Latest from Ausiello - Various Shows - 16th September 2010

Thanks to Diana and others for the heads up.

Question: I know you are busy and all with getting your fall season tactics together, but can you please give me some Private Practice scoop? —Vernice
Ausiello: Fall season tactics? You tickle me, Vernice. Let’s grab a drink sometime. Here’s your Private spoiler: Something tragic will happen to a major character during November sweeps. It’s probably the darkest story PP has ever tackled—and this show has tackled some dark stories. Consider yourself warned.

Question: Seriously, no Fringe scoop last week? Why do I even bother to read this column? —Brett
Ausiello: That’s between you, your therapist, and the lovely people at CVS. If it’s any consolation, I have Fringe scoop this week. Actually, I’ve got a few Fringe scoops. The first one comes courtesy of John Noble, who reveals exactly how Walternate plans to pull Peter’s strings from the alt-universe. “[Walternate] has to ensure that [Peter] continues to work on our side,” says Noble, “and he’ll do that through alt-Olivia.” Okay, I’ll bite: How exactly will Bolivia manipulate Peter? Noble hesitates before whispering, “She seduces him… Did I just say that? Did I just drop a big teaser?” I believe you did, sir!

Question: Does the fact that Fringe is setting every other episode “over there” mean that we’re going to see more of Charlie this season? —Melissa
Ausiello: That’s precisely what that means. Charlie remains active in the alt-world’s Fringe division, so look for him to appear in multiple episodes—beginning with next Thursday’s season premiere.

Question: Can I get some good Grey’s Anatomy news regarding Der and Mer? —Betsy
Ausiello: Among the manifestations of Derek’s post-bloodbath adrenaline junkie phase will be an increased sexual appetite. “[There's] a lot of sex,” says series creator Shonda Rhimes. “He’s on the high that a person gets when they face death and survive it.”

Question: I heard a rumor that Kevin Sorbo will be on The Big Bang Theory playing Sheldon’s much less geeky, way older brother. True? —Ish
Ausiello: False.

Question: I’ll be watching six shows this fall: House, Chuck, Glee, Bones, The Office, and Smallville. You have to have a scoop on at least one of them! Please? —Hillary
Ausiello: How about more on Glee’s emotional third episode? Cory Monteith will be in the spotlight, performing R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion” as Finn finds—and loses—his faith in the course of the hour. “So cool,” Monteith says of his solo. “I’ve been a huge Michael Stipe fan all my life.” Apparently he’s a Joan Osborne fan as well: “We end the episode with ‘One of Us,’” he says. “I think it’s been a long time since the song was done properly. I hope we do it well.”

Question: We’re so close to the premiere of Dexter and yet there was nothing in the last AA. Shame. —Adam
Ausiello: A scene in the Sept. 26 premiere in which Astor and Cody learn that their mother has been savagely murdered features a twisted-even-by-Dexter-standards piece of product placement. Hint: The folks at Disney are gonna be out for blood!

Question: My fiancé and I just watched all four seasons of Dexter in one week, and we’re completely hooked. Got any scoop on season 5? —Leslie
Ausiello: The premiere flashes back to Dex and Rita’s very first date. And given what went down on date No. 1, you’ll be shocked they made it to No. 2.

Question: Rumor has it House was shooting some big event on location in downtown Los Angeles last week. Got any deets? —Claudia
Ausiello: You sitting down? Good, ’cause a little birdie confirms to me exclusively that they were shooting a wedding! Now go ahead and stand back up because the bride and groom are, well, nobodies. At least they’re nobodies to us. They’re somebodies to House and Cuddy, who attend the nuptials along with Sam and Wilson. “None of our series regulars are getting married that I know of right now,” says exec producer and aforementioned little birdie Katie Jacobs. “But weddings tend to be a flashpoint for couples. And every couple that has to attend this wedding [ends up] examining where they are in their own relationship.”

Question: Please tell us who kidnaps Lois in the Smallville premiere. Or at the very least give us a hint. —Brian
Ausiello: It is not Lex Luthor. It is, however, the next worst thing.

Question: How much longer will Crosby and Jasmine be doing the long-distance thing on Parenthood? —Christine
Ausiello: “As the season progresses, all three of them find that [the arrangement] hasn’t really worked out,” says exec producer Jason Katims. “So things start to evolve pretty early on in the year. I don’t want to give away exactly what happens, but their living arrangements change.”

Question: Help me! I need some 90210 scoop that doesn’t involve Teddy being gay! —Ely
Ausiello: Look for Deb (Lori Loughlin) to pay an unannounced visit to Cougar Town—the metaphorical one, not the literal one—when she randomly hooks up with Ryan (Ryan Eggold) in November. For those keeping track at home, there’s a 20-year age difference between the two. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Question: Sorry to hear about your wrist! What’s making you feel better as you convalesce? —Ben
Ausiello: My good friend Paulie Percocet has been cheering me up. And in between doses his visits, I watch this.

