TV Talk: Amazon Freevee revives ‘American Rust,’ ‘Justified’ revisits Pittsburgh

Never say never again: Five months after Showtime canceled filmed-in-Pittsburgh “American Rust,” the Western Pennsylvania-set drama has been revived. Amazon Freevee, formerly IMDb TV and also home to the upcoming filmed-in-Pittsburgh comedy “Sprung,” ordered a second season of “American Rust” starring Jeff Daniels and Maura Tierney. It will again film in the region.

In a phone interview Thursday, showrunner Dan Futterman said Amazon Freevee executives see “American Rust” as a series that will appeal to the free, ad-supported streaming service’s audience.

While Showtime always described “American Rust” as a “drama,” Amazon Freevee is calling “American Rust” a “crime drama,” a repositioning that’s surely an effort to draw in more viewers who are fans of that popular TV genre and existing Amazon Freevee shows like the crime drama “Bosch: Legacy.”

“They were thrilled [‘American Rust’] was available,” Futterman said. “We’re excited to continue telling the story.”

Futterman said due to the gap between Showtime’s cancellation and Amazon Freevee’s pick up, “American Rust” lost a few of its writers, but “the whole cast whose characters who are still alive will be back.”

Season one ended on multiple cliffhangers, including whether or not Henry English (Bill Camp) overdosed on prescription medication.

Set in fictional Buell, Fayette County, “American Rust” follows the life of Del Harris (Jeff Daniels), the police chief who covers up a murder for the sake of the woman he loves, Grace Poe (Maura Tierney). Grace’s son Billy (Alex Neustaedter, “Colony”) is coming off probation and stands to look guilty if not for Del’s intervention.

Despite tepid initial reviews, “American Rust” became a much better series over its first season, ending with an intense finale full of cliffhangers with Del responsible for multiple deaths and under suspicion by his deputy (Rob Yang). The final moments saw Isaac English (David Alvarez, “West Side Story”), who was responsible for the murder that kicked off the story, show up at Del’s police station with the murder weapon in hand.

“Where we left off there were a lot of cliffhangers to answer and action that’s coming as a result of the fallout of season one,” Futterman said.

And while season one got off to a deliberately slow start, Futterman said, “We start with a bang in season two.”

Prior to its cancellation, a writers’ room for season two began work on the new season’s story, an indication Showtime intended to continue the series. Midway through its run, Showtime said “Rust” averaged 3 million cumulative weekly viewers across all platforms and that the show’s streaming audience ranked second of all-time among Showtime debut seasons (until the arrival of “Dexter: New Blood” and “Yellowjackets”). Then Showtime canceled “American Rust.”

“The [Showtime] executives were very positive about the direction our writers were taking the show but for reasons we aren’t privy to, there was a decision not to make a second season,” Futterman said. “Amazon Freevee is letting us tell the exact same story we wanted to tell for these characters.”

The writers begin scripting season two Monday, Futterman said, with a plan to have all the scripts complete before filming starts. A final episode count will depend on the story, but it’s likely to be around 10 hours.

Sets from season one are stored locally and the show will again be based at 31st Street Studios in the Strip District. Production on season two of “American Rust” is expected to begin in Western Pennsylvania in November and continue through March 2023, which means filming through Pittsburgh’s winter.

“There is no avoiding it,” Futterman said. “We will deal with it and our story will have to accommodate it.”

For viewers who missed season one of “American Rust,” those episodes will stream on Amazon Freevee in advance of the premiere of season two (no date for when season one will stream on Freevee was available). Season two will likely stream in mid-to-late 2023.

“We’re excited to be shooting in the neighborhood of the next senator from Pennsylvania,” Futterman said, referring to Democratic U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman, and joking, “It’s good for my brand: Fetterman, Futterman.”

‘Justified’ back briefly

FX’s “Justified,” which shot its Kentucky-set pilot episode in Western Pennsylvania in 2009 before relocating production on the series to Los Angeles, will return to the region next week for a few days of filming on the limited sequel series “Justified: Primeval City,” which is mostly shooting in Chicago.

The original 2010-15 “Justified” starred Timothy Olyphant as lawman Raylan Givens, who returns in this limited sequel series that FX announced in January. The production team from the original “Justified” is on board for the sequel, which is inspired by author Elmore Leonard’s “City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit.”

“Justified: Primeval City” picks up eight years after the “Justified” finale with Givens in Miami working as a U.S. Marshall while also serving as a part-time father to a 14-year-old girl. A chance encounter in Florida sends Givens to Detroit where he gets involved with a sociopath and the man’s lawyer.

Mosser Casting seeks men ages 18+ to play prisoners and guards June 16 in Greensburg. Pay is $175 for a 12-hour day, $30 for gas stipend and $50 for a covid test 48 hours in advance. Proof of covid-19 vaccines and boosters is required.

Apply at mossercasting.com/justified-city-primeval.

Channel surfing

CBS’s “Secret Celebrity Renovation” returns for its second season at 8 p.m. July 22, which includes an episode Billy Gardell filmed in Pittsburgh. No air date for the Gardell episode was announced. This season “Survivor” star “Boston Rob” Mariano, husband of former Brighton, Beaver County, resident and fellow “Survivor” contestant Amber Brkich, joins the design team. … Two years after AE canceled “Live PD,” cable’s Reelz will bring back the series under the new title “On Patrol: Live,” airing 9 p.m.-12 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights with host Dan Abrams and Sean Larkin as the on-air talent. No premiere date was announced beyond sometime this summer. … The American “Love Island” will return for its fourth season July 19 on Peacock.