Question: Is this the last season of ER? Answer: I hope not, considering what I just found out. Sources confirm to me exclusively that the great Kari Matchett (Invasion, 24, Heartland) is joining the cast as a tough, outdoorsy, ER attending who moonlights at County General to raise money for her world travels. She'll be introduced in Episode 6, airing Nov. 1.
Question: Do you hate Smallville, is that why you're ignoring the show? Or do you hate me? Answer: If those are my only two choices, I'm gonna have to go with hating you. Now simmer yourself before I slap the hysterical out of you, 'cause I've got some major Smallville prattle. My super-moles just dropped a treasure trove of intel related to the Sept. 27 season premiere on my desk, and here are the highlights: * By the middle of the premiere, one woman will be officially pronounced dead. * Lex will find himself in a watery situation that harkens back to the original pilot... only this time, it's another alien saving his life. * Those folks who hated Jimmy will be happy to see that he grows a major spine and sucker-punches a certain Young Man of Steel. * Bizarro Clark will get his hands on Lois... and
Question: I'm sure you heard about Jane Wyman's death. Like you, I loved Falcon Crest and I loved (and hated) Angela Channing even more. Answer: It's a total bummer. As cheesy as it sounds, I feel like I lost a piece of my childhood with her passing. Friday nights wouldn't have been nearly as fun without Jane/Angela. The second I learned of her death I e-mailed Jeff Freilich, who as executive producer of Falcon Crest from 1986-88 worked with Wyman during the show's creative peak, and asked him if there were any memories he'd like to share. Here's what he wrote back: "Jane Wyman was a little girl hiding inside a matriarch's body — fun-seeking and adventurous. I never met anybody more excited to be on a film set nor worked with an actor who commanded such respect without bluster or selfish demands. She was among the last of a dying breed of true Hollywood stars. To her, acting was a pleasure... a calling. Being a mother, on t
Question: I'm very disappointed! You didn't say anything about Desperate Housewives in last week's AA. Answer: I was waiting till I had something to say, and now I do: I've seen the season premiere and, save for the lame resolution of the Edie cliff-hanger, the episode is actually pretty good. All of the actors seem on top of their game, including Dana Delany and Nathan Fillion, who are fantastic as the sorta-new couple on the block. On the spoiler front, I can tell you that this season's big mystery centers on what happened to Delany's daughter (Lyndsy Fonseca) during their early days on Wisteria Lane. There's also a big baby twist, a funny sight gag involving a barbecue fork that underrated funny lady Marcia Cross just nails, and a housewife's death is averted by none other than Mrs. McClusky.
Question: I'm sure you know "Michael" means "angel," so please bless us all with some scoopage (along with the premiere date) for Season 5 of Nip/Tuck.Answer: Ah, but did you also know that "Ausiello" means "Ask and you shall receive"? First off, the new season kicks off on Oct. 30. Secondly, the show is casting two new guest roles: One is a successful suicide bomber (as in, he's dead) who haunts Sean because he removed pieces of the terrorist from the body of a survivor of his attack. The other newbie is a middle-aged lesbian whose "run-in" with Rosie O'Donnell's Dawn Budge at the Gay Pride Parade results in rainbow-colored hilarityl.
Question: I'm a huge Chris Lowell fan and am dying for some spoilers/info about Dell other than his aspirations to be a midwife. Is there anything new you can tell me to tide me over until the PP premiere?Answer: He coins what I think is a new word: "midwifery." BREAKING NEWS: Midwifery is a real word! A big thanks to all those who wrote in this morning to tell me what a dumb-ass I am. Much appreciated!
Question: I’d like to suggest (for either AA or Ausiello Report) that you give us the scoop on stars who have been MIA for a while — what they’ve been up to, if they’re coming back to TV/movies soon, etc. I'd also like to suggest that the first star be Holly Marie Combs.Answer: I'd like to suggest you stop giving me busywork. I've got enough on my plate right now, thank you very much. Speaking of which, the Emmys are almost here and that can only mean one thing: I'm going to Hollywood, baby! And for the first time in recorded history, I'll actually be on the red carpet during arrivals conducting on-camera interviews with all of the nominees, presenters, and various and sundry guests. The footage will (hopefully) start populating the TVGuide.com video players beginning immediately after the telecast at 11 pm/ET. Following the kudospalooza, I'll be motoring over to LC's fave hangout, Les Deux, for TV Guide's post-Emmy bash to get reaction
Question: Regarding your item about Sarah Wayne Callies not returning to Prison Break, Fox put out a statement saying she plays a significant part in the storyline this year. So who have I to believe? Answer: Believe us both 'cause it's all true. I'll have much more to say on this shocking turn of events in the very near future.
