TV Tidbits 91: Finale Dates

Ausiello has compiled this handy dandy list o' season finale air dates so without further ado...

ABC
Brothers & Sisters: Sunday, May 16 @ 10 pm/ET
Castle: Monday, May 17 @ 10 pm/ET
Cougar Town: Wednesday, May 19 @ 9:30 pm/ET
Dancing With the Stars: Tuesday, May 25 @ 9 pm/ET
Desperate Housewives: Sunday, May 16 @ 9 pm/ET
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: Sunday, May 16 @ 8 pm/ET
FlashForward: Thursday, May 27 @ 8 pm/ET
Grey’s Anatomy: Thursday, May 20 @ 9 pm/ET (two hours)
Lost: Sunday, May 23 @ 9 pm/ET (two hours)
The Middle: Wednesday, May 19 @ 8:30 pm/ET
Modern Family: Wednesday, May 19 @ 9 pm/ET
Private Practice: Thursday, May 13 @ 10 pm/ET
V: Tuesday, May 18 @ 10 pm/ET

CBS
The Amazing Race: Sunday, May 9 @ 8 pm/ET
The Big Bang Theory: Monday, May 24 @ 9:30 pm/ET
Cold Case: Sunday, May 2 @ 9 pm/ET (two hours)
Criminal Minds: Wednesday, May 26 @ 9 pm/ET
CSI: Thursday, May 20 @ 9 pm/ET
CSI: Miami: Monday, May 24 @ 10 pm/ET
CSI: NY: Wednesday, May 26 @ 10 pm/ET
Ghost Whisperer: Friday, May 21 @ 8 pm/ET
The Good Wife: Tuesday, May 25 @ 10 pm/ET
How I Met Your Mother: Monday, May 24 @ 8 pm/ET
Medium: Friday, May 21 @ 9 pm/ET
The Mentalist: Thursday, May 20 @ 10 pm/ET
Miami Medical: Friday, May 21 @ 10 pm/ET
NCIS: Tuesday, May 25 @ 8 pm/ET
NCIS: Los Angeles: Tuesday, May 25 @ 9 pm/ET
The New Adventures of Old Christine: Wednesday, May 12 @ 8 pm/ET
Rules of Engagement: Monday, May 24 @ 8:30 pm/ET
Survivor: Heroes vs Villains: Sunday, May 16 @ 8 pm/ET (three hours)
Two and a Half Men: Monday, May 24 @ 9 pm/ET

The CW
90210: Tuesday, May 18 @ 8 pm/ET
America’s Next Top Model: Wednesday, May 12 @ 8 pm/ET (two hours)
Gossip Girl: Monday, May 17 @ 9 pm/ET
One Tree Hill: Monday, May 17 @ 8 pm/ET
Smallville: Friday, May 14 @ 8 pm/ET
Supernatural: Thursday, May 13 @ 9 pm/ET
The Vampire Diaries: Thursday, May 13 @ 8 pm/ET

Fox
24: Monday, May 24 @ 8 pm/ET (two hours)
American Dad: Sunday, May 16 @ 9:30 pm/ET
American Idol: Wednesday, May 26 @ 8 pm/ET (two hours)
Bones: Thursday, May 20 @ 8 pm/ET
The Cleveland Show: Sunday, May 23 @ 8:30 pm/ET
Family Guy: Sunday, May 23 @ 9pm/ET (one hour)
Fringe: Thursday, May 20 @ 9 pm/ET
Glee: Tuesday, June 8 @ 9 pm/ET
House: Monday, May 17 @ 8 pm/ET
The Simpsons: Sunday, May 23 @ 8 pm/ET

NBC
30 Rock: Thursday, May 20 @ 9:30 pm/ET
The Biggest Loser: Tuesday, May 25 @ 8 pm/ET (two hours)
The Celebrity Apprentice: Sunday, May 23 @ 9 pm/ET (two hours)
Chuck: Monday, May 24 @ 8 pm/ET (two hours)
Community: Thursday, May 20 @ 8 pm/ET
Law & Order: Monday, May 24 @ 10 pm/ET
Law & Order: SVU: Wednesday, May 19 @ 10 pm/ET
The Marriage Ref: Thursday, May 20 @ 10 pm/ET
Mercy: Wednesday, May 12 @ 8 pm/ET
The Office: Thursday, May 20 @ 9 pm/ET
Parenthood: Tuesday, May 25 @ 10 pm/ET
Parks and Recreation: Thursday, May 20 @ 8:30 pm/ET
Trauma: Monday, May 10 April 26 @ 9 pm/ET

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And just as a little add-on, it turns out Chuck's season 4 prospects have gone from "a safe bet" to "could go either way." :o( Boo.

TV Tidbits 87: Chuck

I am still 5 episodes behind on Chuck so I'm not entirely sure what's going on plot-wise at the moment but when I saw an Ausiello tidbit about Jeffster I had to share. You know how much I love them. If Casey could somehow be coerced into participating in one of their numbers I think I would burst from joy!

Here’s a second exclusive photo from Chuck’s May 24 season finale featuring — major spoiler alert — the first-ever music video by Jeffster! (The first image can be viewed here.) If you guessed correctly, pat yourself on the back and then read on for more scoop on the video and the pivotal role it plays in Chuck’s two-hour season finale.

“It’s the worst music video of all time,” declares executive producer Josh Schwartz, who declines to reveal the title of the song. He does, however, offer these two clues: The track was once featured in a horror Western-themed movie, and it ties into the episode’s big climax. “The way the original song was used in the movie is the way we’re using it here,” hints Schwartz. Adds fellow exec producer Chris Fedak: “The song narrates the action.”

What’s the song? What’s the horror movie? Speculate away... And then pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly for more scoop on Chuck’s sure-to-be-legendary May 24 season-ender!

TV Tidbits 82 - Chuck

Dang! Chuck is coming back January 10th - so soon! More TV homework. Great. Well, by then I'll be 30... Maybe my increased maturity will make me more zen about TV watching in the future. One can hope.

Until then, here's a Q&A with Zachary Levi from TVGuide.com:

1. TVGuide.com: Congratulations on the show coming back and also being picked up for additional episodes. What's the feeling like right now?
Zachary Levi: It's good. When we only had 13 episodes, it felt good then, too. There's so many things in this business that are outside of your control, and you just have to let go and let God, as they say. Cable does 13 episodes and I think 13 episodes is a great number to do. It allows you to really focus on them and make them all great, as opposed to a lot of times with a 22-episode schedule, you end up with a lot of filler episodes. I'm a Lost guy, I love Lost. There were a lot of episodes where you hope to get a little mythology and you hope to get answers and there's nothing resolved because they have to stretch it out. If they only had 13 episodes in the season then we'd get to the meat of it more.

2. TVGuide.com: How are the six additional episodes incorporated into the original 13?
Levi: We found out late about the six episode pickup, so the writers had already molded and created the 13-episode arc. We couldn't try to fit six episodes into that without screwing everything up, so now it's six episodes that stand on their own in a lot of ways. They'll still be coming off of and informed by these 13 episodes, but it won't be a part of the bigger arc. I know that it will be its own mini arc.

3. TVGuide.com: What do you know about the back six episodes?
Levi: This season we've gotten to do some international travel with the show, taking it out of the domestic United States of America; that's been fun. I think maybe we'll try and do more of that. I know that everyone will continue to progress with the characters and the relationships.

4. TVGuide.com: Was it a little bittersweet getting these back six episodes since you had to turn down your role in Thor?
Levi: Yeah, that was a bummer. There's no way to slice it. I am Chuck Bartowski in a lot of ways, so to be able to not only be up for a really big movie, but to be up for a really big movie that is a part of the Marvel Universe, that Kenneth Branagh is directing, that Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins are in, you dream about stuff like that. It sucked having to let that go, but again, that stuff is out of your hands. I believe that, based on what's happened, this is where God wants me so you let that go. I wish them nothing but the best. I'm sure Stuart Townsend will do a good job. Hopefully Marvel feels bad and are like. 'You should be Captain America!' or Bucky at the very least. It definitely was tough to let that go.

