Now playing in this week's Mitovich Mega Minute:
• Will Grey's Anatomy cut deep into a major character's mysterious past?
• Does Leonard's mom got it going on? Big Bang Theory's Johnny Galecki names the actress he longs to call "Ma."
• Former 24 good guy Eric Balfour turns up on a Law & Order — but which one?
Watch this week's video and get all the scoop after the jump.
read more
Question: Are the producers of 24 completely clueless? In a season with no surprises and very little originality, why do they continue to blow any suspense by listing "unexpected" characters in the guest credits before the program begins? In the past two weeks, the appearances of William Devane and James Cromwell, respectively, might have caused us to sit up (or even wake up) if we had not known they were coming. Who didn't figure out Jack's father was the one calling the shots in that ludicrous invasion on CTU (the most porous place on earth) once Cromwell's name appeared in the credits? 24 can't afford to miss even one opportunity to surprise its audience, yet it continues to sabotage itself. Why?
Answer: At this point in the game, why ask why? Let's just tough it out like grown-ups and wait for the show to reinvent itself next season. The William Devane moment (a restraining order against Jack? Really?) was so absurd that I didn't care that they blew the reveal, but it's true that
...
read more
Eric Balfour with Marisol Nichols, 24
In the end, it was love that did Milo in. In Monday night's episode of Fox's 24, CTU's Internet protocol manager (played by Eric Balfour) took a bullet to the head from the Chinese terrorists as they raided CTU. By claiming that he was in charge, he saved Nadia Yassir (Marisol Nichols), the real chief. "Milo was basically in love with Nadia and so, afraid the Chinese would hurt her, he put his life on the line," says Balfour, who sounds weirdly chipper about his alter ego's execution.It turns out the actor asked to die. "About two months ago, I got an offer to do a CBS cop show that sounded really exciting, and I felt it was a golden opportunity," he says, referring to
read more
Today's pilot-casting quickies, per the Reporter:• Dean Cain will play a veteran officer in Protect and Serve, a CBS drama from Las Vegas creator Gary Scott Thompson. Also added to the cast are Eric Balfour (24), Tamala Jones and Monica Potter.• Paige Turco (who never thanked me for the roses I sent her some 16 years ago... ) and Jessica Collins (Tru Calling edition) have come on board ABC's drama about four high-powered CEOs/CEO wannabes (played by Dylan McDermott, Michael Vartan, Joshua Malina and Christopher Titus).• Raquel Welch is a bombshell former TV star on CBS' The Captain.• Following a disappointing Monday table read, production has been pushed back on 24 cocreator Bob Cochran's NSA Innocent, as the lead character is being tweaked and portrayer Stephen Moyer will be recast.
read more
Want to know how to snap a physically and mentally exhausted hero back to life? Try whispering this in Jack Bauer's ear: "You will die for nothing."
By now, any evil terrorist should know better than to taunt 24's mythic warrior (Emmy champ Kiefer Sutherland) this way. When it happens, near the end of the first hour of 24's darkest and most unsettling season yet (premiering Jan. 14 and 15 at 8 pm/ET on Fox), Jack awakens with a bloody vengeance.
But this isn't the same old Jack. This Jack is damaged goods, reeling from nearly two years of torture in a Chinese prison where he uttered nary a word. Now, when he speaks, he says things like, "I don't know how to do this anymore." Say it ain't so.
Making matters worse — something 24 does fiendishly well — the U.S. has suffered in Jack's absence, victimiz
read more
Moon Bloodgood, Day Break
Sure, Taye Diggs' Detective Brett Hopper is trapped reliving the same, dreadful day over and over on ABC's Day Break (Wednesdays at 9 pm/ET), but at least the dude gets to wake up at 6:18 am each morning to his lady love Rita, played by Moon Bloodgood. TVGuide.com spent a few minutes — over the phone, alas — getting to know the exotic beauty better.
TVGuide.com: You, Miss Bloodgood, have the best pajamas on television.Moon Bloodgood: I'm so glad you like them! I actually joke with the camera guys, "Are you shooting my butt? Are you getting me full-length? Because I don't like my butt." I'm that girl. And they're like, "Moon.... " [Laughs]
TVGuide.com: How many sets of th
read more
Just got off the phone with my 24 mole and he/she informs me that Eric Balfour has signed on to reprise his Season 1 role as independent CTU contractor Milo Pressman. My spy wouldn't say how Milo would be re-introduced, but he'll be sticking around for a while: Balfour will be credited as a series regular. (If you need a refresher on who Milo is, click here.)In other 24 news, former Star Trek: Deep Space Nine doc Alexander Siddig is joining the cast as one of the evildoers behind the big Season 6 plot. Additionally, Carlo Rota (aka Mr. Chloe O'Brian) will be back as a series regular. And now, in completely unrelated news, a rep for CBS' new Thursday-night drama Shark confirms that James Woods has had a death in the family and production has been temporarily halted.That's all the scoop that's fit to print. For now.
read more
Here are several updates on stuff I reported in this week's Ask Ausiello as well as some new scoops mixed in. Enjoy! I can now confirm that Marlee Matlin has signed on to appear in 11 episodes of Showtime's The L Word. The deal just closed and, even though this drama is so far off my radar it's virtually undetectable, I wanted to bring you the official word ASAP. The Oscar winner will play a deaf artist who takes a shine to Jennifer Beals' Bette. She'll first show up in the fourth-season premiere in January. Speaking of shows I probably should be watching, Disney's teen phenom Hannah Montana has reeled in a pretty big fish. I'm told Dolly Parton will make a guest appearance this summer. I'm not sure who she's playing, but very reliable sources say her character will have huge knockers. Regarding the fate of The King of Queens, another source told me yesterday that "the show is definitely dead." Still no confirmation from CBS. My Eric Balfour mole (yes, I now have a mole assigned sp...
read more
Question: I'm a huge Eric Balfour and O.C. fan, and I just have to know if the spoilers are true about him coming back for the finale.
Answer: "Huge Eric Balfour fan" — now there are four words you don't hear every day. Yeah, he'll be back.
read more
Jon Stewart, the 78th Annual Academy Awards
For complete minute-by-minute Watercooler coverage of the Academy Awards ceremony and of Joan and Melissa's live preshow, click here.
ConvictionI've had many obsessions in my life — love, shiny jewelry, chocolate — but none as devastating as Law & Order. My addiction to Dick Wolf's franchise (save for the deservedly short-lived Trial by Jury) has distracted me from finishing freelance assignments, deprived me of adequate sleep and even chased away a boyfriend or two. That said, Wolf's new series Conviction — which technically isn't part of the L&O family, even though it stars Special Victims Unit's cast
read more
