San Diego Comic-Con 2010: Showtime Announces Dexter, Anti-Heroes Panels

At long last, pay cabler Showtime has revealed its lineup for the 2010 edition of San Diego Comic-Con later this month.

Showtime will not only be offering a panel for serial killer drama Dexter on Thursday, July 22nd, but will also offer a "Showtime Anti-Hero" panel that will feature Michael C. Hall (Dexter), David Duchovny (Californication), Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) and writers from Dexter, Weeds, Californication, and Nurse Jackie.

That panel will take place Thursday, July 22nd, from 4:45-5:45 pm in Ballroom 20, while Dexter is set for 6-7 pm that same evening and will feature Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Carpenter, Desmond Harrington, and executive producers John Goldwyn, Sara Colleton, Chip Johannessen, and Manny Coto.


The full press release from Showtime can be found below.

(Meanwhile, the full Thursday schedule for San Diego Comic-Con is now up here.)

THE SHOWTIME® ANTI-HEROES TO HEADLINE OPENING DAY OF COMIC-CON 2010

Panel Sessions For DEXTER® And The Anti- Heroes Of SHOWTIME Featuring Michael C. Hall, David Duchovny And Mary- Louise Parker To Kick Off This Year’s Comic-Con On Thursday, July 22 in San Diego
LOS ANGELES, CA July 7, 2010 – SHOWTIME has announced its panel line-up for the 2010 Comic-Con which will feature stars from some of the network’s biggest original series. This year’s panels will include the Emmy®-nominated series DEXTER, as well as a special SHOWTIME Anti-Hero panel featuring DEXTER’s Michael C. Hall, CALIFORNICATION’s David Duchovny and WEEDS’ Mary-Louise Parker. Both panels will be presented on the first day of the world-famous gathering in San Diego on Thursday, July 22. Additionally, the panels will feature producers and writers from DEXTER, WEEDS, CALIFORNICATION and NURSE JACKIE. The panel schedule and descriptions are as follows:

THE ANTI-HEROES OF SHOWTIME – Thursday, July, 22 from 4:45 PM - 5:45 PM in Ballroom 20

The 21st century anti-hero has become one of the driving forces in recent pop culture and when it comes to the television anti-heroes, SHOWTIME has the winning formula, with subversive characters that connect with the viewing audience. Hear first hand from some of the showrunners, creators and actors who have helped define this phenomenon. Los Angeles Times Pop Culture writer Geoff Boucher will moderate this panel you won't want to miss. Featured panelists will include Michael C. Hall and new showrunner Chip Johannessen of DEXTER, David Duchovny and Executive Producer and creator Tom Kapinos of CALIFORNICATION, Mary-Louise Parker and Executive Producer and creator Jenji Kohan of WEEDS, along with Linda Wallem, Executive Producer, writer and one of the creators of NURSE JACKIE.

DEXTER – SEASON 5- Thursday, July 22 from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM in Ballroom 20

What’s next for America’s favorite serial killer? Moderator Ralph Garman from KROQ’s The Kevin & Bean Morning Show presides over a revealing interview and Q&A session with the stars and executive producers of DEXTER that will include an exclusive first-look trailer of the highly anticipated season five premiere. Featured panelists include series star/Executive Producer Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Jennifer Carpenter (Deb), Desmond Harrington (Quinn) and Executive Producers John Goldwyn, Sara Colleton, Chip Johannessen (24) and Manny Coto (Star Trek: Enterprise). The fifth season of DEXTER premieres September 26, at 9 p.m. ET/PT only on SHOWTIME.

The SHOWTIME anti-hero messaging will be prominently featured throughout Comic-Con with high-impact advertising both outdoor and within the convention center. The official lanyards for the over 130,000 attendees at Comic-Con will be branded by SHOWTIME, and in a media company first, every shuttle bus at Comic-Con will be branded with the SHOWTIME anti-hero creative.

All weekend long, fans can satisfy their obsession with America’s favorite serial killer by heading over to the SHOWTIME booth (#4129) for DEXTER giveaways and signings. In addition, licensed merchandise for the series can be found at the Entertainment Earth and Biff Bang Pow booth (#2343).

The network will also launch an interactive game exclusively for Comic-Con titled "Dexter Game On," where players will step into Dexter’s mind and unlock content from season five. Additional details for the interactive promotion will be released in the upcoming weeks. Devoted fans of the series know that all of Dexter's victims are marked with a small incision on their right cheek, and at Comic-Con, those fans can show their love for the series by sporting a DEXTER "cheek slash" tattoo. SHOWTIME will distribute over 100,000 lick-'n-stick tattoos throughout all four days of Comic-Con. Fans are encouraged to take pictures of themselves at various locations around the convention and upload them to the "Dexter Game On" site. As they play throughout the weekend, gamers have the chance to unlock exclusive content and pick up DEXTER- themed merchandise including season four DVDs. SHO.com will launch a dedicated Comic-Con microsite that will bring the convention experience to the fans who are not able to attend. The site will host the highly anticipated season five DEXTER trailer and content from the Anti-Hero panel, to be showcased immediately after the Comic-Con panels.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, SHOWTIME 2 HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD™, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND™ and FLIX ON DEMAND®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.

Is BBC America's The Choir The Anti-Glee?

It's a provocative question, really. Is BBC America's newest British reality import, The Choir, the exact opposite of FOX's musical-comedy Glee, despite the similar choral trappings?

It is, in every conceivable way and that's a very good thing indeed. The Choir, which launches tonight at 10 pm ET/PT, finds plucky choirmaster Gareth Malone attempting to create a competitive choir out of a group of musical novices at a run-down comprehensive school where music isn't an important element of their education. (You can take a look at some clips from The Choir here.)

With a spot at the World Choir Olympics in China on the line, Malone attempts to fashion these teens into world-class singers and teach them the joys of performing in a group. It's no small task, given that many of these teens are at-risk to begin with and none of them have any formal training.

The result ends up being paradoxically gritty and uplifting, as the cameras not only follow Malone as he attempts to awaken their slumbering musical abilities but also follows the teens home as well, focusing on their own adversities: anger problems, an absent father, a general inability to commit or to attempt to overcome a challenge.

Unlike Glee, these issues raised aren't wrapped up by the time the credits roll at the end of the episode; rather, they spill over from week to week as Gareth butts heads with his teenage choir members and attempts to rein in egos, attitudes, and expectations.

There are no showy daydream numbers here, no auto-tune, no anvil-heavy thematic storytelling. Just a rough docu-style approach that captures the small moments between rehearsals: a gathering of Gareth's opera friends and his search for sheet music is juxtaposed against the travails of modern life: a family awaits word whether their pater familias will be granted a visa to return to the United Kingdom, a mother frets about her daughter's tardiness, a young girl sees the consequences of her actions as she is barred from participating in the choir.

But it's not all doom and gloom, either. Gareth's drive and determination to pull off the seemingly impossible task of shaping these young singers into a single and competitive unit is refreshing in an age of cynicism; his efforts to give these kids a creative outlet and open their minds to something other than pop music is admirable, even as his efforts to get them to sing some Vivaldi is, er, met with some resistance.

Likewise, the series captures the joys and heartbreak of adolescence as well: the excitement that comes from landing a spot on the choir after open auditions to the despair of those who don't. (And those who, to their later chagrin, discover that not all of them may be heading to China to compete.)

The result is uplifting and entertaining in equal measure, not to mention genuinely emotional. Be prepared for the tears, though not the melodramatic kind. There, after all, are no fake pregnancies going on here.

The Choir launches tonight at 10 pm ET/PT on BBC America.

Channel Surfing: Lost Alum Heads to SVU, David Strathairn Signs on to Alphas, Outlaw Nation Lands Its Cast, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that former Lost co-star Henry Ian Cusick has signed on for a multiple-episode story arc on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, where he will play Erik Weber, a graphic artist. Cusick is expected to appear in at least two episodes of the procedural drama and will cross paths with Mariska Hargitay's Detective Olivia Benson. "There might be some flirtation," executive producer Neal Baer told Keck. "Erik meets Olivia when he comes to someone's aid. And then we'll see how it goes. Olivia is devoted to her job and knows that comes first." (TV Guide Magazine)

It's official: Academy Award nominee David Strathairn will star in Syfy's 90-minute action pilot Alphas, according to a network press release. In the pilot, written by Zak Penn and Michael Karnow and directed by Jack Bender, Strathairn will play the "unconventional, eccentric Alphas team leader" Dr. Leigh Rosen. Here's what the press release had to say about his character: "Though he comes across as somewhat of an absent-minded professor at times, he is also a cunning and manipulative power-player willing to bend the rules in pursuit of his objectives and in support of his team." Production begins next month in Toronto. (via press release)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Luke Grimes (Brothers & Sisters) and Haley Bennett (Marley & Me) have been cast opposite Mary Steenburgen in FX's Nashville-set crime drama pilot Outlaw Country, which will be directed by Michael Dinner. Grimes will play Eli Larkin, described as "a half-cowboy, half-modern guy who tries to get out of the crime ridden life he has grown accustom to in order to help his siblings, however he finds out that it is much harder than he expected." Bennett will play Annabel Lee, described as "a gorgeous country singer who is living in the shadow of her overprotective mother (Steenburgen)." (Deadline)

SPOILER! Some Bones scoop for those of you deprived of the FOX procedural this summer, courtest of TVGuide.com's Mickey O'Connor and Adam Bryant. Asked about whether Booth and Brennan will be apart when Bones returns this fall, this is what the TVGuide.com editors had to say: "It's looking that way, particularly now that we know that Booth will meet his new love interest, a journalist, when she's embedded with his unit in Afghanistan. In a seemingly Grey's Anatomy-inspired Teddy-Owen-like twist, she'll follow Booth back to Washington, where they'll attempt to be together in the real world. And we all know how that goes. But don't blame Bones — she'll be nothing but supportive of the born-under-fire union." (TVGuide.com)

E! is getting into the dance business. The cabler has teamed up with Ryan Seacrest Productions to develop a pilot that will feature Lady Gaga choreographer Laurie Ann Gibson, along with a group of other choreographers and dancers, in Los Angeles. (Hollywood Reporter)

Torchwood fans, make sure you pick up a copy of the new Torchwood comic, which will make its debut at San Diego Comic-Con later this month. The first issue of the monthly will feature a story written by John Barrowman and will be available at the convention exclusively until it hits shelves on August 10th. (Digital Spy)

E1 has signed on to co-produce AMC drama pilot Hell on Wheels, which revolves around the "post-Civil War construction of the Transcontinental Railroad," with Endemol USA. Production on the pilot, written by Joe and Tony Gayton and directed by David Von Ancken, will begin in August in Alberta, Canada It's widely believed to be a lock for a series order. (Variety)

Recasting going on behind the scenes at NBC's upcoming comedy series Outsourced, where Aussie actress Pippa Black has stepped into the role of Tonya. Elsewhere, Maria Thayer has been upgraded to series regular on Cartoon Network's Eagleheart. (Hollywood Reporter)

Jane Kaczmarek (Raising the Bar) and Kim Dickens (Treme) have been cast in Lifetime telepic Reviving Ophelia, based on the nonfiction book by Mary Pipher, in which they'll play sisters who must help one another raise their teenage daughters. Project, written by Teena Booth and directed by Bobby Roth, will air later this year. (Variety)

Reveille is dipping its toes into the television animation business, signing a deal with Mechem Media to "create animated fare in the signature style of Hanna-Barbera." (Company is comprised of several former Hanna-Barbera executives.) First up is comedy The Gloomers, which will be pitched to networks in the next few weeks. (Hollywood Reporter)

FOX's animated comedy The Cleveland Show is heading into syndication and has locked up deals at Turner's TBS and Adult Swim, where the series will launch in fall 2013. (Broadcasting & Cable)

20th Century Fox Television has signed a talent holding deal with Wilmer Valderrama, under which he will star in and executive produce a new series project for the studio, reports Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. (Deadline)

More changes afoot at ITV Studios, where Lee Bartlett and Remy Blumenthal are stepping down from their posts following a reorganization that will see former Channel 4 director Kevin Lygo assume oversight of the studio. (Variety)

Elsewhere, former Universal Networks International executive Jon Farrar has been hired by BBC Worldwide Channels as VP, programming for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Friday Night Lights Watch: Examining the Flawed Second Season

I heard a lot of negative things about Season Two of Friday Night Lights, which I finished watching over the long weekend as part of my Friday Night Lights catch-up.