5. TVGuide.com: What is the arc of Chuck's journey this season?
Levi: He's been gearing up to be a spy for a couple of years. How they've set up this new season with Intersect 2.0 and how that works, I think, is a great concept. It's a little Neo-Matrix, especially with lines like "I know Kung-fu," but then again, our show is a lot of homages to a lot of movies.

6. TVGuide.com: What do you say to fans who think the Intersect 2.0 version of Chuck will change the show?
Levi: People think it's not going to be the same show anymore with this kind of bumbling hero, but it is. Chuck is still a bumbling hero, but he's getting a little bit better. As an actor I love that because you get to actually be someone who evolves. I finally get to be a part of some of the action instead of sitting on the sidelines watching [Yvonne Strahovski] and [Adam Baldwin] have all the fun. The super-charged Chuck is not one that holds always. The way that it's worked out is that we're still able to accomplish the action and the comedy. Chuck is now a part of the action, but when the new Intersect is fritzing out — because Chuck is an emotional guy and his emotions mess with his abilities — that leads to more comedy, so it's the best of both worlds.

7. TVGuide.com: Tell us about Chuck's new love interest in Kristin Kreuk.
Levi: Kristin may well be one of the most adorable girls in the world. She's a, super nice, and b, really talented. It's tough when you only have one thing to go off of when you're watching somebody to get a feel for what their acting level is. It's only Smallville—and not to downplay Smallville— but she's got more range than you can even see from her previous stuff. I saw a whole different color and shade to her when she came in to play Hannah on the show. Last, but not least, just gorgeous. She's Dutch and Chinese, so I guess that's how you make 'em. Wooden shoes and chopsticks...both wooden, though! So I guess it's a wooden thing. Also, her and Rachel Bilson, just put me in your pocket small. She did a great job and I felt like we had a great chemistry.

8. TVGuide.com: Is her character a bad guy or a good guy?
Levi: Part of the fun of any one of these guest stars that we have is not knowing where it's going to end up, where there's going to be a turn. Rachel Bilson's character, for example, didn't turn out to be bad, she just happened to be getting illegally imported hard salami from the Greeks. Jordana Brewster was Fulcrum and bad, but also kind of redeemed herself, too. So people will have to watch and see.

9. TVGuide.com: Since Chuck is part of the action this year, what's been your favorite stunt that you've gotten to do?
Levi: In the first episode, there's a zip line, which was fun. It's me and Yvonne and I've got my belt over a cable. We did this episode, it's like a heist episode, and we have to rappel Mission Impossible-style into a vault. The harnesses are a pain in the a--. For whatever reason, they don't fit on my hips well. They're not comfortable by any stretch of the imagination, but it's certainly not something you get to do in your everyday life. The fight scenes are a lot of fun, too. I just wish I wasn't such a big wet noodle. It's like 'Go go gadget arm!' I'm long and lean. I feel like I'm getting a little bit better as we progress. Coming from musical theatre, learning the fights is easy, but making them look like I'm Jason Bourne is another thing.

10. TVGuide.com: Is Chuck going to find it even harder to keep his spy life from his family this season?
Levi: Absolutely. He always does. From day one, that's been the biggest struggle for Chuck, is trying to balance this world of espionage and his life at home, his sister, Captain Awesome,Morgan and everyone else at the Buy More, but specifically Morgan and Ellie. That's the toughest on him because they're the closest people in his life and he has to lie to them all the time. He definitely struggles with that this season. One of the cool things in the writing is that it's noted that Chuck is becoming better and better at lying, which is good and bad. He's losing himself in this world of espionage a little too well sometimes. Much to the chagrin of Sarah, who really likes Chuck for Chuck and doesn't want him to lose who he is. I don't think Chuck wants to lose who he is either, although he does want this spy life because it's something that gives his life meaning and purpose outside of fixing people's computers.

TV Tidbits 77 - Chuck

I am in TV despair! Shows that I used to like - and probably still do somewhere down deep inside (helloooooo, NCIS) - I can't bring myself to get enthused about. I'm already several episodes behind on the shows I busted my butt to catch up on (helloooooooooo, NCIS! and SVU!) and the more I fall behind, the less I want to invest the large chunk of time it will take to catch up again. Shows like Top Chef and The Amazing Race and HIMYM are so easy to watch... why must you be so long and have such involved carryover plots, dramatic serials? Bah! (Though I can't blame it all on dramas - I've even begun to check out on Glee. The whole baby plot line is really irritating to me for some reason and I'm having trouble getting past it. Moving on...) The point in my rant? That when I read that Chuck may be returning later this month - as opposed to in March as originally planned - I was first excited and then slightly annoyed. Another show to watch? Oy. Then I watched this clip and reminded myself that Chuck is quality stuff. My love of Awesome and Jeffster will just have to carry me through!

(My favorite? @ 1:40: "Why are you letting Sam Kinison and an Indian lesbian wreck your wedding?" Love it!!!)

The Fall Season is Upon Us

Ugh. I'm pretty sure I've complained about having TV homework earlier in the summer but oy. I still have the last 6 (or so) episodes of The Office, Cold Case, Numb3rs, SVU, NCIS and Medium to catch up on... and I don't really want to. I mean, I want to know what happens and I am still going to watch the new seasons and whatnot but I just don't feel like sitting down and watching all of these stockpiled episodes. Will they ever get watched? Probably... but I'm not 100% sure. And it will definitely take some time and effort!

Unfortunately for me, however, the start of the fall season is rapidly approaching. Here's a cheat sheet, courtesy of Ausiello, on many shows' premiere dates:

Tuesday, September 8:
90210, 8 p.m. (The CW)
Melrose Place, 9 p.m. (The CW)
Sons of Anarchy, 10 p.m. (FX)

Wednesday, September 9:
America’s Next Top Model, 8 p.m. (The CW)
Glee, 9 p.m. (Fox)
So You Think You Can Dance, 8 p.m. (Fox)

Thursday, September 10:
Supernatural, 9 p.m. (The CW)
The Vampire Diaries, 8 p.m. (The CW)

Friday, September 11:
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, 8 p.m. (Fox)

Saturday, September 12:
America’s Most Wanted, 9 p.m. (Fox)
Cops, 8 p.m. (Fox)

Monday, September 14:
Eddie Griffin: Going for Broke, 10 p.m. (VH1)
Gossip Girl, 9 p.m. (The CW)
The Jay Leno Show, 10 p.m. (NBC)
Lincoln Heights, 8 p.m. (ABC Family)
One Tree Hill, 8 p.m. (The CW)

Tuesday, September 15:
The Biggest Loser, 8 p.m. (NBC)

Wednesday, September 16:
The Beautiful Life, 9 p.m. (The CW)
Launch My Line, 10 p.m. (Bravo)

Thursday, September 17:
Bones, 8 p.m. (Fox)
Community, 9:30 p.m. (NBC)
Fringe, 9 p.m. (Fox)
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, 10 p.m. (FX)
The Office, 9 p.m. (NBC)
Parks and Recreation, 8:30 p.m. (NBC)
Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday, 8 p.m. (NBC)
Survivor: Samoa, 8 p.m. (CBS)

Friday, September 18:
Brothers, 9 p.m. (Fox)
Crash, 10 p.m. (Starz)

Sunday, September 20:
Bored to Death, 9:30 p.m. (HBO)
Curb Your Enthusiasm, 9 p.m. (HBO)

