Archive: February 2009 (27-39 of 92)

Feb 19 2009 03:55 AM ET

Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on 'Bones,' 'House,' 'Sarah Connor,' 'Grey's,' 'Lost,' 'Gossip Girl,' 'Damages,' 'Supernatural,' 'CSI,' '24,' and more!

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Categories: Ask Ausiello, Big Love, Bones, Brothers & Sisters, CSI, Dollhouse, Gossip Girl, Grey's Anatomy, House, Lauren Graham, Lost, Numb3rs, Privileged, Scrubs, Smallville, Supernatural, The Big Bang Theory, Ugly Betty

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The end of the TV season is fast approaching, and that can only mean one thing: Your favorite characters are going to start dropping like flies! This week’s Ask Ausiello features exclusive intel about which shows the Grim Reaper will be targeting in the coming months. Also in AA: More spoilers than you can shake a stick at, an answer to last week’s tantalizing ER quiz (it’s buried, so be sure to read each and every Q/A!), scoop about my latest Lauren Graham sighting, and much, much more. Let’s get to it! 

Question: So, how exactly is House going to make his pain magically disappear next week? — Reina
Ausiello: He switches to a new drug — and no, it’s not heroin. But that’s not the big news, this is: House and Wilson go on a date!

Question: What’s up with the McFight on tonight’s Grey’s Anatomy? Is Derek hitting Mark over Lexie? — Michelle
Ausiello: Kind of, but not really. It’s a classic case of transference. Derek’s really mad at Addison, but he ends up taking his frustration out on Mark instead. And man, do those two beat the crap out of each other. There’s even blood!

Question: Can you give us some scoop on tonight’s Grey’s? — Greysfan
Ausiello: Izzie finds out that her blood sample was mixed up
(shocker!), which means she’s suffering from something far worse than
anemia (double shocker!). But what? Sadly, we have to wait until March
12 for the official diagnosis.

Question: Will we be getting any Callie-Arizona scenes on Grey’s Anatomy this week? — Alyssa
Ausiello: That’s affirmative. Callie asks Arizona out on a date!

Question: I want to congratulate you on your 26th birthday coming up on
Monday! Now, how about some juicy Lost scoop. — Anglique
Ausiello: How about you get my age right first. Twenty-six?! Do I
really look that old? Ugh. So much for Oil of Olay Daily Regenerating
Serum. Anywhoo, Lost scoop: Someone will be joining recent time travel
victim Charlotte six feet under before the season is over. My source
describes the character as "major-ish," which most likely rules out any
of our series regulars. Guesses? Post ‘em in the comments section!

Question: Dude, the foreshadowing in this week’s 24 has me worried for Chloe’s safety. Please tell me she’s not going to take
a header into the Dead Pool come season end. — Nicole
Ausiello: Relax, Chloe isn’t dying. But someone else is this Monday. Also in next week’s ep: A 24 fave returns and a new threat will be revealed! (Is
it just me, or did that last sentence read like a Fox promo? I think
I’ve been doing this too long.)

Question: Since Scrubs moved to ABC, there is always a character missing from each episode. Why? — Shanon
Ausiello: Money. In order to make the season 8 pick-up financially
feasible for ABC, Bill Lawrence had to trim some serious coin from the
show’s budget. The easiest way to do that was to give every cast member
two episodes off. Zach Braff included.

Question: Ask Ausiello is a day late! Oh, that’s right — you had to up
and change everything. For my troubles, can you at least tell me if
there’s any hope for a second season of Privileged? — Heather
Ausiello: I’m not going to sugarcoat this for you, Heather: Rina
Mimoun’s critical darling is fighting for its life, and time is running
out. The season finale airs Tuesday and even the slightest ratings bump
could increase the show’s season 2 odds. To the uninitiated, I urge you
to read Jennifer Armstrong’s "5 Reasons to Save Privileged" in the new
issue of EW (on sale Friday). Girlfriend makes some very persuasive arguments.

Question: Seriously, Mike? You’ve gone weeks without giving us new Bones scoop! — Esther
Ausiello: I was saving up for something good — something like… this:
According to executive producer Hart Hanson, a series of attacks within
the Lab will cause "dissension and suspicion" amongst all of the main
players by the end of the season, adding, "It will affect the way each
and every character regards the others." Oh, and the Booth-Brennan sex
thing in the May finale? Yep, still happening.