After the strength of the freshman season, Season Two of Friday Night Lights almost feels like a different series altogether. While there were some beautiful moments that stood out, they were just moments rather than a cohesive season of taut storyelling. It's a stark contrast to the first season of Friday Night Lights, where each episode managed to build on the one prior to create a staggering portrait of a small town that perfectly captured, as I said last week, the ebb and flow of real life.

Not so with Season Two, where the main network note seemed to have been to inject Drama into the series. Yes, Drama with a capital d, rather than the more nuanced and studied drama of the first season. Here, everything had to be bigger, had to be bolder, and had to be broader than ever before.

Yes, watching from the first episode of the season it was blatantly clear that there was some major network interference going on here as the series made an effort to fit in more with nighttime soaps than in keeping the tone and balance of the previous season. Gone were the smaller stories of awkward adolescence, the powerful friendships, the tiny moments on which dreams were built or discarded. Not helping matters was the fact that the truncated season was derailed by the WGA strike.

I do think that Season Two of Friday Night Lights found itself as it went on, which made the decision by NBC not to resume production after the writers strike ended all the more gutting. The back half of the season, particularly the final installments showed the series getting back to its roots and reclaiming its voice once more... before it had to end on a non-cliffhanger that left the rest of the season--including whether the Panthers made it to the playoffs or to the state championships--in the dark. (Also unclear, though all bound to be revealed in Season Three: whether Jason had managed to convince the flame-haired waitress to keep their baby, whether Lila would continue her tentative relationship with Matt Czuchry's Christian Chris Kennedy, and whether Carlotta would return to mend Saracen's wounded heart.)

It helped that that the ludicrous murder cover-up conspiracy plot involving Tyra and Landry was wrapped up halfway through the season. I was well aware of how awful this storyline was ahead of time but I didn't quite appreciate just how much it would completely destroy Landry's character over the course of the season. Could Tyra and Landry have still accidentally killed Tyra's would-be rapist? Sure. Could the incident have still pushed them together into an unlikely romance? Absolutely. Would Landry still be plagued by guilt over what happened? Definitely.

Instead, it took the characters and pushed them into another series altogether, one where characters killed indiscriminately and then didn't feel any semblance of remorse (Tyra) or where a sunny and upbeat character became a dour, haunted individual who stole away some of the comic relief.

By pushing the duo into this OTT murder storyline, the series robbed viewers of one of the more rewarding relationships on the series--that between Matt Saracen and Landry--and curtailed several important story beats along the way. The beginning of the season should have focused on Landry's new role on the Dillon Panthers, his ecstasy at joining a team he cheered from the sidelines, and friction with his best friend but it instead made Landry and Saracen virtual strangers. Landry didn't tell Saracen about losing his virginity to Tyra, nor did Matt tell Landry about his burgeoning relationship with Carlotta. Whereas before there were open lines of communication between the two, they split apart without any real storyline involving their distance from one another, despite them now being teammates.

Likewise, we as an audience lost our entry point to the Panthers as Landry's focus wasn't on football but evading the police and keeping himself out of jail... even going so far as to bring his father into the conspiracy as police officer Chad Clarke destroyed evidence to keep suspicion of his son, a plot point that went unnoticed, as did any reaction from Landry's mother about her son's complicity in the murder of a rapist.

While I also understand why the writers would seek to get Eric back to Dillon as quickly as possible, they also jumped over any reaction from Tami and Julie about Eric moving home, with Eric turning up in the driveway and the twosome acting as though they knew he was coming back. (But what was their reaction? When did they learn about it?) Additionally, the firing of Chris Mulkey's Coach McGregor was handled very quickly, though there were some repercussions as a result of his swift dismissal (namely, Eric taking over as athletic director of Dillon High School).

I will say, however, that Season Two of Friday Night Lights did a wonderful job once again with the core relationship between Connie Britton's Tami and Kyle Chandler's Eric, making the Taylors once again a powerful force to be reckoned with, even as they themselves were beset with problems this season, from the birth of baby Grace and their long-distance relationship to daughter Julie's rebellious streak and some intriguing jealousy on the part of Eric. Their storyline focused on the stresses of everyday marriage and child-rearing, the fear of letting go both of newborns and of teenagers, and the push-and-pull of long-term relationships.

Additionally, I loved the storyline that had Taylor Kitsch's Riggins moving in with the Taylors for a brief spell, after the high drama of his living with a gun-wielding, ferret-loving meth cooker. It was lovely to see Eric and Tim bond over some quality time together, each fulfilling a missing role in the other's life (Eric for the son he never had, Tim for the father he lost) and, in the words of Coach Taylor, balancing the gender teams in the household.

Riggins, meanwhile, saved Julie not once but twice--shielding her body with his during a tornado and rescuing a drunk Julie from a lecherous teen at a party--only to be thrown out by Eric when he walked into Julie's room and caught her and Tim in a compromising position. The scene where he later apologized to Tim and called his actions "honorable" was a nice coda to this storyline, given how stubborn and quick to judge Eric often can be.

Fortunately, nothing happened between Tim and Julie, whose brattiness this season led to both Tami slapping her across the face in frustration and a near affair with a teacher (which fortunately didn't happen). That both the latter storyline and the relationship between Saracen and his grandmother's nurse Carlotta both played out after the Riggins-Jackie romance of Season One made them both feel repetitive. The May-September romance thing just felt forced this season and failed to create any real sparks. In the case of Saracen, it led him to a very dark place where he began to drink and cut class and generally act out... until Coach Taylor throttled him into the shower and talked some sense into him.

That many of these storylines--including the continued battle against adversity for Jason Street--were incomplete, due to the writers strike, means that there was no opportunity to see these play out in full. Yes, Friday Night Lights has used a time-jump between seasons before but in previous years, we at least got to see the end results of the season and the wrap-up of a few storylines.

I don't doubt that these dangling story threads will be dealt with in the third season premiere--just like life, Friday Night Lights goes on even if we're not watching--but I do feel cheated by the fact that we won't get to see these stories continue first-hand, as the time-jump between the second and third years has got to be fairly considerable to get us back to the start of football season in Dillon.

Which is sad, really. Season Two of Friday Night Lights has been plagued by a reputation for being awful that the series itself sought to overcome as it went on. While I won't be in a rush to rewatch it any time soon, it also hasn't diminished my enthusiasm for the series, particularly as I've heard amazing things about the next third and fourth seasons.

But to everything there is a season and to every season an end. That came too quickly for the sophomore season of Friday Night Lights but I for one am happy that I can jump into what promises to be a return to form for this ambitious, intelligent, and heart-felt series. Here's to moving on in the next day or so Season Three...

Study in Bronze: An Advance Review of Season Two of Syfy's Warehouse 13

Syfy has had a lot of success of late with quirky, humorous dramedies where the science fiction often takes a backseat to the trappings of traditional drama. Think of them more as extraordinary dramas than say, purely speculative fiction.

This is particularly true with Syfy's original series Eureka and Warehouse 13, both of which return to the schedule this week with new seasons. In their own ways, both series have served to push the network further into the mainstream, fusing together the supernatural/speculative elements of the genre with mass appeal to create a new sub-genre that's heavy on the humor and light, well, in general.

While Eureka focuses on a town of super-scientists hidden in the Pacific Northwest, Warehouse 13 using somewhat similar trappings: a tiny town in the middle of nowhere hides a massive government-sponsored secret. In this case, that secret is the Warehouse itself, a depository of arcane and mysterious artifacts, each with their own abilities. It's up to the agents to safeguard these secrets, investigate mysterious phenomena, and file away any artifacts they acquire in the field.

It's the latter series that returns tonight with a new season that finds deliciously mismatched Warehouse 13 agents Myka Bering (Joanne Kelly) and Pete Lattimer (Eddie McClintock) attempting to grapple with assaults from numerous directions, while their shifty supervisor Artie (Saul Rubinek) attempts to track down the missing Claudia (Allison Scagliotti) after the events of last season's finale.

To say more than that would be give away quite a few plot points from the second season opener, "Time Will Tell," a fun installment that gives the series a global feel as Myka and Pete head to London and Artie trails Claudia to Switzerland. The chaos created by the nefarious MacPherson (Roger Rees) spills out of control here as his master plan is revealed.

Just what that is you'll have to wait to find out, but I will say that it's one hell of a bizarro mindtrip that involves a classic sci-fi author, bronze, and a potential new adversary for the gang at Warehouse 13, one that I hope sticks around all season long to make things very difficult for Myka and Eddie.

The second episode will be one that will have sci-fi fans buzzing about for some time to come, particularly as it features guest stars Jewel Staite and Sean Maher, who previously starred together in Joss Whedon's woefully short-lived Firefly. Here, the duo is involved in a series of inexplicable occurrences, one that seems to involve a vigilante battling criminals in a town beset by crime. But superheroes only exist in comic books, right? Hmmm...

Both episodes point towards why Warehouse 13 has won over viewers. It's got a slick combination of humor, heart, and frothy action that never veers too close to the darkness and keeps things humming along with a nice pace. During the hottest season of the year, that might just be the perfect television complement to a day beside the pool: it's familiar, cool, and--so long as you don't go looking for the deep end--there's no danger of drowning.

Season Two of Warehouse 13 begins tonight at 9 pm ET/PT on Syfy.

Channel Surfing: Javier Bardem Finds Glee, Brian Austin Green Circles Wisteria Lane, Amy Madigan Snares Fringe, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing. To those of you who celebrated the Fourth of July, welcome back to work after a long weekend. (Sigh.)

Javier Bardem (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) will guest star next season on FOX's Glee, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello (and Dave Karger), who reports that the Academy Award-winning actor will appear as "a rock star who befriends Artie (Kevin McHale)." In fact, it was Bardem who approached Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy about dropping by the 20th Century Fox Television-produced musical-comedy when they worked together on Eat Pray Love. “We’re going to rock the house,” Bardem told Entertainment Weekly. “We’re going to do some heavy metal — Spanish heavy metal, which is the worst." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck writes that Brian Austin Green (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) is weighing a potential role on ABC's Desperate Housewives, according to sources close to the situation. Green would play Keith, described as "a single playboy who makes the women's jaws drop." Allegedly cast for next season: Lainie Kazan (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), who will play Maxine, a neighbor who befriends Susan and Mike in their new digs. (TV Guide Magazine)

SPOILER! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Amy Madigan (Grey's Anatomy) has been cast in approximately four episodes of FOX's Fringe, where she will play the mother of Anna Torv's Olivia Dunham. Citing unnamed sources, Ausiello reports that Madigan will make her first appearance in the third season premiere, where Torv's Olivia will come face to face with her dead mother's alternate universe counterpart. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Making it the least kept secret in Hollywood: Reid Scott (My Boys) has joined the cast of Showtime's The Big C. The actor, who appeared in the revised pilot for the Laura Linney-led dark comedy, will play Cathy's oncologist Dr. Todd. So how was Scott able to take on another role while Jordana Spiro and Kyle Howard had to pull out of their respective network projects? "Scott is doing The Big C with TBS' blessing," writes Deadline's Nellie Andreeva. "What also helped him do the series while still under contract on My Boys is that his role on The Big C is technically recurring. Additionally, the smaller size of The Big C's order - 13 episodes - and its production schedule - it is now filming for an Aug. 16 premiere - would make Scott available in the unlikely event that My Boys is renewed for another season." (Deadline)

Sean Young is sticking around on The Young and the Restless, after all. Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice is reporting that Young, who appeared in five episodes of the CBS daytime soap, will return to the series on July 14th and remain on board Y&R through August. Young's attachment comes on the heels of a slew of celebrities recurring on soaps this year, including James Franco, Julianne Moore, Michael Nouri, and Vanessa Marcil, as well as David Hasselhoff and Eric Roberts. (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