NBC has drafted one of its MVPs to tinker with Bionic Woman. According to sources, Friday Night Lights executive producer Jason Katims has agreed to lend a helping hand on the Peacock's highly touted redo as a consultant. The move comes less than a week after the abrupt exit of Bionic boss Glen Morgan, apparently over creative differences. I'm told Katims will split his time between Bionic and FNL. And I think I speak for FNL fans when I say our brilliant little show better not suffer as a result. I do speak for you guys, right!?
No need to worry about tonight's My Boys season finale being a series finale. Sources tell me that TBS has renewed the show for a second season. An official announcement is expected in the next day or so. That noise you hear is TVGuide.com's Boys crazy Megan Cherkezian high-fiving some poor, unsuspecting coworker.
OK, now you worrywarts have something to wring your hands about: The Ausiello Report has just learned that after giving birth, Sarah Wayne Callies is not returning to Prison Break after all. Shocking, right? Especially given the way the actress' manager has been insisting for weeks that her client would be back. (The words "pants on fire" come to mind.) We already knew that Callies was MIA from the opening credits in the first two episodes and that, for the one scene in which Dr. Sara appeared, a body double was used. But nonetheless, trusting souls that we are, we believed the mom-to-be still had a job. Well, no more. There's a story here, and you're gonna get it. Um, as soon as we do. In the meantime, feel free to work out your grief over this turn of events through cybersupport groups, viewing parties of key scenes from past seasons and especially tear-stained blog posts. Also, any guesses as to the "creative" way insiders are saying Callies' absence will be addressed? — Add...
Maybe he got a better offer from The Six Million Dollar Man. Although no official reason was given, The Ausiello Report has learned that Bionic Woman executive producer Glen Morgan (of X-Files fame) has left the buzzed-about fall series. (Can you say "creative differences"? Good, because we're not supposed to speculate.) Says NBC: "Glen Morgan has helped create a great template for Bionic Woman but has decided to pursue other endeavors now. We wish him the best. The creative team of David Eick and Jason Smilovic continue as executive producers on Bionic Woman, and we are excited about the new series' debut September 26." How about you? Still excited about Woman without her main man? In his absence, will his successors make the show better, stronger, faster than before? Discuss. — Additional reporting by Ben Katner
Good thing Thursdays are slow here in the Amish country, 'cause the Ausiello Report's casting scoop cup runneth over today.Sources confirm to me exclusively that Nip/Tuck's Jessalyn Gilsig has been recruited to play the recurring role of Connie Britton's hip, single and smart sister on Friday Night Lights.Meanwhile, E.T.'s BFF, Henry Thomas, is joining the cast of Without a Trace as Anthony LaPaglia's new nemesis.Feel free to rant/rave about these latest castings below. Meanwhile, I've got a Rumspringa vacation to get back to.More TVGuide.com casting news: Exclusive: Earl Charmed By Alyssa Milano, Lee Majors Is Game's Six Million Dollar Coach, CBS' Randy Men Woo ER's Wen, Janeane Garofalo
Sounds like there's some good frakkin' karma headin' Earl Hickey's way. My Name is Earl has tapped Alyssa Milano to join the cast as a possible love interest for Jason Lee. According to sources, the ex-sorceress is on board for a minimum of eight episodes, although an Earl insider disputes that, insisting she's only signed for three. Earl meets Milano's tough and quirky character through fellow inmate Frank (Michael Rapaport). The two bond and, through a bizarre twist of fate that harkens back to a seminal moment in Earl's past, he ends up teaching her the ins-and-outs of karma (note: karma very well could be a euphamism for something dirtier here).More casting prattle coming, so please stand by. In the meantime, discuss Milano's tube return in the comments section below.More TVGuide.com casting news: Exclusive: Sopranos' Edie Falco Gets a Piece of 30 Rock, Exclusive Friday Night Lights, Trace Casting Scoops, Exclusive: AS-P Casts a VIP on Jezebel James, Lee Majors Is Game's Six Mil...
