spratt89

All My Info Comes From

Tv.com
Imdb.com
Tvguide.com
Ew.com
Digitalspy.com

[ Last edited by spratt89 at 4-19-2011 06:31 ]

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Having Denny appear on one episode of Grey's Anatomy, because Izzie's memories were triggered by a case, is one thing. But to make him a ghostly fixture in her life and carry on some kind of romance from beyond the grave is beyond ridiculous. — Evie
MATT: I hear you. Getting it on with a ghost is so circa-1981 Barbara Hershey. Now, if s-e-x between living, breathing humans is what floats your boat — and lord knows the pickings are slim if you only watch Grey's, Ghost Whisperer and Supernatural these days — Drs. Owen Hunt and Cristina Yang might soon move beyond spontaneous necking and into full-on boinking. As Kevin McKidd himself tells me, "At the end of the day, this is Grey's Anatomy, so you can bet good money on it!" (Read my full Q&A with "McArmy" on Thursday. Great Scot, he gave up crazy Journeyman scoop!) As for Izzie and Denny, that "ghost story" isn't ending any time soon, seeing as Jeffrey Dean Morgan still has a few more appearances left (says EW's Ausiello).

I've missed Chase and Cameron on House, and was thrilled to see them in significant roles again. Are they more involved in future episodes? — Shane
MICKEY: Though the much-touted "hostage" episode airing Nov. 25 is kind of the Thirteen Show (Olivia Wilde is great in it), Chase and Cameron do appear in a very familiar capacity. On the subject of more "Chameron," exec producer Katie Jacobs says this: "I know that whatever I say, the fans are going to think I'm making it up or lying, but I want more of them. They are going to be woven in [because] I'm really interested in their point of view."

When is the new season of Lost going to finally begin? — Anne
MATT: As you have (hopefully) since read, ABC has set a Jan. 21 premiere for Season 5 — a one-hour catch-up show followed by the first two episodes. The question now is what's going to air on either side of Lost, which is returning to its original Wednesdays-at-9 time slot. Unofficial schedules making the rounds have Scrubs filling part of the 8 o'clock hour, though it's anybody's guess what it would be paired with. (My money is on Better Off Ted, a new laffer starring Portia de Rossi and Jay Harrington.) Life on Mars, meanwhile, is a fair bet to claim the 10-spot. If it gets picked up, that is.

If Carlos gets his sight back on Desperate Housewives, will he still be a creampuff masseur? I liked the old Carlos, the corporate shark. — Arian
MICKEY: It's a very astute question, Arian. I will say that there are other, more lucrative career opportunities on the horizon for Carlos that don't involve "satisfying" old ladies. But will Carlos want to go back to being that "shark," as you put it? As my platonic friend Amber always says: That, my friend, is a whole other bottle of massage oil.

Will any heroes be leaving Heroes this season? Nearly everyone that has died has either come back or is a different person. I don't want to sound morbid or anything, but this show needs some real emotional loss. — Dave
MATT: Dave, I wanted nothing more than to procure a "yes" to your query, if only because it would suggest that NBC's sci-fi-er is righting its course after much public bashing and backstage turmoil. Alas, despite much prodding, not a single source was willing to promise "real emotional loss" any time soon.

Can you confirm for this die-hard JSR 'shipper that Without a Trace's Jack and Samantha kiss and get their groove on while in L.A. for the episode "Better Angels" (airing Nov. 25)? — SamanthaMalone
MICKEY: Yep, there is definite lip smackage. As for groove-getting, you need to be more specific: Are you asking if they do the horizontal mambo? If they knock boots? My source is telling me that, in the Biblical sense or otherwise, things will continue to be very complicated between Jack and Sam, and that you'll just have to wait and see.

Flack and Det. Angell shared an intriguing kiss on CSI: NY last week. Any news on whether this relationship is new, or if it will continue? — Laura W.
MATT: That smooch so came out of nowhere, right? There's a clip of it here, and I love Jennifer's slightly giddy afterglow. I poked around to see where said lip-lock might take us, and all exec producer Pam Veasey would say is: "Flirting and kissing is always fun!" Well, yeah. Who knew a procedural producer could be so cheeky?

Can we please get over 90210's tiresome Naomi-Ethan-Annie love triangle? — Cesar
MICKEY: While the time-honored love triangle is an accurate depiction of my significant high-school romantic history, a lot of people find it to be an implausible male fantasy. So you'll definitely see it start to dissipate over the coming weeks, to be replaced by... another love triangle! This one includes two of the ladies (natch) and a new fella, who, if I'm reading this correctly, doesn't like either of them that way.   

Is Pauley Perrette (Abby)  leaving NCIS? Please say it ain't so. — Brian
MATT: Oh, it very much ain't so. In fact, my best NCIS mole dismissed your question as both "strange" and "out of left field." But to thank you nonetheless for playing, I offer this: Watch for General Hospital to collide with Dynasty in the red-hot show's Dec. 2 episode, when Antonio Sabato Jr. and Tracy Scoggins play husband/lawyer and wife/client.

I loved Bobby Cannavale as Cold Case's Eddie Saccardo. Will he be back? I would love to see him and Det. Lilly Rush together again. — Briana
MICKEY: Sorry, Briana, Cannavale's mojo will be otherwise occupied, as he's playing Cupid in ABC's remake of the Jeremy Piven sitcom. Lilly will be too busy for love anyway, once her estranged father resurfaces in an upcoming episode. He'll apparently be sticking around, too — Raymond J. Barry has been put on recurring status with the show.