Question: Were you suggesting that Kristen Bell was in the running to play a young Lily in the Gossip Girl spin-off? — Tara
Ausiello: I was not. I’m actually going to keep quiet about which
actress I was referring to until there’s something solid to report.
Don’t want to jinx things. Having said that, I’d
like to take this opportunity to nominate American Dreams ingénue
Brittany Snow for the role. Not only does she have "young Kelly
Rutherford" plastered across her forehead, but as she proved on her
much-missed NBC drama, she has a timeless quality. (If she can pull off
the ’60s, the ’80s oughta be breeze.) Plus, anything that keeps her
away from Prom Night 2 has to be a good thing, right? If you agree,
please, say so in the comments section. It’s no fun being out on this
limb all alone.

Question: Please, I need some Gossip Girl scoop on Blair and Chuck! — Carla
Ausiello: Okay, but I have to warn you, it’s going to make you very
angry. Leighton Meester’s real-life beau, Sebastian Stan, will be
reprising his role as the shifty Carter Baizen. He’ll appear in the
next two original episodes and, per my source, his mission is twofold:
to mess with Chuck and hook up with Blair. Don’t shoot the messenger!

Question: I am leaving for France tomorrow for nine days. Could you please give me some Gossip Girl to hold me over? — Rachel
Ausiello: You know Serena’s new grifter beau, Gabriel (Armie Hammer)?
She’s met him before — only she can’t remember where or when.

Question: Do we have to beg for some Big Bang Theory spoilers? Because I will beg. — Irrel
Ausiello: Begging works. I’ve got additional deets about Summer Glau’s
hilarious sounding Amtrak run-in with Leonard & Co. in the March 9
episode courtesy of exec producer Bill Prady: "For the guys, there’s
probably no more awesome sci-fi female to encounter than Summer Glau,
with her nerd-cred times four. Normally, these guys might only have a
split-second autograph encounter with her at Comic-Con, but now they
have 11 hours to get up the courage to talk to her — and she’s
sitting alone! Of course, Sheldon does offer a word of caution:  If
Terminators actually did exist, a perfect way they could lull victims
into a false sense of security would be to pose as actors who have
played Terminators." ROFWLOLOMGILOVEIT!

Question: Any rumors, tidbits, scoops, or details regarding Terminator:
The Sarah Connor Chronicles? Is what I fear most about to pass — is
Summer Glau leaving the show? — Kevin B.
Ausiello: No, but one of her female co-stars is on March 6.

Question: Any scoop on Flight of the Conchords? — Harry
Ausiello: In Sunday’s episode, Bret and Jemaine will literally duel to
win the love of Brahbrah, played by SNL‘s Kristen Wiig. The two meet
her in the park while she searches for her missing dog, Charlie. Bonus
Conchords goss: Bret takes up Jazzercise! Now in totally unrelated
news, the answer to last week’s multiple choice ER quiz is A: $125K.
Thanks for playing!

Question: After seeing Ugly Betty last Thursday, it’s about time Ms.
Meade (Judith Light) got a man. And I know just the man for the role:
Tony Danza. She could even answer the door in her robe. — Sina
Ausiello: Funny you should mention that. It just so happens that Betty
is casting the recurring role of Richard Hartley, a fiftysomething Ted
Turner-type and the father of Betty’s new love, Matt (Daniel Eric
Gold). Sure, this probably means he’s married to Matt’s mom, Christine
Baranski, but, hey, that’s a minor obstacle for someone like Ms. Meade.
Either way, Danza should probably put a call into his agent.

Question: I recall Damages was renewed for seasons 2 and 3
simultaneously. Given this, are we going to get a resolution to the
Daniel Purcell case this season, or is that going to carry over to
Season 3? — Jake
Ausiello: The Purcell case will end when Season 2 does — but that
doesn’t mean we will have seen the last of William Hurt. "Things are always open to
change, but Season 2 wraps up much like Season 1 did," reveals
exec producer Todd Kessler. "[But] William Hurt’s character has a very
strong personal relationship with Patty — he’s the father of her son.
So his character remains vital and important to the lives of Patty and
Michael Hughes. There’s always a chance he will come back. It’s
schedule dependent."

