Ask Ausiello 10/27/10

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/10/27/ask-ausiello-house-glee-castle/

Question: Maybe I missed it, but when is your last day at EW? And where are you going? —Cynthia
Ausiello: Let me see if I can peel back the thick layer of denial long enough to type this next sentence: My last day at EW is this Friday. As far as where I’m going, click here to have your memory refreshed. Or just join — or, rather, like — my new Facebook page. More specific details about my next steps will be posted there shortly. There’s also Twitter. Okay, time to climb back into my denial suit and get crackin’ on my final AA at EW. Sources confirm to me exclusively that I’m going out with a bang!

Question: Any information on when Olivia Wilde is returning to House? —Christine
Ausiello: Probably not until spring. You’ll be happy to know that her temporary replacement, Amber Tamblyn, makes a positive first impression in her Nov. 8 debut. As you would expect, her character — supersmart and moralistic med student Martha M. Masters — gets quite a hazing from House‘s boys club. We’ll soon discover that a member of said club shares a past with House‘s “immutable obstacle,” as Dr. Crankenstein calls her. Other colorful nicknames assigned to the newbie on her first day of work include:

* The Internet with breasts
* Small Wonder
* The love child of Einstein and Mary Poppins
* The Bunny
* Pippy Long Division

Question: House scoop? —Jennifer
Ausiello: House pink-slips a member of his team during November sweeps. Not once, not twice, but three times. Also, three major characters do some jail time.

Question: Could you please give some spoilers on Psych regarding Shawn and Juliet? —Steve
Ausiello: The show’s fall premiere (airing Nov. 10) will pick up shortly after the couple’s big kiss in the finale. “Our viewers are probably a little unsure of what that kiss meant,” says exec producer Steve Franks. “Will Juliet still take some time away on the Amalfi coast with Declan, or did the kiss change her mind? In the 5.5 premiere, she is still on her way to Italy, and Shawn is on his way to Canada at the request of convicted thief Pierre Despereaux [a returning Cary Elwes]. Their divergent travel plans may have derailed their romantic momentum, until Juliet unexpectedly shows up in Vancouver for Despereaux’s extradition and that spark becomes a fire. The question is, Do Shawn and Juliet believe ‘what happens in Canada, stays in Canada’? Stay tuned.”

Question: I recently discovered that we share the same birthday — Feb. 23! In honor of that, I think you should share some Bones scoop with me! — Catherine
Ausiello: Seinfeld‘s Wayne Knight will channel his inner Willy Wonka when he guest-stars as a candy magnate in an episode that features “one of our most revolting body finds ever,” reveals exec producer Stephen Nathan. “A body is discovered inside one of the world’s largest chocolate bars. It’s delightfully revolting.”

Question: Which episode marks Hannah’s permanent exit from Bones? —Lexie
Ausiello: That’s awfully presumptuous of you, Lexie. The fact is, Katheryn Winnick’s stint as Booth’s lover (and Brennan’s new BFF) doesn’t actually have an end date. “We don’t know how long she’s going to be with us this season,” says Nathan. “We want to keep it open. Hannah’s story is still evolving; we don’t know how we want to wrap it up. And even if she does go away, we want to leave open the possibility that she may come back.”

Question: It’s been a while since we’ve had any good Bones scoops. Do you have any interesting information to get me through the baseball hiatus? —Amy
Ausiello: How ’bout another tidbit about everyone’s favorite character, Hannah. “I’m working on an episode right now where Brennan and Hannah’s friendship is tested,” reveals Nathan. “It relates to something that happened between Booth and Brennan at the end of the Brennan-centric episode. It creates some friction between Booth, Brennan, and Hannah that has to be worked out.” Hmm…any thoughts on what happens between B&B? Hit the comments!

Question: May I please have some Puck-related Glee scoop? —Brittany
Ausiello: He’s not the character getting expelled.

Question: Are Burt and Carole getting married on Glee? —Danielle
Ausiello: They are if Kurt has anything to say about it. Speaking of weddings, the rumors are true: Sue is going to make history by becoming the first person on earth to marry — or at least attempt to marry — ****el*!

Question: Any more Glee scoop — maybe something about Kurt and his new BF, Darren Criss? —Matt
Ausiello: Save the date: Their first kiss is scheduled for Nov. 9! In related news, did you hear about this?

Question: Do you have any extra clues you could shed about what exactly Tess “is” on Smallville? —Gage
Ausiello: You’ll get your answer on Nov. 12.

Question: Do you have any Modern Family scoop? It is easily my favorite show. —Billie
Ausiello: Mitchell’s “straight” past comes back to haunt him around mid-November when CTU legend Mary Lynn Rajskub guest-stars as his ex. “She dated Mitchell in high school, and they may’ve done the nasty,” says Rajskub with a chuckle. “I think he broke my heart.” The two have what Rajskub calls an “awkward” reunion at a shopping center. “Mitch and Cam end up coming over to talk to me about an incident,” she teases, “but I can’t discuss that because it’ll ruin the story.”

Question: I was curious if you had any information on the 24 movie. Will it be going into production soon? —Brandon
Ausiello: Based on the following status report from Rajskub, I’m guessing the answer is no. “I don’t know what’s going on with it,” she says. “Everybody asks me about it, but I don’t know anything. I think it would be great if it happened a year after the show went off the air, but I haven’t heard anything.”

Question: Beautiful series finale of Ausiello TV. I laughed, I cried, I was surprised and confused. Thanks for all the great scoop, wit, snark, and Smurfy goodness. I promise to weep for all of six seconds before moving forward with life. —Jen
Ausiello: Thanks, Jenny. That means a lot. One quick thing: You are aware I’m not dying, right? Just want to make sure you knew that.

Question: Can you give us a really juicy Grey’s Anatomy spoiler as a going-away present? —Ashley
Ausiello: Um, shouldn’t you be buying me the presents? Eh, whatever. This has always been kind of a one-sided relationship, so no point screwing with such a winning formula now. Here’s your scoop: Series creator Shonda Rhimes reiterated to me in a recent interview that Callie and Arizona are in it for the long haul. “Their journey is going to be long and hard, but that doesn’t mean they’re not going to end up together,” she maintained. “People better just prepare themselves for things to be difficult.” I then asked her if she would out Mark and Lexie in that same soul-mate-type category, and she replied, “No,” before quickly adding, “That doesn’t mean that I don’t see them as two people who are going to end up together… There’s hope for Mark and Lexie, [but] Lexie has some growing up to do, as does Mark.”

Question: There’s a Grey’s rumor going around about an Alex/April/Lexie triangle. True? —Diana
Ausiello: False. “I honestly have no idea what [fans] are talking about,” responded Rhimes. “We have no plans for an Alex/April/Lexie triangle.”

Question: Got anything on the truly epic Boardwalk Empire? —Hope
Ausiello: We meet Nucky’s (Steve Buscemi) dad in this Sunday’s episode, and to say father and son had a frakked-up relationship is an understatement of epic proportions. The ep also features a memorable showdown between Michael Pitt’s Jimmy and the thug who slashed his hooker girlfriend’s face. Oh, and shocker: Another recurring character gets whacked!

Question: Can I have some scoop on Castle? —Lori
Ausiello: A pivotal couple will break things off in the near future, and I can confirm it’s either Gina and Castle or Beckett and this guy. Elsewhere, a new — and rather surprising — interoffice romance will ignite in January.

Question: Can you please give me some good NCIS scoop, preferably about McGee? —Z.
Ausiello: He’s not the team member who gets “shot” in the big two-parter on Nov. 16 and 23. For those keeping track at home, that leaves Tony, Vance, and Ziva in the running. Oh, and I put SHOT in quotes because it’s not exactly a traditional shooting. The person will be wounded not by a gun, but by an explosive weapon.

Question: Could you please resume using the term “hitcom”? I really like it. Thanks for your consideration. —Ron
Ausiello: Yes! This past week has been HELL without it! Consider it officially reactivated!

Question: I was reading that CBS might cancel CSI: NY. —Jen
Ausiello: I think you’re confusing CSI: NY with Medium, which just had its episode order cut back from 22 to 13. I think CSI: NY — which has been doing solid business on Fridays — is safe for the time being. Speaking of the spin-off, Karina Lombard of Rescue Me and L Word fame has just been cast as the grieving mother of the victim in a January episode.

Question: What chance does Parenthood have of getting a full season? —Chevy
Ausiello: I’d say it stands a pretty good chance, since it already received a full-season pickup in May.

Question: I would like some 90210 scoop, please. —Greg
Ausiello: Casting scoop: Make It or Break It‘s Zachary Abel has been tapped to play, um, Zach, a hot surfer dude that Naomi develops a major crush on.

Question: What is the deal with Juliet on Gossip Girl? —Kathleen
Ausiello: The deal is I’m hearing a major character (or two) will join forces with the troublemaker to take Serena down. Exec producer Stephanie Savage, meanwhile, says, “A good chunk of Juliet’s plan will be revealed by the end of the first half of the season, but elements of it will carry over.”

Question: I’m in need of some Chuck spoilers to make my day better! —Natalie
Ausiello: There’s a major twist at the end of next Monday’s episode, and it involves him and her.

Question: After watching this week’s episode of Brothers & Sisters I’m scared for the future of Kevin and Scotty. Please tell me they’ll live happily ever after! —Stucky
Ausiello: B&S showrunner David Marshall Grant sure isn’t talking like it’s the end. “This isn’t so much about the crisis itself,” he says, “as it is about watching two people fight their way through it.” BTW, we’ll met the “other man” this Sunday, and he’s going to look a lot like Ryan Abbot from Three Rivers (a.k.a. Christopher Hanke).

