'Chuck': 6 things about season threeThe "Chuck" countdown clock is now inside 30 days, and the show's creators are opening up -- at least a little -- about what we can expect from the new season.Co-creators Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak and star Zachary Levi spoke to reporters on a conference call Friday and laid out a little bit of what viewers can expect from the new season, which premieres Jan. 10. Chuck Bartowski (Levi) downloaded a new Intersect into his head at the end of last season, one that gives him access to physical skills as well as government secrets, and the new season will follow his path to becoming, as Fedak and Schwartz put it, "a real spy." Here are a half-dozen things you can expect from the new season. The new Intersect won't always work. Fedak: "You have to keep in mind that it was designed for a super-cold, emotionless spy like Bryce Larkin -- someone who could essentially handle all these new abilities. Now it's been downloaded into Chuck Bartowski, who's filled with emotions: anxiety, fear, he's in love with his partner. All those things actually don't help with the Intersect. ... Sometimes it works perfectly, and sometimes when he gets flustered or upset, it essentially fritzes out." Schwartz: "We take on in an episode -- what if Chuck stops flashing? What if his emotions get to a place where it's not working at all, and he's just a guy and he's benched from the team? There's the idea too that Sarah [Yvonne Strahovski] -- because she's at the heart of so much of his emotion and angst -- she's in some ways his kryptonite." Chuck vs. Morgan. Levi: "[Chuck's spy training] continues to put a strain on our bromance, which is pretty difficult, because Chuck and Morgan [Joshua Gomez] have been friends since they were young kids. ... [Having to] lie to him day in and day out, that starts to really have an effect on their ability to just be friends. They do make steps -- Morgan moves in and now they have their bachelor pad. It's good for a little while, but it kind of makes it worse in some ways. ... You'll definitely see that take its toll in the season." Casey at the Buy More. Early in the call, Schwartz noted that the Buy More, that "dysfunctional hotbed of competingly bizarre personalities," would be getting a new assistant manager -- "someone you may know from the show." Something he said later makes us think that person is none other than John Casey (Adam Baldwin). "I think a lot of the friction [for Casey] this year is actually going to come at the Buy More, where he's going to be given more responsibility," Schwartz says. "Without giving too much away, he finds the Buy More to be potentially his future." Levi directs. Levi took his first turn behind the camera this season, and Schwartz and Fedak have nothing but praise for the job he did. "The episode turned out great," Schwartz says. "We also decided for Zach's first episode that we were going to give him one of the more ambitious, important [episodes] in the mythology of the show." "We did Zach no favors," Fedak adds. "'Chuck' is an incredibly difficult show to direct because we're doing comedy and action, which are difficult in their own right, and we're trying to do both. So Zach really jumped into the deep end, and he was swimming laps by the end of the day." Subway series? Schwartz: "The name of the show is now 'Jared.' It's actually going to be far less integration than people feared or predicted at the end of last season. There won't be much more than what you saw last year. ... No one's working at Subway, if that's what you're asking." Jeffster! returns. Schwartz: "[Vik Sahay as Lester and Scott Krinsky as Jeff] are invaluable comic support for us. Vik has, without giving too much away, a Buy More-via-'Fight Club' storyline where Lester really goes bananas, and obviously you can expect and look forward to the return of Jeffster!" Fedak: "We will promise this -- we'll see Lester's bedroom. Schwartz: "And his PJs. You will see what Lester sleeps in. It involves feet." Chuck Becomes Game on Twitter, FacebookNBC is on a mission to make Chuck the most talked-about returning series of 2010. The network is launching a game that doles out points to fans who talk about the series on social networks."Mission: Chuck Me Out" tracks users who mention Chuck on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. Earning one point per mention, the fan with the most points on March 10 will have their photo appear in one of Chuck's mental flashes. The spy series returns Jan. 10 at 9/8c. Castle (1/4)“The Double Down” – When two separate murders are committed on the same night, Castle wagers Ryan and Esposito that he and Beckett will solve theirs first. The frenzied race to catch their respective killers and win the bet leads each investigative duo to a likely suspect, only to find that they both have airtight alibis. But bizarre twists in both cases force the two teams to work together to unravel the mind-bending mystery behind each murder, on “Castle,” MONDAY, DECEMBER 14 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET/PT) on ABC. (Rebroadcast: OAD: 9/28/09)“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Arye Gross as M.E. Perlmutter, Brennan Elliot as Jason Cosway, Diana-Maria Riva as Detective Roselyn Karpowski. “The Double Down” was written David Grace and directed by Rob Bowman. Castle (12/26)“When the Bough Breaks” – Castle’s book agent, Paula Haas (guest star Debi Mazar), approaches him with a career changing opportunity, but taking it would mean the end of his relationship with Beckett. Will the murder of an unidentified woman found dead in a manhole be their last case together?, on “Castle,” SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on ABC. (Rebroadcast: OAD: 10/19/09)“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Debi Mazar as Paula Haas, Reed Diamond as Dr.Cameron Talbot, Elaine Hendrix as Melissa Talbot. “When the Bough Breaks” was written by Rene Echevarria and directed by John Terlesky. Castle (12/21)“Vampire Weekend” – As Halloween approaches, Castle and Beckett are called to a graveyard where the body of a young man sporting vampire fangs has been discovered with a wooden stake driven through his heart. Their investigation takes them deep into the heart of New York's underground vampire fetish community, where they learn that the motive for the victim’s murder may be hiding within the pages of the graphic novel he was writing before his death, on “Castle,” MONDAY, DECEMBER 21 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET/PT) on ABC. (Rebroadcast: OAD: 11/2/09)“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Anita Barone as Janice Freeman, Robin Thomas as Alan Freeman, Samantha Shelton as Vixen. “Vampire Weekend” was written by Terri Miller and directed by Karen Gaviola. Castle (12/19)“Inventing the Girl” – Castle and Beckett get an inside look at the cutthroat world of the New York fashion industry when they investigate the brutal murder of a young model during Fashion Week, on “Castle,” SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on ABC. (Rebroadcast: OAD: 10/5/09)“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Julian Sands as Teddy Farrow, Matt Barr as Travis McBoyd, Shanna Collins as Rina. “Inventing the Girl” was written by Moira Kirland and directed by Dwight Little. Castle (12/14)“Famous Last Words” -- When an up-and-coming rock star’s dead body is found staged in a scene straight out of her hit music video, Castle and Beckett delve into the world of obsessed fans, sleazy managers and jealous band members. But it’s only when Alexis uncovers the true meaning behind the lyrics of the final song that clues to the killer’s identity begin to surface, on “Castle,” MONDAY, DECEMBER 21 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET/PT) on ABC. (Rebroadcast: OAD: 11/2/09)“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Robert Curtis Brown as Ian Busch, Anne Ramsay as Bree Busch, Erin Foster as Sky Blue. “Famous Last Words” was written by Jose Molina and directed by Rob Bowman. Is Anna Getting Busy on V?The Visitors are leaving for a while. (You know what they say about guests and fish stinking after three days.) Tonight is the last new episode of V's premiere pod of episodes, and it's a doozy. There are major reveals about the future (think circle-of-life type stuff), someone gets tortured to death, we learn more about the so-called "fifth column," we learn that the Vs are out to get us using a method that would make Bill Maher nod and go "Toldya!," and, oh yeah, Lisa (Laura Vandervoort) brings Tyler (Logan Huffman) home to meet her "mother." Eek!What's to come after all of tonight's alien madness is said and done? We caught up with superfoxy alien babe Morena Baccarin for an exclusive chat, and she hinted that things (maybe even big romantic things) are heating up for Anna. Here's what we learned: OK, what is up with your and Scott Wolf's characters? The relationship is definitely going to keep going in whatever strange direction it's going now. You don't really know if they're going to fight each other, love each other, or if she's going to eat him. You don't know what's going to happen! It gets really interesting in the episode that comes out on Tuesday. Something happens to his character that makes him very dependent on us. He has to sort of battle with his will to see what he's going to do. It's a very interesting dynamic. Did you watch the original V to research your role at all, or did you steer clear from it? I didn't watch the original...I had seen it when I was really little, so I remember it and I remember the creepy factor, but I haven't watched it since. I think I won't, because I want to create this character on my own. Now that we're hooked, you're taking a break from filming… Yes! It's torturous isn't it? It's torturous for me too. I really want to know what happens. We start back up in January, so just right after the holidays. Does it make you nervous that you have several months of hiatus? Or do you think the suspense will help the show in the end? I think it will help it. When people see the next episode, they're definitely coming back for more! So, will you be back for more when V returns with nine new episodes in March? Is the show living up to your expectations so far? Her cryptic 'V' character is alien to animated BaccarinAs the leader of the alien Visitors, Morena Baccarin sports prime time's most prominent pixie haircut.And don't tell her bosses at ABC, but she has gotten a little sick of it. "I want to bleach my hair blond. I'd love to, but they would kill me right now if I did that," she says. No kidding. The series V, starring Baccarin as Anna, the poker-faced president of the extraterrestrial Visitors, has proven to be a hit for ABC. The fourth episode airs tonight (8 ET/PT), and the series returns in March. Baccarin, 30, is animated and peppy in person. On screen, she's as cool as, well, a lizard. So she's particularly excited that this week, "you get to see what makes Anna tick a little bit. It's fun to be mysterious. I know that what Anna is doing and what her agenda is are really important, but you can't let on. I have to make her likable and intriguing to people who feel like they shouldn't like her." The Los Angeles-based actress, who was born in Brazil but grew up in New York, auditioned for the part and landed the job in one day. "I read this role and gravitated toward it, which I don't know if that's a good or bad thing," she says with a laugh. Her shorn hair, which she had cut earlier, worked in her favor. "There was a tiny bit of debate in the beginning. There was a second there where we discussed if she should have long hair. But having her be different would be better. I voiced my opinion that she should be crisp and clean and precise. The costume designer totally agreed." Given that Baccarin played a courtesan in Joss Whedon's sci-fi series Firefly and its big-screen adaptation, Serenity, has she been crowned the queen of the geeks? Sort of. "It's been really weird to walk down the street. At the post office the other day, a woman said I looked exactly like the alien on V. It's so weird to have people recognize you. They look at you like you're an alien." WHAT MAKES BACCARIN TICK Punctuality: "I hate being late. It makes me crazy." Sushi: "I love it. And shooting in Vancouver is great because it has amazing sushi." Politics: "I would love to meet (President) Obama. I think he is so charming and smart. It took us no time at all to turn on him. Certainly leading the country is a really tough job." Vacation: "My boyfriend and I are going to Europe for a couple of weeks later this year. We're going to London and maybe Spain or Croatia." Fans: "It's definitely weird and odd that I can go somewhere and be recognized. But I think it's fun." Castle (12/12)“Fool Me Once” – When an Arctic explorer is killed during a polar expedition, the mysterious circumstances of his death take Castle and Beckett from the penthouses of Park Avenue to the halls of the CIA. But Castle’s delight at the case’s many twists and turns soon turns to frustration as he realizes that their elusive killer might just be fooling them all, on “Castle,” SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on ABC. (Rebroadcast: OAD: 10/12/09)“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Kathleen Rose Perkins as Elise Finnegan, Robert Pine as Gerry Finnegan, David Ramsey as Jim Wheeler. “Fool Me Once” was written by Alexi Hawley and directed by Bryan Spicer. Castle (12/7)“The Fifth Bullet” – When an art dealer is gunned down in his gallery, Castle & Beckett discover that a bullet is inexplicably missing from the crime scene. The mystery is deepened by an amnesiac who witnessed the crime but can’t remember what he saw or even who he is… on “Castle,” MONDAY, DECEMBER 7 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET/PT) on ABC.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest cast: Marc Blucas as Jeremy Preswick, Anne Dudek as Emma Carnes, Carlo Rota as Bahir “Bobby” Harun. “The Fifth Bullet” was written by David Grae and directed by John Terlesky. CASTLE (11/30)Deep in Death” -- Castle is wrestling with how to repair his relationship with Beckett, while struggling to finish his soon-to-be-published bestseller, Heat Wave. But circumstances force the pair back together to investigate the mysterious murder of a man found dead, tangled in the limbs of a tree, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on ABC. (Rebroadcast: OAD: 9/21/09) Authors Stephen J. Cannell and Michael Connelly guest star as themselves in the episode.“Castle” stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Stephen J. Cannell as himself, Michael Connelly as himself, Laurel Holloman as Sandy Allen, Elizabeth Ho as Amy Saunders, Robert Grant as Ron Bigby. “Deep in Death” was written by Andrew Marlowe and directed by Rob Bowman. Dollhouse Shuts Its Doors For GoodJoss Whedon's Dollhouse, which was miraculously spared from cancellation at the end of its first season, will be closing its doors for good as Fox has pulled the plug during its second season. The Friday night cult favorite was suffering from low ratings, but strong DVR playback numbers. TV Guide Magazine has confirmed from a show insider that Dollhouse will complete its original 13 episode order starting with new episodes on December 4, with the series finale airing January 22.UPDATE: Joss Whedon has issued this statement: "Hmm. Apparently my news is not news. I don't have a lot to say. I'm extremely proud of the people I've worked with: my star, my staff, my cast, my crew. I feel the show is getting better pretty much every week, and I think you'll agree in the coming months. I'm grateful that we got to put it on, and then come back and put it on again. I'm off to pursue internet ventures/binge drinking. Possibly that relaxation thing I've read so much about. By the time the last episode airs, you'll know what my next project is. But for now there's a lot of work still to be done, and disappointment to bear. Thank you all for your support, your patience, your excellent adverts. See you again." CASTLE (11/23)"One Man's Treasure" - When a murdered man is found stuffed in the garbage chute of an apartment building and two women arrive to ID his body -- one his wife and the other his fiancŽe -- Castle and Beckett have their hands full keeping the women from killing each other as they work to peel back the layers of the victim's double life. Was it a jilted woman, corporate espionage, or a much darker secret that led to his demise?, on "Castle," MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on ABC."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest cast: DB Woodside as Lance Carlberg, Abigail Spencer as Sarah Reid, Perrey Reeves as Helen Parker, Alex Skuby as Charlie DePetro. "One Man's Treasure" was written by Elizabeth Davis and directed by Helen Shaver. Five Things You Didn't Know About Morena BaccarinNever has an alien looked so out of this world. When the Visitors landed on Earth on ABC's hit sci-fi drama, V last Tuesday, none was more captivating than Morena Baccarin.The stunning, 30-year-old Brazilian-born actress – who previously starred on Firefly – made quite a first impression with humans and viewers alike in her role as Anna, the sly and smooth alien leader. (V airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC through November.) Here are five things you may not know about TV's hottest new star. 1. She is a gourmet cook: "I love to get random recipes and try them. I cook very few things twice," she says. "Saveur magazine is my favorite magazine, and they have simple and unusual recipes I like to try." 2. She had a crush on her V costar Scott Wolf: She wasn't obsessed, but Baccarin admits that 15 years ago she was a huge Party of Five fan. "I loved it," she says. And Wolf's appeal on the show was simple: "He was the nice guy. I do remember watching it and [thinking] he was very hot." These days, however, Baccarin's affections are reserved for her boyfriend of two years, director Austin Chick. 3. Her pooch helped her through a rough patch: Baccarin, who splits her time between New York City and Los Angeles, often travels with her dog, Rudy. "He is a Löwchen, which is a rare breed of dog from Germany," she says, confessing that her love affair with the dog began "after I had gone through a breakup a few years ago. I went to the Santa Monica pound and friend of mine convinced me to get him. I thought he was a mutt, but he's a purebred from Germany that was bred to be a lap dog for royalty. Every day I've been so thankful I got him. He's the sweetest little guy. He doesn't bark. He doesn't chew [on things]. Sometimes I want to get more.” 4. She's a wine lover: One of Baccarin's favorite vacations was a trip to Seville, Spain, with Chick. "The food! Aus and I are big wine lovers, and Spanish wines are amazing. We love eating out, and the tapas and wine there are to die for." 5. She's not really evil!: Baccarin may play a calculating alien with plans to eradicate the human race – but at home she loves to laugh and keep things light. When it's time to unwind, "I don't watch much TV, but I recently got addicted to Modern Family," she says. "It's one of my favorite shows." 2010 People's Choice Awards nomineesNominees for the People's Choice Awards are out, and the people choose vampires."Twilight" and "True Blood" were among the top nominees announced Tuesday. Fans cast more than 18 million votes online to select the nominee slate and will also choose the winners in 35 categories. The People's Choice Awards lets the general public vote for their favorite stars and works of popular culture. "Twilight" is up for favorite movie, franchise and on-screen team for its trio of stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. Stewart and Pattinson were also nominated individually for favorite movie actress and actor, and Lautner is up for breakout movie actor. "True Blood" was nominated for favorite TV obsession and sci-fi/fantasy TV show, plus star Anna Paquin earned a nod for TV drama actress. Fans can vote for their favorites online at www.peopleschoice.com. Queen Latifah is set to host the People's Choice Awards at the Nokia Theatre. The ceremony will be broadcast live on CBS on Jan. 6, 2010. The complete list of nominees: TV drama: "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "Grey's Anatomy," "House," "Lost," "NCIS." TV comedy: "Desperate Housewives," "How I Met Your Mother," "The Big Bang Theory," "The Office," "Two and a Half Men." TV drama Actor: Hugh Laurie, Kiefer Sutherland, Mark Harmon, Matthew Fox, Patrick Dempsey. TV drama Actress: Anna Paquin, Blake Lively, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Katherine Heigl, Mariska Hargitay. TV comedy Actor: Alex Baldwin, Charlie Sheen, Jim Parsons, Neil Patrick Harris, Steve Carell. TV comedy Actress: Alyson Hannigan, America Ferrera, Amy Poehler, Eva Longoria Parker, Tina Fey. TV obsession: "Dexter," "Gossip Girl," "The Hills," "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," "True Blood." TV talk show: "Chelsea Lately," "Live with Regis & Kelly," "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "The Tyra Banks Show." TV sci-fi/fantasy: "Heroes," "Lost," "Supernatural," "The Vampire Diaries," "True Blood." TV competition show: "American Idol," "Dancing With the Stars," "Project Runway," "So You Think You Can Dance," "Survivor: Samoa." Animal show: "Animal Cops," "DogTown," "Dog Whisperer," "It's Me or the Dog," "Rescue Ink." New TV drama: "Eastwick," "FlashForward," "Melrose Place," "Mercy," "The Forgotten," "The Good Wife," "The Vampire Diaries," "Three Rivers," "NCIS: Los Angeles," "V." New TV comedy: "Accidentally on Purpose," "Brothers," "Community," "Cougar Town," "Glee," "Hank," "The Cleveland Show," "The Middle," "Modern Family." Movie actor: Brad Pitt, Hugh Jackman, Johnny Depp, Robert Pattinson, Ryan Reynolds. Movie actress: Anna Hathaway, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston, Kristen Stewart, Sandra Bullock. Action star: Christian Bale, Gerard Butler, Hugh Jackman, Shia LaBeouf, Vin Diesel. Comedic star: Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Jim Carrey, Ryan Reynolds, Vince Vaughn. Breakout movie actress: Anna Kendrick, Emily Osment, Ginnifer Goodwin, Miley Cyrus, Zoe Saldana. Breakout movie actor: Chris Pine, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Sam Worthington, Taylor Lautner, Zachary Quinto. On-screen team: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"; Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, "The Proposal"; Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner, "The Twilight Saga"; Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"; Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds, will.i.am, Dominic Monaghan and Daniel Henney, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." Family movie: "Hannah Montana: The Movie," "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs," "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," "Up," "Where the Wild Things Are." Independent movie: "(500) Days of Summer," "District 9," "Inglourious Basterds," "Paranormal Activity," "Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail." Franchise: "Harry Potter," "Star Trek," "The Twilight Saga," "Transformers," "X-Men." Comedy movie: "17 Again," "Bride Wars," "He's Just Not That Into You," "The Hangover," "The Proposal." Favorite movie: "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," "Star Trek," "The Hangover," "The Proposal," "Twilight." Male artist: Eminem, Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw. Female artist: Beyonce, Britney Spears, Carrie Underwood, Pink, Taylor Swift. Country artist: Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift. Breakout Music Artist: Adam Lambert, Demi Lovato, Kris Allen, Lady Gaga, Susan Boyle. Hip-hop artist: Eminem, Flo Rida, Jay-Z, Lil' Wayne, T.I. Rock band: Daughtry, Green Day, Kings of Leon, Muse, Paramore. Music collaboration: Cobra Starship & Leighton Meester, "Good Girls Go Bad"; Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat, "Lucky"; Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West, "Run This Town"; T.I. & Rihanna, "Live Your Life"; The Lonely Island & T-Pain, "I'm on a Boat." R&B artist: Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson, Mariah Carey, Usher. Pop artist: Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, the Black Eyed Peas. Web celeb: Andy Samberg, Ashton Kutcher, Miley Cyrus, P. Diddy, Will Ferrell. V: Sit Down with Visitors' Leader Morena BaccarinABC's V has finally arrived and, boy, did the Visitors make one heck of a first impression. While most of the world puts their faith in these new alien friends, Erica Evans (Elizabeth Mitchell) and others come to find out that they're not all they're "cracked up to be." Pulling the strings to keep their dirty little secret is Anna (Morena Baccarin), the Vs fearless and seemingly ruthless leader.TVGuide.com sat down with Baccarin to get the info on all things V, including the cliff-hanger in Episode 4, the last episode until 2010. She also teases the relationship between Anna and Chad (Scott Wolf), the natural occurrence of deaths on the new ABC series, and why Erica should be keeping an eye on Tyler (Logan Huffman). TVGuide.com: V doesn't seem to be your typical sci-fi show, though it boasts many actors who've been in the genre before. Morena Baccarin: We don't see ourselves as sci-fi people for the most part. It's not like we're talking a different language, like an alien language. Elizabeth was on a sci-fi show and [Alan Tudyk] was on Firefly with me, but I don't feel like V is a sci-fi show. There's not one big sci-fi fiasco. It's a show about heart and people and relationships. There's some spaceships thrown in there, sure, but the sci-fi element is evened out with other things. TVGuide.com: What is the Visitors' ultimate goal? Baccarin: You'll have to watch to see, but by Episode 4 you get a very good idea that we're not what we're all cracked up to be. There's more to it than we're saying. We are here for more than just a short while, and we're here for additional reasons than just water and minerals. TVGuide.com: Are there any good qualities in the Visitors? Baccarin: Yes, absolutely. Anna is very loyal to her people; that's a good quality. I think there are Vs that have been living among humanity, so they take on some human qualities. There are parts of Anna that, depending on who you ask, can be seen as good. TVGuide.com: Is Anna the type of leader to get her hands dirty? Baccarin: You mean like fighting? Not initially. I think Anna is very capable of throwing down with the best of them, but I think we want to keep her more elevated, more political, more presidential than getting down and dirty right now. TVGuide.com: Will people start to discover that the Visitors are bad or do they hide it pretty well? Baccarin: I don't know what you're talking about [Laughs]. I think that the Vs are pretty good at masking to the masses, but I think that humans are very smart and they have instincts. You can tell right away there's something going on behind the surface, and it becomes more public knowledge. TVGuide.com: When do we get to see an unmasking? Baccarin: It's throughout the series in different people. I don't have a big peel-off-my-face moment, but I've been told that there may be some effects in that direction. TVGuide.com: The Ambassador program feels like an homage to Hitler Youth. How does that develop? Baccarin: It grows quite a bit actually. It's very smart of the Vs to invest in the youth of the world. One of their plans is to get the young people really excited about the Vs, so they can influence other people. As the generations change, they will be present. It definitely gets out there a lot. TVGuide.com: Who would win in a fight between Anna and Erica? Baccarin: I'm going to have to go with Anna, because I need some loyalty to my character, but I think it'd be a good fight. [A fight between Anna and Erica] could happen. I do meet Tyler, so maybe there's something there she needs to be protective of. TVGuide.com: What precarious positions is Anna going to put Chad in? Baccarin: It's going to get really interesting because he's very ambitious, and he really wants to succeed at what he does. By the end of the four episodes, he's going to find himself in a real decision spot of not knowing which way to go, and maybe their relationship will progress into something else. The power shifts back and forth a bit, so he doesn't just fold like a cheap suit [again]. TVGuide.com: Could there be something more to their relationship? Baccarin: There definitely could be, and I think that that's what we're laying the ground work for. But we'll see how it plays out. TVGuide.com: Have you seen anything in the scripts that really surprised you? Baccarin: Yeah, a lot of things. There are some great plot turns and character twists that I love. I love that every character has a good and a bad side. I love that Elizabeth's character is struggling with being a good mom and saving the world. She's got some faults when it comes to her family and I think that's a wonderful thing. TVGuide.com: What can we look forward to in future episodes? Baccarin: We get to see more about how the Vs live. There are more hints at how they do certain things and there's some really great plot twists. [There are] characters' worlds that collide that you wouldn't expect. TVGuide.com: What can we expect in the cliff-hanger of Episode 4? Baccarin: Some relationships get explored, and you'll want to come back to find out. We've laid some groundwork for some V things, and you'll want to come back to find out what exactly they were. TVGuide.com: Will deaths be a natural occurrence on this show? Baccarin: As in life, there's death, so probably. There's not an intense amount of it, but nobody is safe. Everybody on the show — things can happen. We live in a very dangerous area with Vs and humans. At any moment something can happen. TVGuide.com: What is your one little pitch to fans to come in and watch the show? Baccarin: It is not only a show that has all the exciting stuff you want to see on TV when you want to veg out. There's cool effects and action. That aside, the creep factor of a huge spaceship hovering over our major cities, gives me goose bumps when I think about it. That element and the element that anything can happen and there's characters that are all people you can relate to. On some levels you relate to Elizabeth, we all relate to Tyler, we relate to all these people who are having struggles with their lives in addition to an alien invasion. It's a show that has a little bit of everything for everybody. V: It's Only the Beginning (11/24)"It's Only the Beginning" -- Erica works with newly-formed allies to uncover a biological threat they suspect the Visitors have been plotting. Aboard the Mothership, Anna meets with a special guest while managing the investigation into the murder of a V. And Chad does a segment on the V Healing Centers, demonstrating their amazing medical abilities, but then finds himself conflicted by some of his findings, on the riveting cliffhanger of "V," TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24 (8:00-9:01 p.m., ET), on ABC. [Editors note: The series will return with new episodes in March 2010.]"V" stars Elizabeth Mitchell as Erica Evans, Morris Chestnut as Ryan Nichols, Joel Gretsch as Father Jack, Lourdes Benedicto as Valerie, Logan Huffman as Tyler Evans, Laura Vandervoort as Lisa, with Morena Baccarin as Anna and Scott Wolf as Chad Decker. Guest cast: Ryan Kennedy as David, Craig Fraser as Peter Combs, Christopher Shyer as Marcus, David Richmond-Peck as Georgie, and Mark Hildreth as Joshua. "It's Only the Beginning" was written by Cameron Litvack & Angela Russo Otstot and directed by Yves Simoneau. Re-imagined 'V' continues ABC's red-letter yearWhen you're on a roll, even your more dubious plans have a way of panning out.There's no doubt that, creatively, ABC is playing network TV's hottest hand. It has launched fall's best new sitcoms in The Middle, Modern Family and Cougar Town, and its most intriguing drama in FlashForward. And now it can add to that list of achievements the season's most entertaining new hour, straightforward division: V. Think about how easily this idea could have gone south. Apply too little creative thought, and this souped-up updating of NBC's much-loved 1983 miniseriescould easily have become the same cheesy, tacky rehash mess that NBC made of Knight Rider. Overthink the project, and you risk bleeding all the fun out of it and creating an overly dark lump like Bionic Woman. Tonight, writer Scott Peters, whose The 4400 was one of TV's best recent alien-invasion dramas, hits all the right chords. He adds just enough modern media twists and political/sleeper-cell parallels to contemporize the story without drowning it in paranoia. The clothes and hair have changed, no doubt for the better, but the essentials are all in place – including, we can only hope, the visitors' legendary fondness for hamsters. What he and ABC have landed on is a show in which the effects are good but not dominant, the characters are strong, and the story is (as it was) crystal clear. Space visitors have landed, and it's up to a few hardy souls to save a gullible world. Indeed, where FlashForward thrives on ambiguity and complexity, V offers the simpler pleasures of a good guy/bad guy adventure, and skilled actors head up both extremes. On "our" side, you have Joel Gretsch (who proved his sci-fi worth on 4400) as a questioning priest and Lost's Elizabeth Mitchell as a smart counterterrorism agent. On "their" side, you have Anna, the V leader played by Morena Baccarin, whose beauty and charisma are as alluring here as they were in Firefly. Wisely, Peters has also trapped some of his best characters in the middle: Scott Wolf as an ambitious anchor, Logan Huffman as Mitchell's V-enchanted teenage son, and Morris Chestnut, who is on to the visitors' biggest secret. Anyone who has ever seen an invading-alien movie knows the visitors are up to no good, as the show acknowledges in a witty exchange that both celebrates and mocks Independence Day-type conventions. But there's still power to be found in those conventions – in our longing for alien contact, our fear over what it might mean, and the joy we seem to take in reinventing ourselves as scrappy underdogs. As with those Americans looking up at Anna's lovely face on that hovering spaceship HDTV, it would be unwise to be too easily seduced. V opens incredibly well. But so did the original miniseries, only to peter out as an open-ended show. Embrace the show, but keep your eyes open. And your hamsters under guard. V - * * * 1/2 (out of four) - ABC, Tuesday, 8 ET/PT It's 'V' day for sci-fi fans as ABC reboots the alien storyMorena Baccarin, stunning in a tailored gray suit, has lined up a group of identically clad aides on her spaceship, demanding to know which of them is a traitor.Except that despite appearances, none of them is actually human: They are reptilian-skinned alien "visitors" with a veneer of attractive flesh. And the spaceship doesn't exist. The actors are standing in front of a 112-foot-long "green screen," peering occasionally at a nearby monitor that displays how the vessel will be digitally inserted behind them. "You feel like you're floating a little bit," she says during a break between scenes. "It gives you a headache after a while, staring at that green." She's not the only one with a headache. ABC's V, premiering Tuesday night (8 ET/PT) as a four-week event, with nine more episodes to come later, is a remake of a 1980s pop-culture touchstone. Like others (Bionic Woman, this fall's Eastwick), it's not without behind-the-scenes hiccups. The on-screen drama is about an outwardly benevolent band of creatures who venture from spaceships hovering over 29 world cities, promising to trade technology for water. But their real motives are far more sinister. Some welcome their arrival, but the suspicious form a resistance movement, which leads the visitors' charismatic leader, Anna (Baccarin), to enlist an ambitious TV reporter (Scott Wolf) as a propaganda tool. On their case is FBI agent Erica Evans (Elizabeth Mitchell), a single mom whose teen son, Tyler (Logan Huffman), is enthralled by them. The resistors' ranks include a priest (Joel Gretsch) and a Wall Street whiz (Morris Chestnut). The show, set in New York City, is based on a smash NBC miniseries that drew 40% of the TV audience when it first aired in May 1983, and nearly as many for its sequel a year later. Like other remakes, the title "has a lot of marquee value; certainly a lot of people in my generation remember it fondly," writer and executive producer Scott Peters says, even if their recall is limited to signature moments: the aliens consuming rodents; a human mother giving birth to a forked-tongued reptilian baby. But unlike many alien sagas since then, from Independence Day to ABC's short-lived Invasion, "we don't have aliens landing with giant phasers blowing things up," Wolf says. "We have aliens landing with this incredibly loving posture, saying, 'We're here to help.' Instead of destruction, it's full of possibilities." The original series was a thinly veiled allegory of the Nazis' takeover of Germany, down to the jackbooted visitors who sought to eat the Earth's population until a band of humans intervened, aided by a few alien turncoats. The 'lemming mentality' The new version represents a post-9/11 worldview, against the backdrop of wars, an economic meltdown and enemies hidden in plain sight. "There's a lot of bad news out there and it's really depressing," Peters says. "I thought it was a tremendous wish-fulfillment fantasy, if there was some deity that said, 'Look around, everything's going wrong, and we're going to fix it for you.' "There's a lemming mentality that goes on in our humanity, and the idea of blind devotion, to me, is really fascinating. If you don't ask questions about things you have faith in, it could wind up coming back to bite you." Contemporary viewers may have differing interpretations, as do the show's stars. Mitchell sees V's as a religious cult; Wolf believes they represent terrorists. Others on both sides of the political spectrum may point to the visitors' explicit promises of hope, change and universal health care as a pointed reference to pledges of the Obama administration. But Peters says the show has been in the works since 2007. Reality was "never really a factor," he says. "There's no political message being shoved down anyone's throat." Kenny Johnson, who created the original V, says via e-mail that in any guise, the series offers "a timeless story" in depicting "the struggle of resistance against oppression, how ordinary people react to extraordinary circumstances." Johnson is not involved in the new series and hasn't seen it. But he says "they are using very different characters and stories and style than my original. It's very hard to recapture lightning in a bottle – but I hope the new V team will do well," in part to boost prospects for a V feature film he hopes to make. But the series remake has run into roadblocks. V's pilot episode was well-received by advertisers and critics, but ABC's late-summer decision to start the show two months earlier than planned – in part to dodge American Idol and the broadcast of the Winter Olympics, also in Vancouver – led to script problems, which forced reshoots and a five-week production break. The first of three planned story arcs was condensed from six to four fall episodes. And the show will test viewers' loyalty with a three-month hiatus; remaining episodes won't surface until March. A promotional campaign that called for planes to skywrite red V's over national landmarks was scuttled after publicity over potential environmental effects. And Thursday, in a response to the show's production problems, Peters (USA Network's The 4400) was replaced at the helm of the show by Scott Rosenbaum (Chuck, The Shield), though he is expected to stay aboard as an executive producer. "We had a great pilot, then a couple of great episodes, but we had a disconnect on where we were going from there," says ABC Entertainment Group chief Stephen McPherson. Though no stranger to tinkering (he made extensive changes to the original Grey's Anatomy pilot), "I hadn't had the experience of that before." But McPherson accepts "a little blame for rushing them." Mitchell, who plays hero FBI agent Erica Evans, says the resulting changes merely speed the pace of storytelling to pack a bigger wallop, including big cliffhangers in the Nov. 24 episode. Filming on that episode is set to wrap today, giving actors another unexpected 10-week break as the show is retooled. (Mitchell will trek to Hawaii to shoot new Lost episodes.) "They didn't do anything different. They heightened it, they took it up," she says. The changes are meant to recapture the big-event appeal that started V in a different era. "The idea is to make it a movie, something where we are on the edge of our seats, wondering what's going to happen." Early research and blog chatter indicate the show's core base of alien-conspiracy fans are stoked about a cast that includes alumni of many geek touchstones, not least of them ABC's own Lost, which ends its run in May. Erica is 'more fun' to play Mitchell says Erica is "not as tortured, so that makes it a lot more fun." Juliet "was so deeply, deeply, deeply sad and so deeply angry, to carry that around all the time was quite a bit." Erica is "trying to be a fantastic mother and obviously failing; she's trying to save the world and obviously failing," Mitchell says. "But they're both kind of kick-(butt) ladies, which is fun." Mitchell, a self-described "sci-fi dork," is well aware of the challenges of appealing to such a devoted audience. "I kind of like the fact that people obsessively get into shows; I'm hoping this is one of (them)." But, she says, "I don't think it will ever be hard-core enough for some people, and it may be too sci-fi for others." And wooing the sci-fi crowd alone isn't enough to sustain a major-network drama. A weekly series spawned by the original V was a dud; it lasted just 19 episodes. So ABC pushed producers to develop deeper, rich character stories, much as it did for genre dramas such as Lost and this season's new FlashForward. Wolf's television reporter is "vulnerable because of his own ambition," he says. "He's clearly someone who feels he's being held back. The visitors' arrival has provided him with the opportunity of his lifetime." The show, he says, is "a mind-bender, because things most probably aren't what they seem." Chestnut says: "This was not a science-fiction show that was going to be driven by special effects. This was a science-fiction show that was going to be driven by the characters with special effects as a backdrop, and that was what appealed to me." Says Peters, "If it becomes too magical, too fantastical, the comic-book crowd will love it but no one else will." He concedes it's "difficult not to go over the top with the visitors." So the burden of striking that balance falls to Brazilian-born Baccarin, already beloved by the sci-fi crowd through her roles on Stargate SG-1 and Joss Whedon's short-lived space Western Firefly. "I don't want to go into the land of melodrama and evil and mustache-twirling," she says, wrapping a down coat over her V duds in a cavernous soundstage on this rainy Vancouver day. "I have to be threatening but at the same time nurturing and nice," as Anna's placid demeanor is at odds with a malevolent streak. "There's something so dynamic, scary, sexy, smart; everything about her is a challenge." And though in tonight's premiere she's "more of a powerful political figure," in subsequent episodes "I get a little more down and dirty and deal with some dissension from other people." Or aliens. "Skin him!" she orders in a steely voice, dispatching the turncoat. Joss Whedon on his $10,000 bid for 'Terminator': 'It's all ridiculous, but it comes from love'Earlier today, geek guru Joss Whedon posted an open letter on fansite Whedonesque.com announcing a $10,000 bid for the rights to the Terminator franchise. (The Financial Times first reported the very real auction, with Sony Pictures and Summit Entertainment reputedly among those in the running.) Almost immediately, the web lit up wondering just how serious Whedon was (sample suggestion for how he’d change the franchise: “Christian Bale’s John Connor will get a throat lozenge”). So EW phoned Whedon, and asked him: Was he just being funny? Or making a bid for the franchise by way of being funny?His first response: “What do you mean, funny?! You think $10,000 is funny?!” His second response: “Here’s the thing: It’s not a slam on The Terminator. I love The Terminator. That part’s totally true. I was thinking to myself, ‘Not since they auctioned off frames from The Little Mermaid have I wished I had more money this much. So you know what, never hurts to ask.’ I loved the movies, even the later movies. I loved the mythology. I loved the TV show [The Sarah Connor Chronicles]–like, really loved. Not for pretend. And not just because of [star] Summer [Glau]. “But mostly, it’s just me being a dumb-ass, because that seems to be what I do best — I’m not even very good at that. So, no, I do not think they’re going to call me and say ‘Congratulations! We’ll have that $10,000 now.’ Although, it would be non-exclusive. Other people could make Terminator movies and TV shows too. I’m just putting that out there in case you publish this. “But I adore the franchise. I literally did learn a huge amount from that [franchise]. [The Terminator] came out when I was in college, and I was like, This is how you construct a story. It’s very important to me. That part was true. The part where I think I’m going to get it, not so true. And certain ideas, like [bidding for] The Lord of the Rings and the Batman franchise, also possibly not true. If they will give them to me for $10,000, I absolutely would write a check. That’s true. They just didn’t say those [properties] were for sale. They said they were on back-order, is what I understand. It’s all ridiculous, but it comes from love.” So there you have it, but all joking aside, no matter who actually ends up controlling the rights to the Terminator, it seems like Whedon just made a savvy play to be the new creative force behind it. Would you like to see him try his hand at the franchise, or do you think there is someone better suited to it? V: A Bright New Day (11/17)"A Bright New Day" -- Chad reports from the Peace Ambassador Center as 100 diplomatic visas are being issued to the first wave of American Visitors, with Anna getting the 1st, but not everyone agrees with the decision. Meanwhile Erica has started tracking a death threat while paired with a V officer, as she actually has to protect the V's, and Ryan starts reaching out to his old friends to build up opposition forces and help fight-off the V's, on "V," TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET), on ABC."V" stars Elizabeth Mitchell as Erica Evans, Morris Chestnut as Ryan Nichols, Joel Gretsch as Father Jack, Lourdes Benedicto as Valerie, Logan Huffman as Tyler Evans, Laura Vandervoort as Lisa, with Morena Baccarin as Anna, and Scott Wolf as Chad Decker. Guest cast: Alan Tudyk as Dale Maddox, Mark Hildreth as Joshua, Michael Filipowich as Cyrus, Tyler McClendon as Steven, Michelle Harrison as Mrs. Falkner, Christopher Shyer as Marcus, Jesse Wheeler as Brandon, David Richmond-Peck as Georgie, Roark Critchlow as Paul Kendrick, Britt Irvin as Haley. "A Bright New Day" was written by Diego Gutierrez & Christine Roum and directed by Fred Toye. CASTLE: Love Me Dead (11/16)"Love Me Dead" -- The murder of an Assistant District Attorney thrusts Castle and Beckett into the world of ex-cons and escorts. But when Castle's desire to help a vulnerable call girl endangers the case, Beckett is forced to decide between honoring promises and putting a killer behind bars. Matters are complicated even further when Castle's daughter shares a potentially explosive secret with Beckett instead of her father, on "Castle," MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16 (10:02-11:00 p.m., ET) on ABC."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest cast: Jonathan LaPaglia as John Knox, Michaela McManus as Scarlett Price, J.B. Smoove as Norman Jessup. "Love Me Dead" was written by Alexi Hawley and directed by Bryan Spicer. Aliens target Earth again in "V" revivalAfter about 25 years, those sneaky, lizard-like aliens are back. Once again, they want to take over Earth and, maybe, destroy or consume the populace. But so what? In exchange for their malevolence, they promise to provide a world of fast-paced, eye-catching action and provocative drama."V" was a popular miniseries when NBC aired it in the pre-Fox and early cable year of 1983. It worked so well that creator Kenneth Johnson had a sequel the following year, "V: The Final Battle." That proved so popular that NBC, disregarding the "Final" part of the title, reintroduced "V" as a weekly series that fall. That's when it stopped working. And that's too bad, because the idea behind "V" -- a modern retelling of how the Nazis rose to power in Germany -- is a powerhouse concept that combines conflict, suspense and imagination with some heavy-duty philosophical issues. Johnson, in fact, said his original inspiration was the Sinclair Lewis novel, "It Can't Happen Here," and he came up with something that is less science fiction than political science fiction. This latest update, airing Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST/PST, preserves the original framework but shifts the atmosphere to accommodate contemporary concerns. Based on the pilot, the militaristic notes will be more subdued. Instead, there will be more of a post-September 11 emphasis on questions of trust and terror. "V" is short for Visitors, which is what the aliens call themselves. They announce their presence while simultaneously hovering in huge unassailable spaceships above 29 of Earth's major cities, including New York, where the series is set. Alien leader Anna (Morena Baccarin), the very picture of sweetness and innocence, promises to share advanced technology and live in peace. Many Earthlings are eager to believe her, including young adults who sign up for the Peace Ambassador program (analogous to Hitler Youth).But there are skeptics. These include FBI agent Erica Evans (Elizabeth Mitchell), whose son joins the Ambassador program, and Father Jack (Joel Gretsch). Complicating things is the wave of Visitors who came to Earth years earlier and are working incognito. At the same time, though, other secret Visitors have become disillusioned and join the resistance. Somewhere in between is news anchor Chad Decker (Scott Wolf). In exchange for exclusive interviews with Anna, he makes an uncomfortable bargain to ask only softball questions. It could be complicated, but Scott Peters' tightly written teleplay makes it easy to follow. In addition, the pilot raises provocative issues without getting didactic. That, combined with mythology less dense than, say, ABC's "Lost," should make this an attractive viewing option. NBC opts for more "Chuck," no more "Trauma"NBC has good news for one Monday series and bad news for another.The network has ordered six more episodes of comedy-drama "Chuck" and has opted not to pick up additional episodes from "Trauma" beyond the freshman drama's original 13-episode order. The pickup for "Chuck" brings the show's total third-season order to 19 episodes. With the expanded order, "Chuck" is rumored to launch in January. As for "Trauma," the big-budget action medical drama has been in limbo after a weak start behind "Heroes." It got a glimpse of hope this week when, against CBS repeats, it showed a small ratings uptick, prompting the network to book the series for three more weeks. The series now will finish production on its 13-episode order before winding down. NBC's other two freshman series, "Community" and "Mercy," have been picked up for a full season, along with sophomore "Parks and Recreation." V: There Is No Normal Anymore (11/10)"There Is No Normal Anymore" -- Erica and Father Jack, having quickly determined they're both against the arrival of the Visitors, suddenly find themselves being tracked by a "Seeker" from the V's. Meanwhile Chad, thinking he blew it for 80 million viewers with his exclusive first interview with Anna, looks to pick himself up and so becomes more investigative in his next newscast; and Dale Maddox's (Alan Tudyk) wife and law enforcement begin questioning Erica about his whereabouts, on "V," TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET), on ABC."V" stars Elizabeth Mitchell as Erica Evans, Morris Chestnut as Ryan Nichols, Joel Gretsch as Father Jack, Lourdes Benedicto as Valerie, Logan Huffman as Tyler Evans, Laura Vandervoort as Lisa, with Morena Baccarin as Anna and Scott Wolf as Chad Decker. Guest cast: Alan Tudyk as Dale Maddox, Rekha Sharma as Sarita Malik, Britt Irvin as Haley, Scott Hylands as Father Travis, Christopher Shyer as Marcus, Jesse Wheeler as Brandon, Roark Critchlow as Paul Kendrick. "There Is No Normal Anymore" was written by Scott Peters & Sam Egan and directed by Yves Simoneau. CASTLE: Kill the Messenger (11/9)"Kill the Messenger" -- Castle and Beckett investigate the hit-and-run death of a bike messenger, brutally murdered to prevent him from delivering a package, the contents of which could free a wrongly convicted man from prison. In a surprising twist, this tragic death is linked to a murder case that Captain Montgomery investigated a decade earlier. To solve the present murder, Castle and Beckett must dredge up the past by uncovering the secrets and scandals of a prominent New York family, on "Castle," MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9 (10:02-11:00 p.m., ET/PT) on ABC."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest cast: Sonya Leslie as Valerie Thompson, Arye Gross as M.E. Sidney Perlmutter, Ron Melendez as Jeff Dilahunt, Josh Daugherty as Trent Wellesley and Jill Andre as Lenanne Wellesley. "Kill the Messenger" was written by Terrence Paul Winter and directed by Jonathan Frakes. Fox Pulls Dollhouse Off November Sweeps ScheduleThe networks will be pulling out all the stops for November sweeps, but Dollhouse will be nowhere to be found. Fox has pulled the Joss Whedon drama from its November schedule entirely, according to Entertainment Weekly. The series will return in December, with back-to-back episodes on Friday nights. Beyond that, it's unclear, but it doesn't look good.Castle Picked Up for Full Second SeasonABC has picked up Castle for a full 22-episode season, TVGuide.com has confirmed.The procedural dramedy, which stars Nathan Fillion as an author who helps solve crimes to cure his writers block, debuted in March to 11.6 million viewers. Although the show's numbers have fallen off a bit this season (it's averaging between 9 and 10 million viewers), it has held a respectable chunk of its Dancing with the Stars lead-in. ABC previously announced full-season orders of new comedies Modern Family, Cougar Town and The Middle as well as freshman drama FlashForward. Joss Whedon + 'Glee' = TV-geek nirvanaThe squeals of delight you're hearing could well have to do with the fact that TV auteur and avowed musical-theater fan Joss Whedon has signed on to direct an episode of "Glee."The "Dollhouse" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" creator will helm an episode of the FOX series later this season. The show's initial 13-episode run is already in the can, so Whedon will take on one of the back nine episodes that FOX picked up last month, the network confirms. His work on "Glee" will happen after the 13-episode run of "Dollhouse" finishes. "Joss directed one of the great musical episodes in the history of television on 'Buffy,' so this is a great, if unexpected, fit," "Glee" co-creator Ryan Murphy tells EW.com. "I'm thrilled he'll be loaning us his fantastic, groundbreaking talent." The musical episode Murphy refers to is "Once More, with Feeling," the "Buffy" season six installment which Whedon wrote (including most of its songs) and directed. He also created the online musical "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog," which won an Emmy in September. The "Glee" gig will be a rare directorial outing for Whedon on a show he didn't create. His only other outside directing work came on a couple episodes of "The Office" in 2007. CASTLE: Famous Last Words (11/2)"Famous Last Words" -- When an up-and-coming rock star's dead body is found staged in a scene straight out of her hit music video, Castle and Beckett delve into the world of obsessed fans, sleazy managers and jealous band members. But it's only when Alexis uncovers the true meaning behind the lyrics of the final song that clues to the killer's identity begin to surface, on "Castle," MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2 (10:02-11:00 p.m., ET/PT) on ABC."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Robert Curtis Brown as Ian Busch, Anne Ramsay as Bree Busch, Erin Foster as Sky Blue. "Famous Last Words" was written by Jose Molina and directed by Rob Bowman. V: Pilot (11/3; PREMIERE)"V" is a re-imagining of the 1980s' miniseries about the world's first encounter with an alien race. With huge spaceships simultaneously appearing over 29 cities around the world, the Visitors (or V's) seem to promote a message of peace. Through their generous offer to share advanced technology, the V's quickly build a following that may be overlooking a more malevolent agenda. The premiere of "V," from Warner Bros. Television, airs TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET), on ABC.In the premiere episode, "Pilot," an image of Anna (Morena Baccarin), the leader of the V's, is projected worldwide as she speaks about everyone joining together and no longer being divided by country or separated by fear. She wants us all to unite, and is counting on a very important component of human nature -- devotion. At first considered a threat, the V's quickly become a fascination and a link to things that lay just beyond our reach. For Tyler (Logan Huffman), a teenaged boy, the V's are his ticket to being a part of something big and something that offers hope. To Chad (Scott Wolf), an egotistical news anchor who wants to further his career, his exclusive interview with Anna begins his desire to dominate the airwaves. Father Jack (Joel Gretsch), a priest with questioning faith, is hesitant to believe in the Visitors' righteousness and goes outside of the church in search of the truth. There are other dissidents who believe the Visitors aren't who they say they are, including Ryan (Morris Chestnut), who is faced with a life-altering decision when the V's show up. And to FBI Counter Terrorist Agent Erica Evans (Elizabeth Mitchell), who discovers, while investigating a terrorist cell, what lurks beneath the alarmingly human exterior of the Visitors, resisting this new world has never been more important -- and never has there been more at stake. This truly is the dawning of a new day. "V" stars Elizabeth Mitchell as Erica Evans, Morris Chestnut as Ryan Nichols, Joel Gretsch as Father Jack, Lourdes Benedicto as Valerie, Logan Huffman as Tyler Evans, Laura Vandervoort as Lisa, with Morena Baccarin as Anna, and Scott Wolf as Chad Decker. Guest starring in "Pilot" are Alan Tudyk as Dale Maddox, Jesse Wheeler as Brandon, Britt Irvin as Haley Gordon, David Richmond-Peck as Georgie, Christopher Shyer as Marcus, Scott Hylands as Father Travis and Stefan Arngrim as Roy. CASTLE: Vampire Weekend (10/26)"Vampire Weekend" - As Halloween approaches, Castle and Beckett are called to a graveyard where the body of a young man sporting vampire fangs has been discovered with a wooden stake driven through his heart. Their investigation takes them deep into the heart of New York's underground vampire fetish community, where they learn that the motive for the victim's murder may be hiding within the pages of the graphic novel he was writing before his death, on "Castle," MONDAY, OCTOBER 26 (10:02-11:00 p.m., ET/PT) on ABC."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Anita Barone as Janice Freeman, Robin Thomas as Alan Freeman, Samantha Shelton as Vixen. "Vampire Weekend" was written by Terri Miller and directed by Karen Gaviola. Castle: Is a Beckett-Castle Kiss in the Cards?Nathan Fillion's character on Castle doesn't take many things seriously, something that perhaps has rubbed off on the actor.When asked what he thinks will lure viewers into the ABC procedural dramedy's second season, the 38-year-old former Firefly and Desperate Housewives star cracks jokes. "This season we decided to go with no hooks, no hooks at all," Fillion tells TVGuide.com. "That's become our mantra: no hooks, let's just coast. One episode, we actually take an episode from the first season and just changed everybody's names and filmed it again." Co-stars Stana Katic and Seamus Dever, who join Fillion on the other end of the line for a telephone interview during a break from shooting, laugh at most of Fillion's jokes. All the actors say humor is what sets Castle apart from the glut of other crime procedurals. "The writers are very realistic about the kind of show that we have," Katic says. "We're a crime procedural, but through a light-hearted, comedic eye. I think the other shows that we reference are kind of dark and try to be very realistic and scientific and pragmatic, and I think we just have fun with it." Dever is a fan of the show's focus on the nuts and bolts of being a homicide detective. "I think there's a little bit of a post-modern comment on other shows because we come around after America has been exposed to 10 years of CSI," Dever says. "I think we're commenting on what really is police work: pounding on doors and taking phone calls, rather than being about forensics. I think that comes from the police officers and detectives that work on our show." Fillion the jokester can't help but capitalize on Dever's setup. "We hung out with a bunch of homicide detectives, and they're not haunting, they're not brooding, they're not tortured," FIllion says. "They were brilliantly entertaining, and they were incredibly funny. It's just that all their stories start with, 'So this guy gets killed ...'" Fillion says that playing the class clown is part of the fun of portraying Richard Castle, but Katic says there more to the character than being a cad. "There's a wonderful undercurrent that we get to see when he is in scenes with his mother and daughter. I think you see a real heart that beats there, and I think that as episodes continue, people will get to be charmed by that side as well." The question on many viewers' minds, however, is when, if ever, Katic's Detective Beckett will be charmed by Castle. Fillion is equally stumped, but says that's what makes Castle's attraction to Beckett fun to play. "One of the things that attracts him so much to Beckett is that he can't crack that shell," he says. "He can't get to that spot, so he keeps chasing her. And she's a real authority figure; no one else really has control over Castle the way Beckett does." A guest-starring Debi Mazar (Entourage, Dancing with the Stars) will further complicate the relationship. As Paula Haas, a book agent from Castle's past, Mazar makes Castle an offer he'll find hard to turn down. But it's also one that could derail any hopes of a Castle-Beckett hookup. About the potential love triangle, Katic is expectedly coy. "Honey, we never kiss and tell. You'll have to watch and see," she says. So is that to say there is a kiss in the couple's future? Katic is silent. Dever laughs. Cue Fillion. "I'm always kissing everybody," he says. "I recently sneaked one in with [Dever's] Detective Ryan. It surprised him, that's for sure." Castle airs Mondays at 10/9c on ABC. CASTLE: When the Bough Breaks (10/19)"When the Bough Breaks" - Castle's book agent, Paula Haas (guest star Debi Mazar), approaches him with a career changing opportunity, but taking it would mean the end of his relationship with Beckett. Will the murder of an unidentified woman found dead in a manhole be their last case together?, on "Castle," MONDAY, OCTOBER 19 (10:02-11:00 p.m., ET) on ABC."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Debi Mazar as Paula Haas, Reed Diamond as Dr.Cameron Talbot, Elaine Hendrix as Melissa Talbot. "When the Bough Breaks" was written by Rene Echevarria and directed by John Terlesky. CASTLE: Fool Me Once (10/12)"Fool Me Once" - When an Arctic explorer is killed during a polar expedition, the mysterious circumstances of his death take Castle and Beckett from the penthouses of Park Avenue to the halls of the CIA. But Castle's delight at the case's many twists and turns soon turns to frustration as he realizes that their elusive killer might just be fooling them all, on "Castle," MONDAY, OCTOBER 12 (10:02-11:00 p.m., ET/PT) on ABC."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Kathleen Rose Perkins as Elise Finnegan, Robert Pine as Gerry Finnegan, David Ramsey as Jim Wheeler. "Fool Me Once" was written by Alexi Hawley and directed by Bryan Spicer. 'V' split: ABC's alien takeover partly deferred till springThe aliens on "V" can't seem to compete with the less-puny humans in the Olympics. ABC confirmed to the LA Times that "V" will premiere on Tuesday, Nov. 3 as scheduled, but after the first four installments are aired, it will go on hiatus. Why? Well, there's the little thing called the Winter Olympics. ABC keeps touting the revamp of the '80s miniseries as an "event" and plans to relaunch sometime after the gold medals are handed out. Of course, the buzz in Tinseltown hasn't been so sanguine since production on the show was previously shut down for a fortnight, a possible sign of creative rejiggering. The first three episodes of the 13-episode order have been shot, with the fourth one shooting in mid-October. Then, hiatus. An official relaunch date has not been announced.CASTLE: Inventing the Girl (10/5)"Inventing the Girl" - Castle and Beckett get an inside look at the cutthroat world of the New York fashion industry when they investigate the brutal murder of a young model during Fashion Week, on "Castle," MONDAY, OCTOBER 5 (10:02-11:00 p.m., ET/PT) on ABC."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Julian Sands as Teddy Farrow, Matt Barr as Travis McBoyd, Shanna Collins as Rina. "Inventing the Girl" was written by Moira Kirkland and directed by Dwight Little. Dollhouse Boss Breaks Good Horrible NewsThere will be a second Dr. Horrible Sing-Along Blog, Joss Whedon said in a Thursday conference call with reporters to promote Dollhouse. The main question, he says, is whether he does it “on a shoe string again” or goes bigger budget and “invites other people into the process.” Either way, he promises that it won’t affect the storyline.As for Season 2 of Dollhouse, which Whedon believes Fox brought back, not because of stellar ratings (“I don’t write hit shows.”) but because of the ancillary money his cult series—like Buffy and Firefly—bring in due to DVD sales and the like. The big excitement for fans: Ray Wise (Reaper’s Devil, who has joined the show in a possibly recurring role starting in episode 6) is running a rival Dollhouse, and that Summer Glau’s new character, Bennett, will be working for him as a programmer. In other news, the show will revisit the apocalyptic future of the DVD “Epitaph One.” (Felicia Day, who appeared in the episode as a resistance fighter in the future, will guest star this season.) “I’m fascinated by that world and I’m in love with the actors in it,” Whedon says. He says that Echo will try to put together a team to uncover the Dollhouse’s secrets. “We’ll see who’s on her side and who not so much.” And expect a lot more with the sexed up Dolls Sierra and Victor, “who can’t keep their hands off each other.” Echo sees that lust, he says, “an indication that they’re ready to be pushed” to a higher level of awareness. Sounds like good team member potential there. Dr. Saunders, will be in just three episodes this season (Amy Acker is committed to the ABC midseason series Happy Town) but they ”will be extraordinarily memorable,” he says, adding that there won’t be a new doctor to fill the gap. Season 2 of Dollhouse premieres Friday, September 25, 9/8c, Fox. CASTLE: The Double Down (9/28)"The Double Down" - When two separate murders are committed on the same night, Castle wagers Ryan and Esposito that he and Beckett will solve theirs first. The frenzied race to catch their respective killers and win the bet leads each investigative duo to a likely suspect, only to find that they both have airtight alibis. But bizarre twists in both cases force the two teams to work together to unravel the mind-bending mystery behind each murder, on "Castle," MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET/PT) on ABC."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Arye Gross as M.E. Perlmutter, Brennan Elliot as Jason Cosway, Diana-Maria Riva as Detective Roselyn Karpowski. "The Double Down" was written David Grace and directed by Rob Bowman. CASTLE: Deep in Death - SEASON PREMIERE (9/21)"Deep in Death" -- When the new season begins, Castle (Nathan Fillion) is wrestling with how to repair his relationship with Beckett (Stana Katic), while struggling to finish his soon-to-be-published bestseller, Heat Wave. But circumstances force the pair back together to investigate the mysterious murder of a man found dead, tangled in the limbs of a tree. The Season Two premiere of "Castle" airs MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 (10:01-11:00 p.m. ET) on ABC. Authors Stephen J. Cannell and Michael Connelly guest star as themselves in the episode."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Stephen J. Cannell as himself, Michael Connelly as himself, Laurel Holloman as Sandy Allen, Elizabeth Ho as Amy Saunders, Robert Grant as Ron Bigby. "Deep in Death" was written by Andrew Marlowe and directed by Rob Bowman. Dollhouse Season Two Is All About "Murder and Sex"It's a Whedonverse reunion on "Dollhouse."Summer Glau and Alexis Denisof, both of Joss Whedon series fame, and Michael Hogan are joining the group of big names visiting second season of FOX's "Dollhouse." They join the recently announced guest stars Keith Carradine and Jamie Bamber. But let's get back to the Whedonverse characters, shall we? Glau will join the cast of "Dollhouse" as recurring character Bennett, "a Dollhouse employee who shares a past with Echo (Eliza Dushku)." Since we haven't seen Glau previously, it's possible her character had been working previously at one of the other Dollhouses out there before coming to the one we know and love. Glau, known most recently for "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," had starred in Whedon's beloved sci-fi western series "Firefly" and its big-screen follow-up "Serenity." As if that little Whedon reunion weren't enough, Alexis Denisof, who appeared on Whedon's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" before moving on to become a regular castmember on its spinoff "Angel," will make a guest appearance as Sen. Daniel Perrin, who's on a witch hunt to expose the Dollhouse. Hmm, perhaps Paul (Tahmoh Penikett) won't be all alone in his endeavors this season. That always seemed a little fruitless. Glau and Denisof join the growing list of former Whedon series stars who've reunited with the man himself on "Dollhouse." Others include series star Eliza Dushku, Amy Acker, Alan Tudyk and Felicia Day (who was only seen in "Epitaph One," the 13th episode from Season One that wasn't aired). Also, this season Michael Hogan of "Battlestar Galactica" fame will play Bradley Karrens, a man who seeks the Dollhouse's help to stop a family member's psychotic killing spree. Hogan's fellow "BSG" castmate Jamie Bamber was inadvertently revealed to be a guest star Wednesday when FOX made photos of the first episode available to press. Bamber will play businessman Martin Klar, who is Echo's new husband. We really wish FOX would tell us more than that! Finally, as previously reported, Keith Carradine will come on as businessman Matthew Harding, a "nemesis" of Dollhouse chief Adelle (Olivia Williams). A FOX publicist had already told Zap2it that Harding is also somehow involved with Sierra's history, which makes us wonder if Adelle and Sierra knew each other in their previous, non-Dollhouse lives. Besides the main cast, FOX also announced that Amy Acker's character Dr. Claire Saunders/Whiskey and Miracle Laurie's character Madeline/November will return for multiple-episode arcs. "Dollhouse" debuts its second season on Friday, Sept. 25. Dollhouse Season Two Is All About "Murder and Sex"Dollhouse, one of the most morally depraved and exciting shows on TV, returns in exactly one month, and to get you ready, we've chatted up the stars.The cast promises that season two delivers all the babes-in-bondage and zombie-mind-control weirdness you'd expect, plus a new look that may change the way you see the story forever. Paul and Echo Heat Up: According to both Tahmoh Penikett and Eliza Dushku, Echo and Ballard will grow closer this season. As Eliza says, "Echo doesn't know entirely what's going on yet…[but] as she becomes more and more self-aware, she's recognizing this constant, tall, dark, looming man in the Dollhouse." We would have said handsome in lieu of looming, but her point is taken. As Tahmoh explains it, "They have a connection. It's not a physical attraction, but I hope it's something that we explore a lot more this season. You're not quite sure what it is. There's a past, there's a history, there's an understanding between them that's very different. I think the audience is really going to like it and be really curious about where we're going in the first few episodes." Other Zombie Lovers: Echo isn't the only active who's going to be exploring her nascent feelings for someone else. Enver Gjokaj tells us, "Sierra and Victor are definitely still involved. They're going to explore that relationship more. They explore the Sierra-and-Victor love as dolls, but then also they're going to go into the backstory of both of them." There's no chance that Sierra and Topher were connected before they entered the Dollhouse…is there? Crazy Comes Early: Enver also promises that season two starts out, well, energetically. He says, "They don't wait. They start right in with some crazy stuff. Tim Minear has crazy stuff in store. And Jed [Whedon] and Maurissa [Tancharoen]'s episodes are out of this world." What kind of crazy can we expect? According to Fran Kranz, "Sexually dark stuff…murder…sex and murder." Works for us. The New Look: According to Eliza, there's a fresh new look to the series this year: "We're shooting with a different style and shooting HD, and it makes it that much more realistic. That supernatural haze, that science-fiction haze, has been lifted, and it makes it all that much more possible. I was driving down the street the other day and I saw one of the vans they use for the dolls, the sprinters, and the thought crossed my mind…this could be. With the technology today, you just never know." CASTLE: Little Girl Lost (9/7)"Little Girl Lost" - When a two-year-old girl is discovered missing from her home, Beckett is called in to assist with the investigation only to discover that the FBI agent in charge is, in fact, her ex-boyfriend. The two of them try to put aside their unresolved feelings as they race to find the girl, but when Castle inserts himself into the investigation, competition quickly heats up for Beckett's attention, on "Castle," MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast: OAD: 5/4/09)"Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Bailey Chase as Will Sorenson, Judy Reyes as Theresa Candela, Julian Acosta as Alfred Candela, Francis Capra as Juan Restrepo and Todd Waring as Dave Ellers. "Little Girl Lost" was written by Elizabeth Davis and directed by John Terlesky. CASTLE: A Death in the Family (9/7)"A Death in the Family" - Castle and Beckett investigate the murder of a missing plastic surgeon who is found dead in the front seat of his car after a week of being parked curbside. As they delve into the twisted world of surgery obsessed patients and secret operations, Castle experiences a fatherly rite of passage as Alexis attends her first prom. And while looking into Beckett's past, he unearths information that could end his relationship with her forever, on "Castle," MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast: OAD: 5/11/09)"Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Bailey Chase as Will Sorenson, Ion Overman as Candace Robinson, Robert Picardo as Clark Murray, Robert Costanzo as Sal Tenor, Delane Matthews as Jacey Goldberg and Joe Marinelli as Jimmy Moran. "A Death in the Family" was written by Andrew Marlowe and directed by Bryan Spicer. CASTLE: A Chill Goes Through Her Veins (9/7)"A Chill Goes Through Her Veins" - A frozen woman found tangled in steel bars at a construction site leads Castle and Beckett to a years-old mystery and a long abandoned case. As the two uncover startling revelations about the victim's past, the investigation forces Beckett to face some difficult memories of her own, which provides Castle insight into his muse and additional material for his novel, on "Castle," MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast: OAD: 4/6/09)"Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Charles Malik Whitfield as Charles Wyler, Bill Smitrovich as Ben Davidson, Peter Jason as Sheriff Sloan and Channon Roe as Kevin Henson. "A Chill Goes Through Her Veins" was written by Charles Murray and directed by Bryan Spicer. Gina Torres Joins Gossip GirlGina Torres will appear on Gossip Girl this fall as Vanessa's mom, TVGuide.com has learned exclusively.Gabriela Abrams, mother to home-schooled vid-kid Vanessa, is described as being warm and outgoing, which will certainly be a change of pace for this show, not exactly known as the paragon of parental virtue. She is a free spirit, a former Brooklynite who lives "off the grid" in Vermont and has definite opinions about things, especially concerning her daughter. Ah, that's more like it. Torres is best known for her roles on Alias and Firefly, though she also had a recent blink-and-you-miss-it cameo on Pushing Daisies as the wayward mom of Emerson's daughter. The actress is married to CSI's Laurence Fishburne. Gabriela Abrams is currently scheduled to appear in two episodes, but she will recur on the series. Gossip Girl returns for its third season on Monday, Sept. 14 at 9/8c on the CW. CASTLE: Home Is Where the Heart Stops (8/24)"Home Is Where the Heart Stops" -- When a string of high-end home invasions end in murder, Castle and Beckett must determine who is orchestrating these violent robberies before they strike again. But to catch this deadly thief, Beckett must go way out of her comfort zone to enter Castle's glamorous, paparazzi filled world as his date to a charity ball. Meanwhile, Castle seeks the counsel of a dangerous ex-jewel thief who had once threatened to kill him, on "Castle," MONDAY, AUGUST 24 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast: OAD: 4/20/09)"Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Patrick Bauchau as Caine Powell, Caterina Scorsone as Joanne Delgado, Nick Chinlund as Evan Mitchell and Joseph C. Phillips as Mayor. "Home Is Where the Heart Stops" was written by Will Beall and directed by Dean White. CASTLE: Ghosts (8/17)"Ghosts" - Castle and Beckett investigate the murder of a woman found drowned in a bathtub of motor oil at a transient hotel. But when they uncover a dark secret about the woman's past, they must unravel a 20-year-old mystery with the help of a true crime journalist who may have been stalking the victim. Meanwhile, Beckett puts her poker face to the test as she squares off against Castle, with her money and pride at stake, on "Castle," MONDAY, AUGUST 17 (10:01-11:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast: OAD: 4/27/09)"Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Joanne Kelly as Lee Wax, Alex Carter as Michael Goldman, Jillian Armenante as Susan Mailer, Dan Castellaneta as Judge Markway and Joseph C. Phillips as Mayor. "Ghosts" was written by Moira Kirkland and directed by Bryan Spicer. 