No One is Perfect: Shattered Glass on "Lost"

"If you live your life based on what's going to happen, before you know it your life is over." - Charles Ingalls

This week's episode of Lost ("Recon"), written by Elizabeth Sarnoff and Jim Galasso and directed by Jack Bender, placed its focus squarely on James "Sawyer" Ford as the one-time con man embarked on what might just be his most ambitious and dangerous double-cross ever as he attempts to play two very different men against each other. Will his gambit pay off? Will he be able to escape the island? Should anyone ever take Sawyer at his word? We'll have to wait to find out.

But before his latest stratagem kicks into place, Sawyer was sent on a mission of great importance, one that forced him to retrace his steps and return to a place he hoped he would never have to see again, a place that awakened feelings long thought dead, and he came face to face with someone who is either the savior or the villain in the final battle to come.

So what did I think of this week's episode? Heat up a microwave dinner, snag a single sunflower, don't open that drawer, and let's discuss "Recon."

I have to say that I really enjoyed this week's episodes and felt that the two sides of the episode--the mainstream reality and the Lost-X alternate reality--held up equally well. Some viewers have complained that the so-called sideways universe has lacked weight, given that we don't know yet how it connects to what we're seeing unfold on the island.

To me, that's never been the case. I feel that these two realities are inherently interlocked and connected in an intrinsic way; I don't buy into the current theory that what we're seeing in the Lost-X world is an epilogue to the series itself. That, to me, is a overly simplistic way of looking at the dual reality structure of this season. I don't for a second believe that this is an afterlife, a second chance, a reset timeline, purgatory, heaven, or any number of theories currently circulating around the Internet.

Instead, my feeling is that the sideways universe is a shard of a fractured universe, the result of some event--whether Jack and Co. detonating Jughead in 1977 or another--that caused the timeline to splinter. What we're seeing in the Lost-X timeline is a universe where we're seeing the results of a shift in causality, where certain character-defining actions were different, where things turned out differently for some of the castaways, and where they were spared the results--or are forced to come to terms with--of some of the issues they've been struggling with their entire lives.

Ironically, isn't that exactly what the Man in Black told Kate this week? Sitting on the beach with Kate, Jacob's still-unnamed nemesis told Kate that he had experienced "some growing pains, problems that [he] was still trying to work [his] way through." Problems that could have avoided should things have turned out differently.

Which, isn't that exactly what the Lost-X timeline is then? It's a look at the characters through a prism of shattered glass, where things turned out differently for them. Where Jack is able to put aside his father issues in order to be a better father for his own son, where Hurley sees himself as good luck for everyone around him, rather than a cloud hanging over his head, where Sawyer chooses to be a cop rather than a criminal, despite his need to enact a Biblical vengeance against Anthony Cooper.

But while these characters may be living under different circumstances and have had various aspects of their backstories changed, I still believe that each of them will be drawn back to the island, which in this world is underneath the ocean. As Eloise Hawking once told Desmond, the universe has a way of course-correcting and, as the season wears on, I think we'll begin to see this happen. The Lost-X passengers of Oceanic Flight 815--and other people who visited or lived on the island--are being drawn together tighter and tighter as their paths continue to cross.

In fact, it's my belief that before the season is over these characters, bound by invisible threads of fate, will raise the island from beneath the ocean.

Lost-X James Ford. This week's episode focused on Sawyer in the two timelines: our con man Sawyer on the island, who engineered an elegant double-cross designed to protect himself from the coming war, and Detective James Ford of the LAPD, an undercover cop we meet when he poses as a con man in order to entrap the confidence man husband of Ava (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe). In a nice callback, he uses not only the Pigeon Shoot to lure Ava in to the con but then reveals his true identity by alerting the police that he needs backup by uttering a single word: "LaFleur." (LaFleur, of course, being Sawyer's alias during the Dharma years on Season Five.)

James' choice of profession is an interesting one. After feeding Charlotte Staples Lewis--his blind date, organized by his partner (!) Miles--a line about wanting to become a cop because of Steve McQueen in Bullit, she forces him to be honest with her, to stop lying. (Something that our Sawyer can't do; hell, the Man in Black even says that he's the best liar he ever met.) James then tells her that he came to a crossroads in his life and could have become a cop or a criminal. But in both cases, James is after justice. Not the justice of the law but the Biblical justice of vengeance; he's still looking for Anthony Cooper, the man who conned his parents and caused their deaths, but is doing so from within the police department. He looked into the abyss but he wasn't claimed by it; he never became the man he was searching for.

James' obsession took him to Australia, just as it did for Sawyer, but James can't--or won't--open up to anyone about his mission. Certainly not Charlotte, whom he kicks out of his bed at 3 am after she looks in the wrong drawer and finds his Sawyer folder, nor his partner Miles, who is suspicious enough that he runs James' credit cards and discovers that he lied about going to Palm Springs. But James finally does open up to Miles and tells him that he intends to find Anthony Cooper and kill him. (Which makes me wonder just how much Lost-X Locke knows about his father, given that they're on good terms.)

He also attempts to apologize to Charlotte but she slams the door in his face. (Can't blame her, really.) There's a nice callback with the sunflowers to Season Five before James heads back to his monastic existence, a life that includes microwave dinners, Little House on the Prairie reruns, and books like Watership Down and A Wrinkle in Time. (Aha on that last one!)

There's also a nice moment where James looks in the mirror and seems to hate the man he sees looking back at him (he's just been "broken up" with by partner Miles after he wouldn't open up) and he punches the mirror, shattering it. There's a slick parallel here to Jack smashing the lighthouse mirrors in "Lighthouse," as both men are forced to contend with what has been done to them and who they are today. The shattered glass, as mentioned earlier, can also be looked at as a metaphor for the splintering of the timeline... which makes me wonder if there aren't shards of other realities hanging about as well.

The final scene brings James and Kate together once more as Kate literally collides with the car in which James and Miles are sitting in. There's a pursuit and then James unmasks the fugitive and is extremely surprised--and maybe more than a little bit pleased--to see Kate Austen, the woman he helped escape police at the airport. Given that James is a cop, just why did he let Kate go at LAX? Because she was hot? Because somehow he recognized her? Because he sensed a simpatico soul within her? Curious...

Lost-X Miles and Charlotte. I'm glad to see the scientific team from Seasons Four and Five playing a role here. Loved that Miles would end up being James' partner in this world and a detective to boot. Could it be that his supernatural gifts come in handy in this line of work? Or is this Miles free from the burden of communicating with the dead? He seems to be a human lie detector in both worlds, however... but in this world Miles is walking the path of the angels rather than that of a lowlife, a man who fraudulently takes the money of the willing to "speak" with their lost ones.

After all, in this reality, Miles was raised by his father--who I'm assuming is still Pierre Chang--and chose a different path. His father now works at a museum with the beautiful archeologist Charlotte Staples Lewis (who, like Miles, was born on the island in the mainstream reality). Which made me wonder if Faraday wasn't also working there himself. Hmmm...

Loved Miles' admonition to James that he would "die alone," a haunting callback to the oft-used phrase "live together or die alone" that has been at the heart of the series since the beginning.

Charlotte claims to be rather like Indiana Jones, or at least jokingly agrees with James on their blind date when he suggests it, saying that she gets to travel to far-off and exotic places. In our reality, she was motivated by returning to the island so that she could see where she was born. But if the island doesn't exist in the Lost-X reality--or is at least underwater--than her motivations have changed. She's still connected to uncovering the past but in a very different way. Plus, was it just me or did it seem like she was snooping in James' drawer for a reason? She did uncover his past but in a way that made her one-time lover very, very angry.

Sawyer. Back on the island, Sawyer was sent on a reconnaissance mission by the Man in Black and traveled to the Hydra Island to meet up with some people who were not going to fall in line with the Man in Black's plans to leave the island. On the other island, Sawyer retraced his steps and came face to face with the bear cages, where Kate's pretty dress (the one given to her by Ben at the beginning of Season Three) still fluttered forlornly in the breeze. While Sawyer is still mourning Juliet, touching that dress seemed to bring back memories of Kate and reawaken romantic feelings towards Kate. More than anything, it seemed to bring him alive again, to push him towards another person. He won't die alone.

Sawyer found the Ajira plane which the Man in Black claims that they will use to leave the island but he also encountered a clearing filled with the bodies of redshirts that arrived on the plane. Just who killed them? Widmore's men? The Man in Black in his incarnation as the smoke monster? Curious, that.

He also meets Zoe, who claims to be the last survivor but who is in fact conning Sawyer himself. She works for Charles Widmore and she issues a signal--a whistle--to her team, who quickly surround him and take him prisoner. Despite the fact that Sawyer already has a deal in place with Jacob's Nemesis, he quickly makes another deal with Charles Widmore, agreeing to bring the Man in Black to him so that he can be killed. In exchange, he wants his group to be spared in any bloodshed and he wants safe passage off the island.

Revealing that Sawyer isn't on anyone's side, he tells the Man in Black of the plan, setting both sides against each other. He's not on Jacob or his Nemesis' side, after all, he's on Team Sawyer and always has been. Fortunately, he's not just looking out for himself and wants to get his friends home as well. With Widmore and the Nemesis battling each other, what better time to steal the sub and use it as their means of egress from the island. It's a plan that he shares with a surprised Kate. They're going to get off this island together.

Claire. Claire, meanwhile, is out of control and seems to be borderline psychotic at this point. Loved that she took Kate's hand at the encampment as the Man in Black shared his plans... and then attempted to stab Kate when his back was turned. I understand that Claire has been lied to and she has become a wild, feral thing after years of living in the jungle by herself but I don't understand why her anger is directed at Kate, considering she's the one who wandered off into the jungle in the night at left Aaron on his own. (Likewise, though, it's driving me mad that Kate hasn't told Claire that Aaron is with Claire's mother. It's sort of an important point to be making to her that he's with family.)

Loved that the Man in Black tossed Claire around like a rag doll and then slapped her before apologizing to Kate for her behavior. Claire herself seemed to come around and apologized herself to Kate, embracing her and sobbing, while thanking her for looking after Aaron. All a little too easy, if you ask me. Why is Claire suddenly lucid and emotionally grounded? And is she, really?

Kate. Kate, meanwhile, had to contend with a hell of a lot this week, from reluctantly joining Fake Locke's group, seeing Sawyer head off on a secret mission, and having not one but two heart-to-hearts with the Man in Black. (Loved that she didn't take his hand when he offered it to her but instead stood up on her own.) She's clearly not one of the Man in Black's recruit and is wary of everyone she encounters, save Sawyer. Hell, wouldn't you be after you saw the squirrel baby in Claire's crib? She also seems to not trust the Man in Black instinctively, despite his platitudes and kindness towards her. Like Sawyer, she's had to rely on her wits, and regardless of her emotional breakdown in this week's episode, she maintains her trademark flight-or-fight stance. She's no fool.