Question: Like, joking aside, what’s happened to all the Brothers & Sisters scoops?! Please! I’m desperate! —Sophie
Ausiello: As my frenemy first scooped, Balthazar Getty is returning in January for the show’s 100th episode. And per Grant, he’ll be sticking around for a while. “He’s coming back for [at least] three episodes,” says the boss, who confirms that Tommy returns with a new girlfriend on his arm. “It causes a big stir in the Walker family.”

Question: Got any Good Wife scoop? —Carly C.
Ausiello: Casting scoop!! Leelee Sobieski will guest star in a January episode as the girlfriend of one of Lockhart/Bond’s most influential clients. Both stand accused of using prescription stimulants.

Question: What’s the latest on Grey’s giving viewers proper closure for Alex and Izzie? —Jesus
Ausiello: The latest appears in the new issue of Entertainment Weekly. And it’s juicy.

Question: Do you know any Vampire Diaries scoop? —Savannah
Ausiello: Trent Ford and Daniel Gillies have joined the show along with Lauren Cohan as centuries old vampires, Trevor, Elijah, and Rose. “They have deep ties to Katerina Petrova,” reveals exec producer Julie Plec. “They will be heavily featured in November Sweeps episodes ‘Rose’ and ‘Katerina’.”
 

Watch with Kristin Spoiler Chat 10/25/10

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b207493_spoiler_chat_smallville_glee_dexter.html

Want to know who's coming back—or not—to Smallville? What's up with Mark Salling on Glee? Whether there's any hope for Life Unepected? Click in for the latest exclusive TV scoop...

Redmond: The CW picked up everything except for Life Unexpected. What gives? Is it canceled?
No…t yet. I'm told that no official decision has been made by the CW suits as of today, but it's "not looking good" at the moment. We should know "pretty soon." So if you're a fan, you know what to do: Cross all your fingers and toes (or does that negate the first cross? I always forget) and tell every single person/animal/alien you know to tune into Life Unexpected Tuesday night on the CW.

Addy in New York City: I haven't heard much from you guys about The Walking Dead. Have you seen it, and if so, what did you think?
The Walking Dead is awesome...and scary, with incredible makeup and special effects. (Check out our video sneak peek!) Executive producer Gale Anne Hurd told us, TWD is more than just zombie-killing fun: "It's the emotional resonance of decisions you have to make when you survive and a loved one hasn't"—like one character's zombie wife, who lurches home every day because he doesn't have the heart to kill her.

Monica: Gossip Girl!
The hot boys just keep rolling in... Kevin Zegers (Damian) tells us he's doing one episode of Gossip Girl and will be back for a couple more later in the season. Who'll he be romancing this time? If only Kristen Bell were here to give us the goods!

Dennis: What's the word on Puck and Rachel on Glee? I'm so tired of all the Finn and Rachel news. When are Puck and Rachel getting back together?
Sorry, but Ryan Murphy was totally serious when he said that there's nothing in the works for Puck and Rachel anytime soon. My condolences to any and all Puckleberry lovers. Something tells me someone is getting some lovin', though. Though Ryan wanted to keep the storyline as much of a secret as possible, my frenemy reveals that Chris Colfer and Darren Criss are singing "Baby, It's Cold Outside" lends further proof that eventually, they will be more than friends.

Rebecca: What's the deal on Brothers & Sisters? I hated last night's episode for Kevin and Scotty.
I join you in your hatred, missy girl. But fear not, I'm told things will work out. In other B&S news that is not BS (see what I did there?), I'm told that Dave Annable's real-life now wife Odette Yustman will be sticking around for a few more episodes as his love interest, so it seems that (holy shocker!) there is chemistry there. Also, word is they are just now starting to cast Olivia; Richard Chamberlain will be on roughly three episodes and have heavy scenes with Ron Rifkin; and Nora's new love interest Karl isn't going to make it past the midseason mark.

Meri in Utah: Any dish on The Vampire Diaries?
You know how Katherine likes to pretend she's Elena, just for kicks? Well, Elena's about to take a page from her doppelgänger's book. She pretends to be Katherine in an upcoming ep.

Monica: Any chance Mason will be back on Vampire Diaries?
I'd bet my favorite moonstone he won't. I'm told the death will stick.

Heather: Got any really good spoilers on Supernatural? Impress me!
I'd love to bring you the whole enchilada, but I've been told to only sprinkle a little sauce your way on this one because it's a big reveal. I'm told there's a really cool twist coming up regarding something that is missing. I know. I can't believe I just told you all that too! It's like you just watched the whole rest of the season!

@themagicoflaura (via Twitter): Anything on FNL or 90210! :D
I'll take FNL FTW! The final season of Friday Night Lights starts this Wednesday on DirecTV and is not to be missed. I know. You are so shocked that his quality show is, like, quality! But true story: I loved the season premiere. Tami reunites with her hubby at his school, Julie has all grown-up girl stuff going on (moving away to college), and the new QB Grey Damon (who was also the new quarterback on True Blood last season—but this time isn't hooked on "V") is totally drool-worthy. Plus, I've heard a thing or two about how the series wraps up, and at least one storyline is so giddy-good just the mention of it brought tears to my eyes. Either I'm that pathetic (don't answer) or it will be that good.

Heather: Any word on Michael Rosenbaum returning to Smallville?
I wish! But not as much as the producers and Tom Welling wish. That's what I'm hearing from sources—that Smallville producers have asked him to come back for the final season, but so far, Michael has not signed on. I'm told Tom himself also reached out to ask (beg?) him, but again, so far, no dice. Who's got a plane that can skywrite? Let's get creative, people! In other spoilery (and related!) news I'm told that Tess is a ******. Any guesses on which letters fill in those six blanks?

Veronica: Will Kristin Kreuk or Annette O'Toole return to Smallville?
I'm told there's nothing in the works right now on Kristin but Annette is likely to return. Tip: Don't forget to put gas in that skywriting plane before you take it out to skywrite all your Smallville casting pleas.

Beth in Hollywood, Calif.: Do you know anything more about Teri Hatcher's part of Smallville?
Have a box of Kleenex handy for this one, because Smallville bosses Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson tell us Teri Hatcher's role as Lois Lane's mom, Ella, is a major tearjerker. Apparently someone close to a crew member found out she was dying, so she "sat down and made these videos for her child. What we did with Ella Lane was pull that into the show because it was so heart wrenching," says Brian. "It came together beautifully," adds Kelly. "I just watched three takes and I had to stop for awhile because it was so heart wrenching. Teri just had an incredible performance, and it was beautiful."

Athena: So excited for the January return of Big Love. Any scoop?
Chloë Sevigny tells us, "I think that finally you see the Henricksons having to deal with some consequences, for their actions and for their lifestyle. And they are finally getting a little bit of comeuppance."

Riley in Palm Desert, Calif.: Peter Weller (aka RoboCop) deserved an Emmy nomination for his guest spot in Fringe—are we going to see more of him in Dexter?
Dexter is going guest star to the max! The inimitable Peter Weller returns as Quinn's (Desmond Harrington) private Doakes dick; joining him are Chris Vance (Mental, Burn Notice) as security chief for motivational speaker Jordan Chase (Eli Stone's Jonny Lee Miller). You knew Boyd's creepy "Take it now!" tapes would come back to haunt us, right?

Jojo via Twitter: I need to know what's going to happen with Lumen on Dexter. The tension is killing me!
You're not the only one! Next week Dex finally targets a fresh kill—but as usual, things don't go smoothly. This botched attempt leads to a hilariously staged murder scene—but also a deeper, trusting relationship between Dexter and Lumen (Julia Stiles). We just wish we didn't have to see that bloody bathtub again. Don't people take showers anymore?

Marion in California: Got anything on Will and Alicia in The Good Wife?
When the Lockhart & Gardner team has to leave a fundraising dinner early, Peter and Will's new lady, Tammy (Elizabeth Reaser), have time to chat. Tammy drops some not-so-subtle hints about Will being in love in college and now. Needless to say it just adds to Peter's long list of growing suspicions. On a related note, anyone else wishing for a Will and Alicia at Georgetown flashback episode?

Brandon: Hot mother of all, when will Teddy come out of the closet on 90210? Also, dying to know if Annie and Liam will get back together?
Actually, I'm only the mother of 1.5, but to answer your first question: Next year. And to answer your second question: Soon. That's the word on the scoop batphone anyway.

Megan in New York: Any news on my fave guilty pleasure 90210?
Shenae Grimes is the new Bette Davis, yes? This theory will be tested when 90210 launches an All About Eve storyline for Annie. Annie's cousin Emily comes to visit Beverly Hills and steal away all of Annie's acting jobs and friends while deceptively pretending to be a clueless naïf from the sticks. Interesting…Any casting ideas from the Lucy Hale/Willa Holland/SMG division of tiny fierce actresses?

Jamie in North Carolina: Got anything on No Ordinary Family?
Jim has been keeping a secret from Stephanie, J.J.'s superpower secret finally comes out, and Daphne's powers uncover a student/teacher relationship that is practically an epidemic on TV these days. Also, the Powells might not be the only supers in town. They're getting new neighbors who are harboring a secret—so either this new family has powers too, or they're hiding a homicidal relative in their basement, à la Desperate Housewives back in the day.

