Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Another big night of TV is coming up tonight with new episodes of The Vampire Diaries and Nikita on the CW as well as the returns of Bones and Fringe on FOX and CSI and The Mentalist on CBS. There is also the debut of the new show My Generation and the returns of Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice all on ABC. Enjoy the viewing.

In the meantime, here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Jon Seda (The Pacific and Homicide: Life on the Street) has joined the cast of the HBO drama Treme as a series regular, playing a politically connected developer and venture capitalist from Dallas, who becomes involved in the renewal efforts in post-Katrina New Orleans. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Jason Wiles (Third Watch and Persons Unknown) will guest star on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in an upcoming episode. (Robyn Ross at TV Guide)

Eliza Dushku (Dollhouse) will guest star in at least one upcoming episode of The Big Bang Theory as an FBI agent assigned to conduct a background check on Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) when he needs high-level clearance for a new project. (Matt Mitovich at Fancast)

Showtime has officially announced the debut date for their new shows Shameless and Episodes as well as the return of Californication. All three shows will air on January 9, starting at 9 PM with Californication followed by Episodes and Shameless closing the night at 10 PM. (Showtime and Televisionary)

Serina Swan (Smallville) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Supernatural, playing a news reporter chronicling an unsettling series of suicides. She is to appear in the fourth episode of the new season, which returns starting tomorrow night. (Matt Mitovich at Fancast and Televisionary)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE

Jacqueline Bisset will star in the Hallmark Channel movie An Old Fashioned Christmas on December 11 at 8 PM, reprising her role of Isabella Crawford in this sequel to the movie An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving that came out in 2008. This sequel continues the narrative of Isabella (Bisset) and Tilly (Catherine Steadman of The Tudors) traveling the globe so the wealthy grandmother can teach her talented writer/granddaughter the nuances of character development and refined living. (The Futon Critic)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

The new development projects by J.J. Abrams have been picked up. His Alcatraz project, which he is working on with Elizabeth Sarnoff (Lost) has been picked up as a pilot by FOX. The show is about the mysteries and secrets of the most infamous prison of all time. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Meanwhile, his yet-to-be-named Michael Emerson and Terry O’Quinn (both stars on Lost) series has been given a pilot commitment by ABC. (Vulture)

The new pilot Exit Strategy from Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (the men behind Fringe and the new Hawaii Five-0) has received a pilot commitment from FOX. The series is described as a high octane procedural set in the world of CIA agents who are sent in to “fix” operations gone bad. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

A period racing drama called Kings of Speed is being developed for the cable station Starz by Wolfgang Petersen and Ron Shelton. This will potentially be a ten-hour limited series focusing on the international automobile racing circuit of the 1950s and 19960s, Enzo Ferrari, and the underground car culture of Southern California. (Variety and Televisionary)

BOX OFFICE

Elizabeth Banks has joined the cast of the crime thriller Man on a Ledge, starring Sam Worthington as a cop falsely imprisoned who escapes after being let out for his father’s funeral and stands on a hotel ledge threatening suicide. At the same time his brother (Jamie Bell) plans the heist of a jewelry store across the street while his brother’s actions are keeping everyone occupied. Banks will play the NYPD crisis negotiator who tries to talk the cop, with whom she has a past relationship, down from his precarious perch. (Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILERS

Check Out the Newest Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Trailer!

Watch: ‘Mrs. Peppercorn’s Magical Reading Room’ Early Teaser

Q&A SECTION (with Michael Ausiello at Entertainment Weekly)

Question: I think you’ve been a little stingy with The Vampire Diaries scoop. How about some enlightenment? —Robin

Ausiello: How about some casting scoop? She Spies alum (and season 7 American Idol almost-finalist) Natashia Williams has landed the role of Lucy, a mysterious hipster who possesses a fun swagger.

Question: Castle scoop, please? —Ellen

Ausiello: Scrubs: Med School alum Michael Mosley will be guest-starring in an episode tentatively scheduled to air in November. No details on who he’s playing, though.

Question: Okay, so in order for me to make it ’till Thursday, I need some Grey’s Anatomy scoop—specifically on Mer/Der. —Olivia

Ausiello: By the time Meredith tells Derek about her pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage in next week’s episode, she will have kept both secrets for a grand total of three months. Why wait so long? “The man was shot and he’s already feeling [responsible] for getting a bunch of people killed,” explains series creator Shonda Rhimes. “So for her to tell him that the shooting also caused her miscarriage seems a little bit cruel. He doesn’t need one more thing to worry about.” Makes sense to me!

Question: I’d love a little Grey’s Anatomy scoopbit. —Christine

Ausiello: Yet another Buffy grad is checking into Seattle Grace. Amber Benson (ex-Tara) will guest star in this season’s seventh episode as the estranged daughter of one of Cristina’s patients.

Question: Any scoop on Ziva’s storyline on NCIS? —Jennifer

Ausiello: During November sweeps, Ziva “comes face-to-face with her father for the first time since her return from Israel,” reveals exec producer Shane Brennan. “It’s an emotion-charged reunion in a two-part episode that also reveals much about the enigmatic Eli David and one of the other team members.”

Question: I am just wondering about NCIS: Los Angeles and the status of Peter Cambor and his character Nate; in the premiere episode he’s only listed as a special guest star. What’s going on? —Kevin

Ausiello: You’ll get your answer in next week’s episode.

Question: A Brothers & Sisters scoop ahead of this weekend’s season premiere? —Kelly

Ausiello: Justin the golden child will replace Justin the hothead screw-up this season. “Justin returns from Afghanistan a very different Justin,” reveals exec producer David Marshall Grant. “We all felt that it was time for him to grow up. He becomes a much (stronger) and a much more helpful force in the Walker family. I don’t think Justin is going to be the problem anymore as much as he might be the solution.”

Question: I’m a Charice fan and was wondering when we’ll see her again on Glee? —Mauruce

Ausiello: Probably not until after Sectionals in January. That girl’s got pipes to spare!

Question: What can you tell us about the 200th episode of Smallville. Rumor has it there is going to be a major Clois moment in that episode. —Lisa

Ausiello: I can confirm that the final shot in the episode will drive Clois fans bonkers. I can also confirm that Kristin Kreuk will make a cameo appearance… sort of. The landmark episode contains a Lana flashback.

Question: Is there any news at all about the Pushing Daisies comic books? —Eric

Ausiello: Here’s an update from Bryan Fuller himself: “Issue no. 1 will hopefully be out in early 2011, issue no. 2 is being colored as we speak, and issue no. 3 is being written. Our Emmy-Award winning composer Jim Dooley and I have been talking about giving the audience a multi-media experience with the comic—specifically a score. We have no idea whether we can actually afford to do an actual Pushing Daisies comic soundtrack (because the cast has agreed to sing songs and those licensing fees are expensive), but Jim has already started composing musical cues that we will either release officially or stream for free online when the comic book is published. I’ve already heard the track for Lee Pace’s cover and it’s fantastic.”

Question: How about a Friday Night Lights spoiler? —Steve

Ausiello: In the fifth episode of the new season, the wife of a college TA screams the following words in a crowded library: “Julie Taylor is a whore!”

Question: I just saw the premiere of The Event, and it was so good! Do you have any scoops? —Marie-Eve

Ausiello: I just watched next week’s episode and was completely satisfied with both the quality and quantity of the answers we got. In addition to learning what happened to the plane and its inhabitants, we find out what turned Scott Patterson into the pilot from hell and who exactly The Others (a.k.a. Laura Innes & Co.) are. Bonus scoops: A rather pivotal character from the premiere is murdered and someone else is not who he/she claims to be.

That’s it. Enjoy!