matt.webb.mitovich

GUEST STAR 4 U

Oops, Will & Grace is doing it again — stunt casting, that is. As first hinted in the new issue of TV Guide magazine, producers have snagged Britney Spears for a guest shot. Here are the deets: In the April 13 episode, when a Christian TV network takes over "Jack Talk," Spears is brought on as Jack's new religious cohost, even adding her own touches like a cooking segment called "Cruci-fixin's." This is also good news for Spears' husband, Kevin Federline: He is more than welcome to drive her to the NBC studio.

Tue, Jan 31, 2006

Will Supernatural Live to See CW?

Make no mistake, it's show time for those ghoul-bustin' brothers on WB's Supernatural (Tuesdays at 9 pm/ET). Although well touted by fans and many critics, the dark li'l series now needs to prove itself more than ever in light of the announcement that come September, both WB and UPN will give up the ghost and be replaced by CW, a new channel offering the "best of" the two sixth networks. Do Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles' Sam and Dean have what it takes to make the cut? All eyes are on the back half of Supernatural's freshman season, which promises to scare up many more surprises and revelations pertaining to the series' mythology. "We've alread

Tue, Jan 31, 2006

OSCAR NODS OFFER FEW SURPRISES

Nominations for the 78th-annual Academy Awards were announced Tuesday morning, and leading the herd was — yep — Brokeback Mountain, lassoing eight nods, including best picture, best director, and acting bids for Heath Ledger (in the lead category), Jake Gyllenhaal (supporting) and Michelle Williams. Challenging the cowboy romance for best-pic honors are Capote, Crash, Munich and Good Night, and Good Luck. The lead-actor race pits Ledger against SAG-Golden Globe winner Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote), Globe winner Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line), Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow) and David Strathairn (Good Night), while the lead-actress contenders are SAG-Globe winner Reese Witherspoon (Walk the Line), Globe winner Felicity Huffman (Tran

Tue, Jan 31, 2006

24's Biggest Secret Revealed!

Tonight at 9 pm/ET, Fox's 24 tackles the sixth hour in Jack Bauer's latest daylong frenzy. Will the world's most resilient terrorist-buster get closer to the heart of this season's criminal conspiracy? Will he once again save the day? And in doing so, will he ever break for a sandwich or "see a man about a horse"? Your guess, you ticking-clock-loving viewer, is as good as anyone's. As series star Kiefer Sutherland and executive producers Howard Gordon and Evan Katz reveal, one of the show's biggest secrets is that, at the end of the day, no one is quite sure what will happen at the end of the day. "We're lucky if, at the beginning of the [season], we know where it starts," says Gordon, hal

Mon, Jan 30, 2006

Todd Bridges Is No Longer Skating By

Perhaps no reality-show elimination is as brutally cold as on Fox's Skating with Celebrities (Mondays at 8 pm/ET), where the booted have likely spent weeks sliding their backsides on the ice. The first to lack muster with the judging panel was Diff'rent Strokes alum Todd Bridges, who in this TVGuide.com Q&A sings the praises of his pro partner, opens up about his sobriety, and promises a true Hollywood tell-all the likes of which you cannot imagine. TVGuide.com: You treated Skating with Celebrities viewers to a "Whatcha talkin' 'bout, Willis?" early on. Did you just want to get it out of your system?Todd Bridges: Yeah, I figured if I kill it before anyone

Mon, Jan 30, 2006

Elfman Not Courting a Dharma Clone

For its premiere last week, CBS' Courting Alex (Mondays at 9:30 pm/ET) drew 14.9 million samplers. It also saw seemingly just as many TV critics contend that the premise — Jenna Elfman's uptight lawyer finds unlikely sparks with Josh Randall's laid-back bar owner — is but a flipped version of Dharma & Greg, the statuesque comedienne's previous sitcom foray. Elfman, though, pooh-poohs such pigeonholing. "I was doing a phone interview where they mentioned that, and I hadn't even thought about it, actually," the actress shares. "I hadn't thought this is anywhere near or opposite Dharma." Denoting several differences, she says, "Greg wasn't a workaholic [like Alex]. He wasn't a con

Mon, Jan 30, 2006

WORLDS' CHAMPION

War of the Worlds' Tom Cruise has been declared the numero uno babymaking moneymaking film star of 2005, per an annual survey of movie exhibitors. In making his record seventh appearance atop the list, Cruise bested (in order) Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt (tied for third; make your own bondage joke), Vince Vaughn, and George Clooney.

Fri, Jan 27, 2006

CTU-S-A! CTU-S-A!

Senator John McCain's recent visit to the set of Fox's 24 — yep, he's a superfan — resulted in a nonspeaking cameo for the politico. In the Feb. 6 episode, executive producer Howard Gordon tells USA Today, watch closely and you'll see McCain make "a little Alfred Hitchcock star turn" when he hands off a file folder to Audrey. Jack's old flame will then begin sobbing uncontrollably because 1) she really wanted McCain to win the 2000 California primary and 2) that's what she does.