The Man in Black. Interesting that the Man in Black would be so persuasive. In fact, he seems to know just what to say to keep his followers calm and docile. He showed a rare paternal streak when he talked to Zach and Emma (and flight attendant Cindy) and he was extremely forthright with Kate as well, telling her that he had to tell Claire that the Others had taken Aaron because giving her an enemy gave her something to fight--and therefore live--for. (It also made her more easy to subvert to his will and mission, but that's beside the point.) Plus, he had the best retort to Kate calling him a dead man: "No one's perfect."

Echoing the beach scene in "The Incident," The Man in Black takes Kate to the beach to gaze out at the Hydra Island and he reveals some pieces of his backstory... or at least claims to. In his human life, he had a mother who was mad (hmmm, so did the real John Locke in fact!) or "disturbed" and he revealed that he had "some growing pains, problems that [he] was still trying to work [his] way through." (Just like the castaways!) And that his mother was crazy and now Aaron's mother (Claire) is crazy too. (So was Alex's mother Rousseau.) Is he telling the truth? Or is he attempting to make himself appear more human, more vulnerable, and more relatable in order to win Kate over to his side?

Loved that he told Kate that Claire's behavior was "completely inappropriate." After all, isn't Kate a candidate and therefore not allowed to be killed under the rules?

Sayid. Sayid is now one step away from complete catatonia. Whether he's in shock from murdering Dogen and Lennon or is slipping further into the darkness remains to be seen but he's nearly non-responsive and all but just stares blankly as Claire jumps Kate and attempts to stab her. Poor, poor Sayid. Is the next step full-on feral attitude as Claire as his infection progresses?

Widmore. I was glad to see that we were getting more of Charles Widmore, this week appearing in some stylish adventurewear in the sub. I thought it interesting that he said it's "sad, really" that Sawyer didn't know more about him besides for the fact that he sent the freighter to the island to kill them all. His position here seems to be slightly at odds with what we've expected from Widmore throughout the series as he claims to be against the Man in Black, which puts him on the side of the island and of Jacob. He wants to kill the Nemesis--or at least Sawyer interprets it that way--and agrees to Sawyer's demands in exchange for Sawyer bringing him the Nemesis. Sawyer's feelings would seem to be correct, given that the sub team is seeing setting up pylons that would keep the smoke monster out. But if they turn them on, how would the Man in Black get over there? Unless, of course, once the pylons are turned on, they're meant to keep him in, to keep him imprisoned on Hydra Island and off of the main island. Hmmm...

And then there was the matter of the locked room aboard the sub. Just what--or who--is locked away behind those two locks that Sawyer spies? While it could be something as simple as a weapon, the fact that the locks were on the outside of the door made me believe that someone was inside. Perhaps even Desmond returned to the island. After all, Eloise Hawking said that the island wasn't done with him yet, despite his disinclination to return. And Widmore would have no problem kidnapping his son-in-law and forcing him to return...

What did you think of this week's episode? Agree with the above theories? Think I'm totally off the mark? Head to the comments section to discuss.

Next week on Lost ("Ab Aeterno"), it's a Richard Alpert-centric episode as Richard faces a difficult choice.

Televisionary Heads to AOL's Instant Dharma

It's time for some Instant Dharma.

Last night, I had the extreme pleasure of being invited on AOL's weekly Lost-centric show Instant Dharma, where I joined host Maggie Furlong and IGN's Dharma Initiative-jumpsuited Matt Fowler to discuss this week's episode of Lost ("Recon"), where we talked about--SPOILER!--Sawyer's many cons, Charles Widmore's return to the island, Smocke's mommy issues, and much more.

You can catch my appearance on this week's episode of Instant Dharma below.



Lost airs Tuesdays at 9 pm ET/PT on ABC.

Talk Back: Series Premiere of FX's "Justified"

Just curious to see how many of you tuned in last night to watch the series premiere of FX's drama Justified.

While you read my advance review of the series premiere ("Fire in the Hole") and subsequent episodes, now that the first episode has aired, I'm curious what you thought of the episode. Did it live up to the hype? Did you enjoy the typically Elmore Leonard blend of action, comedy, and Western tropes?

What did you think of Timothy Olyphant's performance as U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens? And of the cast as a whole? (I ask thinking specifically of Walton Goggins' amazing turn as Boyd Crowder.) Surprised by the ending? What do you make of Raylan's anger issues and his relationships with ex-wife Winona and possible love interest Ava?

And, most importantly, will you be tuning in again next week?

Talk back here.

Next week on Justified ("Riverbrook"), Raylan tracks an escaped prisoner desperate to reunite with his former wife and a hidden fortune.

Channel Surfing: Natalie Morales Joins "Parks and Recreation," Jane Espenson to Write "Game of Thrones" Script, FOX Close to Coco Deal, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

Former White Collar co-star (and The Middleman star) Natalie Morales has landed a recurring role on NBC's Parks and Recreation, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. Morales has signed on to Parks for a multiple-episode story arc in which she will play Lucy, described as "a smart and funny busgirl at a local Pawnee bar." [Editor: Hollywood Reporter's Nellie Andreeva, meanwhile, indicates that Morales will be appearing "in at least two episodes," the same ones that are set to feature guest stars Rob Lowe and Adam Scott.] (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files, Hollywood Reporter)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan is reporting that Caprica executive producer Jane Espenson--who previously wrote for Battlestar Galactica and Buffy the Vampire Slayer--will write a script for HBO's upcoming fantasy drama series Game of Thrones, based on the George R.R. Martin novel series. According to Ryan--and confirmed by HBO--Espenson will write the sixth episode of Games' first season as a freelancer. She'll be joined by script coordinator Bryan Cogman, who is writing the fourth episode, and Martin himself. The other episodes will be scripted by executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Los Angeles Times' Meg James is reporting that FOX is thisclose to finalizing a deal with Conan O'Brien that would restore the former Tonight Show host to latenight this fall or in January, should the deal close. "Key Fox executives, including Rupert Murdoch, are on board with the plan and would like to finalize a deal in coming weeks so they can make a splash on May 17 when the network unveils its fall lineup," writes James. "Several significant issues remain and the Fox talks could fall apart, according to people close to the negotiations who asked anonymity because the discussions were meant to be private." (Los Angeles Times)

Screenrant is reporting that James Marsters (Caprica) has been cast in CBS' drama pilot Hawaii Five-O, citing a report on Marsters' official Facebook page. Marsters is said to be guest starring in the drama pilot, where he will play Victor Hesse, the nemesis of Alex O'Loughlin's Jack McGarrett, who is described as "an international arms dealer and human trafficker." (Screenrant)

Cabler Syfy unveiled its slate of new and returning series yesterday at an upfront held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and announced a new Thursday night reality programming block comprised of Paranormal Investigators and Mary Knows Best, a docusoap about a psychic and her Italian-American brood, both of which will launch on July 15th. Other pickups include Ghost Hunters Academy and Beast Legends, while the network also has additional seasons of Warehouse 13, Eureka, Stargate Universe, Sanctuary, Ghost Hunters, and Destination Truth, as well as additional episodes of Caprica. New scripted series include Haven and the US version of Being Human. (Variety)

Syfy also unveiled a slew of other reality programming, including Marcel's Quantum Kitchen, Force of Nature, The Latimer Project, Mr. Impossible, Paranormal Files, Face Off, The Dome Experiment, and an untitled artifact search series. (via press release)

Tom Selleck (Magnum P.I.) is said to be close to signing a deal that will have him star in CBS' untitled Burgess/Green cop drama pilot (formerly known as Reagan's Law) opposite Donnie Wahlberg and Len Cariou. Selleck would play Michael, described as "the handsome, confident and highly commended chief of police for the NYPD who lives in Brooklyn with his father, Patrick (Cariou), the ex-chief who struggles to find a balance between the political demands of the mayor's office and doing right by his fellow cops." (Hollywood Reporter)

Pilot casting roundup: Goran Visnjic (ER) is in talks to star opposite Katee Sackhoff and the newly cast Nia Long (Big Shots) in ABC drama pilot Boston's Finest; Dougray Scott (Desperate Housewives) and Molly Parker (Swingtown) will star in CBS drama presentation Quinn-Tuplets; Josh Henderson (Desperate Housewives) has landed the lead in CW supernatural drama pilot Betwixt; Randall Park (Dinner for Schmucks) has joined the cast of FOX comedy pilot Tax Man; and Omid Abtahi (Sleeper Cell) has been cast in FOX drama pilot Pleading Guilty. (Hollywood Reporter)

Production resumed again yesterday on CBS' Two and a Half Men, following the shutdown necessitated by star Charlie Sheen's rehab treatment. Warner Bros. Television has yet to comment on reports that the the studio and network had opted to reduce the number of episodes this season. (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Michaela McManus (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) has joined the cast of CW's drama pilot Nomads, which revolves around a group of CIA trainees who pose as backpackers. McManus will play "a brave and resourceful Army Brat determined to earn a place in the CIA" who finds herself caught between attractions to her handler (Warren Kole) and another agent (Scott Porter). (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Nascent pay cabler Epix has signed a deal for Larry Charles to oversee the script for comedy pilot Icon, which will be written by Dan Lyons and is described as a "savage satire centering on a fictional Silicon Valley CEO whose ego is a study in power and greed." Charles will also direct the pilot. (Variety)

Marco Sanchez (Dollhouse) is set to recur on CBS' NCIS, where he will play Alejandro Rivera, an agent with the Justice Department in Mexico who is in Washington to assist in the creation of an international law enforcement task force. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV Land has concluded a deal to have Betty White star in ten-episode scripted comedy Hot in Cleveland, which will launch in June. White will play Elka Ostrovsky, described as the "property caretaker of the home that co-stars Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves and Wendie Malick rent after their plane makes an emergency landing in Cleveland and they decide to stay. Series is written by Suzanne Martin (Frasier) and executive produced produced by Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner. (via press release)

Zap2It's Korbi Ghosh is reporting that Rachael Harris has joined the cast of TBS' My Boys for its fourth season, set to launch on Sunday, July 25th. Harris will play Marcia, a love interest for Jamie Kaler's Mike. Meanwhile, Jim Gaffigan will leave the comedy series in order to concentrate on his stand-up career. "His character will be written out with a move overseas, which of course leaves the door open for Mike to masquerade as a grown man who owns his own four-bedroom pad," writes Ghosh. "But apparently this Marcia chick digs that kind of trickery, because she seems to be sticking around." (Zap2It's Korbi TV)

TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that Gregory Itzin will reprise his role as ex-President Charles Logan in the April 12th episode of FOX's 24, when he will advise Cherry Jones' Allison Taylor about her crumbling peace-treaty talks. "I have an old relationship with the Russians, so [her chief of staff] Ethan brings me in against her better judgment," Itzin told Keck. "She’s not pleased to have to deal with this character." (TV Guide Magazine)

Tracy Morgan (30 Rock) will return as host of Syfy's Scare Tactics, which has been renewed for a fourth season that will debut this fall. (Hollywood Reporter)

Hallmark Channel has expanded its deal with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, which will now provide the cabler with a seven-hour programming block beginning Monday, March 29th. (Variety)

MTV has ordered twenty episodes of unscripted series MTV Hired, which will follow recent college graduates as they struggle to find employment in the current economy. Series, executive produced by Jessica Chesler, Sam Simmons, Noah Scheinmann, Matt Westmore, Marshall Eisen and Dave Sirulnick, will air on weekday afternoons along with Silent Library, which the cabler picked up for a third season. (Variety)

FOX has ordered a third season of Gordon Ramsay-led reality show Kitchen Nightmares. (via press release)

Daytime talk show The Wendy Williams Show has been renewed in 80 percent of the country and through the 2011-12 season in FOX owned-and-operated stations in the top markets. (Variety)

NBC has announced that its upcoming reality series Losing It with Jillian, featuring The Biggest Loser's Jullian Michaels, will launch on Tuesday, June 1st at 10 pm ET/PT before setting into its regular timeslot of Tuesdays at 8 pm ET/PT on June 8th. (via press release)

Former FOX executive Susan Levison has been hired as EVP of creative affairs at Fishbowl Worldwide Media, where she will oversee development for film, television, and digital. (Variety)

Elsewhere, former TV Guide Network development executive Kristin Peace has been hired as SVP of creative affairs at Trifecta Entertainment. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Justice Unleashed: An Advance Review of FX's "Justified"

The Wild West represents the untamed heart of darkness within every man, a place whose lawlessness was inimical to the spirit of possibility that existed in its great expanse.