'Dollhouse' will go back to the future in season twoThis is how Joss Whedon greeted a group of reporters visiting the set of "Dollhouse" on Friday:"Welcome back to the biggest surprise of my career, our season two." FOX's renewal of "Dollhouse" for a second season did indeed qualify as one of the bigger shocks of the spring. Whedon is unsurprisingly psyched to be back, and he says he and his fellow writers have "more excitement and enthusiasm about the show than we did by a country mile last year, because we are in it now." But the show is also in something of a strange position thanks to "Epitaph One," the final episode of the first season which depicted the future for Echo (Eliza Dushku) and the rest of the characters and presented a possibly radical new direction for the show. The episode screened at Comic-Con and is on the show's DVD set, but FOX didn't air it, and it's not available (at least not legally) online -- which means that a portion of the audience will head into the second season without knowing what happened in the episode. "'Epitaph One' did present that particular problem of serving two masters -- people who had seen it and people who hadn't," Whedon says. "I am used to that -- I made an entire movie ['Serenity'] that had that problem and only that problem." Joking aside, though, Whedon says that the first episode of season two -- which airs Sept. 25 -- will revisit that future and bring those who didn't see "Epitaph One" up to speed. However, "the actual bulk of the show takes place three months after the events of 'Omega.' But we will be visiting that future every now and then." While the "Epitaph One" situation is unusual, Whedon notes that even if it had aired on FOX (or didn't exist), he would still be reintroducing the show to potential new viewers. "We have so many regulars and relationships and so much mythology already around the central premise of 'this woman can be anyone' that this episode has a lot of catching up for any viewer whether or not 'Epitaph' was a part of it," he says. The writers' goal for season two, Whedon says, is to "build Echo up from nothing ... and really give her a sense of momentum and purpose that will ground the show in a way it couldn't be last year." At least for the first week, it's working, Dushku says. "I am already sort of astonished by the emotions and reactions just in ... this episode," she says. [Thursday], full on burst into tears in the middle of a take. It was a giant scene ... and there was something that happened and I haven't had that kind of -- I was just surprised at my emotion and I hadn't really had that. I was like, All right, this is kind of a nice kickoff for the season. Everything's out on the table and we've already had the first season to sort of have our insecurities and have our guard and a little bit of that, and now we just get to open it up and search into humanity with you." RICHARD CASTLE OF ABC'S CASTLE GOES LIVE ON TWITTERSecond Season of "Castle" Premieres Monday, September 21. It's summertime, and New York City is hot and humid. With his deadline closing in, famous crime-mystery novelist Richard Castle is working to finish his Nikki Heat novel, "Heat Wave." The city offers a wealth of distractions for a procrastinating author, and since his 15-year-old daughter, Alexis, introduced him to Twitter, Castle has become addicted.Castle and Alexis take off for their house in the Hamptons, and what starts as a respite for Castle turns into yet another mystery for him to help solve. And this time, he tweets his theories to his followers. It all begins when a foot without a body washes up on the beach. Local law enforcement thinks it's an accident, a shark attack, but Castle's certain there's more to it than that and twitters his theories to his many fans. Much to the chagrin of the local police, Castle puts himself into the middle of the investigation. The game's afoot! For the next six weeks, fans will be able to give Castle advice, eavesdrop on his affairs and his family, and help him solve his summer mystery. Richard Castle's Twitter handle is @WriteRCastle or visit http://twitter.com/WriteRCastle. There is also a link to his Facebook page, so fans will be able to see how this famous creator of Murder, Mystery and the Macabre spends his time away from the precinct. "Castle" airs Mondays (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET/PT) on ABC. CASTLE: Nanny McDead (8/15)"Nanny McDead" -- The body of a young woman is found spinning inside the dryer in the laundry room of an upscale apartment building. When Castle and Beckett discover that the woman, in her 20s, worked as a Nanny in the building, their investigation leads them to a world of sex, lies and "playdates." Meanwhile, while writing the first novel to his "Nikki Heat" series, Castle delves into the thoughts and actions of Beckett, as she navigates the murder case while revealing more of her own mysteries, on "Castle," SATURDAY, AUGUST 15 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast. OAD: 3/16/09)"Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Jayne Brook as Claudia Peterson, Michael Graziadei as Brent Johnson, Sarah Drew as Chloe Richardson, Melinda Page Hamilton as Diana Harris and George Newbern as Howard Peterson. "Nanny McDead" was written by Barry Schindel and directed by John Terlesky. CASTLE: Hedge Fund Homeboys (8/10)"Hedge Fund Homeboys" - A once wealthy teenage boy whose family has fallen on hard times is found dead in a rowboat floating along the lake in Central Park. As Castle and Beckett try to piece together the events leading up to his death, his friends do everything in their power to thwart the investigation. As they unravel the truth from the lies, a story of betrayal and obsession emerges. Meanwhile, Castle debates whether he can leave Martha home alone while he chaperones Alexis' class trip to Washington, DC. Martha might be an aspiring "Life Coach," but that doesn't mean she's trustworthy, on "Castle," MONDAY, AUGUST 10 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast. OAD: 3/23/09)"Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Jamie Chung as Romy Lee, Julia Nickson as Mrs. Lee, Nolan Gerard Funk as Brandon, Michelle Page as Amanda Kunal Sharma as Spencer. "Hedge Fund Homeboys" was written by David Grae and directed by Rob Bowman. Dollhouse Opens Its Doors to More Whedonverse AlumniJoss Whedon said a lot of things his fans wanted to hear at Dollhouse's San Diego Comic-Con panel — and at least one thing that had many of the show's faithful viewers biting their nails.Whedon kicked off the panel by raving that the staff he assembled for the Fox series' freshman run was "the best" first-season staff he has ever worked with. So expect no major changes there. As far as on-camera talent, the auteur announced that at least two Whedonverse alumni could show up on Dollhouse. Alexis Denisof, aka Angel's Wesley, is a sure bet to guest star in multiple Season 2 episodes, he said. This past TV season, Denisof had a brief run on ABC's Private Practice. Also — and as has been rumored ever since Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles' cancelation — former Firefly cast member Summer Glau is on Whedon's wish list, though nothing has been set in stone yet. Other familiar faces to watch for early in Season 2 include Felicia Day, who had a role in the first season's never-broadcast thirteenth episode, "Epitaph One" (and back in the day appeared on Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Amid the cheers and woots, Whedon gave the show's fans pause when at one point he teased, "There is one trustworthy person in the Dollhouse — and I'm going to kill them." Was he casting a dark cloud over do-right Boyd? Kindly Topher? Former lawman Paul? Whedon let slip no clues. All told, Whedon seemed positively bullish on Season 2. He thanked fans for running their TiVos amok (Dollhouse benefitted tremendously from DVR playback) and forecast only good things to come. Taking a tiny dig at a certain NBC show's sophomore growing pains, he said, "As long as we don't send anyone to feudal Japan, I think we'll be OK." Dollhouse premieres its second season on Friday, Sept. 25, at 9/8 CT. CASTLE: Home Is Where the Heart Stops (8/3)"Home Is Where the Heart Stops" -- When a string of high-end home invasions end in murder, Castle and Beckett must determine who is orchestrating these violent robberies before they strike again. But to catch this deadly thief, Beckett must go way out of her comfort zone to enter Castle's glamorous, paparazzi filled world as his date to a charity ball. Meanwhile, Castle seeks the counsel of a dangerous ex-jewel thief who had once threatened to kill him, on "Castle," MONDAY, AUGUST 3 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast: OAD: 4/20/09)"Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Patrick Bauchau as Caine Powell, Caterina Scorsone as Joanne Delgado, Nick Chinlund as Evan Mitchell and Joseph C. Phillips as Mayor. "Home Is Where the Heart Stops" was written by Will Beall and directed by Dean White. 'Reaper,' 'Dollhouse' stars fight 'Evil'Tyler Labine worked with the Devil, and Alan Tudyk was a bad Doll. Now the pair will fight evil. Labine and Tudyk have signed up for the indie horror-comedy "Tucker and Dale vs. Evil," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The pair will play rednecks who must cope with your stereotypical horny horror-movie teens. The cannon fodder suspect our heroes of being psycho killers, while Tucker and Dale just want to enjoy their new summer home. The movie has begun production in Canada. Labine starred on "Reaper" until its cancellation this season, while Tudyk guest-starred as baddie Omega on "Dollhouse."'Castle' goes by the book to hype season twoABC is reaching way back into the history of mass media to promote the second season of "Castle."The show, about mystery novelist-turned-NYPD consultant Rick Castle (Nathan Fillion), will hype the new season with a staple of 19th- and early 20th-century newspapers and magazines: a serialized novel. Chapters of the book will appear online starting in August, according to The Hollywood Reporter, and fans will be able to buy the book in late September. The novel is called "Heat Wave," and author "Richard Castle" will post a chapter a week on ABC.com starting Monday, Aug. 10. The second season premieres Monday, Sept. 21, and the full novel will hit bookstores the following week. "Heat Wave" will feature a few elements that will be familiar to fans of the show, but it will primarily be a stand-alone mystery. "Castle" already has some mystery-novelist cred in hand, having featured authors James Patterson and Stephen J. Cannell as Castle's poker buddies in the pilot. The network isn't revealing the true identity of the "Heat Wave" writer. Repeats of "Castle" will air on Saturday nights in July starting this week. CASTLE: Always Buy Retail (7/25)"Always Buy Retail" - When an immigrant is found tortured and murdered in a ritualistic killing, Beckett navigates the uncharted territory of the mysterious Vodun religion with Castle leading the way. Having researched similar deaths for one of his books, Castle's knowledge and sources prove valuable, but only their apt teamwork can unravel the murderer's motives. Meanwhile, Castle is confronted with the possible return of his first wife, Alexis's mother, whose dizzying personality threatens to upend the tranquility of the entire family, on "Castle," SATURDAY, JULY 25 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast: OAD: 4/13/09)"Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Darby Stanchfield as Meredith, Nicki Micheaux as Michelle, Aldis Hodge as Azi and Dohn Norwood as Charles Oni. "Always Buy Retail" was written by Gabrielle Stanton & Harry Werksman and directed by Jamie Babbit. CASTLE: A Chill Goes Through Her Veins (7/18)"A Chill Goes Through Her Veins" - A frozen woman found tangled in steel bars at a construction site leads Castle and Beckett to a years-old mystery and a long abandoned case. As the two uncover startling revelations about the victim's past, the investigation forces Beckett to face some difficult memories of her own, which provides Castle insight into his muse and additional material for his novel, on "Castle," SATURDAY, JULY 18 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast: OAD: 4/6/09)"Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Charles Malik Whitfield as Charles Wyler, Bill Smitrovich as Ben Davidson, Peter Jason as Sheriff Sloan and Channon Roe as Kevin Henson. "A Chill Goes Through Her Veins" was written by Charles Murray and directed by Bryan Spicer. CASTLE: Hell Hath No Fury (7/11)"Hell Hath No Fury" - When the dead body of a New York City Councilman running for re-election rolls out of a rug and into Beckett's case files, she and Castle are thrown into the world of dirty politics. Meanwhile, Castle's final novel in the Derrick Storm series hits the bookstores, causing his mother to search for any and all signs of failure. And at one of his book readings, Beckett tries to throw Castle off his game, only to learn that he has flipped the script on her once again, on "Castle," SATURDAY, JULY 11 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast: OAD: 3/30/09)"Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Bruno Campos as Calvin Creason, Joshua LeBar as Jason Bollinger, Lisa Waltz as Laurie Horn, Michael Reilly Burke as Frank Nesbit and Jonathan Banks as Bruce Kirby. "Hell Hath No Fury" was written by Andrew W. Marlowe and directed by Rob Bowman. 2009 Teen Choice Award nominationsSurfboards (in lieu of trophies) for the 11th annual event will be distributed during a two-hour special on Aug. 10 on Fox. Fans, ages 13-19, can vote for the winners at TeenChoiceAwards.com.Choice TV Actress: Action Adventure CASTLE: Hedge Fund Homeboys (7/4)"Hedge Fund Homeboys" - A once wealthy teenage boy whose family has fallen on hard times is found dead in a rowboat floating along the lake in Central Park. As Castle and Beckett try to piece together the events leading up to his death, his friends do everything in their power to thwart the investigation. As they unravel the truth from the lies, a story of betrayal and obsession emerges. Meanwhile, Castle debates whether he can leave Martha home alone while he chaperones Alexis' class trip to Washington, DC. Martha might be an aspiring "Life Coach," but that doesn't mean she's trustworthy, on "Castle," SATURDAY, JULY 4 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast. OAD: 3/23/09)"Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Jamie Chung as Romy Lee, Julia Nickson as Mrs. Lee, Nolan Gerard Funk as Brandon, Michelle Page as Amanda Kunal Sharma as Spencer. "Hedge Fund Homeboys" was written by David Grae and directed by Rob Bowman. ROLE JUST TOO RISQUE FOR SUMMER GLAUACTRESS Summer Glau doesn't remember what "Kids" did for Chloe Sevigny and Rosario Dawson. Sources say Glau ("Terminator") passed up her chance at becoming an indie queen when she turned down the lead in "Trophy Kids," which started filming this week in the city. "She wanted to cut a risqué dream sequence where she kisses Taniya Raymonde and Ryan Eggold," said an insider. But writers Josh Sugarman and Brandon Yankowitz refused to change the script and the part went to "Wolverine" starlet Tahnya Tozzi. A rep for Glau told Page Six, "She passed on the film due to creative differences."CASTLE (6/27) "NANNY MCDEAD""Nanny McDead" -- The body of a young woman is found spinning inside the dryer in the laundry room of an upscale apartment building. When Castle and Beckett discover that the woman, in her 20s, worked as a Nanny in the building, their investigation leads them to a world of sex, lies and "playdates." Meanwhile, while writing the first novel to his "Nikki Heat" series, Castle delves into the thoughts and actions of Beckett, as she navigates the murder case while revealing more of her own mysteries, on "Castle," SATURDAY, JUNE 27 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast. OAD: 3/16/09)"Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Jayne Brook as Claudia Peterson, Michael Graziadei as Brent Johnson, Sarah Drew as Chloe Richardson, Melinda Page Hamilton as Diana Harris and George Newbern as Howard Peterson. "Nanny McDead" was written by Barry Schindel and directed by John Terlesky. CASTLE (6/20) "FLOWERS FOR YOUR GRAVE""Flowers for Your Grave" - Wildly famous mystery novelist Richard Castle, who is bored with his own success, learns that a real-world copycat killer has started staging murders from scenes depicted in his novels. He's is questioned by NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, a bright and aggressive detective who keeps her investigations under a tight rein. Though they instantly clash, sparks of another sort also begin to fly, leading both to danger and a hint of romance as Castle steps in to help find the killer, on "Castle," SATURDAY, JUNE 20 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast. OAD: 3/9/09)Authors James Patterson and Stephen J. Cannell guest star as themselves in a poker game. "Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest cast: James Patterson as himself, Stephen J. Cannell as himself, Monet Mazur as Gina Cowel, Keir Dullea as Jonathan Tisdale and Dan Castellaneta as Judge Markway. "Flowers for Your Grave" was written by Andrew Marlowe and directed by Rob Bowman. Buffy Relaunching Without Whedon, Gellar...Regard for Fans?Blame Robert Pattinson. And, for that matter, Captain Kirk.What with vampires and franchise relaunches suddenly all the rage, plans for a new Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie have inevitably come to pass, with the rights holders of the franchise announcing plans for a new Sunnydale-set film. But there is a catch. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film, which will neither be a sequel nor prequel but an relaunch, is moving ahead with absolutely no involvement from film and series mastermind Joss Whedon. It will also fail to feature TV's Buffy herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and will in fact have no connection to the long-running series, meaning Angel, Willow, Xander and Spike will also be MIA. That sound you just heard was the Whedonverse imploding. The brain boxes behind the already fan-angering remake are Fran Rubel Kuzui, the director of the 1992 box-office bomb (which starred Kristy Swanson as the titular slayer abetted by Luke Perry), and her husband, Kaz Kuzui. Kuzui Enterprises has retained the rights to the franchise since their ill-fated film outing. The idea behind the new reboot is to maintain the show's mythology while introducing a new slayer and Hellmouth-threatened group of pals, building on the idea that each generation has its own vampire slayer. If all goes according to plan—and it's shaping up to be a rather large if—Kuzui is looking to franchise the film. As for Whedon, he has yet to comment on the film's development. While Kuzui said they have not ruled out inviting cult king Whedon—still very much active in the Buffyverse, having shepherded several Buffy comic books to bestseller status in recent years—to take part in the film, they have not yet spoken to him about their plans. 'Dollhouse': Pickup is 'a bet on Joss Whedon'The decision by FOX executives to bring "Dollhouse" back for a second season comes down to two words: Joss Whedon.But, you know, no pressure or anything. News of the modestly rated show's pickup for next season got out over the weekend, and on Monday FOX Entertainment president Kevin Reilly explained just why the show will be back in the fall. "This is a bet on Joss Whedon," Reilly said in a conference call Monday. "We looked at the profile of that shows -- he has an unbelievably loyal fan base. It was consistent in the ratings and consistently [improved] as one of the biggest time-shifted shows on the air. So we're placing a bet on Joss that he'll keep it going next year." The network's move to keep "Dollhouse" while letting "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" go has drawn predictable derision from "Terminator" fans, but Reilly says the decision didn't come down to keeping one show over the other. "'Terminator' has completed its run. I think it had a nice little run; it was a good show," Reilly says. "It wasn't an either-or. We did see ['Terminator'] tailing off a bit. It had a nice creative core, but ultimately we made the bet on 'Dollhouse' for the night, and felt we had some other shows that would make a better profile for the night." Reilly acknowledges that while "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" "was not an inexpensive show," economics weren't the deciding factor in its cancellation: "We had to make some choices on the night. So it was a factor. But ... we looked at the ratings track on Mondays, where it had a pretty consistent run, and then on Fridays where we moved it, and that trend line was not pointing in the right direction. ... We tried, but we felt like it was time to move on." Peter Rice, the new chairman of FOX Entertainment, also thinks "Dollhouse" can grow some next season and give FOX more of a presence on Friday nights. "The show became much stronger creatively over the course of the season, and Joss feels really energized about it," Rice says. "We believe in him as a creator and had a lot of success with him in the past. We feel we can build this show, that it can grow in the new season." No salvation: FOX kills 'Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles'An outpouring of fan support over the past several weeks apparently wasn't enough to save "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" from FOX's ax.The network's announcement of its 2009-10 schedule is imminent, and by nearly all accounts the two-year-old series won't be part of it. The word comes a month after the show's finale dropped a rather major plot twist and a few days after FOX picked up "T:SCC's" Friday-night companion this season, "Dollhouse," for next year. "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" averaged about 5.3 million viewers per week this season, only about half of what it drew last season (and even if you take out the show's big post-football premiere in 2008, the first season still averaged better than 8 million viewers a week. Nonetheless, the show had a hard-core cult following that turned out in force recently to show its love for the series. "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" was the leading vote-getter in Zap2it's bubble show poll last month, and fans stormed other corners of the Internet as well in an effort to convince FOX to bring the show back. There is at least one more "Terminator" story to be told. The movie "Terminator Salvation" hits theaters later this week. CASTLE RENEWEDABC has been A Busy Company. The network on Friday reportedly renewed four more series, including Scrubs and the freshman series Castle and Better Off Ted. Also due back for the 2009-10 season is the Ashton Kutcher-produced reality show True Beauty.CASTLE (5/11; Season Finale)"A Death in the Family" - Castle and Beckett investigate the murder of a missing plastic surgeon who is found dead in the front seat of his car after a week of being parked curbside. As they delve into the twisted world of surgery obsessed patients and secret operations, Castle experiences a fatherly rite of passage as Alexis attends her first prom. And while looking into Beckett's past, he unearths information that could end his relationship with her forever, on the season finale of "Castle," MONDAY, MAY 11 (10:02-11:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Bailey Chase as Will Sorenson, Ion Overman as Candace Robinson, Robert Picardo as Clark Murray, Robert Costanzo as Sal Tenor, Delane Matthews as Jacey Goldberg and Joe Marinelli as Jimmy Moran. "A Death in the Family" was written by Andrew Marlowe and directed by Bryan Spicer. CASTLE (5/4)"Little Girl Lost" - When a two-year-old girl is discovered missing from her home, Beckett is called in to assist with the investigation only to discover that the FBI agent in charge is, in fact, her ex-boyfriend. The two of them try to put aside their unresolved feelings as they race to find the girl, but when Castle inserts himself into the investigation, competition quickly heats up for Beckett's attention, on "Castle," MONDAY, MAY 4 (10:02-11:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Bailey Chase as Will Sorenson, Judy Reyes as Theresa Candela, Julian Acosta as Alfred Candela, Francis Capra as Juan Restrepo and Todd Waring as Dave Ellers. "Little Girl Lost" was written by Elizabeth Davis and directed by John Terlesky. CASTLE (4/27)"Ghosts" - Castle and Beckett investigate the murder of a woman found drowned in a bathtub of motor oil at a transient hotel. But when they uncover a dark secret about the woman's past, they must unravel a 20-year-old mystery with the help of a true crime journalist who may have been stalking the victim. Meanwhile, Beckett puts her poker face to the test as she squares off against Castle, with her money and pride at stake, on "Castle," MONDAY, APRIL 27 (10:02-11:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Joanne Kelly as Lee Wax, Alex Carter as Michael Goldman, Jillian Armenante as Susan Mailer, Dan Castellaneta as Judge Markway and Joseph C. Phillips as Mayor. "Ghosts" was written by Moira Kirkland and directed by Bryan Spicer. Dollhouse Robbery? The Truth Behind the "Missing" EpisodeThe truth behind a Dollhouse rumor circling the Internet is about as complicated as, well. Adelle DeWitt's appointment book.The alarmist buzz is that fans of Joss Whedon's latest series are being deprived of seeing one of this season's episodes. Perhaps, the rumor goes, they won't even be getting the proper season finale. The reality: Fox ordered 13 hours from Joss. The original pilot got scrapped, leaving a dozen to air. And all 12, including the legit season finale, which is titled "Omega," will be broadcast as planned. So where is the hubbub coming from? Sources tell TVGuide.com that Dollhouse producer 20th Century Fox Television elected to script and shoot a 14th episode, on their own dime — perhaps to flesh out a DVD package, some speculate. Fox, though, at no point agreed to air that episode, titled "Epitaph One." Our insider further says that the fact that Fox took that stance should not be seen as a sign that the network has already made a decision about a Season 2 pick-up for Dollhouse, which has been battling so-so ratings. "Epitaph One" is a standalone hour, and has no impact on the overarching Alpha storyline that reaches a boil — and launches several juicy new plot directions — in the May 8 finale. 'Firefly' star hits FOX for sweepsEx-"Firefly" regular Alan Tudyk will guest on "Dollhouse" Friday, May 1, playing the "agoraphobic designer of the Dollhouse," who comes into the picture in the course of Ballard's (Tahmoh Penikett) investigation.'Mad Men' lunch up for auctionCare to schedule a lunch meeting with Don Draper? Golden Globe-winning "Mad Men" star Jon Hamm is making himself available for lunch in Los Angeles to the winning bidder on eBay.The online auction benefits the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, which supports the artistic achievements of female filmmakers with scholarships and grants. Other meals with celebrities up for auction include Hamm's "Mad Men" co-star John Slattery, Paul Rudd, Kevin Smith, Nathan Fillion, Patrick Duffy, David Schwimmer, Julianna Margulies and others. The auctions are scheduled to end April 16. Castle's Nathan Fillion Writes His Own Ticket in Comedic DramaIt makes sense for Nathan Fillion to play a writer on ABC's Castle (Mondays, 10 pm/ET&PT). The son of retired English teachers, he's co-founded a charity, Kids Need to Read, to provide books for underfunded libraries. And while he's unpretentious about his own reading habits — he lists Robert Parker's Spencer novels among recent favorites — he revels in mystery novelist Rick Castle's occasional arrogance on the show. Best known for playing Captain Malcolm Reynolds in the TV show Firefly and the movie Serenity, and for his role as Joey Buchanan in One Life to Live, Fillion got his start performing improvisational comedy in his hometown of Edmonton, Alberta. Castle, which pairs him with alluring detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), lets him handle drama and comedy alike. But as he explained to us, he plays them both the same.TVGuide.com: So much of the show is about Castle's relationship with Beckett. Will they or won't they? Fillion: I teasingly say we're gonna risk it and put them together right away and see what happens. But the reality is when two people actually meet and are attracted but are perhaps not a perfect match, they've got to get to know each other. They've got to spend time with one another. You've got to spend time with someone. You've got to see what their decisions are like on a daily basis. I think that's why long-distance relationships don't work. Because you have them on the telephone. TVGuide.com: You've said before that this character is vain, and noted that his name, when pronounced quickly, sounds like Rick A--hole. Do you worry about making him likeable? Fillion: You know what? I don't. I think that that's a trap. It's a trap I've fallen into earlier in my career — trying to be liked. Don't do it. When I watch TV and I see someone trying to make me like them, acting cute or quirky or goofy, I'm not impressed. Don't act like America's watching you. Just latch onto your character. Characters are flawed. Be unlikeable. Be flawed. Be a person. TVGuide.com: So you don't get any pressure from directors to kind of wink at the camera? Fillion: That's my job, to make it realistic. ... I think I've found a truth in both drama and comedy in just a very basic honesty. I think when people deal with comedy like it's a different animal than drama I think that's a trap. You have a dramatic portion of your television program and you treat it dramatically, and then you have a comedic portion of your program, and you treat it differently. Why do you change who are between the two pieces? You're the same person. Just go. You don't know that you're in a comedy TV show. You're just a person in a life. TVGuide.com: You worked with Joss Whedon on Firefly and Serenity. Would you do it again? And what do you think of his new show, Dollhouse? Fillion: I would work with Joss Whedon at the drop of a hat. ... I'm enjoying [Dollhouse]. You know, what I like most about Joss Whedon's work is that it's a many layered story. He tells stories in metaphors. It's not all up in the surface. You have to become involved, you have to invest. TVGuide.com: You've said before you would do a Serenity sequel — is that still on the table? Fillion: There's nothing on the table as far as Serenity. I made a joke one time at a convention using a goofy voice and then some reporter, and I use the term loosely, runs over to Joss Whedon and says, "Guess what Nathan said?" Really, that's reporting? You're gonna get people all riled up? If there were to be another Serenity, I know nine people who would sign on immediately — and that's the cast of Serenity. It's not my decision to make, however. We don't have the 20 million bucks it would take to put that out. You started off as an improviser. How does that affect your acting now? Fillion: I find that improvising is amazing training. I got amazing training both with Theatre Sports... back in Edmonton, Alberta — I can't give those people enough credit — and the daytime drama I did. Incredible training, both of them. Improv as an actor makes you present in the moment. You listen, you're attentive. You're not acting so much as reacting, which is what you're doing in life all the time. CASTLE (4/20)"Home Is Where the Heart Stops" -- When a string of high-end home invasions end in murder, Castle and Beckett must determine who is orchestrating these violent robberies before they strike again. But to catch this deadly thief, Beckett must go way out of her comfort zone to enter Castle's glamorous, paparazzi filled world as his date to a charity ball. Meanwhile, Castle seeks the counsel of a dangerous ex-jewel thief who had once threatened to kill him, on "Castle," MONDAY, APRIL 20 (10:02-11:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Patrick Bauchau as Caine Powell, Caterina Scorsone as Joanne Delgado, Nick Chinlund as Evan Mitchell and Joseph C. Phillips as Mayor. "Home Is Where the Heart Stops" was written by Will Beall and directed by Dean White. CASTLE (4/13)"Always Buy Retail" - When an immigrant is found tortured and murdered in a ritualistic killing, Beckett navigates the uncharted territory of the mysterious Vodun religion with Castle leading the way. Having researched similar deaths for one of his books, Castle's knowledge and sources prove valuable, but only their apt teamwork can unravel the murderer's motives. Meanwhile, Castle is confronted with the possible return of his first wife, Alexis's mother, whose dizzying personality threatens to upend the tranquility of the entire family, on "Castle," MONDAY, APRIL 13 (10:02-11:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Darby Stanchfield as Meredith, Nicki Micheaux as Michelle, Aldis Hodge as Azi and Dohn Norwood as Charles Oni. "Always Buy Retail" was written by Gabrielle Stanton & Harry Werksman and directed by Jamie Babbit. CASTLE (4/6)"A Chill Goes Through Her Veins" - A frozen woman found tangled in steel bars at a construction site leads Castle and Beckett to a years-old mystery and a long abandoned case. As the two uncover startling revelations about the victim's past, the investigation forces Beckett to face some difficult memories of her own, which provides Castle insight into his muse and additional material for his novel, on "Castle," MONDAY, APRIL 6 (10:02-11:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Charles Malik Whitfield as Charles Wyler, Bill Smitrovich as Ben Davidson, Peter Jason as Sheriff Sloan and Channon Roe as Kevin Henson. "A Chill Goes Through Her Veins" was written by Charles Murray and directed by Bryan Spicer. Whedon Clears the Air: Dollhouse Isn't a "Funny" HouseTrip through any reportage or recappage on Fox's Dollhouse and you'll spy a recurring refrain:Where is Joss Whedon's trademark wit? It's a fair cop. After all, snappy and snarky dialogue laden with "Whedonisms" and pop-culture references became a calling card of such series as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. But at the risk of putting too fine a point on it, we're not in Sunnydale anymore. "[Dollhouse] is not the light-hearted romp that the other shows were," Whedon tells TVGuide.com. "There are moments of funny, but it doesn't build like — nor was it designed to be — a comedy. It's not going to play that instrument." "If there is a typical Whedon show," he adds, "this is not it." So while Echo occasionally may be imprinted as a tart-tongued thief and Topher may regularly crack wise about his God complex, you won't ever hear Sierra bitch to Adelle, "Ugh, you're such a Blair." Explaining his venture into darker waters, Whedon says, "You have to do different things at different times. And if people are feeling like [Dollhouse] is too serious, then either their expectation has to be changed or we need to lighten up a little. But I don't think they're ever going to see the same long, six-page runs of pure humor. This is not that show." Especially and if only because Dollhouse's inherent premise — childlike, personality-wiped "actives" are rented out for engagements of an oft morally questionable nature — hints at issues of human trafficking and other unethical business practices. "You can do a little [humor on Dollhouse]," says Whedon, "but you can't turn it into a pop-culture, referential funhouse." CASTLE (3/30)"Hell Hath No Fury" - When the dead body of a New York City Councilman running for re-election rolls out of a rug and into Beckett's case files, she and Castle are thrown into the world of dirty politics. Meanwhile, Castle's final novel in the Derrick Storm series hits the bookstores, causing his mother to search for any and all signs of failure. And at one of his book readings, Beckett tries to throw Castle off his game, only to learn that he has flipped the script on her once again, on "Castle," MONDAY, MARCH 30 (10:02-11:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Bruno Campos as Calvin Creason, Joshua LeBar as Jason Bollinger, Lisa Waltz as Laurie Horn, Michael Reilly Burke as Frank Nesbit and Jonathan Banks as Bruce Kirby. "Hell Hath No Fury" was written by Andrew W. Marlowe and directed by Rob Bowman. Joss Whedon: Dollhouse Is about to Get "Stronger" and "Pretty Intense"Calling his latest creation's first episodes mere "baby steps," Joss Whedon is getting the word out that from Episode 6 on, Fox's Dollhouse will be an extra-compelling place to visit.In a note to reporters (or "Newsly Types," as he puts it) accompanying a DVD of "Man on the Street" (airing March 20) and "Needs" (April 3), Whedon says, "These two episodes represent a much stronger vision of what I consider the show to be." Thus far, Dollhouse has been met with a lukewarm reception, with Whedon loyalists in particular noting a lack of the author's trademark witty dialogue. The ratings have reflected such a frustration, dropping 25 percent from the premiere to barely 3.6 million heads at last count. But since almost before Dollhouse opened its doors, the buzz has been that the structure of the first five hours was largely dictated by Fox, so as to drive home the unusual concept and morally gray characters. Episode 6, thus has been described as "game-changing," as Tahmoh Penikett's Agent Ballard comes face-to-face — and "fist-to-fist," teases Fox — with Echo (Eliza Dushku) for the very first time. Says Whedon in his missive, "For me, the question isn't just whether a show is enjoyable, but whether it's more than the sum of its fun, whether it truly touches, surprises or connects with you. These [episodes] may do none of the above — I'm not the boss of your opinion — but I feel strongly that they, and the eps to follow, are pretty intense, and very much worth the watching." CASTLE (3/23)"Hedge Fund Homeboys" - A once wealthy teenage boy whose family has fallen on hard times is found dead in a rowboat floating along the lake in Central Park. As Castle and Beckett try to piece together the events leading up to his death, his friends do everything in their power to thwart the investigation. As they unravel the truth from the lies, a story of betrayal and obsession emerges. Meanwhile, Castle debates whether he can leave Martha home alone while he chaperones Alexis' class trip to Washington, DC. Martha might be an aspiring "Life Coach," but that doesn't mean she's trustworthy, on "Castle," MONDAY, MARCH 23 (10:02-11:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito, and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Jamie Chung as Romy Lee, Julia Nickson as Mrs. Lee, Nolan Gerard Funk as Brandon, Michelle Page as Amanda Kunal Sharma as Spencer. "Hedge Fund Homeboys" was written by David Grae and directed by Rob Bowman. Baccarin Joins 'V'Casting for pilots is approaching the frenzy stage, with HBO finding siblings for Sarah Michelle Gellar in "The Wonderful Maladys," ABC finding its "V" alien leader in a former "Firefly" regular and Tony Hale getting yet another job.HBO's comedy "The Wonderful Maladys" is about three siblings who have looked out for one another since their parents died. Gellar, in her first TV project since "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," was cast last fall, and she'll be joined in the pilot by "Studio 60" alum Nate Corddry and "Deadwood" and "Swingtown" star Molly Parker. Parker will play the eldest of the three siblings who works as a therapist, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Corddry, who's currently playing a recurring part on Showtime's "The United States of Tara," will play the baby, a grad student. ABC's "V" remake, has found its alien leader in Morena Baccarin. The "Firefly" actress, who also co-starred in TNT's "Heartland" a couple seasons back, will play a character named Anna, who uses her knowledge of human culture to advance her own nefarious plans. At FOX, meanwhile, the ubiquitous Hale has joined the comedy "Cop House," which is set at a halfway house for troubled police officers. The former "Arrested Development" star has a recurring part on "Chuck" this season and has also guested on "Samantha Who?," "ER" and "The United States of Tara." CASTLE (3/16)"Nanny McDead" -- The body of a young woman is found spinning inside the dryer in the laundry room of an upscale apartment building. When Castle and Beckett discover that the woman, in her 20s, worked as a Nanny in the building, their investigation leads them to a world of sex, lies and "playdates." Meanwhile, while writing the first novel to his "Nikki Heat" series, Castle delves into the thoughts and actions of Beckett, as she navigates the murder case while revealing more of her own mysteries, on "Castle," MONDAY, MARCH 16 (10:02-11:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network."Castle" stars Nathan Fillion as Richard Castle, Stana Katic as NYPD Detective Kate Beckett, Susan Sullivan as Martha Rodgers, Molly Quinn as Alexis Castle, Ruben Santiago-Hudson as NYPD Captain Roy Montgomery, Tamala Jones as Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, Jon Huertas as NYPD Detective Javier Esposito and Seamus Dever as NYPD Detective Kevin Ryan. Guest Cast: Jayne Brook as Claudia Peterson, Michael Graziadei as Brent Johnson, Sarah Drew as Chloe Richardson, Melinda Page Hamilton as Diana Harris and George Newbern as Howard Peterson. "Nanny McDead" was written by Barry Schindel and directed by John Terlesky. Summer Glau sets off a 'Big Bang'This has been a big week for The Big Bang Theory's nerd herd. First, they score their best ratings ever, and now they're getting to rub elbows with frakkin' Summer Glau!The Sarah Connor Chronicles siren will play herself in the March 9 episode, the set-up of which already has me ROFWLing: A train trip to San Francisco takes a major detour when Leonard, Sheldon, Wolowitz, and Raj discover that their favorite sci-fi actress in all the land is on board. But the fanboy frenzy quickly gives way to a heated mass debate (tee-hee) when they realize one of them will have to approach her -- but who? It's not too difficult to figure out how this cheeky cross-over came about, provided you know this little detail: The Big Bang Theory and Sarah Connor Chronicles (which returns this Friday) are both produced by Warner Bros. This is what we in the TV biz refer to as extremely positive synergy. 