Williamson and McDonough, both of whom worked with Yost on the critically acclaimed but quickly cancelled BOOMTOWN, were both excited but apprehensive about taking up the mantle of Big Bad for this season. "The first time I showed up to set I was extremely nervous," said Williamson. "There's a lot to live up to."

Mykelti Williamson (left) and Neal McDonough (right)

at the FX TCA Winter Press Tour. Photo credit: Phil McCarten / FX.

Season three of JUSTIFIED airs Tuesday, January 17th at 10 pm.


ARCHER

Following the panel for JUSTIFIED was the talent behind ARCHER, everyone's favorite ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT/James Bond hybrid. Following up on the recent three-episode mini-arc in which Archer forsakes ISIS and becomes a pirate captain, Season 3 of the show, which airs in just a few days, will see the agent back under his old spy moniker: Codename: Duchess.

From left to right, EP Adam Reed, H. Jon Benjamin, Aisha Tylor,

Jessica Walter, Chris Parnell, Judy Greer and George Coe

at the FX TCA Winter Press Tour. Photo credit: Phil McCarten / FX.

Once the cast moved off of the subject of LEPRECHAUN movies, series creator and Executive Producer Adam Reed discussed some of the upcoming plot threads, including a two-episode arc at the end of this season featuring a jump into space. Guest voice talent for the third season will include Burt Reynolds in the opening episode, "The Man From Jupiter," as well as Bryan Cranston in the aforementioned episodes in space as the commander of the International Space Station. As for Reed's personal wish list, he says he would love to do an ARCHER movie or another longer story arc like the pirate captain three-parter, if FX were willing to jump on board with the idea.

Season 3 of ARCHER airs Thursday, January 19th at 10 pm.


WILFRED

When the press joined Elijah Wood, Fiona Gubelman, and Jason Gann (out of the dog suit) for the WILFRED panel, one of the first questions out of the gate was how thoroughly the new season will resolve the cliffhangers from the most recent episode. Showrunner David Zuckerman assured the attending press that "Ninety-five percent of the cliffhanger is resolved in the premiere. That's not to say there aren't new questions asked, but we'll definitely address the cliffhanger in the premiere." For the most part, the panelists were unwilling to reveal specific plot information, but Zuckerman did give the broad explanation that the show will continue its tried-and-true formula, allowing Ryan to "explore [his] journey toward enlightenment with Wilfred tripping him up along the way."

From left to right, EP David Zuckerman, Jason Gann, Elijah Wood,

Fiona Gubelmann and Dorian Brown at the FX TCA Winter Press Tour.

Photo credit: Phil McCarten / FX.

Gann and Zuckerman were tight-lipped about specific plans, as they are still breaking stories and haven't begun principle shooting but did tease the audience about the return of Dwight Yoakam as Bruce, another character who is apparently able to see Wilfred, and another possible future guest star they're hoping to score – though they didn't drop a specific name.

Jason Gann (left) and Elijah Wood (right) at the FX TCA Winter Press Tour.

Photo credit: Phil McCarten / FX.

Season 2 of WILFRED premieres this June.


LOUIE

Louis C.K. appeared as he often does for his stand-up act – alone onstage, just him and a microphone – to discuss season three of his Emmy-award-winning series LOUIE.  Louis C.K. wears a lot of hats for the series as writer/director/star/editor -- he says if he had to give one of them up, it would be editing -- spoke on his recent success after 27 years of writing and standup comedy. "I'd be a real a--hole if I didn't realize what a great life I lead," he said of his fairly recent rise to comic fame.  He spoke bluntly about his failures, as well, joking that his 5-7 years of success and notoriety will always be overshadowed by the "uncertainty, ego destruction, and poverty" of his earlier years. He also wasn't too kind to his own directing career when asked about POOTIE TANG, saying it "was a huge mistake. Never should have been made."

Louis C.K. at the FX TCA Winter Press Tour.

Photo credit: Phil McCarten / FX.

Louis C.K.'s standout attribute had to be his modesty: he displayed a quiet, genuine intelligence, an appreciation of (but not a haughtiness about) his own success, and a certain artistic integrity about his work.  "You have to be willing not to do the show," he said of measuring his total control over the series' content against the push to get a series picked up, clarifying that he wouldn't have attempted the show if not for the relatively hands-off relationship FX has with the series. Most of all, though, it was clear that next season of Louis promises to continue the genuine, uncomfortably honest approach Louis C.K. uses in his act.

Season 3 of LOUIE premieres in June.


STRANGELY UPLIFTING

FX finished up their day with a preview of Russell Brand's new unscripted reality program tentatively titled STRANGELY UPLIFTING. The show is admittedly a bit underdeveloped at the moment, with the brief teaser clip merely showing Brand interacting with a roomful of audience members in his usual comic persona, but the panel itself may have been an appropriate test run for the format of the show, which will feature Brand humorous commentary on topical events. During the panel, Brand spoke in circles in his own signature manic, rapid-fire, quasi-existential form of eloquence that mostly just serves as the lead-up to his punch lines, but if nothing else, he was very entertaining to listen to.

Russell Brand at the FX TCA Winter Press Tour.

Photo credit: Phil McCarten / FX.

Of particular interest was Brand's opinion on all things USA, specifically the American political system, which Brand lampooned for everything from politicians' names (Rick Santorum's "surname rhymes with sanitarium," and Newt Gingrich's name is "ludicrous, amphibious, bizarre," said the comic) to the presidential race as a whole: "We know it's meaningless who the president is. Don't we? So I'm not going to be part of the meaningless spectacle. It's like describing individual termites. The only legitimate distinction in global politics, I think, is: are you rich or poor?" Brand's ultimate aim, as he puts it, is not to denigrate, or even particularly to educate: "I don't see myself or my role as a malevolent jester attacking people who are already disenfranchised. All I want is to make people feel better than they do now. All I want is to make people laugh. My goal is to acknowledge that within each of us is a divine and beautiful light," he said when speaking about his role and goals as a comic.

STRANGELY UPLIFTING, whether it keeps that name or finds another, premieres on FX this April.