Question: How about some Friday Night Lights scoop? Is Coach Taylor really going to be away from Dillon all season?Answer: (Spoiler alert) Considering the new coach (Chris Mulkey) gets fired in Episode 4, I'm guessing not.
Question: I keep hearing that when the new season of Heroes starts, Claire will have a new boyfriend with powers of his own. Any word on who will be playing the new beau?Answer: An actor named Nick D'Agosto, who is best known for a show no one saw: CBS' ill-fated Marisa Tomei-fronted comedy pilot The Rich Inner Life of Penelope Cloud. Not sure what his special power is, but I hear he'll do something rather unprecedented to Claire.
Question: I think I may have figured out Masi Oka's asterisk quiz: "In Episode 1, we will find out what Kaito's power is." Whatchya think? Hot or cold?Answer: Scalding!
Question: It would be just Smurftastic if you could spill some SVU scoop. Guest-star news is just dandy, but I'm kind of craving some nice and juicy plot-spill.Answer: I've seen the Sept. 25 season premiere and two bombshells are dropped within the first three minutes (Spoiler alert): Cragen announces that he's been reassigned and Marish debuts her new cropped 'do (which doesn't go unnoticed by one of her colleagues). Also, Stabler is officially back playing house with his pregnant ex, Kathy, and their eldest daughter is officially TV's most annoying teen. Yep, even worse than Susan's demon spawn on Desperate Housewives. You'll see why on Sept. 25.
Question: Just wondered if you had any scoop on any guest stars we can expect to see on Scrubs this season... like Tom Cavanaugh, perhaps?Answer: Tom will be back as J.D.'s bro in Episode 3. My reigning BFF Keri Russell is also expected to return, her schedule permitting.
Question: I turned Sweet Sixteen on Sunday and I was hoping you could give me one more present: some scoop on One Tree Hill.Answer: Happy birthday! Building on the Brooke/Lucas scoop thread I started in last week's AA, here's the lowdown on Peyton and Nathan. (Spoiler alert) When the season starts, Peyton will be living in Los Angeles working as an assistant to the assistant of a music producer. Nathan, meanwhile, is in a wheelchair and has a 4-year-old son that's interested in basketball. He's also a raging alcoholic and bitter about life (Nathan, not his son). Mouth (is there really someone on this show named Mouth!?) is trying desperately to be a sportscaster. So happy birthday, Jacqueline. Remember: Don't drink and drive!
Question: Thank you for the awesome Kristen Bell interview. Now give us those leftover quotes. I'm dying to find out what she thought of the Veronica Mars finale!Answer: Here you go: "I kind of feel like the way they left it open was the perfect wrap-up to the show. Because had they sealed it in a nice clean box, that's not what the show is about. The show was not about satisfying the viewers. The show was hard to follow, the show was really witty, the show was really sassy — it was for intelligent people. So I think it was wrapped up really nicely. That being said, I knew some things that were going to happen in Season 4 that I'm not going to dare say, 'cause that's probably what the movie is goin
Question: Any scoop about the possibility of Lady Heather returning to tangle with Grissom on CSI?Answer: No plans that I know of at the moment, but some of CSI's other semi-regulars will be getting a little more airtime this season, per Carol Mendelsohn. "We're going to see more of the lab rats this year," she says. "We love our lab rats. We're going to play up our friendship and their rivalry." She adds, "This is a year in which Nick is going to step forward. The question has always been, 'Grissom is the supervisor, but who's the supervisor in waiting?'" I guess we'll find out when Billy's contract comes up for renewal next May! That's a wrap! You know the drill: There's the AA Discussion Thread, the
Question: How I Met Your Mother prattle?Answer: Real-life smartypants Danica McKellar's back in this season's fourth episode as Ted's first-season one-night stand — you know, the one who climbed out of his fire escape the morning after. Well, she bumps into him at the bar and apologizes for shagging and running, and then proceeds to set her sights on him anew. But she'll find herself competing for his affections with an old sorority sister of hers — although "competing" might not be the right word since I hear there's some serious threesome potential here.
Question: I haven't seen any Big Love scoop lately, and the season finale is Sunday! Got any scoop?Answer: Here's the official HBO episode teaser (warning: it's a smidge spoilery): "Foiled by Alby in his attempt to gain UEB support, Bill resorts to a new tack to try to bring down his nemeses. Preparing for the festivities surrounding Salt Lake City's Pioneer Week parade, the Henricksons are rocked by the appearance of an unexpected guest. Margene comes clean to Ana about her relationship with 'Phil,' then takes up her cause with her sister wives — and Bill. Sarah and Heather attempt to get Ben to change directions; Bill ignores Lois' pleas to take a leadership role at Juniper Creek; Margene lobbies for more control in the family, and in her life; Barb sets Pam straight. After Bill makes his end move in the game to control Weber Gaming, Alby shocks Roman with a power play of his own."
Question: How excited are you about K-Fed doing One Tree Hill!?Answer: Not nearly as excited as the rest of the cast! What an absolute thrill for them!
Question: When you say a "major character" is leaving Scrubs at midseason, do you mean someone in the opening credits, or someone like Todd or Ted?Answer: Someone in the opening credits. Check out this week's Ausiello Report vodcast for a very important clue.
Question: Where's all the Supernatural scoop you said you'd get for us? I need my fix!Answer: (Spoiler alert) Looks like Dean is going to have some trouble with the demon who stole his soul last season. A casting call has gone out for that very demon, and she just so happens to be in her midtwenties, gorgeous and seductive. I've got two words for you, Eric Kripke: Bianca. Lawson.