'Dollhouse' unlocks different identities each weekIt's a feat of human engineering: A team of "actives" is hired out to well-heeled customers after being imprinted with tailor-made personalities. When the team members' task is complete, they return to a vast "dollhouse," where they sleep in pods, shower communally and have their memories wiped clean. Then it's off to a new "engagement."That's the premise behind Fox's Dollhouse (Friday, 9 ET/PT), the latest from producer Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), who calls the new series "insane and creepy, like me." Dollhouse stars Eliza Dushku, who played Buffy's Faith, as Echo. Echo becomes a hostage negotiator, a perfect date and a backup singer, among other temporary occupations, sometimes with harrowing consequences. But isn't it a challenge for a show to be built around a blank-slate personality who changes from week to week? "That's exactly the problem," Whedon concedes. "We have to find a situation that isn't the same as every other, we have to find a character for her to be, and we have to find a guest cast for the audience to care about, and that's very hard. On some levels, it's a very rich, simple premise, but on the other hand, it's one of the dumbest ideas for a show because it's hard work." He had pitched the show as "Alias meets Quantum Leap" but says the show is ultimately a thriller without the leeway to tell family stories. Eventually, the experiments go awry as Echo becomes more aware of her role as empty vessel and the FBI tries to unmask the illegal operation. Whedon says the idea for Dollhouse stemmed from his interest in avatars, self-image and notions of "how much of that can be changed and how much of that can be tampered with." The dollhouse has a sort of overseer (Olivia Williams), handlers (Echo's is played by Harry Lennix) and a resident geek (Fran Kranz), who "imprints" personalities on the actives in a souped-up dentist's chair. Tahmoh Penikett (Battlestar Galactica) plays an FBI agent who seeks to unmask the operation and gets knocked around in the process. Like Whedon's last Fox series, the futuristic space-travel odyssey Firefly, Dollhouse has had a troubled start, causing fits in the blogosphere of Whedon acolytes. This time, Whedon says he learned from the experience: "I'm the one who suggested reshooting and throwing out the pilot" when the network didn't respond well, he says. Instead, he replaced a slower-paced introduction with one that offered a closed-ended story line; Dollhouse, like Fringe, has struggled to balance serialized arcs with weekly stories. Both are part of Fox's "remote-free TV" experiment, which promises fewer commercials. Still, the network — which had announced the show with great fanfare last year — deposited it on low-wattage Fridays, suggesting its expectations are less than stellar. Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles, which sagged last fall, also returns Friday (8 ET/PT) in its own new slot. No Grumpy Guy, He's 46 and in ReposeNOW that Adam Baldwin has figured out how to make it look easy - this surly, deadpan, tough-guy thing he does every Monday night on NBC as the monosyllabic secret-agent sidekick on the action-comedy series "Chuck" - he doesn't mind admitting how hard it used to be.He was 18 when he got his first taste of movie-star limelight as the title character in the 1980 film, "My Bodyguard," then roles in summer comedies like "D.C. Cab" in 1983 and smaller parts in prestige films like "Ordinary People" despite not having a clue about what he was doing. "I was horrible," he said of some of his early performances, particularly the one in "D.C. Cab" (in which his co-stars included Bill Maher, Gary Busey and Mr. T). "I didn't know how to work. I didn't know how to process a character, and, certainly, I wasn't as funny as I should have been. "But I did learn a lot of technical stuff, how to be on a set, where to stand, how to do a fight scene, things like that," he said during a recent interview in a high-end Santa Monica coffee shop, one of those mad-scientist places where they grind the coffee in front of you and serve it in vacuum-sealed flasks on a silver tray. "But then I had to learn how to act. And that just takes some people longer than others. I'm no Leonardo DiCaprio." He can say this now that he's 46, aware of his limitations, proud of the niche he has found. In "Chuck" he plays no-nonsense secret agent John Casey, protecting loose-limbed amateur Chuck Bartkowski (played by Zachary Levi), a computer nerd who has accidentally had the contents of a super-secret government computer downloaded into his brain. But even before "Chuck," Mr. Baldwin had received sterling reviews and a growing cult following for playing similarly grumpy characters on "The X-Files" and "Firefly." "The guy does more with a grunt than most actors could do with a monologue," said Josh Schwartz, the executive producer of "Chuck." The extent of Mr. Baldwin's built-in fan base became apparent to Mr. Schwartz only when the "Chuck" cast appeared at last summer's Comic-Con International, and "4,000 people went insane whenever Adam said anything." Mr. Schwartz said it was the creator and co-executive producer Chris Fedak's idea to cast Mr. Baldwin as Casey, an idea he embraced as soon as Mr. Baldwin read for the part. "You totally believe him as this N.S.A. agent who's happy to torture and kill people, but he's also really, really funny," Mr. Schwartz said. "He gets the comedy without ever breaking character. And his preparation is astounding. Adam really relishes all these details: How does Casey sharpen his knife and fork before he eats? He's worked all that stuff out." Mr. Baldwin said, "I came up with the idea that Casey has a bonsai tree, and I brought in the Reagan photo that's in his room." He added, "I try to make sure the military vernacular is as accurate as possible. For the comedy to work, you've got to buy that Casey is a serious guy who's somewhat incredulous about this geek being inserted into his life." After last year's debut season ended abruptly because of the writers' strike, "Chuck" struggled to find an audience until just before its holiday hiatus in mid-December, when critics, particularly online, started noticing that the show's ratings had improved 12 percent from the season premiere. NBC is bringing the show back with a hefty marketing push, including a 3-D commercial during Sunday night's Super Bowl telecast and a 3-D episode on Monday night. "I think the network is clearly showing they believe in us," Mr. Baldwin said. "And I think we've found the base line of an audience that's not going to go anywhere." Mr. Baldwin, 6 foot 4 and broad shouldered, was already an imposing presence as a 17-year-old high school student in the northern Chicago suburb of Winnetka - big and quietly menacing, exactly what the director Tony Bill sought for the part of a sullen bully who becomes the protector of a smaller kid in "My Bodyguard." "Tony would say to me, 'Just keep your face in repose,' " Mr. Baldwin said. "And I would go: 'Repose? What's repose?' And he said: 'It just means be relaxed. Don't move.' It was great advice, and it's what I've been trying to grasp ever since. Stillness as a technique is still really captivating to me." After "My Bodyguard" became a hit, Mr. Baldwin moved to New York, fielded offers from agents and managers who were promising to make him the next big thing. He said he took some parts he probably shouldn't have taken. He went to London in 1985 for a significant role in Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket." But the production went on for months, and the film didn't come out until 1987. By then Mr. Baldwin's moment seemed to have passed. "I was given opportunities, I think, that were a little too big when I was a little too young," he said. "I didn't measure up. The sports analogy would be if you pulled a guy off the farm team and put him in the big leagues a little too soon. That's a good way to ruin your arm. Fortunately my injuries weren't career threatening. They were just emotionally draining." He worked steadily through the 1980s and '90s, bad-guy parts in B movies (including the long-forgotten "Digital Man" and "Cold Sweat"), lots of voice-over work, doing what he had to do to pay the bills. He got married, had kids, played golf, built himself a decent working actor's career. But it wasn't glamorous, and it wasn't always fun. "I think work begets work," he said. "I did some things that were certainly labors of love and hard-won parts, but there were others that were just straight-up exploitation movies and terrible to watch and don't hold up at all. But they do pay the bills." All along, Mr. Baldwin said, he felt that his career would pick up when he got older, when he could inhabit more nuanced character roles, to be something more than just big and scary. He was 39 when he got the "X-Files" role, Knowle Rohrer. And he was 40 when he became Jayne Cobb on "Firefly," a role for which TV Guide named him its Sexiest Newcomer of 2002. "That was hilarious," he said. "It just seemed like a mistake, an obvious mistake." Now because of his "Chuck" fame, people no longer assume that he's one of those other Baldwins (he's not) or that he's as grumpy as his characters. He envisions a future filled with playing strong, silent types, guys with enough experience to know how the world works, when to take it seriously and when to go with the joke. "I always did think that when I turned 40, I'd start coming into my own," he said. "Part of that is just growing and living, suffering and failing and going through the trials of life, having a wife and kids. It humbles you, and going through that humbling process lets you release that self-centeredness, and it's a very liberating feeling. It lets you stop worrying. I'm enjoying that." Summer Glau: TV's Terminator Guns for Shocking RevealsThis Monday at 8 pm/ET, Fox's Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles presents a midseason finale which reveals one character's shocking secret, sets the stage for other surprises, and ultimately leaves Sarah herself in perhaps one of the last situations you'd imagine to find her in. Summer Glau shares a peek at the episode, shedding light on Cameron's "issues" with John's girlfriend and teasing insight into one of the series' biggest mysteries of all. (After this week, Sarah Connor returns Friday, Feb. 13, leading into the debut of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse.)TVGuide.com: Cameron isn't liking John's girlfriend Riley (played by Leven Rambin) too much these days, is she? Summer Glau: No, and I think it's more than her just being worried that Riley's a threat. She doesn't like having her place taken over by somebody else. TVGuide.com: And what do you mean by "her place"? Glau: Well, Cameron only exists to take care of John and be with him at all times, and he keeps trying to spend time alone with Riley. That leaves Cameron feeling like she doesn't have a purpose. So it's really uncomfortable for her — if it's possible for a robot to feel uncomfortable. TVGuide.com: And this week, Riley tells Cameron a lie which only exacerbates the suspicion. Glau: Yeah.... I believe that Cameron doesn't really know what's really going on with Riley, but she's definitely on to her. TVGuide.com: There's a big reveal about Riley coming. Did you know it was coming before they introduced that character? Glau: I knew partly what was going to happen, but I certainly didn't expect it to go as far as it has. Things have gotten even more complicated. I think the storyline is great. TVGuide.com: Do you enjoy playing the pseudo-jealousy thing between Cameron, John and Riley? Glau: I love it. It adds so much dimension to Cameron, and it's fun to figure out how far to take it. You don't want to take it too far, but I do want to insinuate that it's there. TVGuide.com: I enjoyed the scenes a few weeks ago between Cameron and Eric (The Black Donnellys' Billy Lush), the librarian guy. Glau: That was a really interesting episode because Cameron doesn't usually say much, and as far as doing meaty scenes as an actor, it's fun to just sit down and talk. That's one thing that Cameron really got to do in that episode. I enjoyed Billy as an actor, he's really, really gifted. TVGuide.com: I saw that story as almost an "escape" for Cameron, a secret place she could go to and be "regular." Glau: Yeah, it was very creative. Tommy always writes really good stuff for me. TVGuide.com: Do you hope to someday get a fight scene with Shirley Manson's T-1001? Glau: Yes! Shirley hasn't done many down-and-dirty fights yet — she usually takes people out pretty easily — so I wonder how it's going to go. [Laughs] TVGuide.com: One burning question fans have concerns what happened to Derek in the future, in "the basement." Do you have any insight into what went down? Glau: I do. Later on, maybe this season, it will be revealed what really went down.... Remember - Cameron knows Derek, and Derek knows Cameron, so that's also going to be fun to explore. TVGuide.com: Eliza Dushku told me she's excited to have Dollhouse sharing Friday nights with Sarah Connor. She sees it as a night of "female empowerment." Glau: Yeah, me too. I think it's a good match. TVGuide.com: Plus, you have that Joss Whedon connection. [Glau starred in the Firefly follow-up film, Serenity.] Glau: We do, and I think the fans will band together and support us on Friday nights. We had a lot of competition on Monday, so I think this might be a good thing. TVGuide.com: Oh, let's be clear — the competition on Monday is ridiculous. Glau: It is. It's impossible. We've held onto our fan base, but you just cant hope for much more on a Monday. TVGuide.com: Coming off of Serenity, Terminator and the bitchy gal you played in [the TV-movie] The Initiation of Sarah, do you crave playing a different role during the summer hiatus? Maybe a romantic comedy where you wear flirty dresses and chase boys? Glau: I would love to wear a dress and play "normal"! I'm so in love with Cameron and I would never want to lose that, but it will be nice to challenge myself. I'm hoping to do a straight drama, or possible a comedy. TVGuide.com: What else can you tease about upcoming Sarah Connor episodes? Any kisses in Cameron's future? Glau: Not in Cameron's, no! [Laughs] But the mystery is going to get deeper and deeper. Sarah has been tormented by the visions of these three dots, so she goes off on her own, and she meets up with similarly "possessed" people. It's always interesting when you leave "the kids" [John and Cameron] alone. A big piece of the mystery is going to come to light in the next couple of episodes. TVGuide.com: I was going to say, the final scene of the midseason finale leaves a person wondering.... Glau: Yeah, and what's coming up is going to be cool. Stargate Atlantis' Jewel Staite on the End of the ShowStargate Atlantis is coming to an end on Jan. 9, and before Stargate fans blast off into the new Universe series (beginning with a two-hour movie early in 2009), TVGuide.com asked Jewel Staite to help us countdown to the end of Atlantis by telling us what it was like to play Dr. Jennifer Keller, who she bonded with most in the cast and much more.TVGuide.com: Congrats on your Gemini Award (Canadian version of Emmys) nomination! Can you tell us about your experience filming the episode "Missing," and did you know it was special right away? Jewel Staite: Well, I knew it was freezing cold and rainy right away! This was the first "Keller-heavy" episode we filmed, so I was excited that I finally could do some serious acting-in-peril, which is secretly every actor's fantasy. But the whole episode was shot outside in the forest, and it wasn't exactly summer time, so there were a lot of layers involved — and I mean thermal layers, not acting layers! Luckily, Rachel Luttrell (Teyla), who co-starred with me in that episode, is such a joy to work with, and she has a wickedly sarcastic sense of humor that kept me going during those long days. I'm so pleased I was nominated for that episode, but a lot of the credit goes to the director, Andy Mikita, who has such a way with actors; he just lets you run with it and trust your own instincts, and I think that's why a lot of actors in his episodes tend to shine a bit more than usual. So, thanks, Andy! TVGuide.com: On Firefly, you played an ultra-sweet (reluctant) tomboy — what did you like most about now playing a very brainy beauty, Dr. Keller? Staite: Dr. Keller is one of those people who really likes her comfort zone. She's calm, cool, and collected in the operating room, and she trusts herself in the situations she's used to. But she becomes a bit of a loose canon when she's taken out of that comfort zone, and no matter how capable she is at dealing with those situations, she can't help but doubt herself. I like that juxtaposition in her. TVGuide.com: What was one of your fondest memories on set during your time on Atlantis? We did a lot of laughing on that set. I loved that no one took themselves too seriously. We knew what we were doing was a fun sci fi action-adventure, and we made sure we had as much fun as possible. TVGuide.com: How has the fan response been to your character and your relationship with Rodney McKay (David Hewlett)? What direction do you want to see your character's love life turn? Staite: I'm not sure what the entire fan response has been. The fans I've had the chance to meet have been really enthusiastic about the Keller/McKay pairing. I really enjoy working with David, and we have a tendency to gravitate towards each other on set because we have the same work ethic, and most definitely the same sense of humor! I think the writers started to pick up on our natural chemistry and decided to go that route later on in season four. Off screen, we have a more brother-sister chemistry, so all the kissing scenes were kind of painful for us, but he was kind enough to lay off the onions on those days. TVGuide.com: Who did you bond with most in the cast? Staite: That's a toss up between David Hewlett and Amanda Tapping (Col. Sam Carter). I think we all have a mutual respect for each other, but we love to tease each other, too. And Amanda's just one of those really likeable people. She's gracious, professional, easy-going, lovely to be around, and besides that, she's really easy to crack up. The three of us did an episode together in season four called Trio that involved us and a filthy, dusty room that was rigged to tilt and shake. It should have been a miserable week, but I've never laughed so hard. I think the crew was starting to get a little fed up with us because we ruined so many takes, but it was one of the most fun weeks I've ever had on the job. TVGuide.com: What do you miss most about the show since the series wrapped? Staite: The people. The crew. It's easy to get attached to people you see more than you do your own family. We spent twelve hours a day together, five days a week, at minimum, so it's hard to have that end all of a sudden. It was a great time in my life, and I'll miss those guys a lot. New on Blu-Ray: "Firefly: The Complete Series""Firefly: The Complete Series" — "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" mastermind Joss Whedon created this short-lived sci-fi series with a cult so devoted it launched its own big-screen follow-up ("Serenity"). Starring Nathan Fillion as a skipper aboard a shady fugitive spaceship, the entire 14-episode run debuts on Blu-ray in a three-disc set, with deleted scenes, featurettes and commentary. Blu-ray set, $89.98. (20th Century Fox)DollhouseJoss Whedon's "Dollhouse" will debut Friday nights at 9 p.m. where, starting on Friday, Feb. 13, it will be paired with the current occupant of the Monday 8 p.m. slot, "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles."Fillion: Porn Star!That's right, former Firefly star Nathan Fillion, who will soon debut in the ABC midseason replacement CASTLE, is also a porn star. Sort of. Fillion is featured in the first episode of a SPIKE TV sponsored web series called JAMES GUNN'S PG PORN — which is exactly what it sounds like. The tongue-in-cheek comic shorts pair a mainstream actor and an adult industry star in "some nice clean smut." Check out Fillion's chuckle-inducing, not-so-porny debut here.Production Stops As Whedon Plays With DollhouseGetting Dollhouse off the page and onto the screen hasn't exactly been child's play.20th Century Fox confirmed to E! News Wednesday that production has been temporarily suspended on the sci-fi drama because creator Joss Whedon has asked for more time to polish some upcoming scripts. "I can confirm the show has shut down filming until Sept. 25 while the writers work on upcoming scripts," a rep for the studio said. "Joss asked for some extra time and because the show was several months away from airing, we were able to grant his request without disrupting our ability to deliver the shows well in advance of broadcast. "We still very much believe in Joss and the show." Dollhouse, costarring Buffy butt-kicker Eliza Dushku and Angel alum Amy Acker as members of a team of "Dolls" who work for a mysterious organization that is constantly retooling their personas and skill sets tailor made for whatever clandestine mission awaits, isn't slated to premiere on Fox until midseason, which gives Whedon & Co. more time to make adjustments. While production is supposed to start up again in a couple of weeks, this isn't the first time that Dollhouse has been closed for redecorating. In July, Whedon asked for—and received—permission to reshoot the series pilot after determining that its various plot threads were too confusing for introductory viewing and would work better as the second episode. Zap2It.com, which first made note of the shutdown, reports that Whedon directed two of the three episodes that are already in the can, leaving him with little time to go over the remaining scripts with the attention he feels the project requires. "We had a lot of time to prepare the next scripts," Whedon told E! Online's Watch With Kristin in July, soon before the pilot switcheroo. "Needless to say we squandered that time and now we're way behind and terrified. It's amazing how that happens!" "I'm feeling good," he said in reference to what was then the series' premiere episode. "I definitely look at it and go, There are a couple of things I'd like to make a little tweak here and tweak there—which is nice, being midseason, the pressure isn't on to get it out. The pressure's on to get it right." ABC Picks Up Five New ShowsTen years after the original version, "Cupid" will get another chance to find love from TV viewers."Veronica Mars" creator Rob Thomas' remake of his 1998-99 show is one of five series ABC has picked up for midseason. The network has also ordered a pair of comedies, "Single With Parents" and "Better Off Ted," and a pair of cop dramas: "Castle," starring Nathan Fillion, and "The Unusuals." "It was worth taking the time to go through the pilot process to really do it right," ABC Entertainment president Stephen McPherson says. "They're perfect additions to our dominant core slate of shows." Following the end of the writers strike earlier this year, ABC opted to go through its normal development process, rather than order shows straight to series without having shot a pilot. McPherson adds that the network may pick up more series later in the season; the fantasy drama "Captain Cook's Extraordinary Atlas" and the "Hamlet"-inspired soap "Prince of Motor City" are still reportedly in contention, along with Damon Wayans' comedy "Never Better" and another show from Thomas, "Good Behavior." For the fall, ABC is concentrating on re-introducing second-year shows "Pushing Daisies," "Dirty Sexy Money" and "Private Practice" while debuting only two new series, "Life on Mars" and "Opportunity Knocks." The new shows: "Better Off Ted" comes from writer Victor Fresco ("Andy Richter Controls the Universe," "My Name Is Earl"). Jay Harrington ("Coupling," "Desperate Housewives") plays the title character, the head of research and development who tries to do good work inside an unethical corporate giant. "Castle" stars Fillion ("Firefly," "Desperate Housewives") as Nick Castle, a best-selling mystery novelist who consults with the NYPD when a killer stages murders similar to those in Nick's books. Stana Katic ("Heroes"), Ruben Santiago-Hudson ("Lackawanna Blues") and Monet Mazur also star. "Cupid" is a remake of Thomas' short-lived late-'90s show about a recently released mental patient who believes he's the Roman god of love. Bobby Cannavale ("Will & Grace") will play the title character this time around (Jeremy Piven starred in the original), and Sarah Paulson ("Studio 60") will play the psychiatrist assigned to monitor him. "Single With Parents" stars Alyssa Milano, late of "My Name Is Earl," as a woman whose divorced parents (Annie Potts and Beau Bridges) are far too reliant on her for advice and support. "The Unusuals" follows a group of detectives in the NYPD's homicide division, each with his or her own sizable quirks and personal issues. The ensemble cast includes Amber Tamblyn ("Joan of Arcadia"), Harold Perrineau ("Lost") and Adam Goldberg ("Entourage"). It's Pilot Season at ABCABC's delayed pilot season will come to a head in the next few weeks, and several shows are picking up buzz as screenings roll around.A couple of dramas, including the Nathan Fillion crime show "The Castle" and Rob Thomas' "Good Behavior," and comedies from Victor Fresco and Damon Wayans are reportedly strong contenders for pickup, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Most of the shows being considered now would join the schedule early next year, although one or two could debut before the end of 2008. The writers' strike forced changes to the development cycle across the TV landscape, with some networks opting to go straight to series with several projects -- NBC in particular went with that strategy -- and others doing shorter presentations. ABC decided to do full pilots for most of its shows but delayed the process until the summer. "The Castle" stars Fillion ("Firefly,""Desperate Housewives") as a novelist who consults with the NYPD. "Good Behavior," from "Veronica Mars" creator Thomas, stars Catherine O'Hara as the matriarch of a law-breaking family who wants her kids to go legit. The "Hamlet"-inspired drama "Prince of Motor City" might also have a chance. Fresco's untitled comedy about a moral man (Jay Harrington) who works for an amoral corporation is considered a good bet -- particularly since ABC Studios just signed Fresco ("Andy Richter Controls the Universe") to a new deal. "Never Better," starring Wayans as a recovering alcoholic, and an Alyssa Milano vehicle by writer Kristin Newman ("That '70s Show," "How I Met Your Mother") have some buzz as well. ABC is launching only two new shows in the fall: the drama "Life on Mars" and game show "Opportunity Knocks." Animated comedy "The Goode Family" and NBC import "Scrubs" are on deck for midseason. "Dollhouse" creator Whedon filming series prequelEver since Fox canceled Joss Whedon's 2002 series "Firefly," fans have groused that the network sabotaged the show's chances by airing its episodes out of sequence.Now Whedon himself is shaking up the order of his midseason Fox series "Dollhouse." The creator of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is shooting a new "prequel" episode to serve as the show's pilot. Whedon said he opted to craft a new introduction to the series after meeting with Fox executives, who expressed concerns about the accessibility of the first episode. "When we talked to the network I got a sense of hesitation about what we had, and I understood why," Whedon said Tuesday on the "Dollhouse" set. "There's a concern about the audience coming into this world. I respect their need to draw in an audience and present this a certain way." Whedon acknowledged that there are similarities to the "Firefly" experience. "That's why I hit myself on the head for this," Whedon said. "Having been through this I should know I need to deliver a way to get into a story. These are not stupid people (at the network), and I decided I needed to make a pre-emptive strike. I wasn't going to entrench around my art; television is a fluid process. So I said that I know a way to satisfy everyone." Whedon said the new first episode will allow him to select from previously shot footage to figure out "the most iconic way from what we had to introduce each character." Added star Eliza Dushku, "And I didn't get to wear my leather pants in the pilot, so that was a deal-breaker." In "Dollhouse," a group of people are programmed with various abilities and personalities and rented out for assignments to high-paying clients. They are kept stored in an underground compound that resembles a Zen-like spa. One of the Dolls, Echo (Dushku), gradually begins to become self-aware. "I wanted everybody to feel like Echo is in this terrible situation, slash, 'can somebody wipe my memory and feed me and put me in a wonderful spa and give me massages too?' " Whedon said of the elaborate set. The tone of each episode, he added, will shift based on the Dolls' assignment, a tactic that some might consider risky. "Every time I'm here, I worry that this show is the big mess, that this is the time I will fail," he said. "At the same time you learn to let go of that or not one word you will write." Joss Whedon: Welcome to the New DollhouseAs all Buffy, Angel and Firefly fans know, when Joss Whedon gets it right, he gets it very, very right. And if he gets it wrong—he'd rather us not know it.The writer-producer confirmed on his Whedonesque website today (via a faux Q&A with "Rutherford D. Actualperson") that he is reshooting the pilot for his upcoming Fox series Dollhouse after both he and some network execs—who picked up the Eliza Dushku-starring sci-fi drama earlier this year based on concept alone—became concerned that his intended opener didn't make a whole lot of sense. "What’s that, you say? A second first? How can such a thing be? Does it defy the laws of all physics?" the show runner blogged. "I said [the pilot] was grand, I didn’t say it was comprehensible. I showed some scenes to David Lynch and he’s all, 'whuh?' Bad sign. But I kid," assured Whedon. "The fact is, I’m very proud of the ep we shot and the series is making me crazy with the excitement. But I tend to come at things sideways, and there were a few clarity issues for some viewers. There were also some slight issues with tone—I was in a dark, noir kind of place (where, as many of you know, I make my home), and didn’t bring the visceral pop the network had expected from the script. The network was cool about it, but not sure how to come out of the gate with the ep." The intended pilot will instead be Dollhouse's second episode and the production delay isn't supposed to affect the Monday-night series' midseason premiere. “Joss came to the realization that there was a better way to start the show,” a spokesman for 20th Century Fox Television told Variety. “After he wrote episode two, he asked the network to use that as episode one.” The drama, about a group of Actives—or Dolls—who have had their minds wiped clean so that their Handlers can impress upon them any persona, information, or skill necessary to carry out a particular mission, also stars Angel alum Amy Acker, Tahmoh Penikett, Dichen Lachman, Fran Kranz, Olivia Williams and Enver Gjokaj. During a live Q&A Monday with WashingtonPost.com readers, Whedon was asked where Dollhouse measured up on the funny scale alongside Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly. "Less overt humor," Whedon responded. "Dollhouse is more a real-world piece. But asking me not to make jokes is like asking Monet to lose the lily pads. We've all got our tics." Joss Whedon Heads Into 'The Woods'MGM has acquired the thrilled "The Cabin in the Woods" to be produced and co-written by Joss Whedon."The Cabin in the Woods" will be the directorial debut of Drew Goddard, who co-wrote the script with Whedon. Not surprisingly, Variety has few details on the plot for "Woods," except to not that it's the studio's first movie to get greenlit since Mary Parent became head of MGM's worldwide motion picture group. Goddard cut his teeth working with Whedon on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel." He's gone on to work on "Alias" and "Lost" before writing the script for the monster hit "Cloverfield." Feature writing credits for Whedon have included "Speed" and "Serenity." His next small screen venture is the FOX midseason drama "Dollhouse." "Enchanted" and "Lost" honored at fantasy awardsThe Disney fairy tale "Enchanted" picked up three awards Tuesday at the 34th annual Saturn Awards, which honor science fiction, fantasy and horror movies and TV shows.Its haul included best fantasy film, actress (Amy Adams), and music (Alan Menken). "Cloverfield" was named best science fiction film, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" best horror film, and "300" best action/adventure/thriller film. On the TV side, ABC's "Lost" won four trophies: best network television series, actor (Matthew Fox), supporting actor (Michael Emerson), and supporting actress, (Elizabeth Mitchell). Mitchell tied with Summer Glau of "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles." The ceremony, hosted by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror, was held at the Universal Hilton Hotel in Universal City. 2008 Teen Choice Award NomineesThis is the 10th annual incarnation of the adolescent-friendly kudos, which spreads the wealth among film, TV, music, comedy, sports and fashion. Fox will broadcast the two-hour bonanza Aug. 4.Choice TV Show: Action Adventure Choice TV Actress: Action Adventure Choice TV: Breakout Show Choice TV: Breakout Star Female Whedon, Abrams and FOX's 'High-Class Problem'FOX has arguably the most fanboy-friendly lineup of any network for 2008-09, with high-profile series from both J.J. Abrams ("Fringe") and Joss Whedon ("Dollhouse").Deciding how to schedule the two shows, FOX Entertainment President Kevin Reilly admits, was a "high-class problem." "Fringe," which Abrams co-wrote with Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman ("Transformers," "Alias"), wound up with a prime spot on the fall schedule, where it will follow "House" on Tuesday nights. Whedon's "Dollhouse," meanwhile, will join the network in January, pairing with "24" on Monday nights. "When it really came down to it, we had a jump-start with 'Fringe,'" Reilly explains, noting that the show has been in development since last summer. "They wrote the script, [the two-hour pilot] is in the can and finished and locked. ... Jeff Pinkner, who worked with J.J. and the guys on 'Alias' and 'Lost,' is reteaming with them to kind of take the reins of the show. It just felt like the whole machine was cranked up." "Dollhouse" finished shooting its Whedon-directed pilot only last week, although the show is at least ahead of the curve on the script front; Whedon brought the show to FOX with seven scripts already in hand (it has a 13-episode order). "Why put the extra pressure on it?" Reilly says. "It really was a high-class problem, so we went with the bird in hand. And Joss is frankly happy to have the extra time." Both shows will probably get the full promotional treatment from FOX as well. "Fringe" is the network's only new drama for the fall (and one of only two new shows of any kind), and Reilly is already promising a "huge campaign" leading up to its Aug. 26 premiere. "Dollhouse" will be a "linchpin of the second season," Reilly says, launching around the same time as network perennials such as "24" and "American Idol." FOX Sets 'Dollhouse' and 'Fringe,' Cans 'Amsterdam'Just days before its upfront presentation to advertisers, FOX's schedule appears to be taking shape, including new shows from J.J. Abrams, Joss Whedon and Mitch Hurwitz.According to The Hollywood Reporter, FOX has ordered Abrams' "Fringe" and Whedon's "Dollhouse." "Fringe," which stars Joshua Jackson, Anna Torv and John Noble, is looking at a fall launch, while "Dollhouse," Eliza Dushku's return to primetime, is heading for midseason. Both "Fringe" and "Dollhouse" had always been considered foregone conclusions at FOX, since the network had already ordered 13 and seven episodes respectively, with penalties attached to not moving forward. Then again, a series order may not be enough to get Bernie Mac's "Starting Under" a place on the network's schedule. The trade paper says that the comedy probably won't make FOX's fall schedule, though a desire to stay in business with Mac may lead the network to try to retool "Starting Under" for midseason. Instead, FOX's new comedy output features a heavy dose of Jason Bateman. The "Arrested Development" veteran directed the pilot for the ensemble "The Inn" and does voice work on the animated "Sit Down, Shut Up," both of which appear set for FOX's fall lineup. The "Inn" cast includes Niecy Nash and Jerry O'Connell." On "Sit Down, Shut Up," Hurwitz has enlisted "Arrested Development" veterans Bateman, Will Arnett and Henry Winkler for voices. It appears that "'Til Death" will return to FOX's lineup for a third season, but "Back to You" is being shopped to other networks and won't be back on FOX. Although "Back to You" delivered higher ratings than "'Til Death," its star-studded cast, led by Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton, made the sitcom a pricier proposition. Also reportedly being pitched around town is the animated incarnation of "The Pitts." Media reports are suggesting that FOX's low-rated midseason legal drama "Canterbury's Law" and the slightly higher rated immortal police procedural "New Amsterdam" are also being cancelled. FOX's full schedule will be announced on Thursday (May 15), but the network is still tinkering with several pilots. Alfred Molina has joined the cast of the Paul Attanasio-produced "Courtroom K," a dramedy about a judge (Molina), public defender (Megan Dodds) and prosecutor working out of a Milwaukee courtroom. In addition, Peter Berg ("Friday Night Lights") will direct the two-hour sci-fi pilot "Virtuality" for FOX. Also, FOX has given a cast contingent pilot order to "Inseparable" from Shaun Cassidy. Toby Stephens was formerly attached to star, but the actor's deal reportedly expired before FOX could formally order the pilot. 