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Lost Moves Up in ABC's World

For those of you who will be looking for Lost next year, you won't find it in the usual spot.
Staring down the dimly lit hatch of a spring with no new episodes of Grey's Anatomy, Ugly Betty, Brothers & Sisters or Desperate Housewives, ABC has opted to move the Emmy-winning Lost to Thursdays at 9 p.m., the time slot that in prestrike days would have played host to the weekly Grey's-CSI battle.


But the scribes are at a standstill, and it's Lost that will be getting the primo prime-time real estate as part of ABC's attempt to make its strike-impacted schedule look as attractive as possible in the absence of the rest of its scripted heavy hitters.


Not that Lost's reemergence won't bring along its own set of issues—the castaway drama is still one of myriad series that has only half of its preordered episodes in the can thanks to the writers' strike.


Fox, for instance, opted to postpone the seventh season of 24 indefinitely until it could air an uninterrupted "full day." But apparently ABC has figured that some Lost—eight consecutive new episodes instead of 16—is better than none at all, considering how none too pleased audiences were when the series' third season was interrupted by a three-month hiatus.


So, Lost's fourth season will premiere Jan. 31 at 9 p.m., where it will serve as lead-in to the new drama Eli Stone.


ABC will ring in the New Year Jan. 3 with the premiere of Darren Star's Cashmere Mafia, one of two competing Sex and the City-inspired femme-fests on tap for 2008 (so as not to be confused with Candace Bushnell's Lipstick Jungle), which after its post-Grey's debut will set up shop in the corner office vacated by Lost, aka Wednesdays at 10 p.m.


Notably missing from ABC's early-'08 lineup are all its new hourlong series—minus the largely panned Big Shots, which will return Jan. 3 following Cashmere Mafia and then air in January on Thursdays at 10 p.m. before going on what could be a permanent break.


Otherwise, critical darling Pushing Daisies, Women's Murder Club, Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money are going to take turns rotating during the 8-10 p.m. period on Fridays set aside for drama encores.


With not too much else going on in the hour-of-fiction department, that leaves plenty of space for the return of According to Jim and the continuation of Samantha Who?, Notes from the Underbelly and Carpoolers, the latter of which answers the prayers of those who saw the potential of the buddy sitcom but loathed the fact that it aired after Cavemen.


Following the lead of its fellow broadcasters, ABC has padded the rest of its schedule with plenty of tried-and-true reality shows and a few new offerings, including Oprah's Big Give, which will try to play off of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition's family-friendly audience, and Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann, which should tide Dancing with the Stars fans over until the juggernaut's return March 17.


Here's a look at ABC's midseason lineup, with new shows in bold:
MONDAY

January: Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann, Notes from the Underbelly (9:30), October Road

February: Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann Results, Samantha Who?, Notes from the Underbelly, October RoadMarch: Dancing with the Stars, Samantha Who? (9:30), The Bachelor


TUESDAY
January: Just for Laughs (8-9 p.m.), According to Jim, Carpoolers, Boston LegalMarch: Just for Laughs (8-9 p.m.), Dancing with the Stars Results Show, Boston Legal


WEDNESDAY
January-March: Wife Swap, Supernanny, Cashmere Mafia


THURSDAY
January: Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, Big ShotsFebruary: Ugly Betty, Lost, Eli Stone


FRIDAY
January-March: Drama encores (8-10 p.m.), 20/20


SUNDAY
March: America's Funniest Home Videos, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Oprah's Big Give, Desperate Housewives

The Legend of the Box Office

Hollywood set aside its broken Golden Compass and came back to life with two huge openings: a historic one for Smith's I Am Legend; and a bigger than expected one for Alvin's Alvin and the Chipmunks.

The sci-fi remake I Am Legend was the number one film, grossing $76.5 million, per studio estimates compiled Sunday by Exhibitor Relations. The CGI-updated Alvin and the Chipmunks was a super-size number two, with a $45 million take.

Combined, the two accounted for about 80 percent of all ticket sales among the weekend's Top 12 movies.

"It just shows how the market can expand when you have pictures that people want to see," Chris Aronson, Fox senior vice president of distribution, said Sunday.

Fox was the studio that had been expecting a $20 million bow from Alvin and the Chipmunks, while Warners was the beneficiary of Smith's biggest-ever opener.

New Line, meanwhile, was the woozy-feeling patient after its would-be franchise starter The Golden Compass (third place, $9 million) fell off a cliff, down 65 percent from a disappointing debut weekend.

So far, the $180 million fantasy film is the unwanted fruitcake of the holiday season, having taken in just $41 million overall. (It has performed stronger overseas; so, perhaps any sequels could be made expressly for Slovakia, et al.)

So goes The Golden Compass, so goes star Nicole Kidman's box office year: Terrible. From failing to heat up the summer with The Invasion, costarring fellow Golden Compass traveler Daniel Craig to failing to catch on at art-houses with this fall's Margot at the Wedding, Kidman has been on the outs with ticket buyers. (In the paycheck department, however, she continued to do just fine. According to the Hollywood Reporter, she banked $15-$16 million for the $15.1 million-grossing The Invasion.)

Smith's presumed eight-figure quote for I Am Legend probably looked like a bargain after his last-man-on-Earth act opened $25 million bigger than any movie in his 12-year string of hits.
I Am Legend, meanwhile, no doubt goes down in the books as the highest-grossing film version of Richard Matheson's 1954 novel of the same name. (The two earlier versions, 1964's The Last Man on Earth, and 1971's The Omega Man, starring Charlton Heston, were produced in preblockbuster Hollywood.)

Elsewhere, the Golden Globe-nominated Juno, pound for pound, theater for theater, put up the best numbers of the weekend, grossing $1.4 million ($2.2 million to date), and almost cracking the Top 10 on the strength of—not 1,000, not 100, not even 50—but 40 screens.

By comparison, August Rush needed 2,007 theaters to cobble together a take of $1.8 million ($28.1 million overall) and nab a 10th place finish.

Atonement, the top film nominee at the Globes, had a strong weekend (although not nearly as strong as Juno's). It moved up to ninth place, with $1.9 million from 117 theaters.

Among award-show hopefuls still in release, the Coen Brothers' No Country for Old Men (fifth place, $3 million; $33.6 million overall) was the top-grosser.

The Kite Runner, balancing out its two Globe nominations, with a PR nightmare involving the film's young Afghan stars now fearing for their safety in their home country, managed a smooth but unspectacular opening: $450,970 from 35 theaters.

Youth Without Youth ($27,815 at 6 theaters) was only a minor player, despite being Francis Ford Coppola's first film as director in 10 years.

