Posted at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, July 2

OK “90210” fans, this news is by no means confirmed, but Entertainment Weekly columnist Michael Ausiello is reporting that the brain trust behind the new “90210” coming to The CW this fall has met with Shannen Doherty to join the cast.

Yes, that Shannen Doherty—the one who played Brenda Walsh in the original “Beverly Hills 90210;” the one who was booted from the show in 1994 because of her bad behavior. (She's far right in the original cast photo here.)

Doherty wants to know what her storyline would be, and how much money they will pay, Ausiello’s moles tell him.

But the biggest problem could be how she’ll get along with her once and future co-stars—Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling. In Spelling’s recent memoir, she reports that back in the day Doherty and Garth came to blows during the original show. There's reportedly a whole lot of bad blood there.

Posted at 3:45 p.m. Monday, June 30

Michael and Holly hit it off last season in "The Office."

Michael Scott found his soul mate in new HR rep Holly Flax, and he may get to keep her for awhile.

Amy Ryan will reprise the role for multiple episodes—at least five, reports Variety—when “The Office” returns Sept. 25, NBC said in a release Monday. Holly was introduced in the season four finale episode, “Goodbye, Toby,” when Toby Flenderson (Paul Lieberstein) left Dunder-Mifflin Scranton.

“I don't know what they're going to do with the character, but as it was written, there's certainly a lot of potential. It's a funny thing to enter a show that you're a great fan of—and it's nice to tell lighter stories,” Ryan, most famous for dramatic roles on “The Wire” and in films, told Variety. “I love the dark, grittier side of life, but it's nice to take a break from that, put a skirt on and brush your hair.”

Holly and Michael (Steve Carell) seemed to make a special connection, and NBC says she will be a potential love interest for Michael. I see a love triangle happening, because last we saw, Michael and Jan (Melora Hardin) seemed to be back together. Another potentially funny plot for Ryan: Holly thinks Kevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner) is mentally challenged.

Posted at 11:15 p.m. Wednesday, June 25

James Roday and Maggie Lawson are trading in the comedy of “Psych” for something spookier.

On the latest episode of NBC’s “Fear Itself,” called “In Sickness and Health,” the “Psych” co-stars play a couple whose wedding day doesn’t go quite as planned. Just before they walk the aisle, Samantha (Lawson, left) gets a note saying that Carlos (Roday, above) is a serial killer.

“I’m sort of doing like a poor man’s Jack Nicholson from ‘The Shining,’” Roday said Thursday during a conference call with reporters.

The actor, best known lately for playing fake psychic/practical joker Shawn Spencer opposite Lawson’s cop Juliet O’Hara on the USA Network show, said “Fear Itself” was “a fun little gag” because John Landis directed it. The “An American Werewolf in London” director has worked on “Psych” in the past, Roday said.

Airing at 9 p.m. Thursday on NBC, the “Fear Itself” episode follows what happens to Samantha and Carlos on their wedding day—including a bit of psychological terror.

“Obviously that’s about as far from Shawn and Jules as you can go,” Roday said. “It was fun for both of us to pal around and do different stuff.”

Posted at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 24

When NBC first announced that it was going to dump infants into the laps of teens for the reality survival series “The Baby Borrowers,” I was among the many who cringed.

More than a few tykes have called me “Uncle Curt” over the years. And I’ve always appreciated the fact that I could hand them over to their parents when they exploded into tears.

The five couples—all 18 or older—who move into separate homes on a Boise, Idaho, cul-de-sac don’t have that luxury. Over three weeks, they take care of babies for a few days, then toddlers, then ’tweens and their pets, then teens and, finally, senior citizens.

I felt worn out just watching. The teens, many who just know they will be good parents and want to start their families now, get a rude awakening.

They buy groceries, go to work, change diapers and feed the babies—all while the real parents watch on closed-circuit TV from down the street. The parents are allowed to intervene only when they feel the babies might suffer, like when impatient teen Alicea tells her assigned baby, Carson, “OK then, starve,” because the teething tot is too upset to eat.

Mama doesn’t like that, and schools Alicea in the fact that parenting isn’t about her needs. Alicea then refuses to deal with Carson, leaving her boyfriend Cory to take care of the kid.

“I have two babies now,” he told the camera. “A big one and a little one.”

Alicea’s not the only girl to give up. At one point or another in the first two episodes, all but one girl throws a hissy fit, leaving the guy to play daddy. And they all do it.