'Firefly' Actress Joins ABC PilotABC has added to the casts of three pilots, with "Firefly's" Morena Baccarin among the signees, and is bringing a familiar face back to one of its existing shows.Baccarin is joining writer David Hemingson's legal drama, where she'll star opposite Matt Long as new associates at a Los Angeles law firm. Elsewhere, Ruben Santiago-Hudson ("Lackawanna Blues") has signed on to the drama "Castle," and Steve Howey ("Reba") and Lee Thompson Young ("Smallville," "Akeelah and the Bee") have landed parts in the comedy "Five Year Plan," according to The Hollywood Reporter. Also at ABC, David Sutcliffe will return to "Private Practice" next season to continue his arc as a love interest for Addison (Kate Walsh). The Hemingson drama centers on Long's character, a recent law-school graduate from a working-class background who joins a boutique law practice. Baccarin will play another new associate, a privileged young woman from Beverly Hills. "Castle" stars Baccarin's former castmate Nathan Fillion as a mystery novelist who consults with police on murder cases. Santiago-Hudson, whose credits also include "American Gangster" and several "Law & Order" appearances, will play the police chief. As the title implies, "Five Year Plan" follows a group of friends trying to figure out their futures. Howey will play Mickey, a newly engaged law-school graduate, and Young will play the roommate of Mickey's brother. Finally, Sutcliffe will reprise his role as cop Kevin Nelson in "Private Practice" next season. The former "Gilmore Girls" actor will appear in as many as 11 episodes of the second-year show. ABC Lands Nathan FillionNathan Fillion has apparently enjoyed his time working at ABC, because he's signed on to a pilot at the network.Alyssa Milano and Aunjanue Ellis have also joined ABC projects, while Tom Hollander is booked on a CBS dramedy. Fillion, who's had a recurring role on "Desperate Housewives" this season as Dana Delany's husband, will star in a presentation called "Castle," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The "Drive" and "Firefly" star will play a mystery novelist who consults with the NYPD on difficult cases. His credits also include "Waitress," "Miss Match" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Milano, meanwhile, is attached to a comedy from writer Kristin Newman ("That '70s Show," "How I Met Your Mother"). She'll play a woman who's trying to break free of her dysfunctional family, toxic friends and annoying boss. The former "Charmed" star is currently in a recurring part on NBC's "My Name Is Earl" and starring in the feature film "Pathology," which is in limited release. Also at ABC, Ellis ("Ray," "Justice") will co-star in "Prince of Motor City," a "Hamlet"-inspired drama co-written by "Old Christine's" Hamish Linklater. She'll play a board member of the car company at the center of the series. Over at CBS, Hollander has joined "The Meant to Be's," about a dead woman (Amy Smart) who must return to Earth and help people get their lives back on track before she can escape limbo. Hollander ("Gosford Park," "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End") will play the rule-bending head of heaven's Fate office. 'The Sarah Connor Chronicles' Will Be BackJudgment Day won't come for at least one more season.FOX has picked up its freshman series "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" for 2008-09, the showbiz trade papers report. The show earned a 13-episode order for 2008-09, on the heels of its strike-shortened and reasonably successful nine-episode run earlier this year. The pickup isn't a big surprise; FOX Entertainment chief Kevin Reilly said in an interview last week that the show was already hiring staff. FOX has several shows in development that could form a sci fi-tinged block with "The Sarah Connor Chronicles," including Joss Whedon's "Dollhouse" and "Fringe," from J.J. Abrams' company. Pilots: 'Firefly' Star Joins ABC ComedyFormer "Firefly" star Alan Tudyk has piloted himself to ABC, where he'll star in Max Mutchnick and David Kohan's comedy pilot.Another ABC comedy, "This Might Hurt," has also beefed up its cast, signing Josh Dean (FOX's "Free Ride") as one of its leads and adding two others as well. The Kohan-Mutchnick project is based on the partnership between the two writers, who created "Will & Grace." It centers on two long-time friends and business partners, one straight and one gay; Tudyk will play the latter role, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Tudyk has some comedy experience, including "Dodgeball" and guest spots "Frasier" and "Arrested Development." "Firefly," on which he played pilot Hoban "Wash" Washburne, had a healthy dose of humor as well. The role will be his first regular gig on a comedy, however. Tudyk starred in another pilot earlier this season, a legal drama from Luke Reiter that was set up at NBC. He's the second cast member to depart that project; Kurtwood Smith ("That '70s Show") was recently cast in CBS' comedy "Worst Week." "This Might Hurt," from writer-director Jason Winer, is set at a medical practice run by a traditionalist father and his son (Dean), who wants his dad to shed some of his old ways. The cast will also include Vanessa Lengies ("American Dreams," "Stick It") as the office receptionist and Hayes MacArthur ("The Game Plan") as a nurse who also runs a gambling operation out of the office. 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' cast reunites at television festival in L.A."Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was resurrected for one night only.The cast of the popular supernatural series, which ran from 1997 to 2003, were in good spirits Thursday while reuniting for a panel discussion at the William S. Paley Television Festival. That doesn't mean fans should expect the gang to get back together on screen. "So many stars would have to align," creator Joss Whedon said about the possibility of a new "Buffy" project. For seven seasons, Buffy and company battled vampires, demons, werewolves, high school and other forces of darkness with tongue planted firmly in cheek. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," based on the movie of the same name, was never lauded with many awards, but it has been cited by many critics as being one of the most influential shows in TV history. Sarah Michelle Gellar said she was surprised to find out moments before the reunion that her character recently had her first sexual tryst with a woman in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight," a comic book series that picks up where the show ended. Gellar also reminisced about auditioning 11 times before landing the role of Buffy Summers. "All my friends felt sorry for me because I was on a midseason replacement on a network no one had heard of on a show based on a movie that wasn't all that," the 30-year-old actress said. Before the panel, audience members watched the fifth-season musical episode "Once More, With Feeling." Other cast members at the reunion were Amber Benson, Nicholas Brendon, Emma Caulfield, Seth Green, James Marsters and Michelle Trachtenberg, who played Buffy's surprise sister Dawn and will join the cast of "Gossip Girl" this fall. Adam Baldwin Reveals What's Up with ChuckWhile Zachary Levi's unlikely spy tries to make the best of an impossible situation – none to easy when your CIA handler is as smokin' as Sarah! – it's up to Adam Baldwin's Casey to keep everyone in line and on target. The Firefly alum gave TVGuide.com a sneak peek at what's ahead on NBC's buzzworthy Chuck (airing Mondays at 8 pm/ET). Plus, what is Zachary Levi really like when the cameras stop rolling?TVGuide.com: It's nice to see Chuck ticking back up in the ratings. Adam Baldwin: Yeah, yeah, I mean we have really tough competition on Monday nights. The sports guys [watching Monday Night Football], hopefully they'll be finding us [when the NFL season is over]. So we're all full of high hopes. And then… there's the writers strike. TVGuide.com: And then there's the writers strike. How many episodes did you get done? Baldwin: We will complete the initial order of 13. They banged out Episode 112 just before the midnight deadline, and we're now three or four days into [production on] Episode 111. TVGuide.com: Will Chuck happen to leave us with any kind of a cliffhanger? Baldwin: Er, that's above my pay grade to comment on. [Laughs] But yeah, I think so. There's something. TVGuide.com: Is Casey developing a kinder gentler attitude toward Chuck? Baldwin: Yeah, he's finding a way into Chuck's humor somewhat, and he's becoming a little more sympathetic. He's kind of an intolerant guy. They do delve into a bit of his back story in the episode we're currently shooting, so that explains why he's so screwed up. [Laughs] TVGuide.com: Casey's support of the military is becoming a bit conspicuous. Is that part of his tough-guy image, or is some sort of statement being made here? Baldwin: There's nothing wrong with supporting the U.S. military as far as I'm concerned. TVGuide.com: Of course, Firefly fans are excited to see you in another Jayne-like role. How much did that character inform your take on Casey? Baldwin: That's a good question. You carry around that gruff attitude as much as possible. My background in films and acting really begins with my dad taking me to tough-guy, shoot-'em-up movies, and I guess that sensibility was sort of ingrained in me at an early stage, with guys like Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach…. Those are the guys I watched growing up. And character-y actors like William Holden, The Wild Bunch…. TVGuide.com: What's been your favorite episode of Chuck thus far? Baldwin: I really liked the Halloween one, "Chuck Vs. the Sandworm" – that's a personal favorite of mine. I love the one we're doing now, "Chuck Vs. the Undercover Lover." I just love watching Zach Levi perform. I don't know about you, but to me he seems like a modern-day Dick Van Dyke. You don't get to see him sing and dance on the show, but he'll do that when the cameras aren't rolling. This guy is a song-and-dance man, a crooner and a comic genius. It's wonderful to follow along in his wake. He carries us on his shoulders. TVGuide.com: Maybe an upcoming mission will fully tap into his propensity for zaniness. Baldwin: Well, during the upfronts they had an impromptu competition of Singing Bee, and he won by far. Hands down. TVGuide.com: How many of your own stunts are you doing on Chuck? Baldwin: Um, most of the fight scenes. I try to stay away from the high falls, and any explosion work I'll stand clear. [Laughs] I don't really like fire and impact. TVGuide.com: I know that Yvonne Strahovski (Sarah) has enjoyed doing as much on her own as she can – even in the "Swiss Miss" outfit. Baldwin: [Laughs] Exactly! What kind of underwear is she wearing for those high kicks? TVGuide.com: She says that outfit makes it all very comfortable. Baldwin: Oh, she's so hot. TVGuide.com: She's one of the most searched-on terms on our website. Baldwin: She's hotter than Hansel right now. TVGuide.com: Were you glad that ABC gave Day Break as much of a chance as it did, letting it wrap up its run online and thus give fans closure? Baldwin: Yeah, yeah…. It was a really cool show and it was hard for us to see it go down. Bottom line, we didn't catch an audience. It might have been too dark, a bit too complicated. TVGuide.com: It may have been too much of a good thing. At the time, a lot of serialized stuff was on…. Baldwin: Right. It's so hard to predict what's going to catch an audience or not. I'm looking for the DVD set. I need one of those for my archives! TVGuide.com: Was your character going to fit into subsequent seasons/"days"? Baldwin: I think so. He had turned to the dark side, so…. TVGuide.com: What else do you have coming up? Baldwin: I did a little movie called Gospel Hill, which Giancarlo Esposito directed. TVGuide.com: Will that be playing the festivals? Baldwin: I think that's what he's targeting. It's about a small Southern town where local businessmen re trying to develop this old civil rights-era community into a golf course. TVGuide.com: Are you an evil developer, or one of the small townsfolk fighting it? Baldwin: I'm actually sort of caught in the middle. I'm the local lawyer who uncovers some underhanded dealings. TVGuide.com: Any undying rumblings on the Firefly/Serenity front? Baldwin: Everyone asks me that. I know that Alan Tudyk got into a bit of hot water speculating on that, so I'm reluctant to go there. It's always up to Joss [Whedon] and whether he can raise whatever it would take to shoot a [sequel]. But it's getting kind of past it. I don't want to be a 60-year-old Jayne Cobb! New on DVD: WaitressOne of the year's top independent film successes, this little charmer stars Keri Russell as a pregnant waitress with a creep for a husband, a complicated new romantic relationship and a skill for baking pies that could be her ticket to a new life. The film co-stars Andy Griffith, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines and writer-director Adrienne Shelly, who was murdered last year, two months before "Waitress" premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The DVD features a tribute to Shelly and a message from Russell about a foundation established in Shelly's name to help female filmmakers. Other extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes and commentary by Russell and producer Michael Roiff. DVD, $29.98. (20th Century Fox)ON THE NEWSSTANDSCheck out People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive issue on sale now with Matt Damon as the chosen one. Congratulations go out to GH’s Jason Thompson (Patrick), Desperate Housewives' Nathan Fillion (ex-Joey, OLTL) and Criminal Minds’ Shemar Moore (ex-Malcolm, Y&R) for making the cut.Joss Whedon, Eliza Dushku Reunite for FOXFOX has given a seven-episode commitment to "Dollhouse," a new sci-fi drama to reunite Joss Whedon with his "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" co-star Eliza Dushku.This will be the first TV project for Whedon since FOX all-too-swiftly cancelled his 2002 space western "Firefly," which spawned "Serenity," Whedon's most recent big screen effort. According to the industry trade papers, "Dollhouse" will feature Dushku as Echo, part of a group of young people programmed with different personalities and skills for different assignments (the trades are a little fuzzy on what these "assignments" consist of or who's sending the people on said assignments). In between gigs, their minds are wiped clean and they return to live in a lab/dorm known as the Dollhouse. Things go a wee bit pear-shaped when Echo begins having actual memories and she tries to seek information about her past. The show sprung from a casual lunch conversation between the writer-director-producer and his young star. Whedon has reportedly pitched the network on an arc for the first seven "Dollhouse" episodes, which could go into production as soon as the spring (strike pending), but the series wouldn't be expected to hit FOX's schedule until next fall. Dushku signed a talent deal with 20th Century Fox back in August after starring in the studio's FOX dramedy pilot "Nurses" this past development season. The studio was also home to Whedon's complete television output, including "Firefly," "Buffy" and "Angel." Dushku played occasionally rogue slayer Faith on the latter two shows. The possibility of a Faith spinoff was bandied about after the end of the "Buffy" and "Angel" runs, but Dushku went off to do "Tru Calling" for FOX, while Whedon concentrated his attention on features. FOX Terminates Suspense, Sets 'Sarah Connor Chronicles' PremiereJudgment Day will be Jan. 14, 2008.That may sound a bit dramatic, but Monday, Jan. 14, 2008 is the date FOX has chosen to premiere the heavily hyped midseason drama "The Sarah Connor Chronicles," an extension of the blockbuster "Terminator" franchise. Series creator Josh Friedman gave online venues and early glimpse of the premiere date late Tuesday (Oct. 16) afternoon as a salute to the Internet community's early interest in the "Sarah Connor." The series, which picks up in the aftermath of "Terminator 2" and pretends that the third "Terminator" film never happened, will air at 8 p.m. on the 14th, leading into the time period premiere of the seventh season of "24." Expect to see plenty of cross-promotion during the two-hour season premiere of "24" the evening before. Although FOX originally scheduled "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" for Sunday nights at 9 p.m. when the network announced its line-up to advertisers in May, the series will remain on Monday nights at 8, paired with "24." "Sarah Connor Chronicles" features Lena Headey ("300") in the Linda Hamilton role as mother of humanity's eventual savior (Thomas Dekker). The show also stars Summer Glau ("Firefly") and Richard T. Jones ("Judging Amy"). 'Firefly' Star Passes NBC BarFormer "Firefly" star Alan Tudyk will shed his pilot's gear for a lawyer's suit in a new NBC pilot.Tudyk and British actor Andrew Lincoln ("Love Actually") have signed on to star in the pilot, which is set at a big law firm. They'll each play sometimes unscrupulous attorneys at the firm who are also in love with the same woman, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Luke Reiter, a veteran of "The Practice" and "Close to Home," created the untitled drama, which will also have a thriller aspect. He's executive producing with Barry Sonnenfeld ("Pushing Daisies"). The pilot is scheduled to begin production later this month in New York. Sonnenfeld, who directed the first two episodes of ABC's "Pushing Daisies," has also helmed FOX's pilot "Hackett" this fall. Tudyk played ship's pilot Wash in the cult series "Firefly" and its subsequent feature film, "Serenity." His movie credits also include "Knocked Up" and "3:10 to Yuma." Lincoln, who continues the parade of British actors to American television, played Mark, the guy in love with his best friend's wife, in "Love Actually." He's also appeared in several series in the U.K., including "Teachers" and "This Life." A Darker Superman Flies into StoresThis is definitely not Super Friends. The animated DVD movie Superman: Doomsday, which goes on sale today, tells the famous 1992 comic-book story that saw the Man of Steel die in battle against an intergalactic killing machine.Unlike previous Superman cartoons, Doomsday features extreme violence (but very little blood) and presents a darker take on the world's most iconic superhero. Also a more adult one: In this movie he's carrying on a romantic relationship with Lois Lane, which the couple is hiding from the press. When he won't reveal his secret identity to her, Lois accuses him of having commitment issues. That argument gets tabled when Doomsday — a monster who "lives to extinguish any and all life forms" — goes on a rampage through Metropolis and engages Superman in a battle to the death. (Spoiler alert: In what likely will not come as a shock, Supe's demise is not permanent.) The movie reaches the same creative heights of previous Warner Bros. animation adaptations of DC Comics characters. It's not a surprise, since Doomsday was produced under the guidance of Bruce Timm, who became a fanboy favorite with his work on the animated Batman and Superman shows of the 1990s, as well as Cartoon Network's Justice League. The movie also includes a stellar voice cast, corralled by another Warner veteran, Andrea Romano. (Romano, in fact, received among the most deafening cheers at the movie's premiere screening at Comic-Con in July.) Anne Heche (Men in Trees) plays Lois Lane, James Marsters (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) handles Lex Luthor, and cult favorite Adam Baldwin handles Superman (and his alter ego, Clark Kent). Baldwin, best known for playing mercenary Jayne Cobb in Joss Whedon's much-beloved Firefly (and sequel movie Serenity), was also a big hit at Comic-Con — even though he didn't attend. His shooting schedule on the new series Chuck prevented him from traveling to San Diego, but a pretaped video greeting at the Superman: Doomsday premiere was received with thunderous applause, as were all of his Chuck scenes at a screening of that show's pilot. "I feel very blessed to have been introduced into that world," he says. "The phenomenon of Firefly really cemented everyone in the cast with that community. I love sci-fi fans because they're just so knowledgeable. They tell me stuff about Firefly I had forgotten or, more likely, had never even noticed in the first place!" Baldwin hopes those fans make the trek over to NBC on Sept. 24 to watch the Chuck premiere. He plays National Security agent John Casey, who is assigned to keep tabs on Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi), a romantically challenged geek who unwittingly has a cache of government secrets downloaded into his brain. The buzz on the show is high, and after working on high-profile flameouts like Firefly and last season's Taye Diggs drama Day Break, Baldwin is ready for a hit: "I'm keeping my fingers crossed and remaining an amiable skeptic." USA Today's Top TV picks for 2007Gossip Girl(CW, Wednesdays, 9 ET/PT, Sept. 19) Stars: Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley, Chace Crawford Every teen show can't be a High School Musical. Produced by The OC's Josh Schwartz from a popular series of books, Gossip Girl takes Schwartz's former Fox favorite and gives it a nastier New York spin full of sex and spite. If HSM is ridiculously innocent, Girl is just as ridiculously mature and worldly, which is how older teens prefer their fantasies. Girl is, at times, too adult for its and its audience's own good, but the central relationship between a fallen deb (Lively) and the poor — but of course handsome — boy who loves her (Badgley) has potential. And if kids like the show better than parents do, that will be just fine with CW. As long as those parents let their kids watch. Pushing Daisies Stars: Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Chi McBride, Kristin Chenoweth, Swoosie Kurtz, Ellen Greene Welcome to the best blooming show of the year. Yet to say Pushing Daisies is the season's best pilot doesn't do it justice. It may be the best pilot since Lost, the kind of show that revives your faith in network TV. And while it is true that ABC has topped this list the past two years with fine shows that didn't fly (The Nine and Invasion), the brighter, more accessible Daisies could be the third charm that breaks that curse. Created by Bryan Fuller (of cult-adored Wonderfalls fame), directed by filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black) and graced with the year's most engaging ensemble, Daisies is an enchanting fable about love, death and the powers and problems of human contact. It's built around a lonely hero (Pace) who is able to bring people back to life, or send them back to death, with a touch — a power that allows him to solve crimes and right wrongs, but which also isolates him. More than with most shows, though, it isn't enough to just read about Daisies. You have to see it — to revel in the witty, candy-colored glow of Sonnenfeld's visuals, in the warmth of Fuller's vision, and in the endearingly eccentric characters so winningly played by this great cast. Indeed, if you've ever expressed a desire for something different on TV, you owe it to yourself to check Daisies out. Reaper Stars: Bret Harrison, Ray Wise And you think you have a bad boss. Consider Sam (Harrison), an ambition-free store clerk who has just discovered that his parents sold his soul to the devil (Wise). Luckily for us, the devil doesn't need another tenant. What he needs is a bounty hunter, a job Sam and his best friend (Invasion's Tyler Labine) will now struggle to perform. Reaper has the good sense not to take itself too seriously or dwell too long on the darker aspects of its premise. Like the show, Harrison and Labine take a humorously laid-back approach to their dilemma, and Wise's wry turn as an extremely self-satisfied Satan is one of the season's breakout performances. If the show holds up, it could be the first new scripted CW series to reap a little positive attention. Chuck Stars: Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strzechowski, Adam Baldwin Sure, the kids in Reaper have a deal with the devil, but poor Chuck has to deal with the CIA. You can decide for yourself who has it tougher. A geek among geeks, Chuck (Less Than Perfect's Levi) works for one of those computer fix-it squads, or he does until all the computer files of the CIA are downloaded into his brain. Now he has to figure out how to access them, while the government decides whether to use him or eliminate him. What Chuck has going for it, beyond its super-regular-guy concept, is an incredibly winning performance by Levi, who plays Chuck as a likable underachiever who suddenly sees what it might be like to achieve something. Plus, like Reaper, it has a light comic touch, which is a very nice change after so many somber fantasies and conspiracy-theory adventures. Chuck may be a reluctant spy, but he's not a tortured one, and that's as welcome as a fully functioning computer. Samantha Who? Stars: Christina Applegate, Jean Smart, Kevin Dunn, Barry Watson I can tell you who Samantha is. She's Christina Applegate, and as this show proves, she's a genuine star. She'll need all the star power she can muster to carry Samantha, a funny but complicated sitcom about a woman who forgets who she is. Worse, as she begins to remember, she realizes she doesn't like the woman she was or most of the people she knew — including her mom, played by another certified star, Smart. Applegate is appealing and the pilot is the year's most amusing, but like many pilots these days, it plays more like a setup for a movie than for a series. It's not easy to see how Sam's remember-and-redemption routine can be stretched out over multiple seasons. Still, the network and the writers must think it can be done or they wouldn't be trying. Good thing they have a star who makes it worth the effort. Aliens in America Stars: Dan Byrd, Adhir Kalyan, Amy Pietz, Scott Patterson Seldom has a fish-out-of-water comedy risked swimming in more troubled waters. A sweet sitcom with a distinctive edge, Aliens is an outcast comedy with a satiric twist. Justin (Byrd) is a smart kid with no friends, so his mom (Pietz) orders up a Swedish exchange student in hopes of increasing her son's popularity — and gets a Pakistani (Kalyan) instead. That makes the boys a target for bullies, bigots and every bad side effect of the war on terror, as the show pokes fun at our prejudices and our blurry view of anything beyond our borders. In the version critics saw, Justin could at least count on his nerdish dad for help. But the role is being reshaped for the gruffer Patterson; let's hope it doesn't sink a show that seemed to be floating along just fine. Back to You Stars: Kelsey Grammer, Patricia Heaton, Fred Willard, Ty Burrell If anyone can propel a sitcom hit, you'd think it would be Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton. Certainly, you won't find any two actors with more comedy talent or a better track record than these veterans of Frasier and Everybody Loves Raymond. Plus, they've had the sense to chose appropriate roles — battling local news anchors who were once lovers — and to surround themselves with such strong supporting players as Willard and Burrell. So what could go wrong? Well, in the pilot, the other supporting characters and many of the jokes failed to rise to the level of the show's stars. There's some funny stuff here, but it's in danger of being swamped by too much that is simply smarmy. (Yes, they've had sex, we get it.) And it takes a turn at the end that seems wrongheaded in the extreme. Still, there's so much talent here — and so much longing out there for a real sitcom hit — that you just have to hope that talent gets put to better use. Until I'm sure it won't be, I'll be back for more. The Big Bang Theory Stars: Kaley Cuoco, Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons TV has always loved to watch smart people acting stupid. Created by Bill Prady and Two and a Half Men's Chuck Lorre, Bang is a broad comedy about a pretty girl (Cuoco) who moves next door to two unsocialized geniuses (Galecki and Parsons), who lose first their hearts and then their pants. Think of Beauty and the Geek or, if you love old movies, Ball of Fire, and you'll get the idea. It would be nice if Galecki seemed more comfortable, and if the show used the boys' super-brains for something other than the butt of jokes. Still, Parsons makes an incredibly impressive debut, and Lorre has a proven knack for making laugh-out-loud sitcoms, something few others these days even attempt. That alone is reason enough to give Bang a chance to get bigger and better. Private Practice Stars: Kate Walsh, Tim Daly, Amy Brenneman, Audra McDonald, Taye Diggs, Paul Adelstein Now and then, even critics get to engage in wishful thinking. Granted, Practice did not get off to the best of starts, thanks to a Grey's Anatomy spinoff episode that bordered on the unwatchable. But as you may remember, Grey's own pilot, though far better than this, wasn't anything to write home about, either. And look at how well that show came together. Can Practice do the same? In its favor are a proven writing staff and a sterling all-star cast. Any one of those actors could head up a show of his or her own, and in many cases has already done so. Even so, the show could still end up giving new meaning to the phrase "lousy with talent." But why expect the worst when the joy of fall is that it allows us to hope for the best? Given the choice, you might as well bet that Private will get better with, well, practice. Women's Murder Club Stars: Angie Harmon, Paula Newsome, Laura Harris, Aubrey Dollar There's a lot to be said for being the right show at the right time. Based on the books by James Patterson, Club follows four professional women — led by the almost impossibly beautiful Harmon — who form a secret crime-fighting club. The results hardly add up to some great TV breakthrough, but then, the show isn't trying to break any barriers. It seems to be content to be what it is: a well-cast, well-told mystery that seems perfectly suited to a Friday night slot, network entertainment at its most reliably competent. Don't turn your nose up. In this season more than most, "competent" is an exclusive club. A First Look at Desperate Housewives' New NeighborsA new family is moving to Wisteria Lane this fall, but not everyone's rolling out a welcome mat. Katherine Mayfair (Dana Delany) lived on the block 12 years ago with her daughter, Dylan (Lyndsy Fonseca), and aunt, Mrs. Sims (Ellen Geer), but left under mysterious circumstances. Now she's back with her teenage daughter and her second husband, Adam (Nathan Fillion), a hunky gynecologist. Ostensibly, they returned to take care of the dying Mrs. Sims, but like all new characters on Desperate Housewives, the Mayfairs harbor a dark secret that will be revealed as the season progresses. Says creator Marc Cherry: "They had to leave Chicago because something unsavory happened in Adam's professional life."Katherine's a perfectionist and a control freak. (Think Bree, but much darker.) She's reviled by all Wisterians — particularly Bree, who by Episode 2 will go spatula to spatula with her over a lemon meringue pie recipe. "I always wanted to come up with a character everyone loves to hate," Cherry says, adding that he modeled Katherine after J.R. from Dallas and Amanda from Melrose Place. Through flashbacks, Katherine will also offer viewers a chance to look into Wisteria Lane's lurid past. Ironically, Delany was originally offered the part of Bree, but Cherry says she turned it down three times. "I'd just done Pasadena, and it seemed too similar," Delany says. "It's very rare in life you get second chances. I'm really flattered and honored." Also thanking the Hollywood gods is Fillion, who's still recovering from the flat tire that was Fox's Drive. "My manager asked, ‘If someone were to tell you that you could be any kind of doctor on Wisteria Lane, what kind would you be?' " he recalls. "I said I'd be a gynecologist so I could interact with all the women." Fillion won't say whether this "interaction" will involve any illicit affairs. He will tell us that his medical expertise may play a big part in a storyline. "One might extrapolate [that] if there is an OB-GYN around, someone may have need," he says. Paging Bree's pregnant daughter Danielle? At the bottom of the Mayfair family tree is Dylan. She's a goody-goody — cute, polite and well trained. "My mom keeps me on a rigorous schedule and a short leash," Fonseca explains. "Almost like a dog." She also suffers from a bit of memory loss. Twelve years ago, she was BFFs with Susan's daughter, Julie, until her mom decided to skip town. Now she doesn't remember a thing, leaving everyone to suspect that something horrific happened in her childhood. She did grow up on Wisteria Lane, after all. Welcome to Wisteria LaneONE LIFE TO LIVE fans are in for a double treat when they tune into DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES this fall. Nathan Fillion (ex-Joey) has been cast as Adam, the somewhat younger husband of Katherine (Dana Delany) and father of Dylan (Lyndsy Fonseca, ex-Colleen, Y&R). Plus, Tuc Watkins (David) will play Bob Hunter, one half of the show's first gay couple...the "nice one." Kevin Rohm (JUDGING AMY) plays his partner Lee, the not-so-nice one. To find out just how not-nice Lee is, you'll have to wait until October, when Watkins and Rohm first air. DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES returns Sept. 30.FOX Pulls 'Drive'The final two remaining orphaned episodes of FOX's "Drive" are about to park themselves online.After several attempts to schedule the fifth and six hours of the swiftly cancelled racing drama, FOX has decided not to put "Drive" back on the network. Instead, those "Drive" hours will begin streaming on myspace.com/fox and FOX affiliate sites beginning Monday, July 16. After only three airings and four programming hours, FOX removed "Drive" from its schedule on April 25. The series, which featured an ensemble including Nathan Fillion and Kristin Lehman, averaged only 5.6 million viewers overall and a 2.3 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. FOX initially decided to burn off the last two produced "Drive" episodes on July 4. Instead, the network opted to go with a screening of the Adam Sandler movie "Anger Management" on the low-rated night. At the time, FOX set its "Drive" marathon for this Friday (July 13). Instead, the network opted to air a "Bones" repeat and a "Standoff" episode on Friday the 13th. With only six episodes in the can, it's unclear if "Drive" aired enough episodes for even a slim DVD release. Bad Luck: FOX Pulls 'Drive' From Friday the 13thFor the second consecutive week, FOX has opted to leave fans of the quickly cancelled "Drive" hanging.The last remaining episodes of the car-racing drama have been pulled from this Friday's (July 13) schedule, only a week after the previously scheduled July 4th burnoff was also truncated. Last week's two "Drive" episodes were replaced by the feature "Anger Management" on FOX's schedule. For this Friday, FOX plans to keep with its regularly scheduled airings of "Bones" repeats plus burnt-off new episodes of "Standoff." That combination gave FOX a 0.8 rating among adults 18-49 and drew just over 3.2 million viewers last Friday night, good for fifth place in both measures. As of now, FOX hasn't made plans to reschedule those final two produced episodes of "Drive," with the ever-present possibility that the episodes may just be put on the Internet. After only three airings and four programming hours, FOX removed "Drive" from its schedule on April 25. The series, which featured an ensemble including Nathan Fillion and Kristin Lehman, averaged only 5.6 million viewers overall and a 2.3 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. Delany, Fillion in "Housewives" talksDana Delany might be co-starring on ABC's "Desperate Housewives" after all.The Emmy-winning "China Beach" actress was reportedly the first choice for the role of Bree (played by Marcia Cross), but turned down the pilot. Delany is in talks to join the cast as a woman who moves to Wisteria Lane with her much younger husband (Nathan Fillion) and her daughter (Lyndsy Fonseca). Delany most recently starred on NBC's drama "Kidnapped." Fillion is on the big screen in "Waitress." Fonseca's credits include HBO's "Big Love." ONE LIFE TO LIVE CELEBRATES ITS 10,000th EPISODEShow Pays Tribute to the Historic Episode Accomplishment by Mentioning "10,000" in 10 EpisodesAn Emmy® nomination for Outstanding Drama Series, Mary J. Blige and Nelly Furtado, an execution of a major character and a successful four-day musical event are all part of the drama, achievement and acclaim for ABC's One Life to Live in the past year. The Emmy® Award-winning drama reaches a new milestone on FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, the airing of the 10,000th episode. Beloved characters will return to Llanview to celebrate the life of character Asa Buchanan. Returning favorites include Nathan Fillion (Joey Buchanan), Dan Gauthier (Kevin Buchanan), John Loprieno (Cord Roberts), Tonja Walker (Alex Olanov) and James DePaiva (Max Holden). To mark the occasion, the NYC Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting will honor the show during an on-set celebration on TUESDAY, JULY 3. Additionally, as a special "wink" to the audience, the show will reference the number 10,000 in every episode between JULY 30 and AUGUST 10. "10,000 shows is a remarkable achievement," said executive producer Frank Valentini, who started at One Life to Live in 1985 with episode 4209. "I am extremely proud to be part of a show that has been able to make such an enduring mark on popular culture." Katherine Oliver, Commissioner, NYC Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting said "The 10,000th episode of One Life to Live is a testament to New York City's long history of outstanding "Made in New York" productions in daytime television. For over thirty five years, One Life to Live has been making it in New York- its contributions have greatly enhanced our local production industry, which employs 100,000 New Yorkers and generates $5 billion to our economy on an annual basis. Congratulations to the cast and crew for reaching this exceptional milestone." Agnes Nixon created One Life to Live, which premiered on July 15, 1968, as a half-hour show. The show has been lauded for its groundbreaking exploration of social issues, award-winning performances and innovative storylines. Along with the history-making live week in 2002, One Life to Live is responsible for many "firsts" in daytime television, including themes of interracial romance and gang violence, as well as problems of literacy, medical misdiagnosis, lupus and racial prejudice. 