Question: Congratulations on the big USC win at the Rose Bowl! Could you give us a revised tally of how many new episodes remain of various shows? Answer: Without further adieu, I present you with a newly updated and augmented (Moonlight! NCIS! Law & Order!) Strike Countdown Chart! Cue the balloon drop!
Question: Happy New Year! I hope yours was a lot of fun. Do you have any new Lost spoilers? Answer: USC trounced Illinois in the Rose Bowl — an ass-whipping I bore witness to live from the 20-yard line (thanks for the tix, Pam!) — and ended the season as the unofficial national champions (sorry, LSU). Yeah, I'd say my New Year's was a lot of fun. Regarding Lost, yeah, I know a thing or two or three about the new season. Anything specific you guys wanna know?
Question: When is Jericho returning? Answer: Armageddon resumes Tuesday, Feb. 12, at 10 pm/ET, and here's some fresh intel: We pick up four weeks after the New Bern attack. There's a new leader in town (hint: he looks a lot like Lt. Tony Rodriguez from NYPD Blue) and he offers Jake a position he may not be able to refuse. Elsewhere, a familiar face returns to Jericho with new intel on the outside world, Hawkins takes a surprise meeting that could impact the future of the entire country, and Stanley receives a surprising proposal. As for Constantino… he best sleep with one eye open.
Question: I agree with you about Lynette's kids being unbearable on Desperate Housewives. I've never figured out how someone who's as 'take no prisoners' as Lynette has such bratty offspring. Answer: Well, either Marc Cherry is a closeted Aushole, or he's fed up with them as well. In Monday's USA Today, he told reporter Will Keck that he's considering downsizing Lynette's demonic progeny. "I will probably do a storyline about one of the women, probably Lynette, dealing with the death of a child because I think it's one of the saddest things that can happen to a human being." Except in this one instance. On that very tasteful note, the first AA of '08 comes to a close. Under normal circumstances, I'd take this moment to shamelessly plug my red-carpet coverage at this Sunday's Golden Globes, but, as you've no doubt heard, the
Question: Can you tell us anything about what's going to happen with Jack and Kate on Lost this season? Answer: Yes, but I have to be very careful how I dole out this particular spoiler, because it concerns a pretty jaw-dropping twist — even by Lost standards. Let's see… Jaters will be aflutter when Kate shows romantic interest in future Jack, but it turns out there's another special person in her life already — someone *** *** ** *** *****, *** ****'* **** a ******.
Question: I don't know who's more anxious about the beloved Smurfs coming out on DVD, you or me. Any news on that date? Answer: This is an easy one: I'm more anxious. Trust me. As far as a date, it's slated to "street" on Feb. 26 — three days after a certain spoiler whore's birthday. Do I have to draw you a map from my Amazon wish list to your shopping cart? 'Cause I will.
Question: I just saw a preview that said "check out the two-hour Lost season premiere on Jan. 31, 2008." Does that mean they're sandwiching the first two episodes together? Answer: Sure doesn't. The first episode will be preceded by an hour-long recap special, hence the "two-hour" premiere.
Question: So, are Landry and Tyra about to get a visit from the stork? Are they the pregnancy you've been talking about the last couple of weeks? Answer: Nice try, but I'm not playing your little process-of-elimination games anymore. I've narrowed the field too much as it is. Seriously, stop trying. I'm not caving this time.
Question: Man, Baitz really gave it to you, didn't he? I hope it gave you a moment of shame. And perhaps this will make you see that your stupid blind items are nothing but petty crap. Answer: Thanks, Moljessam. That means a lot coming from you.
Question: Can you give us a hint about who's pregnant on Friday Night Lights? My money's on Waverly. Answer: It's not Waverly. D'oh!
Question: Congrats on USC pounding Illinois. Now how about some Friday Night Lights scoop?! Please tell me that Riggins and Coach Taylor will clear up the misunderstanding they had over Riggins and Julie's "compromising" situation! Answer: Just Riggins' luck, right? He does the right thing and he still catches hell for it. So. Not. Fair. Fortunately, in this week's episode, Coach learns what was really going down with his not-so-innocent offspring on that fateful night. A tense father-daughter kerfuffle follows shortly thereafter.
Question: Happy New Year. Got any CSI: NY scoop, especially regarding Danny and Lindsay? Answer: CBS has just scheduled the final pre-strike episode for Feb. 6, and I can confirm that it contains some serious Danny-Lindsay action — but not of the nookie-nookie variety. They work a case together, but it's all kept very professional.
