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EW’s Michael Ausiello reports today that Ben Shenkman has joined the cast of “Burn Notice” for at least four episodes.

The actor, last seen on “Grey’s Anatomy”, will play Tom Strickler, a freelance spy broker who tells Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) he can make his burn notice go away… in return for a unspecified job, which could involve some nasty stuff.

Confirm here.

The Hollywood Reporter’s James Hibberd reports today that CBS has pulled its murder mystery “Harper’s Island” from its Thursday lineup, moving it to Saturdays at 9 PM ET/PT as of May 2.

The show, which was always considered a one-season event, opened to decent ratings, but steadily declined after that.

“The preliminary DVR and online streaming data suggest a passionate audience for ‘Harper’s’ outside its current Thursday time period borders. This move gives us an opportunity to improve the time period on Thursday while experimenting with more original programming on Saturday, and continuing to serve an audience that is clearly engaged in the ongoing ‘Harper’s Island’ story,” said Kelly Kahl, head of scheduling at CBS.

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According to EW’s Michael Ausiello, The CW has decided to run repeats of the first season of “Privileged” over the summer.

This strongly indicates that the network has not yet given up on the show, and that a pickup for a second season is now a much bigger possibility.

No pickup has as of yet been announced, but it sure is a good sign that The CW is giving the show more exposure.

Confirm here.

According to EW’s Michael Ausiello, Kaley Cuoco won’t be guest-starring in the upcoming season finale of “Grey’s Anatomy”.

According to her publicist, a publicity scheduling conflict with “The Big Bang Theory” prevents her from appearing on the medical drama. The folllowing statement was released:

“Due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts on behalf of The Big Bang Theory, Kaley Cuoco regrettably will be unable to guest star on the season finale of Grey’s Anatomy. Kaley is a big fan of Grey’s Anatomy and hopes to work with them in the future.”

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ABC has announced today via a press release that it has handed out early pickups for the next season to the following 12 shows:

- Desperate Housewives

- America’s Funniest Home Videos

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Per EW’s Michael Ausiello, HBO’s “True Blood” has landed quite the casting coup.

Evan Rachel Wood has signed on to join the show in its second season, playing Sophie-Anne, the vampire queen of Louisiana.

She’s currently scheduled for two episodes. But if a third season should (and probably will) happen, Evan will be back for more.

Confirm here.

I did this last year, so I thought I’d do it again today…

It’s time for a look at all those shows that are still considered “on the bubble”, and to take a look at their chances of seeing another season (or at least half a season). Please note that this is a status update. Things could always change in the next few weeks.

FOX:

The network has mainly two shows on the bubble. “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”, which is pretty much gone and “Dollhouse”. The latter currently stands a 50/50 chance of coming back. Ratings are not stellar, but the DVR numbers are still strong.
“Fringe” and “Lie To Me” are currently on the “expected to come back” side.
“Sit Down, Shut Up” started pretty low, and is probably already in danger of not even surviving the rest of this season.

NBC:

“Chuck”, which is NBC’s most prominent bubble contender, has improved its numbers a bit, but it’s still nothing to write home about. With Jay Leno taking over the 10 PM slot, the network has to reduce its number of shows, and with “Southland” starting strong, “Chuck”‘s chances are getting slimmer. “Medium” has a bit of a better chance at another season, but will have to change timeslot, while “Life” and “Kath & Kim” are pretty much over and out.
“Law & Order” is currently expected back for season 20.
“My Name Is Earl” doesn’t pull great numbers, but NBC could use a strong comedy to open up Thursday, so don’t write it off just yet.

ABC:

The Alphabet has not landed all-too-big numbers with its midseason shows. “Cupid” is probably not coming back, but comedy “Better Off Ted” and crime drama “Castle” both have intact chances of getting another season. “The Unusuals” gets an extra episode tomorrow night, and its numbers, along with the Wednesday episode that will follow will surely play a part in the decision making.
“Scrubs” was expected to end this year, but ABC is currently looking at options to bring it back, with Zach Braff appearing in some episodes.

