Creator/producer Eric Kripke explained that “The French Mistake” had actually started out as an episode portraying a movie within a movie, but the more they bounced the idea around, it kind of exploded into this big “wink and a nod” to the fans who seem to never get enough of what goes on behind the scenes.  Thus, they thought it would be hysterical to have Jared and Jensen portray their characters Sam and Dean, then finding themselves having to play “Jared” and “Jensen” in an alternate reality.  The twist within a twist really appealed to them. Even writer Ben Edlund gleefully described it as a “nightmare of a thought” but that was exactly what drew him to it.  In an unexpected and generous offer, Jared and Jensen were even invited for the first time in the writer’s room to sound-out how they would feel about playing themselves on screen. 
 
Jensen candidly admitted that upon hearing the pitch, he was like, “‘You want to do what?!’”  He explained, “That was pretty out there, even for us.” Despite his intrigue with the idea, Jensen was initially reluctant to portray himself as he felt, “I’m not that interesting.” Jared was also somewhat startled by the ideas as he reacted in a rather expletive manner at first.  Misha Collins was also concerned about how he would be portrayed, and revealed, “I begged them to make my character a total douche-bag. . . . [but] they said ‘no’ — but I tried to douche-bag it up a little bit.” Jensen then laughingly admitted when he saw Misha’s portrayal of “Misha” in the episode, “[He] made me laugh out loud — which is just weird,” for Misha’s attempt to over-emphasize and create a caricature of himself was so outrageous.
 
Another small wrinkle that arose once the actors were on-board with the zany episode was the studios’ reluctance.  Eric revealed, “They didn’t think we were allowed to depict behind-the-scenes at CW.”  But because they had already begun production, they seemed to get away with it.  Yet even as they continued through with filming, “Every day, someone [in production] asked, ‘If this doesn’t work out, can we recover?” for they were concerned that pulling back the curtain of how the show was made would be revealing all their tricks and the fans would not want to continue watching the show.  Yet Eric’s response was, “The show is in its 6th season. The network pretty much lets us do what we want. We may as well take advantage, because we may never get the chance again.”  So despite the uncertainties, they ended up going for it anyway, and if the fans’ reactions are any gauge, they ate it up. As Eric noted, “We thought we could pull this off because we are aware of how interested the fans are in the behind the scenes. There seemed to be an appetite for what goes on behind the scenes.”  Though it must have been some relief to see how much the fans enjoyed it!
 
Eric also expressed how pleased he was with how his death scene was portrayed in that episode.  He even sent an official script note to the writers, which read, “Thank you so much for letting me die in such a manly way — and oh by the way, great episode.”  With so many people concerned how they were being portrayed and how the fans would react to an episode that pokes fun at the show being created week after week, in the end, Ben Edlund’s episode clearly scored a home-run. 
 
When asked if SUPERNATURAL ever seemed to go too far, whether it be to be too dark in its mythology or too light in its humorous tone, Jensen humorously quipped, “I don’t think there are lines!”  Though he did note that in “Changing Channels,” he thought the line had been crossed with the ski boots and the ball-buster game.
 
Another funny line that is not allowed to be crossed is the umbrella-line.  Apparently due to the frequent rain in Vancouver where the series films, rain is a constant and problematic issue.  But from the get-go, Eric was firm on his “no umbrellas” edict.  He felt it was wrong to have these two tough demon-hunters walking around with umbrellas, no matter how much rain they were stuck in.  Though he did cave on allowing Sam to switch from tennis shoes to boots.  So boots are manly enough, but umbrellas are not.  The same thing with bungee cords.  When a fan asked why didn’t Sam and Dean attach bungees to their weapons because they are frequently getting shot out of their hands, Eric explained that like umbrellas, bungee cords are just not cool enough for their show.
 
Turning to the challenges of directing versus acting and writing, both Jensen and Ben shared how much they enjoyed their directing debuts.  Jensen shared that he would in fact love the opportunity to direct again.   He admitted, “It’s more of a good kind of challenge, I found myself enjoying it.”  Recalling what it was like directing “Weekend at Bobby’s,” Jensen said, “Out of the eight days we filmed, five of them I was just directing, which was great because the times that I did have to act in the scene and direct at the same time were a bit difficult, because I was in a completely different mindset  . . . I didn’t realize how different a mindset it was until I was in it. I know now, so given the opportunity again I’ll adjust accordingly, but I think [the writers] may have given me a little reprieve on that just so I could focus.” He also revealed as far as future opportunities, “We’ve actually discussed it for next season,” but joked, “As long as he’s not in it” (pointing to his co-star Jared Padalecki).
 
Chiming-in, Misha also noted that, unlike most directors who come and go as frequently as the show’s guest stars, it was beneficial to him that both Jensen and Ben actually knew the overall story arc of the show and the characters, which allowed them to give advice on his performance in a way that others cannot.  Jared agreed, recalling that, unlike some directors who just tell him where to stand, Ben actually walked him through the scene with directions like “you can pause here and think about how Sam’s feeling.”  He had to reassure Ben that it was okay to just point and tell him where to stand!
 
As for Ben’s directorial debut, it is upcoming in Episode 20 entitled “The Man Who Would be King,” he is tremendously excited about it and cannot wait to see it finalized.  He described it as being a very emotional episode that will “bring to fruition some serious friendships.”  He also noted that, “I think this show is extremely courageous.” Then realizing that he may be giving something away, said with an apologetic air that he should probably stop talking.
 
Jumping right into the fray and getting the spotlight off Ben, Jim Beaver was more than candid that he was not thrilled about the Bobby Singer/Crowley kiss.  In fact, he humorously added, “42 years in this business and on my tombstone it’s going to say, “He kissed Crowley’.”  But he also noted that the show has been extraordinarily good to him, despite the detours of having his character both in and out of a wheelchair and the infamous kiss.  Jim explained how he found out that Bobby was going to be wheelchair bound as, “I showed up one season and they said, ‘sit down,’ and then the next season, they said ‘stand up’ — and I’m a pretty good actor, so I did!”  Also sharing a bit of insight about how Jim got cast on the show, Eric revealed that the character Missouri Moseley had to be replaced when the actress Loretta Devine got cast in a movie, so in a scramble, Bob Singer recommended Jim Beaver and they created a grizzled, older male hunting buddy of John Winchester just for Jim.  To this day, Jim is extremely grateful that Loretta’s career took a detour so that he could portray Bobby Singer on SUPERNATURAL. 
 