Question: To celebrate the premiere of Dollhouse, I think it
would be very fitting for you to give us some scoop — or at the very
least tell us what you thought. — Sydney
Ausiello: I have mixed feelings about Dollhouse. My biggest complaint is the complete and utter lack of
humor. Where’s the Whedonesque ha-ha we’ve all come to depend on? And
when I am laughing, I don’t think I’m supposed to be. For
instance, Eliza Dushku as a ball-busting hostage negotiator? Highlarious. And I may be in the minority here, but I find the Topher "I’m the lovable, quirky one"
Brink character to be unbearable. The only thing I find relatable about him is his
taste in sweater vests. Despite all this, I’m four episodes in and I can’t wait for No. 5. Go figure.

Question: Okay, I’ll bite: Give me some spoilerage about the two deaths coming up on Big Love. — Jenna
Ausiello: One’s male and one’s female. Additional clues can be found here, but click over at your own risk.

Question: Please, I need big spoilers for Big Love. What is coming up!
What is going to happen to poor Sarah? And what is going on with
Margene? — Katie
Ausiello: Sarah’s baby daddy, Scott (Breaking Bad‘s Aaron Paul) returns
on March 15. And Margene starts her own business selling, what else,
bracelets. 

Question: What’s the latest on Numb3rs? — Samantha
Ausiello: Don suffers a life-threatening injury later this season, and
Charlie feels he might be responsible because he wasn’t focused on the
case and might have overlooked something. And the show’s 100th episode
finds Don and Charlie tackling a case with eerie similarities to the
first crime they worked on together.

Question: I’m hearing Chloe makes a decision that will change her
friendship with Clark forever in episode 20 of Smallville. What is it? — Amber
Ausiello: The answer lies in a recent Ask Ausiello.

Question: You have to stop teasing Supernatural fans about this big
Winchester brawl that’s going to happen in the season finale. Just
answer us this question: What causes the big hoopla? Ash
Ausiello: I honestly don’t know. Maybe it has something to do with
Sam’s demon blood addiction. Or maybe it’s fallout from a
certain death that’s coming up in April. Or maybe… nope, those are
the only two theories I’ve got.

Question: CSI… anything? — Kent
Ausiello: Yuh-huh. In an upcoming eppy, wacky shenanigans ensue when a
sci-fi icon is bumped off at (more or less) Comic-Con. My money’s on a
rogue Tribble — so many places to conceal a weapon on a body that’s
nothing but fur.

Question: I saw your BFF Lauren Graham in Guys & Dolls this weekend
and she was amazing! Now can you give me some scoop on my second favorite
show (after Gilmore Girls, of course) Brothers & Sisters? –
Jacqueline
Ausiello: I saw her, too. What do you want to bet my seats sucked worse
than yours? I’ll wager $10K. Note: Do not purchase orchestra seats in
the high 20s rows A thru L. You’ll miss half the show. Literally. The half I saw I
really enjoyed. And man, Lauren can sing. I met her backstage afterwards and she
couldn’t have been nicer. I’m hoping to see it again after its official opening in early March — if for no other reason than to catch the half of the show I missed. As for your question (you thought I
forgot, didn’t you?), in the finale of Brothers & Sisters, I hear Kitty goes house-hunting
with someone other than Robert. Could it be this
guy?

Okay, that’s a wrap! Send questions/anonymous tips/birthday wishes to ausielloscoop@ew.com. Thanks for playing! Oh, I almost forgot: I’m officially a Twittering fool! You can follow me at
twitter.com/ewausiellofiles. Woo-hoo! (Additional
reporting by Lynette Rice, Andy Patrick and Aly Semigran)

Feb 18 2009 10:19 PM ET

Diddy's new sound: Songwriter The-Dream is 'really surprised'

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Categories: Music Biz

Hit songwriter The-Dream (Rihanna’s "Umbrella," Beyonce’s "Single Ladies") is gearing up for the March 10 release of his own sophomore album, Love vs. Money — but in the meantime, he’s staying busy writing songs for Diddy’s upcoming Last Train to Paris. The-Dream tells EW he’s penned two potential cuts for Diddy’s album in recent weeks. And at least one of them, titled "Change," finds the many-named mogul leaving behind his familiar rap flow for a melodic croon. "It’s one of the biggest records I ever wrote," boasts The-Dream. "He sang the record gracefully. He really pulled it off, and he really surprised me. Because it’s Puff, nobody expects it. [But] he’s got the goods."