Berrycar via Twitter: Got anything on Chuck?
Jeffster is getting some fun-filled airtime tonight on Chuck's awesome "Aisle of Terror" Halloween episode. Says Scott Krinsky (Jeff): "We're given the task of decorating the Buy More for Halloween, [which becomes] another little mission for Jeff and Lester." Adds Vik Sahay (Lester): "[This is] yet again an instance where their worlds cross over into Chuck's world." Translation: Danger ensues. Also, NBC is having a fun virtual viewing party tonight on Philo (for both East and West Coasts!) to support the show, so just click here if you want to join in and the rest is easy.

Alice in Georgia: I love Sam Page, and I love that he's on every show I watch! Can you tell me anything about his upcoming gig on The Event?
Yes ma'am, we can! Sam tells us this about his bad-boy Event character: "I play somebody from Sean's (Jason Ritter) graduate school. We used to be computer hackers, but Sean went the route of video game design, and my character went the route of stock broker. So when Sean's on the run and he needs some help from someone who can find information [through] hacking, he calls me." Sounds like some sexy covert operation fun!

Jesse in Carlsbad, Calif.: What's coming up on Cougar Town?
An Andy (Ian Gomez)-centric episode, that's what. Our favorite Cougar Towner (shhh, don't tell!) is about to ponder his place in the cul-de-sac crew and whether or not he would even be a part of it—better yet, if he'd even be friends with Jules (Courteney Cox)—if he hadn't married Ellie (Christa Miller). Don't worry, Penny Can will live to see another day, it's just a fun look at Jules and Andy's attempt to become besties without his wife hanging around.

Terri in Georgia: Cougar Town has turned into such a great ensemble show—more people should watch. Got any scoop?
We'll soon be meeting Grayson's ex-wife. Hope Jules isn't the jealous type...

Boris in New Jersey: The Office Halloween episodes are always epic. What can we expect from this season's installment?
Get ready to see The Office's version of Lady Gaga, Bill Compton, Sookie Stackhouse, a sexy nurse (from an unexpected Dunder Mifflinite), Popeye and his ladylove Olive Oyl, MacGruber, Michael Moore, Kevin in drag, a shirtless Andy and a bucktoothed Michael—and guess what? Most of these things aren't even part of the Halloween costume contest! Oh, and the return of Michael's always offensive BFF Todd Packer.

Gail: What's coming up on Community?
If you liked Community's paintball episode "Modern Warfare" last season, you'll love this week's Halloween zombie adventure, "Epidemiology." It's on the same action-movie scale, plus there are crazy-scary special effects and some un-freaking-believable "undead" makeovers.

wingster55 via Twitter: I'd like to know if Community is going to return to romantic subplots again (Jeff/Britta, etc.).
As of now, what you see is what you get. The subtle flirty moments (à la Troy and Britta in the space bus episode) between characters will pop up every so often, but right now romance between the gang is on the backburner.

Jessica in Portland, Ore.: Yay for a full season of Hellcats! Any scoop?
If you're still a little anti-Alice (Heather Hemmens), you might actually switch teams in the not so distant future. Hellcats will soon be introducing Alice's rough-around-the-edges dad and his very young wife, and we'll finally get to see why she's as messed up as she is, and learn that there's a much softer side to the bitchy cheer gal.

Melody in Kentucky: I love Raising Hope. Dish!
In case you didn't see it, check out our scoopy convo with Raising Hope show runner Greg Garcia! Plus, we can tell you that tomorrow night's Halloween ep is a big one for Jimmy and Sabrina, who finally have their first date. Sort of.

Edward: Looking forward to the return of Burn Notice in a few weeks. Will Coby Bell still be around in the new eps?
Yes, Coby Bell is still on Burn Notice when it returns Nov. 11 (hallelujah!), even though he's feeling a little (understandably) snippy about having been taken advantage of by Michael, Fiona and Sam. (Dear Burn Notice Powers That Be: Can we please keep Coby for the duration of the series? Pleeeeasse?! Thanks!)

It's Official: NBC's 'Chase' & 'Chuck' Get Full-Season Orders, 4 Scripts For 'Undercovers'

http://www.deadline.com/2010/10/chase-chuck-get-full-season-orders/

It was UMS' pickup day at NBC yesterday when the studio's freshman series The Event, Law & Order: Los Angeles and Outsourced all received back-nine orders. Today is Warner Bros TV's turn. As expected, the studio and NBC closed deals for full-season orders to freshman drama Chase and fan favorite Chuck, now in its fourth season, which I hear received a super-sized 11 episode pickup. (Digital rights issues held up both deals from being announced at the same time as the other pickups yesterday.) Additionally, NBC and Warner Bros. TV have settled on the number of additional scripts for freshman spy drama Undercovers, 4. NBC primetime chief Angela Bromstad pointed to Chase's "potential to grow” and Chuck's loyal, passionate audience. Indeed, last night Chase delivered a small ratings uptick at 10 PM, while Chuck held steady. Both finished last in the hour among the major networks.

It is somewhat remarkable that, despite average to disappointing ratings performance by NBC's freshman class, with the exception of cancelled Outlaw all have been given full-season orders or, in the case of Undercovers, an additional script order. NBC has become the first network to decide the fate of all of its new series. Fox picked up one, Raising Hope, and cancelled one, Lone Star, with comedy Running Wilde still awaiting a decision. Besides canceling My Generation, ABC has been mum as has been ratings leader CBS, which may renew all of its freshman series. CW, which made the first move this fall with script orders to Hellcats as well as veteran One Tree Hill, is yet to followed it up with episodic/more script orders.
 

'Chuck' : Full-season pickup?

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/10/18/chuck-full-season-pick-up/

And now for some Chucking unbelievable news: Chuck is on the verge of receiving a full-season pickup from NBC, sources confirm to me exclusively. Although a Peacock rep declined to comment, insiders tell me the network and Warner Bros. Television are ironing out the final details of the back-nine order as we speak.

Earlier this month, Chuck cocreator Josh Schwartz expressed cautious optimism about his little-show-that-could surviving past its initial order of 13 episodes. “NBC is really happy with it creatively,” he said. “This is Chuck. We never say die.”

Currently in its fourth season, Chuck has become a steady performer for NBC on Mondays at 8 pm. And in this climate, steady is the new up!

Let the celebration begin in the comments section! BTW, Chuck is all new tonight!
 

Ask Ausiello 10/13/10

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/10/13/ask-ausiello-spoilers-ncis-house-glee/

Question: NCIS scoop, please! —Milea
Ausiello: Ziva’s about to get a major rival. Israeli actress/model Sarai Givaty (pictured) has just been cast in a November-sweeps arc as Liat, a Mossad liaison charged with keeping Ziva’s dad out of harm’s way. Before long, Ziva-With-a-Z is feeling replaced both professionally and personally, so she does what any smart, self-confident tough chick would: She has a knock-down, drag-out fight with the new “her.” May the biggest badass win!

Question: What happened with House spoilers? It’s like a desert nowadays! —Milena
Ausiello: There’s at least one significant breakup coming down the pike. (That noise you hear is the sound of Twitter exploding.)

Question: Season’s greetings! Will there be a Christmas Glee episode? —Ryan
Ausiello: Can’t confirm a Christmas episode. I can tell you that something big happens around the holidays, and it may or may not involve a wedding.

Question: Where is Mark Salling? Is he gone permanently? Is it due to his release of a non-Glee album? You have to know something about this, right?! —Missy
Ausiello: Puck up, Missy! Though I dunno whether his absence is a side effect of his decision to work on music that isn’t in the genre of R&Glee, I do know that it’s only temporary. He’ll miss one more episode—the Oct. 26 Rocky Horror Picture Show tribute—but will be back on the air in a big way in early November.

Question: You’ve been skimping on The Vampire Diaries scoop lately. —Katie
Ausiello: No, I haven’t, you’ve just been demanding more, more, more. (And ya know it, too.) Anyway, Damon’s about to get a new lust interest — a fellow vamp named Rose. Who, please, please, please, will be played by Katharine Isabelle (the she-wolf from the Ginger Snaps trilogy).

Question: Will there be closure between you and Ms. Barrett before you leave EW? Something on Ausiello TV, perhaps? —Bryon
Ausiello: I don’t know about closure. But there will be an ending.

Question: Any chance of Blair and Chuck getting back together on Gossip Girl? —Savanna
Ausiello: There’s a pretty good chance of it happening in the next couple weeks, but I have to warn you: It won’t be pretty. Think The War of the Roses meets lots of sex.

Question: I’ve had enough Chuck and Blair spoilers. Please tell me something good about Nate and Serena! —Ilaria
Ausiello: The former lovers attend Blair’s birthday party together, but as friends. Hey, it’s something. In other GG news, ‘memba the peace treaty I told you Nate and Serena get Blair and Chuck to sign? Well, Dan — who stands to benefit from B&C remaining at war — steals it.

Question: I just read the press release for episode 6 of Brothers & Sisters, and it sounds like Scotty cheated on Kevin. Please tell me this is a mistake, because I will be devastated if Kevin and Scotty break up! —Maria
Ausiello: It’s not a mistake. You shouldn’t assume, however, that it leads to a breakup. It’s a little more complicated than that.

Question: The Good Wife is so, um, good this season. What’s coming up? —Mark
Ausiello: Look for a game-changing twist in the hotly contested race for state’s attorney next week.

Question: Mentalist writer Jordan Harper confirmed via Twitter that Mashburn’s coming back! Please investigate this one for us, Ausiello. Mashburn was awesome in last season’s episode “Redline.” He and Jane had some great scenes together. Plus, watching him put the moves on Lisbon was fun. Any chance you can find out why he’s back this time? —Rachel
Ausiello: Let’s ask series creator Bruno Heller. “As the story unfolds, it seems someone is determined to have Mashburn’s blood, and Mashburn is determined to have Lisbon,” he teases. “Someone is going to get their wish.”