When it was noted that everyone in Bobby’s life seems to get killed off, including the now demised Rufus who bit the dust in “And Then There Were None,” Jim laughingly noted, “On SUPERNATURAL, everybody dies — except for the writers,” and producer Sera Gamble chimed-in to humorously add, “We like to kill people.”  That seems to be the fate of the characters in the SUPERNATURAL universe, everyone dies and no one gets to stick around for very long.  In the world they inhabit, it is all about good versus evil and the demons they face are horrifically evil.  It is impossible that everyone would survive in the face of such odds.  Plus, it keeps the stakes real.
 
Sera also shared how the fact that Sam went to Hell and back, coming back without his soul this season was like “ripping the Band-Aid off” and it provided for a tremendous amount of storyline this season.  The one year where Sam lived without a soul and Dean immersed himself in family life, trying to live a normal life, that reuniting them after such a dramatic departure and time apart gave the show “a lot of slingshot” with where to go this season.  The emotional resonance and ripple-effect just keeps propelling the story throughout the sixth season.
 
As for Jared, he revealed that he kind of misses “Soulless Sam.” He said, “I’m happy to be back, but I do miss the little guy.”  After five seasons playing Sam with a tortured soul, he liked the change of pace of portraying the darker-side and more disturbed aspects that Soulless Sam provided.  As for Jensen, he is relieved that Soulless Sam is gone.  From his perspective, after five seasons playing off Jared as tortured-Sam, he had a hard time grasping how to react and what the relationship between the characters was supposed to portray.  He was totally out of his comfort-zone.  So the return to the character he is used to playing opposite has been an immense relief for him.  As a bit of a teaser, Sera mentioned that we may not have seen the last of Soulless Sam.
 
Clearly not a fan of dramatic changes of character, Jensen voiced his appreciation for Misha’s consistency in portraying Castiel.  While Misha may complain that he is exhausted and may have perhaps done himself some permanent damage by opting to use such a deep, gravelly voice in portraying Castiel, both Jared and Jensen have found it reassuring and appreciate his dedication.  Talking about Castiel’s unusually deep vocal pitch, Misha said, “It has been brutal on my voice — I may be running into medical problems!” Describing Misha’s first day on the set of SUPERNATURAL, Jensen recalled how he told Jared initially, “Look, there’s the strange guy . . .” and now when they first heard the Castiel voice, he had wondered, “What is he doing?! Did he audition?”  But Misha had thought he needed a deeper octave for the role because Castiel’s voice was supposed to have the strength to blow out windows.  Being dedicated to the character, Misha went with the deeper voice and now that the character arc has expanded has been stuck with it ever since.  But as Jensen and Jared noted, that kind of consistency has made it a much easier work experience for them.
 
Ben also happily confirmed that his episode “The Man Who Would Be King,” is Castiel-centric and will introduce an angel, Rachel, who acts as Castiel’s lieutenant in the looming war in Heaven.  Ben described it as an “emotional key-up.”  Misha also cautiously admitted, “That storyline’s definitely getting tied up and played out and hashed out.” To which Eric revealed, “There are so many mythology balls up in the air . . in the end, in order to tie up all the loose threads . . we’re going to deal head-on with the story of what happens when those memories come flooding loose. . . we try to do it with some elegance.” 
 
With the final episode of the season having just been turned in late last week and shooting schedule to commence this week, SUPERNATURAL is racing towards its season finale – and with no final word on whether it will be returning for a 7th season next Fall. Should this season’s finale end up being a series finale, it will end with a cliff-hanger and a bang.  However, given the show’s success this season and consistently good ratings, everyone is hopeful that a 7th season will be ordered and it will allow them the luxury of not only exploring a bit more of the Winchester world.
 
But no matter how much longer the SUPERNATURAL tale continues, it has been an amazing journey, for the fans, cast and crew alike. 

Tiffany Vogt is a contributing writer to The TV Addict. She has a great love for television and firmly believes that entertainment is a world of wondrous adventures that deserves to be shared and explored – she invites you to join her. Please feel free to contact Tiffany at Tiffany_Vogt_2000@yahoo.com or follow her at on Twitter (@TVWatchtower). Tiffany also writes as a columnist for NiceGirlsTV.

It was another night of fun and festivity as WHITE COLLAR was honored on Day 3 of the PaleyFest at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills. Fans had arrived early for a glimpse of their favorite stars and by the time the panel began, the auditorium was abuzz with activity and excitement. After a brief introduction by creator/executive producer Jeff Eastin, the fans were treated to a special early screening of the second season finale. With treasure, lots of good-natured teasing and moments of comedic terror, the finale kept everyone on the edge of their seats. If the laughs and cheers were any indication, the episode is a guaranteed to be a fan-pleaser.

So as the lights went up, there was a palpable feeling of anticipation. As Jeff Eastin introduced the evening’s moderator, David E. Kelly (known for creating/producing such legendary shows as ALLY MCBEAL, THE PRACTICE, BOSTON LEGAL and HARRY’s LAW), he shared a brief humorous story about how David came to be the event’s moderator. Apparently Jeff had challenged Tim DeKay to contact David after Tim had bragged about meeting David at another event. So, in what could have been a potentially egg-on-his-face moment for Tim, worked out as apparently David’s daughter is a huge fan of the show and was only too happy to act as moderator.