Here's a recap of the top-grossing weekend films based on Friday-Sunday estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations:
I Am Legend, $76.5 million
Alvin and the Chipmunks, $45 million
The Golden Compass, $9 million
Enchanted, $6 million
No Country for Old Men, $3 million
The Perfect Holiday, $2.97 million
Fred Claus, $2.31 million
This Christmas, $2.3 million
Atonement, $1.9 million
August Rush, $1.8 million

by Joal RyanSun, 16 Dec 2007 01:02:10 PM PST

http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=3299f8a7-8142-4005-ae3a-0da9b7e633c4&entry=index&sid=rss_topstories&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_topstories

The Kite Runner (2007)

From Memories, There’s No Escape

Much like the best-selling novel on which it’s based, “The Kite Runner” tells the story of an

Afghan refugee who, long after arriving in America, sifts through memories of his cosseted childhood, his emotionally remote father, his devoted best friend, the kites they flew and the stories they shared. The back of my paperback copy of this Khaled Hosseini novel is sprinkled with words like “powerful” and “haunting” and “riveting” and “unforgettable.” It’s a good guess that this film will be rolled around in a similarly large helping of lard.

There’s another word on the back of my copy: “genuine.” The portrait of Afghan culture broadly painted by its narrator, a 38-year-old novelist known as Amir (played in the film by the Scottish-born Khalid Abdalla), certainly seems like the real deal, a sense of authenticity underscored by the book’s evocation of the Afghan diaspora in America, its descriptions of traditions and rituals and the numerous italicized words like “Kocheh-Morgha” (“Chicken Bazaar”) and “Shirini-khori” (“ ‘Eating of the Sweets’ ceremony”).

That said, it is difficult to believe in the authenticity of any book (and its author) in which a born and bred Afghan narrator asks of the Taliban — as this one does in June 2001 — “Is it as bad as I hear?” David Benioff’s clumsy screenplay doesn’t broadcast its political naïveté as openly, but only because the filmmakers seem to assume that unlike the book’s readers, the movie audience doesn’t care about such matters. Mr. Benioff gestures in the direction of Communists and mullahs, the Soviet invaders and the Taliban insurgents, but none of these players figure into the story in any meaningful fashion.

The director Marc Forster, following the script’s lead, scrupulously avoids politics and history — there are no causes or positions, just villains and horrors — and instead offers us a succession of atmospheric, realistic landscapes, colorful sights and smiling boys. And kites. Lots and lots of bobbing, darting, high-flying kites.

Like the recent film version of Ian McEwan’s novel “Atonement,” another story ignited by the destructive behavior of a pubescent child, “The Kite Runner” presents a world informed by a variant of original sin. In both, a child’s damaging words and deeds give way to — and seem to foreshadow and somehow even to incite — the larger violence of war. The two stories register very differently, both on the page and on screen, yet what’s curious is how each presents childhood as an already corrupted state that is redeemed only by adult grace. In these stories war becomes a kind of cleansing agent for the destructive child, who, after enduring hardships, matures into a properly contrite adult (and a fiction writer to boot).

It takes a while for that contrition to surface in “The Kite Runner.” First the adult Amir has to conjure up a leisurely flashback during which his 12-year-old self (Zekiria Ebrahimi) rushes through the dust and the exotica — past the woman in a burka and the severed animal heads — pausing to read, write and fly kites. He worships his gruff father, Baba (Homayoun Ershadi), a businessman who swills alcohol and dismisses the mullahs as “monkeys.” Amir, in turn, is adored by the illiterate servant boy Hassan (Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada), whose father has worked for Baba his entire life. Amir loves his younger friend in his selfish fashion, but because Baba favors Hassan (if not enough to educate the boy), Amir also betrays him.

Mr. Forster, who previously directed “Monster’s Ball” and “Finding Neverland,” has been soundly defeated by “The Kite Runner.” Despite the film’s far-flung locations (it was shot primarily in China), there is remarkably little of visual interest here; the setups are banal, and the scenes lack tension, which no amount of editing can provide. With the exception of Mr. Ershadi, whom art-house audiences may remember from Abbas Kiarostami’s “Taste of Cherry,” it also lacks credible performances. The two lead child actors, both nonprofessionals, are predictably appealing, but only because they’re children. Unlike Mr. Kiarostami, who has a genius for translating the natural rhythms of nonprofessional performers to the screen, who siphons real life and bottles it, Mr. Forster never makes you believe in these children or their woes.

In both novel and film form, “The Kite Runner” recounts a simple yet shrewd story about that favorite American pastime: self-improvement. Amir’s childhood mistake isn’t a careless juvenile offense; it’s a human stain that must be scrubbed out through self-abnegation, confession and personal transformation. Yet, watching this film, you are left to wonder whom precisely is all this suffering for — is it for Amir? Hassan? Afghanistan? Or do Hassan and the story’s other sad children — especially those hollow-eyed boys and girls glimpsed during the preposterous climax in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan — suffer because it’s possible to package other people’s pain and turn it into a commercial diversion? It’s no surprise that for all its foreign trappings, “The Kite Runner” tells the same old comforting story. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
“The Kite Runner” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). There is a discreetly shot if entirely unnecessary scene of a child’s rape and an extended bloody fight involving punches and a slingshot.

THE KITE RUNNER
Opens on Friday nationwide.

Directed by Marc Forster; written by David Benioff, based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini (in Dari, with English subtitles); director of photography, Roberto Schaefer; edited by Matt Chessé; music by Alberto Iglesias; production designer, Carlos Conti; produced by William Horberg and Walter F. Parkes; released by Paramount Vantage. Running time: 2 hours 8 minutes.
WITH: Khalid Abdalla (Amir), Atossa Leoni (Soraya), Shaun Toub (Rahim Khan), Sayed Jafar Masihullah Gharibzada (Omar), Zekiria Ebrahimi (Young Amir), Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada (Young Hassan) and Homayoun Ershadi (Baba).

By: By MANOHLA DARGIS
Published: December 14, 2007

Source: http://movies.nytimes.com/2007/12/14/movies/14kite.html?ex=1355288400&en=c78b882d2355e337&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

X-Files Scares Up Cast

Mulder and Scully are about to get pimped out and then some.

Xzibit, the hit-making rapper and hilarious host of MTV's Pimp My Ride, will join Amanda Peet and Scottish comedian Billy Connolly in key supporting roles for the upcoming X-Files movie.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Xzibit and Peet will play FBI agents working alongside David Duchovny's Fox "Spooky" Mulder and Gillian Anderson's Dana Scully in the second film based on Fox's hugely popular sci-fi series.

No word on Connolly's role. A rep for Fox declined to provide any information on the threesome's characters, and details of the plot remain a closely guarded secret.

What we do know is that unlike the first X-Files feature in 1998, the new film will avoid the series' abstruse mythology and instead work as a standalone installment about some kind of supernatural mystery.

X-Files creator Chris Carter will direct the film from a script he wrote with series writer and executive producer Frank Spotnitz.

Talk of another X-Files movie has been ongoing since the 1998 release grossed more than $189 million worldwide. But the project stalled as Carter and Fox engaged in lengthy litigation over residuals from the show's syndication sales.