Question: Some very mean and nasty people have been saying that Sandra Oh is leaving Grey's Anatomy, whenever it comes back. Since you are the god of TV scoop, I knew you'd be able to deny this for me.Answer: Interesting. Unfortunately, I can't verify that rumor's authenticity. What I can verify is that someone — and a major someone at that — wants to be discharged from Seattle Grace, and STAT. But, as far as I can tell, that someone is not Sandra Oh.
Question: What in the dude?! Are you ever coming back? I'm bored. Answer: I'm back! What'd I miss?! Is the strike over? Was the Gilmore Girls movie greenlit? Did I get any memorable shout-outs in the blogosphere?
Question: Zoey 101 scoop, please!Answer: Leading lady knocked up for real.
Question: To get an internship with Mr. Ausiello for summer 2008, do applicants need to apply to TV Guide or should they apply to Mr. Ausiello directly?Answer: Depends. If you're planning to include a cash bribe, apply directly to Mr. Ausiello. Otherwise, go through HR.
Question: What's the deal with Supernatural? Is it getting the boot from the CW and moving to another network, or is it going bye-bye forever? Please explain what the heck is going on.Answer: Note to Supernatural fans: Simmer. Donna. Yes, Supernatural is handing its time slot over to Reaper beginning Feb. 28, but that's only because Supernatural will have run out of fresh episodes by then (on Feb. 21, to be exact). So relax before you give yourselves a frakkin' coronary.
Question: Did you read Jon Robin Baitz's blog on the Huffington Post? Answer: Listened to it, actually. I got tired of trying to pronounce all those big fancy words, so I had our copy editor Michelle Heller read/interpret it for me. She assures me that a "fey Tuscan truffle pig" is a delicacy in some countries, but I'm not buying it. I think she just doesn't want to hurt my feelings. BTW, I have to take a moment to thank the Aushole community for the outpouring of love and support they've shown me in the wake of Baitzgate. Your compassionate, insightful and sympathetic e-mails were a ray of sunshine during a very gloomy week. What follows are some of your more memorable messages.
Guess who's back from his two-week vacation?! That's right, me! Guess who's marking the occasion by reporting some spectacularly sucky news?! Yep, me again.A reliable source at Fox confirms reports that the final three pre-strike episodes of Bones are being held until May sweeps. Sucky, right? Wait, there's more. The show is relocating to Mondays at 8 pm, where it will be followed by original installments of the Julianna Margulies courtroom drama Canterbury's Law. The Bones/CLAW combo kicks off on April 28. (This season, May sweeps runs from April 24 to May 21. Call it Mapril sweeps.) The decision to hold Bones until May is the clearest sign yet that Fox is bracing for a long strike.But with that depressing news out of the way, here's a little silver lining to cheer you up: Those three pre-strike Bones eppys are being joined by a fourth never-before-seen installment. Per my source, the infamous school-shooting-themed outing that was pulled last season in the wake of the Virginia Tec...
Det. Mackey may've survived the writers' strike, but will he live through The Shield's finale? That's the question plaguing fans now that FX's blistering cop drama has wrapped production on its 13-episode swan song (to air in '08). Not surprisingly, the show's top cop, Michael Chiklis, offered a few clues about his alter ego's ultimate fate when I ran into him last week in New York. He did, however, open up about saying goodbye to Mackey, why the final episodes rank among the drama's best ever, and what it was like to replace Shawn Ryan as The Shield's interim captain. Was it emotional shooting these final episodes?Michael Chiklis: Extremely so. I've said it over and over again from the beginning of the show: It was singularly the best experience of my life on all levels. The only thing that was really hard about it was I was sort of the last producer standing [in the wake of the writers' strike]. I had to take on those responsibilities as well as [acting on] the show. It's not how ...
UPDATE: I just got my hands on an exclusive statement from Jeff Wachtel, USA Exec VP Original Programming, regarding the demise of Dead Zone and The 4400: "We wish we could keep all our great shows alive forever. But we feel we need to give some of our new shows a platform to grow, and it's with great sadness that we say goodbye to two shows that had a great run and helped create the resurgence of original programming on our network and on all of cable."My original story appears below.Next time USA Network gives you a lump of coal for Christmas, be thankful — very thankful — because this year, my moles tell me, what you're getting is the cancellation of both Dead Zone and The 4400.Yep, per multiple sources, the much-discussed Armageddon came early to Dead Zone — so early, in fact, that the show's last episode aired... gee, back in September. What turned out to be the 4400's series finale aired the same night.In a statement posted on the official 4400 message boards, s...
Question: Any idea yet when that one remaining Desperate Housewives episode will air? Answer: Looks like Jan. 6. Speaking of DH, the introduction of Katherine's ex wasn't the only major plot that was back-burnered due to the strike. Drug-addled Mike was supposed to befriend a mysterious woman while in rehab, and Marc Cherry was in the midst of casting the plum part when production came to a standstill.