With the mutual love-fest part of the night concluded, the remainder of the panelists were introduced: Matt Bomer, Tim Dekay, Tiffani Thiessen, Willie Garson, Sharif Atkins, Marsha Thomason, executive producer Jeff King and executive producer Mark Groffman. As each was introduced with enthusiastic applause, David appeared impressed at the warm reception. He later enviously noted that it made his shows’ fans seem “tepid” in comparison – which got quite a laugh.

In response to the first question about the genesis about the show, Jeff explained how he initially came to pitch WHITE COLLAR to USA Network. Jeff, having envied what Shawn Ryan on THE SHIELD, wanted to do a much darker show originally, along the lines “Vic Mackey gets outta prison to help solve cases.” But knowing that USA Network is known for its “blue sky” (“blue sky” meaning that the storylines tend to be a bit more upbeat and the visual look is meant to emphasize how blue and beautiful the world is, opposed to shows that adopt a darker, grittier look), Jeff elected to pitch WHITE COLLAR as seen through USA Network’s “Blue Sky Happy Filter” — and that, he explained, is how the character of Neal Caffrey popped-out – kind of like the anti-thesis of Vic Mackey. Right away, USA Network was excited about the project – though Jeff had to change the name. He had wanted to call the show “Commuted” with the tagline: “He ended his sentence with a proposition.” This naturally had the audience roaring with laughter — for as everyone knows, that tagline is not that far off the mark.

So WHITE COLLAR was a “go” right from the start. The next part was to cast the shows leads and casting director Gayle Pillsbury made that easy for Jeff, as she promptly pulled both Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay out of her casting rabbit-hat. She was so confident about Matt’s appeal in this role that she promised Jeff, “He’s a star.” Two seasons later and it looks like she was absolutely right!

While their talent and good-looks may have caught the casting director’s eye, from Matt and Tim’s perspective, they were drawn to the writing. For both, the secret to happiness for any show is great writing and they were tickled to be working on a show that offered such a rich combination of dialogue, characters and a fun backdrop of stories. Thus, the chance to work on WHITE COLLAR has been an extraordinary opportunity for them.

Feeling a bit left out of the revelry, David made sure to praise Tim’s earlier work on David’s shows, which prompted Tim to humorously say, “ I look back on the episodes I did of ALLY MCBEAL and THE PRACTICE as the finest writing I’ve worked on.” Laughing, David thanked Tim for “kissing my ass.”

Then, not wanting Matt to feel left out of the fun-and-games, David turned to Matt and semi-seriously said, “I am going to ask you the question I get asked all the time: what’s your phone number?” Playing right along as the room erupted, Matt playfully replied, “867-5309.” Seeing Willie’s expression, David then told him that he gets asked for Mozzies’s number all the time. To which Willie quipped, “Different people.”

Trying to get a hold of the quickly out-of-control laughter as the jokes kept flying, David tried to steer the questions back on track by asking Matt if he thought that Neal Caffrey ever feels remorse for his victims. Matt then candidly replied, “No. He believes they had it coming.” Matt also explained that, “Neal won’t ever sell Girl Scout cookies. He has a Robin Hood complex. He straddles both worlds, gets the best of both.” Jeff chimed-in to add, “[Neal] may want to be good, but he was born bad.” Clearly a bit tongue-in-cheek, the audience could see that this was meant to be a joke. But given how finely the show walks-the-line of whether Neal will stay on the new path before him, that laughter may be a bit premature.

Also taking a deeper look at the role of FBI Agent Peter Burke, David asked Tim whether Peter ever feels envious of Neal’s cavalier and lush lifestyle. Tim admitted that while there may be a little envy, Peter makes sure to keep it strictly at the admiration level. Peter perfectly well knows that Neal’s lifestyle is like playing with fire – you will get burnt. However, Tim also noted that what initially began as Peter using Neal for his expertise to catch white-collar criminals soon turned into more of a relationship of admiration and affection. “Peter loves that Neal loves to attack a caper the same way Peter does. Peter actually likes Neal, which is a problem.” So as Peter has grown fond of his new partner-in-crime-solving – Neal also has a new appreciation of what the FBI do as well. It has become a new game for Neal: the con within the con – conning the bad guys for the FBI.

In fact, both Tim and Matt confessed to loving how in the episode “Power Play” they got a chance to switch roles. (With a naughty glint in her eye, Tiffani Thiessen chimed-in to add that she “enjoyed it, too!”) Talking a bit more about the challenge of portraying his more statuesque co-star, Matt explained how he tried to imitate Tim’s physicality by putting his hands on his hips. But the really funny part when, as he explained “We don’t get a lot of takes . . . and I always go to Tim for guidance . . . and he says, ‘You know, that’s good, it’s OK, but you gotta stick your chest out.” It was only after Matt saw the dailies that he realized how ridiculous he appeared in that pose. He chuckled as he recalled, “I looked like a chicken . . . I didn’t have the same pectorals . . . I was compensating with my spine.” So despite the challenges of trying to mimic each other, both Tim and Peter would love to do more episodes playing the role reversals.

Turning to Tiffani, David noted that one of the things he loves about WHITE COLLAR is how strong the marriage is between Peter and Elizabeth – in fact, their marriage is the “rock” on which the show stands. Tiffani admitted that is her favorite part too – as it is a rare thing to see a marriage work on television. She loves that Elizabeth is Peter’s “rock.” When David asked if there was a bit of flirtation going on between Elizabeth and Neal, Tiffani hastened to reassure him that while Elizabeth may be curious about Neal, that curiosity is not in a “flirty” way. She explained “She fancies Neal . . . and she really likes Neal for the effect he’s had on her husband.” Just as everyone was buying into her explanation, Tim mischievously added, “[But] there’s a sizzle there!” Forcing Tiffani to laugh along with the audience.

As for what is cooking in Mozzie’s world, Willie Garson would only say that Mozzie exists to do capers. Like Neal is learning, it does not matter which side of the fence, so long as he gets to play in the game. Capers are like “oxygen” to Mozzie. During the discussion about whether the cast has the freedom to ad-lib lines, Willie provided the example of how he would not use the word “frenemy.” In fact, he called the writer up to berate him about including such a word in the script. He said, “Frenemies? Really? I’m almost 50.” To which David humorously interjected, “I’m beginning to see why your character got shot!”