The two sides settled earlier this year, clearing the way for the new chapter.

Aside from his seven-season sojourn on Pimp My Ride, Xzibit has guested in CSI: Miami and freestyled opposite Eminem in 8 Mile. More recent film roles include XXX: State of the Union with fellow emcee Ice Cube, Derailed with Clive Owen and Gridiron Gang with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

Xzibit had been set to star opposite Bruce Willis and Woody Harrelson in Pinkville, Oliver Stone's drama about the My Lai Massacre. But that picture was shelved due to the writers' strike, allowing Xzibit to fit the X-Files sequel into his schedule.

Known for her roles in The Whole Nine Yards and NBC's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Peet currently stars opposite John Cusack in the New Line drama Martian Child. She also recently agreed to headline the drama Real Men Cry with Ethan Hawke and Mark Ruffalo.

Connolly had a memorable turn as Uncle Morty in 2004's Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Other film credits include White Oleander, The Last Samurai and the voice of McSquizzy in last year's Open Season.

The still-untitled X-Files film is due to begin shooting later this month in Vancouver and hits theaters July 25, 2008.

Source: http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=b1fdf084-2b8e-47cb-9131-2df437f5abb0&entry=index

Pieces of Britney Big on eBay

If a picture is worth 1,000 words, what's the going rate for a dollar bill boasting a picture of Britney Spears where George Washington is supposed to be?

Believe it or not, $3.99.

The embattled pop star is still the hottest thing since sliced bread (featuring the Virgin Mary) on eBay, which has announced that Spears-related items, from copies of signed pictures to gloves she supposedly wore at a New York Jets game to a piece of chewed gum, outsold the flotsam and jetsam related to fellow tabloid princesses Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.

More than $34,000 "worth" of Spears stuff was successfully bid on in 2007, although some of the sellers may have been out of luck, considering that estimated sum was generated by only 34,345 items.

Last year, a waiter auctioned off Spears' half-eaten egg salad sandwich and her then-hubby Kevin Federline's chomped-on corndog. And online casino goldenpalace.com ate it up, so to speak, to the tune of $520.

However, this was the year of the shave, and locks of Spears' hair, along with the partially imbibed can of Red Bull she was carrying when she walked into the salon, were up for sale just days after the "Oops…I Did it Again" singer went bald. Although it's unclear if the sale went through, at one point 26 people had pushed up the price of one lot of those once-idolized strands to more than $1,000.

"What Americans buy and sell every day is one of the best indications of what they're obsessed with," said eBay pop culture expert/harbinger of doom Karen Bard. "When someone or something is being written about in tabloids or reported about on CNN, if it revs up the American public, you're bound to discover a bidding frenzy for related listings on eBay."

Well, a certain briefly jailed heiress was all over CNN this year. More than 27,000 Hilton-related items, including a toothbrush purportedly stolen from her trash, were sold via eBay.

The most popular items sold in connection with Hilton and Spears, though, were bottles of their signature fragrances, according to the online auctioneer.

Meanwhile, Lohan was in third place with 8,099 items sold.

Thanks to her run-in with the razor, her increasingly high-stakes custody battle and her first studio album in three years, Spears' name was also Yahoo's most popular search term for the sixth time in seven years. The oft scandal-tinged World Wrestling Entertainment came in second and Hilton placed third.

As far as eBay's ever-popular sports-memorabilia category goes, disgraced athletes did big business in 2007.

Possibly juiced homerun king Barry Bonds outsold both imprisoned Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and O.J. Simpson, who pushed just 5,196 items compared with Bonds' 145,497.

Bonds, of course, has been indicted on federal charges of perjury and obstruction of justice in relation to allegations that he took steroids, while Simpson is awaiting trial on armed robbery and kidnapping charges for allegedly shaking down two memorabilia collectors in Las Vegas. Vick is scheduled to be sentenced Monday for conspiracy after pleading guilty to bankrolling a dogfighting ring.

In other pop culture craziness, Transformers paraphernalia outsold Harry Potter doodads when it came to film memorabilia and Grey's Anatomy beat out Heroes in terms of small-screen swag.

The sci-fi (and hot chick)-lovin', comic book-collectin' fans of Bionic Woman came through, however, giving merchandise related to the troubled NBC show a leg up on goodies from fellow freshman drama Pushing Daisies, a whopping 4,249 to 337 items sold.

Troubled, because all eight completed episodes of Bionic Woman have aired and NBC has yet to give the go ahead for more when—or if—the current writers strike ends.

Source: http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=87271e05-f5fe-4e63-8087-199053f110ec

Howie Scores Backstreet Bride

Howie Dorough doesn't have to worry about the meaning of being lonely anymore.

The Backstreet Boy took a bride Saturday in his hometown of Orlando, marrying longtime girlfriend Leigh Boniello, a lawyer for the band confirmed.

With his fellow Backstreeters looking on, Dorough, 34, said his I-do's to cap a traditional Catholic ceremony at St. James Cathedral.

"The wedding took place as planned, and all went well," attorney Jason L. Turner said in a statement.

The nuptial news was first reported by OK! magazine, which was given exclusive coverage to the affair.

Boniello was the Webmaster for the Backstreet site, and the two began dating six years ago. Dorough finally popped the question last New Year's.

"She wasn't expecting it, and I was quite nervous—more nervous about proposing to her in front of 40 family and friends than about performing in front of 40,000 people onstage," Dorough told People earlier this year.

He becomes the third member to ditch his singleton status, following Brian Littrell and the now retired Kevin Richardson to the altar.

There won't be too much time for a honeymoon. Dorough and the rest of BSB—Littrell, Nick Carter and A.J. McLean—resume their tour in Buffalo on Tuesday.

The band's latest album, Unbreakable, dropped in October.

Source: http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=64813c72-76af-4d03-978a-a8f746674ec1

Not Quite a Golden Weekend!!

Even if the writers weren't on strike, it's doubtful Saturday Night Live's comics would be penning "Lazy Sunday" odes to The Golden Compass.

The $180 million fantasy epic was no Chronicles of Narnia at the weekend box office, debuting with a pedestrian $26.1 million, per studio estimates compiled Sunday by Exhibitor Relations.

And no, The Golden Compass wasn't a Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, either. Each of those movies grossed at least $47 million in their first weekends, with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone bringing in $90.3 million.

New Line Cinema was looking for some LOTR, Harry Potter and Narnia magic when it charted a course for The Golden Compass. Like those other franchises, Golden Compass is based on a bestselling series of books. But the comparison ends there.

Unlike the golden three, The Golden Compass arrived in theaters Friday with weak reviews and loads of baggage. A conservative Catholic organization urged a boycott of the film, accusing author Philip Pullman's source material of being anti-God and anti-Catholic. This in contrast to the way Narnia, for one, was embraced by Christian groups (not to mention SNL's Chris Parnell and Andy Samberg).