'With immense pride, I congratulate all of the talented and dedicated people over many years who are responsible for the heartwarming success of One Life to Live," said Agnes Nixon. No Fireworks: FOX Bumps 'Drive' Burn-OffIf you'd planned to spend the Fourth of July watching the last two episodes of "Drive" on FOX, you'd better make alternate plans.FOX has pulled the scheduled "Drive" burn-off from this Wednesday's (July 4) line-up, replacing the swiftly cancelled racing series with a presentation of "Anger Management," the first film to pair Adam Sandler with Oscar winner Jack Nicholson. Since barbeques and fireworks render Independence Day one of the year's least watched TV nights, FOX had already preempted "So You Think You Can Dance," making it seemingly the perfect night to fill out the "Drive" run as six episodes. Instead, FOX has rescheduled those two episodes of "Drive" for nine days later, appropriately Friday the 13th. FOX pulled "Drive" from its schedule on April 25, after only three airings and four programming hours. The series averaged only 5.6 million viewers overall and a 2.3 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. TNT's new medical drama arrives with weak pulseTreat Williams lost his general medical practice last year when the nascent CW network dropped "Everwood" from the lineup it inherited from the merged WB and UPN outlets. He used the enforced sabbatical to learn a specialty. Now Williams is back as Nathaniel Grant, a cocky, occasionally insensitive workaholic doctor who performs organ transplants in a Pittsburgh hospital.Oh, wait. Something else. He also sees dead people. More about that in a minute. Hospitals are attractive settings for TV shows. In reality, most of what goes on inside them are mundane procedures. On TV, though, every admission is a life-or-death drama. But once you've decided on a medical setting, there are two options: an ensemble series (such as "ER" or "Grey's Anatomy") or a doctor-centered show. For the latter, you start with a Marcus Welby-style god and then humanize him or her with character defects, as in "House." The doctor-as-god solution is simpler and cheaper, but it's harder to pull off because so much of the success depends on the creation of a compelling central character. CBS was the last to try it with "3 Lbs." in November, a series about an arrogant brain specialist (Stanley Tucci), and it lasted about an episode a pound. "Heartland" follows the same general design and -- despite Williams' proven charisma and the presence of Kari Matchett (Kate Armstrong) as Grant's ex-wife and, conveniently, the organ donor coordinator -- the show remains mostly in stable condition. The characters connect mostly on a clinical level, rarely deeper. To start with, Grant isn't particularly well developed. In the pilot, he collects baseball cards, but that doesn't come up in the second episode. He smokes, or at least he tries to. Most of the time, someone is around to shame him into stopping. If you're going to have a vice, then have one. Imagine someone trying to come between House and his Vicodin. Then there are the dead people. From time to time, Grant looks at an organ recipient and sees the donor. Sometimes, the donor even speaks, usually some drippy sentiment. As a result, the dramatic device is mostly corn. The pilot is all about Grant. The supporting cast, except for Armstrong, might as well be extras. At one point, Thea (Gage Golightly), Grant's daughter, is caught stealing condoms, suggesting a potentially engaging story. Instead, exec producer/director/writer/creator David Hollander drops the ball, and nothing much comes of it. Instead, the focus is on a teenage girl patient's urgent need for a donated heart and, well, you can guess how that ends. The second episode is better, but it's still a fairly generic medical drama. The supporting cast has more to do. A new character, Thomas Jonas (Rockmond Dunbar), is introduced. He might clash with Grant in future episodes, but that might be wishful thinking. What "Heartland" needs most is a referral to a script doctor. Cast: Executive producer/creator/director/writer: David Hollander; Producer: Bob Rolsky; Directors of photography: Nancy Schreiber, Johnny E. Jensen; Production designer: Jim Pohl; Editor: Lori Jane Coleman; Composer: W.G. Snuffy Walden; Set decorator: Roya Parivar; Casting: Jeanie Bacharach. 'Drive' Refuels For July Burn-OffFOX is bringing back the short-lived car-race drama "Drive," albeit for one night only.The abruptly cancelled Tim Minear-produced series will return on Wednesday, July 4 for two consecutive hours, running from 8-10 p.m. ET. Those two hours will represent the end of the show's initial six-hour run, as well as the last two produced hours for "Drive" (i.e. don't expect an extensive DVD set featuring 13 episodes, because they don't exist). FOX pulled "Drive" from its schedule on April 25, after only three airings and four programming hours. The series averaged only 5.6 million viewers overall and a 2.3 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. With the all-important May sweeps period approaching, FOX determined that repeats of "House" would likely attract a larger audience in the Monday 8 p.m. time period. For the record, this past week's "House" repeat did, indeed, average a 2.7 demo rating and brought in 7.35 million viewers. The 4th of July is typically one of the lowest rated nights of television of the year, somewhat mirroring FOX's decision to burn off the final episodes of "Arrested Development" opposite the opening of the Winter Olympics on NBC. Additional "Drive" scripts have been posted on Minear's personal website. Fox revokes "Drive" licenseIt's been a short "Drive" for Fox's midseason drama, which has been pulled off the schedule after two weeks on the air.For the time being, the serialized drama chronicling an underground cross-country race will be replaced by "House" repeats in the Monday 8 p.m. slot. "Drive" received a strong promotional push on Fox's juggernaut "American Idol" and was launched with a two-night premiere, a strategy regularly used for the network's hit serialized drama "24." But "Drive" never clicked with viewers, and its two low-rated airings on Monday seemed to hurt its leadout, "24," which posted its lowest adults 18-49 rating for an original episode in more than three years. It is not clear when and on what platform the remaining nine episodes of "Drive" will air. Streaming the episodes on Fox.com or offering them as downloads through iTunes are among the possibilities under consideration. Another Pilot For BaldwinZachary Levi, co-star of ABC's "Less Than Perfect," has landed the title role on NBC's drama "Chuck." He will play a comedic Jason Bourne who undertakes missions every week while still working his day job as a computer geek. Also cast in "Chuck" is Adam Baldwin ("We Are Marshall"), who will play a hardened veteran agent who realizes that Chuck is the National Security Agency's most valuable commodity.Whedon Exits 'Wonder Woman'In a Saturday (Feb. 3) statement on the Whedonesque site, Joss Whedon let fans know that he's ended his involvement with Warner Bros. long-gestating "Wonder Woman" feature."You (hopefully) heard it here first: I'm no longer slated to make 'Wonder Woman,'" the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" creator writes. "What? But how? My chest... so tight! Okay, stay calm and I'll explain as best I can. It's pretty complicated, so bear with me. I had a take on the film that, well, nobody liked. Hey, not that complicated." Whedon continues, "Let me stress first that everybody at the studio and Silver Pictures were cool and professional. We just saw different movies, and at the price range this kind of movie hangs in, that's never gonna work. Non-sympatico. It happens all the time. I don't think any of us expected it to this time, but it did. Everybody knows how long I was taking, what a struggle that script was, and though I felt good about what I was coming up with, it was never gonna be a simple slam-dunk. I like to think it rolled around the rim a little bit, but others may have differing views." Whedon signed on to write and direct "Wonder Woman" back in 2005, but his difficulties getting a handle on the script were well documented. Over the following years, neither Whedon nor producer Joel Silver was able to conduct an interview without providing a frustrated update on the script. As recently as Comic-Con in July, Silver expressed enthusiasm about a draft of the script, but that enthusiasm seems not to have materialized into a "go" picture. Whedon's exit post also pokes bemused fun at the endless string of casting rumors he had to deny. "But most importantly, I never have to answer THAT question again!!!! And you don't have to link to every rumor site!" he writes. "Finally and forever: I never had an actress picked out, or even a consistent front-runner. I didn't have time to waste on casting when I was so busy air-balling on the script. (No! Rim! There was rim!) That's the greatest relief of all. I can do interviews again!" Fans may have been able to read the writing on the wall from earlier in the week when The Hollywood Reporter said that Warner Bros. had acquired a new "Wonder Woman" spec with Matthew Jennison and Brent Strickland's take on the popular DC Comics Amazon. At the time, the trade report emphasized that the newly acquired spec script wasn't meant as an alternative to Whedon's take, a fact which still may be the case, though fanboys will likely have their doubts. The trade paper says that while Whedon's script was contemporary, the Jennison and Strickland script is set against the backdrop of World War II. Whedon won't have trouble finding ways to busy himself. He's already signed on to write and direct the thriller "Gonners" for Universal. Laurence Fishburne, wife expecting babyLaurence Fishburne and his wife, Gina Torres, are expecting their first child, the actor's spokesman, Alan Nierob, said Monday.Nierob had no other details. Fishburne, who has two children from a previous marriage, and Torres were married in 2002. Fishburne, 45, was nominated for an Oscar for 1993's "What's Love Got to Do With It." His screen credits also include "Apocalypse Now," "The Matrix" and "Bobby," directed by Emilio Estevez. Torres, 38, stars in Fox's "Standoff," about hostage negotiators. She will co-star opposite Chris Rock in the upcoming movie "I Think I Love My Wife." "Drive" time for Fillion at FoxNathan Fillion will play the lead on Fox's midseason drama series "Drive," which chronicles an underground race across America.Fillion will play Alex Tully, a charming, rogue landscaper who is coerced into joining the race to search for his wife who had been abducted. In the original pilot, the role was played by Ivan Sergei ("Jack & Jill"). Fillion, who is friends with one of the executive producers, Tim Minear, was first approached with the project in the spring but couldn't do the pilot because of a scheduling conflict with the filming of his feature "White Noise 2: The Light," slated for release January 5. "I was a little disappointed because Tim is a friend, and there is nothing better than working with people you know and like," Fillion said. At a barbecue this summer, after the pilot was shot but before Fox picked it up to series, Minear again floated the idea for "Drive" to Fillion and showed him the pilot. In addition to "White Noise 2," Fillion will soon appear in the indie "Waitress," which is set to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. His other credits include the series "Two Guys and a Girl" and "Firefly." TNT Achieves State of 'Grace'TNT is on the verge of picking up two new series to go with its hit "The Closer.""Grace," which stars Holly Hunter as a burned-out cop, and the medical drama "Heartland," featuring "Everwood's" Treat Williams, are both set to join TNT's lineup sometime in 2007. With the two new shows coming aboard, though, it looks like "Saved" will be gone after one season, the showbiz trade papers report. "Heartland" is likely to get the post-"Closer" spot that "Saved" occupied last summer. It stars Williams (lately seen on ABC's "Brothers & Sisters") as a heart-transplant surgeon whose work takes a toll on his personal life -- not unlike the backstory for his "Everwood" character, neurosurgeon Andy Brown. The show, created by David Hollander ("The Guardian"), also stars Kari Matchett ("Invasion") as Williams' estranged wife and Morena Baccarin ("Firefly"). "Grace," meanwhile, features Hunter ("Raising Arizona," "Broadcast News," "The Incredibles") as an Oklahoma City detective whose life is on the skids when she's visited by an angel (Leon Rippy, "Deadwood"). Laura San Giacomo ("Veronica Mars," "Just Shoot Me") and Bokeem Woodbine ("City of Angels") also star in the show, which was created by "Closer" writer-producer Nancy Miller. "Saved," a drama about a Portland paramedic (Tom Everett Scott), pulled down decent ratings for TNT over the summer. However, it retained just a little more than half the audience for "The Closer," a figure TNT wants to improve. 'Firefly' Goes OnlineThe Whedonverse is about to meet the Multiverse.Multiverse Network Inc. has pacted with 20th Century Fox to develop a Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) based on "Firefly," Joss Whedon's short-lived, but beloved sci-fi western series. Loyal Browncoats will need to be patient, though, because the "Firefly" MMOG (some folks prefer MMORPG, or Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) may not be available until 2008. "FOX's 'Firefly' series is set in an incredibly rich and exciting universe. It's going to make a very compelling and unique online experience filled with adventure, humor, and mystery," swears Corey Bridges, Multiverse co-founder and executive producer. "It's our hope that 'Firefly's' passionate and dedicated community of fans will enjoy the chance to become part of the story as they develop and explore the worlds of 'Firefly.'" "Firefly," which starred Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Adam Baldwin and a others, premiered on FOX in 2002. The network had difficulties airing the show in sequence or attracting a wide audience. The show was cancelled by December, but its fanbase -- though limited -- remained dedicated. The series sold well on DVD and Whedon was able to bring the characters to the big screen in "Serenity," though the feature also struggled to find a mainstream audience and made less than $40 million worldwide. "One of the first meetings I had when I joined Fox was with Multiverse," says Adam Kline, vice president of new media enterprises at 20th Century Fox licensing & merchandising division. "We see virtual worlds as an extraordinarily promising new entertainment medium. This is a great opportunity for 20th Century Fox and for the fans of Firefly because Multiverse will deliver an experience that will remain true to the original series, while enabling a whole new level of personal involvement for fans." Thus, in a little over a year, gamers and Browncoats will be able to visit other planets, make deliveries on time and pick up space whores, just like the characters on "Firefly." The press release regarding the "Firefly" game makes no mention of any involvement on Whedon's part. Fox Foments Future for 'Firefly's' FillionDozens upon dozens of Browncoats are already hopelessly devoted to Nathan Fillion, a number FOX hopes to increase.According to The Hollywood Reporter, FOX and 20th Century Fox have signed Fillion to a talent holding deal, aiming to either develop a new property for the "Firefly" star or else to slot the actor into an existing show. Fillion is best known for his work as Mal Reynolds on both FOX's short-lived Joss Whedon offering "Firefly" and in the subsequent Universal feature "Serenity." His additional TV credits include "Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place," "Miss Match" and a run on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Message boards have also been buzzing that Fillion will appear in an upcoming episode of "Lost." On the feature side, the 35-year-old actor was most recently seen in the feature "Slither." He's also completed work on "White Noise 2: The Light." Reignite FireflyGreetings Fellow Firefly Fans,We have started a campaign to Reignite Firefly. Rather than spam your group with this message we sent this invite to your group owner and asked that they pass it along to you our fellow Browncoats. We’re writing to tell you about our petition to Reignite Firefly. Located at PetitionOnline.com: http://www.petitiononline.com/brff06/petition.html If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and consider signing. If we Browncoats band together we can show Mr. Whedon that we want Firefly back and prove to not only FOX but also other networks that Firefly is a show that should be considered for their lineup. We have also created a group for our home base so we can rally, organize and exchange info with fellow Browncoats: The Browncoats for Reigniting Firefly http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/reigniting_firefly You are all invited to join our campaign and help us get the word out. Any suggestion, questions or moments are welcome. So if you will please take a moment, take a look, and consider signing yourself and then ask your fellow Browncoats, friends, co workers and family to support our cause also. Firefly is/was too good of a show to let it fall into limbo. Together we can make a difference! Together we can get Firefly back! “They can’t take the Firefly from Us” Sincerely Kong, Star Wars and Stargate big winners of fourth annual Spacey AwardsPeter Jackson's remake of King Kong and the final episode in the Star Wars series were the big film winners at the 2006 Spacey Awards, while the science fiction series Battlestar Galactica and Stargate SG-1 were tops in television categories.The fourth annual awards, honouring the best in sci-fi and fantasy entertainment, are the creation of CHUM Television and were to air Saturday night on CHUM's Space: The Imagination Station. In an acceptance speech recorded in New Zealand, Jackson spoke of how he felt unworthy of the award and owes a debt to King Kong, in particular the original 1933 classic that inspired him to become a filmmaker. "I make films for people exactly like you," he said to the audience through the camera. "That's who I am. I'm a fan, I'm a sci-fi, action, fantasy, adventure, horror fan. I'm a genre fan and I really appreciate the fact that other fans respond to our work." As in the last three years, The Spaceys eschew the traditional audience, podium and red carpet format. Instead, camera crews head out around the country and the world to present the awards - a stylized space-alien bust - where the recipients can be found in their homes or a casual environment. King Kong won for best sci-fi/fantasy movie and actor Andy Serkis, who brought King Kong to screen life through CGI motion capture technology, was named best non-human performer. Speaking from Los Angeles, he thanked the writers of the screenplay, actress Naomi Watts, who played opposite the Serkis-motivated digital King Kong, and WETA, the New Zealand F/X company. "And, what's the other guy's name? Peter Jackson, he's quite important, I suppose," Serkis joked. Land of the Dead was named best horror movie while Sin City was deemed the best movie adapted from a comic. Best movie hero was Batman from Batman Begins and best villain Supreme Chancellor Palpatine from Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. The Star Wars finale also won favourite action sequence (the Darth Vader/Obi Wan light sabre duel) and favourite special effects. The seven "favourite" categories were the result of online voting by viewers. The other winners were chosen by a panel the producers are calling "a crack team of space experts here." Battlestar Galactica was favourite TV show, Lt.-Col. Cameron Mitchell favourite new TV character from Stargate SG-1, which also won for favourite TV ensemble cast. The favourite movie was a bit of a surprise, Serenity, Joss Whedon's big-screen followup to his short-lived outer-space TV series Firefly. Spaceys co-host Jonathan Llyr says Whedon's rabid fan base likely led to Serenity beating out such front-runner titles as Kong, Star Wars and Batman Begins. "Did they stuff the box? I dunno. Maybe, but it just shows that they were the fans that did the most work and got their movie to the top." Best animated movie was Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Creators Nick Parks and Steve Box feigned wide-eyed wonder, oohing and aahing over the polished, silver trophy. "Of all the awards we've had, this is certainly one of them," Parks said with understated appreciation. "These things usually scare me but this one is lovely and friendly and shiny," added Box. Favourite video game was Resident Evil 4. There were also two honourary awards. Hollywood's B-movie king Roger Corman was given a Lifetime Achievement Award for five decades of low-budget filmmaking that nevertheless launched the careers of, among others, Francis Ford Coppola, Jack Nicholson, Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro. He produced some 350 titles and personally directed a series of horror movies based on Edgar Allan Poe tales. Makeup effects master Stan Winston was given a Special Achievement Award for 30 years of creating screen monsters and aliens. The 2006 Spaceys were broadcast from Vancouver immediately following the season finale of Battlestar Galacticawith hosts Llyr, Kim Poirier and Natasha Eloi. Llyr says he was happy with the winner's list, citing Battlestar Galactica as his personal favourite show of the genre. Poirier, however, "was kinda bummed" that the alien-abduction series The 4400 didn't make the cut. "I thought the acting was really great," she says. "It's got the subject matter of feeling like an outcast and I think a lot of people relate to that." Browncoats Book Benefit 'Serenity' ScreeningsThe Browncoats, fans of Joss Whedon's "Firefly" and "Serenity," may be a little scary in their obsession, but what they're planning for June 23 can only be viewed as a positive.Back in late April, Whedon devotees announced they were arranging screenings of "Serenity" worldwide for the week of June 23, with proceeds from screening benefiting the writer-director's pet charity Equality Now. As of May 25, more than 38 cities in five countries were planning screenings, with 23 showings already confirmed for locations like Austin, Louisville, Boston, Charlotte and Los Angeles. The event, dubbed "Serenity" Now/Equality Now is meant to coincide with two occasions, one obvious and one a little bit more obscure. First, June 23 is the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" creator's birthday. It's also the one-year anniversary of the third and final advance screening of "Serenity" prior to its release. A continuations of the swiftly cancelled FOX drama "Firefly," the feature film "Serenity" opened in late September, distributed by Universal Pictures. The film's worldwide gross of just under $40 million is roughly in line with its production budget. Equality Now is an international organization which works to end violence and discrimination against women and girls around the world through the mobilization of public pressure. For more information on screenings in your area, check out http://www.cantstoptheserenity.com/. FOX Announces Fall '06Standoff (Drama, Tuesdays 8pm)Premise: Hostage negotiators balance work and their growing attraction to each other. Stars: Ron Livingston ("Band of Brothers," "Pretty Persuasion"), Rosemarie DeWitt ("Cinderella Man"), Michael Cudlitz ("Prison Break"), Gina Torres ("Firefly"), Raquel Alessi ("Ghost Rider") Studio: 20th Century Fox TV Producers: Craig Silverstein ("The Dead Zone," "The Inside"), Tim Story ("Fantastic Four") ABC Announces Fall '06Day Break (Midseason Drama)Premise: A cop tries to prevent one murder while clearing himself of another killing for which he's been framed. Stars: Taye Diggs ("Kevin Hill"), Meta Golding ("JAG"), Moon Bloodgood ("Eight Below"), Victoria Pratt ("Mutant X"), Ramon Rodriguez ("Rescue Me"), Adam Baldwin ("Firefly") Studio: Touchstone TV Producers: Paul Zbyszewski ("After the Sunset"), Matt Gross ("Don't Say a Word"), Jeff Bell ("Alias"), Rob Bowman ("The X-Files") Chris Rock to direct "Wife" comedyChris Rock will direct and star in the comedy "I Think I Love My Wife," which begins shooting this month in New York.He replaces Charles Stone ("Mr. 3000"), who recently dropped out of the Fox Searchlight project. The film, a remake of Eric Rohmer's 1972 French comedy "Chloe in the Afternoon," centers on Richard Cooper (Rock), a professional who is married to Brenda (Gina Torres), with whom he has a young daughter. When his old flame (Kerry Washington) enters the picture, Cooper soon discovers he is in way over his head. Rock wrote the script with longtime collaborator Louis C.K. The film will mark Rock's return to the director's chair; he last shot the 2003 comedy "Head of State," in which he co-starred with Bernie Mac. Washington, whose recent credits include "Fantastic Four," "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and "Ray," will appear in the upcoming Wayans brothers comedy "Little Man." Torres, who co-stars on the new Fox hostage negotiation drama "Primary," also stars opposite her husband, Laurence Fishburne, in "Five Fingers," which recently premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. Apple's iTunes starts selling Fox TV showsApple Computer Inc.'s iTunes has started to sell episodes of shows from News Corp.'s Fox television network, the latest major U.S. TV network to reach a deal with Apple's Internet download service.Shows including "24" and "Prison Break," as well as FX Network shows such as "The Shield," were available on the download service on Tuesday morning, at $1.99 per episode. iTunes has also started to sell episodes of older series, such as "Firefly", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Lost in Space." The three other major networks, including Walt Disney's ABC, General Electric's NBC, and CBS Corp. already sell shows on iTunes. They also redistribute some programming via other means over the Internet, including their own Web sites. Networks are pursuing the younger generation wherever members get their entertainment, which is more often on the go with devices such as the iPod from Apple. ITunes allows downloads for watching on the computer or on an iPod. James Gianopulos, co-chairman of News Corp.'s Fox Filmed Entertainment, in December told the Reuters Media and Advertising Summit that Fox would be open to a deal with iTunes. ABC Family initiates scary "Sarah" againJennifer Tilly, Morgan Fairchild, Mika Boorem and Summer Glau have been cast in cable channel ABC Family's remake of the horror movie "The Initiation of Sarah." The original aired in 1978 on ABC."Sarah" centers on a sorority girl ("Sleepover's" Boorem) with mysterious powers who unwittingly becomes the focus of a century-old battle between good and evil. Glau ("Serenity") will play Sarah's naive and put-upon twin sister, Lindsey. The respective roles were originally played by Kay Lenz and Morgan Brittany, who was actually the half-sister. Fairchild, who played a bitchy sorority sister first time around, will play the girls' mother. Tilly will portray Sarah's mentor and the school's resident enchantress, Dr. Hunter, a role originally played by Shelley Winters. Also joining the cast are Joanna Garcia (WB Network's "Reba") and Tessa Thompson (UPN's "Veronica Mars"). Production is set to begin May 1 in Shreveport, La. The movie is slated to air during ABC Family's eighth annual "13 Nights of Halloween," a Halloween-themed programming event airing each night from October 19-31. "It's suspenseful, scary and frequently wickedly funny, and we've got just the cast of leading ladies to pull it off," said ABC Family president Paul Lee. "Slither" a lively addition to horror canonJust when it seemed as if the zombie cannibal/parasite from outer space horror comedy had pretty much run its course, along comes "Slither," a particularly lively addition to the remarkably durable undead genre.Like "Shaun of the Dead" before it, this feature directorial bow by screenwriter James Gunn strikes a surprisingly effective yuks-to-yuck balance. Factor in a cast that totally gets the desired heavily ironic tone, and you've got a parody picture that pays blood-soaked homage to 1980s-style excess yet still manages to work on its own queasy terms. That sense of something different should translate into solid grosses in a saturated market that hasn't exactly been crying out for horror product in recent weeks, while DVD sales should be tasty. With apologies to David Cronenberg's "Shivers" and Frank Henenlotter's "Basket Case" films, Gunn, whose early career as a writer at Troma made him the right man for the job, fuses the various influences to come up with an agreeable mutation. Always reliable Michael Rooker ("Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer") gleefully nails the part of Grant Grant, a card-carrying redneck denizen of the folksy town of Wheelsy, who one night gets a little too close to the noxious fallout of what appears to be a meteor, only to become the unwitting host of a diabolical alien life force. As if Grant's transformation into a hideous, tentacle-bearing, meat-craving monster isn't bad enough, he also is beginning to spawn hundreds of these crimson killer slugs that creep their way into victims' mouths and turn them into flesh-eating zombies. Determined to stop this sinister plague in its bloody tracks is noble police chief Bill Pardy ("Serenity's" Nathan Fillion), who's driven in part by the torch he has been carrying for Grant's pretty wife, Starla (Elizabeth Banks). Joining them in their quest is the town's foul-mouthed mayor (played hysterically by Gregg Henry), who vows to find Grant even if he does look like "a damn squid." Gunn, whose previous writing credits run the gamut from "Tromeo & Juliet" to "Scooby-Doo" to the 2004 reworking of "Dawn of the Dead," maintains the ideal glib pitch for most of the picture, flirting with camp but never hanging around it long enough to water down the squirm-inducing stuff. That winning blend extends to the performances, which all follow Rooker's no-nonsense lead, and to the special effects, which neatly combine old school prosthetics with just the right amount of CGI enhancement. Cast: Director-screenwriter: James Gunn; Producers: Paul Brooks, Eric Newman; Executive producers: Marc Abraham, Thomas A. Bliss, Norm Waitt, Scott Niemeyer; Director of photography: Gregory Middleton; Production designer: Andrew Neskoromny; Editor: John Axelrad; Costume designer: Patricia Louise Hargreaves; Music: Tyler Bates. 'Firefly' Star Baldwin Makes His 'Bones'It's a small TV world after all, especially if you're Adam Baldwin.The deep-voiced actor went from playing the volatile mercenary Jayne Cobb on Fox's short-lived sci-fi/Western "Firefly" (a role he reprised in the movie version, "Serenity"), executive-produced by creator by Joss Whedon ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") and Tim Minear, to a five-episode stint on The WB's "Buffy" spin-off, "Angel." Whedon created that show with David Greenwalt, and for a while, it was executive-produced by Minear, who created Baldwin's next show, FOX's short-lived crime drama "The Inside." Also an executive producer on "Angel" was Jeff Bell, who has just signed on to executive-produce Baldwin's ABC/Touchstone pilot "Day Break." A murder mystery with elements of "Groundhog Day" and "Memento," it stars Taye Diggs, whom Baldwin says is a friend of Jay Harrington, who co-starred on "The Inside." And, directing the "Day Break" pilot is Rob Bowman, who directed for the "The X-Files" series, on which Baldwin played the mysterious Knowle Rohrer for several episodes. In between all of this, Baldwin found time to stop by FOX's witty crime procedural "Bones," which stars "Angel" himself, David Boreanaz, as FBI Agent Seeley Booth. In "Two Bodies in the Lab," airing Wednesday, March 15, Baldwin plays FBI Agent Jamie Kenton, who is assigned to protect Booth's informal partner, forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel), after an assassination attempt. "David Boreanaz, he went to bat for me," Baldwin says. "Basically, there were other people, and they said, 'What about him?' And David said, 'Yeah, yeah, I worked with him on "Angel." "He's a nice guy. We had the same acting coach in common as well, so we had something to chat about. I also lost $20 to him on the Super Bowl. We had a good time. He's in great shape, and he was trying to push me around, but I'm still bigger. It's all good-natured stuff. "He's a really good-humored, good-natured guy, very prepared, willing to cut it up and improv a little bit here and there." Just as a bonus, Baldwin also found common ground with Deschanel, whose father is acclaimed cinematographer Caleb Deschanel. "Her dad shot 'The Patriot,' which I did," says Baldwin, "so we were able to talk a little about that. We got along great." As to whether Kenton might make a return appearance on "Bones," Baldwin says, "I don't think my storyline's going to be allowing for that. Besides, I'll be working on another show. I've got my fingers crossed." TV Pilot NewsAdam Baldwin has joined Taye Diggs in ABC's drama pilot "Day Break" and Tia Mowry has landed a role in the new CW network's comedy pilot "The Game." "Day Break" is a thriller revolving around a cop (Diggs) on the run after being framed for murder. Baldwin will play a grizzled veteran of the force.TV Pilot NewsAlan Tudyk will play a competitive, arrogant Ivy League graduate in CBS' untitled Carol Mendelsohn drama, which revolves around brilliant legal associates. The actor appeared in the 2005 feature "Serenity."'Firefly,' 'Inside' Guy Minear Back at FOXWriter-producer Tim Minear hasn't had a lot of luck with FOX in recent years: None of the last three series he's worked on -- "Firefly," "Wonderfalls" and "The Inside" -- has gone a full season.But Minear is back at the network again, co-writing a pilot called "Drive." FOX has also ordered a comedy called "Union Jackass," starring British comedian Al Murray, and CBS has given the green light to "Generations," a comedy from writer Cheryl Holliday ("Father of the Pride"). Minear is writing and executive producing "Drive" with Ben Queen ("Century City"), the showbiz trade papers report. The show would follow the participants in a high-stakes and highly illegal race across the country. FOX's corporate sibling 20th Century Fox TV is producing the pilot. In addition to his trio of short-lived FOX shows, Minear has also worked on "Angel" and "The X-Files." Queen's credits include the forthcoming feature film "100 Weddings" (with Erin Cramer and Ellen Simon). "Union Jackass," meanwhile, is based in part on Murray's stand-up character The Pub Landlord, an Archie Bunker-ish guy who follows his ex-wife and son from England to the beachside L.A. suburb of Santa Monica -- which is home to numerous British expatriates. Dan O'Keefe ("Seinfeld," "The Drew Carey Show") is writing the pilot and will executive produce with Richard Allen-Turner, Jon Thoday and David Martin. Murray will serve as a producer. At CBS, "Generations" will center on an elderly gent and his grandson who live together in a retirement community. Writer-exec producer Holliday's credits include "King of the Hill" and "The Norm Show." Sci-fi actors come to life for "Noise 2""White Noise 2: The Light" has attracted two space stars into its orbit.Nathan Fillion, who starred in Joss Whedon's cult sci-fi series "Firefly" and subsequent movie "Serenity," is set to star in the horror movie while Katee Sackhoff, who plays "Starbuck" in the acclaimed "Battlestar Galactica" TV series, is in negotiations to join him. In the sequel to the 2005 hit, a man's family is murdered, but he is brought back from the brink of death. The man realizes he has changed and can now identify those among the living who are about to die. When he tries to save people from their fate, he discovers there is a price to paid for interfering with the natural order. Fillion is playing the man while Sackhoff will portray a nurse who befriends him after the death of his wife. Patrick Lussier ("Dracula 2000") is directing. "White Noise 2" will be distributed in the United States by Rogue Pictures, the genre arm of Focus Features. Fillion next appears in the horror movie "Slither," which opens March 31. Serenity And Beyond(From Kenny) Exclusive: Whedon on Firefly's futureBrowncoats around the world cried out in despair when, due to an underwhelming performance at the box office, Joss Whedon announced that the saga of Serenity had ended. No sequels, no follow-ups, no hope. But Whedon isn't a man to let his brain-child die; the man's already resuscitated the franchise once and there's still hope for a third coming. "A sequel's unlikely," Whedon told Empire with a note of clear regret, "but it's amazing what permutations of something can happen." But if not a theatrical encore, that leaves... yes, you guessed it, a possible return to the smaller screen. "As long as I was able to service the characters with integrity and had enough money so that I wasn't hampered, then I would love to return Serenity to TV. I love that universe; it continues and those characters live on. There could be a series, there could be a miniseries, there could be all sorts of things. I'm not ruling anything out. I'll let it simmer for a while and see if anyone calls." As for why the film failed to rake in the cash despite uniformly glowing reviews, according to Whedon it's all in the presentation. "It's a question of marketing ultimately. The fact that I like to dance around genres with gay abandon has worked to my disadvantage. Nobody knows exactly how to market anything I do because it usually has so much in it. It has a diffuseness because of it's origin that keeps it from being the easy sell. Some people also said that you can't call an action movie 'Serenity' but I think that's still okay. What was I going to call it? 