Ask Ausiello

Ausiello: I likey! I'd likey even more if I knew we were getting all 16 episodes this season. Oh, and before I forget, this is the final Ask Ausiello of 2007, so lap up every last word.

Ausiello: You mean trailers. There are two of 'em floating around. There's the mucho-revealing extended trailer, which features a first look at some of this season's new faces (Ken Leung among them). And then there's a shorter theatrical trailer, which is essentially a 30-second adrenaline rush with a few mystifying images thrown in for us to stew over. And stew we have.

Ausiello: I've got some good scoop on Lost! One of the more hotly debated/discussed shots in the theatrical trailer also happens to be the very first thing we see in the Jan. 31 season premiere. And if you think you've got the who/what/where/when of this mystifying image figured out, think again.

Ausiello: Remember a few weeks back when I told you that there would be at least one death on Lost in the first eight episodes? Better make that two. At least.

Ausiello: I'll do no such thing. But I will tell you that the death occurs early next year and it's an awful way to go — even by Nip/Tuck standards. BTW, good and bad news regarding how the strike's affecting McNamara/Troy. As you'll recall, 22 episodes were ordered last year, to be divided into two seasons. The good news is that all 14 eps for Season 2 were completed before the strike and will air through Feb. 19. (No new epsiodes air on Dec. 25, Jan. 1 or Jan. 8. See, I'm not the only one taking off.) The bad news is that the eight episodes for Season 6 have not been written, so they've been postponed indefinitely.

Ausiello: It's not Carlotta.

Ausiello: Remove the word "paid" and you've got yourself a deal.

Ausiello: I forwarded your Q to Rob and here's his faintly silverish-lined response: "I had a second meeting with DC comics. I heard that the [WGA] didn't want [TV writers penning TV-based] comic books during the strike as it would promote a network property. We're investigating whether there are similar hurdles for a defunct TV series like Veronica Mars. Naturally, I won't be writing it if the Guild doesn't want me to, but we're hoping that's not the case." 

Ausiello: Word around town is it's bloody brilliant. Unfortunately, it'll be a while before we can judge for ourselves considering the strike stopped production after the third episode. Instead, we'll have to make due with the cable net's promising-sounding five-times-a-week shrink drama In Treatment, which debuts Jan. 28 with an all-star cast that includes Gabriel Byrne, Josh Charles, Embeth Davidtz, Melissa George, Blair Underwood, Dianne Wiest and Michelle Forbes.

Ausiello: Now if he had gotten rid of Deb, too, I'd really be looking forward to next season.

Ausiello: There's still nothing official, but all signs point to an imminent full-season order — or what qualifies as a full season these days. According to my spies inside CBS, the higher-ups at the Eye — entertainment president Nina Tassler in particular — believe the show has tremendous growth potential and that they have a genuine star in leading man Alex O'Loughlin. (Hmmm, ya think?) It also helps that the show is relatively cheap to produce and it's been consistently beating Women's Murder Club in young demos.

Ausiello: Well, I'm dying to give it to ya, babe! David Blue — aka Marc's uber-adorable BF on Ugly Betty — has snagged a two-episode arc as a vampire computer hacker/wizard who Mick uses when investigating cases. He first shows up in January and you'll never guess what his name is. C'mon, have a guess. Hint: It's a moniker near and dear to Veronica Mars fans, not to mention Moonlight costar Jason Dohring. [Crickets] Wow, you guys suck at this. It's Logan, for chrissakes.

Ausiello: Sure, just promise not to tell August Miklos Friedrich Hermann. As many a hysterical Aushole has informed me in the past 72 hours, Heroes creator Tim Kring debuted a new Heroes trailer over the weekend at the Jules Verne Adventure Film Festival of Los Angeles (huh?!), which features never-before-seen footage from Volume III, "Villains." (A wonky version of the trailer can be viewed here.) Where'd the footage come from, you ask? Well, it turns out that the show managed to shoot a bunch of scenes for Episodes 12 and 13 before production ground to a halt. But those episodes are incomplete and, therefore, can't air until the conflict is resolved. "Hopefully," says my spy, "the strike will end, they'll finish those two — and a few more — and have a proper end of the season."

Ausiello: Casting scoop! Newcomer Michaela McManus has been added to the cast for a multi-episode arc. She'll be playing a "tough but kind" New York editor assigned to work on Lucas' novel.

Ausiello: I don't know about the proposal per se, but a ring is seen in the first hour of the two-hour premiere. I would say that the triangle is never going to be completely done, but with Lucas' new love in the picture, it's more like a square.

Ausiello: There's just the one. And it airs on Jan. 3.

Ausiello: Deal! (PS. Why don't you save us all a lot of time and energy and just send me the case now. Our offices just moved so make sure you send it to the 42nd Street address.)

Ausiello: Interesting theory. That would certainly be a shocking reveal. Particularly since he's not even one of the official suspects. (Click on the link, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and vote!)

Ausiello: Seven percent of you seem to think so!

Ausiello: It's TBD. Production on Season 2 — which was about to begin when the strike hit — has been postponed indefinitely. In other words, it's going to be a long time until you see a fresh episode.

Ausiello: As ABC buried revealed in its midseason press release last week, MIT is moving to Wednesdays at 10 pm beginning Feb. 27. But now I'm hearing that that may not be set in stone. Stay tuned….

Ausiello: For now, it's just a one-time thing.

Ausiello: Looks like Jan. 6. Speaking of DH, the introduction of Katherine's ex wasn't the only major plot that was back-burnered due to the strike. Drug-addled Mike was supposed to befriend a mysterious woman while in rehab, and Marc Cherry was in the midst of casting the plum part when production came to a standstill.

Ausiello: Here's what exec producer Carol Barbee told me over the summer regarding the Heather/Jake/Emily triangle: "Heather comes back to town to find Jake and Emily together. And she gets a possible new love interest. But there's still a pull between her and Jake that ends up working into the story."

Ausiello: I'm hearing the cast has been informed that it's over. The CW, however, insists that no decision has been made. I'll do my best to get to the bottom of this and get you some kind of firm answer…. Oh, who am I kidding. This is Life Is Wild we're talking about. I've already spent too much time on this subject.

OK, that's a wrap! As I casually mentioned at the top of the column, AA is going to be on hiatus until Jan. 7 on account of the holidays. But never fear, I'm not disappearing from your lives completely. Over the next few weeks I'll continue to update my Ausiello Report blog with breaking news and other assorted randomness (i.e., my annual wish list for Santa). And if you're feeling really suicidal lonely, I'm always just an e-mail* away. Happy holidays!

* I'll have intermittent access to e-mail, so in the event of an emergency, you best simmer. Or call 911.