Question: I may be in the minority here, but I'm sad about Diane Neal leaving Law & Order: SVU. Do you have any good SVU news to cheer me up? Answer: That depends. Were you a fan of either 7th Heaven and/or What About Brian? 'Cause this season's next-to-last episode features guest turns by both Stephen Collins and Matthew Davis.
Question: Do you think we could get some scoop on shows not titled Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, Lost or Smallville? Like, maybe, CSI: Miami? Answer: I suppose if I have to. Sources confirm to me exclusively that recently sprung thesp Tom Sizemore will guest-star in this season's penultimate episode on May 12 as a no-good PI by the name of Anthony Pellicano Kurt Rossi. Dude's so headed for a Horatio beat-down it's not even funny.
Question: Wanna tell us who is gonna be involved in the super-secret, special, surprising kiss in the Grey's Anatomy season finale? Just a little hint? Answer: First, let's explain to the class what you're referring to, Mandy. In the current issue of TV Guide (on sale tomorrow), guest spoiler columnist Shonda Rhimes offers a first-person preview of the show's final five episodes — and she saves the best for the last paragraph. "A lot happens in these five episodes," the onetime Information Nazi writes. "And it all ends with a kiss. A good kiss. A great kiss. A kiss so good it makes you lean into your televisions. A kiss we never saw coming. Oh, it's a major kiss." Unfortunately, I come bearing no clues since I honestly have no idea whose lips will be smacking. She kind of threw me for a loop with the whole "kiss we never saw coming" bit
Question: I need some Gossip Girl gossip! Answer: Michelle Trachtenberg's roots are showing. At least they will be later this season when we meet Georgina's extremely rich and extremely concerned Upper East Side parents. Also, I'm hearing that a private jet bound for Europe plays a significant role in the finale.
Question: Can you please, please, please confirm or shoot down the rumor that Alona Tal might be returning for an episode of Supernatural this season. And if she is, can you reassure me that she's not getting killed off? I really couldn't handle yet another of my beloved recurring characters being put on the "kicked the bucket" list. Answer: I can confirm that Alona Tal is not returning for an episode this season and, therefore, will not be getting killed off.
Question: Does your news of a two-hour Grey's finale definitely mean two new hours of the show, or is it going to be a recap episode and then the finale? Answer: As I understand it, there'll be about 80 minutes of actual show, plus 22 minutes of commercials and 18 minutes of ABC promos. Give or take a few minutes here and there.
Question: Any scoop on why Bones would need a new forensic anthropologist? Is something going to happen to Zack? Answer: Sure sounds like it based on Fox's official episode description for the May 19 season finale: "When a human jawbone shows up at the Jeffersonian, Brennan and the team quickly realize that the Gormogon serial killer has struck again. In a shocking turn of events, an explosion in the lab sends Zack to the hospital; Gormogon's silver skeleton goes missing from the basement vault; and every Jeffersonian employee becomes a suspect, with the very real possibility that one of their very own may be working with the twisted and elusive serial killer."
Question: Hey, Gossip Guy, can you tell us any other exciting news on the show? Answer: Spotted: Gossip Girl's Ed Westwick and two female companions strolling past Benny's Burritos in New York's West Village last Saturday evening as TV Guide's Michael Ausiello (accompanied by a male companion) was inhaling a tofu-laced brown rice and black bean bowl.
Question: Please tell me Charisma Carpenter will be back on Greek this season! Answer: I wish I could. And so, apparently, does series creator Sean Smith. "I've tried a million times to bring her character back, but the stories just haven't really surfaced yet," he tells me. "But as God and you and your readers as my witnesses, I will bring Charisma Carpenter back!" That's all, folks. Send questions/tips/Aus sightings to askausiello@tvguide.com! See you back here next week!
Question: Sarah Chalke was awesome on How I Met Your Mother. What are the chances of her doing more guest appearances? Answer: According to Mother star Josh Radnor, the chances are really good. Check out my interview with him in this week's Ausiello Report vodcast and pay really close attention around the 3:38 mark. And if after that you're still not convinced, click here.
Question: I saw you walking on 9th Avenue last Saturday around noon. Were you coming home from the gym or your weekly Smurf Anonymous Appreciation meeting? Answer: Both, actually. My weekly Smurf Anonymous Appreciation meeting is held at the gym. If you're interested in attending, the next one is this Sunday behind the recumbent bikes.
Question: So, the DVD with the never-before-seen series finale of American Dreams is just sitting on your desk, huh? What are the chances of you burning it and mailing me a copy?Answer: The chances are about as good as you appearing on the cover of TV Guide's Sexiest Stars issue next month. [Beat] Uh-oh. Me screwed now.
Question: Please tell me if Eli Stone is coming back. I kind of sort of love it.Answer: An ABC insider tells me there's a "good chance" Eli will see a second season. It helps that it scored its highest ratings Sunday after Desperate Housewives. And for the record, Yolanda, I'm kind of, sort of loving it, too.
Question: Lauren Graham headlining NBC's Office spin-off? Make it happen, Ben Silverman! Answer: Word around Universal City is that the big BS has another name in mind for Office 2.0, and it looks a little something like **a*** *e**. Which depresses me a little. It's not that **a*** *e** is a bad actress, I just think she's all wrong for this. Lauren Graham, on the other hand, is, well… my god, can you imagine?!