'Big Smash Bang With Boobies'? Which was, of course my second choice." DVD sales should, however, put Serenity back in the black and when the bucks start rolling in we can only hope that one of the suits at Universal looks at the numbers, adds the success of the Firefly DVD box set and greenlights a return for Captain Reynolds and his crew. Until that time we advise Whedon to keep his phone switched on. TVGuide.com: Guest Columnist Joss Whedon Eyes the Future of TVMany people have asked me, "Joss, what is the future of television? What will we watch? And how will we watch it? Surely you must know, for you are wise, and slender." I usually smile and say nothing, because I wasn't actually listening to the question. But it's a good one, and I think it's time I let you in on a few highlights of Television-to-Be.The networks will all be creating exciting, innovative new spin-offs of today's shows. Approximately 67 percent of all television will be CSI-based, including CSI: Des Moines, CSI: New York but a Different Part than Gary Sinise Is In and NCSI: SVU WKRP, which covers every possible gruesome crime with a groovin' '70s beat. (Jerry Bruckheimer will also have conquered Broadway with the CSI musical "FOLLICLE!" starring Nathan Lane as a frenetic but lovable blood spatter and Matthew Broderick as lint.) Lost has that one-of-a-kind alchemy that really can't be copied. Therefore, look for the original series Misplaced, as well as Unfound, Not So Much with the Whereabouts and Just Pull Over and Ask! In a stunningly cost-effective move, CBS will air How I Met Your Biological Mother, That Bitch, which is just old episodes of How I Met Your Mother with snarkier narration. HBO's Westminster will continue the trend pioneered by Deadwood and Rome by making 19th-century England really dirty and weird, like Jane Austen with Tourette's. (Actually, I can't wait for that one.) Also, the constant slew of cable mergers will result in the creation of CinePax, a channel that's just very confused about its morals. Every year another film actress gets "too old" for film leads and finds a (sometimes much better) home on TV. This trend will continue a few years hence when the aging but feisty Dakota Fanning headlines CSI: Vancouver Made to Look Like Chicago. Obviously, we'll see advances in technology. TiVo, iPods, streaming video — the way we watch TV is changing dramatically. It's on our phones, in our cars — even projected on specialized eyeglasses. But don't listen to the talk about having shows beamed directly into your brain. That's science-fiction nonsense. Shows will be stored in the pancreas and will enter the brain through the bloodstream after being downloaded into your iHole. And what of me? My short-lived series Firefly was the basis for the epic action film Serenity (now available on DVD! I have little or no shame), and the future will see even more incarnations of this visionary work, as it returns to TV as Serenity: The Firefly Years, then back to film as Firefly: Serenity's Sequel, back to TV as SereniFly, and finally end as the direct-to-eyeglasses series Choose a Damn Name Already. I promise it'll be as heartwarming and exciting as the original Serenity, now available on DVD. (Explain again this thing you call shame....) That's all I can tell you, except for one last thing: Veronica Mars will still be on. Veronica Mars will still be on. We clear about that? Bye-ee! Righteous 'Brothers' tops video charts, 'Serenity' 3rd"Four Brothers" stormed to the top of the DVD sales and rental charts for the week ending December 25, beating several other high-profile new releases in the final week of the holiday shopping season.The John Singleton-helmed thriller narrowly beat last week's sales topper, "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," which slipped to No. 2 on VideoScan's First Alert sales chart. The sci-fi saga "Serenity" bowed at No. 3, with the next two slots going to a pair of family films released earlier in the season but still going strong: "The Polar Express" and "Madagascar." Several new titles failed to command much attention on the sales front, including "The Brothers Grimm" (No. 6), "Must Love Dogs" (No. 8), and -- perhaps most surprisingly, given its $75 million box office haul -- "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" (No. 12). In rental stores, first-place finisher "Four Brothers" generated an estimated $8.8 million in revenue, or nearly 12% of its theatrical gross of $74.5 million. 'Serenity' Star Goes 'South of Pico'Gina Torres and Kip Pardue will topline "South of Pico," an indie drama.The film will mark the theatrical directing debut of Ernst Gossner and will begin production this week in Los Angeles, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Written by Gossner and Richard Marcus, the film is an ensemble about four people who witness an accidental death. Paul Hipp ("Face/Off"), Henry Simmons ("NYPD Blue"), Jimmy Bennett ("Hostage") and Soren Fulton ("Thunderbirds") also star. Torres is best known for her collaborations with Joss Whedon on "Angel" and "Firefly," as well as the feature "Serenity." The actress has also been seen in the second and third films in the "Matrix" trilogy. "Driven" star Pardue has been seen (at least by somebody) in "Undiscovered" and "Loggerheads" this fall. Disaster strikes again in 'Poseidon' misadventureLeonard Maltin, in his one-volume encyclopedia on movies and videos, described "The Poseidon Adventure," released in 1972, as "mindless but engrossing." A lot has changed in this remake for TV from Robert Halmi Jr. and Larry Levinson.Instead of a tidal wave capsizing the luxurious cruise vessel, the ship is flipped over by a terrorist's bomb. The rescue is accomplished with the help of the Internet and satellite imagery. A boy who is a passenger records the entire doomed voyage with a video camera. And instead of being mindless but engrossing, as Maltin called the original, it's just mindless. For all of its defects, the original film won a place in cinematic history as the progenitor of disaster films (and for the Oscar-winning song "The Morning After"). The TV remake, though nearly 20 minutes longer after commercials are subtracted, is bloated with special effects and stunts but fails to produce an emotional connection. In the end, we care almost as little about the few survivors as we do about the thousands of others who are washed into oblivion by torrents of water. The formula for a disaster film requires there be smaller, personal stories mixed in with the larger story of the fight for survival. In Bryce Zabel's script, most of those personal stories involve Richard and Rachel Clarke (Steve Guttenberg and Alexa Hamilton), their nursing student daughter (Amber Sainsbury) and their precocious videographer son (Rory Copus). Mom is an entrepreneur whose chief flaw, at least according to Dad, is her success at establishing a retail empire. Dad is a resentful novelist who quickly, conveniently and inexplicably becomes the object of affect for the ship's masseuse (Nathalie Boltt), who turns out to be a surprisingly nice person for a homewrecker. Adam Baldwin stars as Mike Rogo, a Homeland Security agent assigned to the holiday cruise on the basis of intercepted chatter and a raid of a terrorist cell that takes place in the film's opening minutes. There's also the elderly lady (Sylvia Syms) still grieving her husband's death, an obnoxious producer (Bryan Brown) and his arm candy (Tinarie Van Wyk). Yet, for all the character development that occurs, they might as well be a movie star, a professor, a millionaire and his wife. The toppled gigantic Christmas tree is in the remake. So is the upside-down ballroom, even though modern cruise ships don't really have them. Nor is it commonplace for the ship's officers to grant children free run of the ship's galley. No matter. "The Poseidon Adventure" isn't about reality any more than it is about compelling drama or scintillating dialogue. It is about calamity, well executed special effects and remarkable stunts, all of which are capably presented by director John Putch. This time, though, "The Morning After" isn't a song but the time period by which most of the movie will be forgotten. A Hallmark Entertainment presentation of a Silverstar Limited production in association with Larry Levinson Prods. CAST: Joss Whedon debuts on 'Mars'Joss Whedon, who says he is a big fan of "Veronica Mars", makes his acting debut on the UPN series Wednesday night.Whedon, the king of cult hits for his creation of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel", plays a car rental guy. "Veronica Mars" is a mystery-drama about an 18-year-old sleuth who has struggled with an alcoholic mother and the death of her best friend. She overcomes her problems by helping her sheriff father. When Whedon appears, Veronica is trying to figure out who deliberately crashed a school bus with the intention of killing her. Like Buffy, Veronica, played by Kristen Bell, is a blond high school girl fighting some very mean folks with verve and pluck. But she hasn't the big following Buffy generated and creator Rob Thomas may be hoping to boost ratings, as the show has been given a 9 p.m. slot where it competes against ABC's "Lost." In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Whedon says other shows have been compared with "Buffy", but this is the first time it has made him proud "as opposed to irate." ""Veronica Mars" combines all the genres," he explained. "She's not just mystery-solving gal; she's dealing with the mysteries of the human condition .... The mix of humour and pain and romance is exactly what we tried to do on "Buffy"." Whedon says the mystery story structure adds a new element that has him calling "Veronica Mars", the "Best. Show. Ever." Whedon has finished his feature film "Serenity" and it looks like it will be making a swift transition to DVD. It is scheduled to come out Dec. 20. 'Serenity' Makes Quick Voyage to DVDJoss Whedon's short-lived FOX drama "Firefly" found its greatest success on DVD and it looks like Universal is hoping the same will be true of Whedon's feature "Serenity."After 38 days in release, "Serenity" has grossed just over $25 million domestically and it'll make its transition onto DVD on December 20, a theater-to-home window of well under three months, an extra fast turnaround. Now you know what to get as a stocking stuffer for that Browncoat in your life. The film reunites the stars of "Firefly" -- including Nate Fillion, Gina Torres, Adam Baldwin, Sean Maher and Alan Tudyk -- in another adventure that combines outer space fantasy with Western action. Although writer-director Whedon was able to complete his first feature with a relatively modest budget (somewhere in the $40 million range), the box office for "Serenity" fell short of what most observers thought would be required to greenlight a theatrical sequel. Of course, passionate fans of the series and movie have been told before that the story was over, getting the franchise resurrected with their faith (and DVD-buying dollars). The DVD contains deleted scenes, outtakes, a special introduction and commentary from Whedon and several other documentaries and features. "Serenity" knocks "Pride" off top of box officeSci-fi action adventure "Serenity" has knocked "Pride and Prejudice" from the top of the UK Box Office charts after three weeks at number one, Screen International said on Tuesday.The film, directed by Joss Whedon who created "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and based on the TV series "Firefly", follows the motley crew of a spaceship named Serenity living at the edge of the law in a Wild West-style frontier of deep space. It meant the adaptation of Jane Austen's novel starring Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen dropped down to second place despite having taken 11.4 million pounds since it was released in Britain. Roman Polanski's version of the Charles Dickens classic "Oliver Twist" debuted in third spot. The director said he wanted the film to be something with which his own children could identify. David Cronenberg's acclaimed "A History of Violence", a subversive thriller starring Viggo Mortensen dropped to fourth ahead of a new entry, the British comedy "Kinky Boots". "Four Brothers", starring Mark Wahlberg as one of four siblings out to avenge their mother's death, was in sixth with "Goal", about a young kid's dream to become the best soccer player in seventh. "Night Watch", a dark tale of a never-ending battle between light and dark, was new in eighth, with romantic comedy "The 40 Year Old Virgin", starring Steve Carell, ninth. At 10 was "Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo", starring Rob Schneider. Serenity Slips In Week 2The plasticine adventures of a man and his dog attracted families to movie theaters over the weekend as Dreamworks' "Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" took in an estimated $16.1 million, enough to snag the top spot at the box office. This caused "Flightplan" with its estimated $10.8 million to slip to No. 2 after two weeks, brining its total gross thus far to $60.9 million.New releases "In Her Shoes" ($10 million), "Two for the Money" ($8.4 million) and "The Gospel" ($8 million) rounded out the Top Five, and Lions Gate's new comedy "Waiting" ($5.7 million) debuted at No. 7. Many of last week's top films took a tumble as "Tim Burton's Corpse Bride" slipped from third to sixth, and was joined in its decline by "A History of Violence (from fourth to eighth) and "Into the Blue" (from fifth to tenth). In its second week of release "Serentiy" had the largest decline of the Top 10 though, losing 51 percent and moving from second to ninth place. Overall, the news was mixed. While the box office's Top 12 was up 16.6 percent from last week, it was down 9.9 percent from this same weekend last year when in its second week Dreamworks' No. 1 film "Shark Tale" took in $31.3 million and Universal's "Friday Night Lights" debuted with $20.2 million. Movie goers will have a variety of new films to choose from next week as "Domino," "Elizabethtown" and "The Fog" are all released wide. All estimates come courtesy of Exhibitor Relations, which tracks daily box office receipts. 'Flightplan' Remains Airborne, Tops 'Serenity'Diehard Browncoats were able to push Joss Whedon's "Serenity" to a $10 million opening weekend, but there just weren't enough surviving "Firefly" fans to put the film ahead of "Flightplan" at the domestic box office.The Jodie Foster thriller pulled in just over $15 million in its second frame to take the weekend crown for the three-day period ending Sunday, Oct. 2. Despite earning mixed-to-negative reviews, "Flightplan" fell off only 39 percent, a decent retention for the genre. Playing in 3,424 locations, the Buena Vista release averaged $4,392 per theater, bringing its cumulative gross to $46.1 million. Universal Pictures' "Serenity," which brought the cast and crew of the short-lived FOX drama "Firefly" to the big screen, played in more than 1000 fewer locations (2188 in total) that "Flightplan," but averaged a slightly higher $4,616 per screen to earn an estimated $10.1 million. Given the number of devoted fans for the cult series, the true test for "Serenity" will come next weekend. The first week figures were somewhere in line with industry expectations, but don't necessarily indicate that the film has immediately found a crossover audience. Overall, the Top 12 films at the box office earned $75.3 million, off a whopping 25.97 percent from the same frame last year, when "Shark Tale" and "Ladder 49" both made over $20 million in their premieres. This was the first down weekend of the fall compared to last year, following four straight year-to-year weekly improvements. Last week's second-place film, "Tim Burton's Corpse Bride," held off most of the new releases, despite falling 49 percent to $9.75 million, for third place. The animated film's total is now at $32.9 million. While not exactly a new release, David Cronenberg's "A History of Violence" went from 14 locations to 1340 in its second weekend and stormed into the Top 12 with an $8.2 million, good for fourth. The graphic novel adaptation, earning some of the year's best reviews, had the best per-screen-average of any film in wide release, averaging $6,119. Already, "Violence" has become one of the Canadian director's top grossing films. Also expanding over the weekend, with far less viewer interest, was Roman Polanski's adaptation of "Oliver Twist." After opening in only five theaters, the Dickens adaptation added 774 locations, but apparently audiences weren't asking for more. It made only $875,000 for a dismal per-screen-average of $1,123. It's unlikely to go much wider. None of the other new releases for the weekend were much luckier. The prospect of watching Paul Walker and Jessica Alba swimming in skimpy attire was only enough to get "Into the Blue" to fifth with a $7 million opening, average $2,510 per screen. Buena Vista's underdog sports saga "The Greatest Game Ever Played" did $3,697 per screen, but in only 1,014 locations, it only brought in $3.75 million total, good for ninth overall. The rest of the Top 12 was filled with returning films including "Just Like Heaven" ($6.1 million, No. 6), "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" ($4.4 million, No. 7), "Roll Bounce" ($4.03 million, No. 8) and "The 40 Year-Old Virgin," which took in $3.1 million to pass the $100 million threshold overall in its seventh week in release. On the limited front, Miramax continued its bafflingly slow release patter for "Proof," which took in a strong $4,904 per screen in its third weekend, but the drama is still only in 240 theaters, for a gross of less than $1.1 million. That's still far better than DreamWorks' "The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio," which opened in 41 locations, but took in only $155,000 with a so-so $3,780 per-screen-average. The weekend's per screen campion was Sony Pictures Classic's much lauded "Capote," which took in $348,978 total in only 12 locations, for an average of over $29,000 per screen. In only two theaters, the kiddie romance "Little Manhattan" averaged $19,000 per screen. A full slate of wide releases is set for next weekend including "Two for the Money," "In Her Shoes" and "Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit." All estimates come courtesy of Exhibitor Relations, which tracks daily box office receipts. Review: Sci-Fi Film 'Serenity' EngagingYou can see how "Firefly," the short-lived TV show that provided the basis for "Serenity," could have gotten addictive if given the chance.The movie is a spirited mix of the familiar and the futuristic, of fast-paced chase scenes and butt-kicking brawls, of witty banter and well-drawn characters. No single element of it is truly original — remnants of "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" are scattered throughout, alongside ideas from utopian novels and Clint Eastwood Westerns. Yet as a whole, "Serenity" feels like its own uniquely formed universe. And having sprung from the mind (and heart) of Joss Whedon, creator of the cult-favorite TV series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel," it comes with its own legion following of vocal sci-fi geeks, which now is likely to increase in its ranks. The loyalists — who clamored for more when "Firefly" was canceled in 2002 after just 11 episodes — should be satisfied with "Serenity," Whedon's feature directing debut, but the uninitiated will find it engaging, as well. A bit of background for those in the latter category: Five hundred years from now, Earth has been overpopulated, forcing people to discover and inhabit new planets in a new galaxy. After a civil war in which the all-powerful Alliance (which seeks to establish "a beacon of civilization" through even-tempered uniformity) has defeated the rebels (who, you know, want to be themselves), Capt. Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion), a former rebel soldier, now earns a living through petty robberies and transport. (If Malcolm — or "Mal" as he's known — is the swaggering Han Solo figure in the equation, then his ship, the rickety, rambling Serenity, is his Millennium Falcon.) The crew consists of his second-in-command, the strong, beautiful Zoe (Gina Torres); her husband, the sarcastic pilot, Wash (Alan Tudyk, grabbing most of the best laughs); Kaylee (Jewel Staite), the down-home, no-nonsense mechanic; and Jayne (Adam Baldwin), a muscular mercenary fighter. They have agreed to provide shelter for River Tam (Summer Glau), a willowy, teenage psychic who's been turned into a human weapon by the Alliance; and her older brother, Simon (Sean Maher), a young doctor who has smuggled her away from the scientists who were manipulating her. (All these likable actors, by the way, are reprising their roles from the TV series, along with Morena Baccarin as the gorgeous courtesan Mal secretly loves.) On their tail is The Operative (the suavely menacing Chiwetel Ejiofor from "Dirty Pretty Things") who works for the Alliance and is trying to steal River back. But River becomes even more dangerous — and even more sought-after — when she intuitively leads Mal and his crew to the faraway planet of Miranda, where secrets lie that could destroy the Alliance. The place is striking, with the stark look of a biochemical lab compound shot under dreamlike, blindingly bright lights. Until it turns dark with themes of deception and survival, Whedon's script is a combination of snappy dialogue, awkward flirting, Eastern mysticism ("This is a good death, there's no shame in this," The Operative tells a scientist after forcing him to fall on a sword) and rhythmic Americana ("There'll be no undue fussin'," Jayne drawls charmingly during a bank robbery). And of course, this being a Whedon production, "Serenity" offers some dazzlingly choreographed martial arts sequences. Sparked by a cartoon image she sees on TV at a bar, River freaks out and takes on dozens of other patrons at once, dropping them all to the floor with a smoothness and efficiency that even would have impressed Buffy. "Serenity," a Universal Pictures release, is rated PG-13 for sequences of intense violence and action, and some sexual references. Running time: 118 minutes. Three stars out of four. Behind-the-Scenes at Serenity's ShootMovie sets can be notoriously cold and impersonal places where busy cast and crew members scurry around barely looking each other in the eye, but that wasn't the case with Serenity, writer-director Joss Whedon's big-screen take on his short-lived sci-fi Western series, Firefly. No, it was the kind of set where Whedon begins a take by yelling to his actors, "OK, everybody, be awesome!" It was a place where the cast openly joked about rubbing each other's behinds, and a mysterious bottle labeled "Extra Longlasting SEXY Powder" could be found where the actors relax in between takes. In short, everyone had a grand old time. And why not? After all, the chance to revive a canceled TV series as a feature doesn't come along every day, and that's something that everyone involved with Serenity is keenly aware of. "There's a different energy this time — we don't feel the specter of doom hanging over our heads," jokes Whedon. "When we were making the series for Fox, there was this overriding feeling that we weren't liked by our parents. But Universal [which bankrolled Serenity] has been so supportive. It's been such a positive experience." TVGuide.com spent the day roaming the passageways of the rebuilt Serenity, catching up with some of the ship's crew as well as the guy who pulls their strings.Nathan Fillion isn't only the once and future star of Firefly/Serenity — he's also the show's biggest fan (next to Whedon, of course). "I remember meeting with Joss when he was casting the pilot," says the actor, who plays Mal Reynolds (or, as he's known in cyberspace, "Captain Tightpants"). "I had a lot of questions about the show and he had a lot of answers. Everything he said left me going, 'Oh, of course it would be like that!' I watch other sci-fi shows [with a] suspension of disbelief, but this is far more reality-based and it's the reality of our world that I love." Like Firefly's devoted fans, Fillion spent the first few postcancellation months in a state of mourning. But when he got the call that Serenity was a go, a weight was lifted off his shoulders. The first few days on set were "unreal," he says. "What we do here feels to me like the TV show, but then I see the dailies and I see the difference. This is darker, edgier stuff; things we couldn't have done on TV." "Darker, edgier" also describes Mal's state of mind as Serenity starts unspooling. "The film picks up a few months after the series left off and Mal is definitely a darker, sadder man. Let's just leave it at that." To lighten the mood, Fillion has become the set clown, cracking jokes — that is, whenever he's not pondering Serenity's prospects. "All I want is for this movie to be a huge success," he says eagerly. "I want it to lead to a trilogy, because I want to do this again." Gina Torres wasn't exactly a newcomer to genre TV when she signed on to Firefly as Zoe, Mal's fearless second-in-command, having done stints on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, M.A.N.T.I.S. and Cleopatra 2525. But she noticed something different about her new gig right away. "The other shows I had done, particularly Cleopatra, were mutant-heavy and highly stylized. In contrast, there's something so bare-bones and human about Firefly. It was unlike anything else I'd ever worked on. Joss lets situations evolve from the characters' relationships as opposed to creating extraordinary situations." Because of her previous roles, Torres served as a helpful advisor to cast mates who were sci-fi virgins — like Jewel Staite, aka flighty mechanic Kaylee. "At first I was a little nervous about doing a sci-fi series, because I had heard that the fans could be kind of crazy," says the newbie. "But our fans have been great. One of my favorite days making this movie was when about 20 fans worked as extras. They brought 'Congratulations' cakes for the cast and crew. We had a great time." As the Serenity shoot hit the halfway mark, both Staite and Torres mulled over their next projects. Staite hoped to find a gig in her native Canada — she succeeded, recently popping up in an episode of Vancouver-based Stargate: Atlantis — while Torres planned to shoot a thriller with hubby Laurence "Morpheus" Fishburne. When he's not on set, Adam Baldwin can regularly be found popping off shots with his trusty digital camera. Some of these photos find their way to the movie's official website, but most of them come home with Baldwin. "I like to show them to my kids and say, 'Hey, look — Daddy's in a movie! I'm really working, not just sitting in a bar all day!'" Baldwin, who has been kicking around Hollywood since the early '80s with small roles in such pictures as Full Metal Jacket and Predator 2, credits Whedon with finally giving him a part that leaves an impression. As Jayne, the resident brawler, he gets to kick butt while delivering many of the funniest lines. "Jayne is very much the kind of guy I watched in those Western shoot-'em-ups while growing up," he says. "I was a fan of actors like Eli Wallach and Warren Oates — big, tough guys with a wry sense of humor." On Firefly, Jayne's loyalties seemed rather loose at times, but he's straightened himself out for Serenity. "He's definitely a strong member of this crew now. He probably thinks he could run the ship, but he doesn't want all that responsibility. As long as he's getting paid, he's happy." Some TV creators might feel a bit nervous about making the leap to feature filmmaking, but when asked about the transition, Whedon simply says, "I felt ready. And it helps that I'm working with people I know and love." Part of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer-Angel creator's goal with Serenity was to bring a new look to sci-fi features. "A lot of science fiction has gotten so monochromatic.... There's an airlessness that comes with all the digital technology that I just don't buy. So while we have some greenscreen [special effects], we're very devoted to doing as many practical effects as we can. We want things to feel real." As for future Serenity movies, well, that's something he can't allow himself to think about right now. "My sequel plan is to make a movie that's good enough that it deserves a sequel. But if there never is another one, if this does just OK and the people who see it like it, that's how it should be. It would be kind of a cheat for Mal to become the hero of a giant franchise." 'Serenity' will sate sci-fi buffsA canceled TV show is reborn on the big screen in Joss Whedon's feature debut, "Serenity," an appealingly low-rent, if not earth-shattering, 26th century "Star Wars" with faint glimmers of "Blade Runner," "Buckaroo Banzai" and "The Manchurian Candidate" for good measure.Whedon's series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" have inspired die-hard devotion, and when Fox yanked his Western-flavored sci-fi adventure "Firefly" off the air in 2002 after only 11 episodes, a Web-fueled cult sprang up. The series' loyal legions -- aka Browncoats, named after the small band of freedom fighters at the show's center -- have packed previews of "Serenity," which reunites the "Firefly" cast, with the tasty addition of Chiwetel Ejiofor as the intrepid crew's archenemy. Browncoats will no doubt turn out again when the film, which premiered at the recent Edinburgh International Film Festival, opens wide Friday. Whether "Serenity" will entice nonaficionados is another question. The characters' mildly offbeat spins on standard action-figure types and the cheeky humor are pluses, and familiarity with the TV show isn't necessary to follow the film. But the Serenity crew's chemistry isn't enough to take this spaceship into the stratosphere, and Whedon unleashes his most provocative ideas too late in the proceedings. A striking nine-minute pre-credits sequence lays out the crisis at hand. Simon Tam (Sean Maher), a young doctor, rescues his sister, River (Summer Glau), from the clutches of the interplanetary ruling Alliance. A gifted telepath, River has been the subject of Alliance experiments that have turned her into an unpredictable killing machine. When she's not kicking ass, she's a damaged waif in Stevie Nicks hand-me-downs trying to regain control of her mind. Brother and sister secure passage on the Serenity, whose captain, Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds (Nathan Fillion), is a rugged, world-weary cowboy in the classic mold of cynical, reluctant heroes. Because the Alliance has dispatched an unnamed, ruthless operative (Ejiofor) to retrieve prize experiment River, the Tams' presence on board puts Mal and his crew in danger. Crusty mercenary Jayne (Adam Baldwin) would just as soon drop them off at the next planet. Bickering and banter reign as the crew members chart their clanking spaceship through the hostile universe. Second-in-command Zoe (Gina Torres) is a beautiful black woman with the soul of a quaintly stoic old soldier, and her easygoing husband, Wash (Alan Tudyk), serves as pilot (their relationship, however, barely registers onscreen). Kaylee (Jewel Staite), the ship's farm-girl mechanic, would love nothing more than some private quality time with Simon. Touching down on Wild West desert landscapes and checking in with wise man Shepherd Book (Ron Glass), the noncutesy Yoda of the piece, the Serenity struggles to elude the ultraorganized Alliance and the murderous, galaxy-roaming Reavers. Along the way, Mal consults with cyberhacker Mr. Universe (David Krumholtz) and reconnects with his vaguely defined Buddhist love interest, Inara (Morena Baccarin). Whedon's theme of outcasts resisting the intrusions of an omniscient law-and-order government is ever-timely, and his ideas come across with more subtlety than those in "Star Wars" or "Star Trek." Even more timely is a revelation concerning behavior modification gone awry that resonates in this age of Zoloft. But, arriving late in the story, it remains a plot point rather than a developed concept. As a makeshift family caught between the "calmed" masses and the raging Reavers, the cast acquits itself well. Barry Chusid's flavorful design, especially the ship's thrift-store lava lounge decor, enhances the story's outsider sensibility, with able creative contributions all around. Cast: Director-screenwriter: Joss Whedon; Producer: Barry Mendel; Executive producers: Christopher Buchanan, David Lester, Alisa Tager; Director of photography: Jack Green; Production designer: Barry Chusid; Music: David Newman; Costume designer: Ruth Carter; Editor: Lisa Lassek. Whedon Goes From Cancellation to 'Serenity'A reporter from a major metropolitan daily has just accused "Serenity" writer-director Joss Whedon of being a "geek guru." Whedon is unfazed."I think of myself as a nerd lama," he smiles. " I do think that there has been some confusion about that whole thing about geeks. I do wear that mantle proudly of geek ... but at the same time saying that tends to pigeon hole my audience as a bunch of people who have never seen the opposite sex or been away from their computer for more than 20 minutes. And the more time I spend with the fans, the more I realize that in some ways they are much more well-adjusted and much more attractive than I am." Whether Whedon's wisdom entitles him to guru or lama (not "llama," he carefully emphasizes) status and whether Whedon's faithful followers are geeks, nerds or the coolest kids on the block, now is a rewarding time to occupy that liminal and mostly fictional space dubbed the "Whedon-verse." In a sign of sweet vindication, "Serenity" hits movie screens on Friday (Sept. 30), roughly three years after FOX bungled "Firefly," a short-lived futuristic western featuring the same motley cast of characters. And there's ample reason for Whedon to butter up his denizens as adjusted and attractive, because without their Internet devotion and DVD buying power, "Serenity" never would have happened at all. Encouraged by Whedon's perseverance and by the promising secondary life for the existing "Firefly" episodes, Universal Pictures came aboard with a budget of more than $40 million. The studio allowed Whedon the opportunity to direct his own script, cutting off the potential for a repeat of the frustration he felt as a screenwriter when his draft of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was so disappointing he had to reboot the concept for The WB. 'I'm not one of those guys who directs just because he's bitter, when he actually shouldn't be," says Whedon, who helmed many "Buffy," "Angel" and "Firefly" episodes in preparation. "It's just the next step. Telling a story is one part word, one part visual and I've always wanted to do both. And play all the parts, and do the editing and compose the music ... ." Universal also allowed Whedon to retain the original "Firefly" cast, a crack ensemble -- led by Nate Fillion, Gina Torres, Adam Baldwin and Summer Glau -- that guarantees continuity, but not a return on a large investment. "The studio did at one point say that it would be useful to have a big name for the villain, because we want to use this cast to get the deal," Whedon admits. "There was never 'Let Tom Cruise play Kaylee' or anything like that. Although, Tom was actually asking. It was weird." Thankfully, Jewel Staite still plays sexy mechanic Kaylee and "Dirty Pretty Things" star Chiwetel Ejiofor appears as the villainous Operative. "It's not enough to be in love with a group of actors and think, 'Let's all play together,'" Whedon says. "I worked for a long time to come up with something epic enough and be a Universal movie and not just a glorified episode of 'Firefly.'" The "Serenity" plot revolves around Glau's River Tam, a graceful waif with psychic tendencies and an unexpected violent streak. While "Firefly" fans will enter the theater with the largest investment in the characters, Whedon is counting on the action and one-liners to hook neophytes. "I wanted to make a movie that made me feel or made people feel the way I felt the first time I saw the first 'Star Wars.'" With all of the actors clamoring for more and fans packing a series of test screenings all summer, Whedon has found himself in the unusual position of thinking sequel. "I have some ideas -- that is how the brain works," he concedes, though any sequel would have to wait until after Whedon writes and directs "Wonder Woman." "You can't stop the brain no matter how hard you try. By like sleeping or those other things people do. I spent a lot of time thinking, 'What I would do if?' But first I have to get people to see the first one. So, most of my energy has been in trying to make that good enough so there could be a sequel." 