So much for that Eastwick finale. The Futon Critic is reporting that ABC has scuttered plans to air the final two unaired installments of supernatural drama Eastwick, instead using the Saturday timeslot to air repeats of the second episodes of both Scoundrels and The Gates on July 10th. (Futon Critic)

E! Online's Megan Masters talks to 90210 star Tristan Wilds about the finale that never was. I hope that nobody was upset," Wilds told Masters. "I just think it left some more for the next season so you guys can tune in and watch.... Some of you guys were upset, but you'll get to see what happens next season. You know, we gotta keep the fans thirsty." As for the departure of Rob Estes from the CW drama's cast, Wild said that the change of focus will shine a light on another element of society. You'll see another part of American culture. It's the plight of the single mom," said the former Wire star. "You get to see what she goes through and how she copes with dealing with two kids and still trying to find a job and keep a house et cetera, et cetera. It'll be a very different dynamic, but it's still very, very true to life." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Chiwetel Ejiofor (Endgame), Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who), Sir Antony Sher (The Wolfman) and Stephen Rea (The Crying Game) have been cast in BBC Two's noir thriller The Shadow Line, from writer/director Hugo Blick (Sensitive Skin). Here's how Auntie Beeb is positioning the six-hour drama: "From the cop with a bullet in his brain, whose amnesia leaves him doubtful of his own moral compass; to the drug-lord driven by a profound personal tragedy, risking it all on one last deal; to the brilliantly lethal puppet-master who gradually emerges from the shadows to bring the story to its shocking climax – The Shadow Line explores the morality of these characters as they negotiate the repercussions of [drug baron Harvey] Wratten's death and attempt to navigate the fine line between right and wrong." (BBC)

In other BBC-related news, BBC Worldwide is set to launch more television channels within the US to complement BBC America, reports Variety's Steve Clarke. [Editor: While no details were given about the potential new digital offerings, one can't help but remember that the division wanted to spin off its BBC World News into a 24-hour news network and allow BBC America to focus solely on entertainment. Whether that is still part of the plan remains to be seen.] (Variety)

Comedy Central's Ugly Americans and Secret Girlfriend are heading across the pond to Fiver. (Variety)

Season Four of Hannah Montana--subtitled Hannah Montana Forever--will feature a slew of guest stars including Sheryl Crowe, Iyaz, Ray Liotta, Christine Taylor, Dr. Phil McGraw, Jay Leno, and Kelly Ripa. The final season begins July 11th. (Hollywood Reporter)

Disney Channel has slated telepic Den Brother, about a teenage hockey star who is suspended from play and then must step in as substitute leader for his younger brother's scout troup, for an August 13th debut, though the film will be available via Disney Channel on Demand beginning August 6th. Project is written by Jim Krieg (with story by Mike Horowitz) and directed by Mark Taylor. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Grifters and Drifters: Showtime Unveils New Weeds Season Six Poster

"Let's blow this joint."

The Botwins are hitting the road.

Season Six of Weeds begins next month and Showtime has issued a striking poster image for the sixth season, one that depicts Nancy, Silas, and Shane Botwin (along with Justin Kirk's Andy and Kevin Nealon's Doug) as yesteryear hoods, a la Atlantic City. (Nice touch with Shane holding onto that plot-twist-driven croquet mallet.)

A larger version of the poster can be found after the jump, along with the teaser trailer for Season Six of Weeds, just in case you missed it a few weeks back.





Season Six of Weeds kicks off on August 16th at 10 pm ET/PT on Showtime.

Channel Surfing: NBC Pulls Love Bites From Fall Sked, Gervais Offers Carell Office Advice, Neil Gaiman on Doctor Who, and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing. Just a few headlines to get through before the long Fourth of July weekend...

NBC has pulled romantic anthology Love Bites from the fall schedule, pushing it to midseason and using the Thursday at 10 pm timeslot to launch the latest iteration of Donald Trump's reality series The Apprentice. (The series will reportedly either be launched in January or November.) Allegedly the reasons behind the late-in-the-game move: creator Cindy Chupack's request to be relieved of showrunner duries (citing "personal issues"), the loss of Jordana Spiro (whose participation was in second position to TBS' My Boys), and the pregnancy of nominal series lead Becki Newton... who was playing a virgin on the series. (Which, you, know, was sort of a problem. The character will now be reimagined.) Production has been postponed by several weeks to iron out the above kinks. Meanwhile, NBC said that Chupack's decision was motivated by personal issues. "There was something going on with her privately, but it is not an illness, and definitely has to do with some personal stress she's dealing with," said an unnamed Peacock spokesperson. Chupack will remain on board the series as a writer and will work closely with Marc Buckland and Shelley McCrory. "Love Bites is incredibly important to me, and it's been gratifying that NBC feels the same," said Chupack in an official statement. "Launching an anthology series, which breaks the form in so many ways, is a huge undertaking, and I strongly feel that I can be most helpful not showrunning, but writing. … It's just become clear that for several reasons, some of them personal, this change (and a little more time) is what we need to launch this show properly." (Variety)

Elsewhere, NBC announced the return of The Apprentice to the lineup; longtime readers will recall that this iteration will focus on out of work candidates who are looking for a new lease on their careers. NBC was quick to point out that they still love Bites. "Everyone at the network loves Love Bites, but for a number of reasons, it now makes sense to showcase the comedic anthology series a little later in the new season," said Mitch Metcalf, Executive Vice President, Program Planning & Scheduling, NBC Entertainment. "We're extremely fortunate to have a potent show such as the new and contemporary version of Donald Trump's The Apprentice ready to step into the slot and keep our Thursday lineup moving forward from a position of strength." (via press release)

The Office creator Ricky Gervais has applauded Steve Carell's decision to leave The Office at the end of next season, according to a post on his personal blog. "It was expected of me, as executive producer, to persuade him to stay on," writes Gervais. "With syndication in full swing, the more successful the show remains, the more billions we all make. It was tempting, but the truth is, I believe he is doing the right thing. He’s fulfilled his contract and more, and is a huge film star now. (I knocked it on the head after 12 episodes and a Christmas special.) I’d be lying if I said he should do more. He shouldn’t. He should move on, continue to do great work, and buy a new house every time The Office is repeated somewhere." (via New York Times's Artbeat)

Neil Gaiman has confirmed that his upcoming episode of Doctor Who will air as the third episode of the new season, launching in 2011. While precious few details exist about the installment, entitled "The House Of Nothing," Gaiman did at least indicate that the episode, which is reportedly filming next month, will air early in the run. "I think I'll finish this draft of DR WHO (New season 6 episode 3) tonight," wrote Gaiman via Twitter. "A day ahead of schedule. Heavy lifting, but it's faster & better!" (via Digital Spy)

Variety's Michael Schneider takes a look at just what went wrong in the dealmaking between CBS and 20th Century Fox Television over Brett Ratner's drama pilot Chaos, which will not go ahead at the Eye for midseason, despite receiving a thirteen-episode order about a fortnight ago. "Twentieth Century Fox TV's Chaos should have been heading toward production on a midseason order for CBS right now," writes Schneider. "And if this were a few years ago -- pre-economic slowdown and pre-writers' strike -- then perhaps CBS and 20th would have had an easier time ironing out their differences. Instead, a deal between CBS and 20th Century Fox TV fell apart late Wednesday, and options for the show's actors were allowed to expire." The reason: economics. And before you ask: the series won't be jumping to another network as those all-important actor options expired earlier this week, freeing the talent to take other job opportunities. (Variety)

However, several other pilots do remain in contention for midseason as the options were quietly renewed for a handful of actors (though not the entire cast) on several pilots, including Wright Vs. Wrong, Awkward Situations for Men, Team Spitz, and HMS. (No go on Scott Porter-led Nomads, though.) With the exception of HMS, the other projects will shoot new pilots, with altered casts. (Deadline)

Glee's Jane Lynch is heading to Nickelodeon's iCarly, reports Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. Lynch, who will appear in an episode slated to air during the series' third season, will play the mother of Sam (Jennette McCurdy). (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

The Futon Critic is reporting that FX has scheduled new seasons of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The League, as well as new Shawn Ryan drama Terriers, for September, where they will join Sons of Anarchy on the lineup. (Futon Critic)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Blair Redford (Passions) has been cast in a recurring role on the CW's 90210, where he will play Oscar, described by an unnamed 90210 insider as "one part Talented Mr. Ripley, one part young Johnny Depp, and all parts sexy." [Editor: Because that doesn't sound like a publicist at all... ] 90210, which moves to Mondays this fall, returns on September 13th. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that ABC has signed a talent holding deal with Curb Your Enthusiasm's Cheryl Hines, under which she may reprise her role from comedy pilot Wright vs. Wrong opposite Debra Messing in the new version of the pilot. (Deadline)

Stay tuned.

Televisionary's Newest Culinary TV Obsession: BBC America's Come Dine With Me

It's rare that I encounter a new reality television series that is so fantastic and which doesn't take itself seriously to the point of being almost absurd that I instantly fall head over heels in love with it.

Yet that's just what happened with BBC America's culinary competition series Come Dine With Me, which launches next week. (A US version is in the works as well for 2011.) Any resistance I had melted away within seconds as I found myself engrossed in this hysterical and winsome series, which originally aired on Channel 4 in the UK.

It's hard to capture the magic of Come Dine With Me if you haven't seen it for yourself. The basic premise is this: four strangers come together for four nights of dinner parties at one another's homes, with each of them playing host on a particular night. These aren't professional chefs, but rather amateur home cooks who pride themselves on being refined hosts and hostesses and who are each eager to walk away not only with the bragging rights but also the cash prize that awaits the winner.

They'll pour wine, offer canapes, and devise a three-course menu that they'll serve their guests--assembled from a collection of eccentrics, ego-trippers, and gourmets, each of whom views themselves as the end-all-be-all in fine home dining--and attempt to negotiate the dangerous battlefield of dinner party conversation. The winner will be determined by the total highest score as the guests offer numbered ratings (from 1-10) for the evening. Look for frayed nerves, disastrous desserts, and bruised feelings before the week is out.

While the premise alone could be fun (imagine being a fly on the wall at a series of dinner parties attended by absolute strangers), but the true joy of watching Come Dine With Me comes from the wink, wink, nudge, nudge narration provided by veteran Dave Lamb, who not only fills in the gaps in exposition but also manages to say just what we're thinking at home.

It's Lamb--who also narrated British reality series How Clean Is Your House?-- who makes Come Dine With Me a delicious repast from start to finish, poking fun at the contestants and their quirks and deflating their rapidly ballooning egos by issuing a series of skewering comments.

Yes, this is a culinary series with bite and once you're hooked, it's impossible not to come back for a second helping. I hungrily devoured the five episodes that BBC America sent me for review and I'm already ravenous for more. (Luckily, there are, I believe, 22 episodes on tap for this season.)

Given the fact that I'm currently on the outs with Bravo's own culinary competition series, Top Chef, I can't help but notice that Come Dine With Me airs in the same timeslot as the granddaddy of cooking shows. If you're looking for a culinary competition series with a different flavor, I'd advise you to set your TiVos now for Come Dine With Me, which either makes the perfect appetizer for Top Chef or a sinfully delicious dessert. Just make sure you get yourself a taste.

Come Dine With Me Episode One: Bath



Come Dine With Me Episode Two: Swindon



Come Dine With Me launches Wednesday evening at 9 pm ET/PT on BBC America.

Rant: Dear Bravo, Please Stop The Obvious Editing on Top Chef

Gee, I wonder who was going to pack their knives last night?

Honestly, I was going to do a Top Chef culinary recap today, but I'm just not feeling it, especially after last night's episode ("Capitol Grill") fell into the same trap that recent episodes of Top Chef have (which I bemoaned last week at length).

I understand that we're in the early rounds right now and there are still a lot of contestants to cover but I've officially had it with the editing on Top Chef this season as within five minutes of each episode beginning, it's painfully obvious to anyone who has ever watched a reality competition series just who will be getting eliminated that week.

