ABC has confirmed a premiere date of April 28th for Amy’s new series Happy Town.  This is later than was originally hinted to me but at least it’s finally going to air!

Haplin, Minnesota, also known as “Happy Town,” has enjoyed an uneasy peace for five years, but all that is about to change. Still haunted by a number of unsolved kidnappings, the small town now faces a dark new crime that brings all its unresolved fears to the surface. Has the elusive “Magic Man,” who many believe is responsible for the bizarre abductions that still scar the town, returned to claim another victim? As Haplin’s mysteries are revealed, many of its prominent citizens’ motives come under scrutiny, as their own secrets and personalities are peeled back, one layer at a time.

Dragged away from his idyllic family life to investigate the new crimes, Tommy Conroy (Geoff Stults), a small town deputy under the wing of his dad, long-time popular Sheriff Griffin Conroy (M.C. Gainey), has never had to take charge of Haplin’s law enforcement. His comfortable lifestyle is suddenly turned upside down by a bizarre set of circumstances and he must learn to pool his smarts, without the necessary training and tools, to rally the residents, as well as keep his wife, Rachel (Amy Acker), daughter Emma (Sophia Ewaniuk) and the rest of Haplin safe.

While at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour to promote the ABC mid-season drama Happy Town, one of the show’s stars, Amy Acker, talked about being a part of the small town mystery, as well as gave hints about her role in Cabin in the Woods, the highly anticipated and highly secretive 3-D horror film from Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard.

Q: When you started on Dollhouse, did you have any idea that your character would end up so evil?

Amy: No. When the whole thing started, I had been begging Joss, since I heard he was doing it. We’d be hanging out and I’d be like, “I wish I could be on your show.” And then, it seemed like the day before they started shooting, he was like, “Actually, there’s this part. She was supposed to be a 55-year-old woman, but I’m thinking maybe you should do it.” I was like, “Really? Okay, great! I’ll be there.” I didn’t know if it was just going to be for the pilot. I had no idea that I was going to end up being a doll and that all this stuff would unfold. I’d hear about different stuff, but you don’t know. Read more… »

With many many thanks to the wonderful Andrea, we have a gorgeous HQ set of images from a promotional photoshoot Amy did for her upcoming show Happy Town.  I still have not heard from ABC about an official air date but I will be sure to notify you all as soon as I know.

- Television > Happy Town (2010) > Promotional Images > Promotional Photoshoot

Unfortunately Amy is not featured in the new 2.5 minute long promo video ABC recently released for Happy Town.  However, if you look close you can catch a quick glimpse and she does speak a line or two.  ABC has also confirmed an eight episode order of Happy Town with episodes tentatively scheduled to begin airing in February.  If you’re interested in seeing the promo, you can view it after the cut.

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I received an email from ABC a few days ago and included with it were several HQ stills from the pilot episode of Happy Town.  These new images have been added to the gallery – enjoy!

- Happy Town: Episode Stills > Episode 1.00 – ‘Pilot’

More good news on the Dollhouse front!  It’s really beginning to look like Amy will be able to be a part of both shows as long as schedules allow.

Since Amy Acker’s show Happy Town has been picked up, what does that mean for Dr. Saunders on Dollhouse? Is she headed for the attic? –Mike W.
Ausiello: Not if puppetmaster Joss Whedon has anything to say about it. He tells me he’ll be “sending [Happy producers] chocolate and flowers,” he laughs. “We’re desperate to have her.” As such, he is disinclined to put another doctor in the d’house. Only if “we find out that we’re not going to use her for the bulk of the season” would he do that, he says. “[But] everyone is not going to be in every episode, so it’s perfectly possible that there will just be stories that don’t involve Dr. Saunders.”

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Nothing has been made official but this quote from Eliza Dushku does give us hope about the continuation of Amy’s character on Dollhouse:

Now that Amy Acker’s Happy Town pilot has been picked up by ABC, what does that mean for Dollhouse’s Dr. Saunders? — Lynn
MATT: I ran your question by Eliza Dushku when I chatted her up at Fox’s upfront party, and while the Dollhouse lead/producer is unsure just yet Acker’s Happy news will impact Dr. Saunders’/Whiskey’s presence in Season 2, she said that at the very least, “I hope Amy will pop in and grace us now and then.” Beyond that situation, sources assure me that snipped Season 2 budget or not, the Dollhouse staff will suffer no casualties.

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