Question: Come on, big guy, give me something on Smallville.Answer: In Episode 9, a new Phantom Zoner is going to surface and draw Clark to Seattle for a showdown. We will learn that there is a secret LuthorCorp lab where meteor-freak patients from Belle Reve are sent — instead of being released, as they think they are — for gruesome testing. And someone will escape and come looking for Lex.
Question: Can you give me a hint as to who dies tonight on Lost?Answer: Yeah, here's a hint: As soon as tonight's Lost ends on the East Coast, check out my Ausiello Report blog. I may be posting something of interest to you. (Think back to last season and my very special posts immediately following the deaths of Ana Lucia and Libby. See where I'm going with this?)
Question: You don't look at all how I expected you to. You make a lot of biting remarks that you really don't look like you'd make. That's not an insult or anything, just an observation. Do you talk the same as you write? You're cute or whatever, but you look like you get in front of your computer and type any and everything that you'd never say out loud. Again, don't take offense. I'd say that to your face. Answer: Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis CrlGre8?
Question: It is so nice to see some of the gals from Deadwood turning up on Lost! And now Powers Boothe is going to be on 24!Answer: They're everywhere! I couldn't believe it when Trixie and Joanie showed up in the same Lost episode last week. (Can a cameo by Mr. Wu be far behind?) I just hope all the main players will be available when the time comes to shoot those upcoming Deadwood movies, which, according to Variety, David Milch has already started penning for an early summer start.
Question: I heard that Kerry Weaver is going to be fired from County General. Is Laura Innes leaving ER?Answer: Kerry's job will certainly be in jeopardy when a new round of budget cuts forces Kovac to make a very difficult decision.
Question: Numbers is getting hot, hot, hot!Answer: That may explain why it's kicking some serious Law & Order booty on Friday night. And Everwood fans are gonna love this: Tom Amandes is guest-starring on Nov. 24 as a man out to expose a covert government program that has destroyed lives, including that of a person close to him. Says exec producer/AAdict Cheryl Heuton, "It's a moving, emotional role that lets a good actor show his stuff."
Question: Has Sarah Lancaster left What About Brian?Answer: It appears that way. A Brian rep confirms Lancaster is no longer a series regular, which explains why Marjorie packed up and moved away last week. However, that may not be the last we see of her. In fact, I hear she's taping an episode as we speak.
Question: Thanks to you, I have become a Veronica Mars fan! I'll split the three bucks with you. Or I will settle for some Smallville scoop.Answer: Lots of good buzz surrounding January's "Hydro" episode, which is directed by Tom Welling and features, as y'all know, Tori Spelling as a water-based gossip columnist. In addition to being tons of fun, I hear the episode features a pretty major (and surprising) kiss between Clark and ****.
Question: Any scoop on The O.C.?Answer: You mean, aside from the fact that the fourth season kicks off tomorrow night and the first four episodes — 3 and 4 in particular — are fantastic?
Question: Any idea what is happening with Crossing Jordan?Answer: No clue. NBC pulled it off its Friday sked and is only saying it could return as early as January. As a small consolation, the Nov. 17 episode of Las Vegas will feature another crossover from Jordan and Woody. And here's another mini-scooplet: Jordan is casting a new recurring role. The character is described as a sexy, funny, and slightly cocky cop in his mid-twenties to early thirties. Is it just me, or does that role have my name written all over it?
Question: So, Friday Night Lights is now the one show that I absolutely will not miss! Please say A) the ratings were amazing on Monday night, B) you have some news about upcoming story lines and C) you will spend the next month of your life promoting the heck out of it.Answer: A) The ratings weren't amazing, but they were higher than Studio 60's last several telecasts, B) a hottie from Smash's past will resurface later this season, and Lyla will be the target of an Internet smear campaign when word of her infidelity gets out (you hear that, Pam?) and C) done.
Question: Did Sun kill Jae on Lost?Answer: No. In their latest Lost podcast, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse confirmed that Sun's boy-on-the-side did in fact commit suicide. (Pay up, Dan Manu.) Damon and Carlton also teased that widower Pickett "might" seek some vengeance on Sun for killing Trixie, er, Colleen, and that Episode 10 is a Hurley flashback.