In the end, The Golden Compass was more Eragon than Narnia (or Harry Potter or LOTR). Eragon, which bowed with $23.2 million last December, was another would-be fantasy franchise that didn't take off, flying dragons or no.

The news wasn't exclusively bad for The Golden Compass, talking polar bears and all.

It was the number one movie of Hollywood's latest weak weekend. And it was a much bigger draw than stars Nicole Kidman's and Daniel Craig's last joint venture, The Invasion, which bombed last summer.

Here's a recap of the top-grossing weekend films based on Friday-Sunday estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations:

1. The Golden Compass, $26.1 million
2. Enchanted, $10.7 million
3. This Christmas, $5 million
4. Fred Claus, $4.7 million
5. Beowulf, $4.4 million
6. No Country for Old Men, $4.2 million
7. August Rush, $3.5 million
8. Hitman, $3.48 million
9. Awake, $3.3 million
10. Bee Movie, $2.6 million

Source: http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=3c724158-341c-4d05-b4b9-90a61f65a954&entry=index&sid=rss_topstories&utm_source=eonline&utm_medium=rssfeeds&utm_campaign=rss_topstories

Most Popular Holdiay Movie- The Golden Compass

1^st Most Popular Movie

The Golden Compass

Running Time:

1 hr. 58 min.

Release Date:

December 7, 2007

MPAA Rating:

PG-13 for sequences of fantasy violence

Complete Movie Details

Starring:

Nicole Kidman, Dakota Blue Richards, Eva Green, Daniel Craig, Derek Jacobi, Ben Walker, (II)

Directed by:

Chris Weitz

What's the story?
12-year-old Lyra is an orphan who lives in a parallel world, where human souls take the form of animal companions called daemons. When her best friend disappears, Lyra promises to find him. Her uncle, Lord Asriel, doesn't want her to go, but the mysterious Mrs. Coulter offers to bring Lyra along for the adventure of a lifetime. One thing Lyra packs for the trip: the alethiometer -- a mysterious compass that many people are violently determined to possess. When the compass reveals to Lyra the truth about her friend's kidnapping and the evil force behind it, it's up to her to stop the war that threatens her world.

Movie Trailer!


Three Good Reasons to watch.

• 1It's a unique take on the fantasy genre: no old wizards in pointy hats, but loads of talking, fighting, shape-shifting animals.
• 2Dakota Blue Richards beat out more than 10,000 other girls for the role of Lyra. Clearly, the kid's got something.
• 3Casino Royale stars Daniel Craig and Eva Green reunite, but this time he's an aristocratic explorer and she's a witch.

You Didn't Know
In addition to Nicole Kidman, the cast includes another Oscar winner and two more nominees, but they'll just be heard and not seen. Kathy Bates provides the voice for Hester, the hare; Kristin Scott Thomas voices Stelmaria, the snow leopard, and Ian McKellen does the voice of Iorek Byrnison, the polar bear.

Source: http://movies.yahoo.com/holiday-movies/The-Golden-Compass/1808718640

50 Cent Video!

This is the most viewed 50 cent video on You Tube today!

Spoiler Chat: Office, Lost and Grey's Scoop!

Hey, tubers! Thanks for all your TV-licious Q's this week. Let's dig right in, starting with the Official possibility of a bun in the oven...Yeee!

Cris in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada: Angela's pregnant! Please tell me the one good thing about the strike is that once it's over, they can write the pregnancy in as Dwight's baby! Dwight as a dad = hilarious!
(1) Congratulations, real-life Angela! (2) Did you know that Office boss Greg Daniels, Angela Kinsey (Angela) and Paul Lieberstein (Toby) are all related via Liebersteiniosity? Remind me to make friends with Paul's mama, 'cause I wanna have Christmas dinner at that house! (3) She better be pregnant on the show, and it better be Dwight's (not—horrors!—some kind of Andyspawn), because, seriously, she's due in May and that is sweeps, so this is a gimme. (4) I would give up one of my own ovaries to hear Dwight Schrute's theories on pregnancy, birth and childrearing. Can you imagine?!

G in Chicago: "Lost Without Lost: A Haiku"

Where are my people?
Sandy beaches, shirtless men
Die, hiatus, die!

(Please, please tell me you have some tiny little morsel of info to share on Lost? I’m dying here!)
Ha!...Or make that Ha-lle-freaking-lujah! I do! Check out the spoiler section below, mon cheri!

Jer in McAllen, Texas: Your new photo is sooo Top Model! Any scoop on that dramafest? How about Project Runway?
Wow, I guess all my ANTM viewing finally paid off! Thank you. [Blush.] Okay, regarding PR: Heidi Klum is coming to town! (She sees you when you're sloppy, she sees all your mistakes, she knows if you dress bad or good, so dress good for goodness' sake!) Heidi is starring in the Paley Center for Media roundtable about Project Runway next Tues., Dec. 4, and I'm moderating. Yay! If you have any Q's about Runway, seasons one through now, email me at tvdiva@eonline.com, and I'll get you A's!

Chrissy in Oak Park, Illinois: So, I'm assuming Michael Vartan's show got canceled, since it hasn't been on for weeks. I'm pissed!
Actually, ABC put Big Shots on hiatus for November sweeps, but it's back this Thursday and has a few eps in the hopper—including the one guest starring Charisma Carpenter. Said ep airs Dec.13!

Jennifer in Toluca Lake: Do you have any scoop on The Hills? I'm sorry, but it's the best show on TV. Do you think Heidi and Spencer will actually get married?
Sources tell me their plans are still in the works, though they've settled down regarding the casting of people in the wedding (perhaps because they were outed...hmmm?). And by the way, am I the only one who thinks Whitney's new squeeze Jarrett is kinda adorable? He gave her free personal training, picked her up for a date, treated her with respect and paid the bill. This just might be the best guy ever on The Hills! Still, spoiler alert! I just so happen to know it didn't work out between the two of them, because Whitney apparently moved on and started dating someone here at E! (no, not Korbi, not Moondust, not Teddy C...).

Sharon in Gainesville, Florida: I loooove The Hills, and I am totally Team L.C.! I'm even gonna buy L.C. designs for all my female family members this Christmas.
Go for the handbags. Lauren just released a new line that includes a clutch, a coin purse and a tote. FYI, don't miss tonight's installment of the show, because Spencer's sister makes her debut, and she confronts your girl quite aggressively. It's a cannot-miss ep.

Diana in San Diego: I miss Logan's partner from last year on Criminal Intent—the redhead with the pixie haircut, not the new redhead. What happened to her? Is she ever coming back?
A L&O: CI show rep assures me that Julianne Nicholson (the pixie redhead, Det. Megan Wheeler) is returning to the show next year. She's been on maternity leave, with Alicia Witt (the new redhead) filling her shoes in the meantime as Det. Nola Falacci. Alicia shot six eps of the show, and her last installment airs when the show returns from winter hiatus. (Nicholson was great, wasn't she? It took me a while to get used to her, but I think Julianne's chemistry with Chris Noth is the best of anyone's since Jerry Orbach. Can't wait until she's back on the cases!)