CBS:

“The Mentalist”, the entire “CSI” franchise, “Criminal Minds”, “NCIS” are pretty much sealed for next season, with “Ghost Whisperer” and “Numb3rs” having good chances as well. “How I Met Your Mother” is also having a good chance of coming back.
“The Unit” is another story. It was considered a long shot for renewal, but creator Shawn Ryan is currently pitching a fifth season to the network. “Eleventh Hour” has not been entirely written off, but its chances for renewal are slim.
Of “Cold Case” and “Without A Trace”, it is currently expected that only one of them will survive. Personally, I think “Trace” has the better chance.

CW:

“Reaper” is dead, which puts freshman drama “Privileged” in a slightly better position. It’s currently eyed for a midseason order.

If you have questions, please post them below, and I will try to answer the best I can.

(Information gathered from The Hollywood Reporter and USA Today)

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ABC has updated its schedule for this week, and announced that an additional new episode of its new dramedy “The Unusuals” will air this week.

The show gets an extra boost from “Dancing With The Stars”, with an all-new episode following the dance competition on Tuesday, April 21, at 10/9c PM. “Cupid”, which normally holds this slot, will return on April 28.

“The Unusuals” will also air a new episode in its regular timeslot of Wednesday, 10/9c PM this week.

Several news outlets report today that the Screen Actors Guild and the AMPTP have finally come to terms over a tentative pact.

From TVweek:

The tentative deal contemplates a two-year contract, the Wall Street Journal reported. Details of the agreement between the studios and SAG will not be revealed until Sunday, April 19, when SAG’s national board of directors meet for a videoconference in New York and Los Angeles.

“The hardliners on the board in the Guild have pledged to oppose almost any deal achievable, and their issue is still new media,” said Jonathan Handel, an entertainment attorney with Troy Gould and a blogger on digital media law. “There’s no deal until the ink is dry, and this has to go first to the National Board and then to the members for ratification. There will be a fight.”

Confirm and find more info here.

Looks like a strike has probably been averted… at least for two years.

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Per EW’s Michael Ausiello, Kaley Cuoco, best known nowadays of course as Penny on CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory”, will be headed for Seattle Grace Hospital, to appear in the season finale of “Grey’s Anatomy”.

But what, or who will she play? Kaley herself is in the dark about it:

“I am working on Grey’s Anatomy next week. It is a big ol’ secret. I have no clue what I am doing. I swear on my life that I have no idea what I am playing because it is the finale and they are keeping it under wraps until the last possible moment. They called me directly last week and asked if I would do a part on the finale episode,” she explains. “I didn’t hesitate because I am a fan of the show, and it’s a huge show so it’s probably good for the career, too. And I haven’t been able to do any drama in a long time.

My guess is that I will be a patient of some kind. I’m practicing my scared-sad-I’m-dying face.”

Confirm here.

Well, what role do you think she’ll have?

TV Guide’s Tim Molloy reports today that Melanie Griffith will join the cast of the seventh and final season of FX’ “Nip/Tuck” for a multi-episode arc.

She will play Brandie, the caring mother of Kimber (Kelly Carlson).

But you’ll have to wait a wee bit for Griffith to appear on the show. There’s still no airdate yet for the show’s sixth season yet.

Confirm here.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that Jennifer Jason Leigh has landed her biggest TV commitment yet by signing on to recur on the upcoming fifth season of Showtime’s “Weeds”.

Leigh will appear in at least two episodes, playing Nancy’s (Mary-Louise Parker) older sister Jill.

Confirm and find a bit more info on Leigh’s part here.

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EW’s Michael Ausiello reports today that “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” has not looked far to find a temporary replacement for Julianne Nicholson once she takes her maternity leave.

Kathryn Erbe will fill in for her, alternating between her current partner, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Nicholson’s new partner, played by Jeff Goldblum for the last four episodes of the show’s eighth season.

Confirm here.

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The Hollywood Reporter reports today that “Stargate: Universe”, the new SCI-FI series based on the popular franchise starring Robert Carlyle, Ming-Na Wen and Lou Diamond Philips, has aquired some seasoned “Stargate” alums for guest roles.

