Ask Ausiello 8/25/10

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/08/25/ask-ausiello-spoilers-glee-gossip-girl-castle/

Question: Any Glee scoop? —Ines
Ausiello: I’m hearing a major character (a series regular!) will find himself/herself in a literal life-and-death situation in this season’s third episode. In possibly related news (I say possibly because I honest-to-goodness don’t know), Chris Colfer’s Emmy-nominated TV dad Mike O’Malley tells us that episode 3 will be “another emotional, emotional episode” for father and son. The actor goes on to hint that the show will revisit the complicated dynamic between Burt and Kurt’s crush, Finn. “The last time I was on the show, [Burt] threw Finn out of the house. There [may] be some resolution there. One of the things I think is really important in life and for human beings is to forgive and be able to rise up from our mistakes. I’m hoping that Finn and Burt are able to cross that chasm.”

Question: I seem to recall you said that Chord Overstreet (a.k.a. Glee‘s newest stud) wouldn’t turn out to be Kurt’s new boyfriend. Jane Lynch tells it differently. —Ashley
Ausiello: Actually, Jane Lynch tells it exactly the same way I did. Snap.

Question: Will Glee ever cast Rachel’s “two gay dads”? Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick are my top picks! —Kim L
Ausiello: Series creator Ryan Murphy sounds doubtful. Though “people always ask me to do that…I don’t know that we ever will.” Maybe he’ll go with Lea Michele’s idea. Says the boss, she suggested “we see them in season 3, like a shot of Elton John cheering her on in an audience. I haven’t decided how I’m going to do that.”

Question: Got any Grey’s Anatomy scoop concerning the Alex/Lexie/Mark triangle? —Maura
Ausiello: Yep—said triangle no longer exists! “At the end of the season Alex was asking for Izzie,” Shonda Rhimes reminds me. “It’s really hard to feel like there’s a love triangle going on if the man Lexie loves is clearly asking for another woman. And she’s very clear on that by the time the [season premiere] is over.”

Question: Some news about the future of Josh Holloway in television? —Olivia
Ausiello: Funny story: Shortly after I posted my story linking Holloway to NBC’s Rockford Files remake, Doc Jensen emails me and says he had a conversation with JH about Rockford back in April when NBC started casting the pilot. Doc J mentioned to him that after watching the “Sawyer & Miles” cop show in the sideways world, he thought Holloway would make a perfect Jim Rockford. Holloway’s response? “I thought so, too! And I was like, no way, don’t even go there… because I love The Rockford Files. And I thought Ken [Leung] would be great for [Rockford's sidekick]. I would have loved that show. But I wanted to give movies a shot, so I never even pursued it.” But that was April. This is August. Fingers crossed Holloway is having a change of heart.

Question: Is it too early to get any plot-related Big Love scoop? —Rachael
Ausiello: It’s sure not. Ex-president Gregory Itzin tells us that his senator character and newly elected Bill “will butt heads. [Since] he’s come out as a polygamist, he’s taking a lot of political heat, and I become the spearhead for that, because I am the Speaker of the House.” But before the conclusion of the 24 baddie’s arc—he’s in at least five of the season’s 10 episodes—”I extend an olive branch, and he does too. But,” he adds, “I don’t know how long that will last.”

Question: Some Gossip Girl scoop regarding Rufus and Lily, please. They’re my favorite couple, and we’ve heard nothing about them. —Sly
Ausiello: A certain rat Bass-tard is going to come between them early in the season—relax, I’m not talking romantically. While Lily is more than willing to forgive Chuck for what happened with Jenny, Rufus is having a harder time moving past it. And just when he finally starts to come around, Eric lets him in on a little secret (hint: It pertains to an ugly incident from the pilot). Cue World War III.

Question: I fell in love with Dan and Vanessa last season on Gossip Girl. Needless to say, Dan’s out-of-nowhere “signs” about Serena in the finale threw me for a loop. Please say Dan and Vanessa aren’t over for good as a couple. —Sarah
Ausiello: I’m guessing it’s not over, since they move in together in episode 3!

Question: Got anything on Brothers & Sisters? —Tim
Ausiello: Producers are looking for a “celebrity name” to play Gilles Marini’s gorgeous (natch) sixtysomething TV mom, who comes to town and makes quite an impression on the Walker family. Got casting tips? Hit the comments!

Question: What happened to Duck on Mad Men? —Karen
Ausiello: I have a sneaking suspicion we’ll find out in this Sunday’s episode. Meanwhile, Rich Sommer (Harry) says he’s optimistic that current contract talks between series creator Matthew Weiner and Lionsgate will yield a positive outcome. “I think the show is him,” he says. “Could a show called Mad Men exist without Matt Weiner? It wouldn’t be the Mad Men that we know and care about. Hopefully everything will get worked out soon, and I will get the phone call saying so.”

Question: I will be cutting my Smurf doll in half unless I receive some good How I Met Your Mother scoop. Your move, Ausiello. —Matt
Ausiello: Back away from the doll! [Beat] Take another step back. [Beat] You’re still too close. [Beat] Okay, that’s good. Marshall and Lily waste no time starting Project Concepción. “We’re going to pick up right where season 5 left off—it’s night 1 of them trying to have a baby,” previews exec producer Craig Thomas. “I’m not saying it’s going to be pornographic, but we are going to dig right into Attempt No. 1. We’re going to join them at the very beginning of that journey.” In other HIMYM news…wedding scoop!