A place where anyone could reinvent themselves if they had the grit to do so. But the line between maintaining the law and executing justice and falling prey to the violence and depravity of the untamed wilderness wasn't an easy one to walk. To keep the criminals at bay, a lawman often had to use the villain's tools of the trade: he had to be every bit as deadly and cunning as the men he was after.

In FX's sensational new drama series Justified, based on Elmore Leonard's Raylan Givens character (first seen in the novella "Fire in the Hole"), the figurative embodiment of that 19th century Western lawman is U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant), a man who lives by a strict moral code that finds him meting out punishment that's every bit as savage as the fugitives, neo-Nazis, and lowlifes he's tasked with bringing to justice.

He's a soft-spoken man of his word, a marshal who asks nicely the first time and then follows up with a shot to the heart. Raylan Givens is clearly a man out of time, whose ethos is more at home in a fictional version of the Wild West than in modern policing methods.

An incident in Miami involving a fugitive, a lunchtime meal, and a "justified" gunshot in a very public place result in Givens being reassigned from Florida to a sleepy coal mining town in Harlan County, Kentucky. The very same town that Raylan was raised in, in fact, and one where there aren't too many people who are happy to see him return. Ghosts from his past, including his former friend turned career criminal Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins), his ex-wife Winona (Natalie Zea), now remarried to another man, his criminal father (Raymond Barry), and an old flame, Ava (Joelle Carter), who just happens to be Boyd's girl.

So what is a trigger-happy lawman to do? Tipping his trademark Stetson, Raylan sets out to clean up this outlaw town but he's hampered by the fact that while his past actions may have been justified, that doesn't mean that they'll be tolerated by the U.S. Marshal Service and that this town is filled with far too many memories.

Timothy Olyphant is absolutely perfect in this role and every word he utters crackles with energy. Olyphant has excelled at playing complicated good guys and amoral bad guys but never with the same amount of restraint and passion as he does here. Raylan Givens is charismatic and charming but never overtly so. He's a complex man with an even more complex moral code that might involve breaking a man's nose for poor manners but he's always deadly honest and doesn't issue idle threats. The result is an engaging and compelling anachronism of a man, one whose affectations--that swagger, that hat--belie a connection to a time long past and a simmering anger inside him.

Olyphant is ably assisted by a top-notch cast that includes Zea and Carter, as well as the sublimely magnetic Goggins, as well as a trio of actors who play Raylan's fellow marshals: Nick Searcy (Chief Deputy Art Muller), Erica Tazel (Deputy U.S. Marshal Rachel Brooks), and Jacob Pitts (sniper Tim Gutterson). There's history between Raylan and Art as well as a wary camaraderie while Raylan's less familiar with the other two. Subsequent episodes peel back some of the layers in Tazel and Pitts' characters and we begin to learn more about Raylan's colleagues. There's an especially great scene between Olyphant and Tazel where we learn just why Raylan wears a cowboy hat.

But hovering over the action is Goggins' Boyd Crowder and he provides an ideal adversary for Raylan Givens, a man who has taken a very different path than Raylan, despite their shared backgrounds. Their scenes together are palpably tense, elegantly choreographed dances of gunfire and banter. The pilot episode's climax, set at Ava's house, is a masterclass of confident and refined acting as the two square off over the dinner table.

I don't want to give away more of the plot because the three episodes provided to press were absolutely exquisite gems of rough justice, unique characters, and an original setting that's not typically seen on television. In the gifted hands of novelist Elmore Leonard and writer/executive producer Graham Yost, the two vividly bring to life a world of good and evil enacting a daily battle in a small coal mining town that's the farthest thing from Los Angeles or New York City. (Though, rest assured, Raylan does hit the road as well, as seen in the fourth episode, where he heads to Los Angles on the hunt for a fugitive that escaped him once before.)

The result is an original and compelling series that offers a throwback to classic Westerns, crackling dialogue (in many cases, courtesy of Leonard), and compelling characters that you'll want to spend your days and nights with. It doesn't take a quick draw to see that FX's electric new series Justified might just be the most original thing to blow through town in a while.

Justified premieres tonight at 10 pm ET/PT on FX.

Emancipation: The Ones Who Got Away on "Damages"

"Consider this the carrot. Believe me, you don't want the stick." - Patty

Damages has done a phenomenal job at keeping secondary and tertiary characters spinning within the orbit of Patricia Hewes, the ruthless and Machiavellian litigator who seems to view mere mortals as nothing more than pawns in her latest grand scheme, whether that be her partner Tom Shayes, her former protege Ellen Parsons, or her own son. In fact, Patty's modus operandi seems to be to push reality into line with her expectation of it. When people don't behave how she anticipates, it throws off her entire worldview.

On this week's episode of Damages ("I Look Like Frankenstein"), written by Daniel Zelman and directed by Chris Terrio, two people from Patty's past returned to the series with some emotional baggage as well as efforts to free themselves from the, well, damages that they suffered at the hands of Patty Hewes.

Even as Michael Hewes attempted to build a new life for himself as an artist and a soon-to-be father, Patty sought to sink her claws into his life once more in order to do what she felt was best for him... or to pay him back for betraying her so easily. Likewise, Arthur Frobisher (Ted Danson, once again at his conflicted finest) sought to achieve redemption through environmental philanthropy, turning his attentions towards improving the earth (and his own soul), even though he can't escape his own villainous past nor his enduring reputation.

So what did I think of this week's episode? And what did we learn about the overarching plot this season? Let's discuss.

I'm glad that Danson's Frobisher returned to the series after a far-too long absence. While the plot of Season Three clearly doesn't have anything to do with Arthur Frobisher--at least not yet--his presence is an intriguing one as it connects this season to the two that have come before. Patty Hewes destroyed Frobisher's life and he in turn destroyed Ellen's. While he was a minor presence in the series' second season, Ellen was nearly corrupted body and soul by her quest for vengeance over the man who killed her fiancee.

But while Frobisher achieved a Zen-like calm last season, it's Ellen who appeared to have achieved some peace within herself. As she tells Tom at the cafe, she can't return to work for Patty without risking losing herself in the process. By maintaining a distance, she can keep her boundaries and keep herself from falling into the abyss once more.

Frobisher himself has seemed to come out the other side. He's attempting to be good by doing good, an important distinction that makes me wonder just how much altruism actually exists inside of him. Is all of his wind power campaigning a true effort to save the world or to save himself? Are the two mutually exclusive? He tells his son that old reputations die hard (despite the fact that his crimes pale in comparison to the Tobins'), that he can't change people's perceptions of him and that's why Hollywood actor Terry (Craig Bierko) doesn't want to become the foundation's pitchman.

But everyone, Hollywood especially, loves redemption. Frobisher's book--"My Long and Windy Road" (and that's windy as in "wind")--details his fall from grace and his struggles to put his life back together again, a puzzle not unlike Detective Huntley's game with Ellen. Terry, upon reading the book, wants to option it and star in a film based on Frobisher's life. In exchange, he'll star in the foundation's webisodes, commercials, and PSA's. Which begs the question: did Frobisher engineer this from the start? Did he know that Terry would want his life rights? Is he looking for a grander canvas on which to paint the story of his redemption? Is it possible that he's just as conniving as Patty?

The Tobin Case. Patty and Tom quickly learn that Horatio Emmanuel will be no help to them when it comes to Tessa Marchetti's banking records but they have an ace up their sleeve already: Tessa herself, who turns over her banking documents to the firm. The problem: the records she has only show paltry checking and savings accounts and certainly no proof of millions squirreled away by the Tobins. And, interestingly, Tessa tells them that she didn't spend Thanksgiving with her mother but instead was upstate with friends and that her mother spent it alone. So what does that mean about Louis' story that he left his heart medication at Danielle's apartment? What really happened that night? Tessa promises to help Patty in any way that she can, though she's clearly in the dark about everything.

Just how are Zedeck and the conspirators managing to keep this information secret? I'm still puzzling that one out. Zedeck, meanwhile, promises Leonard and Joe that Patty won't be able to find the money trail due to the Antiguan bank laws and Emmanuel will help them as well as he's financially motivated since Zedeck and Louis Tobin cut him into their scheme. He doesn't want this money found either, after all.

Carol Tobin. It now appears that Joe himself gave Carol the potassium compound that killed both their father and Danielle Marchetti and that he knew exactly what he was doing when he gave her the vial. While I had assumed that Carol had killed Danielle out of malice, it seems far more engineered and premeditated than that. Danielle had pled the fifth at her deposition and hadn't toed the party line like Joe had demanded of her, so he... what? Got his sister to silence her permanently so Patty Hewes and the DA wouldn't be able to uncover anything?

And just where is Carol then? She's gone off the grid again, just like she has in the past. At first I worried that Leonard had gotten rid of her, but Marilyn's concerned tone and Leonard's decision to hire that security firm to locate Carol allayed any suspicions on that end. In the end, we learned that Joe himself had hidden Carol away from prying eyes in a building owned by Leonard, a building that he easily recognizes once the firm tells him where she is.

That building would just happen to be the one located by the dumpster where Louis Tobin's boots and Danielle Marchetti's burner cell phone were discovered and where Barry the homeless man makes his place of residence. Leonard's arrival at the building triggers a memory in Barry: he's the man who dumped that stuff in the first place on Thanksgiving. Interesting...

Joe Tobin. To say that Joe is toying with things he doesn't understand is an understatement; he's virtually unrecognizable from the man he once was, a man whose soul purpose seemed to be to restore his family's good name and distance himself from his father's crimes. Yet, each episode, Joe seems to be plunging further down the rabbit hole, engaging in crimes that grow increasingly bigger. His attempts at emancipating himself from his father's legacy have resulted in him exceeding Louis' nefariousness, replacing greed with rage and financial crimes with mortal ones.

