Jason Lee is one of very few actors to cross couple of different thresholds in Hollywood. He’s achieved cult status for his work in the Kevin Smith films, received mainstream notice and plenty of award nominations for his work on My Name is Earl, and he’s recognized by thousands of kids for his role as Dave in Alvin and the Chipmunks.

Now Jason is moving to something a little different and takes the lead in TNT’s upcoming Memphis Beat as a detective who moonlights as an Elvis Presley impersonator.

We recently got a chance to sit in on a discussion with Lee about his role in the upcoming show, the fate of My Name is Earl, his tendency to drift towards comedy rather than drama, and his new found appreciation for Elvis.

What is it about this show and the character that appealed to you and made you want to be part of it?

Well you know on the surface it was clear that it was very different than anything I’ve ever done.  And you know so that was a big part of it and then the fun of getting to play a detective and certainly the fun of getting to play a detective who also performs the music of Elvis on stage.

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Yesterday, we were elated to bring you news that TNT had more guts and faith than NBC to renew Southland for another season. While we were so excited about the news, we neglected to notice that where a cable show gets a stay of execution, the fantasy series Legend of the Seeker gets the axe.

The series, based on the Sword of Truth book series by Terry Goodkind, had a good run, making it 40 episodes in 2 seasons, but it wasn’t pulling in the numbers that a network like The CW needed for it to survive. From EW:

The outlook had been bleak since last March, when many of Tribune Station Group’s markets dropped the syndicated series, which had been developed by Hercules/Xena producers Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert. ABC Studios, which produces it, kept shopping it around. But, I’m told, they found no takers. So, after two action-packed seasons, Legend is history.

The premise was much like many other stories we’ve heard before, including Star Wars in that a young farm boy learns that he has a destiny to take down the evil lord who threatens their world, alongside a kind old wizard and a beautiful princess. Add two droids and George Lucas may just sue somebody.

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Sometimes good shows actually get the treatment they deserve instead of being unceremoniously dumped from their network. Case in point is TNT’s excellent cop drama Southland which began life on NBC but after only a limited run, wan’t asked to continue on the network.

Instead, TNT picked it up and aired the remainder of episodes to what was apparently good results as the show has been given another season. In case you’re not familiar with Southland, it was created by Emmy winning writer Ann Biderman (NYPD Blue) and concerns a group of uniformed LAPD officers, among them Ben McKenzie (The OC), Michael McGrady (Band of Brothers), Regina King (Jerry McGuire, 24) and Tom Everett Scott (That Thing You Do), who deal with the daily trials and tribulations of life as a front line police officer.

Sporting a very good cast who deliver nuanced performances, good writing and excellent visuals, the show deserved a chance to find an audience and I, for one, am glad it seems to be doping just that. And even though we are all big fans of many of NBC’s shows, at least with this show in particular, they made a mistake letting it go. Oh well, their loss is TNT’s gain it would seem.

We’re back this month with Cortney’s TV Digest, everything you need to know about the latest and greatest shows on the tube. This month we’ve got some interesting new shows to tell you about from a bunch of your favorite networks, as well as the resurrection of one show we worried we’d never see again.

Parenthood – NBC

Based on the 1989 film of the same name, this new show is produced by movie and tv genius Ron Howard. The show follows the parenting experience of the Bravemen family: single mom Sarah (Lauren Graham), her brother Adam (Peter Krause) and wife Christina (Monica Potter) whose son is diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, and their headstrong father (Craig T. Nelson). Parenthood premiers March 2nd at 10 PM on NBC.

Southland – TNT

Back in 2009, NBC premiered their new, gritty cop drama, Southland. The show centered around Los Angeles and the members of the LAPD, including The OC’s Ben Mackenzie as rookie Officer Ben Sherman. Shortly before the beginning of its second season, NBC suddenly canceled Southland. It was doubtful whether we’d ever see the six episodes scheduled to air, but TNT swooped in and bought them, effectively saving the show from certain doom. The previous season began airing in January and season 2 starts on March 2nd.

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TNT, the network known for its legal/detective dramas (including endless reruns of Law & Order), is now venturing into Sci-Fi with Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks on a series that will star Noah Wyle and Moon Bloodgood. The series, despite not yet having a name, has a pilot directed by Carl Franklin (Devil in A Blue Dress, Out of Time) — who is also working with Spielberg on episodes of the forthcoming WWII television mini-series The Pacific — and a story written by Saving Private Ryan scribe Robert Rodat.

Noah Wyle, who has become quite familiar with TNT through his numerous The Librarian TV Movies, will star as a professor that winds up in the rebellion against the alien invaders. Bloodgood, who really seems to have a taste for the genre with her past roles Terminator: Salvation and the “canceled too-soon” series Journey Man, will play a therapist that works with surviving children of the invasion.

Other names of cast members include Seychelle Gabriel (The Spirit, and M. Night Syamalan’s The Last Airbender), Jessy Schram (Life, Crash: The Series) and Drew Roy (Greek, Lincoln Heights). According to reports, the series opens shortly after aliens have wiped out most of humanity. The aliens are now rounding up the few people left, but they are met with strong resistance from a group of soldiers and civilians who fight for their survival – all while struggling to maintain their humanity.

The series is set to debut sometime in 2011.