Monday, September 21:
Accidentally on Purpose, 8:30 p.m. (CBS)
The Big Bang Theory, 9:30 p.m. (CBS)
Castle, 10 p.m. (ABC)
CSI: Miami, 10 p.m. (CBS)
Dancing with the Stars, 8 p.m. (ABC)
Heroes, 8 p.m. (NBC)
House, 8 p.m. (Fox)
How I Met Your Mother, 8 p.m. (CBS)
Two and a Half Men, 9 p.m. (CBS)

Tuesday, September 22:
The Forgotten, 10 p.m. (ABC)
The Good Wife, 10 p.m. (CBS)
NCIS, 8 p.m. (CBS)
NCIS: Los Angeles, 9 p.m. (CBS)

Wednesday, September 23:
Cougar Town, 9:30 p.m. (ABC)
Criminal Minds, 9 p.m. (CBS)
CSI: NY, 10 p.m. (CBS)
Eastwick, 10 p.m. (ABC)
Gary Unmarried, 8:30 p.m. (CBS)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, 9 p.m. (NBC)
Mercy, 8 p.m. (NBC)
Modern Family, 9 p.m. (ABC)
The New Adventures of Old Christine, 8 p.m. (CBS)

Thursday, September 24:
CSI, 9 p.m. (CBS)
Flash Forward, 8 p.m. (ABC)
Grey’s Anatomy, 9 p.m. (ABC)
The Mentalist, 10 p.m. (CBS)

Friday, September 25:
Dollhouse, 9 p.m. (Fox)
Ghost Whisperer, 8 p.m. (CBS)
Law & Order, 8 p.m. (NBC)
Medium, 9 p.m. (CBS)
Numb3rs, 10 p.m. (CBS)
Smallville, 8 p.m. (The CW)

Saturday, September 26:
48 Hours Mystery, 10 p.m. (CBS)
Saturday Night Live, 11:30 p.m. (NBC)

Sunday, September 27:
60 Minutes, 7 p.m. (CBS)
The Amazing Race, 8 p.m. (CBS)
American Dad, 9:30 p.m. (Fox)
Brothers & Sisters, 10 p.m. (ABC)
Californication, 10 p.m. (Showtime)
The Cleveland Show, 8:30 p.m. (Fox)
Cold Case, 10 p.m. (CBS)
Desperate Housewives, 9 p.m. (ABC)
Dexter, 9 p.m. (Showtime)
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)
Family Guy, 9 p.m. (Fox)
The Simpsons, 8 p.m. (Fox)

Monday, September 28:
Lie to Me, 9 p.m. (Fox)
Trauma, 9 p.m. (NBC)

Wednesday, September 30:
Hank, 8 p.m. (ABC)
The Middle, 9 p.m. (ABC)

Thursday, October 1:
Private Practice, 10 p.m. (ABC)

Friday, October 2:
Stargate Universe, 9 p.m. (Syfy)
Til Death, 8:30 p.m. (Fox)

Sunday, October 4:
America’s Funniest Home Videos, 7 p.m. (ABC)
The Next Iron Chef, 9 p.m. (Food)
Three Rivers, 9 p.m. (CBS)

Monday, October 5:
Sherri, 7 p.m. (Lifetime)

Tuesday, October 6:
Scare Tactics (Syfy)

Wednesday, October 7:
Secret Girlfriend, 10:30 p.m. (Comedy Central)
South Park, 10 p.m. (Comedy Central)

Friday, October 9:
Sanctuary, 10 p.m. (Syfy)
Ugly Betty, 8 p.m. (ABC)
Wizards of Waverly Place, 8 p.m. (Disney)

Thursday, October 15:
30 Rock, 9:30 p.m. (NBC)

Friday, October 16:
Supernanny, 8 p.m. (ABC)

Friday, October 23:
Southland, 9 p.m. (NBC)
White Collar, 10 p.m. (USA)

Wednesday, October 28:
Friday Night Lights, 9 p.m. (DirecTV)

Monday, November 2:
I Want to Work for Diddy, TBD (VH1)

Tuesday, November 3:
V, 8 p.m. (ABC)

Saturday, November 7:
The Wanda Sykes Show, 11 p.m. (Fox)

Oh! And if, like me, you missed the premiere of Glee (a show I was sort of ambivalent about when I first heard about it but have since heard and read nothing but raves and so now feel compelled to catch the pilot) just a heads-up that Fox will be re-running the first episode this Friday.

Now! I also culled some tidbits from Ausiello's column today so here are some spoilers on Chuck, Bones, Monk, Numb3rs, Cold Case and The Mentalist:

CHUCK:
1.) Erstwhile Superman Brandon Routh is joining Chuck for a multi-episode arc...

Routh’s character, Shaw, is a mysterious new spy who takes control as the new leader of Operation Bartwoski, becoming a mentor to Chuck and a rival in his affections for Sarah. He first appears in this season’s fourth episode.

2.) Smallville vet Kristin Kreuk is joining Chuck for multiple episodes as Hannah, a girl Chuck meets on a flight to Paris. “Chuck and Hannah definitely have feelings for each other,” teases an insider.

Laid off from her glamorous publishing job, Hannah ends up working at the Buy More. (I’m sure that won’t prove distracting to the horny nerd herders at all!)

BONES:
Will Brennan rethink wanting Booth’s baby?
Ausiello: Booth’s baby? No. A baby? And how. “She does not want to have his baby if he doesn’t want her to have the baby,” says series creator Hart Hanson, adding that “it was really significant that once he had doubts, she wasn’t like, ‘Oh, I’ll have the baby with someone else.’ If Brennan wants to have a baby, she wants to have Booth’s baby. Her interest in having a child declines to zero when she considers having anyone else’s baby.”

MONK:
Any scoop on whether or not Monk will finally figure out who killed his wife Trudy? It’s the last season of the show, and so far USA Network hasn’t given us any indication that they’ll wrap up this thread before the show calls it quits.
Ausiello: A USA insider assures me that we “will have closure on Trudy’s murder by the end of the season. Viewers will start seeing clues to that in the upcoming episodes.”

THE MENTALIST:
Ausiello: Series creator Bruno Heller confirms that Rigsby and Van Pelt “will take their courtship to the next level. We’ve been working toward this. The push and pull of should-they-or-shouldn’t-they is a big part of their dynamic in the office. But once they do take it to the next level, that presents a whole fresh set of problems for them: Who do they tell? Can they tell anyone? What happens when the bureau finds out?”

Will they finally catch Red John this season?
Ausiello: Not by a long shot. “I don’t foresee finding Red John,” Heller confesses. “I think finding Red John is a lifetime’s journey. But never say never.”

COLD CASE:
Ausiello: Look for Nick to spin out of control after he receives some overwhelming news about his health.

NUMB3RS:
Is this the last season?
Ausiello: “With the reality of what the business is, we would love it to come back another year after this, but we don’t know,” concedes Numb3rs co-creator Cheryl Heuton.

Also, there will be a Rashomon-type episode where there’s a shooting and everyone there tells a different version of what happened. So the team uses the mathematical concept of “Combinatorics” to filter through the different points-of-view and make sense of what actually happened. In other news, Peter MacNicol’s Larry will disappear for a chunk of the season to gain a new perspective on things.

TV Tidbits 68 - Medium, Chuck

Good news! CBS has confirmed that it's picking up Medium next season!!! TVGuide.com reports:

CBS announced eight brand-new series for the 2009-10 TV season, including ones starring Chris O'Donnell, LL Cool J, Julianna Margulies and Alex O'Loughlin, and swooped in and picked up NBC's castoff Medium.

The Eye ordered a full 22-episode season of Medium, slotting it after Ghost Whisperer on Fridays. As CBS entertainment boss Nina Tassler says, "If Ghost Whisperer and Numbers had an offspring, Medium would be it."