Danielle in Van Nuys, California: I can't escape the billboards for that Tin Man movie. Is it any good?
Granted, I'm a wee bit biased because I have a Wizard of Oz collection the size of Jack Donaghy's cookie jar collection (seriously), but I think it's divine! It's a reimagining of The Wizard of Oz, and if Sci Fi were lame (like me), the tagline should be something like, "Everything you think you know about the land of Oz is wrong (but cooler than you ever imagined)." The cast is top-drawer, the writing is even better, and if you like Lost, Battlestar or Pushing Daisies, plan to love it, because it's something like a mashup of all three (plus, Zooey Deschanel from Weeds). I foresee Pirates of the Caribbean/Harry Potter/Wicked-scale fandom erupting after y'all have seen it. And if not, I'll be starting a one-woman fan club.

Jenny in Sherman Oaks, California: I went to the So You Think You Can Dance show in L.A. this week, and it was awesome! Any scoop on the cast?
Sí! Korbi went backstage after the show and said the kids were in very good spirits, getting ready to drive up to San Fran for a big Thanksgiving dinner together (and their next performance). Kameron told her they're just trying to really enjoy these last couple weeks of the tour, because it's quickly coming to a close. The posttour plan? He's moving to New York with season-two finalists Ivan and Travis, while B-girl Sara's hitting L.A. And Neil has already booked a movie, which everyone's psyched about! By the way, guess who else she spotted backstage: Karen Darling! Turns out the very sweet Natalie Zea is a huge fan of SYTYCD and was totally thrilled to be meeting the dancers. I knew I liked her.

Chris in Syracuse, New York: I'm a big fan of Wonderfalls. Any chance of Bryan Fuller and Lee Pace reuniting with any of the cast on Pushing Daisies? Also, rumor has it Veronica Mars' Rob Thomas is resurrecting Cupid—true?
Sadly, we heard through the grapevine last year that the cancellation of Wonderfalls just about broke Caroline Dhavernas' heart—so much so that she can't bear to take on another American series full-time. But...maybe a guest stint? Cross your fingers! (Speaking of Pushing Daisies, Mike White and Molly Shannon costar in the next ep as Hansel and Gretel types—a brother and sister duo with a predilection for candy. Love it!) As for Cupid, yes, it's true! Jeremy Piven won't be involved, but Rob is working up a new version for ABC! Don't forget. More R.T. in the world = more smiles.

Maria in Chicago: Why did October Road premiere on Thanksgiving? It couldn't have done very well in the ratings—most of my friends had no idea it was back.
True dat. Even the brand-new Seth Green-graced episode of Grey's Anatomy hit a ratings low with barely 14 million total viewers. Road aired after that, and lost more than half the audience, averaging about 6 million. The good news is it settles into its regular time slot (10 p.m. on Mondays) tonight, and the Weeds season is over, so we can all watch OR if we so desire. (Personally, I'm having a hard time getting into it. Can you diehards help me? I wanna love it!)

Melissa in Hammond, Indiana: I was just wondering if and/or when there are going to be new episodes of The Girls Next Door?
Season four premieres Sun., Dec. 9 at 10 p.m. Look for 12 eps total this season. Jen is already parked in front of the TV with her popcorn and a bottle of gin. (Take a shot every time Kendra is tardy, Bridget talks to Winnie like she's a person and/or Holly mentions her stint at Hooters!)

Eric in Santa Barbara, California: I missed Battlestar Galactica: Razor! Will it ever be re-aired, or is there someplace on the Internet where I can find it?
Direct to DVD, baby! Razor comes out on DVD Dec. 4, 2007. And Christmas stockings around the nation open wide...Speaking of which, we've seen the season-four preview from the bonus features—check the spoiler section for more.

SPOILERS

Heather in Miami: My sincerest condolences that your Hawaii trip was canceled. Is there no justice in the time of the strike?! Anyway, why don't you make it up to yourself by telling us some Lost scoop.
Thanks, Heather. Anyone wanna help me drown my sorrows with some mai tais? As you may know, the Lost production office is an impenetrable fortress of secrecy these days, but I was able to dig up a little scoop that I certainly found fascinating! Sources tell me the series most definitely flashes backward and forward in this season—and until the series ends...yeee! I'm also hearing we get quite a few new characters courtesy of Marsha Thomason's character, Naomi. Word is, Naomi summoned them via walkie-talkie before Locke busted that knife in her back. So, newbies are a-comin'!

Tanya in Chino, California: Only two episodes left of Heroes! Any scoop on what happens? Are the eps good?
I've heard of what happens but haven't seen them yet, and I can tell you this: I'm highly alarmed by the body count at the end of next week's episode. If one death in particular isn't a fake-out (that is, if he or she doesn't come back when the show returns), I will be asking you to join me for the rioting, looting and hissy-fitting that is only appropriate with a death of this kind of fan favorite.

Yuley in Germany: I cannot stand Rose on Grey's Anatomy! Please tell me she will take her sicky paws off Patrick Dempsey.
Hey now! I'm not saying I like Rose and McDreamy together (jury's still out, if you ask me), but I have to tell you that Lauren Stamile, who plays Thorny, is quite a lovely person—inside and out—so let's not go crazy with the hate, 'kay? That said, you'll have plenty of reason to put a fist through your TV in the next couple of episodes if you are not a fan of the McThorny pairing, 'cause, well, there's a little lip-on-lip action on the way! Yep, you heard me. McDreamy is puckering up to Miss Prickly. Good thing or bad? Comment below!

Harrison in Rhode Island: The last episode of Grey's was fantastic! So many lives hanging in the balance. Any word on who'll survive?
I know Nurse Rose "saves the day" when it comes to McDreamy's computer-gremlin-riddled surgery, so I'd bet good money on that patient surviving...and on the experience making Derek swoon.

Tori in Sonoma, California: Brothers & Sisters is so good. Please spill!
Gladly. Stand by for lots of exclusive Brothers & Sisters video clips from my time hanging out on set with the Walkers! Those are coming later this week. Meanwhile, the romances are heating up, no?! Last night's episode had me all swoony with that Lyle Lovett serenade at the Hollywood Bowl for Kitty...(not that my hubby doesn't do things like that all the time, but jeesh!). Anyway, look for Saul to finally begin accepting his homosexuality when he goes on a date with a man named Evan, and for Nora to cozy up to Danny Glover's character, Isaac. (Poor Chevy!)