Matt, thanks for posting on KryptonSite about your new Erica Durance video. Can you tell me if she reveals anything about Lois' arc in the second half of Smallville's season? — Sakina
MATT: Oh, when that video goes up later this week, I think you'll enjoy much of what Erica has to say. She gives good tease. P.S. to Chloe fans: Nope, still nada out there! She must take one wild honeymoon.

Fringe is my favorite new show. But what's up with the bald guy? — James
MICKEY: When I spoke with Fringe executive producer Jeff Pinkner, he confirmed one thing for me about the bald guy (they call him "the Observer"): He's not an alien. But he also hinted that the Observer's omnipresence at all those crime scenes might be much less mysterious than originally thought. See why in my Q&A with Pinkner.

I was wondering if you have any gossip on Eli Stone? — Lu
MATT: Do I have gossip? No. Do I have a cool poster designed to generate buzz around this bubble show? Yeah!

Mickey's Mega Rave: Top Chef's Nov. 12 premiere, in which the cheftestants had to create dishes inspired by New York's various ethnic neighborhoods, made me very hungry for this new season. Immediate frontrunner Stefan, who is from Finland, made my mouth water with his Middle Eastern duo of grilled lamb and beef; big-mouth Fabio immediately appealed to my sense of Schadenfreude with his insane Italian superiority complex; plus, there are, like, at least five others who are thisclose to a total kitchen meltdown. It's going to be fantastic!

Matt's Mini Rant: Chuck has made me hungry — for a plot twist I don't see coming down Broadway. (I'm gesturing out my office window, at Broadway.) After getting Season 2 off to a very strong start, the NBC comedy revealed that our hero's former girlfriend (guest star Jordana Brewster) is an enemy spy. This just weeks after Sarah's former high-school mate (guest star Nicole Ritchie) was revealed to be... an enemy spy. With enemies like those, can't a spy get a bona fide friend?

Reader Quote of the Week: "Can you really call somebody a winner [of The Bachelor] if their "prize" is Byron Velvick?" (thenightstalker, discussing Mary Delgado's arrest in charges of public intoxication, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct)

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ABC has declined to pick up Pushing Daisies, Dirty Sexy Money and Eli Stone for full-season orders.

The network has decided not to extend the trio's second season runs past 13 episodes, but is avoiding the term cancellation, says The Hollywood Reporter.

Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller said that he hoped to continue the show in comic book and movie form.

"I can't help but feel immense pride when it comes to Pushing Daisies," he remarked. "I'm grateful to everyone and for everyone who brought the show to life and for the very loyal audience that embraced us.

"If we are indeed dead on ABC, we now have to convince DC Comics to let us tell the rest of the season's storylines out in comic book form and convince Warner Bros features to let Pushing Daisies live again as a movie."

The three shows, all in their second season, this week saw their ratings sink to a series low.

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Is Ziva's father going to make a return on NCIS this season? — Morgan
Matt: My moles at the CBS hit may be tight-lipped about the Ziva-Tony romance (a very popular topic in the Buzz box), but on this matter they did let slip some intel: Eli David, played by Michael "What a Feeling" Nouri, will be seen again, and possibly before the end of this season.

The gay character on 90210 has to be the guy who starred in the musical with Annie. He's tall, handsome, well-dressed and —mannered, and he loves musical theater ... hello! — Jason
I'm thinking that it's Ty, Annie's Spring Awakening costar. We haven't seen him in forever. — Kathryn
Mickey: Rampant trading in gay stereotypes aside, this is an educated guess. But if Ty does come out of the closet, it'll be but one of two interesting storylines currently planned for the character. Remember when he flew Annie to San Francisco for dinner? Well, his talent for chivalry doesn't stop there, as Adrianna will soon discover.

On Ghost Whisperer, how is it that the people of Grandview aren't a bit curious about Madly-in-Love-with-Jim Melinda becoming Wildly-in-Love-with-Sam Melinda just weeks after Jim's funeral? Those close to her get it, OK, but surely the neighbors are talking. Are we going to get an episode addressing the human tendency to gossip? — Casey
Matt: "It's a good question," GW exec producers P.K. Simonds, Ian Sander and Kim Moses say in an email to the Buzz, "but we've tried to be clear that at least to the outside world, Melinda is not 'wildly in love' with Sam (Jim). At least not yet. Though there is plenty of aching and longing, the two of them are scrupulously respectful of each other's boundaries — he because she is grieving her husband, and she because he is grappling with memory loss. We're planning to address what friends and neighbors think, in a big way, as we move forward in Season 4."

When will the last episode of Pushing Daisies air? Will it seem like a "final episode" or will we be left hanging? — Bri
Mickey: The facts are these: ABC isn't talking, and Daisies doesn't appear on the network's midseason schedule at all, but if it does return in January, I'd ballpark the last episode to fall somewhere around the end of February. I'm hearing that by then at least one of the show's big mysteries will be solved, which will be a big relief for one Mr. Emerson Cod. In the meantime, look for Olive Snook to sing a Bangles song I embarrassingly once used as the seductive soundtrack to a fumbling, though ultimately successful high school assignation. Don't tell anyone though, OK?

