TV Gossiper

The week's biggest TV-centric stories—made even biggerer

By Michael O'Connell

Posted October 26, 2009

Special to Metromix

Which two recently fired stars of the new season will probably need therapy, and what TV doctor is currently casting potential patients? Inform yourself with this week's TV gossip.

5. Sweeps Snub Will Be the End of "Dollhouse"
No need to continue the guessing game. Despite promising to air all 13 episodes of the second season of "Dollhouse," Fox won't be doing it when it matters most. The network removed the struggling series from its schedule for November sweeps. Reruns of "House" will air in its place until "Dollhouse" returns in December (guess they just erased the "Doll" part from their November schedule...) with back-to-back episodes each Friday until it has exhausted its store. Obviously there hasn't been an official decision—and Fox is being predictably coy—but it might just be time to put the show out of its misery.

4. Katee Sackhoff Heads to "Big Bang Theory"
Former "Starbuck" Katee Sackhoff of "Battlestar Galactica"—who will be a regular on the new season of "24"—will stage an early return to the tube this November 23 with an appearance as herself on "Big Bang Theory." She'll be in a very geeky Wolowitz fantasy, playing his dream girl, and there are rumors that she'll be showing more than a little skin. Though considering "Big Bang" is still on CBS, don't get too excited.

3. Work Starts on Dog Whisperer Sitcom
It's been a while since the days of "That ‘70s Show," and all Wilmer Valderrama has been up to since is hosting short-lived MTV competitions. But things might be looking up. He's just been cast to play a character inspired by his senior doppelganger, Cesar Millan. The dog whisperer is the inspiration for a new Fox pilot. A half-hour comedy, the proposed series will follow the presumably hilarious personal and professional life of a successful dog trainer based on Millan.

2. HBO Signs Up For More "Treatment"
After hammering out the details of a contract with renewal actor Gabriel Byrne last week, HBO announced that therapeutic drama "In Treatment" would return for a third season. The new season will also mark a creative coup for the series. "Tell Me You Love Me" producers Dan Futterman and Anya Epstein will take over as showrunners when "In Treatment" resumes production early next year. Casting details are expected to be announced before the end of the year.

1. "Melrose" Displaces Simpson and Egglesfield
Though it just scored an order for an additional six episodes, the CW reboot of "Melrose Place" is anything but safe. So in a bid to bring it out of the ratings gutter, producers are shifting the tone of the series to something more lighthearted—and that means the canning of two stars. Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Colin Egglesfield were both released from their contracts last week. They'll continue to appear regularly until January when the resolution of the Sydney murder mystery sends them both packing. Heather Locklear will be back by then, of course, so who really cares?