Is Top Chef about more than just who packs their knives and who walks away the winner that week? Sure. It's a culinary-themed competition and as a voracious foodie, I love watching the chefs at work. But it also can't lose sight of the fact that it's also a reality competition series and that much of tension derived from such a format emanates from the fact that someone will be going home that week.

To erase that possibility by cheating attention to the eliminated party and focusing on them throughout the episode denies the viewer that hook. I'll still be watching Top Chef and likely writing about it but this week the continued trend just irked me to such a degree that I can't bring myself to actually discuss the, you know, food.

Magical Elves and Top Chef editors: please get it together and stop tipping your hand at the top of every installment. I'm begging you.

Next week on Top Chef ("Room Service"), the chefs are tasked with creating baby food for Padma's newborn baby; later, the chefs are tested on their hospitality service.

San Diego Comic-Con 2010: CBS Announces Hawaii Five-O Details, TNT Brings Falling Skies

While the full schedule of events for San Diego Comic-Con 2010 is still somewhere in the ether, more details continue to emerge about several television-focused events planned for next month.

CBS today announces details for its Hawaii Five-O panel, scheduled for Friday, July 23rd in Room 6BCF. No Alex O'Loughlin, I'm afraid (sorry, Moonlight fans!) but on hand will be Daniel Dae Kim, Grace Park, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Peter Lenkov, and Len Wiseman to offer a sneak peek at the Hawaii Five-O pilot and an in-depth discussion of the series, launching his fall on CBS.

Elsewhere, TNT officially announced its panel for Steven Spielberg's alien invasion drama Falling Skies, set to take place Friday, July 23rd from 4:45-5:45 pm in Room 6A. Noah Wyle, Moon Bloodgood, and executive producer Mark Verheiden will be participating.

The official press releases from CBS and TNT announcing these panels can be found below.

"HAWAII FIVE-0" SAYS ALOHA TO COMIC-CON

Panel Session with Series' Stars and Creative Team on Friday, July 23
Kicks Off a Tsunami of H50 Celebrations
HOLLYWOOD, CA – July 1, 2010 — For the return of HAWAII FIVE-0, one of television's most iconic series, CBS has assembled a team of genre giants: Executive Producers Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci (Star Trek) and Peter Lenkov (R.I.P.D.), Director Len Wiseman (Underworld), and stars Daniel Dae Kim (Lost) and Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica). They'll be on site to celebrate all things H50 at this year's Comic-Con in San Diego.

FRIDAY, JULY 23 – THE PANEL

H50: ALOHA EARTH (10:15-11:15 AM, Room 6BCF) – Lost castaway found! Battlestar Cylon becomes human! Star Trek writers return from space! A supernatural force has drawn some of sci-fi's giants back to Earth – and they're all gathering on a beautiful and mysterious island in the Pacific. It's HAWAII FIVE-0, a modern day reimagining of one of television's most iconic classics. The epic series, one of the most anticipated new shows of the season, will explore the origins of the Five-0 team and build on an already rich mythology. Join Executive Producers Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci (Star Trek) and Peter M. Lenkov (24), Director Len Wiseman (Underworld), and stars Daniel Dae Kim (Lost) and Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica) for an exclusive sneak peek at the series and an in-depth discussion on how they plan to marry their genre sensibilities with a classic police procedural.

In addition to the H50 panel – where fans will have an opportunity to win three cast signed collector's surfboards -- there will be autograph signings by the cast and producers at the CBS Booth (# 4129), exclusive giveaways and a chance to win a vacation getaway to the filming location of H50 on the tropical and vibrant island of Oahu.

For the latest updates on all things HAWAII FIVE-0 and behind-the-scenes coverage of Comic-Con 2010, follow us at www.cbs.com/HawaiiFive0, www.twitter.com/HawaiiFive0CBS #H50 and www.twitter.com/CBSTweet.

TNT to Invade Comic-Con with FALLING SKIES,
Eagerly Anticipated Series from DreamWorks Television
And Executive Producer Steven Spielberg, Starring Noah Wyle
The resistance is coming to Comic-Con. TNT is going to give fans the very first look at the eagerly anticipated new series FALLING SKIES, from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg, starring Noah Wyle. The gripping drama series, slated to premiere in summer 2011, envisions a world where aliens have invaded, and the fate of humanity lies in the hands of a few survivors. Series stars Wyle (ER, TNT’s The Librarian movies) and Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation) will join co-executive producer and writer Mark Verheiden (Heroes, Battlestar Galactica) at Comic-Con for a Q&A panel session scheduled to take place Friday, July 23, from 4:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. (PT) in Room 6A. They will also be available for an autograph signing, time and location to be announced.

In FALLING SKIES, Wyle stars as a former college professor who becomes the leader of a group of soldiers and civilians struggling against an occupying alien force. Bloodgood co-stars as Anne Glass, a therapist who works with the surviving children to help them cope with the traumatic situation. The series also stars Drew Roy (Lincoln Heights) as Hal and Maxim Knight (Brothers & Sisters) as Matt, Tom’s two sons; and Seychelle Gabriel (Weeds) as Lourdes, an orphaned teenager who helps run the group’s commissary. Will Patton (Armageddon, TNT’s Into the West) plays a fierce leader of the resistance.

FALLING SKIES is executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, along with DreamWorks Television heads Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank and screenwriter Robert Rodat. Rodat, who earned an Oscar® nomination for his screenplay for Saving Private Ryan, wrote the pilot from an idea he co-conceived with Spielberg. Verheiden and Greg Beeman (Heroes, Smallville) are co-executive producers. The pilot was directed by Carl Franklin (One False Move, Out of Time).

TNT, one of cable’s top-rated networks, is television’s destination for drama. Seen in 99.6 million households, the network is home to such original series as The Closer, starring Kyra Sedgwick; Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton; and Dark Blue, starring Dylan McDermott; the upcoming Rizzoli & Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander; Memphis Beat, with Jason Lee; Men of a Certain Age, with Ray Romano, Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula; and Southland, from Emmy®-winning producer John Wells (ER). TNT also presents such powerful dramas as Bones, Supernatural, Las Vegas, Law & Order, CSI: NY, Cold Case and Numb3rs; broadcast premiere movies; compelling primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards®; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. The NCAA men’s basketball tournament will appear on TNT beginning in 2011. TNT is available in high-definition.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

Preaching to The Choir: Inside BBC America's Musical Reality Series

Have a song in your heart but missing Glee? Why not tune in next Wednesday evening for BBC America's latest British import, reality series The Choir?

The series follows boyish-looking choirmaster Gareth Malone as he recruits a choir from some rather unlikely places and launches next Wednesday evening here in the US. The thirteen episodes are broken down into three story pods--Northholt High School, Boys Don't Sing, and Unsung Town--each of which recounts Gareth's latest challenge in a new location. (Just think of them as three distinct mini-seasons of the same series.) Watch as Gareth tackles an average high school, an all-boys school, and a small town that's anything but a unified community. Can Gareth get these people to sing and to coalesce into a choir? Find out this summer.

Not won over yet? Here's what the British press had to say about this inspirational and uplifting series:

The Independent: "As profoundly a moving piece of television as has ever been made"

The Times: "One of the most enthralling, informative and uplifting reality series yet made"

The Express: “Gareth’s determination and belief has paid huge dividends, bringing together the community and transforming lives”

The Daily Mail: “This is another astonishing, inspiring and moving success story for the amazing Gareth Malone”

The Evening Standard: "Jamie Oliver might have changed school dinners with his TV series but Gareth Malone showed that we are more, much more than we eat."

The Daily Telegraph: "[A] compelling sociological experiment... Oh Gareth, how much more love can we give you? None for you have it all."

But just don't take their word for it. Check out two inside looks at The Choir, along with a three-plus-minute sneak peek at the series, below.

The Choir: Inside Look #1



The Choir: Inside Look #2



Sneak Peek: The Choir



The Choir premieres Wednesday, July 7th at 10 pm ET/PT on BBC America.

Channel Surfing: More on Party Down Cancellation, NBC Dumps Persons Unknown on Sats, Weeds, Big Love, and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

Following yesterday's brutal cancellation of Party Down, Hitfix's Alan Sepinwall talks to Party Down executive producer Rob Thomas about the cancellation of the Starz comedy. "No one on our side is particularly shocked by the news," Thomas told Sepinwall about the cancellation. "Frankly, the waiting has been excruciating, and there's a certain amount of relief in knowing and being able to move on." Thomas indicated that the series was heading towards a third season renewal before newly installed entertainment czar Chris Albrecht was brought in. "There's little to no doubt that we were going to get one until Chris came in," said Thomas. "But I do think if we had done better numbers, Chris would've kept us. I don't think Chris wanted to come in and clean house. I just don't think he had quite the emotional attachment that people who had been at Starz through the birth of the show had towards it." (Hitfix)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos also spoke briefly with Rob Thomas about the Party Down cancellation and learned that he's working on a new project. "I'm writing a drama pilot set in the world of corporate espionage for Showtime," Thomas told Dos Santos yesterday. [Editor: of course, that came out when Dos Santos asked Thomas about what was happening with a Veronica Mars feature film, so Neptune fans, I wouldn't keep holding our breaths on that one.] (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

If you're one of the few tuning in to NBC's serialized thriller, don't get too attached to watching Persons Unknown on Mondays. The Futon Critic is reporting that NBC is shifting Persons to Saturday evenings at 8 pm ET/PT beginning July 17th. Mondays will now how repeats of America's Got Talent at 8 pm, new episodes of Last Comic Standing at 9 pm, and Dateline at 10 pm. Persons Unknown will air its final Monday airing on July 5th. (Futon Critic)

SPOILER! Looking for some dirt on Showtime's Weeds, which returns August 16th? TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck talks to Weeds' Hunt Parrish about the sixth season, which finds the Botwins on the run. "Nancy would never leave her family behind so we're all on the run together. We pick up and move states. It's cool to see this family outside of their world," said Parrish. "We've only had one consistent set in the nine out of thirteen episodes we've shot so far [the Bowtin's RV]. We're filming on location a lot." Look for Nancy to move from pot into the hash business as well. (TV Guide Magazine)

ANOTHER SPOILER? Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello has some dish on the fifth season of HBO's Big Love. "The new season starts shooting July 13, and based on some fresh casting intel, we’ll be seeing a lotta fallout from the Henricksons’ 'outing' as polygamists’, especially at the elementary school some of the kids attend," writes Ausiello. "Maybe Bill will find a sympathetic ear in Richard Dwyer, the Majority Leader of the Utah State Senate and a new recurring character? On second thought, not likely, eh?" (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

The CW has announced its plans for fall, unveiling its autumn launch dates for new and returning series. Up first: America's Next Top Model, kicking off on Wednesday, September 8th, along with new drama Hellcats. The Vampire Diaries and Nikita kick off on Thursday, September 9th. 90210 and Gossip Girl return September 13th, One Tree Hill and Life Unexpected launch on Tuesday, September 14th, and Smallville and Supernatural return to the schedule on Friday, September 24th. (Variety)

SPOILER! TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that Harriet Sansom Harris (Frasier) will reprise her role as Felicia Tilman on ABC's Desperate Housewives next season as part of the return of Mark Moses' character Paul to the series. "We are definitely going to show Harriet on the show," an unnamed source confirmed to Keck. "We will be using her to clarify how Paul got out of jail." Felicia, after all, had faked her own death in order to point the finger of suspicion on Paul as revenge for Paul's murder of her sister, Martha Huber. "I had lunch with (series creator) Mark Cherry who gave me an idea of some of the fun stuff he wants Paul to do," Moses told Keck. "It's going to be a great run and very interesting to see which of the housewives still think Paul's guilty and which won't. And just why is he coming back to Wisteria Lane?" (TV Guide Magazine)

Heidi Klum and reality shingle LMNO Productions have teamed up to produce family reality series Seriously Funny Kids, which will, per Variety's Michael Schneider, "go on location to where the kids are and document their reactions to various scenarios." Project will be pitched to networks very soon. (Variety)

E! Online's Megan Masters talks to Bristol Palin about her guest role on ABC Family's Secret Life of the American Teenager. "I was excited to work with the cast and just to contribute to this show's message," Palin told E! Online's Masters. "I feel obligated [to speak out] because I've lived through this experience...the more I talk about it and the more I can be hands on about it, the better I feel about myself...'m not an actress. I'll leave that up to the experts, but I had a great time here. I don't think I'll be doing any more acting in the future." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared are coming back to television. Well, sort of. IFC has acquired syndication rights for the series, from executive producer Judd Apatow, and will begin airing Freaks and Geeks this Friday at 11 pm ET/PT (along with repeats on Sundays at 10 pm and Mondays at 11 pm), while Undeclared will bow in the fall. (IFC will also air a never-been-aired episode of Undeclared.) (Variety)

Following a successful grassroots campaign waged on Facebook, Travel Channel has saved reality series Three Sheets. The travel series, which follows Zane Lamprey on a beer quest, will shift from the now defunct Fine Living (which morphed into Cooking Channel) to Travel, which has acquired all back episodes and will begin screening new episodes as well. (Hollywood Reporter)

Sundance Channel has hired former Travel Channel executive Michael Klein as SVP of original programming and development. He'll report to Sarah Barnett and be based out of New York. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

UPDATED: Starz Ends the Party: Pay Cabler Axes Party Down

Looks like it's the end of the road for Party Down.