Can you find out if Dirty Sexy Money plans on airing "The Facts," the episode that was scheduled for Nov. 26? — Darla
Matt: Not likely, especially since that episode (bumped by Barbara and Obama) was in some ways merely a "clip show" — albeit one featuring unaired Season 1 footage, including some old Samaire Armstrong/Juliet scenes cobbled together to look like "new." I do offer some good-ish news, though: Sources tell me that DSM's final episode will resolve the mystery of who killed Nick's father, Dutch. It's all just a matter of when (mid-2009?), where (ABC.com?) and how (not until DVD?) we'll get that closure.

Does Without a Trace have any plans to bring back the wonderful Molly Price as Sam's sister? — Peg
Mickey: At the moment, no. But my Without a Trace source made a point to tell me how much they all loved working with Molly, and that it's just a matter of figuring out how to work Emily back into Sam's storyline in a way that makes sense. Any ideas?

Do you have any Smallville scoop? I think I saw Clark flying in the preview of the January 15th return.... — Laxmi
Matt: Flying? Or was he perhaps just dynamically leaping onto the roof of a tall building, in a single bound...? That's what I'm thinking. Watch again.

Will B.D. Wong ever return to Law & Order: SVU? — Michael
Mickey: How can we miss B.D. when he didn't go away? My SVU moles tell me that Dr. Huang is still very much a member of the cast; he just hasn't appeared frequently as of late. That will change with the Dec. 9 episode, charmingly titled "Smut," in which he'll head-shrink guest star Michael Trucco (Battlestar Galactica), who employs the "porn-made-me-do-it" defense, as sound a legal strategy as any I've ever heard. (What?)

Do you know if the bartender that Reid met on Criminal Minds will be a recurring character? I thought they were cute together! — Diane
Matt: Do you know who that was tending bar? Courtney Ford! If you're a How I Met Your Mother fan, you remember her as the date Ted pulled "the Naked Man" on last week. And if you're "Superman" Brandon Routh, you know her as... well, your real-life wife. Oh, you had a question. Alas, there are no plans to see "Austin" again (though I am doing my darnedest to lobby for a Criminally Cute Bartender spin-off).

What can you tell me about the One Tree Hill episode that Chad Michael Murray is directing? — Teddi
Matt: The Chad's foray into directing, entitled "A Hand to Take Hold of the Scene," will air Jan. 12. (Watch him talk about stepping behind the camera here, at the 3:30 mark.) If you're curious if Murray got to direct his old Dawson's cast mate, James Van der Beek, the answer is no. Filmmaker Dixon, however, resurfaces the following week.

When will Sons of Anarchy be back? And will Drea De Matteo be a series regular when it does? — Cindy
Mickey: First, Cindy, I wish your name was Christofuh. Or Cosette. Second, all the Sons of Anarchy regulars have signed on to Season 2, but as of press time, De Matteo, who appeared in four eps this season, has no deal in place with the show.

Could you solve a mystery that's been plaguing Chuck fans? Where is Morgan's girlfriend, Anna? She has been conspicuously absent for several episodes now. — Lauren
Matt: Ah, yes — the somewhat recurring "Where in the world is Anna Wu?" crisis. Despite being upgraded to series-regular status this season, Julia Ling has been Wu-fully underused. [Disproportionate snicker.] The good "Wu's" is she resurfaces this coming Monday, in "Chuck vs. the DeLorean."

Could you please tell me when Eastbound and Down debuts on HBO? — Erin
Mickey: I'm glad you asked, Erin. This quirky little comedy series sounds very promising to me. Breakout star Danny McBride (The Foot Fist Way, Tropic Thunder, Pineapple Express) plays a failed big-league ballplayer who returns to his North Carolina hometown to teach gym. It's produced by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell (Anchorman, Talladega Nights) and Chris Henchy (Entourage). Ferrell will also costar on the series, as the owner of a local car dealership. It premieres Feb. 15.

Mickey's Mega Rave: ¡Te amo, Gaby and Carlos! Of all the demented love stories that Marc Cherry's Desperate Housewives has given us, none has tickled me more than the Solises' logic- and ethics-free union. Eva Longoria Parker and Ricardo Chavira have pulled off the most radical transitions of the show's five-year jump — Gaby went from vain model to insecure, dumpy mother; Carlos morphed from venal corporate shark to sensitive New Age masseur — without losing either character's essential edge.

Matt's Mini Rant: As illuminating as MTV's Britney: For the Record was, something smelled fishy. Setting aside the obvious timing to the launch of her new album, ponder this: The first documentary Spears consents to just so happened to kick off at an MTV Video Music Awards show where she veritably ran the table with several huge wins? Should we call her "Lucky," or is the coincidence all just a bit "Outrageous"?

Reader Quote of the Week: "So is Sylar now bad again? Or a good guy playing a bad guy? Or was he just a temporary good guy playing a bad guy who wanted to try a good guy thing out for a while? Or was he still always bad? This show is giving me a headache." (Infamous_JR , reflecting on the latest episode of Heroes)

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ABC ANNOUNCES PREMIERE DATES FOR NEW DRAMAS "CASTLE," "CUPID" AND "THE UNUSUALS"

ABC News' "Primetime: What Would You Do?" Returns Tuesday, January 6 at 10:00 p.m.

Three new dramas will be joining the ABC lineup: "Castle" on Monday, March 9 at 10:00 p.m.; "Cupid" on Tuesday, March 24 at 10:00 p.m.; and "The Unusuals" on Wednesday, April 8 at 10:00 p.m. In addition, ABC News' "Primetime: What Would You Do?" will return on Tuesday, January 6 at 10:00 p.m. (all times ET).

