michael.ausiello

Is Desperate Housewives ...

Question: Is Desperate Housewives really writing in Marcia Cross' real-life pregnancy?Answer: Officially, ABC insists Marc Cherry hasn't made up his mind. But Eva "Blabbermouth" Longoria is going around saying that Bree will get knocked up, presumably by her nutcase hubby Orson. Speaking of Orson, remember that mysterious friend of his played by Julie White? Well, she's MIA in Sunday's premiere, leading me to believe that the rumors are true: Theater queen White quit when she heard what producers had in store for her character.

Wed, Sep 20, 2006

I’m here in NYC for Cable’s ...

Question: I’m here in NYC for Cable’s Diversity Week and made sure to stop by Times Square to try Tasty D-Lite for the first time. And boy was it both Tasty and D-Liteful! Thanks so much for the recommendation!Answer: Did they have Cake Batter when you were there? I believe it to be the single greatest invention of our time.

Wed, Sep 20, 2006

Can we have a moment of ...

Question: Can we have a moment of silence for the WB?Answer: Definitely, but can we start it in about 10 seconds? Lemme just wrap up this week's AA by reminding all of you for the 63rd time to please check out my exclusive CW launch-party video interviews later this week. I heard from a reliable source that they're stupendous. And right now you should head on over to the Ask Ausiello discussion thread in my blog to bitch and moan about all the asterisk quizzes talk about how much you all love me. OK, now let's go ahead and observe that moment of silence for the WB. May it rest in peace.

Wed, Sep 20, 2006

Do you actually sit there and ...

Question: Do you actually sit there and count asterisks? How pathetic! Just give us the poop already, sheesh.Answer: Still can't crack it, huh? Sucks to be you.

Wed, Sep 20, 2006

How sad about Mariska's dad ...

Question: How sad about Mariska's dad dying.Answer: Ridiculously sad. My heart sank when I heard the news yesterday. At least Mickey survived long enough to hold his grandson and see his daughter win her first Emmy. It goes without saying that my thoughts and prayers go out to Mariska and her family.

Wed, Sep 20, 2006

Can you give us some good ...

Question: Can you give us some good Logan-Veronica news?Answer: I thought I did when I alerted you to their sweaty sex scene in the season premiere. Was that not enough?

Wed, Sep 20, 2006

I read that Marissa's coming ...

Question: I read that Marissa's coming back as a ghost on The O.C. True?Answer: Sort of. Marissa, or, I should say the back of Marissa, will be seen in a vision. I doubt highly they'd bring Mischa Barton back just for that. (Insert joke about it potentially being her finest performance ever.)

Wed, Sep 20, 2006

Super Scoop! Tori Spelling on Smallville!

Campy stunt casting alert! Tabloid darling Tori Spelling -- who gamely poked fun at her image in VH1's hilarious, albeit short-lived, real-life comedy So NoTORIous -- is headed to Smallville as the Daily Planet's new gossip columnist. Of course, this being Smallville, Tori's muckraker also has the unique ability to turn herself into water. Check out my column in the current issue of TV Guide magazine for more on this exclusive scoop. I'll also have new details (fresh from tonight's CW launch party) in tomorrow's Ask Ausiello.

Tue, Sep 19, 2006

Exclusive: Prison Break Nabs Rescue Me's Sheila

Callie Thorne -- aka Rescue Me nutcase Sheila -- is joining Prison Break for a multi-episode arc, sources confirm. She'll play Pam, the estranged wife of William Fichtner's Mahone -- a role I first told you about in Ask Ausiello. Per my Prison mole, the character will be introduced in Episode 9 when Michael meets up with Pam in an attempt to uncover some dirt on his mad pursuer. (Hint: He finds some.) And in what marks a bit of a breakthrough for Thorne, Pam is not cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. That's right, Thorne is playing a character who's not crazy. Stop the presses!In other casting news, I'm told Krista Allen is joining ABC's retooled What About Brian for at least six episodes.

Sun, Sep 17, 2006

I've Seen the Veronica Mars Premiere!

What do you get when you cross Veronica Mars with Battlestar Galactica -- aside from my head exploding? The third season premiere of Veronica Mars, that's what. Rob Thomas, the mad genius that he is, pays the ultimate compliment to Battlestar in Mars' Oct. 3 opener when Veronica's college RA introduces her to the word "frak," and it immediately becomes her new favorite expression. Could I be more in love with this ridiculously low-rated show? I honestly don't think I could. The Battlestar "cross-over" was just one of many highlights from this season's first two episodes -- both of which I watched last night while fused to my sofa. Veronica and Logan worshippers have cause to be particularly giddy, as Neptune's "star-crossed" (Veronica's own words; see Episode 2 for more) lovers not only share a sweaty bed scene, but several really sweet and funny couple-y moments. And the early word on Piz? Fanfrakkintabulous. He's clever, smart, silly and, well, easy on the peepers. As usual, I'm n...

Fri, Sep 15, 2006

Scoop! Dead Zone, Psych Renewed!

Although there's no official confirmation from USA Network, my spies tell me that both The Dead Zone and Psych have been renewed. The Psych pick-up was a no-brainer, but Dead Zone? By all accounts, the just-concluded fifth season was supposed to be its last ¶ although Anthony Michael Hall didn't rule out the show coming back when he visited our podcast in June. It's as if he was psychic or something!

