Hugh Laurie (House), Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: SVU) and Bret Harrison (Reaper)
Every week, senior editors Matt Webb Mitovich, Mickey O'Connor and Tim Molloy satisfy your need for TV scoop. Please send all questions to mega_scoop@tvguide.com.
I have to wonder if the psych hospital in the House finale was also a hallucination. It was pretty strange how the street and parking lots were empty. And it looked like he was going to one of those hospitals from the 1940s. — RSmith
MATT: How Vanilla Sky! But nope, sources assure me that House's rehab stint is the real deal. And that hospital's more retro than you think. Greystone Park State Hospital (in Morristown, N.J.) made its debut in 1876 as the not-so-subtly named New Jersey State Lunatic Asylum. The hospital has tended to such patients as singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie, and until the Pentagon was built, it boasted the largest foundation (674,000 sq. feet) of any structure in the U.S. I'd try to book a TVGuide.com Q&A with the building, but fear I'd be stonewalled.
Now that Reiko Aylesworth has been dropped from ABC's The Forgotten, could SVU bring back her ADA character, Erica Alden, from Season 1? —Walt
MICKEY: It's an interesting idea, but a very well-informed source tells me that Aylesworth will ...
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Robert Knepper, Madeline Zima
It's a beast ... and a beauty.
Robert Knepper, who repulsed yet riveted Prison Break fans as the vile Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell, is joining NBC's Heroes as this season's big baddie, says the Hollywood Reporter.
Also, a show rep confirms that Californication's Madeline Zima is coming on board as Claire's new gal pal.
In the Season 4 volume "Redemption," Knepper will play ...
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90210
New releases announced today, May 20:
90210 - The 1st Season will be coming out August 11
Californication - Season 2 will be coming out August 11
Dexter - The 3rd Season will be coming out August 18
Everybody Hates Chris - The 4th Season will be coming out August 18
iCarly - Season 2, Vol. 1 will be coming out August 18
Leverage - The 1st Season will be coming out July 14
The Simpsons - The Complete 12th Season will be coming out August 18
Visit TVShowsOnDVD.com for the complete stories on these and other news items.
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Ed Westwick
Ed Westwick (aka Gossip Girl's I'm Chuck Bass) is the latest familiar face to be tapped for a guest-starring turn on Californication.
The Showtime series returns for a third season this fall, with David Duchovny's Hank Moody trying his hand as a university professor. Westwick will play Balt, a student of Hank's — and one with a hunger for ...
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Rick Springfield
Californication may lose Pamela Adlon, but it's gaining Rick Springfield.
The General Hospital alum and "Jessie's Girl" rocker will play himself in four episodes of the Showtime series, EW's Ausiello reports.
Springfield's recruitment follows ...
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Pamela Adlon
Pamela Adlon may leave Evan Handler for Adam Carolla. The Californication star, who plays Handler's wife on the Showtime series, has landed the female lead in ...
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Peter Gallagher, Kathleen Turner
Californication's Hank Moody has a new literary contact and a new antagonist in the third season of Califonication, courtesy of new castmates Kathleen Turner and Peter Gallagher.
Maybe it's us, but the sultry-voiced Turner (Body Heat, War of the Roses) seems like the perfect choice to play Charlie's (Evan Handler) sexy and tough new agency head — who has a thing for him. Turner is slated to appear in 10 of the season's 12 episodes. Let the awesomely awkward sexual harassment begin!
Meanwhile, Hank (David Duchovny), who will be blundering his way through his role as a single parent to Becca (Madeleine Martin) this season, takes a new gig as a university professor. As reported last week, Numbers' Diane Farr will join the cast as a sexy teacher's assistant who gets her naughty on with Hank in several episodes.
OC's Peter Gallagher will play a dean of students who has a contentious relationship with Hank in eight episodes. Read on and comment after the jump!
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How I Met Your Mother
Just another manic Monday for the CBS sitcoms. Let's break it down:
8 pm/ET
Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother easily command the top spot, with the former notching yet another series' best — 11.42 million total viewers. Mother, meanwhile, gained nine percent to deliver its largest audience since Jan. 9, 2006. (Read Barney's letter to Santa.)
Chuck claimed runner-up status with 7.56 mil, up 630K week-to-week. Trailing ABC's Charlie Brown special, Sarah Connor's midseason finale scored 5.29 mil, up a hair from last week.
9 pm
Two and a Half Men surged 15 percent to flirt with 18 million viewers, its largest audience since May 16, 2005 (the night of the Everybody Loves Raymond series finale). In turn, Worst Week (12.12 mil) soared 14 percent to set an all-time high.
Heroes held steady at 7.78 mil, as it bid the "Villains" adieu. Prison Break (5.73 mil) added 340 thou.
10 pm
CSI: Miami dominated with 14.46 million viewers (up 860K), its best numbers since Feb. 26, 2007. Worst Enemy inched up a hair, to 4.08 mil.
Sunday ratings addendum: Dexter's season finale gave Showtime 1.51 million viewers with its 9 pm airing, and two mil including the later rebroadcast. Californication nearly scored a million over two plays of its own season ender.
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David Duchovny, Californication
After a tough couple of months, David Duchovny has something to celebrate: Californication will be back for more action.
Showtime announced Wednesday that its sophomore dramedy will return for a third season, with filming set to start anew this spring. Duchovny stars as Hank Moody, a (mostly) lovable novelist with a penchant for sex, drugs and rock 'n roll, plus a tumultuous relationship with his love Karen and their precocious teen daughter, Becca.
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Rachel Griffiths, Steven Weber
Brothers & Sisters
10:01 pm/ET ABC
Experienced Walker watchers know that family gatherings, no matter how noble their genesis, can turn sour in a hurry.
Read on for previews of The Amazing Race, Californication, Snoop Dogg's Father Hood and Summer Heights High.
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