Question: Why is In Justice being adjourned? I love that show — almost as much as Veronica Mars. Answer: Well, it has something else in common with VM: bad ratings. Although ABC isn't officially saying it's a goner, several cast members — including upcoming Desperate Housewives star Kyle MacLachlan — have committed to other projects. Always a bad sign.
Question: Will we be seeing Zod or Jor-El this season on Smallville? Answer: Yes, they'll both pop up in the season finale — but they won't be who we think they are. And here's another finale superscoop: Lois and another major character will end up on an airplane that's locked in autopilot — and there's only one person who knows where it's headed. (Hint: He looks like a platinum-topped vampire we once knew and loved.)
Question: Are we going to see Richard and Emily on Gilmore Girls anytime soon? Answer: They're both in next week's episode. And Emily shows up again on May 2 when she drags Lorelai to a real-estate office to show her a five-bedroom colonial that just came on the market. I wonder what that's all about.
Question: A baby for Carla and Turk on Scrubs? Babies always spell doom (Friends, Mad About You, etc). I'm a little concerned. Answer: Don't be — it's Scrubs! As Judy Reyes said in this week's TV Guide, "We've got a team of about 12 writers, and about 10 of them are new parents. So there's just going to be an endless supply of stories about how this all goes down."
Question: Was The O.C. renewed for a fourth season? I really need to know! Answer: I certainly hope so. I don't care what anybody says, I still like how it's done in the O.C. Speaking of which, the senior-prom episode starts shooting soon and I hear Marissa takes Volchok as her date.
Question: Any scoop on the third season of Rescue Me? Answer: The season's central conflict will mimic a certain ABC reality show — only Rescue Me's version will be a lot nastier.
Question: When does Kate Walsh's contract with Grey's Anatomy end? I'm a huge Addison fan and really don't want her to go. BTW, I'd totally have an affair with you.... But it'd just be for the scoops. Answer: That basically makes you a whore, Chelsea (not that there's anything wrong with that). I think it's safe to say that Addison (who's rapidly becoming my new favorite character) will be around for the foreseeable future, especially in light of the rumor that Eric Dane (aka McSteamy) has signed on to appear in at least 13 episodes next season. Naturally, no one at ABC is confirming, but the way the Grey's writers gush about him in their weekly blog, it would hardly come as a surprise.
Question: Last week you mentioned that Jerry O'Connell would be back on Las Vegas. Does this mean there will be another Las Vegas/Crossing Jordan crossover episode? Answer: No, it's just a one-episode thing with Jerry.
Question: Do you have any scoop on the Dynasty reunion? I heard John James will not be participating. Do you know if that is true? Answer: It's true. Like Heather Locklear and Diahann Carroll, he "graciously declined," per USA Today. It's a bummer, too. Had he done it, all the main Carrington players would have been present. I hear producer Henry Winkler called him multiple times, to no avail. Not sure what his excuse is, but it wouldn't surprise me if the almighty buck was involved. Either that or he's fat and wrinkly and wants to be remembered as the smoldering piece of '80s man-meat he was.
Question: Any news on when the next season of The 4400 is going to start? It seems like forever since the last season ended. Answer: The third season kicks off June 11 with a two-hour episode and a casting coup that's literally for the birds: Hitchcock heroine Tippi Hedren! She'll show up playing a role a show spokesman says "is sure to surprise 4400 fans." Hmm....
Question: Any news on Showtime picking up Arrested Development? Answer: By now you've probably heard: Mitch Hurwitz has decided not to continue on as show runner for reasons both financial and creative (Entertainment News 3/28). And since Arrested Development without Mitch Hurwitz is like the Smurf Village without Papa, it's probably safe to cue the fat lady.
Question: The Fabulous Life of Kelly Ripa (featuring you) will reair April 6 at 12:30 am/EST. Answer: Save the freakin' date!