No date has been officially announced for Last Train to Paris, but The-Dream says Diddy is aiming for a late-spring/early-summer release. The-Dream also revealed that he’s planning to team up again with previous collaborators Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige on tunes for their respective upcoming projects.

UPDATE: Diddy’s label announced Feb. 19 that Last Train to Paris will hit stores on Sept. 22. "I’m ushering in a new movement called ‘train music’," Diddy said in a press release. "It’s a profound love story.  It’s me with my shades off.  It’s the truth."

Feb 18 2009 10:00 PM ET

Exclusive: 'CSI: NY' collars an American Idol

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Categories: CSI: NY

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Music careers are so 2008. Following in the footsteps of Chris Daughtry, American Idol alum Katharine McPhee has booked a guest gig on CSI: NY.

In an episode tentatively scheduled to air in April, the singer will play… er, a singer. There will even be a scene in which she is… well… singing. All kidding aside, the prime-time appearance is actually bringing McPhee back once again to her roots — she was an actress first, then a recording artist. (Recently, you’ve probably seen her opposite Anna Farris in The House Bunny.)

McPhee will next begin work on the romantic comedy Wedlock opposite Brothers & Sisters‘ Dave Annable.

So what’s your take, people? Coming down with McPheever or so over the celeb cameo thing? Your take below.

Feb 18 2009 08:54 PM ET

'Big Love' shocker: Who's gonna die?

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Categories: Big Love

Biglove_lRemember how funny I thought it was that, after I teased two big deaths on Big Love, none of you tried to pry clues out of me? Well, now that you’ve started prying — to the point where I’m surprised EW.com’s emailbox hasn’t crashed, I don’t think it’s so funny anymore. So here’s the deal: You limit yourselves to just a few thousand letters a day about TV’s best show, and in return, I’ll run down the odds of these major characters meeting, as skeevy old Roman would say, “their heavenly father.” There’s also a supporting player I’ll be sad to see bite the dust in the March bloodbath, but that one’s identity I’m gonna leave you guessing at… until tomorrow when Ask Ausiello goes live.

Odds of the goner being Nicki: 16%. Because: Once Bill and her sister
wives discover the lengths she went to on her father’s behalf, life as
she knew it will be over. So perhaps, to her, it might seem less
painful if life, period, were over, too.

Odds of the goner being Frank: 22%. Because: Once Bill’s parents
started taking turns trying to do away with one another, planet Earth,
never mind the Juniper Creek compound, was no longer big enough for
both of them.

Odds of the goner being Lois: 11%. Because: See above. But her odds of
surviving are better than her “better” half’s because c’mon, can you
imagine an episode without Grace Zabriskie? I sure can’t.

Odds of the goner being Sarah: 17%. Because: With all hell breaking
loose in the Henricksons’ increasingly small world, it would be awfully
easy for an innocent to get caught in the crossfire. Plus, after Mamma
Mia! the big screen is beckoning Amanda Seyfried.

Odds of the goner being Roman: 13%. Because: You don’t have to be a
prophet to foresee that someone with as many enemies as wives — who’s
already been shot once — is a serious contender buy the farm.

Odds of the goner being Alby: 9%. Because: You know you’re in trouble
when your own mother takes out a hit on you. And if Dad were moved to
do the same, something tells me the only boys “the usurper” would be
trysting with would be angels.

Odds of the goner being Ana: 3%. Because: Her murder would afford the
Greenes the satisfaction of taking away one of Bill’s wives without us
having to lose Barb, Margene or Nicki. Of course, first the character
would have to be reintroduced…

Odds of the goner being Wanda: 9%. Because: Let’s face it, Joey’s
whack-job wife spends every day with one foot in insanity, the other in
the grave. The only question is, would she do herself in, or would
someone else do it for her?

