ride-along

On Thursday, I visited the Windy City set of 'The Chicago Code,' which, until recently, was known as 'Ride-Along.'

I'll have much more on the Fox drama when it premieres Feb. 7, but I thought I'd take the opportunity to delve into the whole name switcheroo with the show's lead actors, Jason Clarke and Matt Lauria, and with supervising producer Davey Holmes, who wrote the episode that was being shot that day.

As Lauria and Clarke filmed a scene in which they pursued a bank robber from an El train, Holmes said that the search for a new name went on for over a month and involved dozens if not hundreds of possible monikers.

"From [creator] Shawn [Ryan] to from the writers' assistants, we were all making lists and lists of names," said Holmes, a veteran of 'Pushing Daisies' and 'In Treatment.'

That hospital stay yesterday didn't get in the way of Charlie Sheen's work schedule -- his manager told People that the actor will return to work this week.

"Charlie will be working this week doing a cameo role, playing himself, in a small movie as a favor to a friend and has every intention of going back to work on 'Two and a Half Men' on Tuesday," Mark Burg told the magazine. "He's looking forward to working."

Sheen was found drunk and naked in his trashed New York hotel room early Tuesday morning, and was immediately hospitalized then released later in the day. Though sources claim the hospitalization was due to intoxication, Sheen's rep said it was an "adverse reaction to some medication."

In other TV news ...

• ABC has ordered six more episodes of its midseason series 'Off the Map,' bringing the episode total to 13. The medical drama follows doctors at a medical clinic in South America. [TV Guide]

• Fox has renamed new series 'Ride-Along' to 'The Chicago Code.' "Changing the title ... reflects our belief that this is more than just a cop show. It's about the not just the police but politics, the Midwest, history, Government corruption and the city's code," said creator Shawn Ryan. [Deadline]

On a Thursday visit to the Chicago set of 'Ride-Along,' which premieres at mid-season on Fox, I was able to pick up a few bits of news.

Not only is a 'Sons of Anarchy' actor guesting on the new Shawn Ryan show, there's also a 'Mad Men' connection.

Adam Arkin (who played Ethan Zobelle on 'Sons of Anarchy') was on the 'Ride-Along' set directing the fifth episode of the Fox drama, and the actor/director said he will also play a law-enforcement role in the series.

From 'The L Word' to the mean streets of Chicago, Jennifer Beals will co-star with 'Brotherhood's' Jason Clarke in 'Ride-Along,' the Fox police drama pilot created by 'The Shield's' Shawn Ryan.

Beals will play the first female police chief in Chicago history, who teams up with Clarke's rogue cop to tamp down on Windy City crime.

The role comes on the heels of Beals' recurring guest gig in another Shawn Ryan Fox drama, 'Lie to Me,' in which she played the ex-wife of Tim Roth's Cal Lightman.

'Brotherhood's' Jason Clarke will star in Shawn Ryan's ('The Shield') new cop drama 'Ride-Along.' He'll play larger-than-life Detective Jarek Wysocki in the Chicago-based series, about a man who tries to clean up the city's violence and corruption. 'Ride-Along' will air on Fox, with a premiere date to be determined. [Hollywood Reporter]

More casting news after the jump.