"Castle"

Wildly famous mystery novelist Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion, "Desperate Housewives"), who is bored with his own success, learns that a real-world copycat killer has started staging murder scenes depicted in his novels. Rick is soon questioned by NYPD Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic, "The Spirit"), a very bright, aggressive detective who keeps her investigations under tight rein. Rick and Kate's styles instantly clash, yet sparks begin to fly, leading both to danger and a hint of romance as Castle steps in to help find the killer. And once that case is solved, he and Beckett build upon their new relationship as they look to solve strange homicides in New York as much fun as one can have with death & murder. Castle is kept grounded by his Broadway diva mother, Martha Rodgers (Susan Sullivan, "Dharma and Greg") and quick-witted teenage daughter Alexis (Molly Quinn, "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story").

Also starring in the series are Ruben Santiago-Hudson ("Law & Order") as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones ("Daddy Day Camp") as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas ("Generation Kill") as NYPD Detective Tony Esposito and Seamus Dever ("Army Wives") as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan.

"Castle" is produced by ABC Studios. Andrew Marlowe serves as executive producer/creator along with executive producers Armyan Bernstein, Barry Schindel, Rob Bowman and Laurie Zaks.

"Cupid"

"Cupid" is a romantic dramedy about Trevor Pierce (Bobby Cannavale, "Will & Grace"), a larger than life character who may or may not be the Roman god of love, Cupid, sent to earth to bring 100 couples together before he is allowed to return to Mt. Olympus. As fate would have it, Trevor is under the care of psychiatrist and self-help author Dr. Claire McCrae (Sarah Paulson, "The Spirit," "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip"), who is also dedicated to helping lonely hearts find their soul mates. When it comes to true love, Claire believes it's all about friendship and compatibility, but for Trevor, heat and passion conquer all. Only time will tell who will win the battle for love.

"Cupid" stars Bobby Cannavale as Trevor, Sarah Paulson as Claire, Rick Gomez as Felix and Camille Guaty as Lita.

"Cupid" is produced by ABC Studios. Rob Thomas serves as executive producer/creator along with executive producers Jennifer Gwartz, Danielle Stokdyk, Dan Etheridge and Diane Ruggerio.

"The Unusuals"

In "The Unusuals," it helps if a cop has a twisted sense of humor, because every moment could be your last. Just ask Casey Shraeger (Amber Tamblyn, "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants"), who started her day as an NYPD vice detective before unexpectedly being transferred to the homicide division. She quickly realizes that, not only does everyone in her new department have a distinct sense of humor, but also their own dirty little secrets.

The series stars Amber Tamblyn as Detective Casey Shraeger, Jeremy Renner as Detective Jason Walsh, Harold Perrineau as Detective Leo Banks, Josh Close as Detective Henry Cole, Monique Gabriela Curnen as Detective Allison Beaumont, Kai Lennox as Detective Eddie Alvarez, with Terry Kinney as Sergeant Harvey Brown and Adam Goldberg as Detective Eric Delahoy.

Created by Noah Hawley, "The Unusuals" is executive-produced by Hawley, Robert DeLaurentis and Peter O'Fallon, with Peter Tolan as an executive consultant on the series, which is produced by 26 Keys, Inc. in association with Sony Pictures Television for ABC.

"Primetime: What Would You Do?"

Suppose you witnessed a stranger slip a suspicious powder into his date's drink would you tell his date? What if you saw a deli cashier exhibit racial discrimination to a customer trying to place an order how would you respond? Using hidden cameras, "Primetime: What Would You Do?" sets up everyday scenarios and then captures people's reactions. Whether they're compelled to act or mind their own business, John Quiones reports on their split-second and often surprising decision-making process.

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NBC has confirmed the return of Chuck, Heroes and Medium for its midseason lineup.

The three dramas will air back-to-back on Monday nights from February 2. Chuck will return for a 3-D episode at 8pm, the new 'Fugitives' volume of Heroes will air at 9pm and Medium is back in the 10pm slot.

On Wednesdays, the Knight Rider revamp will air at 8pm (until its finale on February 25), with Life back from February 4 at 9pm.

Thursday, March 12 will see ER signing off in a two-hour series finale and replaced with new drama Kings the following week at 9pm.

The second season of Celebrity Apprentice will debut on Sunday, March 1 at 9pm for a two-hour special, while The Office has secured the much-coveted post-Super Bowl spot for February 1.

The network has yet to confirm dates for its untitled Amy Poehler comedy or James Purefoy's The Philanthropist.

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The CW has confirmed its midseason lineup, which includes the premiere of horror-themed reality show 13 - Fear Is Real.

The series challenges 13 people to "stay alive" while facing their worst fears in an elimination competition. It will debut on Wednesday, January 7 from 8pm followed by repeats of 90210.

Gossip Girl returns on January 5 at 8pm, leading in to new episodes of One Tree Hill at 9pm.

Tuesdays (from January 6) sees 90210 and Privileged back on the air from 8pm to 10pm - the latter will be replaced by Reaper on March 17.

A double-bill of new Smallville and Supernatural will air Thursdays at 8pm (from January 15), with Friday nights comprised of new episodes of Everybody Hates Chris, The Game and 13 - Fear Is Real repeats (from January 9).

