michael.ausiello

I hope you had a relaxing and ...

Question: I hope you had a relaxing and joyous vacation. Now give me some 24 scoop!Answer: That scary bald-dude/mastermind-of-all-things-evil played by ER's Paul McCrane is returning this season, and we'll meet his wealthy Bel-Air wife and their 15-year-old kid. Also, Fox put out a press release yesterday that pretty much revealed the entire premise for Season 6. Here it is in their words: "Season 5 concluded with a battered and bloodied Bauer captured by Chinese government agents and headed for points unknown. Season 6 picks up 20 months later. Wayne Palmer (DB Woodside), the strong-minded brother of the late president David Palmer, is now himself the president of the United States, while his sister, Sandra Palmer (Regina King), is a determined and powerful advocacy lawyer. After a series of horrific terrorist attacks, Palmer and his team of advisors, Karen Hayes (Jayne Atkinson) and Thomas Lennox (Peter MacNicol) — a

Wed, Sep 13, 2006

I'm so glad you took a week ...

Question: I'm so glad you took a week off! I can't imagine how exhausting it must be to talk about how awesome you are. I was getting worried you were starting to do too much and might burn out.Answer: What a nice e-mail to come back to!

Wed, Sep 13, 2006

Let me just start by saying I ...

Question: Let me just start by saying I am holding 10 Smurfs inches away from my garbage disposal. Give me some prattle on Grey's Anatomy or they get tossed in.Answer: For all that is blue and holy, don't do it! Here's your Grey's poop: We're going to meet one of Derek's sisters early in the season and her presence will instantly drive a wedge between recently reunited lovahs Derek and Meredith. According to my spy, Derek's sib will sneak into his trailer and make herself comfy in his bed — all while her bro is taking a shower. Naturally, a naked Derek steps out of the shower and discovers his sis in the sack at the precise moment Meredith walks in. Meredith assumes he's McCheating on her with the mystery hottie and flees before Derek has a chance to explain. Oh, the drama!

Wed, Sep 13, 2006

We need you urgently! There ...

Question: We need you urgently! There is a Gilmore Girls spoiler going around that Lorelai finds out that she is adopted. Is there any truth to that? If so I think I'll die!Answer: Totally. Not. True.

Wed, Sep 13, 2006

Please, please, please tell ...

Question: Please, please, please tell me you have Nip/Tuck spoilers.Answer: I do! Julia and Sean's baby is born next week and their selfish brat of a daughter promptly flips out when she sees her brother's hands. Also, Liz is going to pay for witnessing that sapphic encounter between boss lady Sanaa Lathan and Jacqueline Bisset. Also, Alanis Morissette has been cast as Liz's love interest for three episodes. She'll first air on Oct. 31.

Wed, Sep 13, 2006

Do you read every e-mail you ...

Question: Do you read every e-mail you get?Answer: Yes, every single one. (Unless the subject line contains the words "Die loser," "I hate you" or "Tru Calling.")

Wed, Sep 13, 2006

Finally: Official Grey's Spoilers

When it comes to Grey's Anatomy spoilers, a little scoopbit goes a long way. So enjoy the following just-released-minutes-ago ABC teaser for Grey's Sept. 28 episode, followed by a list of the regular and guest casts. "I Am a Tree": Cristina meets Burke's parents ? and in the most awkward of circumstances, the interns campaign for Izzie's reinstatement to the surgical-intern program, plus Addison takes a break from her hospital duties, and a surgical patient lives what may be her last day to the fullest.This program will repeat Friday, September 29, from 8-9 pm/ET.Grey's Anatomy stars Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Patrick Dempsey as Derek Shepherd, Sandra Oh as Cristina Yang, Isaiah Washington as Preston Burke, Katherine Heigl as Isobel "Izzie" Stevens, Justin Chambers as Alex Karev, T.R. Knight as George O'Malley, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, James Pickens Jr. as Richard Webber, Kate Walsh as Addison Shepherd and Sara Ramirez as Callie Torres. Guest cast: Chris O'Donnell...

Mon, Sep 11, 2006

Zach Braff Uncensored!