CBS also has tinkered with its Monday lineup in unexpected ways. How I Met Your Mother will now lead off the night, leading into the new Jenna Elfman comedy Accidentally on Purpose. The Big Bang Theory boys will now geek out at 9:30, following Two and a Half Men.

Asked about the Big move, Tassler told TVGuide.com that it's a bid to further bolster the surging sitcom, and offer Men a solid lead-out.

NCIS: Los Angeles, starring O'Donnell and Cool J, will air after NCIS on Tuesdays. That means The Mentalist will now see Thursdays-at-10 as its new home.

The Good Wife, starring ER alum Margulies as a woman who returns to work as a lawyer when her hubby is incarcerated, will air Tuesdays at 10. (Without a Trace is canceled).

CBS' Wednesday roster remains unchanged: Old Christine, Gary Unmarried, Criminal Minds and CSI: NY. Thursday kicks off with Survivor: Samoa, followed by (of course) CSI and The Mentalist.

On Sunday, The Amazing Race will lead into Three Rivers, a medical/organ transplantation drama starring Moonlight's O'Loughlin. With The Unit canceled, Cold Case gets moved to the 10 o'clock slot.

Slated for midseason are Rules of Engagement, Miami Trauma, The Bridge, and a pair of new reality series.

The dumbest thing about the new schedule is putting NCIS 2.0 (which I guess is now officially known as the much cooler NCIS: Los Angeles) on right after NCIS (NCIS: D.C.?). CSI:New York doesn't air directly after CSI:Miami and that doesn't air right after CSI! So why not leave The Mentalist - you know, the #1 rated new series from the past season, in its own slot (where it's clearly done quite well) and put NCIS: Caca on in Without A Trace's old slot? Give our brains an NCIS rest, eh?! Sheesh! But no one asked me (the nerve!) so the schedule remains as is. Whatevs.At least Joe Dubois lives on. And that makes me happy.

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Ausiello has a Q&A with Chuck executive producer Josh Schwartz on the 3rd season:

I don't know about you, but NBC's official renewal of Chuck has been the highlight of upfront week for me. (ABC's cancellation of According to Jim finishes a very close second.) But it's time to bring the victory celebrations to a close and get down to business -- the business of asking questions. Will a tighter budget lead to a less awesome (and populated) show? Does the massive Subway deal mean an end to Sarah's yogurt shop? Will the midseason launch kill the show's momentum? Will Chuck and Sarah start dating for real? Will exec producer Josh Schwartz answer all of these and then some in the following exclusive Q&A? I can tackle that last one: Yes!

NBC said the show's budget will remain unchanged from last season. I'm hearing different. What's the deal?
JOSH SCHWARTZ: I can tell you that [Warner Bros.] asked us to make budget cuts to meet a decrease in the NBC license fee. That's how it was presented to me. That's as far as I know. My job is to then be able to produce the show at the number the studio is able to deficit it for.

How will the cuts affect what we see?
SCHWARTZ: Hopefully, you won't be able to tell. I don't think the look of the show is going to change. We might have certain episodes where Chuck's mission is such that we don't get the opportunity to go to the Buy More [as much]. We love our cast and, obviously, we want to use them as much as possible in as many episodes as possible.

I heard Julia Ling [Anna] might not return. True?
SCHWARTZ: No. We have plans for Anna to return.

Has she been taken off contract?
SCHWARTZ: We actually haven't finalized all of our actor deals yet. It's all being sorted out. But, like I said, we're going to do whatever we can to try to keep the ensemble together.

Will the show's central trio be in every episodes?
SCHWARTZ: Yes. Chuck, Sarah, and Casey are in all episodes.

Will Sarah be working at a Subway next season?
SCHWARTZ: [Laughs] You know, I don't know the full details of the Subway integration yet. I know it will be significant. Chuck is a show that happens to be well positioned for effortless product integration, especially because Chuck works at an electronics shop in a strip mall. If Sarah or someone worked at a Subway it would hopefully be no more intrusive or unrealistic than Liz Lemon working at NBC.

Are you concerned at all about the show being off the air for 10 months?
SCHWARTZ: It was really a tough choice that the network faced: Put us on Friday or [hold us until] midseason. I really believe Chuck is the little show that could. Our fans are clearly passionate, clearly loyal, and hopefully all we'll do is get them more and more [excited] for our return. And we'll come up with fun ways of stoking the fans throughout the fall. We also have something very, very fun planned for Comic-Con this year.

How about a season 3 spoiler in honor of the show's renewal?
SCHWARTZ: The biggest thing, obviously, will be dealing with the ramifications of how we ended the season. What does it mean for Chuck [and] how will it manifest itself? And I think for anyone who is concerned that he's no longer going to be the Everyman, or an accidental hero, fear not.

Will Chuck and Sarah start the season off as a full-fledged couple?
SCHWARTZ: I don't want to give anything away, but obviously, Chuck having the Intersect in his head will severely complicate their ability to be a couple. Oh, here's something: Look for a potential new love interest on the show.

Really? For who?
Someone who could triangulate between a couple of characters.

Male or female?
SCHWARTZ: Gosh, isn't it more fun to tease?

I guess.
SCHWARTZ: Teasing is what you're good at.

TV Tidbits 63 - Chuck & Medium

First thing this morning, this is what I found on TVGuide.com re: Chuck and Medium's chances of renewal (given that today is the day of NBC's schedule unveiling):

Chuck fans hoping to have their anxiety about a Season 3 pick-up put to rest come Monday might want to brace themselves for a bit more waiting.

Though NBC is expected to discuss its fall season plans at a Monday "infront" presentation, there is talk that the final word on Chuck, among a few other series, could be delayed.

Series lead Zachary Levi told E! Online at a Friday event, "I just got an email from [Chuck executive producer] Josh Schwartz, and he said stay positive, [but] we're not going to find out on Monday. It could be another week or two."

Flying in the face of what Schwartz told Levi, Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood blog — albeit without a lick of elaboration — claims that NBC is set to renew Chuck, Medium and Law & Order on Monday.

Any hold-up in unveiling a full fall slate this week is partly due to a glut of pilots that NBC brass are still wading through. The days-long screening process was halted on Thursday, when NBC programming executive Nora O'Brien suddenly died of a brain aneurysm while visiting the set of prospective series Parenthood.

In an interview with TVGuide.com last week, Schwartz predicted a tough decision ahead for NBC, which he said "has always really loved [Chuck]." Addressing the ongoing fan campaign to save the action-comedy, he said, "It's not lost on [NBC], the fan reaction, the critical support, and this grassroots movement that's taken hold. All of that is very significant in indicating momentum for the show, growth for the show, and a really loyal and fervent fan base for the show."

The aforementioned Parenthood, based on the 1989 film, is one of many pilots being eyed by NBC. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the one with the best buzz thus far is Community, starring Chevy Chase, while David E. Kelley's Legally Mad and Dick Wolf's Lost & Found look like good bets.

The future looks bright for Allison DuBois.

On the eve of its Monday "infront" presentation of 2009-10 TV season plans, NBC renewed Medium for a sixth season, says the Hollywood Reporter. An NBC rep has no comment on the report.

The new season of Medium is expected to fall in the 13 to 18 episode range, as NBC (like its peers) struggles to cut down costs while cementing its fall schedule.

However - in the amount of time it took me to copy-and-paste those quotes, TVGuide.com updated their site with this:

NBC has revealed "Part 1" of its plan for the 2009-10 TV season, and it includes a second season of Parks and Recreation, a half-dozen installments of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday, and four new dramas.

In addition to renewing Parks and Rec, NBC also officially picked up Heroes for a fourth (albeit likely shortened) season. Previously announced returns include The Office, 30 Rock, Law & Order: SVU, Friday Night Lights, The Biggest Loser and Celebrity Apprentice.