“SG-1″ members Richard Dean Anderson (General O’Neill), Amanda Tapping (Samantha Carter), Michael Shanks (Dr. Daniel Jackson) and Gary Jones (Chief Master Sgt. Walter Harriman) have signed on to “Universe”.

Additionally, Christopher MacDonald will guest star in the role of Sen. Alan Armstrong, head of the International Oversight Committee governing the Stargate program. He’s also the father of Chloe Armstrong (elyse Levesque).

“24″ alum Carlo Rota has signed on as Carl Strom, head of the International Oversight Advisory, the civilian oversight committee that governs the Atlantis expedition and all funding.

And then there’s musician Janelle Monae, who, along with her band, will play herself and also perform two songs from her latest album, “Many Moons” and “Sincerely”.

Confirm here.

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That’s some bad news for all the fans of “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”.

According to EW’s Michael Ausiello, FOX will not renew the struggling drama for a third season. A source close to the show declares: “Consider it canceled”.

Some of you might want to wait for an official word from FOX, but I can say that you should probably start grieving now.

Confirm here.

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Per E!Online’s Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna, Showtime has ordered a fourth season of its drama “The Tudors”.

In this, the show’s final season of 10 episodes, the story of King Henry VIII. will be wrapped up.

But the show could go on in some other form. Executive producer Matt Hirsch: “”By calling the series The Tudors, we’ve at least given ourselves the possibilities of doing other Tudors. Elizabeth has been done to death, but Mary and Edward haven’t, and even Henry’s father hasn’t.”

So maybe it’s a bit soon to really call this the final season. But this is how it’s reported.

Confirm here.

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The Hollywood Reporter reports today that of the 13 produced episodes for the first (and maybe only) season of Joss Whedon’s “Dollhouse”, FOX will only air 12.

The season finale, “Omega”, airs May 8, which leaves episode 13, “Epitaph One”, on the shelf, and is expected to make its debut on the first season DVD box.

While this certainly may look bad for a struggling show, don’t give up hope just yet.

Producer Tim Minear has posted the following explanation on Whedonesque:

So maybe I can help clarify this somewhat. Because we scrapped the original pilot — and in fact cannibalized some of its parts for other eps — we really ended up with 12 episodes. But the studio makes DVD and other deals based on the original 13 number. So we created a standalone kind of coda episode. Which is the mythical new episode 13. The network had already paid for 13 episodes, and this included the one they agreed to let us scrap for parts. It does not include the one we made to bring the number back up to 13 for the studio side and its obligations. We always knew it would be for the DVD for sure, but we also think Fox should air it because it’s awesome.

Confirm and find more info in the original HR story here.

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EW’s Michael Ausiello reports today that the original Spock, Leonard Nimoy, has joined the cast of FOX’ “Fringe”. He will first show up in the season finale, and will have an extended arc next season (depending on a renewal of course).

Nimoy will play Walter Bishop’s former lab partner William Bell, who became a millionaire and ended up founding Massive Dynamic.

Confirm here.

The Hollywood Reporter reports today that NBC has decided to pull “Kings” from the Sunday schedule effective this week.

A second hour of “Dateline” will replace “Kings”. The network thinks that “Dateline” is a better lead-in for “Celebrity Apprentice” at 9 PM, which seems to have lost viewers during the past weeks which might have to do with “Kings” less-than-stellar ratings.

“Kings” returns to the NBC schedule the week after, but on Saturdays, starting on April 18, and will remain in the timeslot for the eight remaining episodes.

Confirm here.

People.com reports that besides Laura Leighton, there is another former resident of “Melrose Place” moving back.

Thomas Calabro has signed on to reprise his role as scheming Dr. Michael Mancini, probably in recurring capacity, since all the regular roles are already cast.

Well, who knows, maybe Michael is set out to give Sydney some tipps about being a “Melrose Place” landlord…

The article mentions that David Patterson (Shaun Sipos) is Michael’s son. Now this contradicts an earlier story of the Hollywood Reporter which says David is Jake Hansen’s son.

I tend to believe the Hollywood Reporter more, but since David is a rich kid cut off from his family, maybe a doctor daddy is a bit more likely than a barkeeper daddy… Only time will tell.

Confirm here.