Fri, Jan 27, 2006

Shirley Jones Is Batty, I Tell Ya!

In Hallmark Channel's Hidden Places (premiering Saturday at 9pm/ET), Sydney Penny (All My Children, The Thorn Birds) plays Eliza, a Depression-era farmer's widow who, when times get very bleak, is offered assistance by a handsome stranger named Gabe (Jason Gedrick). Can she trust this angelic drifter? Helping usher things along is Eliza's Aunt Batty, played with a flourish by Academy Award-winner Shirley Jones. TVGuide.com welcomed the chance to talk with the woman best know as Oklahoma's Miss Laurey — even at the risk of spontaneous warbling. TVGuide.com: I was a stagehand for my high-school's production of Oklahoma, so forgive me if I sudd

Fri, Jan 27, 2006

Soderbergh Film May Change Hollywood

The latest film from Academy Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh seeks not to break box-office records, earn countless awards or chronicle what's next for Danny Ocean and his band of merry thieves. No, all it wants to do is change the way Hollywood makes movies. Forever. Bubble, starring absolutely no one you have heard of — unless, per chance, you are a resident of Parkersburg, W. Va., or Belpre, Ohio — presents the story of two doll-factory drones whose very, very quiet world is turned upside down by a shocking murder. Sounds good and typically art-housey so far, right? But the reason all eyes in Hollywood are on this little film that could — made for a pittance of $1.6 million — is that Bubble will be released in theaters and on cable (via HDNet Movies) today, and will then become available on DVD on Tuesday. Cal

Fri, Jan 27, 2006

BING-BING-BING!

Could we be any more excited about this? Matthew Perry is returning to NBC as the star of Aaron Sorkin's much-anticipated drama series (previously known as Studio 7) set behind the scenes at a Saturday Night Live-type show. As my esteemed colleague first reported in his TV Guide magazine column, The Ausiello Report, the former Friend initially turned down the gig for reasons Ausiello refuses to divulge — go ahead, try asking him — but Sorkin apparently didn't take no for an answer. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Perry will play a genius comic writer who was forced out of his position as one of the sketch show's producers after a dispute with the network. Onetime Wingsman Steven Weber will play the net's ambitious chairman, and D.L. Hughley one of the sketch show's stars.

Fri, Jan 27, 2006

MADtv Vet Brings Asian Awards to TV

On Sunday at 8 pm/ET, the AZN Television network presents the 2006 Asian Excellence Awards, the first-ever broadcast of this ceremony that celebrates Asians and Asian Americans in entertainment, sports, music and more. In addition to such categories as "Outstanding TV Performance" and "Outstanding Stylemaker," special honors will be given to Lucy Liu, AIDS researcher Dr. David Ho, Quentin Tarantino, the late Ismail Merchant and Pat Morita. Joining X-Men 2's Kelly Hu in hosting the festivities is MADtv funnyman Bobby Lee, whom TVGuide.com was happy to chat up — even though the prime-time scheduling of the interview meant missing

Thu, Jan 26, 2006

Smallville's 100th: Whose Number Is Up?

Psst. I'm going to let you in on a little secret: The 100th episode of WB's Smallville, airing tonight at 8 pm/ET, features the death of a major character. "No!" you exclaim. "You're making this up!" "First I've heard!" OK, enough, you wisenheimers. Still, much secrecy (some of it rather effective) has surrounded the ill-fated Smallviller's identity, and while this Q&A isn't about to blab who it is, we thought it'd be interesting to chat up cocreator Al Gough about... yeah, that. TVGuide.com: You must feel like this is all you've talked about for half your life, don't you?Al Gough: [Laughs] TVGuide.com: You never want to hear "100th-episode death" again, do you?G

Thu, Jan 26, 2006

DIFFERENT POINTS OF VOW

Might "Baby X" Jolie-Pitt not be born out of wedlock? Don't look to the parents for consensus. According to the Star, Brad Pitt was overheard telling The Constant Gardener director Fernando Meirelles on Jan. 17 that he and ladylove Angelina Jolie plan to marry "very soon." Yet that same day, Angie allegedly told Sin City helmer Robert Rodriguez that she and her baby-daddy "will never marry." I'm less fascinated with the disagreement than with the fact that being a Hollywood director apparently makes you privy to all sorts of scoop.

