Sean Bean stars in “Legends”

Bean there, done that: It looks like Sean Bean is alive and well once again.

The actor -- who is perhaps infamously known for playing characters who die frequently -- has made a bit of a legendary comeback in a new drama series entitled "Legends," premiering Wednesday, Aug. 13, on TNT.

The show stars Bean ("Game of Thrones") as an undercover FBI agent named Martin Odum, who works for the Deep Cover Operations (DCO) division. He has an uncanny ability to transform himself into different personas -- which become his "legends" when he's done with them -- for different jobs, but he meets a mysterious stranger who simply asks him, "Who are you?"

As Martin struggles with questions about his own identity, he still needs to continue working in his primary job, and he takes on legends such as a Scottish soccer club executive, a legendary computer hacker and a corrupt Chicago police officer.

"This is certainly something I'm looking forward to sinking my teeth into, the different personas," Bean told reporters at WonderCon back in April. "It's every actor's dream to play different characters. It's a bit weird, really ... Like, last week, I played three characters in one day. But it's OK, because you have time to adjust."

Based on the novel of the same name by award-winning author Robert Littell, the show also stars Ali Larter ("Heroes") as another FBI agent who has a history with Martin and Amber Valletta ("Revenge") as Martin's ex-wife.

It still remains to be seen if Bean's character, Martin, will reach an untimely end or not. You can check it out for yourself when "Legends" premieres Wednesday, Aug. 13, on TNT, but when he spoke at WonderCon and was finally asked the question on everyone's minds, he responded with a laugh, "I'm alive so far!"

Sparking revenge: He may be most well known for his best-selling romance novels, but now Nicholas Sparks is taking his talents to the small screen.

The acclaimed author of "A Walk to Remember," "Nights in Rodanthe" and "The Notebook" (all of which were turned into hit big screen-movies) has a new project that doesn't involve books or feature films.

"Deliverance Creek" is a made-for-TV movie that marks Sparks' television debut as an executive producer, and the two-hour programming event will premiere Saturday, Sept. 13, on Lifetime.

It's an exciting treat for fans of Sparks' work, and while I'm sure there will be at least one scene in the rain, "Deliverance Creek" is being chalked up as a revenge drama more so than a romance.

The story focuses on Belle Gatlin Barlowe (Lauren Ambrose, "Six Feet Under"), a widow and mother of three struggling to defend her land during the Civil War. She's up against the corrupt bank that runs her town, and they're forcing her to become an outlaw. But as the stakes get higher and more personal, Belle starts to question whether it's better to be good or to survive.

Even though Sparks' name is attached to the project as a producer, it'll be Melissa Carter -- writer of the Brittany Murphy/Ron Livingston romcom "Little Black Book" (2004) -- penning the script and Jon Amiel of "The Borgias" sitting in the director's chair.

Lifetime is currently coining "Deliverance Creek" as a two-hour special event, however many publications -- including "Deadline" and "The Hollywood Reporter" -- are referring to this TV movie as a backdoor pilot. If it does well enough with audiences, it may very well be turned into a full TV series with Sparks at the helm as executive producer.

Though it'll lack many of the romantic nuances people are used to from Sparks, the revenge drama "Deliverance Creek" could prove to be a good change of pace for the acclaimed author. Catch the premiere of the two-hour TV movie airing Saturday, Sept. 13, on Lifetime.

To the 'Extreme': There's no manual that will teach you how to be a parent, meaning usually you rely on your friends, your family and sometimes even the experiences of strangers to help you learn.

Bravo has most recently jumped into the foray of parenting "self help," if you will, with lessons in some of the extreme examples of how to be a parent.

With a candid look into some of the more unconventional parenting styles, "Extreme Guide to Parenting" promises to be an unfiltered treat, with the show premiering Thursday, Aug. 7, on Bravo.

It's important to keep in mind that these kinds of parents do take their jobs to the extreme, and that not all of these techniques work for every kid. But hey, why not take a look at how other people do things and decide one way or the other? Especially since, as I mentioned, there is no manual.

Each hour-long episode will showcase different households and how they go about raising their children. From hypnosis and "push-parenting" (gotta make sure the kids are the best at everything!) to "conscious attachment" and "helicopter" parenting (hovering over the kids to pay supremely close attention to their experiences and problems!), "Extreme Guide to Parenting" will cover a broad range of child-rearing techniques.

Whether you agree with these kinds of parenting styles, it should be a good bit of fun and incredibly interesting to see how other moms and dads are raising their children. Catch the series premiere of "Extreme Guide to Parenting" Thursday, Aug. 7, on Bravo.