Question: Hey! You said you were going to talk more about Whispergate in AA! What happened?Answer: Whispergate? What's Whispergate? Oh, OK. I admit it: I was trying to pull off a cover-up of a cover-up! Here's the deal: During my video interview with Lauren Graham at the CW launch party in September, I tried to coax a little tease out of our favorite Gilmore gal about the big event taking place in Lorelai's life during November sweeps. When she played dumb, I leaned in, covered my mouth and whispered in her ear, "She marries Christopher." Afterward, it took only 48 hours for the conversation to be posted on tvguide.com but a mere 30 minutes before I received an e-mail from a reader telling me that next time, I should do a better job of covering my mouth because it was obvious what I had told Lauren in what I thought was a hushed tone. I blanched. I
Question: I work in your building, on the 28th floor. Doesn't this qualify as reason enough for you to spill the beans on the major Lost death tonight?Answer: OK, but not here. Head downstairs to Au Bon Pain at exactly 3 pm today and purchase the following: a large Diet Coke from the fountain machine and a toasted whole wheat bagel with light cream cheese and tomatoes. Place these items on a tray and walk it to the outdoor seating area. Look for someone wearing a white hooded sweatshirt with a huge Papa Smurf on the back. Leave the tray with him. You'll receive further instructions at that time.
Question: Consider me an Aushole. Now please give me a hint as to who bites the dust on Lost tonight. Not an asterisk hint either; they drive me crazy.Answer: This person is not an Other. Or female.
Question: Three weeks ago, I bought a season pass to Battlestar Galactica on iTunes. This morning, I received an e-mail from iTunes management stating that I was being given a credit for five TV episodes on iTunes "due to a change in the number of episodes the network plans to air." Is Season 3 being cut short?Answer: No. Here's what happened. There are 19 episodes of Battlestar this season, but iTunes erroneously billed season-pass holders for 20 episodes. As a make-good, they offered five free downloads to everyone who overpaid. Sounds fair to me.
Question: I was excited to see that Friday Night Lights made it in your top-five shows of the season. Do you have any scoop?Answer: The aforementioned Homecoming episode will also feature a guest stint by General Hospital Emmy winner Chad Brannon. He's playing Lucas Mize, the 2000 State Champ quarterback who returns to town a hero, but, per NBC, "Hides the true secrets about his life." Hmmm….
Question: I am in dire need of some Desperate Housewives dirt. Please tell me who is killed in this week's episode.Answer: I was praying for a Julie Mayer death, but sadly, it's not in the cards. I know this because I got my grubby little hands on an advance screener of Sunday's episode, and Susan's little demon spawn was still breathing by the end of the hour. Talk about a missed opportunity. Instead, the Grim Reaper made off with a slightly less annoying character whose identity I wouldn't think of revealing. But if you really want to know who croaks, I suggest you rewatch my Emmy-night interview with James Denton. The poor guy inadvertently dropped two major clues, one involving the victim's gender and another concerning his/her prom
Question: I see how it goes, you respond to the nasty comments I write, but not the shows I ask about. You are really something else. And regarding my "ugly" comment: look in the mirror and figure it out yourself.Answer: I'm not even going to dignify your e-mail with a response, Joan. I'll take the high road and let my readers bash you instead....
Question: It was Mole Day on Oct. 23. Just thought you should know.Answer: Seriously? I had no idea. (Note to self: Have intern Scott rush-order fruit baskets to Shonda Rhimes' limo driver and Dave Rosenthal's podiatrist.)
Question: Thanks to Ask Ausiello, I have developed a major crush on my married boss. All we do is sit around and talk about the spoilers in your column. Can you possibly dispense some Lost spoilers to give us more to talk about?Answer: Lucky for you, I have a soft spot for home-wrecking tramps like yourself. You won't have to wait long to find out who the proud owner of that spinal tumor is. It'll be revealed in the teaser of tonight's episode.
Question: Mike, my friends and I have a bet that this woman Joan who keeps writing in to insult you is secretly in love with you. Or about five days out of her extra-strength Lexapro. We're also putting money on you having scoop on Friday Night Lights. Don't leave us hanging, bud!Answer: Thank you, nameless gambling addict! She is in love with me. How could I not see that? As a reward, I will give you this: The juice is loose! Look for one of the Panthers to improve his game by means other than wind sprints. And the big Homecoming game on Nov. 14 will reveal Riggins' softer side.