If ever there was an antidote to teen pregnancy, “The Baby Borrowers” is it.

Posted at 8:25 p.m. Tuesday, June 24

PHOTO GALLERY (left): SEE GEORGE CARLIN THROUGH THE YEARS

HBO and “Saturday Night Live” will pay tribute to comic George Carlin this week. Carlin, probably best known for his “seven words you can’t say on television” bit, died of heart failure Sunday at the age of 71.

On Saturday, NBC and “SNL” will honor the comic at 10:30 p.m. Saturday by re-airing the 1975 premiere episode that Carlin hosted. HBO will air Carlin’s most recent special, “It’s Bad for Ya,” at 8 p.m. Friday. HBO2 will air 11 of the 14 HBO specials he did beginning Wednesday.

Here’s the HBO2 schedule:

Wednesday:
7 p.m. “George Carlin at USC” (1977)
8:30 p.m. “George Carlin Again!” (1978)
10 p.m. “Carlin at Carnegie” (1983)
11 p.m. “Carlin on Campus” (1984)
Midnight “Playin’ with Your Head” (1986)

Thursday:
7 p.m. “What Am I Doing in New Jersey?” (1988)
8 p.m. “Doin’ It Again” (1990)
9 p.m. Jammin’ in New York” (1992)
10 p.m. “Back in Town” (1996)
11:05 p.m. “You Are All Diseased” (1999)
Midnight “It’s Bad for Ya” (2008)

Posted at 6:45 p.m. Monday, June 23

Tuesday night might just be the worst night of TV viewing—ever. Or it could be insanely, ridiculously fun.

Blame—or applaud—ABC. The network gives us a double whammy of physical foolishness beginning at 7 p.m. with the reality competition “Wipeout,” in which 24 people with no sense of embarrassment run through obstacle courses to win the $50,000 prize. Next up at 8 p.m. is “I Survived a Japanese Game Show,” in which 10 Americans, including Donnell Pitman of Chicago, are surprised when they are ushered onto the set of—drumroll please—a Japanese game show! Shot in Tokyo! With a studio audience! And the winner gets $250,000!

The contests on “Game Show” include something called “Chicken Butt Scramble,” while one of the “Wipeout” courses is called “Dirty Balls.” I’m leaving that alone.

You will see human cannonballs, a player trying to eat food off the head of a teammate who is running on a treadmill and hosts who provide mocking, often hilarious commentary.

ABC didn’t provide screeners—probably a smart move. Viewers will either hate these reality show spoofs—or love them.

Me? After watching a few short clips, I’m tuning in for more before I decide.

ABC provided this bio for “I Survived a Japanese Game Show" contestant Donnell Pitman, who is from Chicago:
Age: 32
Occupation: Real estate appraiser
Although Donnell is usually loud and energetic, this "All American" dad is struggling to provide for his family and fulfill his shattered dreams of playing pro football. Donnell has competition coursing through his veins and would love the opportunity to prove to his family that he can be greater than what they’ve seen so far.

Posted at 7:45 a.m. Thursday, June 19

Looks like the pilot episode of J.J. Abrams’ upcoming TV series “Fringe” has been leaked on the Internet.

The pilot, which can now found on several torrent search engines online, is not due to air on Fox until 7 p.m. Sept. 9. As of Thursday morning at one site, it had been downloaded more than 29,000 times.

The comments on another site where it's available ranged from “wow this episode is so kul i wasn't expecting it to be like this” to “Ten out of Ten! THE best programme I have seen for a long time!” to “The show really give X-files vibes.”

One viewer on another site said that the pilot’s “introduction is missing but overall the pilot lacks any Studio Water Marks or copyright messages.” That’s a good indication it wasn’t a DVD screener.

The positive reactions to the video are great news for Fox and Abrams, which makes me wonder just how the video found its way to the ’net. That’s an easy way to build up fan interest, no?

If it was a planned promotional stunt by Fox, no one is admitting it. I spoke with a Fox rep on Wednesday who told me that screeners will not be sent out to critics until August and that she wasn’t sure where the leaked video originated.

I want be sharing the torrent sites with you—so not ethical in my opinion—but these three clips have been mad available by Fox.

Posted at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, June 17

Country band Third Town got booted from “Nashville Star” on Monday.

America kept controversial “Nashville Star” contestant Justin Gaston on Monday night, but judge John Rich didn’t have anything good to say about the singer, calling him “terrible.”