CW execs aren't waiting until the UPN-WB marriage becomes official to test out a Gilmore Girls/Veronica Mars pairing. UPN announced yesterday that beginning April 11, Mars will move to Tuesdays at 9 pm — immediately following Gilmore Girls on WB. No one is officially dubbing this a test — after all, the shows are still on two different networks — but as one industry insider tells me, "It looks as though they're attempting to build a Gilmore/VM night before the merger happens." Sounds like a good idea to me. Speaking of Veronica Mars, thanks to everyone who e-mailed me raving about my performance as "Blushing Guy" Wednesday night. I mean, I knew I was phenomenal, but there was no guarantee that you all would agree. Let's just say if Rotten Tomatoes was keeping track, I would have received a 100 percent "Fresh" rating. Here are just some of the glowing notices:
Former Twin Peaks G-man Kyle MacLachlan — most recently the star of ABC's now-adjourned legal drama In Justice — is joining the cast of Desperate Housewives on April 16 for a multiepisode arc. "He’s a lovelorn, single dentist who is trying to make a connection with Susan," says executive producer Tom Spezialy. "She’s already entangled with her ex-husband and Mike, so he’s very much the fourth wheel in this situation." MacLachlan will appear in a handful of episodes and it’s possible he could return in the fall. "It depends how he plays," says Spezialy. "I would think he would fit in nicely in our world." Another variable: ABC hasn’t officially canceled In Justice. Not sure what they're waiting for.
Still reeling from Lem's shocking death at the hands of Shane on Tuesday's explosive mid-season finale of The Shield? Well, you may want to brace yourself for another major loss: the show itself. In the following Q&A, series creator Shawn Ryan reveals why he decided to whack Lem, what other character made their final appearance on Tuesday, and whether Season 5's next 10 episodes — slated to debut in early 2007 — will be the cop drama's last. Ausiello: First of all, this season has been insanely good. Phenomenal, in fact. Shawn Ryan: Thank you very much. Ausiello: But I have to ask — why'd you do that to poor Lem?Ryan: We just started thinking in terms of the classic tragedy and we came up with this idea. I didn't really commit to it until right before Christmas, because I love Kenny Johnson so much as an actor and as a person, and I didn't want to do it if I felt like it was just for shock value. I felt like we ha
Question: Actually, the gray-haired guy is going to win American Idol, not the bald guy. So, got any real scoop? Guest judges, upcoming themes, etc? Answer: In what was either an innocent good-luck gesture or a shameless attempt to get her footwear line some prime-time exposure, Jessica Simpson recently sent all the remaining female finalists a pair of "Jessica Simpson" shoes. I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt and say it was a mix of both.
Question: Any news if Merrin Dungey will be returning to Alias? Answer: Still nothing official to report.
Question: So, I love the Ask Ausiello products, but they're a little boring. Maybe you could add a catchphrase or witty quote? Even some color would help.Answer: We've got a really cool long-sleeve prototype on deck, but the inaugural tee has to sell out before our vendor will start production on a second. I guess I don't have to tell you what your next step should be.
Question: What's going on with Ryan and Marissa on The O.C.? Are they going to get back together? Answer: Doesn't look like it, but they are going to enroll in the same school — Berkeley. (I know what you're thinking: Ryan and Marissa are going to the same college? What are the odds!?!?) But Ryan's plans may change when he learns that Teresa has turned up in Newport toting around a miniature version of him.
Question: Can you give us any more spoilers for Lost? Any at all for the upcoming episodes? Answer: Major-ass prattle-poop: You remember how Carlton Cuse told me in the Dec. 7 Ask Ausiello that there wouldn't be time for a Rose/Bernard flashback episode this season? Well, looks like he found some time. My Lost mole confirms that a May-sweeps episode will delve into the couple's backstory. And not only will we find out how the lovebirds met, but we'll discover that Rose has something rather surprising in common with Locke. Any guesses?
Question: I just finished watching The Shield finale, and holy &%*$ — Shane killed Lem! Answer: I still can't believe it happened. Seriously. I mean, I knew someone was going to die, but I never in a million years imagined it would go down the way it did. I watched an advance screener of the episode Sunday night, and the sight of Lem sitting in the car all bloodied and lifeless is still haunting me. Short of popping six Xanax, the only thing I could think to do was to call exec producer Shawn Ryan and ask him, "Why did you do that to poor Lem!?!" "We just started thinking in terms of classic tragedy," Ryan says. "And we came up with this idea, but I didn't really commit to it until right before Christmas, because I love Kenny Johnson so much as an actor and
Question: Do you still think the Season 2 DVD of Carnivàle will be out sometime in March? I haven't heard anything and I'm getting anxious. Answer: It was supposed to come out in March, but now HBO is telling me "there's no date yet for the Carnivàle Season 2 DVD." Short-story-shorter: Something fishy is going on, and I'm gonna get to the bottom of it.