Jennifer Garner by Jamie McCarthy/ WireImage.com
Are the Afflecks expecting a second child? Conflicting reports have emerged, thanks in part to comments from Jennifer Garner's Alias costar, Victor Garber. The actor seemingly announced her pregnancy to Us, saying, "Yes, she is," when asked if the couple was expecting a baby.Later in the day, though, Garber said his comments had been taken out of context. "I haven't confirmed that at all, no," E! reports. "I know they want to have another child and hopefully that's true, but I don't know that." He added, "I know that they are hoping to be, I just don't know that it's for sure. It's a very...personal thing."What is confirmed is that Garner's been seen around town sporting super-baggy tops, and has previously expressed interest in having more children with Ben Affleck in addition to their daughter, Violet. All of this leaves us with the same guessing game — and possibly a Jack Black-like slip from Garber. What do you think he meant? — Anna Dimond
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I’ve been going on and on lately about how much ABC’s Eli Stone has grown on me, especially in the last few weeks—ironically, the show finding its truest voice around the time it lost new episodes of Lost as a lead-in, par for the course in this frustrating strike-warped midseason. Tonight, Eli signs off after its 13-episode tryout, and if you can watch it unmoved, maybe this really isn’t the show for you.Last week, Eli (the charming Jonny Lee Miller) shook everyone’s world by correctly predicting an earthquake. This week, his own world is shaken when he decides to risk dangerous surgery to remove his aneurism (which could be the cause of his quirky and often musical visions). Eli isn’t so much worried about living or dying. “The something in-between is what scares me,” he says, and he’s not talking about the show being on the proverbial “bubble” for renewal. (I’m glad my pal Michael Ausiello shares my high hopes of the sho...
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Why not start off a glorious spring week — a week that continues the welcome rollout of shows returning from long strike hiatus — with some positive thoughts? Starting with the return of Bones to Fox’s schedule. For those keeping track in this confusing midseason, Mondays are now the new Tuesdays for Fox. And once House kicks back in with new episodes starting April 28 (a House repeat airs next Monday), Mondays will almost feel like the new Thursdays with so many choices on the suddenly overstuffed night, as Fox’s first-rate drama combo faces ABC’s blazing-hot Dancing with the Stars, CBS’ terrific comedy lineup and the ever-popular CSI: Miami, as well as a cult fave in the CW’s returning Gossip Girl and NBC’s ubiquitous Deal or No Deal. Whew.But back to Bones, one of TV’s most purely enjoyable procedural crime dramas. Yes, there are icky remains to deal with (a body boiled in a sulfurous mud pit), but the fun of Bones is in the playful in...
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Jonny Lee Miller of "Eli Stone" by Gale Adler/ABC
Ever wondered what a Fox reality show would look like on NBC? Watch, and revel in, the glimpses we’re shown of the fictional (at least for now) reality spoof "MILF Island" in tonight’s first episode back of 30 Rock. Everyone from Alec Baldwin’s deliciously malicious network boss Jack Donaghy to a certain other vice president who should have better things to do are glued to the season finale of "Island," which is what Survivor would look like if populated by cougar moms and adolescent boys. It’s a hilarious backdrop to an episode that, as is often the case, is at its best when Jack and beleaguered Liz Lemon (the terrific Tina Fey) tangle and tango over the sad state of the business we call show. A business where a breakout reality star can be judged on her appeal to the key demographics of “soccer moms, Nascar dads, white-collar pervs and the obese.” How many ways do I love 30 Rock?Liz, the clay-footed hero of this brilliant satire, is naturally appalled...
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Mira Sorvino by Paul Morigi/WireImage.com
Can Mighty Aphrodite crack the Da Vinci Code? Fresh from her Super Bowl-night turn on House, Mira Sorvino has signed on to star in The Last Templar, an NBC miniseries based on Raymond Khoury's best-selling novel (shop Amazon), says Variety. The Academy Award winner will play a Manhattan archaeologist who goes searching for the medieval Knights Templar, while Victor Garber (Alias) costars as Monsignor De Angelis, who helps in the quest. Shooting begins next month in Montreal and Morocco.