Conspicuously missing from NBC's press release is Medium, despite one trade mag's weekend report that it would be back for a fifth season. NBC sources tell TVGuide.com that in fact a decision on Medium has not yet been finalized, but that the network may announce additional pickups on May 19.

New drama series en route to the Peacock's schedule are as follows:

• Parenthood, based on the 1989 film comedy and starring Peter Krause, Maura Tierney, Dax Shepard, Erika Christensen and Craig T. Nelson (as the family patriarch).

• Trauma, from Friday Night Lights producer Peter Berg and revolving around first responder paramedics. The cast includes Derek Luke, Anastasia Griffith (Damages) and Jamey Sheridan (Law & Order: CI).

• Mercy, a medical drama told through the eyes of three nurses (played by Michelle Trachtenberg, Jamie Lee Kirchner and Taylor Schilling). The cast also include James Tupper, Diego Klattenhoff (Supernatural) and Guillermo Diaz (Weeds).

• Day One, an "event series" slated to air after the 2010 Winter Olympics wrap, and concerning life on earth in the wake of a global catastrophe. The cast includes Adam Campbell, Carly Pope (Popular) and Catherine Dent (The Shield).

On the comedy front, here is the new fare you can expect:

• Community, set at a community college and starring Chevy Chase and Joel McHale (The Soup).

• 100 Questions, starring Sophie Winkleman (Peep Show) as an unlucky-in-love woman who joins an online dating site.

New reality programming earning a slot on NBC's schedule include Jerry Seinfeld's The Marriage Ref, Breakthrough with Tony Robbins, and Who Do You Think You Are?, in which celebs climb their ancestral trees.

NBC's complete 2009-10 schedule will be announced on May 19.

So there you go. That gave me absolutely no clarification whatsoever on any of the shows I actually watch.

TV Tidbits 61 - Chuck

*** Warning: If you haven't seen Monday's season finale of Chuck, you may want to skip this post - spoilers ensue! ***

The possibility of a 3rd season of Chuck is growing dim. I keep reading that there is still a glimmer of hope until May 4th, the day of NBC's "in front" presentation (essentially the drop-dead deadline for renewal/cancellation news). However, since Heroes and Law & Order: SVU have already received early renewals and Jay Leno is slotted to suck up 5 prime-time hours on NBC's schedule come the fall, there really isn't room for both Chuck and Life, the two "on-the-bubble" shows most desperate for pick-ups. TVGuide.com's feeling is that Life is a definite goner - but that Chuck's Subway campaign and cliffhanger finale are working in its favor.

TVGuide.com also has an interview with Chuck creator Josh Schwartz on the finale and the show's future:

TVGuide.com: Dude, awesome season finale!
Josh Schwartz: Aw, thanks.

TVGuide.com: I got wind of the "game-changing" twist back in March, but made sure to keep mum.
Schwartz: Thank you for that. Luckily, only very few people knew [the twist], and we were able to keep it contained.

TVGuide.com: These new flashes that give Chuck an ability, how long will each one last? Like, could he "forget" kung fu in the middle of a fight?
Schwartz: What I will say is that people who are concerned that these new powers will somehow change the tone of the show or of our guy, don't be. There is a plan in place, and the tone of the show and Chuck's underdog quality will remain intact.

TVGuide.com: Will he flash on, like, a foreign language one week? And then safecracking skills the next? That kind of a thing?
Schwartz: There are a lot of options, a lot of opportunities for us to go down different paths.

TVGuide.com: Might this make Casey, who's used to being the bacon-saver, a bit jealous?
Schwartz: Certainly we're always, always looking for ways to heighten conflict between Chuck and Casey. That's a really fun dynamic for the show.

TVGuide.com: Will there be implications for Chuck and Sarah with this new development?
Schwartz: The most immediate way it impacts them is they can only be together if he is not the asset. That's why they were able to move their relationship forward in the penultimate episode, because the Intersect was out of his head, and she was no longer going to need to protect him. But now...

TVGuide.com: He's more valuable than ever.
Schwartz: Exactly. So that dynamic has changed, and it certainly puts their relationship back in jeopardy. But Chuck and Sarah's relationship will be one of the major driving stories of next season — should we have one.

TVGuide.com: Oh, don't talk like that.
Schwartz: But I have to.

TVGuide.com: What did you think about the Save Chuck Subway effort? I'd like to think it got the tide turning in the direction of a Season 3 pickup.
Schwartz: The fan reaction, the Save Chuck campaign that started on the blogs and with the critics and with the fans, on Facebook and Twitter, has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life to witness — and certainly the most creatively gratifying. Everybody involved in the show has been very, very moved and very emotional about how vocal people have become. The Subway [campaign] was a brilliant idea by somebody on the Television without Pity message boards. It really speaks to how sophisticated and savvy Chuck viewers are, to utilize product integration to save their show rather than just reject it out of hand. I have heard anecdotally stories of Subway lines out the door. I know that [Subway execs] have also been extremely surprised by the level of promotion for Subway amidst all of this.

TVGuide.com: But what is NBC thinking these days?
Schwartz: Well, NBC has always really loved the show. They have been very supportive of the show, and they really do love and support the show. It's not lost on them, the fan reaction, the critical support, and this grassroots movement that's taken hold. All of that is very significant in indicating momentum for the show, growth for the show, and a really loyal and fervent fan base for the show.

TVGuide.com: So you feel like it's a genuinely difficult decision NBC is facing?
Schwartz: They have a very tight schedule this year, so...

TVGuide.com: Are you an expensive show, or just not an NBC Universal-owned show?
Schwartz: We're not an expensive show, we're not a cheap show — I think we fall in the middle. They don't own us, so there is that, but at the same time... . There are pluses and minuses to being owned [by the network you air on], I guess.

TVGuide.com: Is Bryce truly and sincerely dead this time?
Schwartz: He is dead.

TVGuide.com: You left the door open for Scott Bakula to return as Chuck's father. Is he on board for further appearances, should you get renewed?
Schwartz: We would love to have Scott back; he was such a fantastic part of the show and he surpassed all of our hopes and expectations for what he would bring to the part. He grounded the show emotionally, and he kicked ass.

TVGuide.com: Would next season be the season we explore Chuck's mom?
Schwartz: We're still formulating our thoughts for the new characters. We know the larger arc for next season that we want to play out, we know the direction we want to take the show, and we know how next season would end.

TVGuide.com: Does it end as good as this one?
Schwartz: Yeah, we're really excited about it. And one thing I will promise for next year is that, come hell or high water, Jeffster shall return!

I really like Chuck - Adam Baldwin as Casey particularly cracks me up - so I hope it comes back. My Daisies is already gone! So it Mars! Give me something to work with here, people. That being said, I have not yet seen the last two episodes of this season, though I did see the final 20 minutes of the season finale because, well, my TiVo crapped out for some reason and I had to make sure I got the end of episode on tape. (I was still afraid to turn it off, though, so I just sat there and watched the last 20 minutes for fear of never knowing how the season (and maybe the show) ended!) And I gotta say - I know everyone else thought the final minutes were awesome... but I thought they were pretty cheesy. Chuck is always goofy - but this was a wee bit over the line, even for me. I hope that, should there be a season 3, it doesn't fall too far into Wackyville (like Ugly Betty did).

TV Tidbits 42 - The Office, Life on Mars, Medium...