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Wont matter as they can replace her just like all the other Law and Orders have, i cant even remember who starred in the first season of the original Law and Order

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I will be sad when William Petersen leaves CSI, because I don't think he will be able to be replaced. I will watch the first week he is gone, but I don't think I will watch it after that. — Fox
MATT: Normally I turn a blind eye to Mega Buzz questions not phrased as such, but this topic begs addressing. Having sneak-peeked this Thursday's (super-creepy!) episode, in which Gil first shares his decision to leave CSI, I concur that yes, it is going to be very hard to say goodbye come Jan. 15. But I must put this out there: Give change a chance. After getting a feel for Laurence Fishburne's criminology prof, I'm curious to see how he ultimately fits in as a Level-1 CSI. Plus, the guy oozes screen presence. We're heading toward a "different" CSI, but not necessarily a lesser one.

Please, give me something, anything, about Lost! — Kia
MATT: You mean in addition to this boss new video from Team Darlton? OK, but you're going to call me a big, fat tease. A source tells me that while Season 5, premiering Jan. 21, gets off to a generally strong start, it's Episode 6 — "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham" — that could really blow the roof off the joint. Gotta love Locke. Er, I mean Jeremy.

I just started watching Big Bang Theory, and I love it. Any scoop? — Vic
MICKEY: Sheldon and Leonard soon will confront a staunch nemesis in a showdown that will test their mettle (and metal) as men and nerds. That's right: Get ready for robot wars, people!

Is the Dec. 10 CSI:NY the last episode of the year? Will Flack and Angell still continue their "thing"? Will TPTB still pursue Adam and Stella? — Clarissa
TIM: We start with good news: The series won't break for the holiday until Dec. 17. And then cut to more good news: Moving forward, exec producer Peter Lenkov promises "more intense character drama, as well as our trademark 'only in New York' stories. We'll continue Stella's pursuit of the man who tried to kill her and introduce a new nemesis for Mac, a media mogul played by Craig T. Nelson." Lenkov goes on to say there are plans to "revisit" the Flack/Angell "thing," but while Adam and Stella "play nice together, I am not sure there's a romance there."

Are Gossip Girl's Dan and Serena going to get back together? Also, Chuck and Blair are obviously perfect for each other; how long are they going to lead us on? — Elizabeth
MICKEY: While this week's episode may have led you to believe that Serena has chosen Aaron, don't count on that choice being permanent. Lonely Boy will be much less so after the holiday. B and Bass, on the other hand, definitely will not be kissing each other when the ball drops on New Year's Eve.

Got scoop on Prison Break? And are they doing all 22 episodes? — Chaya
MATT: At minimum, Prison Break will deliver six more episodes after its beyond-midseason break, for a total of 22. Should Fox decide this is the series' final season (and really, they should), the buzz is that two additional hours will be tacked on, to properly wrap things up. Scoop-wise, next week we learn what Scylla really is and say goodbye to a series regular. "No!" you cry? Well, during the Dec. 22 winter finale, plan to bid another major player adieu.

90210 has been so boring. Any decent storylines coming up? — Manda
MICKEY: The jury is out on the storyline, but Naomi will definitely be getting new digs when the high school student moves out of her mother's house and into a four-star hotel — the staff of which becomes a dysfunctional family of sorts for the bratty teen. (P.S. Did you hear the one about the bisexual West Bev cheerleader?)

In an effort to overturn ABC's decision to pull the plug on Eli Stone, a group of fans have united together with one purpose — to increase the ratings of the remaining episodes so that the show will be picked up (perhaps by another network). Our mantra is simply "Believe" — which, ironically, is the very premise of the show. — Deborah
TIM: Indeed it is. But should ABC be-leave you hanging, a show rep says the 13th episode will air Dec. 30 and "bring us full circle to the Patchouli Peaks." Also watch for Katie Holmes' character, Grace, to get a mention in one of the remaining shows.

Bryan Fuller announced a crossover between Pushing Daisies and his forgotten (but delightful) Wonderfalls. When will it air? — Nicolas
MICKEY: Bad news, Nicolas. It wasn't so much a crossover as an homage featured in the Dec. 3 episode. If you recall, a character named Marianne Marie Beetle competed with Olive in that baked-goods-delivery race. Well, that's the Muffin Buffalo lady from Wonderfalls!

Which Smallville episode will Tom Welling be directing this year? And what's Clark's storyline for that episode? — Scarlett
MATT: Welling will be stepping behind the camera for Episode 17, which has yet to be written, so no amount of superpowers on my behalf will get you scoop on that.

Any word on February's Comic-Con TV panels? I'm traveling from Georgia to New York City just to go! — Stephanie
TIM: Always happy to help another comics nerd, Stephanie. They keep these things as secret as a mild-mannered alter-ego, but we can tell you that one special guest will be Batman: The Animated Series creator Bruce Timm, who will debut his full-length Wonder Woman animated movie on Feb. 6. The Amazonian goddess is voiced by Felicity herself, Keri Russell, while other voice cast members include Nathan Fillion, Alfred Molina and David McCallum. (Oh, and no one's allowed Beyoncé Knowles anywhere near the thing.) Also, if you're still watching the Babylon 5 DVD from last year, you'll be happy to know that series creator J. Michael Straczynski will be on hand to answer all your nagging questions.

We TV fans need something to tide us over while the SAG strike looms and as quality shows (Daisies, for instance) get cut. I know there is a lot of good stuff coming back in January. Can you give me a bit of scoopage? — Debbie
MATT: Thus far, I've had the thrill of sampling the second season of FX's Damages (kicking off Jan. 7), and as I shared in a recent Facebook update, it's shaping up to be another nail-biter. Those who fretted that the "original formula" would be watered down will be pleased to know that the "How did we get to this grisly moment?"/told-in-flashback structure is intact. Oh, and there's an upsetting (for me, at least) death at the end of the very first hour.

