Ratings Report for the Week of December 29, 2014 – January 2, 2015

On Saturday, March 14, Hallmark Channel will premiere “Portrait of Love” starring Bree Williamson (“One Life to Live”), Jason Dohring (“Veronica Mars,” “Moonlight”), Corbin Bernsen (“Psych,” “The Young and the Restless”) and Ella Thomas (“Bones,” “All My Children”).

Actor Dylan Neal (ex-Dylan Shaw, “The Bold and the Beautiful”) will star in the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries original movie “Gourmet Detective,” based on the series of books by Peter King. Neal, who co-wrote the script along with his wife Becky Southwell, will also serve as an executive producer. The movie is set to premiere sometime this spring and is the first of three planned for the cable network.

During the CBS and Showtime portion of the Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour event in Pasadena, CBS announced that it has picked up second seasons of freshman dramas “Madam Secretary,” “NCIS: New Orleans” and “Scorpion.”

Hallmark Channel’s “Home & Family” is getting ready to host another classic soap opera reunion when it brings together the cast of ABC’s iconic primetime drama, “Dynasty,” with guests Pamela Sue Martin, John James, Al Corley and Gordon Thomson joining hosts Mark Steines and Cristina Ferrare on Monday, January 26.

As it gets ready to launch new seasons of “Melissa & Joey” and “Baby Daddy,” ABC Family recently announced that it has greenlit two new comedy pilots, “Kevin from Work” and “Tough Cookie,” as part of its comedy expansion, following the second season renewal of “Young & Hungry” in September. Both pilots will go into production later this month, according to Karey Burke, Executive Vice President, Programming and Development, ABC Family.

On Friday, January 16, NBC’s “Days of our Lives” will welcome actor Lucas Kerr to its cast as Clint, Theresa’s (Jen Lilley) new love interest.

The CW announced today during its portion of the Television Critics Association Press Tour in Pasadena that it has given an early renewal to “Arrow,” “Jane the Virgin,” “Reign,” “Supernatural,” “The 100,” “The Flash,” “The Originals” and “The Vampire Diaries,” all of which appeared on the network’s fall 2014 schedule, for the 2015-2016 television season.

While official cause of death has yet to be determined, Sharon Alkus, the wife of Beau Kazer, who portrayed Brock Reynolds on CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” off and on since originating the role in 1974, told The Hollywood Reporter that her husband is believed to have died in his sleep on December 30, 2014, and that he had been battling health issues for two years.

After joining the cast of ABC’s “General Hospital” in the contract role of Starr Manning in 2012, which she originated in 1998 on “One Life to Live” when she was just 6 years old, Daytime Emmy Award winner Kristen Alderson (Kiki Jerome) has decided to leave the daytime drama series.