Man, they're dropping like flies this week on the procedurals. Less than 24 hours after I reported that Gary Dourdan and CSI would be parting ways by season's end, word comes that Diane Neal has given notice at Law & Order: SVU!A show spokesperson confirmed the actress' departure, saying, "Diane spent five years on SVU and was a tremendous addition to the SVU team. She is looking forward to new opportunities and she will be missed."Neal, who will make her final appearance in next month's season finale, joined SVU in 2003 as ADA Casey Novak, replacing Stephanie March. She had previously appeared in a Season 3 episode as a different character, a female rapist by the name of Amelia Chase. The search for a new ADA is already under way, and, sadly, bringing March back doesn't appear to be an option. Word is that Dick Wolf is looking to fill the void with an up-and-comer. No disrespect to Neal, but, for my money, SVU is unlikely to ever find an ADA as arresting as Alex Cabot.
Lost scoop about a spectacular death + an in-studio interview with How I Met Your Mother's Josh Radnor — nka (now known as) one of my favorite famous people alive) = this week's episode of the Ausiello Report vodcast. Enjoy!
With all the attention focused on William Petersen's successful contract negotiations, this ginormous scoopbit nearly slipped right by: Sources confirm to me exclusively that original CSIer Gary Dourdan — whose contract is also set to expire next month — is leaving the show. Although a precise timeframe is not known, CSI's May 15 season finale could serve as Warrick's swan song. Regarding Dourdan's exit, a CBS spokesperson says, "We can't confirm or deny this information." This is the second major departure to rock CSI this season. As anyone with a pulse and/or access to TVGuide.com knows, Jorja Fox made her final appearance as Sara in November. The good news: Marg Helgenberger and George Eads are expected to follow Petersen's lead and re-up with the show.Meanwhile, CSI execs aren't wasting any time searching for Dourdan's replacement. I'm told producers have put out a casting call for a new male series regular in his late twenties to early thirties to play Ray Santoro, a ...
They wanted a "name" and they got one.A Showtime rep confirms that Weeds has tapped Albert Brooks to play Nancy's estranged father-in-law, Len, in at least four episodes. The Oscar-nominated multi-hyphenate — whose prior TV work has been limited to Simpsons voice-overs and a few random '70s guest stints — will turn up early in Season 4, which debuts June 16.In related news, Showtime has released the following semi-spoilery preview of Season 4:"What's cable's No. 1 pot dealer to do when her cozy suburban enclave burns to the ground, taking her clients and stash along with it? What else? Pack up and move on. With the embers of Agrestic smoldering in her rearview mirror, Nancy & Co. relocate to the fictional beach town of Ren Mar on the San Diego/Mexico border to set up shop with a new front biz that’s… pregnant with possibilities. With the help of her old friends and new partner Guillermo, Nancy will get even deeper in the shadier side of dealing — on both...
It's official, Ausholes!I can now confirm what I first teased earlier this week: Team Darlton has sealed a deal with ABC to bring us an extra hour of Lost this season.But there's a twist.Lost isn't the only ABC hit experiencing an unexpected growth spurt. Sources confirm to me exclusively that Grey's Anatomy will also expand its season by an hour — and it has Lost to thank!Allow me to explain. With a 14th hour of Lost now a done deal, the show's finale will swell to three hours. But, in what can only be described as an unorthodox scheduling move, the first hour of that finale will air on May 15, and then we have to wait two weeks — until May 29 — to get the last two hours! That's right, no Lost on May 22. Why? Apparently, Darlton convinced ABC that the final two hours had to air together. And with the finales of Grey's and Ugly Betty already slated for May 22 at 8 and 9 pm, respectively, ABC really had no other choice than to sked Lost's two-hour exit for May 29. That...
OMFG, she is so the mother! I think. I'm hearing from multiple sources that Sarah Chalke is in advanced talks to reprise her role as Ted's possible future wife on How I Met Your Mother.In fact, just moments ago, Chalke's Mother crush himself, Josh Radnor — here to shoot a guest appearance for next week's Ausiello Report vodcast — confirmed that we'd probably be seeing Stella for a "few more episodes" this season. He was quick to add, however, that he has no clue whether or not she's the mother. "I really don't know," he said, "nor do I ask." Radnor also pleaded ignorance regarding the possibility of Britney Spears returning as Chalke's unhinged assistant, although he expressed confidence that exec producers Carter Bays and Craig Thomas "could write a great plot for her to come back." Neil Patrick Harris may prove a harder sell. Radnor's costar told the Associated Press that too much of Spears may not be a good thing. "I'm in the minority that our show does not need stunt c...
Nothing like a little controversy to whet our appetites for Gossip Girl's return in 12 days, 3 hours and 10 minutes (but who's counting?).The first image from the CW's new ad campaign tied to GG's post-strike premiere on April 21 has leaked onto the Internets and I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that some folks might find it a wee bit offensive. Me? I've already ordered a bus-stop-sized poster of it for my office. A CW insider, meanwhile, tells me that two versions of the ad are being produced: one with Serena and Nate (see above) and a second with Blair and Chuck. Also, the "F" in the "OMFG" will only appear in select locations. Select "cool" locations. Which version do you prefer?Plus, check out the campaign's hot new video.
OK, I've left you hanging long enough, Ausholes. The scintillating piece of Lost prattle I've been holding over your heads since Ask Ausiello went live early this morning (i.e., the better-than-the-coffin-reveal scoop) goes a little something like this.... According to one of my 815 snitches, Team Darlton is in advanced talks with ABC to produce — wait for it, wait for it — an additional hour of Lost this season! [The crowd roars] Now, before you go French-kissing a total stranger out of sheer elation, my source stresses that this is by no means a done deal. In fact, the scheduling hurdles alone are enough to make a grown man cry. But you have to admit, the prospect of a 14th hour is a tantalizing one. And it raises so darn many questions. For instance:• If the dream becomes a reality, how would it work? As it stands, Lost's Season 4 climax is slated to air on May 22 on a season-finale-themed night that also includes the cappers of Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy. So wo...