Question: Hey! Where’s the Chuck scoop at? —Natalie
Ausiello: It’s right here, silly: The worlds of Chuck and Firefly will collide when Summer Glau guest-stars as Greta next month. “We’re definitely going to get Casey [Adam Baldwin] and her to cross paths,” says exec producer Josh Schwartz, “so there will be a mini-Firefly reunion.”

Question: Got any intel on the new NBC pilot Josh Schwartz is doing with Rachel Bilson, Ghost Angeles? —Nicholas
Ausiello: While it’s true that Bilson’s character communicates with spirits, Schwartz insists it’s “not nearly as similar to Ghost Whisperer as [it sounds].” He describes it simply as a “fun genre-hybrid show.”

Question: Has Melrose Place been canceled? —Diana
Ausiello: That depends. What year are you writing me from?

Question: I think I saw you shopping at Walmart in Lindon, Utah, last week. Or maybe it was your twin. In any event, I think that earns me some scoop from my favorite show, Supernatural. —Abiah
Ausiello: Wait a second — Lindon got a Walmart?! Get out! When the hell did that happen? I’m always the last to know. Here’s a little Supe scoop from this Friday’s Jensen Ackles-directed episode: Longtime voice actor Alan Ackles (a.k.a. Jensen’s pa) has a cameo as a newscaster. We’ll hear the elder Ackles’ voice during a news story that’s playing on TV at Bobby’s house. How much do we love Jensen for throwing a little work his dad’s way?

Question: You haven’t said a word about Undercovers! Breaks my heart, it does. Will they be getting the back-nine treatment or not? —James
Ausiello: Back nine seems like an iffy proposition right now given the show’s low ratings. Personally, I hope it rebounds. I find the two leads immensely appealing. I’m also excited to hear that the show will be sprinkling in a little mythology in the coming weeks. “We’re building to the reveal of why these two were really called back to the agency,” explains exec producer Josh Reims. “And along the way, we get hints about some secret CIA programs, people who aren’t who they say they are, and some facts about Samantha and Steven’s history that turn out not to be exactly what they thought.”

Question: I was kind of surprised that Derek wasn’t angrier at Mer for hiding the fact that she was pregnant and suffered a miscarriage on Grey’s Anatomy. He wasn’t really bothered by it at all. —Tim
Ausiello: Shonda Rhimes defends her decision thusly: “I would have really disliked Derek for being angry at Meredith for failing to tell him that she had a miscarriage on the day that he had been shot. I would have thought he was an ass.”

Question: How long will Jessica Capshaw be off Grey’s Anatomy for her maternity leave? And how will they explain it? —Joanne
Ausiello: Believe it or not, Rhimes expects Capshaw to be MIA for just two episodes. “We’re basically playing it by ear,” she says. “If she needs more [than two episodes], she’ll let me know. She’s not a new mother; she’s done this before. She feels like she’s in great shape and will be physically ready to come back almost immediately. But if she decides she needs some more time, we’re going to give her some more time.” As far as how she’ll be written out, let’s just say that question will be answered in dramatic fashion at the end of the Oct. 28 episode.

Question: Will we ever see Alex happy again on Grey’s Anatomy? —Julia
Ausiello: I don’t know about happy, but we will catch a glimpse of his tender side on Oct. 28 when he channels his inner Justin Bieber while treating a pediatric patient.

Question: Can we get some Private Practice scoop on Addison? Is she gonna have a story line besides her relationship with Sam? —Anna
Ausiello: Addison will play a key role in the upcoming rape story line, since she’s the only one Charlotte initially confides in. “Charlotte isn’t the kind of person who would want the world to know [that she was raped],” explains Rhimes. “And Addison’s a gynecological surgeon, so she needs somebody to help her in that sense. I love the position that it puts Addison in.”


Question: Any Private Practice scoop? —Diane
Ausiello: If the scene where Cooper first lays eyes on a bruised and battered Charlotte seems eerily authentic, here’s why: “The director of the episode didn’t let Paul [Adelstein] see me in the makeup before we shot it,” explains KaDee Strickland. “I literally walked around with a ginormous scarf over me on set. So when Cooper first sees Charlotte, it’s the first time Paul sees her too. I think it’s so awesome to get that natural reaction.”

Question: Can you tell us anything about the CSI episode with Dita Von Teese and what exactly happens between her and Greg? —Courtney
Ausiello: Sure can’t. Would you settle for a little scoopbit from this week’s episode? A recurring character gets killed. There’s also this: Catherine and Nick visit a sex shop as part of an investigation, and we learn that Cath is something of a regular customer.

Question: Will there be any more Annie-and-Jeff or Britta-and-Jeff developments on Community? It’s hard to believe that they’re just wiping the slate clean as if it never happened. What gives? —Becca
Ausiello: I’m surprised you aren’t asking me about Britta and Troy. Oh, wait, you haven’t seen this week’s episode yet. Oops, spoiler alert!

Ask Ausiello 9/29/10

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/09/29/ask-ausiello-spoilers-glee-greys-30-rock/

Question: Let’s assume Chord Overstreet’s Sam is not a love interest for Glee’s Kurt, and Darren Criss is. Well, who will Sam be paired with? —Jeff
Ausiello: I’m hearing single mom Quinn. But if you’ve got a better idea, the comments section below has your name written all over it, Jeff.

Question: Is Mike Chang going to get a solo on Glee? I’m swooning over his dancing (and now his abs!), but a solo would just be the icing on the cake. —Kraig
Ausiello: He’ll get the next best thing to a solo in episode 4: a duet with Tina!

Question: With the Britney tribute episode and talk of possible Michael Jackson or Bruce Springsteen episodes, when the hell are the folks at Glee going to do a second Madonna episode? I want my Madge! —Dan
Ausiello: Not this season, apparently. Word on the street is that the Super Bowl episode will be the last tribute we’ll see this season. Of course, given the record ratings the show got with last night’s Britneypalooza, the word on the street could change, and fast.

Question: Any truth to the rumor that Glee‘s post-Super Bowl tribute episode will be a sequel to Britney/Brittany? —Taylor
Ausiello: If by “any truth” you mean “no truth whatsoever,” yes. Otherwise, not so much. BREAKING GLEE NEWS: Sources confirm to me exclusively that Charice will reappear in episode 7!

Question: Weeds scoop? Pretty please? —Laura Mae
Ausiello: Okay, but it’s kinda gross. In episode 7 (airing Oct. 4), as Nancy’s worries about Andy grow, she takes him to a carnival to spend a little QT. Instead, he and Silas enter—I kid you not—a butter-eating competition.

Question: Weeds scoop. Now. —Susan
Ausiello: Okay, but it’s a little racy. In episode 8 (airing Oct. 11), Nancy knocks boots with guest hottie Mark-Paul Gosselaar. From what I hear, it’s the kind of scene that DVR rewind buttons were invented for. Meanwhile, in episode 9 (airing Oct. 18), Nancy’s second thoughts about her family’s life on the lam lead her to make what could be a fatal mistake.

Question: Any scoop on who Eliza Dushku is playing on The Big Bang Theory? —Jordan
Ausiello: Dushku will play an FBI agent named Angela tasked with giving Wolowitz a top secret security clearance. In related news, that sentence makes me happy on so many levels.

Question: Since it’s my B’Day today, I was hoping that you can give me some Bones scoop. —Ina B
Ausiello: An upcoming episode will be told entirely from Brennan’s point of view. “It’s a very stylized episode where Brennan is investigating a murder of someone who appears to be her,” explains exec producer Stephen Nathan. “It’s sort of Brennan examining her own life while examining the victim. We’ve never done anything this internal. It’s probably the most psychologically oriented episode we’ve ever done.”

Question: Which episode of Bones is Emily Deschanel directing this season? —Frankie
Ausiello: Episode No. 14. And so far, that’s all I know.

Question: Hawaii Five-O scoop? —Johanna
Ausiello: Newly unemployed Lone Star star James Wolk should call his agent, because the CBS reboot is casting the perfect part for him: a possibly two-faced old buddy of McGarrett’s who’s visiting the islands as a bodyguard for a controversial Third World leader.

Question: Gossip Girl has been amazing this season! It feels like the show has hit its stride! What’s coming up for these amazing Upper East Siders? —lec
Ausiello: Something wicked their way comes, I’m afraid. Juliet’s butting in is going to lead to a major couple breaking up. Guesses below…

Question: I’m intrigued about Community‘s Mean Girls homage with Hilary Duff. Tell me more. — Connie
Ausiello: Try this — an actual exchange from the show:

Hilary: You’re dead.
Abed: You’re bowlegged.

But wait, there’s more. When Britta and her fellow female coeds become the new Mean Girls, they take advantage of Abed’s ability to zero in on a person’s weakness for their own nefarious purposes. Oh, and two words: illegal trampoline.

Question: Olivia Munn was awesome on Chuck last week. Any chance she’s going to be a series regular? —Jeni
Ausiello: I hear they wanted her to stick around, but she has a full plate, what with The Daily Show and NBC’s Perfect Couples. But maybe this will cheer you up: An upcoming Chuck—or an upChuck, if you will—will be set in Thailand. Not the REAL Thailand, though. A sliver of the Warner Bros. backlot made to look like Thailand.

