Got a scoop request? An anonymous tip you’re dying to share? Just want to say hi? You can send any/all of the above to ausielloscoop@ew.com.
Question: Is Emilie de Ravin going to be back on “Lost” for the whole season or just a few episodes? And will we get to see what happened to her? —Jared
Ausiello: The answer to both of your questions is a resounding yeppers. Better prepare yourself though. My “Lost” mole says season 6 will showcase “a version of Claire we’ve never seen before — a Rousseau-esque version.” We’ll be in need of a Rousseau fix since the real version will be MIA. According to a “Lost” insider, the French Lady’s portrayer, Mira Furlan, turned down the show’s request to return for the final season due to a “prior overseas commitment.” Anyone know how you say “big bag-o-nuts” in français?
Question: I’m tired of people bitching about “Gossip Girl” being in a creative slump. I’m loving this season. Got scoop? —Alex
Ausiello: I’m (mostly) loving this season, too. The Chuck-Blair stuff continues to be immensely satisfying. And Hilary Duff isn’t nearly as annoying as I thought she’d be. On the scoop front, there’s a big Blair-Serena blow-up coming. The frenemies will definitely be on the outs for a little bit.
Question: How was your trip to Austin? Bring back any scoop? —Carol
Ausiello: Let’s see… Aimee Teegarden is a really good sport, East Dillon’s team colors are red and white, and Connie Britton loves herself a margarita. And to answer your first question, Austin rocks. It’s my new favorite U.S. city. My one and only quibble: the fashion. It’s God-awful. Everyone wears the same ugly orange, horn-emblazoned shirts. Blech.
Question: What “Friday Night Lights” goodies did you bring us back from Austin? —Jason
Ausiello: Okay, here’s some real scoop: Adrianne Palicki’s returning! She’s scheduled to shoot her one and only season 4 episode later this month. Also, two “FNL” characters will frequent a gay bar within the first five episodes.
Question: Last week you mentioned that one of the core characters on “Friday Night Lights” turned into a douche over the summer. Please tell me it’s not Matt — he’s my favorite! —Lizzy
Ausiello: It’s not Matt. But you’re close. Hint: The douche’s name starts with J and ends with D. (And just to be clear, I’m referring to the character and not the actor portraying him. It’s a very important distinction.)
Question: When will we find out what Gibbs whispered to Ziva in last week’s episode of “NCIS”? —Jan
Ausiello: Not anytime soon. Per an “NCIS” insider, “What Gibbs whispered to Ziva will remain a secret… at least for now.”
Question: Can you give us some juicy “NCIS” scoop as an early Halloween treat? —Laurie
Ausiello: Do baby geniuses creep you out as much as they creep me out? If so, you’re going to love an episode the show has coming up next month in which the mysterious death of a Marine leads Gibbs and Co. to a high security Navy Think Tank — where the brilliant minds are actually (shudder) children! I think I just piddled my pantaloons.
Question: You were right: I was crying during the final scene of last week’s “Grey’s Anatomy.” My heart broke for Alex. Please tell me you have some good news about him. —Anita
Ausiello: He makes contact with Izzie this week. That’s the good news. Here’s the bad: She’s not coming out of hiding anytime soon.
Question: I’m a huge Kim Raver fan and I’m thrilled that she is Could you give us some scoop on her character? —Sabrina
Ausiello: She’s basically Cristina’s worst nightmare: a heart specialist who used to play doctor with Owen. That’s right, Owen’s ex is going to be Cristina’s (potential) mentor! Cue the dramaz!
Question: I have a feeling the Chief will get axed on “Grey’s.” —Troy
Ausiello: A word of advice: You’d make a terrible psychic. The Chief is not the one who gets fired. BTW, unlike Izzie, the doc getting pink-slipped this week won’t be back. Guesses? Head to the comments!
Question: Any update on when “Chuck” is coming back? —Gary
Ausiello: The latest buzz points to a January or February return.
Question: Have we seen the last of Charlie on “Fringe”? —Kevin
Ausiello: Exec producer Jeff Pinkner isn’t ruling a comeback out. “We’ve already met Charlie’s doppelganger in the alternate reality,” he says. “He still exists.” Adds fellow e.p. J.H. Wyman: “No one ever really dies on Fringe.” BTW, Pinkner insists the exit of Kirk Acevedo’s G-man was strictly a creative decision and not a reflection on the actor himself (despite that whole Facebook debacle). “We wanted to take our team out of the FBI office and a little bit more underground,” he says, “and Charlie was a [casualty] of that.”
Question: Will we meet Olivia’s evil stepfather on “Fringe” this season? —Zakaria
Ausiello: “We’re talking about it,” responds Jeff Pinkner. “We definitely have been talking about that.”