Thu, Jan 26, 2006

Dominic Monaghan Has the Dope on Lost

This week's Lost (airing at 9pm/ET on ABC, for the 108 of you who don't know) focuses its attention on Charlie, whom Claire and some others (but not those Others) suspect may be chasing the dragon... sampling the smack... riding the H train... OK, I've run out of euphemisms (and even made up that last one, I think). But is DriveSHAFT's bass player actually back with the brown sugar? TVGuide.com went to Dominic Monaghan for the inside dope. TVGuide.com: Regarding this week's episode, "Fire + Water," I imagine you must have been excited to tap back into Charlie's sad little past. It's been a while for you.Dominic Monaghan: It has been a while. This season has been, in a sense, about change, in terms of the format, in terms of how they've told the stor

Wed, Jan 25, 2006

It's an L of a Time for Alan Cumming

Before Alan Cumming bids adieu to Showtime's The L Word (Sundays at 10pm/ET) — he has three more episodes to air — you can bet that he will have made his mark on the envelope-pushing sapphic series. In a Q&A with TVGuide.com, the actor teased what's ahead, gave us a whiff of his bawdy little skin-care line, and shared his glee over his forthcoming Broadway venture. TVGuide.com: The first time I remember seeing you was in 1995's Circle of Friends. Was I late to the Alan Cumming party?Alan Cumming: [Laughs] Well, I had existed before then, but... that was the first film I had done that did well in America. TVGuide.com: Was it a turning point of any kind?Cumming: Yes, it was, in that after I came to America to do press for it, I started to get asked to work here. TVGuid

Wed, Jan 25, 2006

Scrubs Star Is a Wizard of Ha-Has

Tonight at 9 pm/ET, NBC's Scrubs presents its 100th episode, featuring — no, not the death of someone close to Clark Kent — a humorous homage to The Wizard of Oz. This week's second helping guest-stars Jason Bateman and a whole lotta angry ostriches. Is this show officially off the hook? TVGuide.com spoke with Donald Faison, aka Turk, about crafting Scrubs' weekly remedy for the prime-time blahs. TVGuide.com: Donald Faison, pardon my French, but you are on one damn funny show.Donald Faison: Thanks, but where did you speak French in that? TVGuide.com: Um, when I said "Faison"? So do you get that a lot, people telling you that Scrubs

Tue, Jan 24, 2006

WB, UPN MERGE TO FORM NEW NETWORK

Talk about changing the channel! According to CNN.com, CBS chairman Les Moonves announced on Tuesday morning that both WB and UPN will cease operations this fall when CBS Corp. will partner with Warner Bros. to create a new broadcast television network. The CW Network — the CW? Just CW? I dunno, it's early —  will target the 18-to-34 age group and play host to programming from WB and UPN, including Gilmore Girls and Everybody Hates Chris. OK, Veronica and Clark are, like, so gonna hook up now.

Tue, Jan 24, 2006

SMOKING NOT

A steamy love scene between Katie Holmes and Aaron Eckhart was mysteriously excised from the version of Thank You for Smoking that was screened at the Sundance Film Festival, fueling buzz that Tom Cruise may have wielded his considerable clout to snuff the footage of his prepregnancy fiancée. According to the New York Post, a studio rep says, "We don't know what happened, but we're looking into it," then insists the film "will absolutely be released with that scene" — or, just maybe, replaced with the volleyball scene from Top Gun.

Tue, Jan 24, 2006

One-on-One with Love Monkey's Shooter

In CBS' recently premiered Love Monkey (Tuesdays at 10 pm/ET), Ed alum Tom Cavanagh is flanked by a trio of buds, including Jason Priestley's dad-to-be, Mike, and Christopher Wiehl's onetime baseball stud, Jake. Rounding out the close-knit quartet is Shooter, played by Larenz Tate, with whom TVGuide.com went one-on-one in this Q&A.  TVGuide.com: Some have likened Love Monkey to Sex and the City, but with guys and music. In that scheme of things, who is Shooter — Samantha?Larenz Tate: Yeah, that's what everyone is saying. Our show clearly stands on its own, but if I had to compare, he'd be the

Tue, Jan 24, 2006

Can a Saw II Sexpot Tame Charlie Sheen?

A ballerina dances back into Charlie's life on tonight's Two and a Half Men (9 pm/ET on CBS), when Emmanuelle Vaugier — who is seemingly everywhere these days — reprises her November 2005 role as Mia for several episodes. Will the Saw II siren be the one to finally make Charlie Sheen's player cough up the "commitment" word? TVGuide.com spoke with the actress about that, her run as Lex Luthor's honey and more. TVGuide.com: What brings Mia back? Didn't Charlie selflessly let her go, out of deference to poor li'l Jake's crush?Emmanuelle Vaugier: Yes, I know! It's never really explained, but

Mon, Jan 23, 2006

THE DOLLAR INITIATIVE

It's not quite Hurley's lottery winnings, but it's a start. ABC is offering all of Lost's original cast members a substantial salary bump, in exchange for adding a year to each actor's contract. The preemptive proposal would up each actor's per-episode take to about $80,000 (up from a range of $20,000 to $40,000), putting them on par with the Desperate housewives. Also included in the deal is a monthly bail stipend.

Mon, Jan 23, 2006