Chuck, Pushing Daisies, The Mentalist and Monk!! That's right - it's time for some Wednesday scoopage. Here's what I've culled from TVGuide.com and EW.com this morning:

Question: I am absolutely in love with the Jim/Pam relationship on The Office! My body is just itching to see their wedding. Will it be this season, or are the writers going to make us wait?
Ausiello: I assumed it would take place this season... until, that is, I spoke to exec producer Greg Daniels. "If people assume it'll happen this season, then I don't want to do it," he countered with a laugh. "There are so many stories about a couple getting married that I want to explore." The post-Super Bowl episode on Feb. 1 will introduce one such story when Pam learns that her parents are having marital problems, causing her to wonder, "If they can't make it work, what chance do Jim and I have?"

Question: The Office? Pretty please.
Ausiello: BJ Novak confirms to me that Ryan will make a "dramatic" return later this season as part of a top-secret storyline. Theories? Post 'em in the comments!

Question: Chuck. Any scoops on upcoming episodes?
Ausiello: Exec producer Josh Schwartz is hesitant to use the words "game changing" to describe this season's final batch of episodes -- even though it's wholly appropriate. "Everyone uses that term," he harrumphs. "Let's call it show changing. Or Chuck changing...Let's just say someone is going to start figuring out the truth in Chuck's world." Schwartz adds that he's cramming "three seasons worth of stories into the next 10 episodes," in part because there's no guarantee the show will see a third season. (Note to NBC: The forecast calls for a s--tstorm in the event Chuck is axed.) "We're leaving nothing on the table," he says. "We're taking nothing for granted. We're going for it." To wit, did you see who they got to play Chuck's dad?!

Question: Anything new on Chuck?
Ausiello: This just in: Jordana Brewster's returning as Chuck's ex Jill in the season finale!

Question: How about you give us a, ahem, large scoop on Medium? (See what I did there?!)
Ausiello: Hey, no fair -- that's my shtick! Eh, I suppose I have a big enough, ahem, shtick to go around. (See what I did there?!) Anyway, to answer your question, yes, I have some, ahem, large Medium scoop for you: Upcoming Private Practice guest star Amanda Detmer has been cast as Joe's sister! "She comes to visit at a time when her marriage is falling apart," previews exec producer Glenn Gordon Caron. "And it's awkward for Joe, because he genuinely likes his brother-in-law. But his sister is convinced he's been unfaithful." Further complicating matters, "Allison starts to get impressions about what might have happened." And here's another Medium tidbit, and this one is size XL: James Van Der Beek has signed on to guest star later this season. His character seeks Allison's help when his mother goes missing.

Question: When is ABC going to air the last episodes of Pushing Daisies?
Ausiello: Based on Steve McPherson's remarks at press tour last week, I'm guessing sometime between never and when hell freezes over. Something tells me those final three eps won't see the light of day until Daisies' season 2 DVD drops -- assuming it does drop. In far happier news, Warner Bros. has give Bryan Fuller the okay to keep Daisies alive in comic book form. Now it's just a matter of Fuller ironing out all the details with DC Comics. I suspect there will be something official to report by month's end. [Lauren's note: WTF?!!! This is ridiculous!!!!!!!!! I still have the last 3 episodes on my TiVo because I didn't want to watch them too far in advance of whenever the final episodes air. And now I find out that's going to be, uh, NEVER?!!!! That sucks!! The episodes are already done - you're telling me ABC can't sacrifice a crap hour or two on a Saturday night (when no one's watching TV anyway) just to make fans happy? Really? Ugh. I'm disgusted. Some of us don't want to read a friggin' comic book!! Some of us just want to watch TV shows the way they were intended... on TV!]

Will they ever catch Red John on The Mentalist? And will Lisbon and Jane ever hook up?
MICKEY: Ever watch Moonlighting after David and Maddie did the deed? (Less sexual chemistry than the Clintons.) According to series creator Bruno Heller, the answer to both of those questions is no, at least not for a very long time.

If what's coming up this summer is Monk's last season, will we find out what really happened to his late wife, Trudy?
TIM: Yes, Lesa, a show rep confirms that "we'll definitely find out who killed Trudy."

Is there any word on the rest of Life on Mars' first season? I want to know if it really ends differently than the British original.
MICKEY: You can wait and find out when Mars returns on Wednesday, Jan. 28, at 10 pm/ET (following Lost), but all signs point to a very different reason behind Sam Tyler's time-tripping. "In this next installment [of episodes], you'll see that the mythology is not as per the British version," ABC prez Steve McPherson said at the TCA winter press tour.

TV Tidbits 38 - Wednesday Scoopage

It's that time of week again - spoilers!! Now, I chatted with Christina a bit over the holiday weekend and she mentioned that I never really post anything about shows that she watches. (Because she only watches 2 shows - Grey's and Desperate Housewives - and they both suck. But whatever.) So, I looked for some scoops about Grey's for this week's post... but found none. Still, if there are any shows I'm missing, please feel free to ask me and I'll toss scoops in for those shows, too. Right now, I pretty much only post on:

• Amazing Race
• Medium
• Chuck
• NCIS
• Pushing Daisies
• L&O: SVU
• American Idol
• SYTYCD
• Top Chef
• Project Runway
• Numb3rs
• Life on Mars
• HIMYM
• Ghost Whisperer (for my mom)
• Bones (for my parents)

Though I do throw in a couple other shows here and there if it strikes my fancy. My point is this: if you have any requests, I'm open. :o) Now! On to the scoops.

NCIS

Is Ziva's father going to make a return on NCIS this season?
Matt: My moles at the CBS hit may be tight-lipped about the Ziva-Tony romance (a very popular topic in the Buzz box), but on this matter they did let slip some intel: Eli David, played by Michael "What a Feeling" Nouri, will be seen again, and possibly before the end of this season.

Got any more spoilers for NCIS?
Ausiello: ... here's your NCIS scoop: In an upcoming episode, McGee finds himself trapped with dozens of women. Baw chika bow wow, right? Wrong. The women are in prison and they're holding him hostage. "It's a tense, exciting episode," reveals executive producer Shane Brennan. "Sean Murray puts in a fabulous performance. The story also reveals a little about McGee's romantic past."

GHOST WHISPERER

On Ghost Whisperer, how is it that the people of Grandview aren't a bit curious about Madly-in-Love-with-Jim Melinda becoming Wildly-in-Love-with-Sam Melinda just weeks after Jim's funeral? Those close to her get it, OK, but surely the neighbors are talking. Are we going to get an episode addressing the human tendency to gossip?
Matt: "It's a good question," GW exec producers P.K. Simonds, Ian Sander and Kim Moses say in an email to the Buzz, "but we've tried to be clear that at least to the outside world, Melinda is not 'wildly in love' with Sam (Jim). At least not yet. Though there is plenty of aching and longing, the two of them are scrupulously respectful of each other's boundaries — he because she is grieving her husband, and she because he is grappling with memory loss. We're planning to address what friends and neighbors think, in a big way, as we move forward in Season 4."

PUSHING DAISIES

When will the last episode of Pushing Daisies air? Will it seem like a "final episode" or will we be left hanging?
Mickey: The facts are these: ABC isn't talking, and Daisies doesn't appear on the network's midseason schedule at all, but if it does return in January, I'd ballpark the last episode to fall somewhere around the end of February. I'm hearing that by then at least one of the show's big mysteries will be solved, which will be a big relief for one Mr. Emerson Cod. In the meantime, look for Olive Snook to sing a Bangles song I embarrassingly once used as the seductive soundtrack to a fumbling, though ultimately successful high school assignation. Don't tell anyone though, OK?

I know it's probably way too early to be asking this, but what are the chances, if ABC does further irreparable damage to Pushing Daisies fans by not airing the remaining episodes, the second season will be released on DVD?
Ausiello: Considering the season 1 DVD sold well, I'd say the chances are very good.