Pity poor Zach Braff. No, not because of that egregious Emmy snub. Or that unfortunate "male Paris Hilton" label that the tabs have slapped on him. Heck, forget the fact that he recently had the displeasure of hearing his vocally impaired Scrubs costar Sarah Chalke miscarry a tune (more on that later). No, the reason you should feel sorry for Braff is because the poor guy spent all day today holed up at the Regency Hotel in Manhattan doing hundreds of interviews on behalf of The Last Kiss (opening Sept. 15). Yes, it's the dreaded press junket, and Braff is calling me right in the thick of it to discuss his latest big-screen venture (which I loved), reports that he's bolting Scrubs, and the Arrested Development crossover he's hell-bent on pulling off.Ausiello: How's your big press day going?Zach Braff: It's delicious.Ausiello: Are you getting asked the same questions over and over?Braff: Yes, the same four every single round. I think you'd be creative if you didn't hit the same four....

Fri, Sep 8, 2006

I've Seen the Gilmore Girls Season Premiere!

Imagine finding a Christmas present under the tree  and knowing it could very well turn out to be a lump of coal. That's how I felt when a DVD labeled "Gilmore Girls Season 7 Premiere" recently came into my possession nearly a month before its Sept. 26 airdate. As you know, I had read  and loved  Dave Rosenthal's inaugural script as show-runner. But that was no guarantee that the gold wouldn't get tarnished, or altogether lost, in translation. So while I was hopeful, I was fearful, too. Well, I must've been a good boy this year because Santa came through. For the most part. First, the good (and it's a biggie): The episode looked, sounded and felt like a typical hour of Gilmore Girls. Actually, I would rank it up there with some of the show's most entertaining episodes. The pacing and tone were what we have come to expect  and love  and, despite all the sturm und drang of the Luke/Lorelai/Christopher triangle, it was funny. Very funny. At times, even ...

Tue, Sep 5, 2006

I've Seen the Gilmore Girls Season Premiere!

Anything on Law & Order: ...

Question: Anything on Law & Order: Criminal Intent? Answer: Only that it's allegedly the latest NBC drama series to see its episode order shaved back from 22 to 18.

Fri, Sep 1, 2006

Did you spontaneously combust ...

Question: Did you spontaneously combust or spew Snapple after Mariska's big win? Answer: You're close. First, I fainted. Then an NBC page revived me, only to have me spew Snapple all over him. And just as I was helping clear the Snapple residue off his face, I spontaneously combusted. Shockingly, I managed to pull myself together in time to interview Marish at the TV Guide After Party. For the five of you who haven't already watched the exclusive video clip, click here and see what everyone's talking about!

Fri, Sep 1, 2006

Any news about Desperate ...

Question: Any news about Desperate Housewives? Answer: Unless he was playing me, loose-lipped James Denton inadvertently dropped two humongous clues about the identity of the November-sweeps fatality when I spoke to him at the TV Guide After Party. Check it out yourself in this exclusive video clip. (But beware, it's potentially très spoilery.)

Fri, Sep 1, 2006

Any chance we'll see Aaron ...

Question: Any chance we'll see Aaron Ashmore (Troy) back on Veronica Mars?Answer: As Rob Thomas reminds us, "He kinda got another job on us." That job, of course, would be playing Jimmy Olsen on Smallville. Still, Rob says, "We thought about bringing Troy back quite a bit, and if we could ever work out a guest-star [thing], we wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger on that. But we felt like we had just put Veronica together with a lot of similar boys. If there did develop another love interest for her, we kind of want him to come from a different place." Like, say, a suburb of Portland, Oregon?

Fri, Sep 1, 2006

I saw you on the red carpet ...

Question: I saw you on the red carpet talking to Amy Poehler and Will Arnett. Three of the funniest people ever, all right next to each other. Answer: Stop! You're only saying that because it's true! Can I tell you those two are the coolest, silliest, most friendly people in the world? I wish they'd invite me over for dinner. Or at least game night. In the meantime, I'll just have to settle for the occasional red-carpet run-in. You probably saw me asking Will for an update on the rumored Arrested Development movie. "We kind of talked about it, and it's out there as an idea. Maybe it'll happen. It'd be fun to work on." Amy, meanwhile, shot down reports that Saturday Night Live is replacing her at the "Weekend Update" desk. "I am doing it," she insisted. "I'

Fri, Sep 1, 2006

Ed Herrmann and Kelly Bishop ...