Question: What more can you tell us about the looming Private Practice tragedy? —Cline
Ausiello: It involves a major female character. Don’t give me that look, Cline. You asked what I could tell you, not what I knew.

Question: Not one image or spoilery tidbit has been released regarding Julia Stiles’ “emotionally battered” character on Dexter. Can you please give me something?! —Dana
Ausiello: We’ll finally meet her in episode 3, and if her story is going where I think it’s going, I’m going to be very intrigued. So intrigued, in fact, that it’ll more than make up for the uninspiring first two episodes.

Question: Loving Grey’s at the moment. Would love a bit of Teddy goss. — Sophie
Ausiello: You got it: When Jackson tries to flirt his way up the food chain at Seattle Grace, Teddy will have none of it. And I mean NONE. Speaking of which, pick up this week’s EW, head home, draw a warm bath, light some candles, climb into the tub, and turn to page 29. You’ll be glad you did.

Question: Any word on who Grey’s is going to pair Jackson with? —Meg
Ausiello: No official word, but there are rumblings it’s this person.

Question: In a recent interview, Ellen Pompeo mentioned that fans will be treated to some overdue sister scenes on Grey’s Anatomy between Meredith and Lexie. Any news on the nature of this potential sisterly bonding? —Dana
Ausiello: Okay, Dana, since it’s two-for-one question day, I’ll tell you that the nature of the scenes isn’t bonding per se. Rather, when Mer starts forming a sibling-ish kinship with former nemesis Sarah Drew, it brings out the green-eyed monster in Lexie.

Question: James Tupper as Dr. Chris Sands was fabulous on Mercy. I am so thrilled to see him on Grey’s Anatomy, but I’m disappointed that he is only on two episodes. Anyway, can we get him on for more episodes later in the season? —Jeannie
Ausiello: Grey’s boss Shonda Rhimes wants that to happen too. “We’d love to have him back,” she tells me. So what’s the problem? “He’s playing a trauma counselor. There’s not a lot of room for a trauma counselor on a show about surgeons on a weekly basis.” Poop.

Question: Olivia’s been brainwashed. Peter’s canoodling with Fauxlivia. Yes, Fringe is awesome this season, but it’s also pretty depressing. Got any scoop that will cheer me up? —Emily
Ausiello: Walter breaks wind this week in his lab in front of Peter and Astrid. That help?

Question: I need a Fringe scoop like a cocaine test monkey needs its next hit. When will Olivia get back where she belongs? —Tommy
Ausiello: Exec producer Jeff Pinkner would say only that “Olivia’s journey will not be an easy one, and it will require help from unexpected sources.”

Question: 30 Rock live episode. Go. — Marc
Ausiello: Sounds meta. It’ll revolve around a TGS live show, be skit-driven (with some BTS elements), and it’s being shot at the SNL studios.

Question: Can’t wait for Candice Bergen on House. What is her first encounter with House like? —Joel
Ausiello: He doesn’t know she’s Cuddy’s mom when they first meet, so I’m guessing it’s going to get awkward quick. BTW, two other notes about Candice: She arrives for Cuddy’s birthday, and her two episodes will be nonconsecutive.

Question: Should we read anything into Chase’s sexual overture to Thirteen on House last week? Was he really interested in her, or is it just a case of a horny single doctor? —Elizabeth
Ausiello: Let’s ask exec producer David Shore, shall we? David, should we read anything into Chase’s sexual overture to Thirteen on House last week? Was he really interested in her, or is it just a case of a horny single doctor? “If there is something more going on there, you won’t see it for a while,” he says, “because of Olivia [Wilde]‘s movie schedule [taking her off the canvas].”

Question: Got any NCIS: LA scoop? — Justin
Ausiello: The show is on the lookout for a sixtysomething with a slight German accent to play the recurring role of a retiree who, though blind, still sees the fun in manipulating people. And since the character is named Burgess, I’m thinking the show is a fan of the Penguin.

Question: Any idea when Lily and Marshall will see a positive pregnancy test on HIMYM? —Claire
Ausiello: No clue. What I do know is that in episode 7 the wannabe dad dreams of his little girl growing up to be a high school student and a stripper.

Question: Mindy Kaling tweeted that last week’s opening musical number on The Office was done in one take. I find that a little hard to believe. I mean, they’re talented and all, but one take? —Brett
Ausiello: She later clarified: It was one long uninterrupted shot, but they did it a total of three times. Still, it was quite an impressive feat, no? “We were a well-oiled machine, as much as a group of nondancing comedy actors can be,” she tells me with a laugh. It took “three hours to learn the choreography from Mary Ann Kellogg, who incidentally did Ed [Helms] and my amazing Cafe Disco dance-off a few years back. I had a bit of trouble staying perched on the slippery counter and had to hold myself up. I had to take my shoes off. BJ [Novak] stepped on my foot
once accidentally — it was painful. This cannot be interesting to you.” Actually, she’s right. Let’s move on…

Question: Ausiello! Any idea if there’ll be an Ugly Betty movie?! — Abida
Ausiello: Abida! Let it go! Not happening.

Question: On a scale from 1 to 10, how crazy will the final scene in Smallville‘s 200th episode drive Clois fans? Any chance you can give us a little more on it? — Geff C.
Ausiello: Nine. Can’t say more except that it’ll take your breath away.

Question: Do you have any updates on the possibility of Michael Rosenbaum returning to Smallville? — Denny
Ausiello: I hear episode 10 may be titled “Luthor,” so draw your own conclusions. Actually, let me help you: I’m guessing that ties in with his pa Lionel’s return. But I could be wrong!

Question: Do you have any scoop on why/how Robert Wagner is coming back to NCIS? —Lyss
Ausiello: Tony Sr. gets caught up in a case that requires him to go on a date with (wait for it) Ziva!

Question: Is Stana Katic pregnant? Don’t get me wrong, she is as stunning as ever; her wardrobe choices on Castle, on the other hand, are suspicious. — Peter
Ausiello: She is not pregnant. In related news, the puffy blouse Katic was wearing in Monday’s episode released the following statement exclusively to Ask Ausiello: “My bad.”
 

'Chuck' enlists Rob Riggle

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/09/27/chuck-enlists-rob-riggle/

Actor-comedian-ex-Daily Show correspondent Rob Riggle is headed to Chuck, sources confirm to me exclusively.

The shocking twist? He’s not playing a character named Greta. I swear!

Riggle will instead guest star as Jim Rye, a super smart, intensely positive, and slightly crazy CIA agent who’s brought in to help Chuck become an even better spy.

He’ll appear in this season’s eighth episode, which also features a guest turn by fanboy icon Summer Glau—who will be playing a character named Greta.
 

Watch w/ Kristin Spoiler Chat 9/20/10

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b201377_spoiler_chat_get_premiere-week_scoop_on.html

It's here, TV fans! The new fall television season begins tonight, and we're kicking off the party with a big, juicy spoiler chat full of scoop about your favorite TV shows. Want dish on House, Fringe, Chuck, How I Met Your Mother and many more? Click in!

Melody: The Glee premiere is tomorrow! Spill!
Chord Overstreet is dreamy as the new football player Sam Evans (Sam and Dianna Agron's Quinn are going to make gorgeous blond babies together!); there's an unholy alliance between Sue and Will; and the Lea Michele-Charice diva-off is not to be missed! Oh, and Ken Tanaka had a nervous breakdown, while Matt (aka copresident of the background dancers union) transferred, Brittany's blank-faced one-liners are better than ever, and we absolutely love the backstory on Tina's hookup with Mike Chang. It's a great season premiere. You guys will love.

Jaqueline in Athens, Ga.: What's the 411 on Kristin Chenoweth's return to Glee?
April Rhodes is on her way back to McKinley High and a little birdie we like to call Kristin Chenoweth tells us we're in for a nearly nude treat! "I'm going back in two weeks to do Glee. I did hear April will be stripping and it made me nervous—made me not want to eat." Just don't expect any smooth moves on the stripper pole. Says Kristin: "I'm not going to practice it either because I don't think April would know how!"

Parker: Stop skimping on the Chuck and Blair Gossip Girl info!
Except for the fact that they're seeing other people and they're trying to pretend they're over each other, the Chuck and Blair scene that ends tonight's episode is perfect. Don't worry about that French girl too much, OK, Chair fans? There's no way she could ever compete with Chuck's love for Blair. Waldorf and Bass are epic, eternal and sure to reunite again one of these days.

James in Virginia: What can you tell me about Fringe?
Fringe is usually one of the chillier shows on TV, but by the end of Thursday's season premiere, little girl lost Olivia (Anna Torv) gets a heartwarming reunion that will melt even the grouchiest sci-fi fan's ice-clad heart. Of course, the specific circumstances of the reunion also mean that Olivia is more lost than ever. That girl can't get a break!

Adele in Florida: Please tell me it's true that House and Cuddy are sticking together this season!
Oh, it's true. House executive producer Katie Jacobs tells us so, and she also told us to look for a wedding-centric episode later this season. No, it's not House and Cuddy getting married (just a hospital poobah peripheral to the story), but the circumstances of preparing for the wedding are going to make for a very romance-centric episode, wherein everyone in a relationship starts to look more closely at who they're with and why.

Terri in Washington, D.C: Am I right that Julia Stiles plays Dex's girlfriend or Harrison's nanny on Dexter this season?
Two strikes! (1) Exec producer Sara Colleton told us most emphatically, "God no! No no no no no no. It's way too soon" for Dexter to be thinking of romance. (2) Dexter does hire a nanny—a virtual Mary Poppins who seems almost too good to be true. (We're keeping our eyes on that lovely Brit.) When an almost unrecognizable Julia Stiles does finally appear at the very end of the Oct. 10 episode, we realize why Colleton refers to her character as "damaged." So, so, so very damaged.

