Polly Bergen, Desperate Housewives
Stella Wingfield, Lynette's deadbeat mom, lives to harass another day, it seems. Polly Bergen will reprise her guest-starring gig on Desperate Housewives for "at least two more episodes," sources close to the show tell TVGuide.com. What brings her back? Read on to find out...
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The Simpsons courtesy Fox
The past few weeks have been trying ones for anyone who cares about TV and the potentially devastating impact the ongoing writers’ strike could have on the current season and beyond. Which is why, being a cockeyed optimist and all, I’ve been cautiously thanking the fates ever since hearing that the Writers’ Guild and the producers’ alliance are going back to the negotiating table on Monday. No guarantee, of course, that this will mean a quick end to the standoff that has shut so much production down already. But hey, it’s Thanksgiving week, so let’s stay in a thankful and hopeful mode, OK?In that light, here are 10 more reasons to be thankful about the current week in TV as we head into the Thanksgiving break.1. We’re still in a sweeps month, which has allowed us most nights to live blissfully in denial that a strike is even happening, since new episodes continue to abound (including over most of this long holiday weekend). Depending on what happen...
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Gaby was extra neighborly with Adam to make Carlos jealous. Eva Longoria and Nathan Fillion by Ron Tom/ABC
Episode Recap: "The Game"Does no one on Wisteria Lane ever learn that playing games to hide the truth can only succeed for so long? Eventually the secrets and lies come to the fore. But to their credit, the neighbors all did a fine job of keeping up the act tonight. Charades was just one among many games that were played at Susan and Mike's home.We still didn't get much further in the Mayfair mystery. What we do know is that Dylan's real dad didn't do what Mom Mayfair told everyone: "the worst thing a father can do to his daughter." That was just another lie made up to keep them quiet in the future.Edie flaunted her engagement to bug both Carlos and Gaby, courtesy of a ring she bought herself (she should have used Carlos' money from that offshore account). She also befriended Katherine, assuring her that when Katherine caught Adam and Gaby flirting, it was the latter she should worry about. Before the night was over, Katherine spilled Gaby's sordid history with Wisteria Lane's most ...
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Just swapping recipes? Doubtful. Desperate Housewives by Ron Tom/ABC
Was that a hit man who was taking Carlos' money last week? That was the inescapable implication, and blackmailer Edie has certainly become a pain in Carlos' you-know-what — but we'll see. We'll also see what will happen with the Bree-Katherine pie fight now that it has merged with the mystery surrounding Katherine's ex and her sudden departure for that vague job in Chicago 13 years ago. Meanwhile, Lynette's mom, Stella (Polly Bergen), is baking brownies to cheer her up during chemotherapy. Given Stella's history of substance abuse, one can only imagine what's in them. — Paul Droesch
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Well, they said the final scene would be a shocker, and they were right. I am speechless. You know how much I love my Edie. Would it be too much to ask to have Carlos heroically and miraculously walk in during the very first scene this fall and save her? I do not want this show to go on without Nicollette Sheridan. Yes, Edie is not one of the four main housewives, but the show would not be the same without her. Soap operas have had people hang themselves and be saved at the last minute. Until I get a confirmation, I'm going to spend this entire summer believing Edie is not dead. Just call me DID — "Dave In Denial."Except for that ending, I was very happy with this season's finale episode. I thought it had the perfect Desperate Housewives blend of drama and comedy. I expected to be satisfied after seeing that departing coexecutive producer Joe Keenan was one of the writers (along with talented fellow coexec producer Kevin Murphy). Besides having the same job title for all those ...
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Polly Bergen by Jemal Countess/WireImage.com
Those stunt-casting-crazy kids over at Desperate Housewives are at it again.Inside sources confirm that veteran actress Polly Bergen (Cape Fear, Commander in Chief, denture commercials) has been cast as Lynette's saucy mother. She'll first appear in the May 20 season finale to "help" Lynette deal with a life-threatening health crisis. "She shows up smoking and drinking," says my spy. "It should be a really fun character."Additionally, M*A*S*H alum Mike Farrell has been tapped to play Victor's gazillionaire dad (and Gaby's soon-to-be father-in-law). He'll also show up in the finale.
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Geena Davis, Commander in Chief
The big news last October: ABC pulled a shocking switcheroo, replacing Rod Lurie with Steven Bochco as show runner for Commander in Chief (Tuesdays at 9 pm/ET), which had debuted to impressive approval ratings, aka Nielsens. The big news today: ABC has announced that Chief will temporarily step down on March 7 to make room for the new comedy Sons & Daughters. Can the acclaimed Geena Davis-as-president drama survive another hiatus and retain the popular vote?
Bochco, for one, believes that "hiatus" need not be a four-letter word, given the right circumstances. But first, a bit of background on Chief's cha
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Question: Wasn't Polly Bergen, who's now playing Geena Davis' mom on Commander in Chief, in a movie where she played the first female president? Is there a connection there?
Answer: You'd think so, but no. Polly Bergen did indeed star as the first female president of the United States in the comedy Kisses for My President (1964), but a publicist for TV's Commander in Chief told me that her casting was just serendipity, not an insider's nod to the film.
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Commander in ChiefNaval-base closures! Mentally challenged women on death row! The triumphant return of Zack Morris! I'm already exhausted, and that's just the teaser. The Steven Bochco effect truly gets underway this week, as Mark-Paul Gosselaar joins the cast — and even earns that fancy-schmancy "with" credit. Not quite as good as the "and," but still pretty darn cool for a Bayside High grad. Not to sound ageist, but I think we really needed the likes of young, hip, smooth-talking media consultant Dickie McDonald to bridge the gap between the First Kids and the Grown-Ups-in-Charge. Of course, I say that and Mac goes and asks her mother to move into the White House. Now if we could just get a newborn in there somehow…. Hey, maybe Becca'll get herself knocked up! Then we'
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NBC has tapped comedian Howie Mandel to host Deal or No Deal, an "exciting game show that contains nail-biting drama and hefty cash prizes," says the Peacock.... Actress Polly Bergen has signed on to play first mom to Geena Davis on Commander in Chief. She first airs Nov. 29.... The incomparable Charlotte Ross has been cast as John Stamos' ex-fiancée on ABC's Jake in Progress, which kicks off its second season in January. Oh, great. Now I have to start watching Jake in Progress. — Additional reporting by Ali Gazan
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