When does Flight of the Conchords return? I missed it this summer. — Michelle
MICKEY: So did I, Michelle. It's the most beautiful show in the ... room, in the whole wide room. The new season is just a week away — online at least — with FunnyOrDie.com streaming the premiere on Dec. 17 at noon ET, a full month in advance of its HBO debut. This season, look for Bret and Jemaine to attempt to jump-start their careers by filming an edgy, truth-challenged biopic about the band that borrows liberally from ... Star Wars.

Mickey's Mega Rave: My parents' pride knows no bounds as I devote this week's Rave to "Jizz in My Pants." Not only does the bawdy SNL digital short have shock value on its side, its clever lyrics also brilliantly satirize the pompous chill of '80s synth rock. I can't contain my excitement.

Tim's Mini Rant: Can Jay Leno get fresh material to go with his new 10 pm time slot? The bright side is that while Leno's move robs Conan O'Brien of some thunder as he ascends to the Tonight Show throne, hopefully Conan is now freed to continue his more subversive (and funny) brand of comedy.

Reader Quote of the Week: "Here's an idea: Why doesn't NBC produce decent shows rather than shoving Jay Leno down our throats five days a week?" (blondie4ag, on NBC's decision to give Leno a nightly prime-time talk show)

SOURCE

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Matt Lucas has revealed that he would love Johnny Depp to guest star on Little Britain USA.

However, Lucas joked that the Pirates Of The Caribbean star would have to complete the same formal audition process as all other cast members.

"He'll have to audition like everyone else!" he told The Sun. "Johnny is very friendly and a good laugh."

Lucas stars alongside Depp in the upcoming Alice In Wonderland, directed by Tim Burton. Lucas plays twins Tweedledum and Tweedledee, while Depp is portraying the Mad Hatter.

It was reported in 2005 that Depp was keen to land a cameo role in Little Britain as a friend of transvestite Emily Howard.

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Holly Willoughby has vowed to continue wearing low-cut dresses on the new series of Dancing on Ice.

The show's host sparked complaints from some viewers when she donned one revealing frock on the ITV1 skating show last year.

"I never expected such a stir," Willoughby told the Daily Star. "I'm a size 12, I have hips and I like to dress in a feminine way. I won't do anything differently this time. I've always worn the same style. I just pick the dresses I love."

Meanwhile, her co-presenter Phillip Schofield joked: "Holly's only been getting attention because she wears frocks the wrong way round!"

Dancing on Ice returns to ITV1 on January 11.

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A new episode of Jonathan Creek was a ratings triumph for the BBC on New Year's Day, according to early figures.

The new mystery - the first episode in five years - averaged a mighty 8.97m (35.9%) for BBC One between 9pm and 11pm.

It outrated ITV1's Marple more than 2 to 1. Geraldine McEwan's final appearance as the sleuth pulled in 3.69m (15%) over the same period.

Two episode of EastEnders managed 9.31m (35.7%) at 7.30pm and 8.58m (31.3%) an hour later. The soap sandwiched Celebrity Mastermind, which had 6.55m (24.8%).

At 7pm, a rerun of Christmas Day ratings victor Wallace and Gromit: A Matter Of Loaf and Death notched up 7.23m (29%) for BBC One. It outperformed ITV1's Emmerdale, with 6.51m (25.9%) at the same time.

The first episode of a revived Krypton Factor had 4.35m (16.6%) for ITV1 at 7.30pm opposite EastEnders. The Bill took 4.18m (15.5%) in the 8pm hour.

On BBC Two, Three Men In More Than One Boat enlisted a strong 3.5m (13%) in the 8pm hour, then a Top Gear highlights show interested 1.9m (7.2%).

Channel 4's Come Dine With Me grabbed 1.46m (5.7%) in the 7pm hour, then a screening of sci-fi movie Fantastic Four held 1.78m (6.7%) until 10pm.

On Five, World's Strongest Man picked up 1.49m (5.5%) in the 8pm hour, then the three-hour countdown Most Shocking Celebrity Moments of the 21st Century averaged out to 926k (4.4%).

BBC One's average primetime share was 33% (last week: 41%), while ITV1 had a droopy 16.9% (20.9%). BBC Two took 8.6% (7.1%) for third place, followed by Channel 4 on 5.6% (3.5%) and Five on 3.9% (2.3%).

BBC Three's screening of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl attracted a massive 1.34m (5.6%) from 8.20pm, the highest multichannel numbers of the day.

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Got any scoop on Grey's Anatomy's MerDer? Do you have any idea when we'll see the McMansion being built? — Emilee
MATT: In lieu of talking drywall (there's no foreseeable movement on Der's dream home), may I interest you in some drama? It turns out that the death row inmate who is admitted to Seattle Grace this week could do some damage to your MerDer. Guest star Eric Stoltz teases that during his three-episode arc, "I certainly insinuate myself into their relationship and am the source of not a little strife."

Any word on dates for the final three episodes of Pushing Daisies? — Kathy
MICKEY: ABC is contractually obligated to air the remaining episodes, but I've also heard that they might burn them all off in a one-night marathon. That's a lot of pie for one sitting.