Not wanting Willie to corner all the laughter, Marsha jumped into to share that next season, “I am going to be meeting my lady, Christy — maybe Diana’s gonna get some!” She also recounted one of the funny pranks on set where Sharif Akins pulled a great prank on her, “So this one day, I was going on and on and on about a celebrity that I can’t stand, and I was going on and on and on — and then the next day, this enormous bouquet of flowers from the celebrity with a note which said, ‘I heard you were talking about me. Thank you so much.’” As Marsha explained, “Because we all work with so many people, it’s six degrees of everyone,” thus she just assumed that word had gotten back to the person. She was immediately horrified and terrified that someone had told the woman about the comments she had said. Imagine her relief and outrage when she found out that Sharif had pulled a joke on her! Having been outed as a major player in the pranking department, Sharif shared that it was his greatest practical joke ever and he is quite pleased how successfully he pulled it off.

Because the cast had so much love for each other, David insisted on hearing about an incident where they were not feeling so warm-and-fuzzy about working together, which prompted Jeff to recall an incident and said, “The one time we didn’t all get along was the season finale last year when we shot in a pool that wasn’t heated.” To which Matt smilingly countered, “Well, what did you expect? I was wearing less than a thong. I was freezing! Of course I was grouchy. I was freezing! Icicles were forming on my nose. I might as well have shot a scene from the Titanic!” As evident, even on their worst day, clearly this cast keeps their humor intact.

Finally, with one last query about the show, David asked why it seemed in the first season that a lot more of the crimes were white-collar oriented, but during the second season, the show had begun to delve into darker storylines, such as murder and kidnappings. Which forced Jeff to ruefully admit, “We just ran out of white collar crimes!”

After sharing so many funny stories and revelations, the evening ended on a high note and more than a few teasers. So despite the shrinking world of white-collar crimes for Peter and Neal to solve, the world of WHITE COLLAR continues to expand as they embrace even bigger and better capers this next season. To see a hint as to what the third season will offer, tune in tonight to see “Under the Radar,” where Peter and Neal continue to stir up trouble about the mystery of the music box, and Neal stirs up an affair of the heart too.

The second season finale of WHITE COLLAR airs tonight at 10:00 p.m. on USA Network.

Tiffany Vogt is a contributing writer to The TV Addict. She has a great love for television and firmly believes that entertainment is a world of wondrous adventures that deserves to be shared and explored – she invites you to join her. Please feel free to contact Tiffany at Tiffany_Vogt_2000@yahoo.com or follow her at on Twitter (@TVWatchtower). Tiffany also writes as a columnist for NiceGirlsTV.

PaleyFest 2011 honored the HBO smash-sensation TRUE BLOOD on Saturday night at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills. With a line round the block and the entire auditorium brimming at the seams, fans excitedly awaited a glimpse of the stars and hoped for some inside scoop on what to expect when the series returns next summer.

While the notoriously tight-lipped cast were careful not to rouse any ire from their watchful executive producer Alan Ball, it was clear that everyone had a great time teasing what they would like to see, hinting about what is upcoming next season, and sharing a bit about what they love about the show.

With loud applause and ear-splitting screams to greet the sexy cast, sixteen cast members and Alan Ball arrived on stage to start the up-roaring evening. Besides creator/producer Alan Ball, in attendance was: Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgard, Rutina Wesley, Sam Trammell, Marshall Allman, Ryan Kwanten, Chris Bauer, Carrie Preston, Todd Lowe, Jim Parrack, Deborah Ann Woll, Nelsan Ellis, Kevin Alejandro, Kristin Bauer van Staten, and Joe Manganiello.

With such a large number of cast on stage, questions tended to invoke a lot of good-spirited, teasing and fan-baiting to see how the audience would react.

The first question of the night was a softball to warm everyone up, with the moderator asking each cast member who they have not yet had a chance to work with and who they would like to work with.

Not even hesitating, Kristin Bauer van Straten coyly tossed out, “I think Jason and Pam would be hysterical.” Followed by Kevin Alejandro who slyly said, “I’d like to work with Stephen or Eric. Anyone but this guy (humorously indicating Nelsan).” Then feeling frisky, Deborah Ann Woll added, “I think Lafayette and Jessica would have a lot to talk about.” Prompting Jim Parrack to admit, “I guess Alex — so I can see why everybody screams so much.” That response nearly brought down the house! Then Rutina Wesley mischievously said, “I think I would like to see some Tara and Pam action,” which elicited a roaring response. But taking a safer route, Stephen Moyer tossed out, “I’d like to sit at [Terry and Arlene's] kitchen table and play Trivial Pursuit.” And queen of the ball Anna Paquin merely acknowledged, “I’m spoiled. I get to play with everyone.” She received her fair share of appreciative hollers from the fans for that comment.

Then trying to amp up the already frisky fans and give them a few spoilers, the moderator asked about some of the characters when last seen and where to expect them when the show returns.

Joe Manganiello noted about Alcide’s unstable ex Debbie, “She’s still alive and at large, so you never know.” Joe also shared that because he kind of played his character Alcide as always being a bit grumpy and because Sookie was always roping him into her outrageous adventures, he kind of played the role like he was the “Winnie the Pooh” character Eeyore. Thus, after a trip to Disneyland, his co-stars Anna and Stephen brought him back a stuffed Eeyore which Joe now keeps on his bed at home. (It was harder to tell which was the bigger softy in this story: the love birds who bought him the Eeyore, or the guy who keeps it on his bed. So cute!)

Kristin Bauer Von Straten also shared that Pam’s magnificent wardrobe and outrageous sense of style continues throughout the next season as Pam always makes sure to dress for every occasion. Kristin also would love to see some flashbacks to Pam and Eric’s adventures in the past, as she thought those may prove interesting and illuminating.