Question: So have you had a chance to catch up on Greek and Burn Notice? Don't you just love them?Answer: Haven't tackled Greek yet — this weekend for sure — but I did catch a few episodes of Burn Notice and I'm definitely on board. Jeffrey Donovan and Gabrielle Anwar are some kind of wonderful together. But the most pleasant surprise came during the opening credits when I discovered that one of my idols, Jeff Freilich, is a co-executive producer. As I previously gushed, Freilich revolutionized the prime-time soap during his two-year stint at the helm of Falcon Crest. He also gave my girl Mariska Hargitay her big break, and for that I will always be indebted to him.
Lost has found more new blood.Sources confirm that The Wire's Lance Reddick has been cast in the recurring role of Arthur Stevens, the intimidating corporate-recruiter character I first told you about in last week's Ask Ausiello. Reddick also had a lengthy arc on HBO's Oz, where he starred opposite returning Lostie Harold Perrineau. This comes on the heels of another key piece of Lost casting: the addition of Sopranos scene-stealer Ken Leung. However, the specifics of his character remain shrouded in mystery. Rumors had him playing a brilliant mathematician named Russell, but now there's buzz that he's coming on in a top-secret role that no one (save for Darlton) knows anything about. Feel free to get some speculation going in the comments section below. Also, what do you think of Reddick's casting? Thumbs up? Thumbs down? Thumbs sideways?
Sticks and stones will break my bones, but damn, it's the words that really bruise my ego. "Pathetic." "Loser." "Lazy Susan." You guys have been especially merciless since Variety beat me to the scoop that my BFF Kristen Bell had signed on to put the super in Heroes this fall. Lucky for you, I don't hold a grudge — not for long, anyway. So put away your thesauri, people, because you're going to want to give your full attention to this, the actress formerly known as Veronica Mars' first interview on her big new gig. In an exclusive Q&A with yours truly, she dances around the subject of her mysterious character, explains why she turned down an offer from Lost, and takes a stand on the subject of a VM movie. But don't take my word for it. (As if, given your current disposition, you even would.) Read on, and get all the dish straight from our favorite ingenue's mouth.Congrats on the Heroes gig! Is this some kind of evil plot of yours to send fanboys over the edge?Kristen Bell:...
Trouble's a-brewin' over at CBS' bad-buzz magnet Viva Laughlin.Sources confirm that Bob Lowry has been let go as show-runner on the Eye's new fall drama, although he's expected to retain his executive-producer credit (and thus continue getting paid). To fill the void, co-executive producers Steven S. DeKnight and Tyler Bensinger will be assuming more of the day-to-day responsibilities. The move wasn't entirely unexpected since, as you'll recall, producer Sony was wooing Rob Thomas to take over as Viva's boss even before Veronica Mars was officially laid to rest last May.The behind-the-scenes shakeup comes amid rumors that test audiences aren't responding favorably to the show's musical interludes, although one Viva insider denies that that had anything to do with Lowry's demotion/ouster. That same insider maintains that "the singing is staying in the show," which is good news for people who like to laugh at stuff that isn't supposed to be funny.
Uncle Junior's poker buddy just hit the jackpot. Ken Leung — whose memorable turn as Uncle Junior's mentally unstable protégé on The Sopranos last season turned many a head in Hollywood (mine included) — is joining the cast of Lost next season, sources confirm to me exclusively. The rumor is that Leung will be playing the recurring role of Russell*, a brilliant mathematician who is capable of great insights and has a tremendous knowledge across various scientific fields. He's expected to first turn up in February's season premiere.Non-Sopranos fans may know Leung from his role as Kid Omega in Brett Ratner's franchise killer, X-Men: The Last Stand. * May not be the character's real name.
Marin Hinkle is cornering the market on bitter ex-wife roles.The Two and a Half Men actress (she plays John Cryer's uptight ex) has been cast as Courtney McCallister, the bitter former spouse of Rob Lowe's Sen. McCallister, on Brothers & Sisters. She'll appear in one episode this fall, but it's likely she'll be back for more. In the episode, Courtney goes on a Larry King Live-type talk show to discuss her estranged hubby's bid for the White House — further inflaming tensions between the two. Since Hinkle is a series regular on Men, it's safe to say that she had to get CBS and Warner Bros.' OK before committing to B&S. In other casting news, Tom Everett Scott has sealed a deal with ABC's Cashmere Mafia to play the fiancé of Lucy Liu's character — which is a little strange since in the pilot I saw she was definitely single. I'm sure there's a very good explanation for that. Or not.
Now this is what I call a bloody brilliant piece of casting.James Marsters is joining Without a Trace as a character named — get this — Detective Mars. I kid you not. Marsters himself confirms it on his website.As I revealed in this week's Ask Ausiello, Det. Mars will be brought in to investigate a human-trafficking ring. The role is recurring, but I hear there's definite series-regular potential.Pretty fraktastic, eh?
Question: Still six months of hiatus before Lost comes back. Can you help us survive the waiting with some scoop?Answer: New character alert! The show has started casting the recurring role of Arthur Stevens, a very tall and thin corporate recruiter who is smart, capable and ruthless. "He may smile and his words may sound soothing," reads the casting notice, "but their effect can send chills up your spine." That's all the scoop that's fit to print. Head over to the Ask Ausiello discussion thread to debate the merits of this week's column. Send any/all hot tips to askausiello@tvguide.com. And by all means, watch this week's all-new spoiler-packed episode of the
Question: Love your column, but I never see you mention one of the funniest shows on TV, My Name Is Earl.Answer: Hmmm, didn't I write something about last season's Scratch 'n Sniff episode? Why, looky here — I sure did! Now who feels silly? Anyway, here's my second Earl scoop of '07: This is the season Early finally finds love! Producers are casting the role of Samantha, a "tough and quirky" girl Earl meets via fellow inmate Frank (Michael Rapaport). He quickly develops feelings for her 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.