"I think you shouldn't be on the show,” Rich said. “I think you snuck in through the back door."

Maybe Rich is feeling the heat from accusations that Gaston might have been a plant—and Rich might have been in on it. He didn’t seem to have early as harsh of words for Gaston during last week’s pre-taped premiere.

I mention Gaston (left) just so I have an excuse to show you yet another photo of the hottie. Um, does anyone care if he can sing?

The band Third Town was sent home this week during the live NBC telecast. Melissa Lawson was also in the bottom two.

Posted at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, June 17

It’s a big week for Jonas Brothers fans. Disney Channel airs the JoBros’ acting debuts in “Camp Rock” at 7 p.m. Friday.

In the new TV movie, a middle-class kid Mitchie Torres (Demi Lovato) goes to music camp while teen superstar Shane Gray (Joe Jonas) is sick of his boy band and performing. His uncle convinces him to teach at Camp Rock, where he arrives with his brothers Jason (Kevin Jonas) and Nate (Nick Jonas).

I haven’t seen the movie, but I’m sure it follows the same formula that made “High School Musical” such a hit.

Anyway, added bonus to the broadcast for JoBros fans: The boy band’s new video, for the song "Burnin' Up" (watch a taped live performance above), will make its world premiere during the broadcast Friday, airing at 8:55 p.m.

The video will be shown again at 9:50 p.m. Saturday on ABC, during that network’s playing of “Camp Rock” beginning at 7 p.m. ABC also will show a behind-the-scenes featurette on the making of the music video. Woo-hoo!

The music video features Disney Channel star Selena Gomez ("Wizards of Waverly Place") and David Carradine, among other guest stars. "Burnin' Up" is the first single from the album "A Little Bit Longer," which is set to be released August 12 by Hollywood Records.

Posted at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 15

Before J.J. Abrams' fall TV show “Fringe” airs, DC Comics will put out a comic book prequel of the series, which will focus on a group of investigators looking into paranormal activities.

USA Today reports that DC is searching for artists or writers to work on the comic, but it will hit the streets on Aug. 27, a week before the two-hour “Fringe” premiere on Fox at 7 p.m. Sept. 9.

The show’s getting the prequel treatment before it even begins? That's not really a prequel then, is it?

Semantics aside, "Fringe" must be creating good buzz to warrant such attention. That’s not surprising, considering Abrams' track record: “Alias,” “Lost,” “Cloverfield,” the upcoming “Star Trek” film. I’m excited to see “Fringe.”

In the clip above, Abrams talks about “Fringe” and his philosophy on telling great tales. The clip below is Fox’s previously released preview clip for the series.

Here’s Fox’s take on “Fringe”:

When an international flight lands at Boston’s Logan Airport and the passengers and crew have all died grisly deaths, FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) is called in to investigate. After her partner, Special Agent John Scott (Mark Valley), is nearly killed during the investigation, a desperate Olivia searches frantically for someone to help, leading her to Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble), our generation’s Einstein. There’s only one catch: he’s been institutionalized for the last 20 years, and the only way to question him requires pulling his estranged son Peter (Joshua Jackson) in to help. When Olivia’s investigation leads her to manipulative corporate executive Nina Sharp (Blair Brown), our unlikely trio along with fellow FBI agents Phillip Broyles (Lance Reddick), Charlie Francis (Kirk Acevedo) and Astrid Farnsworth (Jasika Nicole) will discover that what happened on Flight 627 is only a small piece of a larger, more shocking truth.

Posted at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 10

IS KATY PERRY’S “I KISSED A GIRL” THE BEST SONG OF SUMMER 2008? CAST YOUR VOTE HERE.

Katy Perry (right) will appear on “The Young and the Restless” with Michelle Stafford and Joshua Morrow. [JPIStudios photos]

Buzz gal Katy Perry makes her acting debut on the daytime drama “The Young and the Restless” on June 12.

And by acting, I mean she’ll be playing herself—but don't expect her to kiss any of the soap's female stars. In her storyline, the “I Kissed a Girl” singer will pose for the cover of “Restless Style” magazine.

Perry’s "I Kissed a Girl" recently hit No. 2 on iTunes and No. 1 on the pop singles chart. Her debut album, “One of the Boys,” drops June 17.

According to a release from Capitol Music Group, Perry will appear on “Y&R” in scenes with Nicholas and Phyllis Newman (Joshua Morrow and Michelle Stafford and Jack and Sharon Abbott (Peter Bergman and Sharon Case).