CHUCK

As an avid Chuck fan, I have to ask: Where the heck is Anna? We haven't seen her in weeks, and there was only a passing mention that she was at her parents' for Thanksgiving. Is Julia Ling okay? The Buy More plots aren't the same without her.
Ausiello: Fear not, Ling remains a part of the cast, albeit not as big a part as, say, Zach Levi. Like many of Chuck's supporting players, her contract isn't for all shows produced (or ASP). The good news: She's back in a huge way next week.

Is the Dark Intersect from "Chuck vs The Suburbs" (episode 14) going to form the basis for a Feb/March sweeps trilogy? And how will the Dark Intersect affect Chuck?
Ausiello: I'm going to throw this one to Josh Schwartz. "The Dark Intersect is the first sign that the bad guys (read: FULCRUM) are figuring out that if they can't find the Intersect, why not rebuild it -- which makes Chuck even more valuable. And yes, it is a trilogy."

L&O: SVU

Will B.D. Wong ever return?
Mickey: How can we miss B.D. when he didn't go away? My SVU moles tell me that Dr. Huang is still very much a member of the cast; he just hasn't appeared frequently as of late. That will change with the Dec. 9 episode, charmingly titled "Smut," in which he'll head-shrink guest star Michael Trucco (Battlestar Galactica), who employs the "porn-made-me-do-it" defense, as sound a legal strategy as any I've ever heard. (What?)

BONES

I'm so sick of seeing the words "Grey's Anatomy" in your column every week! How about you dig up some dirt on Bones for a change?
Ausiello: Bones... Dig... Dirt... That's the kind of genius play on words that inspires big-time scoopage. It was a year ago that Bones planted a wet one on Booth, so the time seems right to grill exec producer Hart Hanson about the eagerly awaited follow-up smooch. When is it happening? And will this one be real -- as in, not part of some bet? "I think we'll do a little better this season than just an actual, real kiss," Hanson teases. "But you tell me in about three months whether we've succeeded or not. There are a couple of things I've already said they'll do: I've said they'll be naked in bed, and I've said she will ask him to father her child. So, I think we're moving toward something bigger than just a kiss." What could possibly be bigger that sucking face? Yep, sex was my first guess, too. "The truth is," Hanson counters, "if [two people] share a kiss and they're in their mid-'30s, how long is it going to be before they consummate? My intention is to keep [the audience] very frustrated." Getting back to the how long before they consummate question, I'm thinking May sweeps. Why? Keep reading...

I'm skeptical about Bones and Booth being in bed together naked. Is this a big fake-out?
Ausiello: Depends what you're definition of the word "fake-out" is. While Hart Hanson confirms that the pair will definitely end up in bed together naked (most likely during May sweeps), he refuses to disclose the context, except to say, "It's not free of encumbrance. It's not free and clear. Nothing is easy on Bones."

I've heard more Bones scoop from my dog than you, Ausiello. Please give me something!
Ausiello: Oh, yeah, well... did your dog tell you that Papa Booth's coming to town! 'Cause he just might be some day maybe! Explains Hart Hanson: "Booth has some issues with his dad, so we may bring in his father this season. We also talked about having his grandfather show up, but I'm not sure that will happen."

LIFE ON MARS

Fred Thompson is making good on his threat promise to return to acting. The former U.S. senator, whose presidential dreams went up in smoke earlier this year, has landed a guest stint on ABC's out-of-this-world drama Life on Mars, sources confirm to me exclusively. He'll play the NYPD's chief of detectives in a February episode.

In other Mars news, producers are currently casting the never-before-seen daughter of Harvey Keitel's character. Interested actresses should be in their mid-30s, beautiful, confident, and be willing to work long hours alongside Harvey Keitel.

TV Tidbits 36 - Chuck

Hmph. Here's a little Chuck scoopage to somewhat assuage my angry feelings toward ABC (though it's not really doing much):

Another week, another genius piece of Chuck casting… Piping hot Battlestar Galactica toaster Tricia Helfer has been cast on Chuck as Special Agent Alex Forrest, a by-the-book ass-kicker and -- here's where things get a little frakked up -- a potential replacement for Yvonne Strahovski's Sarah. Relax, I said potential replacement. Here's the deal: According to my Chuck mole, General Beckman -- who has been growing increasingly concerned about Chuck and Sarah's intensifying bond -- considers bringing in a new G-woman to work alongside Chuck. Enter Agent Forrest, who shows no fear, no remorse and, much to Agent Casey's delight, is very easy on the eyes. But Helfer isn't moving in on Strahovski's turf permanently, is she?

Actually…no, she's not. Helfer's only booked for one episode (No. 18), and Strahovski's got, well, an ironclad six-year contract. Speaking of Chuck (a.k.a. the most consistently entertaining hour on NBC's air, IMHO), here are two bonus casting scoops free of charge:

• Jonathan Cake (Six Degrees) is coming on board for a multi-episode arc as a Gerard Butler-esqe British MI6 agent by the name of Cole Barker. The rugged, macho spy catches Sarah's eye and makes Chuck feel even geekier than usual.

• Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover girl Brooklyn Decker will guest star in episode 15 when Jeff and Lester take over the hiring process at Buy More and begin recruiting potential Buy More booth babes.

If you don't watch Chuck, you really should. Adam Baldwin (Casey) alone makes the show worthwhile. (And I never thought I'd like Knowle Rohrer...)

TV Tidbits 32 - Mini-Spoilers & Season Updates

It's been quite a few Wednesdays since I gave you any scoopage but after chatting with my parents earlier this week, I realized once again that I may be in possession of TV-related knowledge that may be of interest to others. And so I have assembled some tidbits here for you, after which I'll update you on which shows are already canceled - and which ones will soon join them. Here goes!

First up: Mini-spoilers (courtesy of TVGuide.com's Matt Roush and EW.com's Michael Ausiello).

NUMBERS:

Liz Warner paired with the "new guy," Nikki worked quite well in the episode "Scan Man." Will they team up again?
Matt: Do you want the good news first? Of course you do. "Nikki and Liz will definitely be teaming up again," exec producer Ken Sanzel tells the Buzz. But for how much longer is the big question, seeing as Liz has a job transfer pending. "That will be addressed in the next few episodes," says Sanzel, "as a big opportunity comes her way."

...is done with the "Charlie needs to get his clearance back" arc, so why must Agent McGowan still be in the episodes? And do you have any "Chamita" scoopage?
Matt: Do you want the bad news first? Of course you do. Agent McGowan's three-episode arc is now done, but, Ken Sanzel shares, "We have plans for a future storyline that would involve Keith Carradine's return." This is where I soothe that sting with the scoop that Charlie and Amita's relationship will definitely continue to mature.

MEDIUM:

Any "OMG, I totally didn't see that coming!" twists we can look forward to on the new season?
Ausiello: As I reported on Monday, Family Ties' Tracy Pollan has signed on for a three-episode arc as a corporate intuitionist who offers Allison a big-bucks job at her company. But that's not the OMG! part. This is: Girlfriend's up to no good!

GHOST WHISPERER (I don't watch this show - and haven't for some time - but Hottie McHusband Jim just died last week and it's "big happenings" for those who do still watch the show. Like my mom. As such, I threw this in...):

I am going to have to give up watching Ghost Whisperer for good. I can't believe they actually went ahead and killed Jim! I am done. Unless you can give me a reason not to be?
Ausiello: I gave you two months' notice and a come-to-Jesus talk with the show's producers and still you were surprised? There's no winning with you people. And here's your reason to keep watching: Jim's not going into the light without a fight. This Friday, his ghost drops a metric ton of angst all over his grief-stricken widow when he refuses to cross over to the other side. By episode's end, he pulls a morally questionable move on a dead guy in an effort to join the living again.

THE OFFICE:

Ask Ausiello has been lacking in Office scoop lately! Spill!
Ausiello: I've got bad news: Turns out Amy Ryan is not returning in the near future. Total bummer. Now for some better news: Another beloved character is!