Question: Did you break your wrist watching the House premiere? —@Sudsy95
Ausiello: No, I broke it *a****g *f* a ******. In related news, the first person to correctly solve that asterisk quiz wins this. Please email your most educated guess to ausielloscoop@ew.com and be sure to include “House contest” in the subject line.

Question: The DirecTV press release about the final season of Friday Night Lights doesn’t mention anything about Gaius Charles returning. Does this mean Smash is not in season 5? If so, did they want to bring him back and couldn’t for scheduling reasons, or was it a creative choice? —Jake
Ausiello: Smash will not be back for the fifth and final season, and, according to exec producer Jason Katims, creative and scheduling considerations came into play. “It was a combination of [Gaius'] availability and the storytelling,” he tells me. “With only 13 episodes, we ended up having to pick and choose which stories and characters to service. The story drives everything. We didn’t want to bring [alums] back just to bring them back. We wanted to make sure we had a good story for them.” That said, Katims says Smash is “referenced” in one of the episodes. “We find out how he’s doing in school.”

Question: Could you give us a clue about your wedding blind item from a while ago? —Jaimee
Ausiello: It’s not Grey’s Anatomy. Or Private Practice.

Question: How about a scoop on Community? All those commercials on Emmy night got me excited for season 2! —Jenny
Ausiello: Señor Chang’s transition from teacher to student will be a rocky one—and that’s a good thing, insists Ken Jeong. “Watching him assimilate into the school he once abused is all sorts of fun,” enthuses Jeong. “I’m having more fun than I’ve ever had on the show right now.”

Question: I’m very disappointed by the lack of Spartacus: Blood and Sand spoilers. To make up for this, how about a spoiler on the second season? It’s only fair. —Carol
Ausiello: I broke my wrist *a****g *f* a ******. Don’t lecture me about fairness, Carol. Having said that, your timing is fortuitous as I just got off the phone with series creator Steven S. DeKnight. Sparty’s boss told me that the search for a new Big Bad (or big Bads) to fill the void left by John Hannah’s Batiatus will soon get under way. “There will be some new people on the villain side,” he says. “But we’re not far enough into [season 2] to nail down any big casting news.” DeKnight went on to say that he “kicked around” the idea of a romance between sworn enemies Spartacus and Ilithyia, but he added that “it’s a tricky thing since she tried to kill him several times, and he firmly connects her to Glaber, who he partially blames for the death of his wife. But will they have some interesting interactions in season 2? Absolutely.”

Question: I have a craving for anything Castle! —Trish
Ausiello: I’ve got three words for you: Castle. Beckett. Nudity. Allow exec producer Andrew Marlowe to explain: “They have to go to a strip club to investigate a murder, and Castle is very excited about this. Unfortunately for him, it turns out to be a male revue with crazy bachelorettes running around. He, of course, ends up being fresh meat.”

Question: Can I have a scoop on Bones please? —Pauline
Ausiello: The rumors are true: Angela, who had a little pregnancy scare last season with boyfriend Wendell, is actually having a baby with husband Hodgins. Actress Michaela Conlin expects Angela to “weave in some of her craziness” to their impending parenthood. “I think we may see her interviewing some doulas and wild pediatricians and things like that. And hopefully, she’ll be eating a lot of weird stuff,” Conlin says. “I think it’s going to be nice to see another side of her this season.”

Question: I love Sweets on Bones, but I hate to see him get the short end of so many sticks. Any news on what’s in store for him this season? —AJ
Ausiello: A possible reunion with Daisy is in store—provided he’s able to forgive her for choosing her career over him. “He’s taking baby steps to finally let [Daisy] back into his heart,” reveals Sweets’ portrayer, John Frances Daley. “He has a very fragile heart. He’s been through a lot. Obviously, they have very strong feelings for each other, and they can’t really stay apart for too long—as we establish [in he premiere]. He’s a good guy generally, so I think ultimately, yeah, he’ll take her back.”

Question: I know TPTB on How I Met Your Mother have said that season 6 is going to be more Ted-centric, but do you think there is even the slightest glimmer of hope for Barney and Robin?—Jessica
Ausiello: “No comment,” responds exec producer Craig Thomas. Adds fellow EP Carter Bays: “We can’t say one way or the other. But we, like everyone, love them together. There is chemistry there that is undeniable.”

Question: Please elaborate on your recent item about a major character being killed off of Burn Notice when it returns in the fall. I’m seriously freaking out here! —Pat
Ausiello: The major character in question is [spoiler alert]. Furthermore, [spoiler alert] will ********** be [spoiler alert]. Hope that helps!

Source: EW