As far as what is next for Jesus and Lafayette, Nelsan responded to the question of whether Lafayette can really trust Jesus, saying, “I think I can. I do. He has me under his spell, so I have no choice but to trust him.” But Alejandro then playfully responded, “Never trust anybody too much.”

Then talking about the young lovers Jessica and Hoyt, Deborah Ann Woll revealed that there may be a few bumps ahead. In fact, she teased, “The fairy tale can’t go on forever, but maybe the reality is better than the fairy tale?” She explained, “I think they see something of a similar struggle in one another,” but that familiarity and comfort may also lead to tension. Jim wisely kept silent on the matter and merely cryptically smiled.

Likewise on the situation of the ongoing romance and relation with Arlene and Terry, Carrie Preston candidly shared that she knows that Arlene is concerned about her baby because of who its father may be. She said, “Certainly, in Arlene’s mind, there’s good and there’s evil and if you are a serial killer, you are evil.” To which Todd Lowe added that maybe there is still the issue of paternity to be resolved, which may make things a bit easier. Carrie then added, “Last we left it, the baby was on-board and we’ll just say that that problem grows exponentially.

Then, in the world of Andy Bellefleur, Chris Bauer noted that Andy’s awakening interest in the illegal vampire-blood substance “V” will lead to a whole world of problems for him. He laughing said, “V has a lot of properties that Andy didn’t know about.”

Ryan Kwanten, playing Jason the ladies-man of Bon Temps and new law enforcement recruit, shared, “I think it’s kind of hilarious that this guy who’s not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed has been bestowed this sense of authority and, if anybody should not have a sense of authority — should not be wielding a gun — should not be looking after an entire village of meth addicts — it’s Jason Stackhouse.” So with that will surely unleash some future hilarity and sticky situations. Ryan also noted that upcoming for Jason are “good things — intriguing things– and hopefully very ‘watchable’ things happen!”

Marshall Allman who plays Tommy, Sam Merlotte’s younger brother, was the dark-horse of the night keeping all the secrets, but still charming the fans with a tale of how his grandmother referred to his show as “vampire porn.”

Slightly less reticent, but still holding his cards close to the vest, Sam Trammell would only share that the chances of Sam Merlotte finding love this next season is, “Slim — looking at the record — but I’ve got another shot. I’m at bat again.” Then noting the sad state that Sam endured last season, Sam said “He had a bad day — it was a bad week — the whole season. [But] I think he’ll sober up.” (To which Alan Ball added that in TRUE BLOOD, no one is allowed to exist in a state of peaceful happiness for more than one episode — it is just not as fun to write and the audience won’t sit still for it.)

Rutina Wesley was similarly reluctant to talk about what Tara will be doing when the show returns. She would only reveal, “We’ll see a new Tara. I think it will be very surprising where she’s been and what she’s been up to. I think she’s a lot more stable and that’s good. She may find some happiness.” She also noted, “It’s kinda cool where she goes.”

Not feeling at all encumbered talking about what is next for Eric, Alexander Skarsgard was a fount of information. He confirmed right away that Eric’s amnesia will have a big effect next season. He shared, “[Eric] doesn’t know who he is anymore — 1000 years of resentment for humanity is just gone — he’s very innocent… [He] needs help.” He added, “What we’re doing now is so different. This powerful character is just gone. What we’ve built up over the last three years is just gone and it’s lot of fun, because it’s the polar opposite of who Eric really is.” But Alex is clearly delighted with the change of pace, as he happily noted, “This is just a blast — what we’ve been shooting now — because he is lost, completely lost and he discovers a lot. He doesn’t know who he is. He knows he’s a vampire, but then he slowly finds out stuff. Like ‘Oh, did I do that?’ and ‘I killed those people?’ ‘Oh, really.’ That’s not easy to hear and it’s definitely a struggle for Eric, not knowing who he can trust and who’s a friend and enemy. He’s very vulnerable.” Alex also said to be on the look-out for a pivotal flashback involving Eric and Bill early next season, as well as perhaps a visit or two from Eric’s maker, Godric. (Alan Ball confirmed the reappearance of Godric in one form or another, as he explained, “One of the great things about having characters who have been around for hundreds and thousands of years is you can go back and you can see them at a different point in history. Or they can appear in people’s dreams. Vampires dream, too.” Then Alan cheekily added, “Or they might have been cloned.”)

Stephen Moyer, not feeling as candid as his co-star, returned to a more cautious approach in describing what to expect for vampire Bill next season only noting that there will be an entanglement with The Vampire Queen, played by Evan Rachel Wood. Stephen revealed, “There is a bit of a bite-off. There’s a bit of a fight, bit of a bundle and… things happen.” (To make sure the fans understood the heightened implications, Alan added that Bill and The Queen are not the only characters involved in the fight scene.)

Then, when it was her turn to share a few teasers, Anna Paquin vaguely said, “Well, [Sookie] disappears into this soft, warm fuzzy light with Claudine, and she comes back . . there’s some stuff that’s different.” Then hearing what she just said, Anna laughingly said, “I don’t know if I said anything at all!” She then explained that the glowing hand powers make an appearance in an upcoming script, which she made a point of emphasizing is actually called, “microwave fingers” — but that Sookie does not have control over that ability yet because it is so new to her. Anna noted, “She’s still very new at this fairy stuff.”

While the whereabouts of Sookie Stackhouse may be a mystery, Anna was a bit more forthcoming about the trio of men in Sookie’s life. She slyly noted, “There are certain things going for the different men in Sookie’s life.” Working in Alcide’s favor, Anna assessed, “[He] doesn’t turn into a ball of charred fire during the daytime and Alcide has that nice warm thing going for him, which is a plus. But Alcide comes with some baggage, which is less of a plus, namely an ex-girlfriend who wants to kick the ever-loving *bleep* out of Sookie. That’s a minus.”