Grace in Asheville, North Carolina: I love Friday Night Lights, but I feel like there's an element of romance missing. Last season, we had Lyla and Jason, Lyla and Tim, Tim and the neighbor, Julie and Matt, Smash and Waverly and, of course, the coach and Tami to tide us over. This year, not so much.
Take heart! There is love (and lust) in the Dillon air, and you'll bear witness to it very soon. First of all, Matt Saracen has a couple of balls in the air...and I ain't talking 'bout his football game. As you know, the cheerleader has sunk her claws into him, but the heat between Matt and Nurse Carlotta keeps him from making a commitment to either of 'em! Also, Jason's got a date or two in the near future: One goes south fast, while another may turn into something long term. Of course, Julie's got forbidden teacher love on the brain, and stay tuned for some good Smash action as well.

Erin in Reston, Virginia: Any updates on my old fave ER?
In an upcoming ep, Sam and Gates...flirt?! Say whaaa? It's subtle, but it's there, and it's kind of freaking me out! What do you guys think of that pairing? Post in the Comments below!

Brenna: OMG! This Tuesday is the big Bones kiss! I am so looking forward to it! But I need to know, is anything good gonna happen for them after it? Love you, Kristin!
All I can say is that in the last scene of the last episode before Bones goes off the air (because of the strike), there's an event that's much, much bigger for Bones and Booth than a li'l ol' kiss...and not in a good way. Gaaah! (Oh, and thanks for the love, my dear.)

Kathie in West Haven, Connecticut: I love Gossip Girl, and I need a gossip fix! Can you tell me if Serena's mom and Chuck's dad are still together? They never made it clear whether she forgave him or not.



She did. Lily van der Woodsen and Bart Bass (or should I say L&B) are sooo on, and word is Serena is quite surprised when she finds out. XOXO, TV Gossip Girl.

James in Chicago: Chuck?
Most important, there's another great heart-to-heart moment coming up between Sarah and Chuck (how toe-tingly was that kiss?!). Also, Chuck's cover is finally exposed, causing him to leave town and go under permanent security, and at Buy More, Big Mike's giant marlin is stolen and the cops believe it's an inside job.

Stephanie in West Chester, Ohio: Do you have any idea about what happens on the Psych holiday episode?
Well, Gus' dad kills an old guy...Kidding, that's just the title, but an old guy does die, Corbin Bernsen keeps the boys in check by being his usual hilarious self, and "Lassie" becomes a holiday pet of Juliet's family. Sort of. In other exciting Psych news, people who know things tell us that creator Steve Franks is directing the season finale. Yays!

Christopher in Concord, California: What's coming up on Dirty Sexy Money?
The Darling family secrets do not stay hidden forever. I'm hearing we'll finally know the truth about which Darling kid is Nick's half-sibling this Wednesday! Word is, more info about Dutch and Letitia's affair is learned as well.

Jessica in Orlando, Florida: Anything on Aliens in America? Will Justin ever go on a date?
Yes, Justin is finally getting a girlfriend! In an upcoming episode. He dates an unpopular girl named Donna, who informs him that his French-kissing skills need fine-tuning. Also, Raja gets some lovin' as well from a girl named Sadika.

Janelle in Austin, Texas: October Road! October Road!
Nick's mother, who passed away years ago, had a secret her son soon uncovers.

Kristen in Winter Park, Florida: Can you give us any news about Law & Order: Criminal Intent? I'm a total junkie when it comes to that show...
Ben Vereen stars in the final episode of the fall as a minister entangled in the murder of four college boys. Word on the street says his performance is a major standout. Also, over on L&O: SVU, an upcoming case focuses on a secluded Orthodox Jewish community called Kiryas Joel after several children are raped by a 14-year-old classmate. Can you feel my goosebumps of creep from there?

Linda: Loved Razor. However, I could not hear what the old man in the tub said! Grrr...please tell me what I waited nearly two hours to hear and then miss. Thank you so say we all.
He said, "Kara Thrace will lead the human race to its end." I say, "The end and the beginning are always the same thing," but that's just me. As for the season-four preview, Tricia Helfer spills that there is going to be a new Six, who goes by the name of Natalie; Jamie Bamber says the first 10 eps are all about the secret Cylons; and Ronald D. Moore promises we meet the final Cylon before the end of season four. There's also a season-four trailer that includes one particularly intriguing shot: Kara lying on the floor of a Galactica hallway screaming, "We're going the wrong way!" Mmmm...

Kara in Fort Lee, New Jersey: Can you please tell me why the actress playing Nathan Fillion's ex-lover from Chicago looks so familiar? I've been trying to figure it out since she unexpectedly showed up at his door last night on Desperate Housewives!
Her name is Melora Walters, and you know her because she is crazy Wanda Henrickson from Big Love! You know, Joey's weirdo wife who has a penchant for poisoning people?! Turns out she'll be playing a loon on Desperate Housewives, too, and sources are saying Tom Scavo is her next victim! Do you remember when we reported back in October that Tom would be seen having dinner with an annoying hussy? Turns out that hussy is the same lady who wreaked havoc on Adam and Katherine Mayfair's marriage back in Chi-town.

Heroes Redux: One to Go; Three to Die

"Two Heroes will fall. One villain will rise."

Trust me, that NBC promo dude ain't kiddin' in the Heroes teaser that aired tonight! And frankly, I'm a wee bit scared about the two impending deaths in next week's winter finale...which I have a little exclusive scoop on below.

But first, let's dig into what went down tonight!

WHAT WE LEARNED

Peter Petrelli Is a Selfish Little Prat: Sorry, Milo, me still love you long time, but that was some ridiculous motivation you kept expressing in tonight's episode! Let me get this straight: You went to the future. You saw that ninety-freaking-three percent of the entire world population had perished because of that pesky virus, but your primary concern is to save some Irish trollop you met in a bar a few weeks ago? Yes, Caitlin is perfectly lovely, but if The Bachelor has taught us nothing else this week, it's that you cannot develop strong feelings in that amount of time. How about a little concern for humanity at large?!...Ahem. Sorry. Had to vent.

Claire-Bear's Never Been Better: Okay, granted, I can't really follow her logic of how showing the world her ability will make her story about her father's death automatically true, but hot damn, Hayden P was certainly on top of her game tonight, giving the likes of Sally Field in Steel Magnolias a run for her money as far as believable and heart-tugging tears. (Okay, maybe that's a bit of a stretch, but still, I was moved!) (And psst...Worry not! Claire won't be crying much longer.)

Alejandro, We Hardly Knew Ye... But we knew ye a lot longer than we were supposed to! Don't forget what Shalim Ortiz told us when he stopped by the illustrious WWK studios (aka my office) to chat: He was only supposed to be in one or two episodes. So he was living on borrowed time and should move on to greener and fan-friendly pastures. RIP, Alejandro.

Adam Is 100 Percent Bad Boy (and Not in the Fun Sort of Gangsta Way): Lest it not be clear, Adam's sole intentions are to release strain number 138 of the virus on the population, in order to wipe the slate clean on humanity and enact his plan for world domination. Sorta makes Sylar look like a wounded putty-tat, does he not? (Not to mention David Anders' original evil mastermind on Alias, the delicious Mr. Sark.) This is some serious evil!