Question: What happened to the new female FBI agent on “Fringe”? I thought she was sticking around all season. —Chris
Ausiello: According to Pinkner, Special Agent Jessup (Meghan Markle) is waiting in the wings and may pop up again in the future: “There was never any length of time [assigned to her stay],” he says. “There’s no end date. She’s an available tool in our toolbox and we’ll use her as we see fit. [But] we’re really trying to tell stories about our main characters… we want to get deeper with them, so we don’t have a lot of time to go into the FBI. I think our fans really want to get to know our [core] characters more and that’s what we’re endeavoring to do this year.”
Question: Do you have any “Smallville” spoilers? —Michelle
Ausiello: This is kinda spoilery. I’m talking to exec producers Brian Peterson and Kelly Souders in a few hours. Send your Qs to ausielloscoop@ew.com ASAP!
Question: Got any “Supernatural” scoop on episode 10? —Ivan
Ausiello: Sam and Dean fight Lucifer and two supporting characters will die!
Question: OK, I’ll bite. Who dies on “Vampire Diaries”? —Bonnie
Ausiello: Female series regular.
Question: How about some scoop on “Cold Case”? —Cady
Ausiello: Like her character, Kathryn Morris is spending a lot of time thinking about the past, even if she’s glad to still be around in the present. “Cold Case’s” close brush with network death (before eventually getting renewed for another season) has her feeling “a little more sentimental this year,” she says. “Everyone is waxing poetic about the good times. ‘Remember when you were sick with the flu in season two and I brought you chicken soup and we became best friends?’ ‘Remember that one time when I ripped a Dolce & Gabbana suit by walking by a rusty desk in homicide the first day they let me wear it? I’m sorry.’” Regarding the possibility of an eighth season, she says, “I think we are optimistic that we could go on as long as the audience wants us to. It isn’t like we will run out of crime in Philadelphia.”
Question: Why is Balthazar Getty’s name still listed in the opening credits of “Brothers & Sisters”? Is he still a series regular? —Shannon
Ausiello: No, he’s not. I did a little snooping and it turns out Getty asked that his name be kept in the opening credits as a condition of his return this season for a handful of episodes. Strange, right?
Question: When will all of the baby drama come out in the open on “Glee”? Finn and Will both need to get a clue. —Caroline
Ausiello: The truth comes out at some point between “Wheels” (episode 9) and “Sectionals” (episode 13). Speaking of “Glee,” look who’s on the cover of the new Entertainment Weekly!
Question: What’s going on with “Hank”? Will ABC pick it up for a full season? I’m not ashamed to admit I kind of find it funny. —Jessica
Ausiello: I’m not ashamed to admit your taste in television sucks. Just kidding. Not really. Actually, I may check back into the mediocre sitcom next month in light of this exclusive casting scoop: Swoosie Kurtz will play Kelsey Grammer’s mother-in-law in the show’s Thanksgiving episode.
Question: What’s this I hear about one of “Lost’s” planes going down on Wisteria Lane? Tell me this is not true. “Desperate Housewives” is solid enough, it doesn’t need any cross-promotion with other ABC shows. —Kellen
Ausiello: Someone at ABC suggested it might be fun to slap an Oceanic logo on the ill-fated plane, but the idea was quickly (and thankfully) nixed.
Question: How exactly did you become the all-knowing God of everything television? —Oliver
Ausiello: I thought I was standing in line for froyo. I wasn’t. True story.
Question: Have Olivia Wilde and Peter Jacobson left “House” for good? —Megan
Ausiello: No. The revolving door at Princeton-Plainsboro will spin yet again next month when Thirteen and Taub request their old jobs back. Coincidentally, that’s right around the time Cameron and Chase decide to quit and move to Chicago. (Guess which one of them changes their mind at the last minute!)
Question: Do you have any news regarding House, Wilson, and the progression of their relationship? —Xay
Ausiello: I’m hearing there’s tons of good House-Wilson action in episodes 10 and 11, including a scene my mole singles out as one of his/her “favorite Hilson moments ever.”
Question: Rumor has it Betty will be involved in a love triangle with Matt and another mystery party on “Ugly Betty.” Any clue who the third person might be? —Stacy
Ausiello: I hear it might be *****a.
Question: “Dexter” is getting crazy. Who shot Deb and Lundy? —George
Ausiello: I think a more interesting question is, What will happen to Deb in the wake of said shooting? Or more specifically, whose house will she move into?
Question: What’s the latest on Zooey Deschanel guest-starring opposite her sis on “Bones”? —Lauren
Ausiello: It’s happening! Her deal closed earlier this week. As I previously reported, she’ll be playing Brennan’s never-before-seen cuz in the show’s Christmas episode on Dec. 10.
Question: Anything good coming up on “90210”? —Nick
Ausiello: Dixon’s about to land himself a cougar! “A new woman comes into Dixon’s life, and she’s even older than Sasha,” teases exec producer Rebecca Sinclair. “It’s someone we’ve met before.”
That’s a wrap! Send questions-comments-anonymous scoop tips to ausielloscoop@ew.com. Thanks for playing! (Additional reporting by Keith Staskiewicz)