Despite critical acclaim and cult-like status among viewers, pay cabler Starz has cancelled Party Down after just two seasons.

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva broke the news of the series cancellation this morning, reporting that Starz had opted not to review Party Down and fellow Friday night lead-out Gravity, the latter of which aired for a single season.

"While the off-beat comedy has become an instant cult classic, I hear at the end of the day its appeal was deemed not wide enough to keep the show beyond its recently concluded Season 2," writes Andreeva, who goes on to say that Starz may make an official announcement later today about the fates of both series.

Sadly, it seems as though Party Down is in fact a goner, a decision that I believe to be myopic, foolhardy, and heartbreaking in equal measure, particularly as the series was starting to catch on with viewers thanks to Netflix's Instant Viewing function and DVD releases. But the series was, after all, developed by newly installed Starz czar Chris Albrecht's predecessor and the development exec, Bill Hamm, responsible for shepherding both series (along with breakout hit Spartacus) was let go earlier this year. (All of which I write about and presage in my Daily Beast feature from April here.)

UPDATE #1: It's now been confirmed by Starz: "After careful consideration, we’ve decided not to continue on with subsequent seasons of Party Down and Gravity,” said Stephan Shelanski, Starz's EVP of programming, in a statement. “We’re grateful to everyone involved in the shows, and are proud to have had them on the channel. Starz remains committed to aggressively expanding our original programming lineup."

UPDATE #2: I reached writer/executive producer John Enbom via email this morning to express my disappointment about the cancellation of Party Down and just received a very heartfelt reply from John as he leaves for vacation.

"What can we say? We are saddened the show won't be coming back and we won't get to spend another season with this wonderful cast and crew," wrote Enbom to me via email. "It's like being told your summer camp has been closed. But at the end of the day, we're still proud of our two seasons and grateful we had the chance to make them."

All I can say is: John, we're right there with you. For those of us who knew and loved the series, Party Down is going to be missed intensely.

What do you think of the news? Is Starz making a terrible mistake, even with several of the cast members now unavailable to film more than a handful of episodes? Should Party Down have gone on for a third season? Head to the comments section to discuss.

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts: I Am Now Officially a Friday Night Lights Convert

Confession time: I'm a recent convert to Friday Night Lights.

In the world of television, it's often necessary to make a judgment based on a pilot episode of a series. In fact, one job I held in Hollywood made it absolutely necessary to do just that: determine what would be a worthwhile series based on the pilot script and then the shot pilot. With financial investments on the line, it was imperative that one make a snap judgment based on a single episode of a series.

In a lot of cases, that initial judgment proves to be the correct one. But sometimes, the pilot doesn't quite match the full potential of the subsequent series.

When I originally watched the pilot for NBC's Friday Night Lights, it didn't click with me. I found it preachy, saccharine, riddled with some awkward dialogue, and placing far too much emphasis on the football aspect. I wrote off the series for a bit and then, when I heard about the creative struggles of Season Two, I opted not to go back and catch up.

How wrong I was.

Recently, I watched the entire 22-episode first season of Friday Night Lights in a handful of days, devouring the entire freshman season in the evenings and dreaming of Dillon at night. While the pilot and second episodes still failed to win me over, I persevered through those early episodes and found myself hooked on the series around the fourth installment.

What I had missed out on was a groundbreaking and emotionally resonant series that charted the ebbs and flows of life in a small Texas town. Revolving around a place where high school football was the focus, the residents of Dillon don't just see football as entertainment or sport but rather as an embodiment of Dream, an aspirational activity where the game becomes something akin to communion.

But Jason Katim's Friday Night Lights, while ostensibly about football, isn't really about the nitty-gritty aspects of the pigskin, instead using its importance in the town of Dillon to explore the relationships between the players, the audience, the cheerleaders, the teachers, and the students. Those who are obsessed with the game, those who avoid it, and those who find their fates inexorably intertwined with football itself: Eric and Tami Taylor (Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton), whose nuanced relationship marks one of the most realistic depictions of the joys and pains of marriage; their rebellious daughter Julie (Aimee Teegarden); and new starting quarterback Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford, perfectly cast here).

Then there was the way that Season One of Friday Night Lights handled the paralysis of star player Jason Street (Scott Porter). While most series would have written Jason off after the pilot, the season charted his own recovery, his attempt to regain use of his limbs, and the way that his fractured dreams impacted everyone around him, from his parents to devoted girlfriend Lyla (Minka Kelly) and best friend Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch). What developed was a painful and beautiful story of recovery in the face of adversity, of mistakes made, relationships broken, and new dreams created. Porter's compelling performance anchored the season in an unexpected and provocative way as Jason progressed through the difficult stages of acceptance of his new condition and its limitations.

It's a storyline that's built around hope and heartbreak in equal measure and that's true about Friday Night Lights as a whole, really. While the season plots the highs and lows of the Panther's season--from the shock of Jason's accident to their victory at the end of the season--it also follows the emotional state of the entire town as well.

Likewise, the season plunged headfirst into the relationship between Eric and Tami Taylor, setting both up as strong characters in their own right. What other series would take its central characters, in a committed marital relationship, and separate them in terms of space, sending Eric to TMU to pursue his dream of coaching college football while Tami remained--pregnant, no less--in Dillon so that she could continue to work with her high school kids as their guidance counselor and allow Julie to plant some roots in Dillon and continue dating Saracen, who had his own hands full caring for his grandmother, suffering from dementia, while his father served in Iraq.

It also tackled a number of controversial topics including steroid use, bi-polar disorder, pre-marital sex, rape, adultery, Katrina refugees, alcoholism, deadbeat parenting, dementia, the war in Iraq, quadriplegia, and much more, all within 22 episodes that, on the surface, seem to be about a high school football team on the road to the state championships.

It's the rare series that can make this jaded critic cry and yet I found myself wiping away tears during most episodes. That Friday Night Lights managed to do so without resorting to cheap sentimentality is a testament to both the writers and the talented cast, who completely embody these characters to the point that the cinema verite-style hand-held cameras aren't just capturing this drama but recording it as though it were a documentary. Characters cut each other off, talk over each other, and behave as though what's unfolding on the screen is reality, a reality that is impossible to look away from.

I could speak about Friday Night Lights all day, really. I'm perfectly willing to admit when I made an error and wrote off a series too early--though now I am struggling through the creatively uneven second season (and its ludicrous murder conspiracy plot)--but I know that there are much brighter spots ahead. I'll be blazing through the second, third, and fourth seasons all summer long and I'm happy to say that Dillon is a place that pulls me back after each episode, one that has not only captured my imagination but also my heart.

The Daily Beast: "Steve Carell to Leave The Office: End the Show"

Steve Carell made headlines earlier this week when he restated his intentions to leave The Office after the end of next season.

Over at The Daily Beast, I discuss why NBC should cancel The Office after Carell leaves rather than attempt to rejigger the ensemble cast or bring in a new manager for the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin.

You can read my latest piece, "Steve Carell to Leave The Office: End the Show" here.

Be sure to head to the comments section to discuss your own feelings about whether the creative spark has gone out at the once superb workplace comedy and what the network should do with the series post-Carell.

Channel Surfing: Elijah Wood Pets FX's Willard, Larry King to Leave CNN, Nestor Carbonell Gets Psych, Doctor Who, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings) will star opposite Jason Gann in the pilot for FX's US adaptation of Aussie comedy Wilfred, about a man and his talking dog, the latter of which will be voiced by Gann, the original creator of the series. Project hails from writer David Zuckerman (Family Guy) and director Randall Einhorn (The Office). Production is slated to begin this summer. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Larry King will be hanging up his trademark suspenders this fall after 25 years as the host of Larry King Live in order to spend more time with his family. The Los Angeles Times' Matea Gold and Yvonne Villarreal have a fantastic interview with King about his decision to leave CNN. "I said, 'I can't top this,'" King told the Times on Tuesday. "I'm not getting younger. I want more time with other things. It's time to go... The daily grind is tough. And there are aspects of it, you know, when you've got to do tabloid shows, which is the nature of the business, you've got to do the girl that's missing in Aruba. It's hard to make the case that that is major news, but that's what news is today. And my curiosity runs to that, but not nightly." (Los Angeles Times)

Fancast's Matt Mitovich is reporting that Nestor Carbonell (Lost) will join the cast of USA's Psych for a multiple-episode story arc, where he will play Declan Rand, described as "a criminal profiler who over the course of two episodes will shape up to be Shawn’s professional – as well as romantic – rival." Season Five of Psych will launch July 14th on USA. (Fancast)

SPOILER! Doctor Who showrunner/head writer Steven Moffat has teased details about next season of the sci-fi drama, which stars Matt Smith and Karen Gillan. The secret behind just what that voice meant by "silence will fall" will be explored in the new season of Doctor Who, which will air in 2011 (after a Christmas Special, confirmed last weekend by BBC). "What is that, who is that, who are the silence, what's coming? The whole point of the silence is next series," Moffat told Doctor Who Confidential "Also, River Song... who is she really? That's what we're going to find out next year." (Digital Spy)

TVGuide.com's Adam Bryant has some details about the new season of AMC's Mad Men via an exclusive video that goes behind the scenes of the new promos to tease some precious morsels about what to expect during Season Four of the period drama. "I wanted to have a continuity of these characters and things that are happening to them ... and don't pretend like that they didn't happen," creator/executive producer Matthew Weiner said. "At the same time, be prepared for the fact that [for] a lot of the things that happened, you're going to have to watch and see how they worked out." (TVGuide.com)

Emily VanCamp has confirmed her departure from ABC's Brothers & Sisters via an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. "It is true. I’m going to go back for a couple of episodes, which I’m really excited about," VanCamp told Ausiello. "I really feel like Rebecca has run her course. And the deal I was offered this year was for two more years and I just felt like since renegotiations were happening that maybe it would be the right time to move on. I’ve been doing this for a very long time and other opportunities have presented themselves that I haven’t been able to do. I’ve had such an amazing four years on the show and I felt like maybe it was time. It was a big risk but I’m really excited about it." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

It's official: after weeks of negotiations, A&E has ordered thirteen episodes of drama Breakout Kings, which had been previously set up at FOX. Production will begin this fall on the episodic commitment and will air in 2011 on the cabler. "We are thrilled to collaborate with accomplished talents such as Matt and Nick, as well as Peter Chernin and Katherine Pope; with phenomenal track records of success," said Bob DeBitetto, President and General Manager of A&E and BIO Channel, in a statement. "As soon as we screened the Breakout Kings pilot, it struck us as the perfect fit for A&E as the network of 'Real Life. Drama.'" Series stars Laz Alonso, Domeick Lombardozzi, Malcolm Goodwin, Jimmi Simpson, and Brooke Nevin. (via press release)