So what do you think? I can tell you with 100% certainty that the
soon-to-be dearly departed is among the contenders above. Who’s it
gonna be? And, maybe even more interesting, who do you want it to be? (Additional reporting by Andy Patrick)

Feb 18 2009 08:32 PM ET

Ratings: Fewer folks tune in to see 'American Idol' open the phone lines

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Categories: American Idol, TV Biz, TV Ratings

The first voting night of American Idol‘s eighth season was watched by 25.1 million viewers — nearly 4 million fewer than what tuned in for season 7′s opening of the phone lines. (Could it be that fans are less psyched to begin voting on a Top 36 than on a more finely-tuned Top 24?) CBS’ The Mentalist, meanwhile, was down 7 percent compared to last week, when the show didn’t face the second hour of Idol. Still, it remained strong with 18.3 million viewers.  And NBC’s The Biggest Loser: Couples dropped 4 percent. 

 
   
      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

 

Time Show Viewers (in millions)
8 p.m. American Idol (Fox)
NCIS (CBS)
The Biggest Loser: Couples (NBC)
Homeland Security USA (ABC)
90210 (The CW)		 25.1
18.1
8.9
4.7
1.1 (repeat)
9 p.m. The Mentalist (CBS)
Scrubs (ABC)
Privileged (The CW)		 18.3
3.1 (repeat)
.8 (repeat)
9:30 p.m. Scrubs (ABC) 2.8 (repeat)
10 p.m. Without a Trace (CBS)
Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
What Would You Do? (ABC)		 12.2
9.4
5.7

More TV news:
Michael Slezak recaps American Idol
Jean Bentley recaps The Biggest Loser: Couples
Ken Tucker on American Idol: Our long national nightmare begins

Feb 18 2009 07:50 PM ET

Nicollette Sheridan: Will Edie be back on 'Desperate Housewives?'

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Categories: TV Biz

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During her five years on Wisteria Lane, Edie Britt has survived a tornado, hanging, icy stares from her neighbors — and annual rumors that she was on her way out. Yet for better or worse, Edie’s alter ego, Nicollette Sheridan, seems used to this job insecurity. At a press event for Desperate Housewives last July, Sheridan told reporters, “[Creator Marc Cherry] tries to kill Edie every year.” While Cherry quickly interjected that his show’s resident vixen wasn’t going anywhere — “She’s like a bad boomerang; she just keeps coming back” — this time, the speculation is true. In the coming weeks, the 45-year-old actress will shoot her final scene on the hit series, according to ABC. Sure, Edie “left” the hood at the end of last season as part of Housewives’ five-year jump into the future. But her latest impending departure — which will air in April — is for real.

Edie’s unexpected farewell caps a successful but rocky tenure for Sheridan. The actress’ self-absorbed character has stayed one-dimensional since the show’s start in 2004, and with the addition of Dana Delany as Katherine Mayfair in 2007, there’s been less screen time to go around. As a result, Edie has often been pushed to the back burner. It’s no surprise, then, that talk of tension between Sheridan and Cherry has persisted over the years. (Cherry and Sheridan declined to comment; a rep for ABC Studios says: “Any rumors of on-set tension are ridiculous. This was strictly a creative decision. We love Nicollette and all that she has brought to the character of Edie.”)

Still, at last summer’s press conference, the duo weren’t exactly
brimming with goodwill. When Cherry made the crack about Edie’s ability
to rebound, Sheridan muttered, “Very nice. Charmed, I’m sure.” But she
admitted that there are advantages to playing a tramp. “I’ve heard
people love my character because she’s audacious,” she said. “They
identify with that and want to be more like her.”

Well, maybe not this season. Edie’s new husband, Dave Williams (Neal
McDonough), has turned out to be a rage-aholic loon who plans to punish
Mike Delfino (James Denton) for killing his first wife and child in a
car accident. It seems likely that Edie, who has grown suspicious of
her mentally unstable husband, could die at his hands. (An ABC Studios
rep had no comment on a recent report that Edie will also perish in a
car accident.) “Edie is definitely going somewhere,” McDonough tells
EW. “But in the world of Marc Cherry, nothing is permanent.” Says one
show insider, “This is a world of flash-forwards and flashbacks.
There’s always a chance we’ll see Edie again.”

Whether or not Sheridan reappears, Housewives — which is
averaging 15.5 million viewers — will likely survive the transition just
fine. ABC Studios is hoping to secure a renewal for the series through
2013 and seems confident Cherry can continue to keep the series on
track creatively. “Everyone says this has been a renaissance year,”
says the insider. “Marc knows how to keep it fresh.” And sometimes that
requires a body bag.

