Latest from Ausiello - Various Shows - 16th March 2011

Thanks to Conor and Patrick for the heads up.

Question: Please don’t say that a major character from Bones is being whacked. —Shayna
Ausiello: I promise I won’t… use those words exactly. But in this season’s penultimate episode, I hear Mr. Evil Sniper will do a bad thing to someone we know. Even worse, this was pretty much confirmed by exec producer Stephen Nathan. “Our people work in a very dangerous and risky job,” he told me. “One of them will realize the extent of that danger. And it will be shocking.”

Question: Tell the crazies that your “Six Feet Under” Blind Item is not Derek on Grey’s Anatomy. I mean, do we seriously have to go through this every season? —Megan
Ausiello: Hey. Crazies. Listen up. It’s not Derek on Grey’s Anatomy. (It’s worse.)

Question: What has your investigation into rumors that Der/Mer will make their marriage official on Grey’s Anatomy turned up? —Samantha
Ausiello: A lot of evidence suggesting it’s much more than just a rumor.

Question: You were a wonderful moderator for the Parks and Recreation panel at PaleyFest. Being a longtime reader of yours, I wanted to say hello after the panel but I was intimidated by your good looks. Have I buttered you up enough for any Parks and Rec scoop beyond what we learned at the panel? —Olivia
Ausiello: Truth be told, you went a little overboard. Next time pull back just a smidge and you’ll be aces. Now about that scoop, here’s something that didn’t come up during the panel: The Grim Reaper is visiting Pawnee! “A beloved character — though not a main character — passes away in the two-part finale,” EP Michael Schur tells me exclusively. “Part 2 of the finale is the memorial service.” Hmm…. Beloved but not major. I think I got it! I better not say anything in case I’m right. And I’m pretty sure I am.

Question: I want a Supernatural scoop! —Julia
Ausiello: You better pray The CW renews the show for a seventh season because “the finale ends on a cliffhanger,” series creator Eric Kripke told TVLine at PaleyFest ’11. “Everyone should be prepared to rip their hair out all summer.” Actually, you might want to start now since, as Kripke adds, “We end [the episode] in the worst possible place for all involved.” Expect the run-up to the big finish to be “pretty mythology-heavy,” says Supe vet Jim Beaver (Bobby). “There are changes in the alliances, and in Castiel’s relationship with the boys and with Bobby.”

Question: I know I’m in the minority, but I loved Lisa and Ben on Supernatural! Any chance we will see them again? —Elena
Ausiello: “They will be back,” Jensen Ackles confirmed to TVLine at Paleyfest ’11. “I can’t say necessarily how, but that story will be explored and it will be explored heavily. I think there’s a part of [Dean] that was left with them. But I think he knows deep down that it would never work. And I think that’s going to be a very emotional situation that he’s going to have to deal with.”

Question: Any scoop on the Cas-centric episode of Supernatural? —Tammy
Ausiello: Who better to tackle that question then Ben Edlund, the writer/director behind the May sweeps outing: “It’s kind of him looking over his life. And as we move toward the end of this season, Cas is going to make some very, very big, difficult choices. He takes stock of what his life is as an angel and what it’s been since the Winchesters came into it and what that’s meant to him. It’s a pretty interesting character portrait [and] it leads to a pretty interesting path. We’ll [also] see some elements of Heaven, a very kaleidoscopic place. We’ll reveal some things about the mechanics of Heaven.”

Question: Any Parenthood scoop? —Will
Ausiello: This is the dude Amber goes to the prom with. I hear he does something that really upsets her so he must be destroyed.

THIS JUST IN: Please welcome Fringe exec producer Jeff Pinkner, who has graciously agreed to tackle the next two questions while I take a quick nap.

Question: I Just broke my arm and I believe an awesome Fringe scoop would help the healing process! Any idea how long Olivia is going to be all William Bell on us? —Heather
Jeff Pinkner: Good luck with your arm, Heather! If only you had the healing tech that they have in the Alt Univ! To answer your question: Olivia will be inhabited by Bell for a couple episodes — but cohabitation is not as benign as William assumes it is…
Question: Last season, Fringe opted for an epic two-hour season finale. Can we expect a similar such finale this year? —Duncan
Jeff Pinkner: No two-hour finale this year, but the last three episodes will be linked in one continuous story arc.
BREAKING: I’m awake! What did I miss?

Question: Do you have any tips on The Good Wife? Specifically, who will win the election, will Peter and Alicia have another sexy bathroom scene, and will Alan Cumming and Chris Noth return next season? —Cher
Ausiello: Here’s a tip for you: Do not miss Tuesday’s episode, titled “Ham Sandwich.” It’s all anyone will be talking about the next day. Trust me. In other Good news, look what was just posted outside the lobby of TVLine’s Midtown Manhattan headquarters.

