TVLine Items: Hiddleston's Apple Gig, Adrien Brody as Lakers Coach and More

Looks like Tom Hiddleston won’t be taking much of a break from the small screen after Loki. The actor has joined Claire Danes in the forthcoming Apple TV+ period drama The Essex Serpent, TVLine has learned.

Based on the bestselling novel by Sarah Perry and set in Victorian England, the series centers on Cora (Danes), a widow recovering from an abusive marriage who moves from London to the small village of Aldwinter and becomes “intrigued by a local superstition that a mythical creature known as the Essex Serpent has returned to the area.” Hiddleston will play Will Ransome, the trusted leader of a small rural community. Get a first look at the character above.

Hiddleston also stars in the upcoming Disney+ series Loki, premiering June 11. His past TV credits include The Night Manager, The Hollow Crown and Wallander.

Ready for more of today’s newsy nuggets? Well…

* Oscar winner Adrien Brody will star in HBO’s untitled L.A. Lakers series as coach Pat Riley, who led the team to four NBA championships in the 1980s, our sister site Deadline reports.

* Peppa Pig has been renewed for an additional 104 episodes, taking the children’s program through 2027, per Deadline.

* TBS has ordered the dating competition series The Big D, hosted by JoJo Fletcher and Jordan Rodgers (The Bachelorette). “The social experiment takes on the relationship space with a twist, following recent divorcees as they search for romance in paradise with one catch — their exes will be along for the journey,” per the official release.

* HBO Max has ordered The Hype, a competition series set in “the colliding worlds of streetwear, business and culture where fashion visionaries must elevate their designs and entrepreneurial sense to avoid elimination while remaining authentic to their style.” Hip-hop star Offset will produce and serve as a co-signer (aka judge) alongside Bephies Beauty Supply founder Beth Birkett and Emmy-nominated costume designer Marni Senofonte, with Speedy Morman hosting.

* The Great Pottery Throw Down Season 4 will premiere Thursday, April 1 on HBO Max. Watch a trailer:

Which of today’s TVLine Items pique your interest?