READ FULL STORY »

Feb 18 2009 01:22 AM ET

Octuplets: TLC says it is 'not pursuing' a show with Nadya Suleman

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Categories: TV Biz

If Nadya Suleman — a.k.a. the infamous “Octomom” of California — gets her own reality show, it won’t be on TLC, the home to Jon and Kate Plus 8. “TLC is not pursuing any program at this time with Nadya Suleman,” says the network’s president, Eileen O’Neill. “We wish the family well.”

After giving birth to eight babies in January, the 33-year-old single and unemployed mother began fielding multiple offers to star in her own reality series, appear in a film documentary, or write her own book (she has six other children, all under the age of 7). Her then-publicist Michael Furtney said the offers were “very serious.” Since then, Furtney and his wife-partner Joann Killeen have dropped Suleman as a client after receiving threatening calls and e-mails. The duo, who had been representing Suleman for free, created a website that sought donations for the mother and her children.

After the birth of the babies, TLC acknowledged that several of its affiliated production companies began reaching out to Suleman to discuss a possible reality show. At the same time, TLC viewers — using the network’s website as a sounding board — threatened to boycott any new show that would feature Suleman and her brood.

Feb 18 2009 12:55 AM ET

An important reminder! Plus: Some 'BSG' scoop

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Categories: Battlestar Galactica

If you’ve recently suffered short-term memory loss, this following message is for you: Ask Ausiello has moved to Thursdays, so don’t go looking for a new column tonight.

This next message is for those of you who felt underwhelmed by the exclusive Battlestar Galactica scene I posted earlier today: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will only cause me to search high and low for another, even better clip. So there.

Enjoy!

Feb 17 2009 08:16 PM ET

Ratings: 'The Bachelor' hits a season high on Monday

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Categories: TV Ratings

ABC’s The Bachelor is on a roll! The reality romance competition continues to grow weekly, with last night’s installment reaching 12.5 million, its highest audience so far this season. While most other network series are plummeting in the ratings (hello Heroes!), The Bachelor is seeing an increase in viewership. The rise in eyes also helped the Tyra Banks/Ashton Kutcher series, True Beauty, hit its highest ratings since its premiere, with 7.1 million.

 
   
   
      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

   

      

      

      

   

 

Time Show Viewers (in millions)
8pm House (Fox)
The Bachelor (ABC)
Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Chuck (NBC)
Gossip Girl (The CW)		 14
12.5
8.8 (repeat)
6.8
1.2 (repeat)
8:30pm How I Met Your Mother (CBS) 7.3 (repeat)
9pm Two and a Half Men (CBS)
24 (Fox)
Heroes (NBC)
One Tree Hill (The CW)		 13.3 (repeat)
11.2
7.8
1.1 (repeat)
9:30pm Worst Week (CBS) 8.7
10pm CSI: Miami (CBS)
Medium (NBC)
True Beauty (ABC)		 10.5 (repeat)
9.0
7.1
Feb 17 2009 08:04 PM ET

'Battlestar Galactica' exclusive: The fifth cylon has arrived!

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Categories: Battlestar Galactica

Remember how I (briefly) called my last Battlestar Galactica clip an “exclusive,” only to be informed by a smart-alecky trusty Aushole that it had already been streaming on the web for about a week? Good times, right? Anyway, this go-round, it’s different. I’m 100 percent certain that the following BSG scene from Friday’s episode can be found nowhere else but here. And whereas that other, nonexclusive clip was fraktacular, this one is freaking fraktacular. But don’t take my word for it. Press play and see for yourself.

Feb 17 2009 06:14 PM ET

'American Idol': Michael Johns, Carly Smithson to duet on Wednesday night

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Categories: American Idol

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Michael Johns and Carly Smithson will perform a duet tomorrow night during the first results-show telecast of American Idol‘s season 8 semifinals, Johns confirmed exclusively to EW.com. The pair, who only got the invitation to sing on Sunday, are still in talks with executive producer Ken Warwick about which number they’ll perform.

Johns and Smithson, who finished eighth and sixth, respectively, on season 7 of Idol, had expected to appear this year during the "Hollywood Week" episodes, where they had served as ”Idol boot-camp” mentors for the current crop of hopefuls; that footage, however, wound up on the editing-room floor. "Ken [Warwick] felt bad about it," explained Johns, and thus, the duet plans were hatched.

