Robert Downey Jr. has agreed to appear in eight more episodes of the Fox series "Ally McBeal," his publicist said Wednesday. Downey's first appearance back on the show will be Feb. 26. Downey, 35,
plays the love interest of Ally McBeal, played by Calista Flockhart. The role earned him a Golden Globe award for supporting actor last month. Downey's presence also pushes ratings. Since his debut in
October on this season's premiere, Ally has performed better than the previous season, with total viewership up by 3%, from 12 million to 12.4 million.
Downey pleaded not guilty on the latest drug
charges, stemming from his arrest at a Palm Springs hotel following an anonymous 911 phone tip. If found guilty he could face more than four years in prison. However, it is possible that a deal could
still be reached between Downey's lawyers and the prosecutors under the California Expedited Drug Program.
