Your Weekly TV News Roundup: ‘The Leftovers’ Renewed, Patti LaBelle Joins ‘American Horror Story’

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The television world moves so fast that by the time you learn of a show’s premiere, it could already be canceled. It’s hard to keep track of the constant stream of television news, so Flavorwire is here to provide a weekly roundup of the most exciting — and baffling — casting and development updates. This week, Kaitlin Olson joins New Girl, Patti LaBelle joins American Horror Story, and Twisted joins the growing list of canceled teen dramas.

Lifetime is doing a Brittany Murphy biopic, and I can’t believe it took the network this long to do it. Amanda Fuller (Grey’s Anatomy) will play Murphy, and Sherilyn Fenn (Twin Peaks) will portray her mother, Sharon. (The real Sharon Murphy has nothing to do with the film.) The two-hour movie, which I’m sure will be handled expertly and delicately under Lifetime’s watch, premieres on September 6. [THR]

HBO’s The Leftovers has been renewed for a second season of despair. [HBO]

TBS and MTV will share syndication rights for Fox’s New Girl starting in 2015, making Zooey Deschanel even harder to escape. [Deadline]

More New Girl news: Kaitlin Olson (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) will guest star in Season 4 as Jess’ high school nemesis who is now engaged to Jess’ dad. Hijinks! [TVLine]

Comedian Kurt Braunohler’s late-night show, Gettin’ Some Strange with Kurt Braunohler, received a pilot order from Comedy Central. The talk show “covers the strangest stories of the day, revealing just how beautifully insane our world actually is.” Braunohler is also a regular guest on @midnight, which the network just renewed for a second season. [Deadline]

ABC Family renewed Switched at Birth, the sublime but often overlooked teen drama, for a fourth season. Season 3 airs its finale on Monday. [THR]

On the opposite end, ABC Family canceled Twisted, a show about a cute teen murderer (not to be confused with the show about a cute teen murderer). [TVLine]

The final season of Boardwalk Empire has a trailer.

Starz ordered ten episodes of The One Percent from Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu (Babel, Amores Perros), who will direct the first two episodes. The One Perfect centers on a farmer who “encounters a bizarre twist of fate that might save or ruin his family farm.” Ed Helms and Hilary Swank will star. [Variety]

WGN is looking to expand its scripted offerings. The network has a straight-to-series order for Titans, a drama about Appalachian outsiders. Also in development is Undergound, a historical drama about slaves escaping to the North. It will likely get a series order, too. [TVLine]

Josh Randall and Mary McCormack have been cast as a power couple in Season 4 of Scandal. Season 4 premieres September 25. [Zap2It]

Just about everyone from Veronica Mars is returning for the Dick Casablancas web series, but mostly Chris Lowell is returning, and that’s all that matters. [BuzzFeed]

If you’ve ever wanted to own a piece of True Blood, you’ll finally get your chance. HBO is auctioning off more than 1,500 props from the show as it nears the end of its run. The items include a throne, a wedding dress, vampire fangs, and more. [Variety]

Patti LaBelle will be on American Horror Story: Freak Show!!! LaBelle will play Gabourey Sidibe’s mother in four episodes. Also recently cast is the world’s tiniest woman.