For more information and behind-the-scenes footage beginning June 12, go to RestlessStyle.com.

PHOTO: Katy Perry with “Y7R” cast members Joshua Morrow (from left), Adrienne Frantz, Michelle Stafford, Perry, Peter Bergman and Sharon Case.

Posted at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 10

Sarah Connor (Lena Headey) and the cyborg Cameron (Summer Glau) are two to TV’s toughest women. [Fox photo]

OK, this is a little early, but just so you know. Fox just announced it will air the entire first season of “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” this August before the show begins its second season on Sept. 8.

The “TCSS” marathon—or Season One reboot as Fox is calling it—begins at 8 p.m. Aug. 10 and will air at 8 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday to Aug. 24.

“TSCC” is an exciting new spin on the “Terminator” movies. The first season was action-packed with some great storytelling and acting—especially from Lena Headey as butt-kicking, overprotective mom Sarah Connor.

Sarah is trying to keep her son, 16-year-old John Connor (Thomas Dekker) alive as cyborg terminators hunt them down. She grudgingly accepts help from sexy cyborg Cameron(Summer Glau), who was sent from the future by the adult John.

They’re mission is to destroy the technology that leads to the creation of the cyborgs.

Go to the jump for a description of each episode and its air date.

Posted at 8 a.m. Tuesday, June 10

If you’re a “Lost” fan like me, you’re still trying to sort out everything that happened on the ABC drama this past season.

Apparently the “Lost” character are confused as well. Here’s a funny fan video that has been around awhile, but I had to share with you.

Seriously though, if you are wondering what has been happening on “Lost,” the video below helps us at least figure out when all those flash forwards actually took place.

“Lost” fan Dan Berry created this 8-minute, 42-second video that puts all the flash forwards in what he believes is proper chronological order (although I thought Sun already had had her baby when she visited her father?).

Anyway, he posted the video at /Film Web site, but you can watch it here:

Posted at 2:30 p.m. Monday, June 9

Viewers have yet to hear a note on “Nashville Star” and some long-time fans of the country music talent search already are crying “sham.”

The reality show moves to NBC from sister network USA for its sixth season beginning at 8:30 p.m. Monday.

Fans on message boards at NBC and USA Network—where the first five seasons of “Star” aired—are accusing NBC and “NS” producers of planting a few contestants without ever auditioning them.

“I am furious with the casting crew/producers. What a sham!!!,” WalnutValleyGal wrote at USA Network’s forum.

I couldn't get NBC reps to return my phone calls or emails to talk about the accusations, but in previous press releases the network has said the 12 finalists were culled from nationwide auditions.

The audition process and the finalists’ first performances in front of judges John Rich (of country duo Big & Rich), Jewell and songwriter Jeffrey Steele will be part of the season premiere. The performances were taped June 2 at the Acuff Theater in Nashville. After Monday night, all episodes will be live and viewers will vote to keep their favorites.

Some angry fans who posted on the forums have suggested that a few of the 12 finalists were hired from Broadway and/or modeling agencies to give the show good-looking young contestants that will attract younger viewers.

At least one accuser even suggests that host/judge John Rich, of the country duo Big & Rich, was in on the alleged scam.

“Tell the truth John [Rich] you brought some of us in from Broadway and were in on hiring underwear models,” SSY wrote at NBC’s site on June 5.

The “underwear model” in question in 19-year-old Justin Gaston (above), who does appear to be repped by Premier Model Management and Vision Model Management. He seems to be the contestant most under attack.

According to his NBC bio, Gaston moved away from home to pursue a singing career and supported himself as a model.

Fans claim Gaston’s NBC bio is made up, pointing to a bio at the Most Beautiful Man Web site that says “he moved to Los Angeles immediately and made the courageous decision to pursue modeling.” The writers also point out the bio mentions music only once, as a pastime: “In his spare time, he likes to play the guitar, do interpretive dance, watch movies and listen to Asian music.”

Gaston doesn’t seem to deny any of this. In a story published Sunday in The Town Talk, a newspaper serving his hometown, Gaston said he moved to New York and then L.A. to pursue modeling, but he had other plans.

“Modeling was just kind of to get me started,” Gaston told The Talk. “It was just to make money to do this. I’ve always loved country music.”

Read the bios of the 12 finalists on the jump.