As for the 1,000 year old vampire itching for some Sookie love, Anna reflectively shared, “Eric’s a little problematic for Sookie. He’s caused her some trouble. He seems to be looking out for himself a lot of the time. Every once in awhile, he proves himself to be disarmingly on her side. So it’s a bit confusing — and he consistently has shown interest, which might get acted upon. I mean, you never know. I guess you’ll just have to watch.”

But, for now, the love story of Sookie and vampire Bill is not all wine and roses. Sookie feels betrayed by Bill’s actions last season and is not willing to forgive and forget. Alan Ball revealed about a possible Sookie and Bill reconciliation, “It’s not going to happen fast.” They have a long journey ahead and it is likely not to happen very quickly — hopefully, 17 years (or television seasons) if Alan’s wish were to come true. But not wanting to put a complete damper on the fan’s expectations, Alan confessed, “It’s hard not to think of them as soulmates, when they’re soulmates in real life.”

Alan also explained that Season 4 is about “the duality of existence.” Trying to shed further light on what that means, Alan explained, “We don’t really think in terms of themes. I do, each season, come up with a stock answer, but I so respect and admire the hard-core fans that are here tonight that I’m not going to lie to you. We try to do a show that’s really amazing and fun and surprising and where you care about the characters and you care about what happens to them. Now I’ve told some people at HBO, perhaps, that theme of the season is ‘Man vs. Nature.’ Perhaps I said to someone earlier at the beginning of this project that it was about The Terrors of Intimacy… But I think the theme is ‘True Blood,’ More ‘True Blood.’” And that was the answer everyone was looking for as the room erupted with a roar of approval!

Spoilers ahead . . .

Then for those who are looking for a few spoilers, a sneak peak of Season 4 including a rough-cut scene where Jessica and Hoyt are leaving Fangtasia and are accosted by a rowdy bunch of protestors. While Pam and Jessica are forced to stand helpless by and watch, Hoyt is goaded into a scuffle with one of the protestors as another protestor video tapes the incident. It becomes a showdown over those who simply want to abide by the Christian values of love versus Christians who only live with hate in their heart. Hoyt believes his values are stronger and worthier as his heart is full of love. Unfortunately, this inciting viewpoint only leads to an outright physical confrontation — and what looks to be a very bad outcome for Hoyt.

In addition to this, next season be sure to watch for upcoming appearances by Gary Cole and Fionna Shaw, as a Wiccan witch, and perhaps a return appearance by ex-Vampire King Russell Edgington, played by Denis O’Hare. To which Alan helpfully explained, “We specifically made the choice not to kill [Russell]. I don’t know when he’ll be back, but there are definitely plans to bring him back… And he is gonna be pissed!”

So Season 4 is going to not only offer vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, and witches, there will be a new baby on the way — and a whole lot of the characters making decisions about where they want to go next.

In the end, Alan acknowledged this about TRUE BLOOD, “It’s for the fans — we just want to have this fantastic, escapism, emotional, sexy, romantic, terrifying journey with them — because that’s really fun.” And Season 4 is guaranteed to offer all of that. If the past three seasons are any indication, the hot-blooded world of Bon Temps is only about to get steamier, sexier and more seductive. Things are about to erupt yet again as the boiling point is reached. And you will want to be there!

Tiffany Vogt is a contributing writer to The TV Addict. She has a great love for television and firmly believes that entertainment is a world of wondrous adventures that deserves to be shared and explored – she invites you to join her. Please feel free to contact Tiffany at Tiffany_Vogt_2000@yahoo.com or follow her at on Twitter (@TVWatchtower). Tiffany also writes as a columnist for NiceGirlsTV.

1 sleepless night courtesy of pre-flight anxiety jitters.
2 hours of waiting in line to check my bag.
5 really awkward minutes getting getting searched a little-too-thoroughly by airport security.
6 hours of flying next to a ‘loud talker’.
An evening spent at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills (Zip Code, actually 90210!) with the cast of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER celebrating 100 legendary episodes: Totally worth it! See for yourself after the jump.

ON THE BEGINNINGS:
Cobie Smulders: Going into the pilot, I was Canadian at the time, I remember being so grateful I got a work Visa (Thank you FOX) and just kind of hoping that this would go for a long time. But also being a jaded actor and being like, “This is a pilot, it will probably just be a week and then I’ll never see these people again.” Yet it just kept going. That first year we got picked up for 13 episodes, we were all celebrating but at the same time thinking, “Who knows.” Then we got our back nine, it felt like a very celebratory year.

Neil Patrick Harris: Television is such a weird medium. Shows that are lauded critically fail and shows that no one seems to like sometimes seem to stick around for a long time. For a good two to three years we were constantly on the bubble. Up against DEAL OR NO DEAL and then DANCING WITH THE STARS we never had a lot of light shining on us. We would always have to wait until one or two days before the networks had to announce their lineup. That first year, none of us felt secure enough although we were all proud of the show.

Alyson Hannigan: I really wanted to get back to series and definitely wanted to do a comedy and HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER was the best script i had read and Carter [Bays] and Craig [Thomas] were adorable and sweet. Then when I saw Neil [Patrick Harris] when we were both at the network test we were like, “Whaaattt!” We’d known each-other for so long. ‘Oh, that would be so cool!” I think Neil was doing a summersault in his audition and I was like, “Hit the wall so I can hear you, like that was going to help, and you did.

Pamela Fryman [Director]: When I met Carter and Craig at a Starbucks, having red the script and loved it, it was like a great first date. They were so enthusiastic so we decided to do this and what happened when we got on set is that they had no bad habits. We would do something wonderful and they would go up the camera operators and complient them. The hole process was all so exciting. The actors were so fabulous and the words were magnificent, my job was easy.

ON THE GUEST STARS:
Jason Segal: I’m like a super comedy dork. No really I am. So working with both Chris Elliott and Bob Odenkirk, those are guys that I feel like I’ve learned from coming up. So when you have someone who’s going to be there for two days, you just want to impress them in a way that brings otu the best in you. The idea of making Chris Elliott laugh at something I did or Bob Odenkirk, that gives me a bigger thrill than I can even describe. It’s the coolest thing ever.