-----

Oooookay. So, now we move onto cancellations and would-be-canceleds.

Pushing Daisies is the biggest on-the-bubble show right now. Like it's fellow 1 season strike-shortened brother Chuck, Pushing Daisies has been going down in the ratings every week its second season. However, unlike Chuck, Pushing Daisies does not already have a full-season pick-up and, therefore, is in real danger of being canceled. Viewers are currently at around 6 million/week, which isn't fantabulous, and production on the last ordered episode (#13) is set to end within the next couple weeks - and there's been no order for further episodes placed by ABC yet. On one hand, we shouldn't worry yet - officially, ABC has until January to exercise its options with the show. On the other hand, Lost will be coming back in January... in Daisies' day and time slot. Prognosis? Still unclear. Oh, and worse news? If Daisies' 13th episode does wind up being its series finale, word is that it'll be a less-than-satisfying end to the show (much like The Sopranos' finale). Whee.

If you are a fan of Life, however, the news is much better - its next 9 episodes were just picked up by NBC. (Oh, and Knight Rider's gotten a full-season order, too. Rejoice.)

Like Lipstick Jungle? Start saving up to by the DVDs because new episodes are likely to stop coming - supposedly, NBC moving the show to Friday night is just the first nail in Jungle's coffin. Sorry, guys.

And finally - a refresher list of those that have already passed on: Do Not Disturb, Opportunity Knocks, The Ex List, Easy Money and Valentine.

TV Tidbits 27, Movie Morsels 29 & Music Minims 01

Man!! I have a gossip drought for weeks and weeks and then when things start pouring in, I'm busy at work. My life is a burden, I tell you! :o) I am busy so I'm going to have to smoosh a bunch of stuff into this post... I hope it makes sense.

(Oh, and in case you're wondering about the 'Music Minims' - I had to look up a synonym for tidbit that started with M that wasn't 'morsel.' It was hard! The best I could find was minim: the smallest unit of liquid measure (noun); Music. a note, formerly the shortest in use, but now equivalent in time value to one half of a semibreve; half note (noun); the least quantity of anything (noun); something very small or insignificant(noun). That works, right?)




First up: TV Tidbits. Scoops from TVGuide.com and EW.com's Ausiello.

• Q:...anything mentioned about NCIS and the paper the new director took out of a file (I thought it was his own?) and destroyed. Can you scoop the significance of it?
• Matt: As for your query, you impressed the heck out of NCIS executive producer Shane Brennan: "Yes, the paper is significant — very significant — and yes, it did come out of the director's personal file," he tells the Buzz. "Will we find out what it really means? Yes! This season? Maybe. Will it shed new light on Director Vance? You betcha!"

• Question: As for the first two Chuck episodes that you were soo lucky to watch, are there any good Chuck and Sarah moments in the second episode?
• Ausiello: Actually, two of my favorite Chuck-Sarah moments ever take place in episode 2. One involves Sarah making a grand, Huey Lewis-rockin' entrance into Buy More and then planting a kiss on Chuck (think Phoebe Cates' famous scene in Fast Times, only with fewer bare breasts), and the other finds John Larroquette's washed-up James Bond assessing Chuck's 007 potential by having him perform an impromptu seduction of Sarah. Yvonne Strahovski's reaction to Chuck's lame moves is pure romantic-comedy gold.

• Question: Am I correct in assuming that the death in the first Chuck episode is a character that probably won't be missed all that much by most fans?
• Ausiello: Yikes, that's harsh. Kinda-sorta true, but harsh nonetheless.You kiss your mother with that mouth?

• (Side note on Chuck: Ausiello reported yesterday that "Gary Cole has been cast as the charming con-man father of Yvonne Strahovski's Sarah. Daddy Grifter is slated to pay a visit during November sweeps.")

• Question: So, you are one of the lucky privileged people who got to see the premiere of CSI early. What is the deal with Grissom-Sara? All of these interviews and articles make it sound like their relationship is in huge amounts of trouble.
• Ausiello: I didn't see any signs of trouble in the first episode, but the hour isn't really about them; it's about Warrick. If anything, the one significant scene they do share in the Oct. 9 opener is rather moving and, dare I say, hopeful.

• Question: The Office? Pretty please with cherries on top.
• Ausiello: Either Dunder Mifflin's getting some fancy, state-of-the-art new Xerox machines or Michael's going to be taking his staff out on more field trips this season. According to an NBC insider, the show has been blessed with "a bigger budget" and "better production values" this season. Whispers my spy: "This year is all about being bigger and better."

• Question: Got any scoop on Jim and Pam’s relationship on The Office?
  
  • Ausiello: With a bigger budget comes...fake rain? Rumor has it that something momentous (and long overdue) takes place between the star-crossed lovers during a torrential downpour.

My dad e-mailed me a homemade premiere schedule last night (probably in response to my Fringe post!) that he guesstimates is at least 90% accurate. For your perusal (click to make readable):

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Movie Morsels

• You probably saw this on Yahoo! yesterday but just in case you missed it, a new Quantum of Solace trailer has come out. You can check it out here.

• I just discovered yesterday that they're going to start filming a big screen version of Nicholas Sparks' book Dear Johnlater this year. (Is it a law somewhere that all of Sparks' novels must be made into tearjerkers or what? Yeesh.) So far, Amanda Seyfried (from Mamma Mia!) is set to play the lead, a young woman who falls in love with a soldier, to be played by Channing Tatum, while he's on leave. Does Channing Tatum only play soldiers now or what? He was a soldier in Stop Loss, he's in G.I. Joe... I realize the dude's acting is less than spectacular and thus probably lends itself to more stoic roles but c'mon! Does the word 'typecasting' mean anything to you, Tatum? But I digress. I will admit that I have read Dear John and several other Sparks books; embarrassing but true. They are what I imagine Twilight will be - way to saccharine and syrupy and shmoopy but for some reason you read them anyway. Now, I love a good shmoopy story but good grief - Sparks' books almost made me diabetic! But I kept on reading them, I don't know why. Some are definitely better than others and I'd put Dear John on the 'meh' shelf. It just didn't do anything for me and it seemed just a wee bit more flowery and less plausible than his other books (and that's saying something). I think I'll be sitting this movie out.

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Last but not least - Music Minims.

• As I mentioned in an earlier post, Keane's new album Perfect Symmetry will be coming out October 14th. They released the cover art last Friday and it looks a little something like this:

The basic pattern is a combination of ideas - namely the decidedly imperfect symmetry that's one of the main themes of the album, and the design concepts of the Bauhaus movement that we fell in love with while we were recording in Berlin. Looking through the gaps in the pattern you can see glimpses of sculptures of us specially made by the brilliant Korean artist Osang Gwan.

You can pre-order the deluxe CD+ making-of DVD (for the low, low price of $43(!!) - it's an import, after all) here.

• I heard Snow Patrol's new single on XM yesterday and, sure enough, they're new album is coming out soon, too. A Hundred Million Suns will be released October 28th - per their Web site, here is the track listing:
  

1. "If There's a Rocket Tie Me to It"
2. "Crack the Shutters Open"
3. "Take Back the City"
4. "Lifeboats"
5. "The Golden Floor"
6. "Please Just Take These Photos from My Hands"
7. "Set Down Your Glass"
8. "The Planets Bend Between Us"
9. "Engines"
10. "Disaster Button"
11. "The Lightning Strike"*

1. "What If This Storm Ends?"
2. "Sunlight Through the Flags"
3. "Daybreak"

*The last song is sixteen minutes long and by far the longest we’ve ever done. Don’t be frightened though, it’s great. Although for now you’ll have to take my word for that and I’m pretty biased I have to say.

You can listen to the first single, Take Back the City, at their site.