Jude in Overland Park, Kan.: Poor Deb has the worst luck in boyfriends on Dexter. Will her track record improve this season?
Signs point to yes! Who's Deb's (Jennifer Carpenter) lucky guy? Let's just say Batista (David Zayas) and LaGuerta (Lauren Velez) aren't Dexter's only interoffice romance this season. Hmmm....Could Masuka's (C.S. Lee) dreams finally be coming true? You'll have to watch to find out! Meanwhile, married couple Batista and LaGuerta could become separated—by prison bars!

Elle in Oregon: So excited for The Big Bang Theory's move to the big-time, aka Thursdays! Got any scoop?
The season premiere centers on a threesome between Sheldon, Amy and Penny. OK, not a sex threesome, exactly, but Penny does chaperone the nerds on their first date, during which Sheldon genially calculates Penny's slut quotient. Meanwhile, Mayim Bialik continues to be hilarious and perfect as Sheldon's lady friend Amy.

Patty in Boulder, Colo.: There's only one thing I care about this fall, and that's Chuck. Please tell me Chuck and Sarah are finally just happy together.
Oh yeah, they're happy all right. Happy and cohabiting and—sexting! You know, sexy texting? (90210 did a whole episode about it last season, you might recall.) OK, confession time: Yes there is lots of sexting going on, but Morgan (Joshua Gomez) is responsible for most of it. (Promise you'll understand what that means after you watch tonight's premiere.) Thankfully, Chuck and Sarah really do seem happy together, and more lovey-dovey than ever.

Delia in Maine: I need Bones news!
(1) Emily Deschanel's new bangs are sooo cute! (2) If you missed Hodgela as much as we have, you have got to tune in. Their joy at being prospective parents is palpable and adorable. (3) B&B fans should keep their eyes peeled for the look on Brennan's face just before they take down the bad guy, because there's never been clearer visual evidence that she loves Booth like crazy.

Charlie in Sparta, Michigan: Can we hear some more Sons of Anarchy scoop? But not about Jax, Tara or Gemma. I want to hear more about the others.
Even though it's only been a few months since Donna's death in the timeline of the show, Opie (Ryan Hurst) seems to be growing closer and closer to Lyla (Winter Ave Zoli). Look for some serious stuff with them on Tuesday night.

Liam in Smithtown, N.Y.: What's coming up for Bonnie on The Vampire Diaries? Will she continue to feel guilty after forcing Damon to give Caroline his blood?
Definitely…but only to a point. Katerina Graham recently told us: "This is somebody who you love and you're putting pressure on other people to help you out to protect someone else. There's guilt with the whole process." However, Mystic Falls' resident witch still feels the vampires are ultimately to blame...for everything that's ever happened in the entire world. Or something like that. "It's still their fault that this happened in the first place. At the end of the day, if the vampires didn't come to town, this wouldn't be a problem." We think Damon said it best: "Witches, judgy little things."

Jordan in Prescott, Ariz.: Tell us more about Castle!
What about a—gasp!—Lanie-Castle hookup?! We'll let Tamala Jones elaborate: "I get to interact with Castle a lot more, which I love," Tamala tells us. "We're getting closer, but you don't know what it is. It could be, 'Does Castle like Lanie?' 'Does Lanie like Castle?' And it leads you in some different areas. But you know Lanie likes Esposito, and Esposito likes Lanie—still, what's this Lanie/Castle thing?" Dun-dun-dun!

Michelle in Miami: I'm kind of shocked by how much I liked Hellcats. Any chance we'll be seeing Dan and Savannah hookup?
We're happy to report that you can expect the pretty pair to start dating very soon. Ashley Tisdale tells us, "At first it's like really weird. You're like, Oh, why are they getting together? But then I think throughout each episode you're like, Oh, I get it!" And what romance is complete without a little drama? The Tiz says Savannah's extremely religious upbringing will lead to some (non?)sexual tension. "She's very Christian and so is her family, so she's not used to dating outside of the church. This is a whole new experience with a boyfriend who isn't that religious."

Sandra in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.: When are we going to see this big wedding of Brooke's on One Tree Hill?
That all depends on what the CW Powers That Be decide about picking up One Tree Hill's back nine episodes. If the current 13-episode order stays as is, we'll see a Brulian wedding around episode 11 or 12 (Mark Schwahn tells us it definitely won't happen in the final ep). And if OTH fans are blessed with a full season (fingers crossed), Brooke's nuptials might be pushed back a bit, but still midseason. So start marking those calendars now—in pencil, of course.

Wendee in Beaumont, Calif.: Something on Smallville would really make my day.
Smallville's final season premiere starts just a few seconds after last season's finale, and Clark's 10th season adventures continue on from that point. It's going to be a struggle for the someday superhero, but with help from his dad Jonathan Kent (oh yes, he's back in full force), Clark will eventually make peace with things and be the good guy we all know and love. And Lois is going to start keeping some secrets of her own—starting with not telling Clark she knows who he really is. Hey, someone's gotta look after his well-being, right?

Kirstin in Sykesville, Md.: Please, please, please tell me we're going to see Math get some love on Life Unexpected this season. It's long overdue!
We're right there with ya, and lucky for everyone involved (Austin Basis included!), so is Life Unexpected's awesome show runner gal Liz Tigelaar. "Math always takes Baze's like sloppy seconds, but he wants to be seen as his own person," Liz tells us. "We definitely have him interested in different people and we'll definitely do a story about it. I want to give Math his relationship!" Start your casting call in the comments.

Jessie in Michigan: Anything you can spill on How I Met Your Mother's Robin Sparkles reboot would be amazing!
We just ran into little ole Cobie Smulders (a chick we absolutely adore and are totally girl-crushing on!), and she told us of her next Robin Sparkles episode: "It's some kind of 80's variety show with Alan Thicke, and all those ingredients create a recipe that could be genius. It's powerful stuff," Cobie teased.

Kevin in New York: Any scoop on The Mentalist's Amanda Righetti?
"We are going to see Jane [Simon Baker] becoming more obsessed with Red John, and we do actually get closer to Red John," says Righetti. "And Grace gets a love interest this year, so that's exciting. It's Eric Winter." So romance with Rigsby is on the back burner for the time being. Sniff.

Bethany in New Orleans: Rules of Engagement is my favorite show. Could you do a girl a solid and share something about the new season?
"[Adam and Jennifer] are not getting married; it's not gonna happen," Oliver Hudson tells us. "And there could be a separation." Laughs his onscreen gal Bianca Kajlich: "We're hoping there's a separation, actually."

Jamie: So excited that Parenthood is back! Any scoop?
Kevin Alejandro brings his usual hotness to the table in a courtship of Lauren Graham's Sarah Braverman! Oh, and one of the four Braverman kids is working on bringing another kid into the world. Gasp! Care to guess who? Hit the comments!

Chris in Phoenix: I don't care what the haters say, Rubicon is the smartest show on TV right now. Any scoop on the final episodes?
Couldn't agree more—Rubicon is like gourmet TV! Coming up, Will (James Badge Dale) and Katherine Rhumor (Miranda Richardson) join forces—until that nasty Donald Bloom shows them just how unlucky four-leaf clovers can be. And enigmatic Kale (Arliss Howard), one of TV's most delicious characters, shows he's really one of the good guys. Aw.
 

'Chuck' clip: Sarah's X-rated surprise!

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/09/17/chuck-spoiler-sarah-sex/

 Chuck‘s fourth season kicks off on Monday and, boy, do I have the perfect appetite whetter: An exclusive clip from the premiere that features a half-naked Chuck, a slightly confused aroused Sarah, and one very provocative question. Enjoy!

Fancast Big Tease 9/14/10

http://www.fancast.com/blogs/2010/tv-news/the-big-tease-scoop-on-house-csi-csi-ny-chuck-and-more/

I am so super-excited about the ‘House‘ premiere (airing Sept. 20)! Is it going to live up to the hype? – Lelinor
I think so, especially since Hugh Laurie and Lisa Edelstein act almost exclusively opposite each other in their scenes, and that results in a pretty intense character study à la last season’s psych ward opener. My only quibble is that throughout much of the premiere, House is withholding one whopper of a secret from Cuddy.

Does the ‘House‘ premiere have anything worth watching for someone who doesn’t like “Huddy”? – Sabrina
Well, the Patient Of The Week is a pretty important doctor at Princeton Plainsboro. Also, the episode closes with a nifty twist that I didn’t see coming.


Remember the spoilery pics with House and Cuddy at the beach? They were all over the Internet weeks ago, but we haven’t seen any of these scenes in any promos. Will House and Cuddy really go on a “road trip”? – Ally
At least two trips are planned by one doctor or another. I will say that much.

Are House and Cuddy on a first name basis now, at least outside of the hospital? – DeJune
Why, just because they are “together”? Nah, they still call each other “House” and “Cuddy”… and the occasional “Honeybuns.”

Have ‘House’s opening credits been changed yet? – Sophie
Do you mean, is Jennifer Morrison removed from them? No, her name and clip are still there, at least in the rough cut I saw. UPDATE: I have since been reminded that the press screeners feature temp credits that could change for broadcast.


The new group photo for ‘House‘ indicates that there might be something going on between Chase and Thirteen. Does the premiere give something away about that? – Christina
Let’s just say that Chase drops a huge question at Thirteen’s footsteps – at what either is the best- or worst-possible time.

