Hello, tuberinos. It’s Monday, and you know what that means...chat time! Let’s get this fiesta going...
Lee in Tremonton, Utah: Any more news on the possibility of Shane West returning to ER this coming season? Would hate to see the whole Ray/Neela storyline dropped!
I was just on set, and Parminder Nagra (Neela) told me she doesn’t yet know of any plans for him to return, but she’s hopeful he will. Still, there is another familiar face to look forward to! Maura Tierney confirmed to me that Goran Visnjic will be returning for four episodes this season. Good news, no?
Thomas in Dallas: Any word on Lost? I can’t wait to see new episodes!
We still don’t get new eps until February (a little fact that makes me sob uncontrollably every time I hear it). However! The coolest cast around just went back to work last week in Oahu, and I’m hearing very good things about the new season! Michael is back, the Losties we love are front and center and the storylines are tighter than, well, I’d say Josh Holloway’s backside but, sheesh, I’m a married woman.
Ginny in Ipswich, Massachusetts: Will there be any cast changes this season on Lost?
Aside from the newbies we announced last week (much thanks to Korbi for that scoop!), Entertainment Weekly is now reporting that Grindhouse’s Jeff Fahey will join the island crew this year. I can also tell you that although I'd heard a while back we’d be seeing a little less of Matthew Fox this season, so far there are no signs of any “Jack-off” days on the production schedule (sorry, I couldn’t resist, I’m 12). So, we’ll see.
Mary in Hickory Hills, Illinois: Did you hear Friday Night Lights is offering a money-back guarantee on the season-one DVD if you aren't fully satisfied?!
I did. And they’re so confident you’ll love the show, they’re practically giving it away for free as well! As for season two, I'm hearing there may be another new coach on the scene this year. Producers are currently looking for a tough—but funny—lady to play Roberta Roberts, the girls soccer coach.
Hilda from Idaho: Dish on Gizzie on Grey's please! And Meredith and Derek and all the couples...we need scoop!
Read on to the spoiler section...I've got dish!
Nancy from Toronto: Since Laura Vandervoort has been cast on Smallville, does that mean she will not be on season four of Instant Star?
Don’t worry, Laura will be doing double duty this year, going back and forth filming Smallville and the N’s Instant Star. Both shows film in Canada, so it's easy peasy.
Mick in Worcester, Massachusetts: What’s the deal with that vampire show with Jason Dohring? You guys haven’t said a word about it.
Moonlight is quite a mystery to us at this point, since we have yet to see the first episode. But there’s good reason for that, since we’re hearing production is still underway on the pilot reshoot! Bad news for the show? Not necessarily. They got a late start, changing show runners three times and recasting the entire thing. But an inside source says things are moving along, and it’s actually looking pretty good.
Bethany in Alexandria, Virginia: Heroes!
YouTube has your back if you want to watch the first and/or second full-length spots for season two (or, for that matter, the surreptitiously filmed Comic-Con teaser trailer).
Owen in Oswego, New York: When is It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia coming back?
Thursday, Sept. 13 at 10 p.m. But if you’re feeling antsy, you might wanna hit the road, ‘cause you just might run into the guys and their RV. This past weekend, they kicked off the Sunny Road Trip Experience, traveling to Berkeley, California, to meet up with fans. They’re continuing the trek this week in L.A., then hitting Chicago, D.C., New York, Boston and, of course, Philly in September. I’d highly recommend you meet up with ‘em, ‘cause that Glenn Howerton’s certainly worth the effort.
Laurie in Las Vegas: I heard that in real life, Charlie Day from It’s Always Sunny is actually married to the waitress on the show—you know, the one who despises him and loves Dennis? Will she be back?
Yes, 'tis true! Mary Elizabeth Ellis is the actress’ name, and as we reported last year, she and Charlie Day are indeed hitched by law! Such a great couple. We ran into her recently and she told us she’d be appearing in three episodes this coming season. Sooo not enough! But I’m hearing that Charlie (the character) will land a girlfriend this year. Perhaps he finally won the waitress over?!
Kate in Calabasas, California: I keep seeing these crazy ads for that new show Dirty Sexy Money. I always think they are actual news items, and then I realize there’s no such thing as the Darling family! Tell me, should I be excited for this show?
