Mega Buzz on SVU, NCIS, Housewives, Private Practice & More

Every week, senior editors Matt Webb Mitovich, Mickey O'Connor and Tim Molloy satisfy your need for TV scoop. Please send all questions to mega_scoop@tvguide.com.

Now that Michaela McManus has left Law & Order: SVU, is there any word on who will replace her as the ADA in the fall? Having Stephanie March back would be great. — Jose
MICKEY: By my count, there could potentially be four vacancies in the cast next season, including the two big guns, the ADA slot and another member of the SVU team who I'm hearing is going to die in the June 2 season finale. And while I agree that March returning would be great, all signs point to something similar to this season's "dual ADA" situation happening. Who would you cast? Send your suggestions and I'll bring them to the producers myself.

I heard a very nasty rumor that Michael Weatherly is leaving NCIS. When? Why? It would take an amazing actor to fill the hole left in Gibbs' family/team if Tony left. — Laura
MATT: It is entirely likely that Tony will be a victim of ... semantics. When I asked NCIS boss Shane Brennan about the rumor that Gibbs will lose a team member by season's end, he said, "That's not correct ... but that's not wrong, either." He then let rip a rather sneaky laugh, before adding, "It's one of those things that people are going to have to watch to figure out." (Get more NCIS finale scoop here.)

Please clue us in on the Desperate Housewives finale! Will Lynette be adding to her clan? — Stephanie
MICKEY: Read this and see if you still think that Marc Cherry would knock up the pregnancy-prone (and -averse) Lynette a fourth time. During that pregnant pause, I'll tell you that a character from Seasons 1 and 2 will show up in the last scene of the finale, and I'm hearing that he/she will be presented in a very different light — that is, probably fully clothed. 

Many Fox affiliates aired Lie to Me last week, but mine aired President Obama instead. I know this is true in many other parts of the country. Will Fox re-air the episode soon? — Sarah
TIM: The episode you missed, "Undercover," isn't expected to repeat until August, so your best bet is to watch it using our Online Video Guide. Then, check out my full interview with series lead Tim Roth. 

All spoilers seem to indicate that Without a Trace's Danny and Elena will be married by the end of the season or shortly thereafter. But in real life, agents can't be married and work on the same team. Is it possible that either Danny (please, no!) or Elena will be leaving the team? — Anna
TIM: Let me put it this way, Anna: Your powers of investigation would do Without a Trace's missing-persons unit proud. But regardless of how things go down in real life, the big step Danny and Elena take in the finale won't make a missing person of either of them on the show. TV is a little less rigorous than law-enforcement agencies about workplace romance; as bad as it may be for crime-solving, it's great for drama. 

What's the deal with the Private Practice season finale?! Is Violet being killed off? — Trina
MATT: What, you don't think crazy Katie can pull off her first C-section, using just a "how to" manual? And what of Charlotte, who just got canned by Bill Buchanan? I asked Amy Brenneman about both of those possible departures, and she said, "As far as I know," both Violet and Charlotte will return for Season 3. Brenneman even hinted that things aren't quite over for Violet and Cooper, romantically. "That's the eternal love, let's be honest," she said. "So yeah, don't give up hope." 

I absolutely love ABC's Castle but I am very concerned about whether enough people are watching it. Tell me something positive about the ratings and/or network pick-up, please! — Mistylou
TIM: We went looking for clues in Nathan Fillion's tweets, and now suspect he may leave the show to play Flight Control on his iPhone full-time. But really: Our Fall TV Scorecard gave Castle a "good" chance of pickup, despite declining ratings and some weakness in the 18-49 demographic. (It has the good fortune to be slipping from ratings that started out high.) In other positive news, Fillion's Flight Control top score is up to 92.

What happened to AMC's Mad Men? — Teresa
MICKEY: It changed the face of television, that's what happened to it! Season 3 kicks off in August (no exact premiere date has been set yet, but between you, me and the wall, you should stock up on canapés and vermouth before Aug. 16). British actor Jared Harris, who recently played spooky terrorist David Robert Jones on Fringe, has signed on for a 10-episode arc as Sterling Cooper's new CFO, which I guess means that merger went through after all. Bully!

Is Two and a Half Men's Mia coming back anytime soon? — Clarisse
MATT: Ballet teacher Mia — who, we should remember, once came thisclose to making an honest man of Charlie — returns to the mix in the May 18 season finale, effectively waylaying her ex's current romance with Chelsea. And it's a good thing, too — with the way CSI: NY's death-filled finale is shaping up, Emmanuelle Vaugier soon may need the extra paycheck! 

Any scoop on Burn Notice's third season? How will things be between Michael and Fiona when the show returns? Will Sam get a new lady friend? — Kerry
MICKEY: Moon Bloodgood (Journeyman) has been cast as a Miami cop on Michael's trail, so it'd seem that Season 3 is about exposing the truth about Michael's past. Recurring guest star Ben Shenkman (aka Jennifer Westfeldt's apoplectic Grey's Anatomy husband) may be Michael's only ally, albeit a totally sketchy one. And of course love-'em-and-leave-'em Sam will get a new lady friend — for a little while anyway. 

What can you tell us about the Supernatural season finale? — Andira
MATT: What can I tell you that's not already out there? The apocalypse is nearing, the boys battle each other in a bloody-good smack-down, the hunt is on for Lilith before she breaks the final seal.... All in all, I'd brace for something extra-special, as far as Supernatural goes, seeing as this is only the second time series creator Erik Kripke has directed an episode — and the very first time he has worked off one of his own scripts. P.S. I assume you spied our sneak peek of this week's episode? 

In recent Saturday Night Live episodes, Darrell Hammond was reduced to about two sentences total. Is this his way of bowing out ... or is he being forced out? — Jon
TIM: Hammond, the longest-serving cast member in SNL history, is in early talks to return for next season — it's just a matter of making the numbers work. ("Numbers" is a polite way of saying "money.") Hammond's straight-from-the-headlines political impersonations are a cornerstone of the show, and with the network airing six Thursday editions of SNL's Weekend Update in the fall, his services should be in especially high demand.  

Mickey's Mega Rave: It's hard to stand out among the uniformly talented Grey's Anatomy ensemble, but Ellen Pompeo has been doing just that. Of late, her "dark and twisty" Meredith has more constructively confronted the pain of her past — most recently in a moving speech to the Chief about sticking up for a victimized kid (read: Meredith). Its unsubtle allusions could have played like dinner theater, but Pompeo's strong, deft reading gave Meredith a self-reliance and purpose that she usually lacks.

Matt's Mini Rant: Turning to the Grey's spin-off, I truly am sorry to pick on Private Practice's Addison again, but c'mon — is there a recent addendum to the Hippocratic Oath that says, "Keep the good of the patient as the highest priority unless you almost just shtupped her husband"? Now for heaven's sake, scrub back in and deliver that woman's baby!

Tim's Micro Riff: It's The Office's new receptionist, pre-Office!

Reader Quote of the Week: "I don't know about anyone else, but I like my murder and death at 10 pm." (Dianora, responding to NBC's claim that the 10 o'clock hour needs to lighten up)

Crave scoop on your favorite TV shows? E-mail Matt, Mickey and Tim at mega_scoop@tvguide.com or drop us a line at Twitter.com/TVGuide. The question you don't ask is a question we can't answer!