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Episode Recap: "Grin and Bear It"Wilhemina was in her full glory tonight. My favorite scenes were Pretty Willie (as Meade Publications' cochair) being introduced to some of the company's other publishing treasures, and Ugly Wanda weaving us through her evening at Studio 54 as Fey's mousey assistant, spying on her boss entwined with Amanda's mystery dad with the Tweety Bird tattoo on his ass. Priceless!Speaking of spies, Syd's double-agent dad on Alias is now torturing the wounded artistes in Betty's writing class. His brand of teaching involves nick-naming Betty "Clappy" and/or "Crappy" and encouraging them to attempt suicide or start a knife fight — whatever gives them something to write about. I love Victor Garber; I hope we see more of him!No wonder the usually self-assured Betty lost her nerve during class and claimed the bear-victim story was hers. The poor girl can't get away with anything! Soon she found herself Prof. Barrett's teacher's pet, then at the "New York Review...
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Daly's Primetime PracticeWhile Tim Daly is excited about his new show Private Practice, he can't help but be a little skeptical. Can you blame him? The last three series he's been on — The Fugitive, Eyes, The Nine — all got nixed during their first seasons. "I approach everything with a healthy amount of optimism," he said while hanging out at the Lucky Suite, where he picked up some Cosabella lingerie and True Religion jeans for his wife and daughter. "I just don't want to get my heart broken again. You just never know." Still, Private Practice is one of the most buzzed about shows this season. "We all figured it would do great since the pilot was embedded in a Grey's Anatomy episode," said Daly. "But it's really exciting." His costar Merrin Dungey is a little more enthusiastic about being cast on the Grey's spin-off. "I actually screamed when I saw myself on next week's clips," Dungey said at ABC's Upfront party. "It's like being cast on your favorite show. I feel like I...
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Victor Garber, who was last seen heading up a high-priced law firm on Fox's Justice, is joining Jonny Lee Miller in Eli Stone, ABC's drama pilot about a San Francisco attorney (Miller) who finds out he might be a prophet. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Garber will play the father of Miller's fiancée, and the senior partner at his law firm.For more casting news, including the exciting scoop on which Everwooder is joining a hit ABC series, and the latest on Grey's Anatomy's new arrival, visit the Ausiello Report and today's fresh Ask Ausiello.
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Question: Do you have any news on Justice? I absolutely love this show. It's fresh, fast-paced, well-acted, has great stories, and at the end, you find out what really happened. I know that it is not doing very well in the ratings, and I'm afraid that it will be canceled. I personally think this show would be a hit if it were picked up by CBS. It seems more that network's style, and I think more people would feel compelled to check it out. Also, any news on Las Vegas? Great show, great cast, but it doesn't seem to be anywhere, and I haven't seen any previews for a new season. Are the ratings really that bad? Is it coming back?
Answer: The word (in the trades and elsewhere) is that Fox isn't quite ready yet to give up on Justice, and that when Fox's schedule resets itself in November after the baseball break, this show could find itself in a new time period. (I'd try it on Mondays in place of the increasingly woeful Vanished or Tuesdays in place of Standoff.) But I'd like to see the show
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Question: I like James Woods as an actor and was immediately interested when I heard about Shark. On the other hand, although I also like Victor Garber, Justice was barely on my radar. The early premiere of Justice, particularly since it was right after Bones, got me to watch, and I was pleasantly surprised. In contrast, I was rather disappointed in Shark. Somehow, I just found the whole "redemption" angle of Shark really off-putting. It's like he's a jerk, but he's sorry he's a jerk. Victor Garber's character is unapologetic and does what it takes to win. How are the two shows doing, and what's your opinion of them?
Answer: As noted earlier, Justice is struggling, and even Shark got off to a disappointing start in its first week (considering the power of the CSI lead-in). I think both shows are flawed: Justice because it's too trapped by its procedural formula and Shark because it strands James Woods in a hackneyed setup, personally and professionally, and surrounds him with a
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