Johns said laughingly that he’s "just a little" nervous to be taking to the Idol stage and appearing in front of the judges, but is excited by the fact that he’ll be able to plug his upcoming debut album, which is slated for an April release, in front of 25 million viewers.

"The thing about Idol is, if you’re respectful of it, and you enjoy it, and you’re a good ambassador for the show, you’re in it for life," says Johns, who made an appearance last Thursday along with Smithson and dozens of other former contestants at the launch of the "American Idol Experience" at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL.

More on ‘American Idol,’ ‘AI’ graduates:
‘Idolatry’: Making sense of American Idol’s top 36
‘American Idol’ recap: Hollywood Week, episode 4
Joanna Pacitti out of ‘American Idol,’ Felicia Barton in.
Who is the reigning ‘Idol’ Fashion Victim: Paula, Kara, or Randy?
‘Idol’: The 10 Best — and 5 Worst — Song Choices Ever
‘American Idol’ recap: Hollywood Week, episode 3
 ‘American Idol’: 10 Greatest ‘Hollywood Week’ Moments
EW’s ‘American Idol’ HQ
‘American Idol’: Get the scoop on what 14 of your favorite former contestants are doing now
Fantasia covers ‘Lady Marmalade’! Roof height at venue permanently altered. 

addCredit(“Angela Weiss/Getty Images”)

Feb 16 2009 10:00 PM ET

George Clooney will appear on 'ER'...but when?

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Categories: TV Biz

It’s probably a good idea to program your TiVo now for the final episodes of ER; if history is any guide, NBC won’t let us know when — or even confirm if — George Clooney will make a much-anticipated return to the drama. It wouldn’t be the first time Clooney has made a surprise appearance on the show — Spoiler Alert, if by some chance you’ve never seen it! — as he turned up in May 2000 for Julianna Margulies’ farewell as Carol Hathaway. That episode, titled “Such Sweet Sorrow,” ended with Carol happily reuniting with Clooney’s Doug in Seattle.

The previous Clooney cameo came as a huge surprise to fans since NBC didn’t promote it. Then again, that two-minute scene was fully meant to stay under wraps; a source close to the show said executive producer John Wells took only a skeleton crew to the Seattle area and offered bonuses to his workers if they kept quiet about the very special episode. Clooney’s appearance was not even credited.

One burning question regarding Clooney’s expected upcoming cameo is how much he’ll get paid (assuming he even accepts compensation). Another source close to the show speculated that whatever Clooney earns — be it the SAG minimum or a $100K-plus payday for a few hours work — it seems plausible that Clooney could donate it to charity.

Take a glimpse of the memorable reunion back in 2000 (sadly, there is no audio available on any of the reunion clips we found on YouTube).

Feb 14 2009 05:54 PM ET

'Dollhouse' debut gets decent ratings

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Categories: TV Biz

More than a fair share of Joss Whedon fans tuned in Friday to see the premiere of Fox’s Dollhouse. The mythological drama starring Eliza Dushku attracted 4.7 million viewers — a pretty decent jump over the eyeball levels for The Sarah Connor Chronicles at 8 p.m. (which lured a mere 3.7 million), according to fast national ratings. In fact, Dollhouse helped Fox double its viewership levels among women versus Chronicles and helped the net finish in second place among adults 18-34 and in first place across key male demos for the night.

So what does this mean for Dollhouse’s long-term prospects? Although 4.7 million isn’t that great — Fox typically averages 5.5 million on Fridays — the Whedon drama has a better chance of making it over the long haul if it stays put on the night. In fact, network insiders have long cautioned that if the series were scheduled earlier in the week and ended up attracting these kind of (low) viewership levels, it would have been axed by its second or third airing. So relax, Whedonites — Dushku and Co. appear safe for now.

Chronicles will remain as Dollhouse’s lead-in until Fox runs out of episodes; later, the Terminator franchise will be replaced by Prison Break for its final six episodes.

More Dollhouse and sci-fi:
Dollhouse snap judgment: Barbie or bad ass?
Ken Tucker on Dollhouse: Did I underestimate it?
Dollhouse: Pros and cons of a Friday time slot
TV recaps: A landmark Galactica
Sarah Connor Chronicles: Any fans left out there?

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