Question: Ed Herrmann and Kelly Bishop rock! Any idea if they will get some type of story line of their own this season on Gilmore Girls? Answer: You already know that Richard will get a teaching gig at Yale and Emily will start training young girls in the fine art of etiquette. What you don't know is that later in the season, Richard will face a medical crisis that show-runner Dave Rosenthal says will have a "profound impact" on the entire Gilmore clan. "Health issues can create stress and conflict and trauma in a family, but they can also bring the family together," he adds. "It's something that will affect not only Emily but Rory and Lorelai, too."

Fri, Sep 1, 2006

Note to self: Never put money ...

Question: Note to self: Never put money down on Ausiello's Emmy picks. What were you — two for 12? Answer: It was four for 11, you nimrod. Now who feels stupid?

Fri, Sep 1, 2006

I hope you realize you'll ...

Question: I hope you realize you'll have to pay taxes on that TV Guide After Party goody bag. Big brother IRS is watching! Answer: I actually took Jeremy Piven's suggestion backstage at the Emmys and donated my bag to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. (I kept the contents, of course. I'm not stupid.) 

Fri, Sep 1, 2006

I hope you had fun at the ...

Question: I hope you had fun at the Emmys! Anyway, I just read that Zach Braff doesn't want to do Scrubs anymore and that this is his last season. They'll have to stop the show if he leaves, right?   Answer: Wrong! I cornered series creator Bill Lawrence on the red carpet and asked him point-blank whether Scrubs could go on next season without the Braffster. His answer floored me. "Yeah, I think so," he replied. "We'll have to see how we do this year. If we're doing really well, it'll be hard to stop." OK, but who on god's green earth could replace him? "I think that Zach could walk out the door and a new piece of casting could walk in with a voice-over. Or Zach could walk out the door and Donald Faison could walk in and his voice-over could say, "I don't know what I'm going t

Fri, Sep 1, 2006

Lauren Graham and Matthew ...

Question: Lauren Graham and Matthew Perry? I can't think of a better couple! Please tell me it's real! Answer: As I mentioned in the Ausiello Report, it certainly looked real at Entertainment Weekly's pre-Emmy bash on Saturday. They weren't making love on the buffet table or anything like that, but they had a very cutesy rapport that suggested they've been, um, on friendly terms for quite some time. (Did you see how I cleverly worked in that Friends pun? It's a gift.)

Fri, Sep 1, 2006

We need desperate help on ...

Question: We need desperate help on last week's impossible Gilmore Girls asterisk quiz.Answer: Did you ever stop to think that maybe the reason I made it so tough was because I could get in a lot of trouble if this particular piece of major-ass-prattle poop got out? That said, I filled in a few more letters for you: **t * ******* * ***** ****** i* i* **e **** ** ** *s****** ****. * **** ** ** **** ********* **a* ******* *** *********** **** — * ****** ****** * ** ******* *** **** — ***** ****** ******** *****s. ** ****** ****, *** *** not **** ** **** **. 

Fri, Sep 1, 2006

Where was Angie (Marisa ...

Question: Where was Angie (Marisa Tomei) at Johnny's funeral on Rescue Me? Answer: I was wondering the same thing. So you better believe I asked exec producer Jim Serpico when I saw him at the Emmys. "Her character was on vacation," he explained, tongue firmly planted in cheek. Speaking of Rescue Me, how 'bout last night's finale! They wouldn't kill off psycho Sheila, would they?

Fri, Sep 1, 2006

This is a question. I really ...

Question: This is a question. I really want to act and I don't have a way. Can you help me? Because I really want to be an actress. I really want to act in Law & Order. Answer: Elisabeth Röhm, is that you?

Fri, Sep 1, 2006