It's official... well, almost: Multiple sources are now confirming that Barbara Walters will announce on Monday that ex-Less Than Perfect funny lady Sherri Shepherd has at last been given Star Jones Reynolds' old seat. (Or at least as much of it as she needs.)So now that the ink has begun to dry, or at least theoretically Shepherd has picked up a pen with which to sign her contract, what are your thoughts? Will she -- could anyone ever -- make the show as exciting and unpredictable as it was when Rosie O'Donnell and Hasselbeck turned it into a verbal version of WWF SmackDown? At this point, will you just be glad to watch a nice, normal talk show again? Would you have preferred that Kathy Griffin (the reported runner-up) have gotten the gig? Don't be shy -- share with the class. — Additional reporting by Ben KatnerRelated: Sherri Shepherd Signed with The View Back in August
The cast of Amy Sherman-Palladino's new series just keeps getting better: The Ausiello Report has learned exclusively that The Return of Jezebel James has landed two-time Oscar winner Dianne Wiest to play Parker Posey and Lauren Ambrose's mom in several episodes. Don't speak! There's no need. Mom, whose name is Talia, is described as sweet but not in a the-mom-from-Edward Scissorhands kind of way — there's a little aggression mixed with her passivity. So you can imagine how she'll react when finally her daughters join forces to give her the grandbaby she and her husband (played by Ron McLarty, who appears in the pilot) so desperately want. Nice "get," huh? Aside from that unfortunate stint on Law & Order, Wiest has always been a scene-stealer, and the idea of her going two-on-one with Posey (aka the next best thing to Lauren Graham) and Ambrose (the Six Feet Under live wire) is almost too good to be true. No, don't speak! I imagine you're speechless, anyway. On second thoug...
Question: On Rosie's blog, she said Friday Night Lights never sent her a script and that her agent even contacted them. She said she was willing to do it and it was FNL that didn't come through! Who do you think is right!?Answer: Rosie wasn't lying. An FNL spokesperson confirms that "a formal offer was never made to have Rosie guest-star on Friday Night Lights, but we are eternally grateful for her support and, should the right opportunity come about, we would love to have her on the show."
Question: Why do you put spoiler alerts before you answer certain questions? Isn't this entire column supposed to be filled with spoilers anyway? Answer: Not all spoilers were created equal. I slap an "alert" on the ones that are really spoilery.
Question: Any scoop on Supernatural? Answer: Yep — and you're looking at it! This is your exclusive first look at Supernatural's two new kickass females, played by Katie Cassidy and Lauren Cohan. As you know, Cassidy's playing Ruby, a ruthless demon-hunter helping out Sam and Dean, while Cohan's character, Bela, is a mercenary who realizes there's some serious money to be made in the supernatural world. Also let me remind you what exec producer Eric Kripke told me back in July: "There's a misconception that they're being introduced as love interests [for Sam and Dean]," he said. "They're not; they're being introduced as antagonists." But that's not to say something won't happen down the line.
Question: If I promised we could be BFs, would you give me some October Road scoop? I'll bring the muffins!Answer: Even though you left an F out of BFFs, I'm a sucker for muffins and, in fact, almost anything with frosting on it (don't judge me), so I will tell you this: Rod Lurie muse Julie Ann Emery (Line of Fire, Commander in Chief) has been cast in the recurring role of Ray's ex, a bitch and a half who'll trade insults - and blows - with Hannah. You may also remember Emery from The Riches, where she played Hugh's wife, the stripper. Now that that's out of the way, did I mention that I'm partial to sprinkles?
Question: Could you tell me if Notes from the Underbelly is coming back?Answer: I believe it's slated to return around midseason — and with a bigger cast. I hear they're introducing parents for Jennifer Westfeldt's character, and they're going after "names."
Question: Do you know how Scrubs plans to bring Nurse Roberts back from the dead this season? Answer: Well, contrary to what you may've heard, Aloma Wright won't be returning as Laverne's sister. In fact, the new character she's playing won't have any ties to Sacred Heart's dearly departed nurse. "She's coming back as a completely different character [that's] not related to Laverne in any way," reveals Scrubs boss Bill Lawrence. "And no one but J.D. sees the similarities. And he's incredulous that no one sees it." Bill adds that he hopes fans will give him "a pass" on this shark-jumpy development. "It's just that Aloma's such a nice woman. When I thought last year was the last year, we killed her. And then it looked like it suddenly might not be the last year and I didn't want to rewrite all of those scripts. So I told her, 'Look, if we come b