Your TV Guide to CMU's Alumni Network

Graduates take on roles both large and small on television this fall

Erin Scott / 412-268-2068 / ekscott@andrew.cmu.edu

Judith Light

This fall, and throughout the year in television, Carnegie Mellon University alumni will take to the small screen in all of its iterations. On premium cable channels, James Cromwell will play Cardinal Michael Spencer in 10 episodes of HBO's "The Young Pope" and Pablo Schreiber will play Mad Sweeney in the Starz series "American Gods."

Several young alumni are stepping up to roles in network television, including Casey Cott on CW's "Riverdale" and Rachel Rye Keller in the FX movie "Legion." Krista Marie Yu reprises her role as Molly on ABC's "Dr. Ken." TV veterans Ted Danson and Katy Mixon are taking the lead in NBC's "The Good Place" and ABC's "American Housewife," respectively.

Returning to network TV this year are Patina Miller in CBS' "Madam Secretary," Ming-Na Wen in ABC's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." and Megan Hilty in CBS' "Braindead."

Streaming networks continue to be an excellent place for alumni to find interesting, complicated work. This fall Judith Light returns as Shelley Pfefferman in the critically acclaimed "Transparent" on Amazon. The role earned her nominations for Emmy and Golden Globe awards. Billy Porter will star in "The Get Down" on Netflix.

Additionally, three alumni will play in the Amazon series "Z: The Beginning of Everything" about the life of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald. Corey Cott will play Townsend Martin, Jordan Dean will play Ludlow Fowler and Randy Kovitz also will appear in the show.