Yes. It’s pretty campy, but with a great cast that makes it work. Speaking of the fake news items and ads, it seems as though a fan has already caught on and created a MySpace profile for Patrick Darling!
Irene in Providence, Rhode Island: What's coming up on my beloved Burn Notice?
Richard Schiff (aka The West Wing's Toby Ziegler) will be doing a guest stint as Philip Cowan, the intelligence agency operative who burned Michael Weston. Yes, that was his voice on the phone in ep seven, but we won't see him until the two-hour finale airing Sept. 20, which is called "Loose Ends."
Dee in Reston, Virginia: Mad Men is sooo good—thank you for recommending it! Dish?
You're sooo welcome. For the rest of you, if you haven't caught on to Mad Men's greatness yet, you can catch up on Sunday, Sept. 2. AMC is running a nonstop marathon of the first seven episodes, starting at 10 a.m. ET.
SPOILER SECTION
Francis in Washington D.C.: Heroes! Give us the scoop! Didn’t Kristen Bell come to your wedding? Then you have to know her power, right!?
All I know is that at the wedding, Kristen and I had a giddy-good time dancing to some silly overplayed wedding song that was some kind of “slide” or something...What kind of slide was it again? Oh yeah, it was “Electric!” If you do it with me now, I might tell you more...Line up, please!
Noah in Miami: I’m confused about the death scoop you gave on Heroes. Who is dying?
Well, let me come right out and tell you that and then call my loved ones and tell them I love them before Tim Kring sics Sylar on my ass. What I’m saying is...I can’t name names. However, here are the facts I can spill:
- There is a series regular from last season who is no longer a part of the cast and as far as I know is not coming back.
- There is a series regular from last season who is presumed dead, but is not.
- There are two popular and important recurring characters who appear to be totally and completely doomed, and at least one of them will die within the first two episodes.
Helena in Eugene, Oregon: What is Kristen Bell’s power in Heroes?
If you did the "Electric Slide" with me and still don’t get it, I will tell you that Kristen’s power is electricity. I’m also hearing that Kristen might be doing some kind of scene with Masi/Hiro in the past, but honestly, that makes no sense whatsoever to me based on everything else I’ve heard.
Jackson in Wyoming: Okay, girl, dish it! You said you’d spill in the chat about the line at the end of the first episode of Grey’s that shocked you...You'd better not forget!
Like I would! It is burned into my brain! That line is “I love you, too.” And although a year ago, the thought of this storyline may have made me squee, I personally am not really happy about who says it and to whom—as a recently married woman and all. (Wow, that was weird! My italics button just clicked itself on as though that last line was a big giveaway or something...Nutty!)
April from Sonoma, California: Any information on James Van Der Beek's appearance on Ugly Betty?
Yes, I did some Dawson digging and was told that James Van Der Beek is playing the owner of Atlantic Attire. Apparently, he's scheduled to do business with Mode, but he has problems with Alexis being a transsexual.
Maria88 in Mission Hills, Kansas: I need Nip/Tuck scoop!
I'm hearing rumors of a new recurring character this year, by the name of Rachel Ben Natan. She's a young Israeli woman whose beautiful face was destroyed by a suicide-bomb attack. Word is, she appears around midseason and sticks around for quite some time. Who wants to bet one of the boys fixes her mug, then hops into bed with her? Or vice versa?
Tim from Seattle: Any Brothers & Sisters scoop?
A custody battle takes place early on in the season between Sarah and her ex-husband, Joe, when he requests full custody of their children. Other B&S scoop: Senator McCallister is part of the Republican primary debate, in which the other candidates attack him because of Kitty's more liberal views.
Lisa from Chicago: What's coming up for Tommy on Brothers & Sisters?
Balthazar tells me: "This year, [Tommy] is trying to be his father and re-create this male figure in the family who runs the business, has the wife and kids and is a success in all areas. You find out it's not that easy. He is going to realize he is making a lot of the mistakes his dad made." Uh-oh.
JaneSP in Cape Coral, Florida: Friday Night Lights is my favorite show. Do you have any information on the next season? I'm dying to hear what will come next.