Ellen. I loved how Ellen's face blanched when Patty mentioned her old hotel room (where she was living during Season Two), stating that she likes her new place so much better. I couldn't help but wonder just why Ellen did tell Patty that she was going to be a grandmother, sensing that Michael and Patty didn't talk. Did she do it to injure her former mentor, to catch her off-guard and unawares? Patty's face turned deep crimson as she struggled to extricate herself from a moment of weakness, pretending that she did know about the baby and was still getting used to the idea of being a grandmother.

Like Michael, Ellen has attempted to emancipate herself from Patty, to forge a new life that's separate from her influence but she can't help but be drawn back into Patty's world, teaming up with her on the Tobin case and supplying her with information that she's concealing from Gates. She's walking a tightrope though, one that's growing narrower and narrower with every step. Her efforts to get Tom to see just what Patty did to her and how she had to get away might be the first stumble into the darkness below. Especially, with what we learn from the future timeframe...

Patty. Patty, meanwhile, nearly goes to Michael's art show--called, only fittingly, Emancipation--but stops herself from going inside. She doesn't want a confrontation but seems more willing to destroy Michael's happiness from afar, summoning Jill to her office to attempt to pay her off. Why is she going to such lengths to split these two up? Because Michael didn't turn out the way she wanted him to? Because he's happier without her? Because he left her behind? She has information about Jill's past, her divorce, and her husband's sole custody of her children because the state of Colorado found her to be an unfit mother.

It's this final revelation that sets Jill's chin quivering. She clearly doesn't want Michael to know this, not when they're expecting a child of their own, and she doesn't want Patty's dirty money. But Jill's confidence in their relationship is shattered, as evidenced by her attempts to get Michael to leave her, to return to a "normal" life of college and parties, to put fatherhood out of his mind. But he's not going anywhere.

Michael might be emancipated from Patty, he might be about to become a parent himself, but he's never free of her influence. Especially now that she feels betrayed by him and was made to look weak and foolish (exactly what Patty fears most) after their last meeting, where he blatantly lied to her and misled her. If anything, she's more dangerous and vindictive than ever...

Three Months Later. I loved the scene between Ellen and Detective Huntley (the always great Tom Noonan) at the police station where he ripped up a scrap of paper into little pieces and then attempted to get Ellen to solve the puzzle and bring all of the various strands of knowledge together for him. She doesn't quite manage to do that but we learned quite a few things this week that are drawing the plots closer together.

Here's what we learned now:
-Ellen and Tom are definitively not in a romantic or sexual relationship. In fact, the two were attempting to start their own law firm, likely without Patty's knowledge. Did she find out that they too were going to emancipate themselves and leave her behind?
-The apartment where Tom is going through those files is in the same building where Joe hid Carol from the D.A., a building that's owned by Leonard Winstone.
-Leonard appears to have betrayed the Tobins at some point and is working with Tom and Ellen. As a proof of his friendship, he delivers Tom a bag of cash--likely part of the Tobin fortune--in order to help Tom's financial situation. (The guy did lose 70 percent of his net worth, after all.) "It's all here. I'm a man of my word," says Leonard. Hmmm....
-We know Leonard was at the apartment the day that Tom is killed and that he touched Ellen's bag. The dumpster behind the apartment building is used as a garbage dump by Leonard (as seen when he throws out the Tobins' stuff earlier), so it's likely that he threw away Ellen's bag. Thus, the fingerprints and the fact that Barry found it in the trash.
-The car that hit Patty was registered to Tom Shayes but the address was that place in Brooklyn, which again is owned by Leonard. Why would Tom put that place down as his address? Answer: he wouldn't. But someone looking to frame Tom for a crime might.
-We see the driver of the car that collides with Patty but not his face (just a set of gloves) as the person braces themselves to hit her. Afterwards, the driver escapes. Perhaps an employee of the security firm Leonard likes to hire for these sort of things?
-It's definitively not the Statue of Liberty bookend from Season One that's glimpsed on the passenger seat but rather a Statue of Liberty bobblehead, something that I can't see Tom Shayes having in his car. Is it a callback to that prop from Season One, a coincidence, or an intentional message to Patty or Ellen?
-Why was Ellen so freaked out that someone other than Tom's wife Deb knew what they were up to? Did she too think that Patty had Tom killed? Hmmm...

What did you think of this week's episode? How does Frobisher fit into the overarching plot? Will Patty ever let Michael, Tom, or Ellen go? Agree with the above theories or conclusions? Discuss.

Next week on Damages ("Drive It Through Hardcore"), Carol Tobin is forced to reveal the truth about Thanksgiving after Patty tracks her down; Ellen's family life becomes chaotic; Frobisher begins making his movie.

Dreams Change: Fear and Consequences on "Chuck"

"What's dead is dead. It's too late now." - John Casey

The push and pull between personal desire and professional responsibility have been at the beating heart of Chuck since the very beginning of the series but never moreso than in this, its third season, which has seen its troika of spies have to make some rather tough choices in pursuit of maintaining a balance between the two.

In this week's episode ("Chuck Versus the Tic Tac"), written by Rafe Judkins and Lauren LeFranc and directed by Patrick Norris, several characters had to come to terms with fully realizing and accepting the consequences of their decisions, past and present. Are our dreams constant? Can they change? What happens when we get what we think we've always wanted?

For Chuck, Casey, Sarah, Devon, and Ellie, each of them had to cross a personal Rubicon this week as they examined their own lives, their dreams, and their current realities. Ghosts have a nasty way at turning up at unexpected times, as do certain opportunities. But it's what we choose to do in those moments--the actions we take, the roads we choose not to go down--that will forever shape what happens next.

(If you need a reminder of what I originally thought of the episode, here's my advance review of the most recent batch of episodes of Chuck, which includes this week's episode.)

I'm glad to see that the writers are delving deeper into John Casey's backstory and giving the gruff Colonel an episode that revolves, really, around him most of all. Casey's been a complex and enigmatic character whose duty to his country has shaped most of his decisions; he's proven that he follows the chain of command to the letter, whether that means saving lives or killing Chuck Bartowski. He's a man who upholds his responsibilities to the letter of the law.

This week, however, we learned that John Casey wasn't always a tough-as-nails super-spy. Paying off a dangling plot thread from "Chuck Versus the Fake Name," the writers deepen the background of Colonel Casey, revealing in a few deft strokes that Casey was once a young soldier named Alex Coburn who was recruited by the mysterious Keller (guest star Robert Patrick) to a black-ops division of snipers and spies. (Casey, after all, is a first-rate sniper, as proven by his assassination of Rafe from half a mile away in "Fake Name.")

And he certainly wasn't a loner, either. Casey had a fiancee and, unknown to him, a daughter on the way when he opted to choose duty to his country over love. Faking his death, Casey buried Alex Coburn and his former life, remaking himself into Keller's ideal of a solider: tough, emotionless, and without any ties. A lone gunman, a nomad, a killer capable of picking up at a moment's notice without any personal responsibilities getting in the way.

But life has a funny way of dredging up the past. Not only does Keller come swooping into Casey's life again but he has a mission for him: steal a prototype drug (whose purpose is to remove fear from an operative's mind) from a CIA substation and turn it over to him. Which is where things could have gone very wrong. Yes, Casey may have had a misguided loyalty to Keller but he would never cross king and country (or, well, president and country) and betray his team. So I knew that there had to be something more to this scenario than just Casey going to the dark side and assisting The Ring.

Which is where that old fiancee Kathleen came in. Keller and The Ring threatened to kill Kathleen if Casey didn't comply with their instructions and, despite his line about what's dead staying dead, that's not true at all. You can't bury anything--least of all feelings--forever. Alex Coburn may have gone to an early grave but that doesn't mean that Casey stopped caring about Kathleen.

In fact, it's clear that Casey made the wrong decision. He chose his country over his love, putting his own personal feelings aside. Seeing Casey at the very end of the episode, unable to return to Kathleen or to get to know his daughter, Casey is alone. It's a fate that he doesn't want for Chuck. "Walker's a good woman," he tells him. It's time for Chuck to make a choice of his own, isn't it?

Earlier this season, Chuck got what he always wanted: to be special, to be more than a minimum wage slave jockey at Buy More, to make a difference. He also had the choice between choosing love (Sarah) and choosing what he thought was his dream (becoming spy) and he too made the wrong choice, sending Sarah out of his life and ending what chance he had of happiness with her. He never stopped loving Sarah--he's recently come to realize that himself--but he's let professional duty cloud his judgment and his emotions.

Those emotions have gotten Chuck into trouble in the past but they also define just who he is. He's never been an emotionless superspy, a killer, or the type of guy who carries a gun into a mission. That's at the heart of Chuck's core identity and it's Chuck who realizes that when Sarah offers him a gun. He is attempting to remain true to himself and not compromise his integrity, himself, or the very man that Sarah fell in love with in the first place.

His decision to take the Laudanol was motivated by saving both himself and Kathleen from The Ring and it made Chuck into someone else, removing his fear and his emotions, rendering him into something more like Casey: a stone-cold killer. Did the Laudanol wear off just in time for Sarah to stop him from killing that Ring operative? Or was Chuck responsible for coming down off the drug through sheer force of will, triggered by the sight of Sarah? More likely the latter, proving that Chuck might just be the strongest one of all, the most able to hold onto his true self, even in the face of chemical persuasion.

Chuck might be changing and growing into his new spy role but it's those emotions, that naivete and innocence, that make him so attractive to Sarah. Which is why she can't shake Chuck, even as she prepares to start a new life and a new assignment with Shaw in Washington. Will she be able to break away from her former asset and start over somewhere else? Does she want to? We'll have to wait to find out.

Meanwhile, Devon and Ellie have struggles of their own. Devon has engineered a plot to get Ellie out of the country--and therefore out of danger--by enrolling them in Doctors Without Borders, thus taking her away from Chuck and removing the bullseye from her back, now that The Ring is aware of Devon's identity. Devon is attempting to keep his wife safe and uphold his promise to Chuck but it's complicated when Ellie gets what she always wants: a neurology fellowship at USC, her dream job that she's wanted since she was a child. But Ellie is willing to put that aside to help Devon follow what she believes is his dream.

In a nice moment, Devon puts aside Doctors Without Borders to enable Ellie to pursue her dream; the two are so caring and supportive that they're each willing to sacrifice something for the other. It's a lesson that our trio of spies could take to heart, really. (And I'm glad that our two doctors will be sticking around and not jetting off to Africa any time soon.)

But the real kicker was that final scene between Chuck and Casey in Casey's now empty apartment. Casey has lost everything: both his career and his true love and he's left with nothing more than a sad bonsai tree and his thoughts. In a rare streak of solidarity, Casey tells Chuck that he must make the right decision when it comes to Sarah, that it's not too late for them to be together. (Sniffle.)

What else did I love about this week's episode? Morgan spying on Casey and his carrot-eating ways; Sarah secreting herself underneath the car and then taking out five Ring operatives single-handedly; Casey's fight with Keller (and Casey killing Keller with his bare hands); the CIA trace-cell mission (and Chuck and Sarah's later return to the substation); Chuck ratting Casey out because he thought he was being tested once more; the scene where Devon and Morgan realize that the other knows about Chuck's secret identity; Chuck's Laudanol-influenced battle at Kathleen's house.