Question: Any word on a renewal for Chuck yet? I hope to God that it comes back next season! —Archana
Ausiello: Let’s put it this way: Boss men Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak are in no way, shape or form being subtle in expressing to NBC their expectation that the show will return. How unsubtle? The title of the May 16 season finale is “Chuck vs. The Cliffhanger.”

Question: Can you spill anything about Glee? Anything about how Santana will take her rejection by Brittany? Will she be back to her old tricks? —Jessica
Ausiello: If you mean macking on anything in pants (or a skirt, for that matter), yes. In fact, in Episode 18, Santana gets a new love interest. Then, a source tells me, in the season’s final three episodes, “the Santana/Brittany storyline really gets kicked into high gear. There are lots of revelations.”

Question: Any word on whether or not Jonathan Groff is headed back to Glee this season? —Brandi
Ausiello: Yes, there’s word, and it’s no. Next season is a possibility, but he won’t be back this season. And come on, doesn’t Rachel have enough potential suitors and ex-suitors running around without Jesse in the mix, too?

Question: Any CSI scoop? —Mindy
Ausiello: The upcoming Lady Heather episode won’t just be a Lady Heather episode, I’m told. The hour’s other hot plot? A teen bullying case which becomes highly personal to George Eads’ Nick.

Question: When the hell is Cougar Town returning? —Jesse
Ausiello: Not soon enough for me. Last I heard CT was due back on the airwaves April 18. Busy Philipps, meanwhile, confirmed my earlier scooplet that the ‘Sac Crew heads to Hawaii in the finale to save Travis from himself. “Laurie has kind of a mission, which is to help Travis kind of get back on track and come back to the States,” she explains. “He kind of loses his way toward the end of the season.”

Question: I know that NBC ordered 24 episodes of Community this season. But does the hour-long finale count as both Episode 23 and 24? I can’t get enough of my favorite study group! —Anders
Ausiello: Yes, it counts as both 23 and 24. Now let’s talk about something a little more interesting, mmkay? The series is doing a “flashback” episode in which we’ll get to see the whole gang during never before seen Greendale days. However, it won’t be a flashback episode in the traditional sense à la Lost. Also, Josh Holloway’s character in the finale is still being kept top-secret, but I can at least tell you to anticipate a Sawyer-y “Son of a bitch!” along the way.

Question: Is there any truth to reports that One Tree Hill‘s season (or series?) finale will span an entire year? —Tonya
Ausiello: Yes, there’s a lot of truth to that. Mostly because, well, it’s true.

Question: Can we please get another hint about the “Who’s Got a Bun in the Oven” Blind item? —Greg
Ausiello: Funny story: Shortly after I posted that item, I discovered that another character on a different show was also going to announce that she’s pregnant in the season finale. So now this blind item sorta pertains to two different shows. The added twist? I’ll be revealing one of the shows ending with a baby shocker tomorrow on the wall of my Facebook fan page at 1 pm EST. See ya there! Hope I don’t forget!

Question: My Mondays these past few weeks have been rough. There hasn’t been a new episode of Castle. I would feel better if you could give me some juicy Espisito/Lanie info. —Madeline
Ausiello: Not only is there a new episode this Monday, it promises to serve you up a most amusing moment in which Esposito becomes smitten with a soap star (played by soap star Rebecca Budig) that he’s interviewing. Luckily, Ryan is quick to remind him that his girlfriend is close by.

Question: When are the writers going to stop toying with us and give us some real Castle/Beckett action? —Jade
Ausiello: My guess: the May sweeps episode that finds the duo staring down temptation while stuck in the same hotel suite during a trip to L.A.

Question: Any new scoops on the new season of Californication? —Tiffany
Ausiello: Charlie and Marcy’s kid seems to be headed for a growth spurt already — the show is looking for twins or triplets between the ages of 2-1/2 and 4 to play the little bugger!

Question: Any scoop on the new season of The Big C? —Richard
Ausiello: Producers are shopping for a thirtysomething hottie to play a scruffy Buddhist living with Stage IV cancer that Cathy meets in a new clinical trial. Since the part is recurring, I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that the trial will be, at least for awhile, a success.

Question: Does B.D. Wong getting cast in that NBC pilot mean he’s leaving Law & Order: SVU? —Janet
Ausiello: Maybe. His SVU contract was up and the network gave him the OK to pursue other work. If REM gets a green light, Huang will not be back next season. And if it doesn’t, my guess is he’ll return as a recurring guest star. It also should be noted that SVU itself hasn’t been formally picked up yet, but, let’s be real, it will be. As a matter of fact, I’m so confident SVU will see a 13th season that I just upgraded it from a “safe bet” to “a sure thing” on TVLine’s Renewal Scorecard.

Source: TV Line