SPOILER! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Mitch Pileggi will be returning for a multiple-episode story arc on the CW's Supernatural, where he will reprise his role as Sam and Dean's presumed dead grandfather. How is Gramps returning from the dead? “For one thing, he’s a Campbell — from Sam and Dean’s mom’s side of the family,which, unlike their dad’s, has actually been into hunting for a very long time,” executive producer Sera Gamble told Ausiello. "There’s a whole side of Sam and Dean’s history that they know nothing about. We’ll get to find out a bit about it this season." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Claire Forlani and Peter Mooney have been cast in Starz's upcoming medieval drama Camelot from writers Michael Hurst and Chris Chibnall. Forlani will play Queen Igraine, the mother of Arthur (Jamie Campbell Bower), while Mooney will play Kay, Arthur's brother. [Editor: you might recall that Forlani was previously attached to Showtime's upcoming comedy Episodes but was replaced by Tamsin Greig.] The rest of the cast includes Joseph Fiennes, Eva Green, and Tamsin Egerton; Camelot is slated to launch in early 2011. (Deadline)

SPOILER! TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that a new baddie is headed to Mystic Falls on the CW's Vampire Diaries next season and talks to executive producer Julie Plec about this mysterious addition to the Lockwood clan. "Our big new addition is Mason Lockwood, the mayor's much younger and cooler brother, who has been estranged from the family," Plec told Keck. "His return introduces a lot of questions about what is so special about that creepy Lockwood family." (TV Guide Magazine)

Nickelodeon's Nicktoons has ordered 22 episodes of animated series Rush Zone: Guardians of the Core, which is based on NFL's website NFLRush Zone and which will feature the voices of NFL players and coaches in segments approximately two to five minutes in length. (Variety)

UK viewers will get to see the revamped CBS drama Hawaii Five-O following a deal between CBS Television Studios and Virgin Media's Bravo, which secured pay television, Freeview, and digital rights to the Alex O'Loughlin starrer. (Broadcast)

Oxygen has snagged the off-network cable rights to FOX's Glee while USA has done the same for ABC comedy Modern Family; both series will debut on their respective channels beginning in 2013. As part of the Glee deal, Oxygen will also air an unscripted reality series that will depict the search for a new cast member, a series that was originally intended to air on FOX before the network scrapped it. According to Variety's Michael Schneider, "Oxygen is expected to produce the "Glee" reality show, with reality producers experienced in reality competitions likely to be hired." (Variety)

Elsewhere, Style has acquired rerun rights to Run's House and spinoff Daddy's Girls, the former of which will begin airing its second window beginning tonight. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

San Diego Comic-Con 2010: WBTV Announces Full Programming Slate

Warner Bros. Television today announced their full programming slate for San Diego Comic-Con 2010, taking place in just a few weeks now.

Among the offerings, Warner Bros. Television will host panels for The Big Bang Theory, Chuck, Fringe, Human Target, Nikita, Smallville, Supernatural, V (which I'll be moderating, in fact), The Vampire Diaries, Children's Hospital, Unnatural History, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, MAD, and Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated. (Whew.)

I can also now officially announce that the V panel I'll be moderating--which will feature Elizabeth Mitchell, Morris Chestnut, Joel Gretsch, Logan Huffman, Laura Vandervoort, Charles Mesure, Morena Baccarin, Scott Wolf and executive producers Scott Rosenbaum and Steve Pearlman--will be taking place Saturday from 2:30-3:15 pm in Ballroom 20. (Hope to see you there!)

Earlier that day, be sure to stop by Ballroom 20 at 10 am for the Chuck panel, which will feature Josh Schwartz, Chris Fedak, Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Joshua Gomez, Ryan McPartlin, Mark Christopher Lawrence, Vik Sahay, Scott Krinsky, Sarah Lancaster, and Adam Baldwin.

The full Warner Bros. Television Comic-Con 2010 lineup can be found below, along with panel descriptions and times/locations as well as talent participants.

WARNER BROS. TELEVISION GROUP MAKES COMIC-CON 2010 ITS
BIGGEST EVER, HEADING FOR SAN DIEGO WITH A
STUDIO-RECORD 14 SERIES

Stars and Producers of “The Big Bang Theory,” “Chuck,” “Fringe,”
“Human Target,” “Nikita,” “Smallville,” “Supernatural,” “V,”
“The Vampire Diaries,” “Childrens Hospital,” “Unnatural History,”
“Batman: The Brave and the Bold,” “MAD” and
“Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated” to Appear

Warner Bros. Entertainment’s Nearly 3,000-Square-Foot Booth to
Host Signings, Video Game Demos, Numerous Giveaways and
More During the Convention
BURBANK, Calif. (June 29, 2010) – Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) is returning to Comic-Con International: San Diego in unprecedented fashion in 2010. A star-studded lineup of performers, producers and other members of the creative teams of a record 14 series from Warner Bros. Television, Warner Horizon Television and Warner Bros. Animation will be on-hand for panel sessions, screenings, media appearances and autograph signings. This will mark the largest contingent of talent from WBTVG ever assembled for the world’s leading pop culture convention. (In 2009, WBTVG featured 12 television series at Comic-Con.)

For continuing info on the Studio’s plans at Comic-Con, please follow us on Twitter @TheWBdotcom, hashtag #WBSDCC. For the second year in a row, WBTVG will also produce a Con-related online destination at www.thewb.com/comiccon, launching in mid-July. For a complete social media contact list, including official Facebook pages and Twitter feeds for WBTVG series, talent and producers, download the social media contacts page here: www.thewb.com/comiccon/2010WBTVGSocialMediaContacts

Series stars and creative teams scheduled to attend include:

“The Big Bang Theory”: Stars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar join creators/executive producers Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady for a session moderated by Wil Wheaton

“Chuck”: Stars Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Joshua Gomez, Ryan McPartlin, Mark Christopher Lawrence, Vik Sahay, Scott Krinsky, with Sarah Lancaster and Adam Baldwin join creators/executive producers Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak

“Fringe”: Stars Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown and Jasika Nicole join executive producers Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman

“Human Target”: Stars Mark Valley, Chi McBride and Jackie Earle Haley join executive producer Matthew Miller

“Nikita”: Stars Maggie Q (“Mission: Impossible III”), Shane West (“ER”) and Lyndsy Fonseca (“Kick-Ass”) join executive producer Craig Silverstein (“Bones”)

“Smallville”: Series stars to be announced join executive producers Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson

“Supernatural”: Series stars to be announced join executive producers Sera Gamble and Ben Edlund, and creator/executive producer Eric Kripke

“V”: Stars Elizabeth Mitchell, Morris Chestnut, Joel Gretsch, Logan Huffman, Laura Vandervoort, Charles Mesure, with Morena Baccarin and Scott Wolf join executive producers Scott Rosenbaum and Steve Pearlman

“The Vampire Diaries”: Stars Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Michael Trevino and Matt Davis join executive producers/writers Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec

“Childrens Hospital”: Creator/executive producer/star Rob Corddry (“Hot Tub Time Machine,” “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”) and executive producer Jon Stern (“The Ten,” “Scotland, PA”) join series stars Lake Bell (“How to Make It in America”), Erinn Hayes (“Parenthood,” “Worst Week”) and Rob Huebel (“Human Giant”). A website for the series will go live July 6 here: www.adultswim.com/shows/childrenshospital

“Unnatural History”: Stars Kevin G. Schmidt (“Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel”), Jordan Gavaris (“Degrassi: The Next Generation”), Italia Ricci (“Greek”) and Martin Donovan (“Weeds”) join creator/executive producer Mike Werb

“Batman: The Brave and the Bold”: Voice of Batman Diedrich Bader joins executive producer Sam Register, producers James Tucker and Michael Jelenic, and voice director Andrea Romano

“MAD”: New “MAD” animated television series producer/story editor Kevin Shinick (“Robot Chicken”) and Warner Bros. Animation executive Peter Girardi join MAD Magazine editor John Ficarra, art director Sam Viviano, legendary artist Sergio Aragones and contemporary artist Tom Richmond

“Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated”: Supervising producers Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone join producer Mitch Watson and art director Dan Krall

WARNER BROS. TELEVISION GROUP
CONFIRMED COMIC-CON 2010
PANEL DESCRIPTIONS

WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2010

6:00–9:00 p.m. Special Sneak Peek Pilot Screenings – Comic-Con and Warner Bros. Television are proud to continue the tradition of presenting exclusive screenings of some of the most buzzed-about new television series of the upcoming season. For Comic-Con 2010, WBTV will offer multiple screenings of the premiere episode of the highly anticipated action hour Nikita, along with additional special video presentations. Ballroom 20

In the sexy and suspenseful series starring international action star Maggie Q (Mission: Impossible III) in the title role, Nikita has gone rogue. Division is an ultra-secret government agency whose operatives are recruited young people with severed ties to family, friends and society and who are trained to be invisible assassins. No one ever leaves Division – except the charming and deadly Nikita, who has managed to escape, making it her mission to undermine the now-corrupt organization. A force to be reckoned with, the rogue Nikita taunts Division, staying on their radar, but always one step ahead. Yet as determined as Nikita is to bring down her former agency, there are those just as determined to stop her, including Division's newest recruit Alex, a beautiful young woman who seems destined to replace Nikita as their next top operative.

In addition to Maggie Q, Nikita stars Lyndsy Fonseca (Kick-Ass), Shane West (ER), Aaron Stanford (X2: X-Men United), with Melinda Clarke (The O.C.) and Xander Berkeley (24). The executive producers are Craig Silverstein (Bones), Danny Cannon (the CSI series), McG (Supernatural) and Peter Johnson (Supernatural). From Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television, Nikita will air Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on The CW. Become a fan of the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nikita.


THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010

5:00–6:00 p.m. Childrens Hospital Screening and Q&A – Check out the Childrens Hospital panel and hear from the show’s creative team led by Rob Corddry (Hot Tub Time Machine, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) and Jon Stern (producer of The Ten and Scotland, PA). They will be joined by members of their ensemble cast of comedic heavyweights, including Lake Bell (How to Make It in America, It’s Complicated), Erinn Hayes (Parenthood, Worst Week) and Rob Huebel (I Love You Man, Human Giant). Childrens Hospital explores the emotional struggles and sexual politics of a group of doctors charged with healthy libidos. Their dedication to their personal lives is relentless, interrupted only by the occasional need to treat sick children. Room 25ABC

FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2010

10:30–11:30 a.m. Batman: The Brave and the Bold Screening and Q&A – The Caped Crusader swings back into San Diego as Batman: The Brave and the Bold returns to Comic-Con for its third consecutive year with an advance screening of an upcoming episode, as well as a lively discussion with voice of Batman Diedrich Bader (Surf's Up), executive producer Sam Register (Teen Titans), producers James Tucker (Justice League Unlimited) and Michael Jelenic (The Batman), and voice director Andrea Romano (Superman Doomsday). As a special bonus for fans, the panel will also screen the world-premiere trailer for the upcoming and highly anticipated Cartoon Network/Warner Bros. Animation series Young Justice. Don’t miss this Comic-Con exclusive. From Warner Bros. Animation, Batman: The Brave and the Bold airs Fridays at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold – Season 1, Part 1 will be released on DVD August 17. Become a fan of the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/batmanbraveandbold. Room 6A

12:45–1:45 p.m. The Big Bang Theory Screening and Q&A – It’s “Anything Can Happen Friday” at Comic-Con as The Big Bang Theory – which kicks off a new night of comedy on Thursdays for CBS this fall – returns to San Diego with a special screening and a Q&A featuring the show’s creators and stars. Resident Big Bang alum Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation) will moderate a lively discussion featuring executive producers Chuck Lorre (Two and a Half Men) and Bill Prady (Dharma & Greg), as well as series stars Johnny Galecki (Roseanne), Jim Parsons (Garden State), Kaley Cuoco (Charmed), Simon Helberg (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story) and Kunal Nayyar (NCIS). From Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television, The Big Bang Theory will air Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT this fall on the CBS Television Network, and The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Third Season will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on September 14. Become a fan of the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheBigBangTheory and follow The Big Bang Theory on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BigBang_CBS. Ballroom 20