'Firefly' Doc Talks 'Serenity'When Sean Maher signed on for FOX's "Firefly" in 2002, the actor had reason to be skeptical. The network aired only two episodes of his 1999 drama ""Ryan Caulfield: Year One" and 2000's "The $treet" got only six showings before a premature demise.With "Firefly," though, Maher knew that something was different. "We would all talk about how perfect it felt, how there was not one person who didn't love the show -- cast, crew, producer, caterer, craft service -- everybody was just gung-ho about everything," he recalls. "It was the first time a lot of us had ever experienced 100 percent support of a project that we were working on." Naturally, "Firefly" was cancelled by December. Under normal circumstance, cancellation just means another round of pilot season for the actors and creators and disappointment for whatever straggling fans the show might have had. However, a rabid Internet following, strong DVD sales and the dogged persistence of creator Joss Whedon ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") led Universal Pictures to grab the rights and greenlight a motion picture titled "Serenity," reuniting that gung-ho "Firefly" team. "As an actor, I find that most of my work, the challenging aspects for me, are initially finding the character, finding the way he walks and talks and then finding the dynamics with the actors which translate to the dynamics with the other character," Maher says. "To have all that done was just this incredible foundation to work from. There was a huge sense of ease getting back together to do this movie." While Maher already knew his character, rather uptight ship's doctor Simon Tam, he knew from the script that Simon had changed somewhat between the series and the film. Because the plot of "Serenity" revolves around Simon's preternaturally gifted sister River (Summer Glau), the medic plays a major role as well. Fans who have been waiting for Simon to throw a few punches and to take the next step with sexy mechanic Kaylee (Jewel Staite) won't be disappointed. "Early on, I was tired of Simon being so prim and proper and really wanted him to get rougher, and to get in there and roll up his sleeves and not be excluded from the action or the heists or whatever was going on in the series," says Maher. "I do feel like we took that and translated that into the movie." Although Universal might have felt more confident in the studio's investment if some bigger stars had been added, Whedon insisted that the cast of "Firefly" would be the cast of "Serenity." For many of the actors, the film represented their first taste of big screen stardom. "I felt no pressure," laughs Maher. "We were in Joss' hands. He was there on set. He wrote it. He was directing it. He'd never steered me wrong before, so I felt very safe. It was an incredible environment to work in." But Whedon, who seems to be a renewable font of one-liners and enthusiasm, wasn't the only source of energy for the cast. In the midst of production, a trip to ComicCon -- Maher's first convention experience -- offered plenty of encouragement. "We shot the movie for three months and it was right around the middle where you're kinda getting a little tired," Maher says. "We went on a Sunday and we walked into this auditorium of close to 5000 screaming fans and I was like, 'Wow.' It was a drug. It was so inspiring and so rewarding and so reassuring to hear them and know that they're there and that they're rooting for us." After a summer of preview screenings for "Firefly" fans (an enthusiastic breed known as Browncoats at their most passionate), "Serenity" is in theaters on Friday (Sept. 30). Coincidentally, any viewers who catch an evening screening of the movie will need to set their VCRs to catch Maher's guest turn as an undead athlete in CBS' "Ghost Whisperer." With hopes for a "Serenity" sequel likely riding on the opening weekend gross, Maher hopes fans and neophytes alike turn out. "If people just come and check it out, whether they know the series or not, I don't think anybody will be disappointed," he argues. "I think what remains to be seen is will those people actually come, pay the money for the ticket and go watch the movie. I do have faith that they will love it. I just hope that they come." Whedon Relaunches 'Firefly' As 'Serenity'Justin Dobbs stood up in front of a packed movie theater and called out, "OK, everybody! `The Ballad of Serenity.'"The crowd burst into the defiant theme song of a failed little TV show called "Firefly," which burns brightly again through the tenacity of creator Joss Whedon, its cast of unknowns and legions of sci-fi fans like Dobbs who lobbied for its resurrection. Dobbs was among fans attending advance showings of "Serenity," the big-screen continuation that follows the exploits of the lovable rabble aboard a rickety spaceship 500 years in the future. Universal Pictures — which plucked the tale from the heap of beloved, acclaimed (and canceled) TV shows — began preview screenings five months before "Serenity" opened to fire up interest among devotees and let them spread the word on the film. "Each of us tried to bring new people to screenings we've gone to," said Dobbs, 20, of Los Angeles. "Each of us tried to tell everybody that it's not just for fans of the show. It's just a good movie in general." Whedon — creator of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and its spinoff, "Angel" — faced a balancing act to present a film that would satisfy its fan base and an audience that had never seen the TV series. The back story is reminiscent of "Star Trek," which went on to become a hit movie franchise and spawned four more TV series after the original show left the air. "Star Trek" ran for 79 episodes over three seasons in the 1960s, while only 11 of the 14 "Firefly" episodes were broadcast in its original run on Fox in 2002, with episodes aired out of order and occasionally pre-empted for special programs. And "Trek" fervor built up over a decade of syndication before the first movie debuted. "Firefly" had just a couple of years since the series came out on DVD, selling impressively but still clocking in as a cult hit — not necessarily the stuff of mainstream movies. "`Star Trek' was such a phenomenon by the time they made it into a movie," said Whedon, who makes his feature-film directing debut with "Serenity." "Fans love `Firefly,' but I still don't know how many fans there are, whereas `Star Trek' was already part of the vernacular." The film reunites the cast of "Firefly," led by Nathan Fillion as Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds, captain of the stubby transport ship Serenity, whose crew scrapes out a living through petty crimes and questionable cargo runs at the edges of an interstellar human society. An embittered ex-Browncoat — the name for rebels who fought on the losing side of a galactic civil war — Mal has assembled a motley surrogate family aboard ship: Zoe (Gina Torres), his tough-as-nails second in command; Wash (Alan Tudyk), the ship's pilot and Zoe's laid-back husband; mechanic Kaylee (Jewel Staite); and not-so-trustworthy mercenary Jayne (Adam Baldwin). Unlike Capt. Kirk of "Star Trek" or Luke Skywalker of "Star Wars," the people aboard Serenity are not fighting grand battles to save the universe. They're blue-collar grunts looking to turn a buck and stick it to The Man whenever they can. "They're real people," Baldwin said. "It's a look into the future that's not going to be a perfect utopian future. Joss was able to portray people with flaws, imperfect people, tyrannical people, people who can be both heroic and self-centered." Also returning are Ron Glass as Shepherd Book, a preacher with a cloudy past, and Morena Baccarin as Inara, a classy futuristic geisha who shares a love-hate relationship with Mal. The TV show had languidly unfolded a mystery surrounding two passengers aboard Serenity, a young doctor named Simon (Sean Maher) and his sister, River (Summer Glau), an unstable telepath on the run from the big-government galactic Alliance that Mal loathes. "It was unique, it was incredibly well-written, it clearly had the potential to reach not just sci-fi fans but fans of good television," Torres said. "Unfortunately, we didn't live long enough to realize its full potential." Promising to revive the show, Whedon shopped it around to other TV networks. But there were no takers. Whedon, who previously had turned his movie dud "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" into a hit TV series, then hooked up with Universal executive Mary Parent, who had seen "Firefly" on DVD and recognized its big-screen potential. For the film, Whedon took the broad story arc he had in mind for the TV show and compacted it into a movie plot, taking Serenity on a potential suicide mission to uncover horrifying secrets about the Reavers, human cannibals who live on the outskirts of civilized space. "Serenity" is packed with gunfights, chases, sci-fi gadgets, bar brawls and dark moments of terror. As with the TV show, the film also is loaded with sharp dialogue, eccentric wit and loving sarcasm among shipmates. Glass sees similarities between the characters of "Firefly" and the ensemble he was part of in the 1970s sitcom "Barney Miller." "One of the things they have in common is these really well-drawn characters that are true to themselves," Glass said. "Like in life, you get a couple or three, four, five or 10 of those people in a room being true to themselves, it either produces something truly heartfelt and deep on a philosophical level, or humor. So it's no accident there is a lot of humor involved." "Serenity" faces tough hurdles. The cast is generally unknown. Science fiction is a hard sell beyond its genre fans. Broader audiences, hearing that the film is based on a TV show they never saw, may decide it's too much of an inside story for them. Still, with a comparatively frugal $40 million budget, "Serenity" could earn its money back with only modest box-office success, plus TV and DVD revenues down the road. And few movies with a cast of nobodies have a built-in squad of marketers, fans who have been talking up "Serenity" for years on the Internet and introducing friends to the TV show on DVD. "It's very Jehovah's Witness," Fillion said. "I'm not sure if anyone's actually going door to door, but it's not far off." "Even now, my friends back in Texas are giving DVDs to other people, and our fan base is still growing and growing and growing," said co-star Glau, a San Antonio native. Whedon hopes "Serenity" performs well enough to justify sequels. He remains wistful over losing the chance to tell weekly stories with his characters on the small screen, though. "I really love `Serenity.' I'm really proud of it and excited to see it my guys on the big screen, bringing something new to it," Whedon said. "But `Firefly' was a different animal, something I will regret losing until the day they put me in a box, because I did have a lot of good stories I wanted to tell." 'Serenity' now for sci-fi fansAs a general rule, television series that tank after less than one season don't translate into successful feature films.There isn't much demand for movies based on, say, "Supertrain" or "Manimal." Perhaps the only time it has really been attempted was with the three "Naked Gun" flicks that rose from the ashes of the short-lived 1982 ABC comedy "Police Squad!" So it's highly unusual that Universal Pictures' "Serenity," which hits theaters on Friday, is happening at all, a monument to the perseverance -- and some might say hardheadedness -- of a fellow named Joss Whedon. Whedon, the creator and executive producer of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel," two prominent recent additions to the annals of cult TV faves, crafted "Serenity" following the failure of a short-lived Fox sci-fi drama from the 2002-03 season (which was something of a Nielsen waterloo period for Fox) called "Firefly." If you remember it, consider yourself a sci-fi geek in good standing. It ran for 11 episodes, out of order, before being axed. But Whedon didn't let a little thing like a cancellation discourage him. Thanks to "Firefly" DVD sales that exceeded 200,000 units, he got the green light to write and direct the $40 million "Serenity" (named after the creaky ship in "Firefly" that traverses space). Yes, once you get the sci-fi True Believers on your side, all things are possible, Whedon understands. "We have a much broader base than just sci-fi people," he says. "That's what I found in our screenings so far. They're a diverse group, fairly well-adjusted socially, and I expect that a lot of them are even having sex. I really think the line between geeks and the rest of the world is blurring." "Serenity" has been screened nearly 100 times to date, Whedon estimates, many of them designed to stir interest among that fanatical subculture that either embraces you with all of their heart and soul or rejects you with incalculable venom and rage. There isn't a whole lot of middle ground with the "Firefly" group that refers to itself as the "browncoats." "First off, you can't make the movie for the fans of the TV show because then there will be a lot of people who don't know what's going on," he believes. "Yet it's a fine line because you also can't talk down to the real fans because it's their support that's getting the film made in the first place." When these browncoats see a filmmaker as having committed blasphemy, "halfway through the screening they light torches and chase you down the street crying 'Monster! Monster! Monster!"' Whedon observes only half-jokingly. "Fortunately, there have been no torches so far." There has instead been a vibe of massive anticipation for "Serenity" in the sci-fi community, which means, of course, that certain individuals with too much time on their hands -- depicted so memorably in the film "Galaxy Quest," which Whedon jokingly labels "a documentary" -- will be devoting an abundance of energy to "Serenity" worship. Sean Maher, who portrays Dr. Simon Tam in both "Firefly" and "Serenity," was present at last week's L.A. premiere of the new film and saw one attendee dressed in his character's trademark white button-down shirt and vest. "It always takes a moment for me to process something like that," Maher admits. "I think I'm prepared for it, but it's like receiving a really generous compliment that leaves you at a loss for words." That kind of extreme-geek support tells Whedon that he did the right thing in fighting to spin a movie no one expected from a TV series nobody watched and a DVD that captured a momentum no one knew existed. "This is really a classic underdog story in every way," he observes, "and I think I'm safe in saying this is the finest film ever made." Going, Going, GonerBuffyverse ruler Joss Whedon — whose Firefly flick Serenity hits theaters one week from today — has inked a seven-figure deal with Universal to write and direct the fantasy thriller Goner. "It's the story of a young woman's journey that involves a great deal of horror and some heroics," he tells Variety. "It's certainly darker than Serenity, and there are a lot of left turns along the way. It is something I had in mind for a while, and it just poured out of me when I finished my film." Of course, Goner will have to wait until Whedon finishes Warner Bros.' big-screen Wonder Woman flick and (hopefully) gets the ball rolling on that long-rumored Spike TV movie (hint hint, nudge nudge, slap slap).New Clips this week: Exclusively on Moviefone.comOur latest set of clips from Joss Whedon's "Serenity" are now available. Check back each week for new, never-before-seen footage. (http://www.aoltrack.com/r/f4aa0e3cd42258ab12bc55244148d077/)Serenity Fan Fest this Thursday - Universal Studios HollywoodUNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD RECRUITS MOVIE FANS, SCI-FI ENTHUSIASTS AND “BROWNCOATS” FOR “SERENITY FAN FEST” FEATURING AUTHENTIC MOVIE PROPS, BEHIND-THE-SCENES FOOTAGE AND APPEARANCES FROM CAST AND WRITER/DIRECTOR JOSS WHEDON, SEPTEMBER 24Universal Studios Hollywood is reaching out to movie fans, science fiction enthusiasts and fans of Universal Pictures new “sci-fi western” SERENITY and its preceding TV series “Firefly” (also known as “Browncoats”) with “SERENITY Fan Fest” on September 24, 2005. Fans will have the chance to meet the film’s stars, view clips and behind-the-scenes footage from the film, meet the special effects team behind the film’s striking visual imagery as well as the film’s writer/director, Joss Whedon. The ”SERENITY Fan Fest” will take place inside the theme park and will feature a cast Q&A from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m., followed by an autograph session from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. with many of the film’s stars including Summer Glau (River Tam), Adam Baldwin (Jayne Cobb), Morena Baccarin (Inara Serra) and Whedon, the Oscar®- and Emmy-nominated writer/director responsible for the worldwide television phenomena of “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” “Angel” and Firefly. Visual effects supervisor Loni Peristere of Zoic Studios (SERENITY, “Battlestar Galactica,” SPIDER-MAN 2 and VAN HELSING) will discuss the process of creating visuals for a world set 500 years in the future with a rare look at various stages of visual effects production. Browncoat loyalists will also have the opportunity to view authentic movie props including the 14-foot MULE hovercraft and enjoy behind-the-scenes footage from the futuristic action-adventure film. The “SERENITY Fan Fest” is included with general admission to the movie-based theme park. Admission tickets are available at a $15 discount ($38.00) with an exclusive “SERENITY Fan Fest” downloadable coupon at http://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/serenityfanfest. Tickets are limited and all events operate on a first come, first serve basis and are subject to change. SERENITY opens nationwide on September 30. Universal Studios Hollywood (www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com) is a world-class theme park and entertainment destination. Situated upon 415-acres, Universal Studios combines an authentic working movie and television studio with cutting-edge experience that employs the latest in state-of-the-art technologies. Universal Studios Hollywood (www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com) is a unit of Universal Parks & Resorts, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com), Universal Studios is a part of NBC Universal. NBC Universal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates the No. 1 television network, the fastest-growing Spanish-language network, a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal. Joss Whedon— the Oscar®- and Emmy-nominated writer/director responsible for the worldwide television phenomena of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel—now applies his trademark compassion and wit to a small band of galactic outcasts 500 years in the future in his feature film directorial debut, Serenity. The film centers around Captain Malcolm Reynolds, a hardened veteran (on the losing side) of a galactic civil war, who now ekes out a living pulling off small crimes and transport-for-hire aboard his ship, Serenity. He leads a small, eclectic crew who are the closest thing he has left to family – squabbling, insubordinate and undyingly loyal. When Mal takes on two new passengers—a young doctor and his unstable, telepathic sister—he gets much more than he bargained for. The pair are fugitives from the coalition dominating the universe, who will stop at nothing to reclaim the girl. The crew that was once used to skimming the outskirts of the galaxy unnoticed find themselves caught between the unstoppable military force of the Universal Alliance and the horrific, cannibalistic fury of the Reavers, savages who roam the very edge of space. Hunted by vastly different enemies, they begin to discover that the greatest danger to them may be on board Serenity herself. Universal Pictures Presents A Barry Mendel Production of A Joss Whedon Film: Serenity, starring Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Adam Baldwin, Summer Glau and Chiwetel Ejiofor. The music is by David Newman. The costume designer is Ruth Carter. The editor is Lisa Lassek; the production designer, Barry Chusid; the director of photography, Jack Green ASC. The executive producers are Christopher Buchanan, David Lester and Alisa Tager. Serenity is produced by Barry Mendel. It is written and directed by Joss Whedon. ©2005 Universal Studios. http://www.serenitymovie.com Joss Whedon Meets 'Veronica Mars'"Buffy" fans, consider the torch passed.Joss Whedon, the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" creator who gushed online about UPN's "Veronica Mars" this summer, has been rewarded with a guest spot on the show. The network says he'll play a rental-car manager who has a scene with Veronica (Kristen Bell) in this season's sixth episode. The cameo came about after Whedon effusively praised "Veronica Mars" on the Buffyverse-centric web site Whedonesque.com. Posting to the site's (which is independently run) boards last month, Whedon wrote: "My peeps and I just finished a crazed Veronica Marsathon, and I can no longer restrain myself. Best. Show. Ever. Seriously, I've never gotten more wrapped up in a show I wasn't making, and maybe even more than those. Crazy crisp dialogue. Incredibly tight plotting. Big emotion, I mean BIG, and charismatic actors and I was just DYING from the mystery and the relationships and PAIN" (caps all his). "... These guys know what they're doing on a level that intimidates me. It's the Harry Potter of shows." "Veronica Mars" creator Rob Thomas, whose show has often been compared to "Buffy," returned the praise on his own site, and also dropped the news that Whedon would make a guest appearance, which UPN has confirmed. The "Serenity" writer-director has popped up before on his shows "Angel" and "Firefly," but he's never appeared on someone else's. Whedon is the second cult auteur booked for a guest spot on "Mars" this season. "Clerks" and "Chasing Amy" director Kevin Smith, a friend of "Mars" producer Dan Etheridge, will play a convenience-store clerk in the show's second episode. "Veronica Mars" begins its second season on UPN Wednesday, Sept. 28. It's Serenity Now for Firefly DocPink Lady and Jeff. Manimal. Hello, Larry. None of those short-lived TV series ever commanded feature-film follow-ups. But Fox's Firefly — woefully promoted, questionably handled and then unceremoniously yanked off the air after just 11 episodes in 2002 — is big-screen bound. Serenity, which hits theaters Sept. 30, catches up with the transport ship's crew, led by Captain "Mal" Reynolds (Nathan Fillion), as they fend off big-government interest in some precious cargo they are carrying. Tending to the occasionally wounded is the Serenity's Dr. Simon Tam, played by Sean Maher, who was more than happy to speak with TVGuide.com about the revival of little show that could.TVGuide.com: Would you say that the Internet played a key role in resurrecting Firefly? TVGuide.com: Were you disappointed with the handling of series (e.g., Fox skipping over the pilot, running episodes out of order)? TVGuide.com: What do you think allowed Firefly to be not just another canceled show? TVGuide.com: The 500-years-in-the-future setting is almost, "By the way...." TVGuide.com: Is it true that you used to accidentally call the character of River by her portrayer's name, Summer [Glau]? TVGuide.com: Would you do another Firefly series or Serenity film if warranted? TVGuide.com: When doing the movie version, could you "feel" the bigger budget? TVGuide.com: OK, but the costumes had to be a bit nicer, yes? Better-quality cotton? TVGuide.com: You're also in the upcoming indie Living 'Til the End, which sounds interesting. A guy is told by a psychic that he will die on his next birthday? TVGuide.com: Where else might we be seeing you? TVGuide.com: So basically, Jennifer Love Hewitt is Whoopi Goldberg and you're Patrick Swayze. Now Exclusively on Moviefone.com* Joss Whedon's critically acclaimed TV show "Firefly" may have been canceled after just one season, but its galactically loyal cult fans need not fret. "Serenity," the big screen version, hits theaters this fall, and Moviefone.com has a series of exclusive clips. Check back each week for new, never-before-seen footage. (http://www.aoltrack.com/r/d79d8057a2bd4f10d7589c5b290c3dc3/)"Serenity" TrailersTrailer 1Windows Media http://www.serenitymovie.com/media/serenity_trlr1_128k.wmv http://www.serenitymovie.com/media/serenity_trlr1_300k.wmv http://www.serenitymovie.com/media/serenity_trlr1_700k.wmv Quicktime Trailer 2 Quicktime "Serenity" Full-Screen TrailerSerenity" is the feature-length adaptation of Joss Whedon's hit TV show, "Firefly." Set five hundred years in the future, Malcom Reynolds is the captain of Serenity, a transport ship filled with his painfully close-knit crew of loners and two siblings who he quickly finds, are the highly sought-after fugitives of the coalition that dominates the universe. Watch the brand new, full-screen trailer from the film. (http://www.aoltrack.com/r/eb68b7f7606829bb17f1d220a507fcd6/)Gina Torres talks Serenity(From Wilson) Blackfilm.com has an interview with Gina Torres (Zoe, Firefly/Serenity) and the Serenity movie. Click here to check it out.Whedon flock ready for 'Firefly' resurrectionNow that "Star Wars," "Star Trek" and "The Matrix" are fading into the sunset, what will take their place in the hearts of sci-fi fantasy fans?TV auteur Joss Whedon and Universal Pictures are hoping that it's "Serenity," his movie version of 2002's aborted Fox space Western TV series "Firefly," which opens Sept. 30. Universal launched its grass-roots awareness campaign for Whedon's directing debut in April, recruiting Whedon's loyal fans to help sell "Serenity," which features the original "Firefly" cast. The studio previewed the rough cut nationwide in markets where "Firefly" performed best, culminating last weekend with a rousing screening at the Comic-Con International confab in San Diego, where Whedon and his cast conducted a panel for fans. Back in 2001, when Whedon sat down to write his follow-up to the two hit Fox series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel," he wanted to try his hand at a space Western. "I thought, 'Wagon Train' in space," he said on the phone from Cape Cod, where he is conceiving his upcoming "Wonder Woman" script. He didn't know that Gene Roddenberry had set out to do the same thing back in the 1960s, when he created "Star Trek," a smart TV show that was saved by its fans. History is repeating itself. Starting Friday night at 7, the Sci Fi Channel is showing all 13 episodes of "Firefly" -- in the correct order. "Fox never got the show," Whedon said. "It was a bad match." After premiering the series late after a World Series game and running 11 episodes out of order, Fox dropped it. "I told the cast the day the show was canceled that I would not rest until I found another home," Whedon said. "I felt like I had let them down." Not wanting to admit failure was part of it, too, Whedon admits. "I didn't want people thinking that the show didn't work. Nothing I've ever done has ever emerged so instantly. Even the pilot was the way it should be. There was never an awkward growing phase. It felt right. Every actor felt so right, they worked so well together. I couldn't bear to let the universe go, or let the actors out of my sight." When overseas markets demanded a DVD release, Fox Home Entertainment complied. The "Firefly" DVD sold more than 200,000 copies. Whedon felt vindicated. Having soldiered in the feature screenwriting realm on "Toy Story," "Titan A.E." and an unproduced "X-Men" script, Whedon told Universal executive Mary Parent that he wanted to make his directing debut on the movie version of "Firefly." She checked out the DVDs. "Write it," she told him. Renamed "Serenity," after the Firefly-class ship that scours outer space, the $40 million alien-free movie will register with "Firefly" fans without confusing people, Whedon says. And the movie retains the show's homemade feel. "It's like the ship Serenity herself," he said. "Crappy but scrappy." "Serenity" reunites the original TV cast of nine shipmates in a dysfunctional family. That was the deal. There was never a question of upgrading the cast, though Universal did consider hiring a name villain -- and then dropped it. Added to the youthful ensemble headed by Canadian actor Nathan Fillion, who plays a jocular Kirk-like captain on the mercenary freighter, are archvillain Chiwetel Ejiofor ("Dirty Pretty Things") and David Krumholtz ("Numbers") as a hacker hermit. At Comic-Con, dancer-actress Summer Glau's martial arts scene drew thunderous applause and an Ain't It Cool News rave. What generates this powerful response? "What captivates the fans is an entire world they can go to," Whedon said, "that feels complete, thought-out, genuine, that they can live in for a long time. From the first show, we made sure every character had their own patch of ground. Conflicts become the story. Everybody plays off everybody." Said Anna Kaufman, arts editor of the Daily Californian in Berkeley, Calif.: "You feel for the family of nine characters and their well-being. They all have interesting dynamics, pasts and secrets. They're thrumming with life." Kaufman checks the many Web sites devoted to Whedon, "Firefly" and "Serenity" (including http://www.cantstopthesignal.com) for updates on the movie. "I'm greedy. I want more," she adds. In October, when Universal's co-president of marketing, Eddie Egan, booked a routine rough-cut preview in L.A.'s San Fernando Valley, he was amazed by the explosive response from the research-screening recruits who were clearly rabid "Firefly" fans. He wanted to know just how they had learned about the screening. It turned out that one fan had identified the movie and tipped off her entire "Firefly" community (known as "browncoats") with one Internet post. Some of them had driven from Arizona and Seattle, Egan says. Universal, deciding that it had something bigger than it thought, pushed the action adventure off of its spring lineup and into the fall. The studio staged three waves of word-of-mouth sneak preview screenings (which do not advertise the name of the film) in 35 cities where "Firefly" had earned the best ratings, including Toronto and San Francisco. Each time, Whedon posted fan screenings on his blog: once, with a link to a Fandango site where they could order tickets. Each time, all the tickets were sold within five minutes. Fans return for repeat viewings, Egan says, bringing new people with them. "As the industry struggles to redefine the paradigm of the movie business," Egan said, "and what makes people go to movies or avoid them, a piece of text on a Web page sold out theaters." 'Firefly' Relights on Sci FiJust in time to stir up some advance hype for the movie based on it, the cult series "Firefly" is returning to television.The Sci Fi Channel has picked up the rights to Joss Whedon's "space Western" -- including three episodes never aired on TV -- and will begin airing it Friday, July 22. It will air at 7 p.m. ET, leading into the cable network's lineup of original series -- the two "Stargate" shows and "Battlestar Galactica," which open their new seasons the previous week. "Firefly's" Sci Fi debut will come about two months before the scheduled release of Universal Pictures' "Serenity," a feature film based on the series written and directed by Whedon ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer"). Universal and the Sci Fi Channel are both part of the NBC Universal media conglomerate. Sci Fi picked up the show from Twentieth Television, a News Corp. sibling of the FOX network, where "Firefly" first aired, and 20th Century Fox TV, which produced the series. Set 500 years from now, "Firefly" follows the crew of a small, vagabond transport ship called the Serenity. Captained by Mal Reynolds (Nathan Fillion), Serenity and its crew are perpetually on the run from the totalitarian Alliance, and Mal often resort to taking extralegal jobs to keep the ship flying. The show also stars Gina Torres ("Alias," "Angel"), Adam Baldwin ("The Inside"), Morena Baccarin, Alan Tudyk ("Into the West"), Sean Maher ("The $treet"), Summer Glau ("The 4400"), Jewel Staite ("Wonderfalls") and Ron Glass ("Barney Miller"). All of them are reprising their roles in "Serenity." Alan Tudyk replaces Hank Azaria in 'Spamalot'Alan Tudyk will be Broadway's new Lancelot in Monty Python's Spamalot.He replaces Hank Azaria who is leaving in early June to film a second season of his Showtime television series Huff. Tudyk joins the hit musical, based on the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, sometime during the week of June 6. Azaria will return to the show in late November for another six months. The 34-year-old, Texas-born Tudyk is a New York theater veteran, having received the Clarence Derwent Award for most promising male newcomer in 1997 for his performance in Bunny, Bunny, a play about Gilda Radner. Among his other New York stage credits are roles in several comedies, including Paul Rudnick's The Most Fabulous Story Every Told in 1998 and David Lindsay-Abaire's Wonder of the World in 2001, both done off-Broadway. He also appeared on Broadway in 1999 with Kristin Chenoweth in Epic Proportions, a comedy by Larry Coen and David Crane. Among Tudyk's films are I, Robot (2004), Dodgeball (2004), A Knight's Tale (2001) and Wonder Boys (2000). He also was a regular on the sci-fi TV series Firefly (2002). SERENITY film photos(From Wilson) Blackfilm.com has photos from the Serenity movie. Click here to check them out.FOX Brings 'Inside' Out in JuneA dark show about a team of FBI agents hunting serial killers -- just the thing for summertime viewing.That, at least, is what FOX is hoping for "The Inside," a crime drama from Tim Minear ("Angel," "Wonderfalls") and Howard Gordon ("24"). The show is scheduled to premiere at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday, June 8. "The Inside" is the network's only new scripted offering for the summer, although original episodes of "Family Guy" and "American Dad" are set to continue at least through June. Three new unscripted series are on tap as well: the previously announced "Hell's Kitchen," bowing Monday, May 30; "The Princes of Malibu," about the wealthy stepsons of music producer David Foster, set for Sunday, July 10; and "So You Think You Can Dance," a dance competition from the producers of "American Idol," Wednesday, July 20. "Renovate My Family," which had a brief run last fall, will return to the network on Thursday, June 30. Network mainstays "House," "The O.C." and "That '70s Show" will all repeat for at least part of the summer in their regular time periods, as will "Nanny 911" and "Trading Spouses." The current Sunday lineup will remain intact as well, although "Princes of Malibu" will drop into the 8:30 p.m. ET spot when it premieres. "The Inside" has taken a twisty path to its premiere. It began life in spring 2004 as a "21 Jump Street"-esque pilot about a young FBI agent, played by Rachel Nichols ("The Amityville Horror"), going undercover in a high school. The creators of that pilot, Todd Kessler and Glenn Kessler, eventually left and Minear was brought in to rework it. Nichols stayed on and still plays a young FBI agent, only now her character is a new member of the bureau's Violent Crime Unit in Los Angeles, hired by the unit's leader (Peter Coyote, "The 4400") because of a secret from her past. The cast also includes Jay Harrington ("Coupling"), Katie Finneran ("Wonderfalls"), Adam Baldwin ("Firefly") and Nelsan Ellis ("Warm Springs"). Brian Grazer and David Nevins, whose Imagine TV is producing the series, are executive producers with Minear and Gordon. Whedon Drafts Graphic Bridge to 'Serenity'One of the problems with transferring a little-watched television show to the big screen is that the multitudes who missed the show may be confused. Another problem, apparently, is that the fans of the show may be confused by the things that happened between when a television network abandoned the characters and a movie studio picked them up.Joss Whedon will help neophytes and "Firefly" fans get ready for Universal Pictures' "Serenity" with a three-issue comic book from Dark Horse comics. Whedon and regular comics collaborator Brett Matthews have written the three issues, which will hit hobby shops and newsstands and bookstores (and wherever else comic books are sold) on July 6. The comics will retain for $2.99 and will fill in the gaps between "Firefly" and "Serenity" and will introduce the uninitiated to Whedon's futuristic Western. "Serenity" is scheduled for a Friday, Sept. 30 release in the United States. "Working with Joss is always fun and a privilege, and especially so when it's 'Serenity,'" says co-writer Brett Matthews in a statement. "I love the characters and the world so much, how distinct and consistent the vision is and always has been. That sometimes to just keep going is enough, that there's meaning in the struggle even if you don't know exactly what that meaning is -- that speaks to me, and you get it in 'Serenity' in a way that's dusty and real and organic, not forced. It just fits. It all just means a hell of a lot to me." The "Serenity" line features art by Will Conrad and colorist Laura Martin, which is bound to be more meaningful for Dark Horse comics aficionados. Each issue will feature a choice of three covers which will be drawn by some of the biggest names in the industry, including John Cassaday, J.G. Jones, Bryan Hitch, Joe Quesada, Josh Middleton and Jo Chen. Set 500 years in the future, "Serenity" follows the adventures of the transport ship Serenity and its rag-tag crew. The film's cast is made up largely of holdovers from the FOX series, and includes Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Morena Baccarin and Adam Baldwin. Whedon's 'Serenity' Takes Another New FormJoss Whedon's protean space saga "Serenity" is ready to take yet another form.Scheduled for release on Sept. 30, "Serenity" is a feature film adaptation of Whedon's short-lived FOX drama "Firefly." As the movie preps for it theatrical run, though, it's also being turned into a roleplaying game from Margaret Weis Productions ("Dragonlance"). "The universe created for 'Serenity' is amazing," says Margaret Weis. "The movie presents a fascinating and intriguing view of the future. 'Serenity' combines the best conventions of science fiction and westerns in a unique way, and is a natural fit for a roleplaying game." Set 500 years in the future, "Serenity" follows the adventures of a transport ship and its plucky crew. The cast, composed largely of holdovers from the FOX series, includes Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Morena Baccarin and Adam Baldwin. Jamie Chambers, a vice president at Margaret Weis Productions, is developing the game from the Universal Pictures release. "Everyone involved on this project has an excitement and passion for the material, one that shows in the quality of their work and the fun we're having in early playtests." Chambers says, "Our goal is provide a game that is easy to learn, fast to play, and encourages the kind of fast-paced action, fun, and character development that fans will see in theaters."
|