TV Gossiper

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

By Michael O'Connell

Posted November 16, 2009

Special to Metromix

It's TV guest star week! So while you wait for James Franco, Lady Gaga and Heather Locklear to grace your tube with their sweeps stunt presences, chew on this gossip.

5. "Top Model" Preps Panel Shake-Up
No, Eddie Murphy won't be joining the CW competition series full time, but Tyra Banks has reportedly found two other advisors to join her at the judges table for the upcoming 14th cycle of "America's Next Top Model." Unnecessarily famous person Kimora Lee Simons and caftan-wearing Vogue editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley are her rumored choices. Fans might remember Simons as a judge from the series' first season—or from her fierce New Jersey State Police mugshot.

4. Everything Old is Still New Again
Waiting just long enough to permit a suitable Farrah Fawcett mourning period, ABC is hoping to capitalize on the year of celebrity death with a remake of "Charlie's Angels." The franchise that just won't quit got an order for a pilot for the 2010 fall season. Sony Pictures is footing the bill. The studio has been strangely committed to the lady detectives since reviving them for two films earlier in the decade and a failed TV spinoff in 2004.  

3. Plot-Packed "Mad Men" Finale Wins Record Ratings
Fans must have been expecting the rather epic turn of events on last week's "Mad Men" finale because 2.23 million tuned into the episode, making it the series' highest rated finale to date. All those loose threads will have to dangle for at least nine more months, though, because creator Matt Wiener isn't revealing anything—and may not even be aware of much himself. In an interview shortly after the broadcast, he admitted he wasn't sure which characters would be back next season.

2. Fox Sticks Fork in "Dollhouse"
Well, at least it won't have to suffer any longer. Joss Whedon's occasionally awesome but more often numbingly dark and confusing "Dollhouse" is no more. Fox canceled the suffering series last week, though it will keep its promise of filming and airing the second season's entire 13 episode order. Since that will wrap up fairly soon, what will Whedon be doing next? A typically tongue in cheek blog post confesses to a future of binge drinking, but his brother and "Dr. Horrible" coconspirator Zac hints at something we can all enjoy. The "Horrible" sequel is nearly written and production may not be too far off.

1. ABC's "Eastwick" Opening Brings Up Uncertainty
As you might imagine, ABC won't be ordering any additional episodes of the low-rated frosh series "Eastwick." Its performance has yet to live up to its "Modern Family" and "Cougar Town" lead-in, but its Wednesday night block is a pretty sweet spot. So what goes there now? Many think that "Lost"—which still doesn't have an official premiere date—will take over in January, but whispers from ABC point to "Ugly Betty." Despite low ratings on its new Friday night death slot, strong reviews and renewed network interest during its fourth season may be enough to push the comedy back earlier in the week.