Question: These asterisk quizzes of yours are nothing short of an insulting kick to the nether regions. If I had the ability to teleport jumbo amounts of elephant droppings to a point about eight feet over your head and let them go, I would!Answer: I suppose I had that coming.
Question: Do you have any scoop on ASP's new show, The Return of Jezebel James? I thought the first episode was kind of weak but the second one was pretty good. Are they really only showing seven episodes? Answer: Judging by the ratings for the premiere, I'm not even sure we'll see a third episode, let alone all seven.
Question: Several weeks ago, I sent you a link to a really neat Smurf site. All I asked in return was some major House scoopage, and there's been no House scoop since. I feel so unloved! Answer: The only thing more pathetic than a whiny Aushole is a whiny and dishonest Aushole.
Question: That's great about Mer/Der getting back together for good this season, but what about Seattle Grace's other star-crossed duo — you know, Gizzie? Answer: It's with overwhelming joy deep regret that I inform you that Gizzie is no more. Sources confirm that the ill-conceived plot twist suffocated to death under the weight of its own absurdity shortly after the writers returned to work last month. A private memorial service was held in early March at the home of Shonda Rhimes. In lieu of flowers, fans are asked to keep the "thank gods" to a low roar….
Question: What's the scoop on another season of Reaper? I love that show! Answer: The scoop is more people need to start watching. Maybe the two new female characters they're adding will prove enough of a draw. One of them is described as a "bland and anemic" Bench worker in her thirties who's in desperate need of a makeover (think SNL's Rachel Dratch), and the other is a sweet, funny and sharp-witted nurse in her twenties (think O.C.'s Autumn Reeser).
Question: I need some Grey's Anatomy scoop on Sloan/Hahn, STAT!Answer: You'll find some in this week's Ausiello Report vodcast.
Question: I'm dying without a Pushing Daisies fix! Answer: Then my scoopy dispatch from Saturday's Paley Fest panel on Daisies may just save your life! One thing I neglected to mention was that series creator Bryan Fuller told the crowd that ABC already approved his outlines for next season's first five episodes. So the network is apparently pleased with the "harder, more aggressive direction" Fuller plans on taking Daisies in next fall. Speaking of Paley, mucho thanks to all those who sent in questions for tonight's Friday Night Lights panel, moderated by (squeal) me! I'll try to get them answered in between tossing my cookies. Also, if you've got Qs for the casts of Buffy,
Question: Loyal Aushole here. I'm wondering what's up with the CW's 90210 spin-off. Any news if they've ordered a pilot? Answer: They've ordered a script and only a script. Of course, they've commissioned Rob Thomas to pen it, so a pilot pickup is pretty much a foregone conclusion. The only question now is which members of the original cast will be making the leap to 90210: The Next Gen. "They're still figuring out what the link will be," says one insider, "but there will be a link." Not sure if this is worth reading into, but I hear the last name of one of the teen characters rhymes with Filver. Hmmm….
Question: Give me something on Brothers & Sisters — preferably something extra scoopy. Answer: Two significant, albeit recurring, characters will not be returning in the fall.
I told you Law & Order: SVU's 200th episode was going to be big, and now I've got proof: Sources confirm to me exclusively that Robin Williams has inked a deal to guest-star in the landmark episode on April 29. The Oscar winner will play a Svengali-like figure who tests Benson and Stabler like never before.Exec producer Neal Baer says the episode is "one of the best cat-and-mouse stories we've ever done," and describes Williams' character as "a guy who has a problem with authority figures." Adds Mariska Hargitay: "He is one of these charismatic human beings that has uncanny power over people to get them to do what he wants." Williams' casting comes just hours after it was announced that another movie star, Bill Pullman, would be doing an arc as a love interest for Benson. But that's only half the story. For the full story, check out Ask Ausiello tomorrow. — Additional reporting by Ileane Rudolph
It's show time! Enjoy!
Hello, Ausholes! Damn glad to meet you. I'm Mickey O'Connor, the new guy at TVGuide.com, and not, as it might sound, a leprechaun. I'm not as mean as Mike, and way more handsome. But I do want to thank "Mr. Ausiello" (as he requested I address him — as if!) for carving out a little corner of his crazy-verse for me. Lost is my favorite TV show, and periodically I will barge in here with whatever theory, observation and/or scoop I might have about Team Darlton's baby. Bonus! If I'm busy writing Mike's columns for him, he can pick up his own "nutritional supplements." (Everyone knows what Propecia is for, Mike!)Mike wants me to be known as Doc O'C when I write about Lost. To be honest, I'm not so sure about this idea. I think it's funny, a play on the names of the real Lost experts of the Internets — Doc Arzt and EW's Doc Jensen. Plus, it rhymes (think of the Spider-Man villain). I suppose imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, we'll go with it for now — unless ...
The 4400's Joel Gretsch has been tapped to play Angie Harmon's new love interest on Women's Murder Club, sources confirm to me exclusively. His character, a charming hotel builder, bumps into Lindsay at the Hall of Justice and, as you might've guessed, it's lust at first sight. As you also might've guessed, he's harboring a humdinger of a secret, the specifics of which I'll get into in this week's Ausiello Report vodcast. Look for that tomorrow at around 10 am/ET.Gretsch is slated to appear in all three of Murder Club's post-strike episodes.In the meantime, help this non-4400 zealot out: Is Gretsch a good match for Harmon? Judging by the pics above, I'm inclined to say yesssiiirrreeebob!