Word is, Tami's cute younger sister flies into Dillon this year, and we get to know her quite well. She's in her early 30s, works as a teacher and sometimes moonlights as a counselor for battered women. Apparently, she's very cool and could spice things up for Mrs. Taylor, though she'll probably skip town before getting too comfortable. Also, producers are bringing two new gals to Dillon High, both of whom date a Panther boy somewhat seriously this season.
Neil in Northfield, New Jersey: None of my friends watch Big Love, and they are so missing out. Last night when I saw Ana and Bill go at it in the pantry, I was like, Oh my God! I really want Ana to be fourth wife, 'cause I love the chemistry among her, Bill and Margene.
You're not the only one! Though it might drive Barb right out the door, it would certainly make for lots of season-three excitement. Let me put it this way: We haven't seen the last of Ms. Ana. Unless Branka Katic, the actress who plays her, disappears from the face of the earth, she'd better be on that Big Love set come production time!
Matt in Hollywood: Whatever happened to Alby's gay storyline? Last season we found out he was into dudes, but this season, nary a word about it!
Don't worry your pretty little head. Expect Alby to play a big part in season three. The writers have not forgotten his secret, and it is definitely dealt with.
Rebecca in Chicago: I'm getting really excited about Private Practice. Any news yet? Kate Walsh is my hero.
In episode four of the Grey's spinoff, Private Practice, Tim Daly's character, Dr. Pete Finch, shows up Addison (Kate Walsh) when he magically cures a patient of hers who was unable to have sex due to a medical condition—and chances are Dr. Feelgood has a cure for what ails Addy's sex life as well. Look for a chemistry spike between those two characters right about then...
Frankie in Hollywood, Florida: I haven't heard much about Jericho lately. It's still coming back, right?
Yep. They're in production as we speak, and are looking to add a new recurring character to the cast. Rumor has it a guy by the name of Barsotti will work for Goetz at the Ravenwood organization as a trained soldier. He's a potentially dangerous kind of guy who gets things done.
Keri in Parkline, Idaho: Any scoop on October Road? I know they're shooting right now.
Yes, I'm hearing we haven't seen the last of Hannah and that creep Ray Cataldo! Apparently, their relationship continues this season, much to the chagrin of Ray's ex-wife, Christine. She's a snazzy surgeon who lives in Boston but returns to Knights Ridge and freaks out when she sees how close Hannah has become to her kids and their father. Word is there will be fireworks.
Louise in Lincoln, Nebraska: What's coming up on Mad Men?
Don's boss, Roger Sterling, cannot hold his liquor—but apparently he can handle Betty. Manhandle her, that is. Don invites Roger over to the house for dinner with him and Betty, but when Don's out of the room, Roger gets frisky with Betty. Don't cry for Don and Betty, though. Roger gets his just deserts when a nine-martini lunch plus 20 flights of stairs results in humiliation in front of a client. Let's just say lunch is on him. Ha-ha!
Drusilla from cubicle 3.375: Psych scoop! Please give us more deets about the funniest show on TV!
In a few weeks, Gus' parents are going to be arrested for murder! Gus and Shawn have to prove that Mrs. and Mrs. Guster are innocent, but they aren't exactly helpful, seeing as they blame Shawn for every bad thing that ever happened to good-guy Gus. And who plays these parents? Ernie Hudson and Phylicia Rashad! How cool is that?
Greg in Denver: Any news on ER? It's still must-see TV for me!
New interns for everybody! First on Grey's, then on Scrubs, and now on ER. ER is looking for a young (like late teens) actor to play Neela's new intern, Harold Zelinsky. He's a Doogie Howser-style genius, but he's about as sensitive as Barney Stinson. He wants Neela to explain how sex works, so he steals an anatomically correct model of girlie parts from the lab and follows her around with it, asking her to point out the relevant structures. Smooth he is not. Also, Gates may be making eyes at the hospital chaplain. Sacrilegious is the new sexy.
Okay, kiddies, that's it for us this week! Thanks for playing!
—Additional reporting by Korbi Ghosh, Jennifer Godwin, Michael Berner and Marisa Roffman