Fri, Sep 15, 2006

It's a Gilmore Girls Spoilerganza!

No, I won't be revealing any more letters to that nagging asterisk puzzle today. Sorry, but you Gilmore Girshippers have proven way too sharp for your own good, and I promised certain VIPs that I wouldn't spill the proverbial beans this early in the game. But here's something that should more than make up for me being a big ol' tease. I recently unearthed from the archives this exclusive interview with Gilmore show-runner David Rosenthal that I conducted in August for TV Guide's Returning Favorites issue (on newsstands now). It's chock full of spoilery goodness ¶ some of which I've already doled out in Ask Ausiello ¶ so proceed at your own peril. And please, don't shoot the messenger, no matter how strong the urge. Remember: The messenger is good. (And last I checked, kinda sexy.)Ausiello: Now that you've completed your first episode as show-runner, what was it like?David Rosenthal: It was great. Everybody's in great spirits and very excited, and it was a really good first week. It'...

Fri, Sep 15, 2006

Any Battlestar Galactica ...

Question: Any Battlestar Galactica scoop? I'm dying to know what's going to happen!Answer: A central character in the first Battlestar webisode perishes in the two-hour premiere.

Wed, Sep 13, 2006

Do you have any new news on ...

Question: Do you have any new news on The O.C.? I would be grateful for anything you could tell me as long as it isn't a sarcastic remark.Answer: Me? Sarcastic? Please. What else can I tell you about The O.C.… hmm… oh, here's a little something you may not know: When the fourth season starts, two people who were closest to Marissa arrange a, um, private meeting at the local den of inequity: the Mermaid Inn. (Hint: They answer to the names Julie and Ryan.)

Wed, Sep 13, 2006

How many episodes of ...

Question: How many episodes of Supernatural will Jeffrey Dean Morgan be in this season? I heard he's only in the first episode.Answer: According to Kripke, he'll be in more than one. Speaking of Supernatural, Kripke confirmed that Meg from Veronica Mars' (aka Alona Tal) has joined the cast as a love interest for Jensen Ackles. "She's coming in as a character named Jo. The boys come across a roadhouse that their father never told them about. It's kind of a rest stop for hunters, and a woman named Ellen owns it. Jo is her daughter. She's wired into the world of hunters and she's strong and smart and interacts with the boys and there are sparks between her and Dean. We take it really slow. The roadhouse and her character appear every four or five episodes. We're certainly not interested in rushing into anything. But the idea is to build a relationship over the course of the season and do it naturally and organically, ra

Wed, Sep 13, 2006

Is it true that 7th Heaven is ...

Question: Is it true that 7th Heaven is back for a full, 22-episode season?Answer: Yes, which is strange since I'm pretty sure the CW originally picked it up for only 13. It'd be nice if just once the CW made a decision that resulted in fewer 7th Heaven episodes, rather than more. Is that too much to ask?

Wed, Sep 13, 2006

I'm French! Tell me something ...

Question: I'm French! Tell me something about Desperate Housewives!Answer: You just gave me a thought: From this point forward, everyone in AA should announce their nationality before asking a question. How random and annoying is that? Regarding Housewives, I've seen the Sept. 24 season premiere and — shocker! — it doesn't suck. Actually, there was much to like, particularly (and not surprisingly) any scene with Bree in it. In fact, our favorite carrot-topped compulsive does something — or should I say, experiences something — with new beau Orson that literally made me laugh my ass off. (Seriously, my bum fell away from my body for a split second.) Also, Susan does something incredibly clumsy and dumb and, instead of fastening an airtight bag around my head, I chuckled. I kid you not. All told, I'm cautiously optimistic about t

Wed, Sep 13, 2006

Do you have any idea when ...

Question: Do you have any idea when we'll see some flashbacks for any of the Others on this season of Lost?Answer: Not within the first four episodes, since, according to my Lost flashback mole, Jack is up first, followed by Locke, Sun-Jin and Sawyer.

Wed, Sep 13, 2006

Please tell me how many ...

Question: Please tell me how many episodes Chris O'Donnell is sticking around on Grey's Anatomy.Answer: Last I heard it was three.

Wed, Sep 13, 2006

There are some crazy rumors ...

Question: There are some crazy rumors going around about The O.C. (Ryan cage-fighting, Luke coming back, etc). How accurate are they?Answer: Not sure about the cage part, but Ryan does pull a Fight Club in an attempt to numb his pain. (Speaking of the angry Chino, guess who was too distraught to attend Marissa's funeral?) And I can't confirm Luke's return, but his younger twin brothers will be regular fixtures in Kaitlin's entourage.

Wed, Sep 13, 2006

More Nip/Tuck, please!

Question: More Nip/Tuck, please!Answer: In Episode 4 (airing Sept. 26), Melissa Gilbert plays a woman whose nipple is bitten off by her dog. Um, ouch!

Wed, Sep 13, 2006

Can you give us any more ...

Question: Can you give us any more information on Lauren Graham hosting Studio 60? Such as the airdate and time?Answer: I believe her two-episode arc will air on Oct. 9 and 16.

Wed, Sep 13, 2006