WHAT LIES AHEAD

In next week's winter finale, three Heroes will die.

We'll call the first death Final, the second death Uncertain and the third death Reversed (thanks to Claire's miracle juice—yay!). (And no, they don't go down in that order.)

Although you may be shocked by all of these deaths—because they are all series regulars and very pretty people!—you probably won't cry over Final or Reversed (that's just my hunch). But if Uncertain turns out to stick, well, let's just say the Heroes producers best be stocking up on some hazmat suits for the s--t storm that's about to erupt! The fans will not be happy.

(P.S.: In other winter-finale news, Mama Petrelli just might be the worst mother ever in the history of the planet, while Noah Bennet has my vote for Father of the Year, while Sylar is the Comeback Kid.)

Now, who do you think is doomed to die next week? Vote below! And come back on Monday for my next Vine show, which was shot entirely on location at the Heroes set during the filming of the winter finale. Don't say I never take you anywhere!

Lost Ads Coming to the Big Screen

This just in: Lost is coming to the big screen!

Oh, how I wish I could tell you our beloved Evie, Matthew and Josh are starring in a movie version of the show we so adore, but this is pretty much the next best thing: Sources tell me ABC has secured a deal to air promos for the upcoming fourth season of Lost (with new footage!) before all movies rated PG and above in Screenvision and NCM chains in December.

Hear that? It's the sound of this die-hard couch potato running out to buy my tickets!

And by the way, this also means ABC thinks the new season of Lost is so good, it warrants such play. I've heard from Alphabet-net insiders that the upcoming eight episodes filmed so far are "crazy good" and will "even satisfy the haters." So, if you're already starting to feel the fourth-season fever, sound off below, will ya?

And if you're headed for the aforementioned theaters, don't you dare think about hitting the bathroom before the show...

Rumor Patrol: Is Reaper a Goner?

It's aliiive! (For now.)

Despite what you may have heard, Reaper is not dead, undead, a zombie or otherwise shuffling off this mortal coil. After getting a few panicky emails (and bless you for caring about good TV!), I checked with the CW, and Reaper's rep tells me, "The show isn't airing, because we are premiering our new show Crowned, but it definitely has not been canceled. It will be back in the New Year."

Inside sources close to the show also confirm to me that "no decision has been made yet" regarding the show's longevity. Ten to twelve episodes were set to be produced. Eight episodes have aired.

Here's hoping it's true that Reaper will return! 'Cause I, for one, happen to think Reaper is just about the most watchable thing on the good ol' See Dub these days, and I highly recommend you check it out.

Also, I've seen the first episode of Crowned and can tell you it's exactly what you think it is: harmless, flavorless reality sludge with the sole purpose of trying to fill the impeding void of scripted programming due to that dreaded S-word.

SMG Back on TV? Dare We Dream It?

Here's a little news to make you fellow Buffy fans squeal.

Sources close to the lovely Sarah Michelle Gellar tell me she's become somewhat disenchanted with the movie scripts she's been receiving, so she's considering...wait for it...coming back to television.

Boo-freaking-yah.

Word is, Sarah's been looking at various TV scripts and weighing her options. And you know what that means, my friends? With any luck, when the strike ends, we could have Joss Whedon and Sarah Michelle Gellar both back in our lovely small-screen world!

Wonder if she's asked Joss to send her the treatment for Dollhouse? Yeah...probably not. That'd be far too good to be true. But still, here's hoping we get to see Gellar in our living rooms again sometime soon!

What do you say? Comment below...

Brothers & Sisters Wedding Party!

Have you ever loved a TV family so much you find yourself fantasizing about being a part of it? Well, for me it was the Bradys, the Keatons, the Huxtables and now...the Walkers.

In case you haven't been watching ABC's Brothers & Sisters, few other series on television this season have such a smart, charming and totally engrossing set of characters—who are so dang cool they physically repel anything even remotely sappy.

And this Sunday is going to be perhaps the finest B&S episode of the year, as Kitty Walker (Calista Flockhart) and Senator McCallister (Rob Lowe) tie the knot. Always one for a little free cake and open bar, I did my best to crash the wedding and got as far as...four beloved members of the Walker clan, who just so happen to be bridesmaids and groomsmen for the big event.

While they shot the wedding ep, I sat down on set with Dave Annable (Justin), Emily VanCamp (Rebecca), Matthew Rhys (Kevin) and Sarah Jane Morris (Julia) to get to know them a little better. And I only have two words left to say: Adopt me!

You'll feel the same after watching the clips below. Check 'em out, starting with Dave Annable on why he's collecting garbage...

The Hills Drama Just Keeps Getting Better

If you've been watching MTV's The Hills, you know it's just about the most addictive guilty pleasure on television these days. And what's happening onscreen is only the half of it.

First, we get the news that the now infamous "She Pratt," aka Spencer Pratt's eerily similar-looking sister Stephanie, was arrested in Hawaii for allegedly shoplifting at Neiman Marcus. Que scandoloso! Que Winona!

And now, remember my previous story that producers were looking into casting Roxy Olin, an actress who is the daughter of Brothers & Sisters producer Ken Olin and star Patricia Wettig, as a bridesmaid for Heidi and Spencer? Well, MTV did follow up with me to tell me that the story is not true. However, you may have noticed Roxy did pop up on the latest episode—that was her standing next to Spencer's sister as she told off Lauren in the bar.

Still, it looks like that may be the end of the Hills line for Roxy. Her mom, Patricia (also known as the VP on Prison Break), has given an interview over on ew.com, saying Roxy will only appear in one episode of The Hills even though "they wanted her to do another one."

"Roxy appeared as a favor," Patricia told ew.com. "She met Heidi, but Roxy went to high school with (Hills costar) Spencer Pratt, so that's the connection. I'm pretty sure she's not going to do any more. They kind of pigeonhole you into stuff there."

All I know is I'm already pigeonholed into a serious addiction with this series, and I might need to seek counseling to cope with it. Especially because—hope you're sitting down for this—MTV has released a season finale date of Dec. 10 for the second season of The Hills. I know! Too soon! I feel the shakes coming on already...

Tin Man: Welcome to the O.Z., Bitch!

Sweeps may be over, but some of the most entertaining TV you'll see all year is yet to come. Sci Fi continues its winter miniseries tradition this Sunday with the first of three nights of Tin Man, a reimagining of The Wizard of Oz that mixes up your space operas with your family melodramas and ends up creating a whimsical, wonderful, mythological adventure.

What's that, you say? You've already seen The Wizard of Oz? Not like this, you haven't! Here's what's different—and fabulous—about this take on the old tale.