All in all, another fantastic episode that paid off some of the plot threads established over the last few weeks and again shifted the dynamic of the series, rendering Casey as a civilian and removing him from the spy world just as Morgan entered it. Given Casey's past and his personality, it's safe to say that this is not going to be an easy adjustment and it comes at perhaps the worst possible time for the team.

What did you think of this week's episode? Surprised by the reveals about Casey's past? Feeling better about Chuck and Sarah's chances as a couple? Wondering if Sarah will take the job in Washington D.C.? Discuss.

Next week on Chuck ("Chuck Versus the Final Exam"), Chuck learns that his latest solo mission will be a final test to see if he is ready to be a spy and he must put everything he has learned into action to avoid going back to his old life while Sarah and Shaw observe his every move.

The Daily Beast: "The Gritty New Elmore Leonard Crime Drama"

Looking to delve deeper into the world of FX's new drama series Justified?

Head over to The Daily Beast, where you can read my feature on FX's Justified, entitled "The Gritty New Elmore Leonard Crime Drama."

In the piece, I talk with executive producer Graham Yost, series lead Timothy Olyphant, and legendary novelist Elmore Leonard about the series, its genre roots, and the enduring power of the Western.

Justified premieres tongiht at 10 pm ET/PT on FX.

First Look: HBO's New "Boardwalk Empire" Promo

"All I want is an opportunity."

HBO has released a new promo for its upcoming period drama Boardwalk Empire, from Terence Winter and Martin Scorsese, which launches this fall.

Preview Trailer #2

I don't know about you but autumn can't come quickly enough. Bring on Prohibition!

Boardwalk Empire launches this fall on HBO.

Channel Surfing: Syfy Eyes "BSG" Spin-off and "Three Inches," More "Glee," Mia Maestro Gets "Cutthroat," Paula Abdul to ABC, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Syfy is said to be exploring the possibility of spinning off its Battlestar Galactica franchise once more and is said to be developing another spin-off series--besides for the currently airing Caprica--that would this time be set in space. "We're looking for other ways to spin off Battlestar beyond Caprica," Syfy's Mark Stern told The Hollywood Reporter. "That world is so rich. We're sitting down with (executive producer) Ron Moore and his team. It would not necessarily be a traditional series." No other details were available. The cabler also ordered a 90-minute pilot for drama Three Inches, from writer Harley Peyton and executive producer Bob Cooper. Project, from Fox Television Studios, revolves around a slacker who can move objects three inches with his mind and who teams up with other people who have useless superpowers. (Hollywood Reporter)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that FOX is said to be close to signing a deal to expand Glee's second seasons to a lengthier 25 installments next season. "Season 2 will be much bigger and much longer," Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy told EW. "We are talking about doing 25 episodes as opposed to [the customary] 22." Murphy also indicated that he wants to take the Glee characters on the road, with the club perhaps competing in New York. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Recasting is underway on ABC drama pilot Cutthroat, from executive producers Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters, as Mia Maestro (Alias) is said to be in advance talks to come aboard the 20th Century Fox Television-produced pilot and replace Roselyn Sanchez (Without a Trace). No reason was given for the recasting on the pilot, which is being directed by Bronwen Hughes (White Collar). (Hollywood Reporter)

Former American Idol judge Paula Abdul is close to signing a deal with ABC to appear in the network's revival of Star Search, where she would serve as something akin to a blend of host and judge, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. "The Alphabet network had been wooing Abdul since last summer when she officially announced her departure from Idol," writes Ausiello. "There was talk of her joining Dancing With the Stars in some capacity, but a deal never came to fruition. It’s not clear if Abdul’s Star Search gig would preclude her from joining former colleague Simon Cowell as a judge on the forthcoming US version of his UK monster hit, The X Factor, which is slated to debut on Fox in the fall of 2011. (Star Search is being targeted for this summer.)" (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos has confirmed reports that Katherine Heigl will leave ABC's Grey's Anatomy. "A source in Katherine Heigl's camp tells me that the actress was never given a call time to return to work on the Grey's Anatomy set after her family leave ended earlier this month," wrote Dos Santos in an update. "According to this source, Heigl's 'calls weren't returned' when she phoned in asking when to report back. I'm also hearing that a statement may be made regarding this matter later this week." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Season Three of HBO's True Blood will launch on Sunday, June 13th at 9 pm ET/PT. (Televisionary)

Pilot casting update: Treat Williams (Everwood) will star opposite Katee Sackhoff (24) in Richard Hatem's ABC drama pilot Boston's Finest; Donnie Wahlberg (Runaway) and Len Cariou (Damages) have been cast as the leads in CBS' untitled Burgess/Green cop drama pilot (a.k.a. Reagan's Law); Melissa Sagemiller (Raising the Bar) has joined the cast of NBC drama pilot Rockford Files; and Anthony Ruivivar (Traveler) has come aboard ABC drama pilot The Whole Truth. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stephen Lang (Avatar) has been cast in ABC drama pilot Matadors, where he will play Victor Galloway, a high-powered defense attorney who is called "The King of Acquittal." Elsewhere, former My Name is Earl star Ethan Suplee has been cast in FOX comedy pilot Nevermind Nirvana. (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Carrie Preston (True Blood) has signed on for a multiple-episode story arc on CBS' The Good Wife this season, where she will play Elsbeth Mann, described as "a member of Peter's (Chris Noth) legal team." Just don't read too much into the casting. "Arlene isn’t a major presence in the third book," a True Blood insider told Ausiello. "A lot of the action takes place outside of Bon Temps, so [Carrie] probably had some free time on her hands." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Italian actress Elisabetta Canalis has been cast in a five-episode story arc on Season Three of TNT drama series Leverage, where she will play "an intriguing woman with an unknown agenda" known only as The Italian. (via press release)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Amy Pietz (Caroline in the City) has been cast in a top-secret role on NBC's The Office, where she will appear in a multiple-episode story arc. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

20th Century Fox Television has signed an overall deal with Brannon Braga (FlashForward), under which he will develop new series projects for the studio and will likely be placed on a new or existing series next season. Braga has been based at the studio for the last few seasons working on 24 but co-created ABC's FlashForward. "He's known for his ability to write genre programming, and as a studio, we love that programming," said 20th Century Fox Television chairman Gary Newman. "It takes advantage of all the new opportunities the digital world gives you to connect with your rabid fanbase." (Variety)

BBC One has commissioned four-part drama Siege, about a botched kidnapping attempt at a London secondary school, that it will air over four consecutive nights. Script is written by Kate Brook and hails from Big Talk, Nira Park's production company which was behind such television series and films as Spaced, Shaun of the Dead, and Hot Fuzz. (Guardian)

Retired Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens (Seabiscuit) has been cast in HBO's horseracing drama pilot Luck, where he will play a "down-and-out jocket who attempts to make a comeback, both personally and professionally," in the pilot which is executive produced by David Milch, Michael Mann, and Carolyn Strauss. (Variety)

Discovery has ordered six episodes of reality series Worst Case Scenario, which will feature Bear Grylls demonstrating how best to survive disasters from shark attacks to falling elevators. Series, from Pilgrim Films & TV, is expected to launch this spring. (Hollywood Reporter)

Bravo has renewed docusoap Millionaire Matchmaker for a fourth season, which will move Patti Stanger from Los Angeles to New York as she expands her business and prepares for her own wedding. (Hollywood Reporter)

Nestor Serrano (The Good Wife) will guest star on an upcoming episode of USA's Burn Notice next season. He'll play Tony, described as "a ruthless, ambitious crime boss who runs things in Miami for a New York-based criminal syndicate. He's a suspect in seven murders but always manages to keep his hands clean of evidence that could put him away. He leads a group of thugs who shake down the dock workers and steal from them on a daily basis." Burn Notice returns in June. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

VH1 will debut celebrity reality dating series What Chilli Wants, which will follow former TLC member Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas as she attempts to find love with the help of relationship expert Tionna Smalls, on Sunday, April 11th at 10:30 pm ET/PT. Series, from FremantleMedia North America, will have its first episode offered as a sneak peek on VH1's website beginning March 29th. (Variety)

Elsewhere, MTV has announced that it will premiere its new scripted comedy series The Hard Times of RJ Berger on June 6th at 11 pm ET/PT, immediately following the MTV Movie Awards. It will move to its regular timeslot of Mondays at 10 pm beginning June 14th. (Hollywood Reporter)

The CW has opted to flip its new Wednesday night reality programming block, with High Society moving to 9:30 pm ET/PT and newcomer Fly Girls airing at 9 pm ET/PT. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

Stay tuned.

"True Blood" Returns to HBO in June!

Mark your calendars for another trip down south to Bon Temps.

HBO today announced a start date for Season Three of vampire drama series True Blood, which will return to the pay cabler this summer for another season of blood-stained murder, mischief, and mayhem.

The Alan Ball-executive produced supernatural drama series will launch its third season on Sunday, June 13th. Twelve episodes are on tap for this summer, as we learn just who or what kidnapped Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) from the restaurant where he and Sookie (Anna Paquin) were having a romantic dinner.

In other words: get ready to sink your fangs into this summer.

"Parks and Recreation" Cast Makes Me Weep with Laughter at Tig and Friends Show

It's amazing that the actors of Parks and Recreations are ever able to get through a scene without cracking each other up repeatedly.

I had the good fortune of attending Saturday night's Tig and Friends show at Largo at the Coronet, where The Sarah Silverman Program's Tig Nataro hosted an evening of comedy centered around the cast of NBC's hysterical comedy Parks and Recreation.

Needless to say, I never never laughed quite so much or so hard in my entire life.

Parks and Recreation's Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Aziz Ansari, and Retta were on hand to treat us with everything from songs to stand-up routines, and a Donohue-style talk show setting where Notaro and the audience asked them a range of inappropriate, offensive, and hilarious questions and the cast made some startling confessions. (For example, Plaza told us that she was an NBC Page and recounted a situation where she had to attend sensitivity training; in another anecdote, she told us about her involvement in guerrilla political campaigning techniques.)

The event was introduced by Sarah Silverman herself, who popped in to introduce "Mr. Tig Notaro" (note: Tig is a woman, despite the boys' department blazer), before turning the event over to the gleefully hilarious Notaro herself, an adept comedian with an off-hand manner and a penchant for non sequitur and biting remarks. But before the entire cast assembled on-stage--including Amy Poehler, who claimed to have not been invited and was sitting in the audience after she failed to get an introduction--several of them had prepared solo performances for us.

Offerman regaled us with two songs, including the dirty lyric-rife "The Rainbow Song," written for his wife Megan Mullally's 50th birthday, and "Jesus Take the Weed," a marijuana-fueled satire of Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take the Wheel" that had the audience in stitches. Offerman also gave us some unique insight into his upbringing as he told a story of his high school girlfriend, a born-again Christian who was, uh, less than virtuous than she initially appeared to be. Duke Silver, eat your heart out.