Do you have any scoop about ‘CSI,’ especially for Marg Helgenberger’s character? – Erica
When the new season kicks off on Sept. 23, Catherine will continue her relationship with Detective Vartann (played by Alex Carter. In fact, I am told that things will very much “heat up” between the two in Episode 3!


Can you get me some scoop on ‘CSI: NY’s Flack? Pleeeease! – emilyhawks via Twitter
Factoring in the Sept. 24 season premiere’s time jump, it is now well over a year since Flack lost Detective Angell, so you can count on his angsty days being behind him. “As a result of playing all that [last season], I personally felt that the character started to feel a little alienated,” says Eddie Cahill, “so I am longing to get back into the groove.” Flack however is not immediately pegged for a new love interest; instead, EP Pam Veasey tells me that Hawkes (played by Hill Harper) is due for a hook-up.

Enough about the stunt casting on ‘Chuck,’ as fun as it might be. What’s going on with Chuck and Sarah this season? – Jennifer
Acknowledging that Chuck/Sarah are “the heart of the show,” series cocreator Chris Fedak tells me that their romance is now “obstacle-free in the sense that were not doing the ‘Will they/Won’t they’ thing. But in every relationship, there are going to be issues.” And the hot topic for Chuck and his chica? She’s still in the spy game, while he is jobless, and that weighs heavily on Chuck as he charts their future. “There’s always an interpersonal story for those two,” says Fedak.


Got any scoop on ‘Sons Of Anarchy‘? There’s a nasty rumor going around Jax sleeps with someone who isn’t Tara. Say it ain’t so! – MLA
Well, as I scooped a while ago, Taryn Manning is returning for a few episodes as Cherry. Jax did help her go on the lam a ways back, and a gal can be… appreciative….

I’m jealous that you got to see the ‘Bones‘ season premiere! Might there be a tiny nugget of something you can tease us with? – Andrea via Facebook
I had to laugh (and tweet about it) when Caroline, during a bit of a pep talk for the reunited Jeffersonian team, referred to them as “the Scooby gang.” As fans of David Boreanaz’s previous work as TV’s ‘Angel’ know, Buffy Summers and her buds sometimes adopted that nickname.

I just watched the awesome season finale of ‘Rizzoli & Isles.’ Please, please tell me there will be a Season 2! – JJFan18 via Twitter
Have no fear, TNT renewed ‘Rizzoli’ – as well as ‘Leverage’ and ‘The Closer’ – back in July.

What can you tell us about this week’s ‘Covert Affairs‘ finale? – Dawn
1) It’s two episodes. 2) It airs Tuesday starting at 9/8c. 3) There’s a pretty kick-ass fight atop some high-rise scaffolding. And 4) It’s not looking good – at all – for a certain someone as Season 1 draws to a close.

Any more ‘Gossip Girl‘ scoop to share? – DL0472
On the off chance that you, as I did, interpreted a scene from Monday’s premiere to mean that Gossip Girl herself has been revealed, think again. When I asked EP Stephanie Savage about newcomer Juliet’s (Katie Cassidy) laptop being open to Gossip Girl’s site and her wall covered with detailed notes about the UES’ finest, she said, “Part of me would like to be, ‘Sure, go ahead and pontificate.’ But no, that is not her.’”


Please tell the powers-that-be to make last season’s ‘Grey’s Anatomy‘ finale available on the web. I didn’t get a chance to see it and now it’s no longer available on ABC.com. Hurry, before the premiere! – Renee
Actually, ABC is rebroadcasting the two-hour finale the week before the premiere – as in this Thursday, September 16.

Can you tell me if the entire ‘Spin City‘ series (all six seasons) has been legally released on DVD? I can’t seem to find it on the well-known web sites, but I did find two sites that advertise the full series for $45. – Dan
Dude, do not click “BUY” just yet. ‘Spin City’ has yet to be properly released on DVD, but Shout! Factory is trying to make it happen, my pal at TVShowsOnDVD.com tells me. The shady sites you’re looking at likely will send you a crappy quality bootleg – or nothing at all.

Thank you for the Christopher Meloni article! Like Mariska Hargitay, did he also shoot scenes for ‘SVU’s L.A. visit/crossover while at the Emmys? – Debbie
No, Stabler is not bound for the West Coast in the episode setting up the ‘Law & Order: LA‘ spin-off. “It was a Mariska episode,” Meloni explained to me, “so she was the one who had to figure out the case with ['LOLA' lead] Skeet Ulrich.”


I know ‘The Marriage Ref‘ was renewed for a second season, but the ratings declined so much, I’m wondering if we’ll ever see it again. Will it quietly fade away, the way Whoopi Goldberg’s and Bette Midler’s sitcoms have in the past and William Shatner’s ‘S#*! My Dad Says’ likely will? – TV Gord
“No official premiere date has been set yet,” an NBC rep tells me, but casting for Season 2 is underway, hitting Chicago this weekend. P.S. That is a sound assessment of ‘S#*!’
 

Freddy Krueger to terrorize 'Chuck'

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/09/08/freddy-krueger-chuck-robert-englund-nbc/

Chuck‘s latest casting coup is a dream come true: The NBC spyomedy has tapped the original Freddy Krueger—a.k.a. Robert Englund—to guest-star in next month’s Halloween episode, sources confirm to me exclusively.

Englund will play Dr. Stanley Wheelwright, an evil scientist who can make your waking life a nightmare. He’ll appear in this season’s sixth episode, titled “Chuck Versus Aisle of Terror.”

To recap, Chuck’s other notable season 4 hires include Linda Hamilton, Timothy Dalton, Eric Roberts, Lou Ferrigno, Olivia Munn, Nicole Richie, Old Spice Guy, and Dolph Lundgren.

Chuck‘s new season kicks off in 12 days, 7 hours, and 49 minutes on Monday, Sept. 20.
 

Ask Ausiello 9/1/10

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/09/01/ask-ausiello-spoilers-house-greys-bones/

 Question: Where is the Hugh Laurie interview you promised us from the Emmys?! House fans are an impatient lot! —Gillian
Ausiello: First off, simmer yourself. I’ve had a lot on my plate the past few days, if you hadn’t noticed. Second, the interview is RIGHT. HERE.

So they’re finally going there with Huddy.
HUGH LAURIE: It seems that way.

Scared?
LAURIE: I’m scared for him. Terrified. But so far so good. Baby steps.

Are you happy they finally took the plunge?
LAURIE: I care less about what happens than how it happens. And if you do it right, it will work. And if we don’t do it right, nothing works. But I think we’ve danced around the idea long enough, it was time to take some action.

Is it safe to say that if it doesn’t work with Huddy it won’t work with anyone?
LAURIE: That’s a possibility. He might be fatally flawed.

Question: Please give me some scoop about Jenny’s return to Gossip Girl! —Giovanni
Ausiello: I was right. Jenny reappearance is directly connected to Tim Gunn’s upcoming cameo. Turns out Blair permits her nemesis to return to the scene of her last crime (i.e. Manhattan) just long enough for her to interview for a job with Gunn at Parsons. Without giving too much away, Raccoon Eyes inadvertently gets caught up in Chuck and Blair’s latest drama, and the whole mess comes to a head at (natch) a big fancy party.

Question: How long is Mayim Bialik (Amy) sticking around for on The Big Bang Theory? —Holly
Ausiello: Exec producer Bill Prady tells me the actress fka Blossom is booked for a handful of episodes and there’s “no end in mind.” He adds that after embarking on their first date in the season premiere, Sheldon and Amy “are going to settle into a very peculiar relationship that doesn’t involve a lot of physical proximity—lots of video chatting and texting. But the big crisis coming up for Sheldon is the possibility that Amy is expressing feelings for him. That’s going to be a big problem for him.”

Question: I will literally take anything you’ve got on One Tree Hill. —Jasmine
Ausiello: A major-ish character is going to do some time in the slammer this season. That’s literally all I’ve got.

Question: Got anything on the Grey’s Anatomy/Private Practice crossover involving Derek’s sister? —Nick
Ausiello: I’ve got this quote from exec producer Shonda Rhimes: “Amelia goes to visit Derek in the third episode of Grey’s. Derek got shot and he hasn’t been returning her phone calls. He’s never returned her phone calls. And what I love about the episode is that it really illuminates Derek. Remember: Derek’s father was shot when they were kids—something that both Amelia and Derek witnessed. And for both of them, Derek’s shooting brings up all of these memories of that. And you also get to see the two Shepherd neurosurgeons operating together, which I think is kind of badass.”

Question: I thought for sure the Grey’s couple tying the knot was Callie and Arizona. Imagine my surprise to find out it was Cristina and Owen! Anyhoo, what’s in store for Calzona if not wedding bells? —Steve
Ausiello: A very crowded house. Arizona decides to move in with Callie, who is currently sharing an apartment with Cristina—who just got married to Owen! That’s enough to put a little strain on any relationship. And another obstacle looms later in the season. Teases Rhimes: “Some stuff happens with their careers that’s going to take them in opposite directions possibly.”

Question: I’ve had a rough day. Do you think you could give me a Chuck scoop and make it better? —Jenny
Ausiello: Chuck and Sarah will be swapping genders this season, and their relationship could suffer as a result. Allow exec producer Josh Schwartz to explain: “In their relationship, Sarah is kind of the guy and Chuck is a little bit more of the emotional one. Chuck is someone who is very comfortable with commitment. And Sarah’s only real commitment is to people that she feels are probably going to die in the line of duty.” Adds fellow EP Chris Fedak: “Chuck also has a lot of access to his emotions and Sarah is one who likes to keep her emotions under wraps to a degree.”