I'm staying relatively clear of 24 spoilers, but the commercials have me amped. In your opinion, might the show return to form after the disastrous Season 6? Also, is Tony's true agenda revealed by the end of the four-hour premiere? — Mike
MATT: My full review of the premiere is forthcoming, but in a nutshell, I see some promise for this cycle, though a few of my expectations for this new "day" were quickly dashed — and part of that bittersweet taste comes from "revived" Tony's true motivation. P.S. How surprised was I to see that someone who was alive at the end of the Redemption TV-movie is now suddenly dead? Kinda explains the awkward pause I got in one of my recent 24 video Q&As.

On Desperate Housewives, isn't Susan's son, M.J., creepy? — Dalton
MICKEY: Hooray — someone's been reading my recaps! Mason Vale Cotton, the nugget who plays M.J., is cuter than, say, a Rottweiler puppy with hiccups, but man is that one morose toddler! So here's the question: If he attends a bilingual school, as Susan is going to want him to, will that make him more or less creepy? Je ne sais pas!

Leverage is almost halfway through its first season. When we can expect to hear whether it has been renewed? And is there anything coming up to "scoop"? — Candy
TIM: TNT says it's premature to speculate on Season 2, so shame on you, Candy. But we're happy to scoop that in next week's caper, "The Wedding Job," Christian Kane's Eliot winds up in a nasty knife fight while playing chef at a mob wedding. "I'm Cherokee Indian, and I've been throwing knives my whole life ... playing with 'em and collecting 'em," says Kane, who is also a real-life cook. "It just happened to work out that Eliot doesn't like guns."

I really liked Adam Gregory as 90210's Ty and feel that he was very underused. Do you know if he will come back? — Erik
MICKEY: Ty will be back! In what capacity? Let's just say this: My pregnant friend and her husband received T-shirts as Hanukkah presents. Hers says "knocked up"; his, "baby daddy." Guess what Ty's would say? (It's more complicated than you think.)

Will Col. Hollis Mann (Susannah Thompson) return to NCIS this season? — Nele
MATT: The bad news for fans of Gibbs' onetime lover, who was last seen during Season 5: "At this time, she is not scheduled to appear in upcoming episodes," says a show rep. The good news for fans of Ms. Thompson: She makes for a delicious doyenne playing the missus of Ian McShane's monarch in NBC's Kings, premiering March 19.

This season of SVU has been dull. Any news about upcoming episodes? — Adrean
MICKEY: Remember Ron Eldard aka Shep, the EMT who wooed Julianna Margulies on ER? Sources tell me that he'll pop by SVU to play either a slippery suspect or a munificent business magnate. Insert "What's the difference?/corporate fatcats stole my 401(k)" joke here as I check in on my Fidelity account for the 46th time today.

I haven't heard a peep about TNT's Men of a Certain Age since Scott Bakula joined the cast. Has that pilot been 86'd? — David
TIM: TNT promises an imminent decision on Ray Romano's return to series TV, while one insider tells the Buzz the outlook for the series is "hopeful." Granted, it's kind of weird for the sitcom vet to turn to drama, but he did show off his serious side in... well, nothing.

Could you please tell me which Smallville episode Allison Mack will direct this season and what the title is? — Robin
MATT: Allison will venture behind the cameras for the first time for Episode 13, "Power." There, she will call the shots when one of the reasons Lana came back to town is revealed. (Word is that it's considerably shocking.)

Where's 30 Rock's Josh?! — Brit
MICKEY: Officially, Lonny Ross, who plays the impression-happy comic, is still considered a cast member and (theoretically) will recur on the series. But sources are telling me that there's an effort afoot to steer 30 Rock away from the show-within-a-show, which will necessitate the pruning of several players from Tina Fey's narrative bonsai, Ross among them.

I've been hearing that this is the last season of One Tree Hill. True? — Yassmina
MATT: That's certainly not the vibe I'm getting whenever I check in with my sources at the CW and Warner Bros. Far from it, actually.

USA finally aired To Love and Die, and it was great to see Roswell's Shiri Appleby back on TV! Will this be another in a long line of excellent USA series (Monk, Psych, Burn Notice) or will it fade into oblivion? — Becca
TIM: Exec producer Lorne Michaels has a blazing track record, the cast, which also includes Tim Matheson and Frances Fisher (Kate Winslet's Titanic mom) is filled with talent, and goofily titled series have thrived at USA before. (What's up, Silk Stalkings?) We'll give it a chance.

Tim's Mega Rave: This season of The Bachelor promises to raise the show's inherent conflict to a ridiculously awesome degree. In addition to the brilliant-yet-cruel let-the-ladies-vote-on-who-they-want-to-leave reversal, we hope, if only for dramatic purposes, that DeAnna is back for a second chance at love and not just to help Jason weed through the women. And did we mention that at stake this time is the life of a child? (Or at least which lady goes to live with Jason and his tyke, Ty.)

Mickey's Mini Rant: When are midseason shows going to start already? None of the fall's newcomers knocked my socks off, and I've become awfully cranky waiting for the returns of such reliable faves as Lost, Idol, Big Love, Flight of the Conchords and Galactica. Hurry! [Editor's Note: You want some cheese with that whine?]

Matt's Micro Riff: NPH + SNL = OMG!

Reader Quote of the Week: "I'll take Sawyer in Ben's fur-lined hooded parka for crying out loud. 'Shirtless' is just a bonus!" (wacaya, responding to a critical aspect of our review of the Lost premier)

Source TvGuide.com

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The guests for Jonathan Ross's first chatshow since serving his three-month suspension have been announced.

Stephen Fry and comedian Lee Evans will join the presenter for Friday Night With Jonathan Ross on January 23, while rockers Franz Ferdinand will provide the music.

Filming for the programme is expected to take place on January 21 or 22 and the BBC have revealed that one more guest will be announced nearer the time.

Ross was suspended without pay from his BBC One chatshow in October after he and comedian Russell Brand left a series of lewd messages on the answering machine of Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs.

The format of of the show is expected to remain the same, but Ross has been told by bosses to cut back on swearing and will reportedly be shadowed by a personal censor during filming.

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Kelly Brook has signed up to be the fourth judge on Britain's Got Talent.

The actress will join Simon Cowell, Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden on the panel of the hit ITV1 show.

Cowell is preparing to make the announcement later today after Brook signed a contract last night, according to The Sun.

The third outing of the talent show will begin airing in May, with auditions starting this month in Manchester.

Kelly Brook previously appeared on the fifth series of the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing in 2007.

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Serena's mom on "Gossip Girl" could face an untimely death unless a judge lets her fly.

Kelly Rutheford (Lily van der Woodsen) has a big problem. We've learned she went to court last week and pleaded with the judge in her divorce case to let her go to NYC with her two-year-old, Hermes. The judge shut Kelly down, telling her he'll take the issue up a week from today.

Kelly's going through a mega-nasty divorce with her hubby of 2+ years, Daniel Giersch.

Now here's the problemo. Sources on "Gossip Girl" tell us Kelly is supposed to be in New York to shoot by January 27. If the judge shuts her down next week that's not going to happen. Producers could deal with a small delay and shoot her out of sequence, but if the delay is longer they could just shoot her -- as in her character.

Kelly is pregnant with their second kid. Giersch doesn't want Hermes to travel to NYC because he claims Kelly works insane hours and gets totally stressed out when she's shooting.

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Katie Cassidy, Christopher Gorham and other cast members of the CBS midseason series Harper's Island held court Wednesday at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour, where they touted their closed-ended, 13-episode Scream-meets-Ten Little Indians hybrid. Afterward, TVGuide.com grabbed a moment with Cassidy to reflect on her run as Supernatural's original Ruby.

"Coming onto the show at first, everybody was kind of freaked out," she recalled. "They didn't know about having girls on the show - they love their Sam and Dean, and I understand that."

As such, Cassidy says she is touched to hear that some fans miss her original take on Ruby. (Genevieve Cortese stepped into the role this season, as Ruby claimed a new host body.) "The fact that they miss me is sweet," she gushed. "It's heartbreaking in a way, because I loved that show. I loved the crew, I loved the boys.... Everyone was so welcoming."

So why did Cassidy and the CW spooker part ways? At the time, series creator Eric Kripke cited "purely budgetary" reasons. Cassidy herself says, "Warner Bros. wasn't exactly sure what they were going to be doing with my character, and I had the option to stay or leave. When Harper's Island came about, I was really into it, so I asked them to let me go. Luckily, they did."

Based on the buzz that's building for Harper's, luckily indeed. The new CBS series premieres Thursday, April 9, at 10 pm/ET, and runs 13 straight weeks.

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http://www.etonline.com/news/2009/01/69831/index.html

ET was with "NCIS" star Mark Harmon in Park City, Utah at the Slamdance Film Festival to get the latest on "NCIS" and his new film, 'Weather Girl.'
Last week ET broke the news that CBS is planning a spinoff of "NCIS," which itself was a spinoff of "JAG." Today Ryan Devlin, Mark's co-star in 'Weather Girl,' gets the 411 from Mark on what he knows about the upcoming series.
"I don't think it spins off anybody who is on the current show," Mark reveals. "The network looks at a successful franchise, saying, 'Can we get more out of it?' But I will believe it when it is done. As an actor, you hope it doesn't do anything detrimental to what you have. But ask me again in a month."
Mark's character in 'Weather Girl' is a big departure from any he has previously played. The character, Dale, is the cheesy host of a television news program, "Seattle Morning," who is sleeping with the weather girl until a messy breakup. For the role, Mark dyed his hair and piled on the makeup!
So what would Gibbs (Mark's "NCIS" character) do with a guy like Dale? "[Gibbs] would put him away in a dark prison," jokes Mark. The star goes on to reveal: "In my mind he is based on people I have worked with or been interviewed by."
"NCIS" airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on CBS.

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A main character in "Gossip Girl" may be killed off, depending on what a judge rules tomorrow.

Kelly Rutherford, who plays Lily van der Woodsen, was in court this morning, asking an L.A. County Superior Court judge to green light her request to bring her two-year-old son Hermes to NYC to begin filming this coming Sunday.

Standing in her way -- estranged hubby Daniel Giersch -- who claims the kid is a basket case when he goes back to New York because Kelly gets crazy with her work schedule. Kelly says she's been taking the kid back and forth for a long time and it's no problemo.

The judge says he'll decide tomorrow if Kelly can take Hermes back this weekend. If the answer is no, Kelly has to decide whether to go back alone or even quit the show.

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A judge just ruled Kelly Rutherford can take her kid to NYC while she films "Gossip Girl."

The judge said Kelly can go on Sunday and her estranged hubby Daniel Giersch is free to travel there as well. He had argued he needed to stay in L.A. to do his business, but the judge begged to differ. Daniel told the court he will travel to New York.

Rutherford filed for divorce on December 30. She is also pregnant.

Giersch was awarded two overnight visits per week for the month of February and three per week for March.

The judge also ruled 2-year-old Hermes will bounce between NYC and L.A. for the next two months while the feuding couple tries to hash out a long-term custody arrangement. Good luck.