Posted at 1 p.m Monday, June 9

“The Incredible Hulk” open in theaters this Friday, which give the folks at “American Gladiators” a reason to paint everyone green on Monday night’s episode.

Lou Ferrigno, who played “The Hulk” on TV in the 1970s, pops in to check out a green-hued Titan. Their meeting is, well, kind of like jock foreplay. See for yourselves in the clip above.

Why don’t you guys just make out already?

They also partake in an embarrassing fist bump, the second high-profile bump in the past week. And as RedEye Web czar Jimmy Greenfield wrote when talking about Barack Obama and his wife's bump, it’s a bummer.

Posted at 12:15 p.m. Monday, June 9

Chuck (Zachary Levi) and Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) might be moving in together.

Sounds like NBC’s accidental secret agent comedy “Chuck” is going to be twice as fun in the fall.

“It’s twice the action, twice the drama and twice the romance,” series star Zachary Levi told TV Guide on Sunday. “It’s Chuck squared.”

The show’s second season, TV Guide reports, will play with the theme of twos. “Chuck dies, twice,” Levi told the online magazine. “It’s crazy.”

Levi revealed some other developments that bode well for the always hilarious but ratings-challenged series (Translation: Watch it people!):

Posted at 6 p.m. Friday, June 6

Three very different types of made-for-TV movies debut this weekend. Here’s my takes on “Sybil,” “Backwoods” and “The Circuit.”

Jessica Lange and Tammy Blanchard take the roles famously acted by Joanne Woodward and Sally Field in CBS' remake of "Sybil."

SYBIL
7 p.m. Saturday CBS
I’d watch Jessica Lange read the phone book. Thankfully she gets to do more in this made-for-TV movie, starring as a psychiatrist who helps a client, Sybil (Tammy Blanchard), deal with her 16 separate personalities. Unfortunately this update of the superior 1976 TV movie skips too much story, which lessens the impact of the shocking atrocities that caused Sybil’s psyche to split. It also plants doubt the story is true, suggesting the two women, who died in the 1990s, made the whole thing up.

BACKWOODS
8 p.m. Sunday Spike TV
Eight colleagues go off into the woods for a company retreat but end up being hunted by members of a cult right out of “Deliverance.” I’m talking crossed eyes and twangy gee-tars here. The actors—including Haylie Duff (right), Danny Nucci and Ryan Merriman—do a good job, um, screaming and running. The second-rate script gets too misogynistic, but go figure—we’re watching Spike. Despite that, it was fun to see an arrow pierce a guy’s neck and other “Rambo”-like ambushes.

Michelle Trachtenberg, Drew Fuller and Billy Campbell race cars in "The Circuit."

THE CIRCUIT
7 p.m. Sunday ABC Family
Fresh from playing bad girl Georgina Sparks on “Gossip Girl,” Michelle Trachtenberg replaces the bitchy with brassy as a budding NASCAR driver. She’s no Speed Racer, no matter how fast she go-go-goes, because she won’t follow directions. She also doesn’t get along with her estranged father, a NASCAR legend (Billy Campbell), and is sleeping with her biggest competition (Drew Fuller). This made-for-TV flick has bedroom antics, family melodrama, you-go-girl spunk and a predictably cheesy ending. And lap after lap, it drew me in.

Posted at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 5

I have to laugh at the controversy swirling around CBS’ new series, “Swingtown.”

Earlier this week the Parents Television Council issued a warning about the drama, which depicts couples in 1970s suburban Chicago partaking in sex, drugs and, um, easy listening. The group said the show “drives a stake through the institution of marriage and family, and that children should not be allowed to watch the show.”

And as you can see from the news report in the video above, the complaints haven’t stopped.

Honestly people, “Swingtown” is not that bawdy. I have more vivid visions of sex in the seconds after my alarm goes off in the morning than the series opener—at 9 p.m. Thursday—shows in its entire hour. There’s more sex and drugs on ABC Family shows, for that matter.

All the squawking almost makes me want to root for “Swingtown,” which I didn’t really enjoy because it’s such a tease. (What it needs is more sex, not less—and more humor. Don't miss my review.)

But CBS couldn’t ask for better free publicity. With everyone complaining that “Swingtown” is too sexy for network TV, everyone’s bound to tune in—until they see it ain’t all that.

Posted at 5:20 p.m. Thursday, June 5

Fox announced premiere dates for its fall shows on Thursday. The shows previously scheduled to being Aug. 25 have moved to Sept. 1. Here’s the complete list as it currently stands: