Ask Ausiello

Ausiello: Listen here, Missy: The strike will be over when I say it's over — and not a moment before. And I say it'll be over shortly after this Saturday's big WGA meeting, during which the negotiating committee is expected to present the tentative deal to the membership. According to one of my moles, "If the membership seems supportive of the deal, the strike order could be lifted shortly — even though it could take several more weeks to formally ratify the agreement." To find out what this means for your favorite shows, keep reading. And have a handkerchief handy.

Ausiello: Slim to none. Due to the heavily serialized nature of the show, it's unlikely that Heroes will be back this season. Instead, NBC will likely go straight into production on Season 3. 

Ausiello: I just hung up with Mr. Scrubs himself, series creator Bill Lawrence, and he says "the worst-case scenario is that ABC Studios lets me make the last four episodes as a DVD. And I say it's the 'worst-case scenario' because I'm going to try as hard as I can to get NBC's support in finishing the show up on TV. I just don't have any definitive answer because I haven't been talking to them… The second we're told that we can go back to work, I'm going to give [Peacock honcho] Ben Silverman a call and say, 'Scrubs has been on NBC for seven years, and it would really be a bummer if I didn't get to end it there.' And I'm hoping I'll get a positive response. I would be surprised if NBC didn't want to figure out a way to end the series on their network." I wish I could be as optimistic. Remember, this is Ben Silverman we're talking about. The same dude who publicly dissed Friday Night Lights. But more on that later. (To read my complete interview with Bill., and send a message to NBC to do right by Scrubs, click here.)

Ausiello: It's looking like September, unfortunately. Although ABC isn't talking, my Sexy spies tell me that the Alphabet net will likely order 13 episodes of DSM for the fall, with the three unaired hours from this season kicking off that run. Sort of like what ABC did with Men in Trees, only without the schizophrenic scheduling. I hope.

Ausiello: Nope. NBC confirmed as much when they leaked unofficially announced the news that the Season 2 DVD — featuring all 15 episodes — was being released on April 22. I don't remember the last time a piece of DVD news left me so depressed. Oh, wait, yes I do.

Ausiello: I say we skip the campaign and go right to the ass-whoopin'. Does he have any idea who he's messing with?!?! My last name is Ausiello, for chrissakes. And I grew up in Jersey. And my dad was in waste management.

Ausiello: The same thing I've had for months: A pregnancy bombshell that no one will see coming. (And I know, because I've spent the last five weeks reading all your guesses.) And all joking aside, if NBC even considers pulling the plug on FNL, they better board up their windows, 'cause a sh--storm's gonna blow into town. In fact, the National Weather Service has already given it a name: Hurricane Ausholes.

Ausiello: That's assuming it comes back in the fall. And that's a big assumption at this point. I spoke to a Moonlight insider late last week and he/she told me that before the strike, CBS informed producers that they had every intention of picking up the show's "back nine." But since the strike started, they haven't heard a peep about whether they'll be going back into production. My guess? Moonlight will be renewed for a 13-episode second season.

Ausiello: Sounds like a question for exec producer Katie Jacobs. "It's too soon to say," she says.  "Once the strike is resolved, [series creator] David Shore needs to sit down with all the writers and figure out the game plan for the rest of this abbreviated season."

Ausiello: Good news: I'm hearing that the show, which only produced two pre-strike episodes and was in danger of being shut down permanently, has been given the unofficial green light to complete its order once the strike is settled.

Ausiello: Technically, NBC has the right to suspend/terminate her deal via the force majeure provision. And I'm guessing they did one or the other, considering NBC issued me a cryptic "no comment." Equally worrisome: When I pressed Ben Silverman about it, he urged me to "start watching 30 Rock."

Ausiello: OK, but at the end of the night, you'd better not ask me to put out. Unless you follow the words "put out" with the words "your Smurf collection."

Ausiello: I loved it as well. It wasn't the big slice of heaven that was last May's game-changing finale, but it was easily one of the best hours of TV so far this season. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for tomorrow night's episode, which would've merited a solid three and a half stars were it not for two annoying blunders — one of which should've been caught by Lost's typically crackerjack continuity police, and another that dumbs down the 815ers to the point where the castaways on Gilligan's Island look smart by comparison. I'm anxious to get your thoughts. Check my blog immediately after Thursday's episode to see if we're on the same page.

Ausiello: A decent Juliet fix awaits you tomorrow night. Not only is there a nice little scene with her and Sayid on the beach, but she ends up saving the day — much to Kate's chagrin. Speaking of which, there's a Kate/Jack/Juliet moment that will have you peeing your pantaloons. It's that funny. It's also pretty subtle, so your full attention will be required.

Ausiello: One of the remaining three has male genitalia. How's that?

Ausiello: Guess what I found out on Friday: The scoopiest morsel from my interview with James Denton on the SAG red carpet was left on the cutting-room floor! Good thing I had my tape recorder running the entire time, 'cause he revealed that when Housewives returns post-strike, we'll finally get to the bottom of the two-year-old mystery of why Orson ran Mike down in his car. "That storyline changed," he told me. "Originally, Orson was going to be the really bad guy. But then everybody fell in love with Kyle and wanted to keep him around, so Dixie Carter kind of took the fall for him. But now he's got some 'splainin' to do."

Ausiello: If I've said it once, I've said it a million times: I'll go if David Boreanaz goes.

Ausiello: Are you Penrodbarker's publicist? Is he too chicken to come here and ask the question himself? Is his name really Penrodbarker? Did I answer your question?

Ausiello: I just got the strangest case of déjà vu.

Ausiello: You can expect an unbilled cameo from a certain Melrose Place icon (hint: it's not a person, but a thing). And you thought Eli's George Michael hallucinations were out there: Tomorrow night, he gets a ringside seat to a Broadway-esque musical and World War II.

Ausiello: Thanks, MB! Does that grid of yours say anything about the Spike movie?

Ausiello: I don't know if it's sexy, but it does take place on Valentine's Day: In "Fracture," airing Feb. 14, an amnesiac Kara will put Lex thisclose to uncovering Krypton's secrets. And because I love you, here's a bonus scoop about tomorrow's episode: A hot scene between Green Arrow and Lois turns into a threesome even a superhero would have a hard time with.

Ausiello: Whoa, let's not go crazy here. Martin Luther King didn't turn things around overnight. Change takes time.

Ausiello: Three things — all of them regarding the Feb. 19 episode.

• We'll finally hear someone other than Lucas deliver the episode-closing voice-over.

• A beloved staple of the series will be no more once Peyton decides that it's time to shut the door on her past.

• Haley will let two characters have it for "lying and cheating" after witnessing an illicit kiss, while completely missing one that could end a marriage.

Ausiello: Just this little teaser ABC Family sent out about the Feb. 25 episode: "Tensions boil in the aftermath of Kris declaring her love for Junior and the passionate kiss they shared. Moments before walking down the aisle, Junior finds himself working with Kris at Raintree to catch Wildfire after he escapes. Will this last-minute teamwork stir up feelings strong enough for Junior to alter his wedding plans? Meanwhile, Kris and Junior are not the only ones with buried feelings. Will Dani put the loss of R.J. behind her and move on with Noah, and will Pablo finally tell Jean how he really feels for her?"

Ausiello: Michael gets a special delivery from the great beyond in the "season" finale on Feb. 18. And someone I thought I'd never in a million years see on the show again turns up in a surprise cameo.

OK, that about does it for this week. Head over to my blog to tell Mr. Silverman what a huge mistake he'd be making if he cheated us out of a proper Scrubs ending. And when you're done with that, watch me sweet-talk Wayne Newton into letting me crash at his Vegas mega-crib in this week's Dancing-themed Ausiello Report vodcast. Finally, see this e-mail address (ask_ausiello@tvguide.com)? Use it to send me questions, hot tips and Smurf sightings. And then come back here next week for the first post-strike Ask Ausiello! (Please don't let me regret that last remark.)