Up next was Retta, who performed a hysterical stand-up set in which she talked about how she was lazy yet still went to the gym (hint: it involves elevators and recumbent bikes), being forced to participate in a friend's wedding (her stipulation: her dress couldn't be sleeveless, strapless, or have spaghetti straps), singing opera in the car (and freaking out racist white people), the lack of service at McDonald's, white girls singing the wrong Gwen Stefani lyrics to "Hollaback Girl" at valet stands, and much, much more.

Aziz Ansari then took the stage to offer up an explosive and raucous stand-up set about everything from R. Kelly online dictionary entries (after he took to the internet to define "echo" in a YouTube video), stealing handbags from women who are rude to him at bars, Hollywood bodyguards, Paulie Shore, his favorite ethnic slurs, and more.

The trio then reunited with Tig Notaro, Aubrey Plaza, and Amy Poehler for a bizarre and mirthful group session in which Notaro repeatedly commented on the softness of Plaza's hands and in which they talked about Parks and Recreation, the canoe Offerman had made for someone in New York (an audience member asked just how it was going to get there), how Plaza landed her role on the show ("I texted someone," she claimed), and how Poehler likes to poop in other people's pants (a joke!). Retta said that she wants to see Donna get a boyfriend (though she stated that in a very different way), Ansari talked about the rednecks in the town where he grew up and the math and science boarding school he attended as a teenager, and they all made Poehler crack up repeatedly.

And, oh, a virtual doppelganger of Aziz Ansari took to the stage and switched places with the South Carolina-born comic at the very end of the show.

All in all, this was one of the most painfully hilarious evenings of my life and an absolute joy to be a part of. The cast was charming, witty, and hysterical, Notaro the perfect host, and the entire evening had the exact right about of chaos, precision, and comedic timing necessary to pull off a living piece of comedy such as this one, especially in such an intimate space as this one. Thanks to Tig and the cast for such an incredible evening, one that I won't soon forget.

Parks and Recreation airs Thursday evenings at 8:30 pm ET/PT on NBC.

TV on DVD: "The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Collection"

Half the fun of watching the newly released eleven-disc The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Collection is seeing some familiar faces--such as Colin Firth, James Callis, James D'Arcy, Amanda Redman, and many others--when they were significantly younger and, in some cases, were just embarking on their theatrical careers.

The other half is, of course, falling under the spell of the master mystery writer Ruth Rendell (who also publishes novels under the pseudonym of Barbara Vine). As a longtime Rendell fanatic, I was thrilled to learn that Acorn Media was releasing seventeen televised feature-length adaptations of Rendell's work--which aired in the UK on ITV between 1987 and 2000 (and on some PBS stations)--in a single, hefty box set.

Arriving under the title The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Collection, the box set collects such adaptations as Master of the Moor, Vanity Dies Hard, Going Wrong, The Secret House of Death, and The Fallen Curtain, to name but a few, as well as three Inspector Wexford adaptations--Simisola, Road Rage, and Harm Done--which star George Baker as the titular detective.

While Wexford is the only character to appear in more than one installment, each of the mysteries presented here shows off Rendell's skill as a master plotter, a vivid storyteller, and a precise hand at psychological terror in many cases, layering a sense of dread and fear throughout these stories. She's especially gifted at staging elaborate and unexpected twists on which the stories spin, giving each adaptation a sense of unpredictability and danger, both for the characters and the viewer.

While some of the action might seem slightly dated (the lack of mobile telephones in a few is a real tip-off), there's also something timeless and universal about the way in which Rendell handles crime and fear: depicting mortal anxiety, guilt, venality, shame, passion, jealousy, and rage in equal measure. In many cases, Rendell gets inside the heads of both victims and criminals alike, exploring just what it is inside some people that makes them snap and take another's life or why some people survive. Or don't.

Ultimately, this collection shows off Rendell's top-flight mystery skills and skillfully adapts her novels and short stories to perfection. With seventeen episodes, The Ruth Rendell Mystery Collection offers the perfect way to wind down an evening... or just the thing to keep you awake all night.

The eleven-disc The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Collection box set will be available for sale on Tuesday, March 16th for a suggested retail price of $99.99. Or pick one up in the Televisionary Store for just $89.99.

Los Angeles Times: "The Amazing Race: Baguettes and Doughboys"

Looking to discuss the latest episode of CBS' fantastic reality series The Amazing Race?

Head over to the Los Angeles Times/Show Tracker to read my latest piece, entitled "The Amazing Race: Baguettes and Doughboys," where you can read my take on the latest episode, what the cowboys did wrong, how the running order got so entirely messed up, and much more.

Sound off in the comments section and be sure to come back next week as I'll be discussing each episode of The Amazing Race all season long.

Next week on The Amazing Race ("Cathy Drone?"), the seven remaining teams depart the Pit Stop at the church in Massiges, France; Caite and Brent's relationship hits the rocks and the two continue to bicker and fight.

Channel Surfing: Glau to Don "Cape," "Parks and Rec" to Lose an Actor, "Doctor Who" Companion, USA Orders "Facing Kate," Callis to "Eureka," and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

It was only a matter of time before someone snapped up River Tam. Former Firefly and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles star Summer Glau, who most recently appeared in a multiple-episode story arc on Dollhouse this season, has landed one of the leads in NBC's vigilante drama pilot The Cape. Project, from writer Tom Wheeler and directed by Simon West, revolves around a a disgraced former cop (David Lyons), framed for a crime he didn't commit, who becomes a costumed vigilante in order to clear his name. Glau will star opposite Lyons, James Frain, and Dorian Missick, and will play Orwell, described as "a cute and intrepid investigative blogger who fearlessly goes after corrupt cops and costumed bad guys" and who "gets physical and is quite capable of kicking ass." If that isn't a part made for Glau, I don't know what is. (Hollywood Reporter)

Los Angeles Times' Denise Martin talks to Parks and Recreation co-creator Mike Schur about Paul Schneider's planned departure from the NBC comedy, set to return for a third season this fall. "It was a combination of us always knowing that the character would always leave some day, the timing of this movie, and then sort of feeling like, well, the way the character's gone...we were all on the same page here and we decided to write the character out," Schur told Martin. "But the goal and the aim is to have him come back as soon as his schedule permits and as soon as the arcs we're writing call for it. We very much want him back and he has told us he very much wants to come back in the future. It really is one of those mutually beneficial situations. And we're hoping we can have him back in Season Three." And the door will definitely be open for Schneider to return as Mark Brendanawicz and possibly recur in Season Three. "He's going to remain in the world of the show in a way that not only allows but hopefully demands that he'll reenter it," said Schur. "He's not going to be killed in some weird accident." (Los Angeles Times' Show Tracker)

The Observer's Euan Ferguson has an interview with Doctor Who's Karen Gillan, who plays Amy Pond, the latest traveling companion to the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith). "To be honest, I wasn't really a huge follower of Doctor Who before I got this part," Gillan told Ferguson. "But having read the first episode I was utterly smitten, and with the character. Amy's a sassy lady, funny and passionate, and her relationship with the doctor has a really interesting dynamic... She has a love for him, a really deep love for him. But not romantic." (The Guardian)

USA has given a series order to legal drama Facing Kate, which stars Sarah Shahi. The cabler ordered eleven episodes (plus the 90-minute pilot) for the series, which hails from Universal Cable Prods. and was created by Michael Sardo, who will executive produce with Steve Stark. Series, which follows Shahi's Kate Reed as she leaves behind litigation for mediation, also stars Michael Trucco, Virginia Williams, and Baron Vaughn. (Hollywood Reporter)

Former Battlestar Galactica star James Callis--who will next be seen later this season on ABC's FlashForward, has joined the cast of Syfy's Eureka, which returns for its fourth season this summer. Callis will play Dr. Grant, a former resident of Eureka who is a romantic interest for Salli Richardson-Whitfield's Allison Blake. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting, citing multiple unnamed sources familiar with the situation, that 20th Century Fox Television, the studio behind FOX's 24, is in talks with NBC about picking up the serialized action drama should FOX opt to make Day Eight Jack Bauer's last. "A move to NBC — while still considered somewhat of a long shot given the hefty price tag — would likely delay 20th’s plans to launch a Jack Bauer film franchise," writes Ausiello. "From a production standpoint, 24 execs have long maintained that it would ne next to impossible to make a movie while the series was still on the air. Reps for 20th and NBC declined to comment." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

HBO's upcoming miniseries Mildred Pierce just gets better and better. The Todd Haynes-directed adaptation of James M. Cain's novel, which stars Kate Winslet as the the titular character, has cast Guy Pearce (The Hurt Locker), Evan Rachel Wood (True Blood), and Melissa Leo (Treme). [Editor: Also cast: James LeGros and Brian F. O'Byrne.] (Variety)

TVGuide.com's Kate Stanhope is reporting that it's looking likely that HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm will return for an eighth season. "I'm leaning towards it, so I would say there's a good chance," said series creator/star Larry David, though an eight season is "not definite yet, but we're working on it." (TVGuide.com)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos has an extensive recap of the Glee panel at the Paley Festival this weekend, which teased Lady Gaga, more romance, new characters, more Kristin Chenoweth, and more. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Zap2It's Marisa Roffman is reporting that Annabeth Gish (The X-Files) has signed on to appear on ABC's FlashForward, where she will appear as a guest-star during the back half of the sci-fi drama's first season. (Zap2It's KorbiTV)

Pilot casting roundup: Mary Steenburgen will star in ABC comedy pilot Southern Discomfort, where she will play the matriarch of a family whose grown children move back in with her and her husband; Carly Pope (Day One) and David Ramsey (Dexter) will star opposite Jimmy Smits in NBC's untitled John Eisendrath drama pilot (a.k.a. Rough Justice); Ian Reed Kessler (Sons of Tucson) has snagged one of the leads in NBC comedy pilot Friends with Benefits; Kerri Kenney (Reno 911) has come on board FOX comedy pilot Tax Man; Xander Berkeley (24) has joined the cast of CW drama pilot Nikita; and Odette Yustman (October Road) will play the female lead on FOX's untitled Adam Goldberg comedy pilot; and Lindsey Broad ('Til Death) has been cast as one of the leads in ABC comedy pilot Who Gets the Parents. (Hollywood Reporter)

Chris Parnell (Archer) and Horatio Sanz (In the Motherhood) will star opposite Jon Heder in Comedy Central's untitled multi-camera comedy about a man (Heder) who continues to chase his dreams despite failing miserably at everything he tries. Sanz will play one of his friends, an ex-convict, while Parnell will play a down-on-his-luck teacher. (Variety)

Colme Feore (24) is said to be in talks to star opposite Jeremy Irons in Showtime's upcoming period drama series The Borgias, where he would play Cardinal Giuliano Della Rovere, described as "Borgia's nemesis... who vigorously opposes Borgia's election as Pope Alexander VI and continues to tangle with him." (Hollywood Reporter)

Betty White is set to guest star in the season finale of ABC family comedy The Middle, where she will play "a school librarian who confronts Brick (Atticus Shaffer) over his failure to return numerous overdue books." (via press release)

Season Four of Showtime's period drama The Tudors, the series' last outing, is will premiere Sunday, April 11th at 9 pm ET/PT. (via press release)