We’ve been very lucky, people want to do our show. We came on at the time when sitcoms were dead. People weren’t going to do this anymore, it was all going to be reality shows. We made it through some tough times and now people want to do the show. You should see the people lining up. It’s ridiulous. We told Clooney No!

Craig Thomas [Co-creator/Executive Producer]: Britney Spears. Carter and I were friends with her before. That goes waaaaay back!

Carter Bays [Co-creator/Executive Producer]: Every now and again the phone rings in the middle of the night, “Britney wants to do your show.” And you’re like alright, so that’s what next week is going to be. You just roll with it.

Craig Thomas: At the table read, one of the actors joked, “I hope I pronounce this correctly, “Brit-ney Spears?” For us, Bob Odenkirk, Chris Elliott coming up to Carter and I and saying, “Just so you know, this is my favorite comedy on television.” For us those are the greatest thrills, when someone you admire enjoys doing the show. That’s huge.

ON TED MOSBY:
Josh Radnor: When i first started doing the show, I felt much more connected to Ted somehow. Maybe I was looking at ways to connect to him, but five years later I feel quite different but i find him easier to play and I find that i’m a little bit charmed by him. He’s almost like an aggressively nostalgic guy. He’s a good friend, wants his friends together, to create memories and there’s something very sweet about it. Ted is a very self aware kind of character. He’s a rather charming creation that these guys [Carter Bays and Craig Thomas] have conjured up and you don’t see a lot of that on television.

Craig Thomas: He’s this guy who wants to find this one but at 100 episdoes he’s banged like 600 girls!

Carter Bays: He’s the dad of the show. We like the idea that he doesn’t have kids but he’s already a dad. He is the guy who says everyone get in the picture because it’s Christmas, very dad like.

ON THE QUESTION OF THE MOM:
Carter Bays: We really should just set a date, May 15 2010.
Craig Thomas: Like LOST.
Carter Bays: Or we can say we already met her in season 3. You didn’t see that one? Have you guys not been watching the same show?
Craig Thomas: There are clues. We’ve even shot a piece that will bring you to the mother already because of those kids. The actors who play those kids are respectively 40 and 42.
Jason Segal: I just want to say that if we keep pushing this long enough science will catch up and there’s no reason Marshall can’t be the father. We could make this work. we get along so well.
Josh Radnor: That is true.
Neil Patrick Harris: I feel the show is the journey, that is the show. It’s called HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER. Once you meet her then it becomes, “Did you cast the right person, now what happens.” It becomes sort of a jump the shark moment.
Craig Thomas: You haven’t seen the next episode yet. We should talk after.
Josh Radnor: I don’t think people really want to know. But it’s the first thing people want to talk about. I don’t know why people are so obsesseive about it.
Carter Bays: Maybe because it’s the title of the show.
Craig Thomas: We’re thrilled that people want to know but we always feel like a Bush era press secretary. How long can we deflect this?
Josh Radnor: Was it you [Looking at Bays and Thomas] who said one of the great things about HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER is that there is this belief that the show will be around in 2035.
Carter Bays: Absolutely! For me that’s something i like about it a lot. There is an optimism because it is so easy in this day and age to worry that maybe there won’t be 2035.
Craig Thomas: I should say in our minds, the living room where he’s telling the kids the story is half a mile below the earth’s surface.
Jason Segal: They should open a window and see flying cars.

ON BARNEY AND ROBIN:
Neil Patrick Harris: I loved it. I angled for it almost all of last season. I would do random things…
Cobie Smulders: And weren’t even shooting which was akward.
Neil Patrick Harris: Robin is such a sexual figure in the show in a way that I think that it would have been silly for Barney not to at least acknowledge her attractiveness. Those lingering looks sort of became a little bit more of the two of them getting together. And they had similar likes with the shooting, the guns, cigars and sex. Than it became a thing, but it’s a dangerous thing. I think it was only supposed to last a couple of episodes originally and it ended up going seven episodes which went by very very quickly.
Cobie Smulders: It went my so fast.
Neil Patrick Harris: It was great fun. But I will say in a twenty-two minute show it’s great to have a character like Barney that can come in and be a catalyst, say random absurd things and then go without then having to then cut to someone have emotional ramifications and deal with that. Barney seems like that guy who runs in and says, “Party on a yacht, let’s go! You won’t believe what I just did last night.” you don’t have to deal with that all the time and I respect that.”

ON THEIR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS:
Josh Radnor: It’s fun when all five of us are together. You’ll do the odd 13 hour day where you want to be gone but there’s also that time when you kinda feel like you’re in the bunker together and you’re really going through something, They fly in that fourth wall and you’re like I want to get out of here. You start eating a lot of Chex Mix. But It’s just one of those moments where you kind of go this is what you wish for in these moments. Personally I’m so grateful for this show and this opportunity I like it all.

Alyson Hannigan: I don’t remember what season it was, but the 88, that band was on and during lunch they played a set and I just remember everybody dancing around and thinking it was just really cool. This is our job. It’s so cool that we’re in this environment where peple feel comfotabl to listen to the band and jump around and dance during lunch, that’s very rare. Just stuff like that I’ll take away the memories off set. Now we do a bunch of puns that’s been really fun this seaosn. We’ll just spend hours doing cat puns. How can you work into a cat into a sentence. (Note: You’re about to find out, as the cast spends the rest of the panel doing just that)

Jason Segal: My favorite is more of a concept than a particular moment. We met five and a half years ago and over the past year Josh directed a movie, they [Alyson and Cobie] had babies, Neil hosted the Emmys and directed an episode and i’ve been doing my thing. Watching us all grow up togheter and sort of achieve our dreams has been my favorite part. Like,”Wow, we really did it.”
Neil Patrick Harris: Jason that was a purrrrfect answer.

