Get those claws out Gossip Girl Upper East Siders, because there's a new cougar in town! OK, she's not quite a full-fledged cougar age wise, but Madchen Amick has just been cast as a May-December love interest for Nate — aka Blair's high school-aged ex. EW reports that Amick, who played a casino wife on the "blink-and-you-missed-it" Viva Laughlin, will play Catherine Mason when Gossip Girl returns to the CW on Sept. 1.What do you think of a cougar crashing the Gossip gang? — Erin FoxRelated• Gossip Invades the Hamptons• Use Our Online Video Guide to Watch More Gossip Girl
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Question: What's the latest on Kevin and Jason on Brothers & Sisters? I'm hearing some disturbing rumors about who Kevin chooses, and it's not Jason. Don't tell me we wished death on Viva Laughlin for nothing!
Answer: Regardless of how the Scotty/Kevin/Jason triangle plays out, you did not wish death on Viva Laughlin for nothing. Believe me, the world is a much better place without that crappy show in it. Having said that, and without giving too much away, I can tell you that Kevin's initial choice isn't necessarily his ultimate choice.
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Question: While we all know what a calamitous effect the current strike will have on the fall newcomers, what effect (if any) will it have on new midseason shows? Have they been given enough lead time to remain intact, or will they disappear altogether from the schedule, done in by a lack of new scripts?
Answer: Depends on the show. Those that have been in production since late summer/early fall will probably have banked enough episodes to at least get their customary tryouts. The good news for these shows is that if the strike keeps going, the networks may just let them ride it out even if the ratings aren't up to snuff because of the need for original programming. You'd have to be a complete stinker like Viva Laughlin to be yanked off the air after only two or three episodes in this environment ...
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Question: Does it seem like the networks this fall are nursing their new shows a little better than in the past few seasons? I know Viva Laughlin was canceled quickly (oh, well!), but the networks have picked up Gossip Girl, Private Practice, The Big Bang Theory, Back to You and Pushing Daisies for full-season orders. None of these are ratings blockbusters, but they have pretty decent followings and good buzz. Do you think the suits are trying something new as ratings, in general, have been down, or do you think that because there have been no major breakthroughs this season, they're being forced to nurse their new shows?
Answer: This is a fair observation. I was actually expecting a few more shows to be canceled by now. But given the generally depressed numbers for even hit shows this fall, it makes sense for the networks to let things continue to shake out for a bit as they try to analyze the potential for the new batch of shows, many of which have fallen far below expectations (in
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Question: Recently I overhead a coworker saying how awful they thought Pushing Daisies was. I, of course, interjected that I love it, while sadly consigning myself to the fact that this is going to be a love-it-or-hate-it show (and that chatter may unfortunately turn away viewers who would potentially enjoy it). Perhaps I'm a child at heart, but I can't help but cherish Chuck's enthusiasm, the whimsical effects, the expressions Chi McBride uses and storyline twists such as sword-fighting with an Asian confederate's descendant. I then decided to try out Viva Laughlin, despite the warnings of you and other critics. I thought if nothing else, it could be a guilty pleasure, "so bad it's good." I was wrong. It was mind-numbingly awful, with no pleasure of any kind. My biggest fear, though, is that this will discourage networks from taking chances on musical shows in the future. Though I don't think there will ever be a musical on the level of CSI or Desperate Housewives in popularity, I do ...
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