Marsha Thomason (Lost) will return to USA's dramedy White Collar as a series regular, after she appeared in the pilot episode and the season finale. Move comes as Natalie Morales, who has recurred throughout the series' first season, will depart the Fox Television Studios-produced series. Elsewhere, Billy Brown (Star Trek) has joined the cast of FX's upcoming drama series Lights Out, where he will play Raymond "Death Row" Reynolds, described as "the current heavyweight champion and longtime rival of Leary (Holt McCallany)." And Gregg Henry (The Riches) has been promoted to series regular on HBO's comedy Hung, which returns later this year for a second season. (Hollywood Reporter)

Bobby Flay will serve as one of the judges/mentors on NBC's upcoming culinary competition series America's Next Great Restaurant (formerly known as United Plates of America), where he will search for a winning chef or businessman to launch a restaurant with. Casting is currently underway to select the participants on the series, which hails from executive producers Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz. (Variety)

Warner Bros. Television has signed a new two-year overall deal with Privileged creator Rina Mimoun, under which she will develop new series projects for the studio and work on current series. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Heigl to Leave "Grey's Anatomy," "Skins" Refreshes Cast Again, Tudyk Gets "Rockford" Gig, "Doctor Who" May Get Wii Game, and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Katherine Heigl will be departing Grey's Anatomy for good this time, citing unnamed sources. "Series creator Shonda Rhimes has agreed to release the fast-rising movie star from her contract. It’s now up to ABC Studios and Heigl’s reps to hash out a final exit agreement," writes Ausiello. "After taking more than half of the current season off to make another movie and connect with her adopted daughter, Heigl was scheduled to return to the Grey’s set on March 1 to begin work on the five remaining episodes of the season. There’s just one problem: March 1 came and went and there was no Heigl." Long story, short: Heigl's final episode as Izzie has already aired and Heigl will not be returning to the set of Grey's Anatomy. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

UK network E4 has commissioned two additional seasons of teen drama Skins, the series' fifth and sixth, and has announced that it will once again replace the cast with new actors following the fourth season (which wraps up in the UK next week but has yet to air Stateside) and will hold open auditions next month. "Skins has always been about new talent, both on and off screen, and the decision to recast the series every two years is one of the reasons Skins stands out," said Channel 4's head of drama Camilla Campbell. "Now another group of teenagers will have the rare opportunity to be part of a British drama series that says something about their lives and is one of the most exciting shows on television. I can't wait to find out who they will be." (BBC News)

Alan Tudyk (V, Dollhouse, Firefly) will star opposite Dermot Mulroney in NBC drama pilot Rockford Files, an update of the 1970 private investigator series that is written by by David Shore (House). Tudyk will play Detective Dennis Becker, a friend of Jim Rockford (Mulroney) who is said to be a little embarrassed by his friendship with Rockford as the other cops all hate him. (Hollywood Reporter)

Take with a large grain of salt. British tabloid The Sun is reporting that Nintendo has signed a contract with BBC Worldwide to bring its iconic series Doctor Who to Wii and DS consoles later this year. "This has been in the pipeline for years," said an unnamed insider quoted by the paper. "We're delighted to have finally nailed down a deal. We went with Nintendo as they have huge appeal for families and Doctor Who is very much a family brand. The Wii console is key for us as it's something families play together." [Editor: Don't get excited just yet. I'd be extremely surprised if a game were able to be produced by this Christmas, just nine months away, as The Sun contends, should this actually be true.] (via Digital Spy)

Jon Voight (24) has signed on as one of the leads in FOX drama pilot Midland, where he will play a Texas oil tycoon described as "a gravely voiced titan equally at home in boots or a three-piece suit." Move marks the first TV series regular role for Voight. Also cast in the 20th Century Fox Television-produced pilot: David Keith (The Class), who will play the con-man father of Jimmy Wolk's Bob. (Hollywood Reporter)

Glee Live! In Concert! has added two additional performances for both the Los Angeles and New York City stops, with a matinee planned for each city. Los Angeles will get a matinee performance and an evening performance on May 22nd while New York City gets a matinee on May 29th and an evening show on May 30th. (via press release)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Arianna Huffington will guest star as herself on the May 10th episode of CBS' How I Met Your Mother. "Huffington will be a guest at a high-falutin’ New York party that Ted, Barney, Marshall, and Lily find themselves at," writes Ausiello. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that Jennifer Morrison will be returning to FOX's House, on April 12th episode directed by Hugh Laurie... and next season. "There have been discussions of me doing a few episodes next year based on what they end up writing," Morrison told Keck. "Contractually, they’ve guaranteed me a certain number of episodes next year - I think three or four, which means that they’re probably very much leaning toward writing a storyline for the character." (
TV Guide Magazine)

Constance Zimmer (Entourage) and Kat Foster ('Til Death) have been cast in TBS hour-long comedy pilot In Security, which centers on two sisters who inherit their father's private-security firm. The attachment of Zimmer and Foster lifts the casting contingency on the pilot. Elsewhere at TBS, Malcolm McDowell will star opposite Breckin Meyer and Mark-Paul Gosselaar in comedy pilot Franklin & Bash, where he will play the senior partner at the law firm where street lawyers Jared (Meyer) and Steven (Gosselaar) are hired. (Hollywood Reporter)

In other pilot casting news, Patrick J. Adams (Weather Girl) and Danneel Harris (One Tree Hill) have been cast as the leads in NBC comedy pilot Friends With Benefits, about a group of friends who are looking for love but settle for something else in the meantime. Adams will play Ben, described as "an Everyman who, while waiting for Ms. Perfect to come along, enjoys a relationship with Sara (Harris), a doctor trying to find Mr. Right." They join the already cast Fran Kranz in the 20th Century Fox Television-produced comedy pilot, written by Michael Weber and Scott Neustadter and directed by David Dobkin. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck has a first look at how Betty Suarez (America Ferrera) will get her braces off on Ugly Betty's March 24th episode. Hint, it involves a million-dollar bra, the Guggenheim Museum, and a collision. "I chipped my front tooth rehearsing this scene - and it hurt!" Ferrera told Keck. "I thought how incredibly ironic that I mess up my tooth in the episode where Betty's smile is supposed to be perfect and there are extreme close-ups of my mouth." (TV Guide Magazine)

VH1 has ordered ten episodes of docudrama The Tournament, which will follow Chad Ochocinco as he travels the country to find love with 85 women who will compete for his affects "via a March Madness bracket." Series, slated to launch in July, is from JUMA Entertainment and 51 Minds Entertainment. (Variety)

Production has begun on BBC One's three-part drama Sherlock, a modern-day update of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic detective Sherlock Holmes, from writers/executive producers Steve Moffat, Mark Gatiss, and Steve Thompson, directors Euros Lyn and Paul McGuigan. Project stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, and Rupert Graves. "Everything that matters about Holmes and Watson is the same," said Moffat. "Conan Doyle's stories were never about frock coats and gas light; they're about brilliant detection, dreadful villains and blood-curdling crimes – and frankly, to hell with the crinoline. Other detectives have cases, Sherlock Holmes has adventures, and that's what matters. Mark and I have been talking about this project for years, on long train rides to Cardiff for Doctor Who. Quite honestly, we'd still be talking about it if Sue Vertue of Hartswood Films (conveniently also my wife) hadn't sat us down for lunch and got us to work." (BBC)

Radical Media, the production company behind Sundance Channel's Iconoclasts, is said to be gearing up for more television development, including a docusoap following the dancers of the Miami City Ballet, the Oprah Winfrey-hosted Masterclass, and a series adaptation of Stephen Dubner and Steve Levitt's best-selling nonfiction book Freakonomics, which would "investigate a wide range of topics: from the inner workings of a crack gang to whether walking drunk is more dangerous than driving drunk." Project is currently being shopped to networks. (Variety)

The Wrap's Josef Adalian is reporting yet more changes afoot in the executive roster at Oprah Winfrey and Discovery Communications' nascent cable network OWN, with Jamila Hunter stepping down from her position as head of programming to segue into a new role at the network. Programming will now be overseen by three new hires: Rod Aissa, Michele Dix, and Drew Tappon, all of whom will report to COO Lisa Erspamer. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

Nickelodeon ordered six new series, including musical Victorious, featuring former Zoey 101 co-star Victoria Justice, and renewed 16 series, from iCarly to SpongeBob SquarePants. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Los Angeles Times: "V" Showrunner Scott Rosenbaum Teases “Rodent Desire,” Multiple Pregnancies, and More

Missing ABC's sci-fi series V? You're not alone.

I caught up with new showrunner Scott Rosenbaum for a one-on-one interview about what's coming up for Erica Evans and the resistance in the next eight episodes of V, which returns at the end of the month.

Head over to the Los Angeles Times/Show Tracker site to read my interview with Rosenbaum, in which we talk about "rodent desire," multiple pregnancies, the similarities between Erica and Anna, what's to come, and much more.

Beware, though, my interview with Rosenbaum contains major spoilers!

V returns on Tuesday, March 30th at 10 pm ET/PT on ABC.

The Hot Box: Thoughts on the Season Finale of USA's "White Collar"

With my head spinning after this week's episode of Lost on Tuesday night, I didn't get a chance to watch White Collar's fantastic first season finale until last night.

It was definitely worth the wait.

The season finale of White Collar ("Out of the Box"), written by Jeff Eastin and directed by Kevin Bray, offered further pressure to the already strained central relationships within the series, pushing both Neal (Matthew Bomer) and Peter (Tim DeKay) to make some hard choices, as Neal pursued the music box and his always-just-out-of-reach true love Kate and Peter sought to bring down the shady OPR Agent Garrett Fowler (Noah Emmerich) and stop Neal from making a disastrous decision.

Plus, it featured the long-awaited return of Marsha Thomason's Agent Diana Lancing, who I've missed terribly since she disappeared after the White Collar pilot. (No worries, Diana fans, she's sticking around for Season Two.)

So what did I think of the season finale? Let's discuss.

I have to give Eastin credit for offering a cliffhanger ending that throws some of the series' main conceits into the air, so to speak. Throughout the first season, Neal's main mission--while ostensibly working with Peter and the FBI's White Collar Crimes Division--has been to find a way to find Kate (Alexandra Daddario) and be reunited with his one true love. It's a quest that has at times splintered his friendship with his partner Peter and taken him up against Fowler, multiple criminals, and the Italian consulate.

But for all of Neal's shadowy behavior and criminality, his pursuit hasn't been fame or fortune, but rather something far simpler and yet more complicated: love. Given this fact, we've been able to excuse some behavior (and Peter has as well, to a certain extent) from Neal that would be unacceptable in other situations, given his past as a forger and thief. But the fact that his prize this time around was Kate made his journey far more worthy than if he was attempting to acquire, say, a packet of Caravaggio paintings.

Throughout the episode, Mozzie (Willie Garson) and Peter kept throwing around the two-part ancient Chinese curse: "May you live in interesting times" and "May you find what you are looking for." Neal does find what he was looking for: he does manage, thanks to some help from Mozz and Alex (Gloria Votsis) to track down the amber music box that Fowler wants in exchange for Kate's freedom. And he seemingly does engineer an escape route for himself and Kate, one that's legal, thanks to some OPR deal-brokering from Fowler's higher-ups.

