Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Lacey Chabert (Party of Five and Mean Girls) will guest star in two upcoming episodes of the ABC Family comedy Baby Daddy. She will play Dr. Amy Shaw, a headstrong, newly minted sports psychologist who has just landed a job working with the New York Rangers. And her first patient is none other than Danny (Derek Theler), whom she’ll help come out of a major slump. Baby Daddy returns in spring 2013. (Robyn Ross at TV Guide)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Actor Steve Harris (The Practice) has been cast in the TNT drama pilot called Legends, based on the novel by Robert Littell, which centers on Martin Odum (Sean Bean), a deep-cover CIA operative who has an uncanny ability to transform himself into a different person for each job. Harris will play Yates, the director of the D.C.O. Task Force who reinstates Martin to an undercover job. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

FIRST Q&A SECTION (with Team Watch with Kristin at E! Online)

Question: Any scoop on Klaus on The Vampire Diaries?! – Jessica

Team Watch with Kristin: Prepare for an epic showdown between Klaus and…Shane! You really didn’t think those two would never come face to face, did you? Especially after Klaus learns that Shane was the mastermind behind the plan to kill 12 hybrids? Yeah, he’s pretty mad. Watch out, Shane!

Question: I hear you’ve seen the season premiere of Smash. Spill! – Gina

Team Watch with Kristin: We just finished watching it, and we loved it! Within the first 10 minutes, you find out where Dev stands with Karen, if Ivy has kicked that pesky pill habit, and what exactly has become of Joe Dimaggio aka Michael Swift. But our favorite part about the opening minutes of the season two premiere is the Ivy and Karen dynamic shift. This time, Karen is in charge and she is being very unsubtle about making Ivy feel on the outs. It’s deliciously wicked.

SPOILER ROOM (with Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

BUNHEADS: THE BALLERINAS ARE BACK

Judging from the e-mail pile, I’m not the only one who was charmed by Bunheads, and after checking out the midseason premiere, I’m confident in saying the show is still in fine form. So what’s the second half of the season hold?

Here are four teases:

1. Michelle (Sutton Foster) might be gone longer than you think. That is, if you thought the show was going to return and find her magically back in action, think again. In fact, the only magic going on in this episode, is onstage at Michelle’s new place of employment. Sound grim? It is!

2. New romance for Sasha. Remember Roman, the former jock-turned-punk? He’s back — and he’s got his eyes on Sasha (Julia Goldani Telles). “His storyline parallels to hers a little bit, where he’s a lost soul trying to figure out who he is, too,” Telles says. “They’re both kind of sarcastic, so they get along well.”

3. Sasha’s tough time. When the show returns, the young dancer has little interest in returning home. And as Telles previews, things will get worse before they get better. “We see that collapsing throughout the season,” she says. “She leans on her friends a little bit, but she really needs someone to guide her and that’s Michelle.”

4. Hubbell returns!! No this isn’t Bunheads of the Walking Dead. But Michelle’s former hubby (Alan Ruck) does make an important appearance in the Jan. 7 episode.

SECOND Q&A SECTION (with Sandra Gonzalez at Entertainment Weekly)

Question: I LOVED LOVED LOVED the reveal with John Barrowman at the end of Arrow’s midseason finale. Any hints about what’s next for the Dark Archer? — Kevin

Sandra: Well, I can tell you he’s definitely back when we return and is around throughout the season. As for what’s in store, Barrowman says he’d love to see a little Merlyn back-story take center stage before season’s end. “I would love to go back to see where this all started, why it all happened and go into flashbacks,” he says. “That’s one thing I know works in this genre and in this type of program — when you do go back to find out why you are where you are at a given moment in time, where you have come from, and what has caused it. Back-story is beautiful. I love a beautiful backstory.”

Question: I thought the Royal Pains movie was pretty good, and was glad to see Evan and Hank on the same page again. I hate when they fight. Are their troubles over? — Lisa

Sandra: The show doesn’t officially start filming their next season until March, but when I spoke to Mark Feuerstein, he was convinced we haven’t seen the last of the brother’s troubles. “That will be an issue, I think, as Evan tries to build a family/start a life with his new wife and Hank is still without any real domestic concerns,” he says. “How will that play out? I don’t know.”

Question: I saw you went to a Doctor Who screening. SOOOO JEAAALOUUSS. I’m guessing that was the Christmas episode? If so, may we PLEASE have some scoop? — Abigail

Sandra: Here’s the thing…I’m sort of sworn to secrecy. BUT, I will say this: By the end of the special, you’ll have more questions than answers about the Doctor’s new companion (played by Jenna Louise Coleman), especially in light of how it ends!

Question: I need Scandal scoop now!! — Regina

Sandra: As you now know, Huck (Guillermo Diaz) will be in major hot water when the show returns in January, but as Diaz tells me, Huck will find some comfort in knowing he has Olivia and Co. on his case. “I think Olivia and the team are going to do whatever is necessary to bring the truth to light, and he knows they are on his side,” he says. “I think there’s a little relief there. ‘At least Olivia and the team know I didn’t do this. They’re going to do what they can to get me off and figure it out.’ He’s just hoping for the best.”

Question: Scandal is on FIRE! Scoop please! — Taylor

Sandra: Prepare yourself for HUGE things in episode 13. As you might know, the show was originally picked up for a 13 episode season (a back 9 was eventually ordered) so this episode was designed to function as a season finale of sorts. Yes, it’s that big! So, what can Diaz share? Well, not much… “It’s another rollercoaster script,” he says. “S–t you won’t expect is happening.”

Question: From one Supernatural fan to another, what’s the next episode should I be most excited about? Season GR8 has been, well, GREAT! — Anna

Sandra: Episode 11 — in which Dean and Sam get thrown into the world of LARPing — is going to be one to remember, but I’m most looking forward to the next episode from writer Ben Edlund, which I’m told is a “twisted” installment. “There will be an episode dealing with Nazi necromancers,” says executive producer Jeremy Carver. “It was written by Ben Endlund, so you know that’s going to be fun.”

Question: Do you have any exciting scoop about the second half of season 2 of Suits? I really miss those handsome, well-dressed men and beautiful ladies on my television screen. Thanks! — Lauren K.

Sandra: I miss them too! Thankfully the wait is almost over. But to tide you over until then, here are three bits of intel: We learn in the Jan. 17 premiere that Rachel is “not the goodie-good” Mike believes her to be, Mike has a major confrontation with a man from his past after a case makes him recall his parents’ death, and Harvey’s plans to woo Zoe take a very unexpected turn.

Question: When will the adults find out about the twins on The Lying Game — @JcanTediBear

Sandra: Well, as season 1 revealed, Rebecca (Charisma Carpenter) and Alec (Adrian Pasdar) definitely know more than they let on, so I guess it’s just Kristin (Helen Slater) and Ted (Andy Buckley) that we’re waiting on. And based off what I saw in the season premiere, the pair couldn’t be more oblivious. I can’t blame them, though. With their marriage in rocky times, much of their focus is going toward trying to be civil. Surprise!: It doesn’t work.

Question: Any Lying Game spoilers? — Bonnie

Sandra: The Mercer household is going to open its doors to a friend in need, and if you thought the Rebecca-is-the-mother reveal was big, be prepared for a moment at the end of the season premiere that will knock your socks off! It involves a family connection you won’t see coming.

That’s it. Enjoy!