Mega Buzz: A CSI Goodbye, Claire's Modern Politics and an NCIS Triangle

Every week, editors Adam Bryant and Natalie Abrams satisfy your need for TV scoop. Please send all questions to mega_scoop@tvguide.com.

I am so sad to see Marg Helgenberger leave CSI. What can you say about Catherine's exit? — DeAnne
ADAM: I'd say it'll be pretty poetic, if you read between the lines — and I know you all do! While Catherine is working with the FBI on a case involving an old friend (guest star Annabeth Gish), she'll start to realize her value. "These FBI agents shine a mirror on how good she is at what she does," executive producer Carol Mendelsohn says. "I think Catherine is looking at the next job. As a woman, Catherine feels she's hit a glass ceiling at CSI. It's something that's been weighing on her, and she sees a door to a new life." But she could presumably come back to consult, right? "It's not a 'for always' goodbye," executive producer Don McGill says. "There's always an open door."

Got any scoop on Modern Family? — Jeremy
NATALIE: Remember how Claire mulled running for city council earlier this season? An upcoming episode will feature both the debate and subsequent election, which doesn't go so well for the Dunphy matriarch. "Claire basically succumbs to a series of nervous tics and freak-outs that, as her children point them out, get worse and worse until finally she's essentially having an epileptic seizure at the podium," Julie Bowen teases.

What's Ziva's reaction to meeting Tony's ex Wendy on NCIS? — Linda
ADAM: Ziva gets her claws into Wendy pretty quickly, perhaps looking for dirt on Tony. "Ziva is fascinated by Wendy because of the history, and Tony is mortified by the idea of leaving them alone," executive producer Gary Glasberg says, adding that both Tony and Wendy still have feelings for each other. But don't look for Wendy's visit to completely deflate this season's Tiva tension. "By the end of this season, they're both going to have a better understanding of what they want from the future," Glasberg says.

Gleeplease! — Marty
NATALIE: Following his failed friendship-turned-accidental romance with Becky, Artie will set his sights on a new girl: Sugar Motta. Before you scoff at the idea of him having feelings for a tone-deaf, entitled ditz, get this: He's not the only one with a Sugar craving. "He may have to battle for her with someone else," Kevin McHale tells us. Any guesses?

What's coming up on How I Met Your Mother? — Ryan
ADAM: What's one perk of having friends in the suburbs? Getting to meet their neighbors! Barney will meet one particularly chatty Cathy, who, after a few drinks, falls for Barney's pick-up lines. But watch your back, Barney: The last guy who broke her heart met the business end of a cheese knife!

It looks like Klaus might be developing romantic feelings for Caroline on The Vampire Diaries. Are those emotions even possible for him? — Lanie
NATALIE: Hey, hybrids have feelings too! Klaus previously mentioned a former lover, and we'll get more info on that soon. "We're going to learn more about his past and what would've made him so closed-off," Joseph Morgan says. "The one thing he has to learn how to do is trust; he doesn't have it in him at the moment. Because of the betrayal of his family, his father, and everybody who's abandoned him he started to build friendships and relationships based on fear and anger instead. If he can learn to trust, then he has a chance at loving again."

On The Good Wife, when will Alicia find out about the State's Attorney's investigation into Will for possibly bribing judges? — Elizabeth
ADAM: Very soon, and it's going to send a ripple effect through the law firm. "It doesn't just touch one person or three people," Robert King says. "Everybody gets involved." Which isn't a good thing. "The bottom line is everybody seems to have a strategy about how to attack that and it's kind of [like] bumper cars -- [all the] strategies start bumping up against each other," King says.

What's coming up on Grey's Anatomy? — Jenna
NATALIE: Besides a trip to an alternate reality and a special crossover episode, the Seattle Grace residents will soon be prepping for their medical board exams. "We're heading toward [the boards] as part of the end of our season," executive producer Shonda Rhimes teases. "Some people pass the boards; some people fail the boards. Some people's careers survive; some people's careers don't. That's not our finale, but it is an event leading up to our finale."

Is Hotch's love interest Beth going to stick around on Criminal Minds? Will there be more after her? — Heather
ADAM: You will see her at least a couple more times, executive producer Erica Messer tells us. "They're lovely," Messer says. "It's nice to have our characters smile, because in the bulk of our episodes, they can't." But don't look for Hotch to rejoin the singles scene if things with Beth don't pan out. "I don't see Hotch as a character who is going to date around much," Messer says. "The fact that his eyes were open enough to see someone was interested in him was a huge step."

Is there still hope for Sookie and Eric on True Blood? — Alexis
NATALIE: Considering that Sookie swore off both Bill and Eric in the season finale, it'll be a while before we see any movement on that front. "The feelings are still there for both Eric and Bill," Alexander Skarsgard tells us. "The attraction is still there, but they're preoccupied, and so is she." Instead, look for Bill and Eric to team up while the vampire world begins to both expand and collapse in the coming season. "The guys have usually tried to kill each other and now suddenly have to learn to become friends and protect each other and work together."

So glad Justifiedis back! Give me some scoop on the rest of the season. — Jack
ADAM: Boyd's plan to get back into prison and exact revenge on Dickie may seem pretty smart, but Raylan may spoil the fun when he figures out what his old coal-mining buddy is up to. But that's just the beginning of Boyd's problems: Look for a member of his crew to sell him out to disastrous results.

What will happen to the survivors following the big barn massacre on The Walking Dead? — Harold
NATALIE: The barn massacre will be the least of the survivors' worries, especially since Hershel will be even more adamant about them leaving his farm. "While Hershel's suffering this loss of hope and trying to deal with these problems, it actually leads us into a new threat and causes the group to encounter something very dangerous that will be an exciting element in the new half of the season," executive producer Robert Kirkman teases. Get a glimpse at the new threat here, and see if you can guess which True Blood alum is hiding in the shadows.

Adam's Mega Rave: Welcome back, Southland. And thanks for bringing on Lucy Liu, who holds her own against Michael Cudlitz with a quiet intensity that makes all the show's characters so riveting. 

Natalie's Mini Rant: Stop trying to make Dan happen, Gossip Girl! Chuck + Blair = 4Eva!

Crave scoop on your favorite TV shows? E-mail Adam and Natalie at mega_scoop@tvguide.com or drop us a line at Twitter.com/TVGuide
(Additional reporting by Robyn Ross and Kate Stanhope)