SATURDAY, JULY 24, 2010

10:00–10:45 a.m. Chuck Screening and Q&A – Chuck returns to Comic-Con! Join executive producers and co-creators Josh Schwartz (Gossip Girl) and Chris Fedak, along with series stars Zachary Levi (Alvin and the Chipmunks), Yvonne Strahovski (upcoming The Killer Elite), Joshua Gomez (Without a Trace), Ryan McPartlin, Mark Christopher Lawrence (The Pursuit of Happyness), Vik Sahay (Good Will Hunting), Scott Krinsky (The O.C.) with Sarah Lancaster (upcoming The Good Doctor) and Adam Baldwin (Serenity) for their usual hijinks – a Q&A to discuss the upcoming season four (made possible by the devoted fanbase) and a special video presentation. Produced by Fake Empire, Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television, Chuck airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC, and Chuck: The Complete Third Season will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on September 7. Become a fan of Chuck on Facebook at www.facebook.com/chuck and follow the show on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nbcchuck. Ballroom 20

10:00–11:00 a.m. Mad About MAD! – MAD Magazine has established itself as the original and most imitated and influential satirical publication across generations. This fall, MAD returns to TV screens with MAD, a new show for the next generation! Come join MAD Magazine editor John Ficarra, MAD art director Sam Viviano, legendary MAD artist Sergio Aragones, contemporary MAD artist Tom Richmond, MAD story editor/producer Kevin Shinick and the panel’s host, Peter Girardi (Senior Vice President, Series & Alternative Animation, at Warner Bros. Animation, the producers of the upcoming MAD animated television program), for a light-hearted look at the future of an American institution. Room 7AB

2:30–3:15 p.m. V Screening and Q&A – The cast and creative team behind this thrilling drama series about the world’s first alien encounter make their return to Comic-Con. V series stars Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost), Morris Chestnut (Boyz n the Hood), Joel Gretsch (The 4400), Logan Huffman (America), Laura Vandervoort (Smallville), Charles Mesure (Xena: Warrior Princess) with Morena Baccarin (Firefly) and Scott Wolf (Go) will join executive producers Scott Rosenbaum (Chuck, The Shield) and Steve Pearlman (Related) for a Q&A session with fans and to screen a special highlight reel from the show’s first season. From HDFilms in association with Warner Bros. Television, V will return midseason on ABC, and V: The Complete First Season will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD this fall. Become a fan of V on Facebook at www.facebook.com/V and follow the show on Twitter at www.twitter.com/VonABC. Ballroom 20

3:15–4:00 p.m. Fringe Screening and Q&A – Fringe returns to Comic-Con as Lance Reddick and Blair Brown make their first appearance at the convention, joining fellow series stars Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble and Jasika Nicole, and executive producers Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman for a Q&A with fans and an exclusive video presentation. Join the discussion of this critically acclaimed thriller, which explores the ever-blurring line between science fiction and reality, where hybrid monsters tear through sewers, thieves walk through walls and portals open to worlds unknown. From Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, Fringe airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on FOX, and Fringe: The Complete Second Season will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on September 14. Become a fan of Fringe on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Fringe and follow the show on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FRINGEonFOX. Ballroom 20

4:15–5:00 p.m. The Vampire Diaries Screening and Q&A – The cast and creative team behind The Vampire Diaries return to take a bite out of Comic-Con! Series stars Nina Dobrev (Degrassi: The Next Generation), Paul Wesley (Roll Bounce), Ian Somerhalder (Lost), Michael Trevino (Cane) and Matt Davis (Blue Crush) join executive producers/writers Kevin Williamson (Scream) and Julie Plec (Kyle XY) to show fans a fang-tastic season one highlight reel, followed by a Q&A session. This edgy, romantic drama quickly became the number one series on The CW in its first season. The Vampire Diaries director/co-executive producer Marcos Siega (Dexter) will moderate the panel. From Bonanza Productions Inc., Outerbanks Entertainment and Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios, The Vampire Diaries will return for its second season this fall, airing Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW, and The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD August 31. Become a fan of The Vampire Diaries on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thevampirediaries and follow the show on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CW_VampDiaries. Ballroom 20

5:15–6:15 p.m. Nikita Pilot Screening and Q&A – Comic-Con has gone rogue! International action star Maggie Q (Mission: Impossible III) stars in this sexy and suspenseful series as an agent who has escaped from the ultra-secretive and corrupt government agency that trained her to be an assassin … and then betrayed her. Come catch a sneak peek screening of this action-packed thriller, and join Maggie, series stars Shane West (ER) and Lyndsy Fonseca (Kick-Ass), and executive producer Craig Silverstein (Bones) for an inside look at one of the most anticipated new shows of the fall season. From Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television, Nikita will air Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on The CW. Become a fan of the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nikita. Room 6BCF

6:15–7 p.m. Human Target Screening and Q&A – Based upon the popular DC Comics title, Human Target is an action-packed thrill ride about a mysterious private contractor who will stop at nothing to keep his clients alive – even if it means literally becoming a “human target.” The series moves to a new night – Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FOX – this fall, and executive producer Matthew Miller (Chuck) will join series stars Mark Valley (Fringe), Chi McBride (Pushing Daisies) and Jackie Earle Haley (A Nightmare on Elm Street) for a Q&A with fans and to screen a special video presentation. Human Target is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Wonderland Sound and Vision, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Television. Human Target: The Complete First Season will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD September 21. Become a fan of Human Target on Facebook at www.facebook.com/humantarget and follow the show on Twitter at www.twitter.com/HumanTargetFOX. Room 6BCF

SUNDAY, JULY 25, 2010

10:00–11:00 a.m. Smallville Screening and Q&A – Comic-Con favorite Smallville returns for its last visit to Comic-Con in advance of the show’s 10th and final season. Series stars to be announced join executive producers Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson to talk about the year ahead, answer fan questions and give an exclusive sneak peek at clips from the final season. From Tollin/Robbins Productions, Millar/Gough Ink in association with Warner Bros. Television, Smallville airs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW. Smallville: The Complete Ninth Season will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on September 7. Become a fan of the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/smallville. Ballroom 20

11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. Supernatural Screening and Q&A – Join Supernatural cast members to be announced, executive producers Sera Gamble (Eyes) and Ben Edlund (Angel), and creator/executive producer Eric Kripke (Boogeyman) for an exclusive sneak peek at footage from the highly anticipated sixth season of this thrill-ride series, which moves to a new day – Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on The CW – this fall. The panel will answer questions from the audience and also show a portion of the special features from the upcoming Supernatural: The Complete Fifth Season DVD and Blu-ray™ release, in stores September 7. Supernatural is produced by Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television. Become a fan of the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Supernatural and follow Supernatural on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CW_Supernatural. Ballroom 20

1:00–2:00 p.m. Unnatural History Episode Screening and Q&A – Join the adventure! Cartoon Network’s first live-action mystery series, Unnatural History, journeys to San Diego for its Comic-Con debut. Unnatural History chronicles the adventures of Henry Griffin, a teenager with extraordinary skills acquired while traveling the world with his anthropologist parents. His unique abilities come in handy when he moves to Washington D.C. – and begins exploring the mysteries of a charter high school within the National Museum Complex. Fans will be treated to a premiere screening of a never-before-seen episode, as well as a Q&A with series stars Kevin G. Schmidt (Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel), Jordan Gavaris (Degrassi: The Next Generation), Italia Ricci (Greek) and Martin Donovan (Weeds) as well as creator/executive producer Mike Werb (The Mask, Face/Off). From Warner Horizon Television, Unnatural History airs Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network. Become a fan of the show at www.facebook.com/UnnaturalHistory. Room 6BCF

2:15–3:15 p.m. Scooby-Doo Screening and Q&A – Those meddling teens are at it again! Find out what Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, Velma and, of course, Scooby-Doo are up to with a sneak peek at upcoming titles from this beloved family franchise. Join supervising producers Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone (both Duck Dodgers), producer Mitch Watson (Ben 10: Race Against Time) and art director Dan Krall (Coraline) as they screen a never-before-seen episode of the new Cartoon Network/Warner Bros. Animation series Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated (airing Mondays at 7 p.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network) and take fan questions. Additionally, they will unveil the trailer to Warner Home Video’s upcoming all-new original animated movie Scooby-Doo! Camp Scare (release date: September 14) and will provide fans with a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s forthcoming Scooby-Doo! and the Spooky Swamp videogame, coming September 14. Panel attendees will be served a full course of all things Scooby-Doo, as they will also hear about additional upcoming Scooby-related projects from Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. Consumer Products. Room 6BCF

Channel Surfing: Steve Carell Confirms Office Departure, Janeane Garofalo Circles Criminal Minds, Being Human Lands Sam Witwer, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Steve Carell has confirmed that he will leave NBC comedy The Office following the conclusion of next season, the series' seventh. "I just think it's time," Carell told E! Online's Kristina Guerrero while promoting his new film Despicable Me. "I want to fulfill my contract. When I first signed on I had a contract for seven seasons, and this coming year is my seventh. I just thought it was time for my character to go... It doesn't certainly mean the end of the show. I think it's just a dynamic change to the show, which could be a good thing, actually. Add some new life and some new energy... I see it as a positive in general for the show." Carell pointed to the series' ensemble cast and the strength of the writers and didn't seem to feel that his departure would negatively affect The Office at all. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Wait, what? Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Janeane Garofalo (24) is in talks to join the cast of CBS' Criminal Minds spinoff, currently entitled Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, where she will play an agent in the FBI's Behavior Analysis Unit overseen by Forest Whitaker's Sam Cooper. Garofalo had previous been attached to star in the untitled Hannah Shakespeare/John Wells medical drama pilot, which failed to receive a series order at CBS. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

In other casting news, Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Sam Witwer (Smallville) has signed on to star in Syfy's US adaptation of Being Human as vampire Aidan. Meanwhile, Meaghan Rath (The Assistants) is said to have reportedly signed a deal to play Molly, the flat's resident ghost, while Sam Huntington (Cavemen) is "up for the role of werewolf Josh." (Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello)

ABC Family has ordered twelve additional episodes of nighttime teen soap Pretty Little Liars, bringing the episodic commitment this season to 22 installments. (Variety)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva talks to Robert Greenblatt about his future plans following the end of his contract as president of entertainment at Showtime. "I had been wrestling with [the issue] for the last couple of months until I came to the decision that it was the time to move on,” said Greenblatt. "I don’t have any specific plans, I’m not in negotiations on anything, and I don’t have anything lined up." But don't look for Greenblatt to segue back into producing again. "Producing is a lonely, difficult work, and I’m not sure that’s where I’m headed. I’m leaning more towards an executive job at the moment," he said. "It’s all about innovating, building or rebuilding something. I don’t feel like walking into a place that needs a new head. It needs to be a place where I have to rethink the whole system; I’m very entrepreneurial.” (Deadline)

[Editor: meanwhile, Variety's Cynthia Littleton also has an interview with Greenblatt about the legacy he leaves behind at Showtime. "The degree to which we were able to break through the clutter with some programming that people seem to really love," said Greenblatt when asked about his major achievements at the pay cabler. "I've always tried to be innovative, going back to the Fox days (as a programming exec), and certainly as a producer. To be given this platform to reinvent it the way I saw fit was just such an extraordinary gift. And then to see the shows embraced the way they have been is just the icing on the cake."]