Weren't able to trek out to Hollywood for this year's Paley Fest? No worries, I've got you covered. For the next eight days, I'll be bringing you all the highlights from the annual festival via (almost) daily dispatches here in the Ausiello Report. Our camera crew will also be joining me on select days (Buffy! Friday Night Lights! Gossip Girl!), so keep close tabs on the TVGuide.com video player this week for red-carpet interviews with the likes of Spike, Coach Taylor, S, B, N and D. Officially speaking, Paley '08 kicked off Friday evening at the Cinerama Dome with what I'm sure was a very educational Elvis retrospective. But as far as this TV junkie is concerned, the tube-apalooza really got started Saturday night with the Pushing Daisies panel. Herewith are the highlights:Participants: Bryan Fuller (creator), Lee Pace (Ned), Anna Friel (Chuck), Kristin Chenoweth (Olive), Chi McBride (Emerson), Ellen Greene (Vivian), Peter Ocko (coexecutive producer), Dan Jinks (executive producer)...
Sex and the City stud muffin Jason Lewis has signed on to guest-star in a pivotal post-strike episode of House that will reaffirm Doc Crotchety's obsession with dayime television.According to my candy-striped Princeton-Plainsboro mole, House suspects that his favorite soap star (Lewis) may unknowingly be sick when he starts exhibiting strange symptoms on the air. Not one to wait around for the mystery ailment to cure itself, House takes matters into his own hands. I've got $100 that says he barges onto the set and causes a scene, prompting Cuddy to channel her inner Linda Blair. Any takers?
Doesn't look like that Kevin-Jason reunion is happening anytime soon on Brothers & Sisters. CBS' Moonlight has tapped the so-pretty-it-should-be-illegal Eric Winter for a major recurring role, sources confirm to me exclusively.Winter, who's onboard for a minimum of three episodes beginning with the show's post-strike premiere on April 25, will play ADA Benjamin Talbot, a handsome, self-assured gent who plays by his own rules. I'm hearing Ben sets his sights on Beth (Sophia Myles), which, as you can imagine, makes Mick a very angry vampire. This is definitely good news for Moonlight. Not so much for Brothers & Sisters. You with me?
Battlestar Galactica fans are going to want to FauxVo the March 19 Late Show with David Letterman. Sources confirm to me exclusively that nearly the entire Galactica cast, including Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Katee Sackhoff, Jamie Bamber, Tricia Helfer and Lucy Lawless, will present the Top 10 list on next Wednesday's Late Show. Frakkin' awesome!The timing makes sense for two reasons: The Galactica crew will be in New York next week for Sci Fi's annual upfront presentation, and the show's fourth season finally gets off the ground on April 4. I'm told Letterman's writers have yet to come up with a theme for the Top 10 list, so whaddaya say you float some suggestions in the comments section below. I'll get the ball rolling: The Top 10 Reasons Michael Ausiello Should Be the Fifth Cylon.
Question: I seriously need some Ugly Betty scoop. Answer: We haven't seen the last of Willy's kid sis, played by Gabrielle Union. Sources confirm that Union is doing two more episodes this season.
Question: That's awesome that you're moderating the Friday Night Lights panel at the Paley Festival on March 19. Can I come as your guest? Answer: You sure can't! You are, however, cordially invited to e-mail me burning questions for the cast and/or exec producers Jason Katims and Jeffrey Reiner, and I'll do my best to get them answered. Just do me a solid and put "FNL Paley Qs" in the subject line. And feel free to give me a Coach Taylor-inspired pep talk, because if I'm half as nervous on the day of the event as I am right now, I'm liable to toss my cookies right there onstage.
Question: I just read your item about the MILF Island episode on 30 Rock. I am an actress in NYC, and have been cast as the lead MILF. We will be shooting this week. I have another meeting today with the producers — I guess they need to see my bikini. I will keep you posted! Answer: Please do! And if you bump into Jack McBrayer, tell him I was in the second row at Sunday's 7:30 Asssscat show and he was highlarious. If he doesn't believe you, tell him the special words were "cake" and "buffet."
Question: I need to know who is on that boat on Lost! Answer: Well, Kelly, there’s Sayid and Desmond (1996 and 2004 editions) and the corpse of Fisher Stevens and some guy named Keamey… and I know that’s not who you mean, but the identity of Ben’s boat buddy is one scoop that Team Darlton is not letting slip, at least not until tomorrow night. In the meantime, try this Lost head-scratcher on for size: I have it on good authority that an upcoming, post-strike episode features both a pair of Arabic-speaking, horseback-riding Bedouins and a luxury doorman of British extraction. Without knowing whether it’s a flashback or flash-forward, whose episode could that be? I had an extra bowl of crazy this morning, so I’m going with a consciousness-imploding guess: Charles Widmore, who is: A) a shadowy figure who has been coming into focus in recent weeks, B) a rich British dude and C) perhaps interested in those polar bear skel
Question: Got any Smallville scoop? Answer: In light of news that Lana will be MIA for most of next season, click on this link and ask yourselves, "Is this Clark's next major love interest?"