But even Neal knows that the deal is bent in some way. He makes a point of saying goodbye to everyone but Peter, knowing that Peter is the one person who can convince him not to flee with Kate but to stay and "make a difference." Which to me (along with the phone call he made to Tiffani Thiessen's Elizabeth) proves that he's having some major second thoughts about the Faustian pact he made with Fowler and with his relationship with Kate.

Will he get on the plane? Will he stay with Peter? What happens now that he's gotten his heart's desire? Can someone like him really settle down, buy a house, have a kid, join the PTA, as Mozzie jokingly suggests? Or is his true nature as an adventurer too hard-wired into his soul?

The choice is made a lot easier by the episode's climactic cliffhanger, one in which the plane, with Kate aboard, explodes just as Neal is about to head over and fly away to freedom. Does Kate survive? Did OPR and Fowler double-cross Neal and decide to kill him and Kate now that he provided them with the music box? Just who is pulling everyone's strings? And why? The answers to those questions will have to wait until White Collar's second season, which returns to USA this summer.

Despite the fact that I haven't been a fan of Alexandra Daddario as Kate (I haven't felt any spark between her and Bomer's Neal whatsoever), I do wish that Neal and Kate had had the chance to have one final scene together before the explosion that seemingly took Kate's life and shattered Neal's quest forever. Given that she's been the main goal throughout the final season, I think the pain could have cut a little deeper if they had one last conversation before she got on the plane and Neal had that scene with Peter where he returned his consultant's "badge." The effect would have been even more dramatic than just having Kate peer out through the plane's window and would have given Neal the false satisfaction of gotten the girl and the happy ending.

That said, I do hope that Kate IS dead. I've not found Daddario's Kate all that compelling of a character and that feeling is enhanced by the arrival of Gloria Votsis' Alex, who has a mischievous sensuality about her that's enticing and she and Bomer have some major chemistry going on between them. Alex, to me, is a far more interesting and intriguing character than Kate ever was and I hope that she sticks around for the second season, especially if Kate did burst into flames.

Though, if I'm being honest, there's no way in hell I would have left Alex alone with the music box as Neal did, even if just to take a second to let Mozzi into the anteroom at the Italian consulate. It's that lack of trust that makes Alex such a compelling character, yet also made Neal look a little too easily misled by her.

I'm also really excited to see how Thomason's Diana shakes things up within the team. I loved having her investigate Fowler and OPR in this week's episode, even if her IT excuse to Fowler's goon was a little too flimsy. Still, nice scene with Fowler and Peter in the parking garage (loved how she signaled Peter to draw one of her guns) that points to Diana's strength and grit. Can't wait to see more of her next season, especially working directly with Neal.

All in all, a great season finale that made me anxious to find out just what will happen next. Eastin and Co. have done a great job balancing the serialized and the procedural aspects of the series this season and I hope that balance continues over into next season as the mystery of the music box, OPR, and Fowler's co-conspirators continues. I'll gladly tip my hat to that.

Season Two of White Collar launches this summer on USA.

Channel Surfing: Cuthbert Gets "Happy Endings," Betty White to Host "SNL," Madsen Clocks in for "24," Acker Finds "Human Target," and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

Elisha Cuthbert (24) has been cast as the female lead in ABC comedy pilot Happy Endings, where she will play Alex, a woman whose relationship ends at the alter and she and her would-have-been husband have to figure out how they and their friends can keep their relationship intact. Project, from writer David Caspe, directors Anthony and Joe Russo, and Sony Pictures Television, also stars Adam Pally, Casey Wilson, Eliza Coupe, and Damon Wayans, Jr. (Hollywood Reporter)

Facebook has spoken and Lorne Michaels has listened: 88-year-old Betty White (The Proposal) will be hosting NBC's Saturday Night Live on May 8th. "It took on a groundswell," Michaels told USA Today's Gary Levin. "It isn't something we would have said no to, [but the campaign] validated that... It was the outpouring of affection from fans, and we feel the same way." White's episode will also feature former SNL-ers Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon, Ana Gasteyer, Maya Rudolph, and Rachel Dratch. (USA Today)

TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that Michael Madsen (Kill Bill) will be turning up later this season on FOX's 24, where he will play "an ex-military guy from Jack Bauer’s past." (TV Guide Magazine)

Amy Acker (Dollhouse) is slated to guest star in the season finale of FOX's Human Target, according to series star Mark Valley. "Baptiste [Lennie James] comes back, and Amy Acker shows up and plays this one character who's very pivotal in Chance's past," Valley told reporters on a recent press call, "she was the catalyst for him becoming Christopher Chance." (via Digital Spy)

Richard Kind (A Serious Man) and Ian Hart (Dirt) have been cast in David Milch and Michael Mann's HBO horseracing drama pilot Luck, opposite Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte, Dennis Farina, and John Ortiz. Kind will play a jockey's agent, while Hart will play "a loudmouth who comes into some cash and bankrolls a series of Pick Six bets." (Variety)

Mamie Gumer (The Good Wife) has been cast as one of the leads in Shonda Rhimes' ABC medical drama pilot Off the Map, where she will play Mina Minard, a doctor who takes a position in a remote South American medical clinic. Gumer, the daughter of Meryl Streep, will star opposite Caroline Dhavernas, Enrique Murciano, Jason George, Martin Henderson, and Valerie Cruz. (TVGuide.com)

Bravo has ramped up its development on both the unscripted and scripted fronts. The cabler announced at yesterday's upfront that it had ordered Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Miami Social Club, Million Dollar Decorators, and Pregnant in Heelsto series, renewed The Fashion Show, Million Dollar Listing, Real Housewives of Atlanta, and Tabatha's Salon Takeover, and was developing several unscripted series, including Around the World in 80 Plates, Commander in Chef, Hitmakers, Fashion Masters, and an untitled docusoap following So You Think You Can Dance choreographer Mia Michaels. On the scripted front, Bravo is developing two dramas, including a Darren Star-executive produced musical-drama adaptation of Josh Kilmer-Purcell's book "I'm Not Myself These Days," about a New York City power broker who moonlights as a drag queen at night, and an untitled dramedy from writers Damian Harris and Gary Marks about a high-end hotel that offers male escorts to its guests. (Variety)

Pilot casting update: Traylor Howard (Monk) will star opposite Dana Gould in Gould's untitled ABC comedy pilot; Lyndsy Fonseca (How I Met Your Mother) will star opposite Maggie Q in the CW's remake of Nikita; Maria Thayer (State of Play), Lauren Weedman (Hung), and Mahaley Hessam (Easy A) have joined the cast of Larry Charles' NBC comedy pilot Our Show; James Frain (The Tudors) has scored one of the leads in NBC vigilante drama pilot The Cape; Stephen Rea (Father and Son) has been cast in CBS drama pilot Chaos; David Gallagher (7th Heaven) has joined CW's supernatural drama pilot Betwixt; Sonja Sohn (The Wire) has been cast in ABC drama pilot Body of Evidence opposite Dana Delany; Raoul Trujillo (True Blood) has been added to the cast of ABC drama pilot Edgar Floats; Will Sasso (MADtv) and Stephanie Lemelin (Cavemen) have joined the cast of CBS' comedy pilot Shit My Dad Says. Finally, FOX is recasting two roles on Greg Garcia's comedy pilot Keep Hope Alive, with The Riches' Shannon Marie Woodward landing one of the available spots. (Hollywood Reporter)

BBC America will segue to becoming a dual-feed network on Monday, April 26th. Move means that primetime and late night scheduled will be changed as the cabler will air programming at the same time in both Eastern and Pacific time zones. The British-themed network also announced that it will bring back Peep Show and That Mitchell and Webb Look in April, which also marks the launch of Season Five of Doctor Who. (via press release)

ABC has ordered a pilot from executive producer Mark Burnett for unusual game show Trust Me, I'm a Game Show Host, in which two hosts will compete with the contestants on a variety of topics in front of a live audience. One of the hosts will be telling the truth, the other lying, and the contestants will have to figure out which is which. (Hollywood Reporter)

SPOILER! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello talks to The Good Wife executive producer Robert King about whether Alicia (Julianna Margulies) and Will (Josh Charles) will ever hook up. "[They have] one of the most complicated relationships… because it really is a friendship that doesn’t want to lose its friendship by going to the next step," King told Ausiello. "There’s an episode [coming up in April] that’s all about not knowing what a jury is thinking and it’s a metaphor for how Alicia and Will can’t get into each other’s heads. During this trial, they have to make moves, guessing where the jury is headed. Sometimes we see that they’re just completely wrong." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Gene Hunt returns! BBC has a first look at Season Three of 1983-set sci-fi/period/trippy drama Ashes to Ashes, featuring Philip Glenister's Gene Hunt and Keeley Hawes' Alex Drake, which returns to BBC One for its final season of eight episodes this spring. Dean Andrews, Marshall Lancaster, and Montserrat Lombard all return, and the team gets a new member in Daniel Mays' Jim Keats, a discipline and complaints officer who adds "an unsettling twist to the team dynamic." Look for the final season of Ashes to resolve its mysteries as well as those lingering from its predecessor, Life on Mars. (BBC)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos has a first look at the four original cast members from FOX's Melrose Place--Heather Locklear, Thomas Calabro, Josie Bissett, and Daphne Zuniga--reuniting on the CW revival series. "We've had visits by original castmembers throughout the year, and we all thought, 'Let's get them together in one show,'" executive producer Darren Swimmer told E! Online. "One of the highlights of the season for me was walking on the set to see all four original castmembers together on the courtyard staircase. There was a true sense of reunion in the room, and I think you can see in their performances how tickled they are to be acting together again." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

The CW is developing two reality competition series, including Stone & Co's One Mass Dance, which features choreographers who assemble a huge dance team from three cities and then perform a "mass dance" in front of surprised viewers, and 25/7's Shed to Wed, in which couples compete to lose weight before their weddings. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Planet Green is preparing to launch a 24-hour daily schedule, including a three-hour primetime block of programming called Verge on March 29th, which will feature such series as Future Food, Living with Ed, Conviction Kitchen, Operation Wild, Blood, Sweat and Takeaways, and off-net acquisition 30 Days. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

The Daily Beast: "More Big Love Questions Answered" ("Big Love" Postmortem, Part Two)

Looking answers to your burning questions from this week's season finale of HBO's Big Love?

Head over to The Daily Beast, where you can read the second part of a day-after interview with Big Love creators/executive producers Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer, one that delves deeper into the world of Big Love to bring you some confirmations and some answers to some subplots. (You can find Part One here.)

For those who haven't yet seen Sunday night's fourth season finale of Big Love, major spoiler warnings apply as Olsen, Scheffer, and I discuss everything from changing Big Love’s opening credit sequence in the fourth season; what happened to the church Bill started; whether it was Tommy or Jerry who sold out the Henricksons to Marilyn Densham; what JJ wanted from Joey; the creepy miracle pregnancy of Adaleen; the fates of JJ and Malinda; and much, much more.

Season Five of Big Love will air in 2011 on HBO.