Question: I’m in desperate need of some Weeds scoop, especially regarding Andy! —Kristen
Ausiello: Someone’s about to get gang-spanked, and that someone is Andy.

Question: Please tell me some good 30 Rock scoop! —Cindy
Ausiello: Would you settle for good-ish? A casting call has gone out for an African-American male in the 30s-60s age range to play Rutherford Rice, the distinguished, well-spoken host of Right On, a fictitious talk show focusing on African-American issues. Is it racist of me to assume this probably involves Tracy? Probably.

Question: Are you going to make a list of the new shows we should watch, and the ones that we should miss? I have no idea how to set my DVR! —Amanda
Ausiello: Help has arrived…

Watch: Lone Star (Fox), Undercovers (ABC), The Event (NBC), No Ordinary Family (ABC), Raising Hope (Fox), Mike & Molly (CBS), Better With You (ABC), Hawaii 5-0 (CBS), and Nikita (The CW).

Miss: $#*! My Dad Says (CBS) and Hellcats (The CW).

If a new show you’re curious about isn’t listed above, it means either I’m on the fence (e.g., CBS’ The Defenders) or I haven’t watched the pilot yet (e.g., Outlaw).

Question: I’m sure you’re sick of Castle/Beckett-related questions, but it has to be asked: Is there any good news on the horizon for them? —Darla
Ausiello: There is good news: Series creator Andrew W. Marlowe confirms that they will hook up—eventually. “There will come a time in the series when [a relationship] will be worth exploring,” he says. “But I don’t think the characters are ready to go to that level now. We still have a lot of storytelling—a lot of near misses—left to explore and play with. In many ways, Beckett is still a mystery to Castle. She has other things going on in her life that she’s very cautious about exposing to him because she feels that he’s not ready. I think the fun of the series is watching them do that dance. And the dance can continue evolving to the point where they can be in a relationship. I just don’t think they’re ready for that right now.” That’s sorta good news, right?!

Question: Got any Castle scoop for us? —Jennifer
Ausiello: There’s a somewhat significant death in the second episode. I’m also hearing something about Castle revealing his REAL name.

Question: Thanks for the scoop about Monet Mazur (Gina) returning in Castle‘s fifth episode. Can you tell us anything else about the episode? What brings her back? —Heather
Ausiello: Per Marlowe, “Castle has to attend a charity event that Gina’s throwing that’s honoring her. Of course, Martha’s take on it is that it’s very narcissistic, but we find out later on that she’s doing it for all the noble reasons. The theme of the episode is the things we do for love.”

Question: Many fans of The Office are concerned that Pam dated Timothy Olyphant’s character post-Roy and pre-Jim. Is this the case? Is Jim just finding out about it now? —Matt
Ausiello: Yes to all of the above! According to executive producer Paul Lieberstein, Pam dated Olyphant while Jim was with Karen. “Everyone in the office makes a big deal of it, and we get into Jim’s jealousy a little bit,” he says. “It bothers him a little.”

Question: You tell us that Erica Durance is playing Isis on Smallville and you don’t elaborate? WTH? —Steve
Ausiello: Do you still not understand how this works? Ausiello TV is where the seed gets planted, and Ask Ausiello is where we watch the flower grow. Put another way, Ausiello TV is the foreplay to Ask Ausiello’s full-on shag. So whaddaya say we get down to business? “It’s an inhabitation story,” explains exec producer Brian Peterson of the Lois-Isis connection. “Lois is actually going to be possessed by the spirit of Isis.” Was it good for you, Steve? BTW, quick clarification: Smallville‘s Isis isn’t the DC Comics character Isis. It’s the Egyptian goddess Isis with a nod to the DC Isis. Understand? Good, now explain it to me.

Question: Anything on Chloe’s return yet on Smallville? —Maria26
Ausiello: Allison Mack will appear in the premiere and then return “in the middle of the season in a very impactful way in Clark’s life,” reveals Peterson. “It’s a great wrap-up to her character, and it also dovetails into the Chloe/Oliver relationship.”

Question: I have loved this season of Burn Notice so far, and I’m totally digging the addition of Coby Bell. But last week’s episode has me wondering: Now that (SPOILER ALERT!) Jesse knows that Michael burned him, what will become of Mr. Bell? —Kristina
Ausiello: He’ll be back for the second half of the season, don’t you worry. In the meantime, Jesse makes a choice in this week’s finale that will affect Michael in a major way. In possibly related news, the cliff-hanger finds Michael in the most perilous situation we’ve ever seen him in. And this dude’s been in some seriously perilous situations.

Question: The last two Ask Ausiellos haven’t had any scoop on the best series at this moment: The Good Wife! —Ingmar
Ausiello: Good thing we spoke to Alan Cumming over the weekend at the Creative Arts Emmys or else it would’ve been three in a row. Look for Eli to get “more heavily involved in Peter’s campaign,” he teases about his character’s story line this fall. “He gets meaner and ruthlesser.” Regarding his recent upgrade to series regular, Cumming says the biggest difference is “I get paid more. And I sort of have an idea of where my character is going now. [Before] I had no idea what was going to happen. The next week I could’ve been a murderer.”

Question: What are the chances Chuck will get a back-nine order? I’m freaking out over here! —Eric
Ausiello: I assumed exec producers Chris Fedak and Josh Schwartz would be too. But they’re not. As Schwartz points out, “We never started a season with more than 13 episodes. Like last year, we will hope for the best, plan for the worst, and be ready to have an incredible final episode 13 if need be with a contingency plan to keep the season going.” Adds Fedak: “Episode 13 no matter what will be epic.”