Noir-othy: Imagine dropping Veronica Mars into the land of Oz (here known as the O.Z., or Outer Zone), and you'll get a sense of how drastically Zooey Deschanel's girl from over the rainbow differs from Judy Garland's. Even though she's just a regular girl from the Plains, Zooey's DG hardly bats an eyelash at the strange turn of events that deposit her in the O.Z. She handles the situation with great aplomb and a dry, deadpan humor that's miles from Garland's peppy astonishment. This girl's voice drops down a register as she wryly tells the Munchkin types, "You're out of your tiny minds." Cocreator Craig Van Sickle says, "When Zooey wanted to do it, we were thrilled, because she brings such a great, totally different energy, and a whole other audience, to the part."

Backstory: This O.Z. acknowledges the stories of the past but does not depend on them. Instead, according to cocreator Steven Long Mitchell, "We tried to take some of those lines from the icons in the movies and the books so the audience at home can play the game of 'Oh, that's what that means.' " However, lions and tigers and, oh look, a bear, "oh my!" are not just played as coy winks to the audience. Despite the fact that this sci-fi miniseries is full of space lasers and holograms and bottled brains, as the story progresses, you'll see our cultural history with The Wizard of Oz has everything to do with the actual history of the O.Z. (Hint: The wicked sorceress Azkadellia is not what she at first seems to be.)

Let's Talk About the Hot: All due respect to 1939, but the O.Z. has never looked this good. In addition to the beautiful production design, the CGI majesty of the Central City and the gorgeous flying-monkeys effects work, the characters this time around are just, let me tell you, damn fine. Kathleen Robertson's Azkadellia manages to be exquisitely beautiful without sacrificing any of the terrifying that Margaret Hamilton pulled off so well. Think Darth Vader in an S&M corset. Seriously—keep an eye on her cleavage, because this miniseries has some majorly good boob acting. And Neal McDonough, aka the world's hottest albino, gives the Tin Man an unexpected Indiana Jones-style sex appeal. (As evidenced by the seven-foot-tall poster of Neal that Jen stole from the Tin Man premiere party. Don't tell Sci Fi. Or her husband.)

That Old Black Magic: Like its predecessors in the cinematic land of Oz, Tin Man is eminently family friendly, but with all these incredibly good-looking people running around, sparks do fly. There's no nooky to speak of, but is that a little chemistry I see between DG and the Tin Man? Says Van Sickle, "There is something there...We really tried to keep it subtle, because we went back and forth on the question of chemistry. But it is there. We would love to do a series, because it is all there." (Yes, yes, please do a series!)

The Gang's All Here: You'll meet Alan Cumming's Glitch, who could really use a brain, and Raoul Trujillo's Raw, who is furry and gets scared sometimes, and Neal McDonough's ex-cop Wyatt Cain, who wishes he didn't have a heart. But they turn out to be so much more than the sum of their missing parts. This series gives the lessons of the past their due, but it also has a great deal more to say...

Tune in to Tin Man Sunday at 9 p.m. on Sci Fi, see what you think (we admit, the first 20 minutes are a little slow, but give it time, please!). Then come by the Chat on Monday for more tips on what else is coming down that yellow brick road.

Hulk Bodyslams Alimony, Custody Claims

When it comes to the terms of his divorce from wife Linda Bollea, Hulk Hogan is more than convinced he knows best.

The wrestler, whose real name is Terry Bollea, has filed a counterpetition to his wife's divorce suit. In his filing, the Hulkster contests his missus' call for unspecified alimony and child support, as well as her bid for primary custody of the duo's speed-demon son, Nick, claiming the 17-year-old should be able to decide for himself with which parent he wishes to reside.

The Hogan Knows Best stars, who have been married for 24 years, also have a daughter, aspiring pop star Brooke, but she's 19 and not subject to custody arrangements.

In his filing, the 54-year-old mustachioed patriarch left no point undisputed, even questioning the marriage date Linda listed on her divorce petition, filed last week. While she jotted down Dec. 12, 1983 as the big day, the semiretired WWE icon claimed it was actually Dec. 18. Public records back up his timeline.

One thing there doesn't seem to be much disagreement on is when things went sour for the duo. Per court documents, they separated in September, a month after their son's car crash left his passenger, Iraq veteran John Graziano, hospitalized in a coma.

In her petition, Linda sought legal custody of Nick until his 18th birthday next July, although she said she was open to "liberal visitation" for the grappler.

In his reply, Terry countered that "it would be in the best interest for the parties to have shared parental responsibility."

Linda, 48, has also requested half of the couple's shared assets, which include more than $9.5 million in real-estate holdings, as well as unspecified amounts of alimony and child support. She also wants him to cover all her legal expenses. Hulk, meanwhile, said in his filing that Linda was more than capable of supporting herself and helping to support their son.

He did, however, indicate he would continue to provide health insurance for the family.

As for Linda's claim to half the couple's assets, Hulk's petition mentions "numerous liabilities, contingent liabilities, obligations and debts which must be resolved as part of any equitable distribution that may be accomplished by the court."

Linda's attorney, Elliot Jay Goldstein, told southern Florida's Herald-Tribune newspaper Thursday that he has already filed a response to the wrestler's petition by mail, though did not disclose its content.

Along with Terry Hogan's counterpetition, depositions given by Deborah and Michael Graziano, the mother and brother of John Graziano, were released Thursday. The 22-year-old is expected to spend the rest of his life in a nursing home, requiring constant care.

Nick Bollea is facing charges of felony reckless driving involving serious bodily injury as a result of the crash. Police are currently investigating whether the crash occurred as a result of illegal racing. Shortly after the accident, the teen told Deborah that the smash was caused when he was unable to avoid a standing water puddle and skidded into a tree.

"He said they were driving, and he saw a puddle, and he tried to avoid it, but there was a car next to him that he couldn't get around," she told prosecutors. "So, they hit the puddle and hydroplaned."

Per the newly released documents, Clearwater Police Officer David Nugent questioned the statement, saying neither he nor his fellow investigator "saw any standing water that could result in a hydroplane situation."

Meanwhile, Nick's attorney, Kevin Hayslett, defended his client's statement, saying the water, a result of a recent rainfall, "was a contributing if not the proximate cause of this accident."

In her deposition, Deborah also said that Terry Bollea was "very upset" that his son took the 1998 Toyota Supra out with his three friends, but was unable to stop them as he was in the shower when they decided to leave the house in the vehicle.

"He said...he always takes too long in the shower, and the kids were tired of waiting for him," she said. "And if he didn't take so long maybe they would have waited for him and then they wouldn't have taken that car and gone."

The Grazianos, who are separated and have different representation, have said that they plan on filing suit against the Bollea family.

by Gina Serpe
Fri, 30 Nov 2007 01:55:24 PM PST

Source: http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=d82187a5-cc5a-445e-b630-e41ac90dc0c3

The Strike, Your Marriage and You

With the assistance of Christina Applegate, Samantha Who? writer Bob Kushell helps you survive your marriage during the Writers' Strike.