Variety's Cynthia Littleton also talks to inbound entertainment president David Nevins and chairman/CEO Matthew Blank about the transition. "With a tremendous batch of new stuff coming over the next year, David has the luxury of getting involved with those shows and looking around for the best new material that would take us forward in a way that is tune with his sensibility," Blank told Littleton. "One of the luxuries of the premium TV business is that we don't have a development season per se. David doesn't have to be ready to go with X number of pilots by any particular date." (Variety)

A&E is said to be in talks with 20th Century Fox Television to order thirteen episodes of FOX pilot Breakout Kings, which revolves around a federal fugitive apprehension program that is staffed with convicts. Project is created by Matt Olmstead and Nick Santora. (Variety)

Meanwhile, Deadline's Nellie Andreeva reports that FOX has ordered two additional scripts for comedy Breaking In, after the network passed on ordering the Christian Slater and Bret Harrison-led pilot to series. Studio Sony Pictures Television will extend the options on the actors, which--as Andreeva points out--will prevent Harrison from being in the running to take over the male lead on NBC's Perfect Couples, which is recasting. (Deadline)

TVGuide.com's Gina DiNunno has an interview with Louis C.K. ahead of tonight's premiere for his new FX comedy, Louie. "It's kind of like an autobiographical fiction," said C.K. of the new series. "It's like I'm playing myself, but none of these things have happened to me. Like I have a brother on the show, but I don't in reality. I just thought it would be interesting to have a one for a little while." (TVGuide.com)

SPOILER! TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck talks to Calista Flockhart and Brothers & Sisters executive producer David Marshall Grant about what the future holds for Flockhart's widowed Kitty. "It will be a little challenging for her," said Grant, who indicated that the action will begin a year after the death of Rob Lowe's Robert. "She might be seeing the kinds of guys that she didn't normally date, and I'm sure she'll have a date from hell." Flockhart added that she's sad to lose Lowe but said that Kitty won't be siting at home alone. "I don't think Kitty will be single for that long," she told Keck. "She'll have lots of guys — at least I hope." (TV Guide Magazine)

Executive shuffle: former ABC Studios executive Morgan Wandell has left Berlanti Television after two years, following the conclusion of his contract with the company. He will remain an executive producer on ABC's No Ordinary Family and will continue to develop projects. His responsibilities will be taken over at Berlanti Television by Melissa Berman. (Deadline)

Stay tuned.

Turn of the Screw: Into the Darkness on True Blood

Having originally watched the third episode of True Blood's third season over a month ago, it's been impossible to scrub that final image from my memory.

Now that the episode has aired, it's rather likely that you too now have that same problem. The final scene of the episode ("It Hurts Me Too"), written by Alexander Woo and directed by Michael Lehmann, might just be one of the most disturbing images ever to air on television and I can promise that it will sit with you a long time after the final credits have rolled on this week's installment.

True Blood has long been an exploration of how the characters cling to or cast off their humanity and the tenuous thread that often keeps these supernatural entities bound to their mortal lives. While the final scene was graphic and, yes, twisted, it was also an absolutely necessary stepping stone for one character as he came face to face with what he despised about both his maker and himself... and the lengths he was willing to go to in order to hold onto the one thing he loves above all else.

It might just be the twist heard round the world.

So what did I think of this week's episode? Let's discuss.

As if last season weren't dark enough, Season Three of True Blood looks to push its diverse group of characters even deeper into the darkness and into some mighty uncomfortable places as they take a long, hard look at the state of their souls. Both Bill and Tara this week were pushed further into the darkness, each coming face to face with a potentially soul-killing moment that can either define them for the rest of their days... or which they can pull back from.

If anything, True Blood has shown us that there is no black and white, not even in death. Actions can be recovered from, moral lines uncrossed, and one's soul saved even after abhorrent, terrible behavior, so long as one chooses to live in the (metaphorical) light.

Bill. Throughout his vampiric life, Bill has walked a fine line between good and evil, between casting off his humanity and clinging to it tightly. Sookie reawakened in him emotions long dormant and a real possibility of happiness... but it might be one that's short-lived. Sookie's long-term survival depends on his alliance with Russell Edgington. If he doesn't pledge fealty to the King of Mississippi, his next move will be to bring Sookie to his palatial estate and make her Lorena's dinner.

Bill's alliance, therefore, is intended to ensure Sookie lives, even if it comes at the cost of his own humanity. Throughout the series, Bill has been presented as a man of his word and the decision to leave Sophie-Anne's service and pledge his loyalty to Russell isn't an easy one but it's made all the more calculated because of the risk that Sookie faces if he doesn't agree. His love for Sookie and her happiness comes above all else. Even the last vestiges of his humanity, sacrificed at the end of the episode in a brutal scene with Lorena that displays just how far Bill is willing to go in order to keep his fiancee safe.

Lorena taught him a lesson early on that true love for a human meant staying away from them, to build a barrier between their mundane world and the vampire's supernatural existence. In falling in love with Sookie, he crossed that parapet once more and opened himself up to the possibility of happiness with a human. According to Lorena, that relationship by definition must be brief. He will destroy her in the end and he can't hope to bring her anything but ruin and despair, just as he did by going back to see his mortal wife Caroline.

Arriving to discover both his children gone, Bill finds a Caroline who is nothing like he remembers, more animal than human, a haunted, grief-striven widow who said goodbye to her husband years before when the war ended and he never came home. What appears in her home that night isn't her husband but a demon wearing his skin, a thing that weeps blood and isn't stopped by a shotgun blast to the shoulder. The kindest thing he can do, according to Lorena, is make her forget. (And to bury their son.)

It's a somber scene that recalls the scene earlier this season in which Bill fed on Olivia, the elderly woman with the oxygen tank, before making her forget their encounter and granting her a happy memory instead of her errant son. Here, Caroline isn't given anything to replace their encounter but she escapes with what's left of her life, condemned to live out the rest of her days in solitude, surrounded--just like Bill--by Death.

All of which runs through Bill's mind as he gives into the darkness and plunges his teeth into Lorena, punishing them both for what she's made him and what he's become. Their sex isn't pleasant but painful, a gruesome encounter behind those doors of silver in which Bill twists her head around in a corkscrew shape, a terrible vengeance that's all the more horrific because he can't bear to look at her face as he gives himself up to his carnal, violent desires.

Is it painful to watch? Yes, it is. But it's also a provocative stepping stone for Bill Compton as he punishes himself as much as his maker there, forcing himself to plunge headfirst into the darkness of her heart, to take her, to break her, and to submit to the demon in his soul, casting off his humanity in order to save the very thing that reawakened it within him.

Tara and Franklin. Anguished over Eggs' death, Tara begins once more to put her life together again, recovering from her suicide attempt, but it's the appearance in her life of shifty vampire Franklin Mott that once again threatens to derail her progress. After beating up some rednecks in last week's episode, she falls into an uneasy sexual dalliance with Franklin but afterward wants nothing to do with him, even refusing to tell him her name.

The experience hasn't healed Tara; in fact, she feels even dirtier than before. But she wisely realizes that she doesn't want to be with Franklin and she leaves. Franklin, unfortunately, has other ideas. He's been hired--by whom is still unclear--to dig up dirt on Bill Compton. His first port of call is the old Compton place, where he coerces Jessica into spilling what she knows about Bill. After all, he took care of that pesky problem with the trucker corpse in the crawl space and his use of the dead man's head is unnerving enough that Jessica complies with his entreaties. (Ironically, it's Hoyt who finds the rest of the trucker corpse.)

Jessica's information leads Franklin to Sookie Stackhouse's house where he encounters... Tara Thornton. While she's not too willing to let him into Sookie's house, he glamours her and then forces her to invite him in. Not good, not good at all. I'm still unsure what Franklin wants and what exactly he's looking for but it seems as though he'll be using Tara as his catspaw. Not at all what Tara needs, particularly as she spent much of last season in Maryann's thrall. She needs to get as far away from supernatural creatures that can mess with your mind as possible.

However, I am glad that she and Sookie reconciled before Sookie took off for Jackson. The handling of Eggs' funeral was a little awkward (why was it that day? why was Tara not told about the funeral? what if Tara didn't take Mike's call?) but the scene between Tara and Sookie together, best friends once more, at the gravesite was a nicely played sequence that showed the depth of their feelings for one another and their shared losses.

Sookie. Sookie, meanwhile, proved that she's no push-over, nearly dispatching the werewolf intruder to the afterlife, if Eric hadn't jumped in front of her bullet trajectory. While it makes a big mess (once again ruining that front hall rug), it manages to distract the werewolf enough that he turns his attention to getting some vampire blood and allows Sookie to scan his mind, getting a name ("Jackson") but little else before Eric turns the tables and kills the wolf.

Sookie's not going to let things sit still, of course. Knowing that Bill could be in Jackson, she's determined to go after him. But Eric's not letting her go on her own and get killed in the process. He brings in a traveling companion for Sookie, a bit of werewolf protection in the form of Alcide, who is there to work off his father's debt to Eric. He knows the werewolf community and agrees to take her inside the wolves' den in search of Bill... though he has other things on his mind, namely the fact that his ex-girlfriend Debbie Pelt has taken up with the new pack leader Cooter.

In Jackson, things go from bad to worse as Alcide learns that Debbie is engaged to Cooter and Sookie nearly gets raped by werewolf Gus before Alcide comes to her rescue. (Of course, Sookie was also able to scan the fact that said werewolf was one of the F--- You Crew that kidnapped and tortured Bill.)

Here's to hoping that there's something of Bill that's worth saving when she finds him. Something tells me there's going to be a hell of a lot of trouble ahead for these two lovebirds.

Arlene. Poor, poor Arlene. No sooner does she learn that she's pregnant, she's faced with a serious moral dilemma, given that the baby is only about ten weeks old, far too old for Terry to be the father. So just who would the baby's daddy be? Well, that would be serial killer Rene, of course. Which means that she's carrying a killer's baby in her womb... and she can't bear to break the news to Terry, who is overjoyed when he believes that he's going to be a father. Sad times...

Jason. Jason, meanwhile, is so determined to become a cop and yet so unwilling to do the hard work to get there, viewing himself as far superior to Andy Bellefleur in every respect. The scene in which Jason couldn't answer a single question on the deputy sheriff's written test was hilarious ("Everyone knows if it's on the sample test it won't be on the real thing"), given his false bravado in the face of those recurring nightmares about bullet wounds and nude exam-taking and the fact that he is haunted about Eggs' death, to the point where he can't even talk to Tara to offer his support.

But with Sheriff Bud Dearborne possibly out of the picture for good, there might just be an opening on the Bon Temps PD, should Andy step up and take over for Bud.

Sam. Last week, I mentioned the dark look that passed between Melinda and Joe Lee when Sam showed up in Arkansas and this week the Mickens clan arrived in Bon Temps to check up on Sam and see what sort of life he has there. While Sam is stunned to see his biological parents (and his no-good brother) there, he quickly recovers and invites them to stay for lunch, which quickly turns into an alcohol-fueled binge. Forcing them to leave when Joe Lee won't adhere to the rules (you know, about serving minors), things get tense... and then take a turn for the weird when Sam encounters a pit bull in his office. Said dog turns into a bird and takes off through the open window, leaving Sam wondering just what Tommy was doing going through his things... right by the safe. Could the Mickens be looking for some cash? And was Tommy working alone? Hmmm...

Lafayette and Eric. Can I just say that I loved the scene between Lafayette and Eric as he showed up with a brand-new car for Lafayette, his best dealer, and attempted to use a carrot rather than a stick to entice Lafayette into doing his bidding and moving the product, forcing Lafayette to question his lack of ambition. Well played, Eric.

All in all, another great installment that will linger with me for quite some time, thanks to that gruesome and shocking final image of Bill and Lorena. Here's to heading even deeper into the darkness and to hoping that there's a way for these characters to emerge on the other side.

What did you think of this week's episode? Disturbed by the Bill/Lorena head-twisting? Wondering what's up with the Mickens? Why is Franklin ferreting out intelligence about Bill? Head to the comments section to discuss.

In two weeks on True Blood ("9 Crimes"), Sookie joins Alcide at a raucous engagement party for Debbie Pelt, his former fiancée; Eric is given a deadline to locate Bill; Andy gets a promotion and draws Jasonʼs attention; Franklin takes Tara on a road trip; Arlene is irked by Jessicaʼs arrival at Merlotteʼs; Sam brokers a deal with Tommy and his parents, Melinda and Joe Lee; Bill “procures” dinner for Russell and Lorena.

Ep. 28: 9 Crimes - Preview