Question: Any chance Steve Carell might change his mind and stick with The Office for another year? —Sandra
Ausiello: There was a chance, but that ship has long since sailed, according to exec producer Greg Daniels. “We held out a lot of hope at the beginning of the year when it was first coming out that [Steve] might leave,” he tells me. “We didn’t comment on it at the time because we were making a last-ditch effort.” But Carell stuck to his guns, and, at this point, Daniels does not anticipate an 11th hour reversal. “Steve doesn’t play a lot of games. He said what he wants to [leave] and he’s doing it in a very classy, typical-Steve fashion. I’m 100 percent confident it’s not some kind of ploy. He gave us plenty of lead time to really construct a great exit for him as well as a great ongoing storyline for other people.”

Question: I’d love a Lie to Me scooplet! —Jonathan
Ausiello: As it happens, I have a capital-S Super one for you: The Man of Steel’s mother, Smallville fave Annette O’Toole, is about to guest on the show and give what I assume will be a tour-de-force performance. She’s been cast as a 60-year-old harboring the proverbial dark secret that makes it extra tricky for her to be treated for her early-onset Alzheimer’s.

Question: Any juicy scoop on CSI: Miami that doesn’t involve Calleigh and Delko? —Ann Marie
Ausiello: Yep, but you may feel like you’ve heard this one before—because, in a way, you have. Just as Bones has a Jersey Shore-inspired episode coming up, so does CSI:M. If ever there was a good time to be a Sookie or Situation look-alike, I’ll be damned if this isn’t it.

Question: Thanks for the awesome video of Chris and Mariska on the Emmy red carpet! Did you get any other SVU scoop there? —Jennifer
Ausiello: Not from them, no, but I did hear that Numb3rs’ David Krumholtz is about to guest in an episode. He plays an expert on fancypants mushrooms who’s mixed up in the same murder investigation that involves Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Rosemary Harris.

Question: What’s this I’m hearing about Lux having an affair with her teacher this season on Life Unexpected? —Kayla
Ausiello: Can’t confirm an affair. Can confirm a crush. “They definitely have a dynamic between them,” acknowledges exec producer Liz Tigelaar of Lux and her new hottie teacher, played by Melrose Place‘s Shaun Sipos. “It’s a different kind of story. Lux is a character that doesn’t have any desire to play by the rules. She’s also an old soul. She’s drawn to someone different than the typical high school guy. What do you do when you’re not allowed to be drawn to that? And how do you deal with it? And how does it make you feel? What we really want to do is tell a story that gets underneath this girl [and find out] where boundaries should be crossed with her and why she kind of feels like she’s kind of above the rules.”

Question: Any Emmy stuff you didn’t tell us about already that you probably should have? —Janet
Ausiello: Come to think of it, yes. I have a new hero: Eva Longoria Parker. You see, I was taping my red-carpet interviews right next to TV Guide Channel, and unfortunately, their celebrity wrangler, in her zeal to keep their live coverage seamless, busted in on one Q&A after another in a way that brought to mind the word “inexcusable.” As you can imagine, this peeved me, and many of my fellow reporters, to no end. Even more frustrating was the fact that the stars’ publicists allowed it to happen, over and over. But then there was Parker. When the aforementioned wrangler tried to pull her away mid-conversation from another journalist, the Desperate Housewife said, in essence, “No. That’s rude. I’ll be there as soon as I’m done here.” And, with that simple display of common sense and impeccable manners, she rose to the top of my list of favorite people. (BTW, you can get a glimpse of said wrangler doing the devil’s work at the tail end of my interview with John Krasinski.)

Question: Can I just say that your interviews were so cute I just want to pinch your cheeks. Now do you have any good Bones spoilers? —Madeline
Ausiello: You can touch the cheeks, but no pinching. They bruise easily. Here’s your Bones spoiler: Brennan is having a change of heart about Booth!! “What happened at the [end of last season] was that we saw Booth move on and not have any regrets,” recounts exec producer Stephen Nathan. “He did his best. He professed his love and when she couldn’t reciprocate he realized at that point this is now crazy, I have to be happy. I have to try to make a life for myself. And he’s moved on. Now Brennan—who felt very secure in her decision last year—has had seven months alone to think about this. And we think that she’s come back reevaluating her situation and the choice she made with Booth. Brennan is seeing things differently. She seemed to have one take for five years and I think the time away has made her reevaluate what she wants from life and perhaps a relationship with Booth. I don’t think this is something that she has an easy time admitting to herself. And perhaps it hasn’t even bubbled up from her subconscious yet, but it’s something that’s real this season.” I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: This is the season it happens! I can feel it in my, er, bones!

Question: Enough about Booth and Brennan. How about something on Angela and Hodgins? —Missy
Ausiello: The buzz is it’ll be smooth sailing for the newlyweds this season, but Michaela Conlin isn’t buying it. “I don’t believe that,” Angela’s portrayer tells me, before hinting that “something happened” during the seven-month flash forward between the two that “will come up” later in the season. Hmm….

Question: More Bones scoop, please! —Matt
Ausiello: Daisy and Sweets will “reconnect” in the season premiere, but “their relationship is different,” notes EP Stephen Nathan. “Sweets has become a free man in his seven months without Daisy and isn’t initially willing to give that up.”

Question: Since Jason Segel reportedly wants out of How I Met Your Mother when his contract expires after season 8, does that mean that’s when the show will end? —Chip
Ausiello: Maybe… maybe not. “It was funny to see that [quote] become such a story,” laughs executive producer Craig Thomas, “because all our contracts are through eight seasons. [But we all love it] so much, we’d be willing to talk about going beyond that point, too.” Especially since the series’ heart soon will be once again in the right place. Says fellow EP Carter Bays: “We gave our director our little document, [our] Season 6 Map, and she came in with tears in her eyes and said, ‘We’re back!’”

Question: We already know Kate (Alexandra Daddario) is returning to White Collar, but do you know anything about the story—aside from the fact that it’s a flashback episode? —Julie
Ausiello: The episode—the first one back in January—focuses almost entirely on the origin of the Kate-Neil relationship and how it folds into the show’s mythology (i.e. the music box).

Question: A Smallville spoiler in honor of the show’s 10th and final season? —Nelson
Ausiello: Sources confirm to me exclusively that there will be at least one huge “Clois” moment in each of the first eight episodes.

Question: 30 Rock scoop….please? — Randy
Ausiello: On the red carpet at the Emmys, Jane Krakowski told me that as the show enters its fifth season, the show within the show is entering its fifth season as well. And “Jenna has all these wacky things built into her contract [that kick in at this point], because nobody thought we’d still be on the air,” she said. “So I get to be a producer.”

Question: You’re always so nice about making with the 30 Rock spoilers. Please don’t let the streak end today. —Henna
Ausiello: Since you lied about me being so nice, how can I resist? At the Emmys, Keith “Toofer” Powell revealed that, in one of the first new episodes, he’d be getting a big storyline. And not just that, “it involves one of the funniest scenes I have ever read,” he teased. Okay, I’m intrigued. You?

Chuck: Timothy Dalton's character possibilities

http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/08/26/chuck-scoop-timothy-dalton/

Maybe I’ve been watching soaps for too long, but the second I heard that Timothy Dalton was joining Chuck as a mystery man with ties to Chuck’s mom (a.k.a. Linda Hamilton) my mind immediately went here: James Bond is Chuck’s real father. Admit it, yours did too.

But is it true? Did 007 and Sarah Connor make a baby named Charles Irving Bartowski?

“Consider that theory squashed,” responds executive producer Josh Schwartz, who declined to reveal what connection Dalton’s character shares with Mama B. “We’ll only say that they’ve known each other for a long time.”

Landing Dalton is a major coup for Schwartz and fellow EP Chris Fedak. The actor—who allegedly turned down an offer to join the third season of Sons of Anarchy—hasn’t appeared on an American series in more than three decades (since a 1979 stint on Charlie’s Angeles). How’d they manage to lure him back?

“With my charm and Fedak’s singing voice,” deadpans Schwartz. “That’s not true. We’re huge fans of Mr. Dalton, not only for being a badass Bond but for his comic work in Hot Fuzz and The Rocketeer.

“In truth,” Schwartz continues, “we’ve wanted to have him on the show since season 1. When we came up with this part, we thought he’d be perfect. So we sent him [some episodes], he dug it, and then we started talking.”

Dalton makes his first appearance in Chuck‘s seventh episode, titled, “Chuck Versus the First Fight.”

Chuck‘s fourth season kicks off Monday, Sept. 20.
 

NBC's 'Chuck' Adds A Touch Of Bond With Timothy Dalton Casting

http://www.deadline.com/2010/08/nbcs-chuck-adds-a-touch-of-bond-with-timothy-dalton-casting/

First Linda Hamilton, now Timothy Dalton. After casting Terminator star Hamilton to play Chuck (Zachary Levi) mom, NBC spy dramedy Chuck has drafted another 1980s action star to recur next season. Dalton, who has experience in spy fare having played James Bond in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill, will appear in a multiple-episode arc playing a mysterious stranger who has a history with Chuck’s mom (Hamilton). This marks Dalton’s first series appearance on American television since he guest-starred on Charlie’s Angels in 1979. Dalton, who recently added his voice to the animated hit film Toy Story 3, will next be seen in The Tourist. Chuck returns for its fourth season on Monday, Sept. 20. 

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.”