Cobie Smulders: We had this magical day when we shot “Sandcastles in the Sand.” We took our whole crew down to a beach just north of Malibu and it was so the most beautiful day. We were on this beach, there were 80 of us shooting and there were Dolphins jumping in the water.
Alyson Hannigan: Were their any cat-amarans?
Jason Segal: I just hope you didn’t litter.
Cobie Smulders: It was a great day!
Josh Radnor: Thinking about that season, wasn’t that episode nine? Nine lives.
Alyson Hannigan: This is what we do.
Pamela Fryman: This is why the days are a little longer.

Neil Patrick Harris: I remember random little things. The finale of one episode we filmed and the beginning scene of the next where Ted and Barney were outside on the patio, I had cigar and the season ended with a “Wait for it…” and then the next season began with the dare or whatever. I loved filming that weird scene. I loved the Bob Barker stuff going over to the actual PRIE IS RIGHT, that was just a weird once in a lifetime thing and that was my highlight for a long time. But i have to say doing the music video… we do the same sort of show over and over again. And I’m so grateful to Carter, Craig, and the whole staff, that they are not complacent ever, they are always trying to come up with new and interesting things to do, not only story-lines, but styles of things to do. So we’ve all had chance to wear old age makeup, film on green-screen teeter-totters. I love the process of making it. We don’t have much control over whether people like it or whether it last, we only have control over enjoying it while it’s happening and we get to do random things with goats. we filmed an entire episode in a limo. So ending the 100th with every inch of ‘New York Street’ on the 20th Century Backlot where you’ve know that these giant movies have been made for decades, we get to do that. I feel very blessed.
Jason Segal: Makes you take a second and paws.
Neil Patrick Harris: Nice!

ON ROBIN SPARKLES:
Cobie Smulders: Someone told me this year they saw someone dressed as Robin Sparkles for Halloween which I would have loved to see. Robin Sparkles was such a gift from these guys. I don’t know why they thought I could sing a song? Sing, dance, work with a choreographer, lay down tracks…these are things I would never do. I just feel really blessed that they trusted me.
Carter Bays: We hired a Canadian writer two years ago, Chuck Tathem, He’s given us a lot.

ON THEIR DREAM GUEST STARS:
Neil Patrick Harris: Christopher Guest would be fun.
Jason Segal: My mother should be Hillary Clinton.
Alyson Hannigan: I keep pitching Jennifer Aniston, she likes the show, she told me.

ON HOW THEY FEEL 100 EPISODES LATER:
Craig Thomas: From a writing perspective, finding out more about of these characters, like how Barney thinks Bob Barker is his dad as a way to cover up his daddy issues, or that Robin was a Canadian pop star, seeing the three of these guys [Ted, Marshall, Lily] in college become a family, adding Barney and Robin. Getting inspired by how amazing this cast is. It’s so fun to discover the superpowers of this cast. When we started the show it was kind of based on us and our friends but these guys are so much cooler than us and our friends. It’s so great to sort of dig deeper and discover who they are comedically and emotionally. You don’t get that if you’re cancelled after 14 episodes.

Neil Patrick Harris: The excitement at the beginning is a little fleeting. But the confidence that we gain from longevity means we can appreciate the journey a little more because it will last a little longer. When you get to 100 episodes the show is syndicated which means it’s on a lot more during the day and people think it’s lot more successful show which allows for a sixth season. And if you’re going to do six you might as well do seven.

Jason Segal: My assumption going in from my experiences was that show would be great then we’d be cancelled. That was what I was used to [See: FREAKS AND GEEKS]. I was thinking about it the other day This is the longest I’ve ever been apart of anything, besides my immediate family, it’s longest realtionshp I’ve ever had, longer that I’ve ever gone to any school, this is the longest I’ve known a group of people. We know each-other really well and have kind of grown up together which is really cool.

Josh Radnor: We’re on this stage the FOX lot and you sometimes forget that the show is being beamed all over the world. I i went to a wedding in india and on five separate occasions including at an Ashram at the ceremony where my friend was getting married, this Indian family came up to me because the daughter recognized me. I don’t even know if the show plays in India, but it’s just amazing the reach that this thing that we do is so intimate, is just ours, yet it goes everywhere. People have these really emotional responses to it. It’s really gratifying when you meet fans, they love the show. A girl came up to me this summer and said she went on match.com and wrote that she wanted to meet a ‘Ted Mosby’ and she met him, they got married. It’s an amazing thing that we can kind of contribute to the cultural currency.

Prior to the recent Paley Festival 2009 screening of the final three episodes of PUSHING DAISIES, stars Chi McBride, Ellen Greene and creator Bryan Fuller took to the stage to deliver a heartfelt and emotional thank-you to the show’s dedicated and passionate fan base. A thank-you that this TV Addict took the liberty of recording in an effort to hold back the tears as Ellen Greene poured her heart out on stage so that we could share it with you just prior to tomorrow night at 10PM, when ABC begins to air the first of the final three fantastic episodes of this now officially brilliant-but-cancelled series.

RIP PUSHING DAISIES.

Seriously, really different
Which means don’t hold your breath for the epic space-battles that became standard with some of the most memorable episodes of BSG. “There are no Cylons coming to destroy Galactica and the fate of humanity doesn’t hang in the balance each and every week.” re-iterated Moore. “I’m fascinated by stories about people and you either love these character and you want to follow them every week and see what they do next [or you don't!]”

It’s FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (in the future!)
And who better to get audiences invested in the denizens of Caprica than Jeffrey Reimer, the critically acclaimed director of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS who Moore and co-producer David Eick went out of their way to single out (alongside co-write Remi Aubuchon) in their opening remarks at Monday’s Paley event for setting the tone of the series. Added actress Paula Malcomson who plays CAPRICA’s Amanda Graystone, “He [Reimer] had enough cameras sort of positioned so that all the self-consciousness of performance went away. As opposed to doing a master and a close-up, we had all that and it was like creating a play and really working and really doing a scene instead of, you know, we’ve done 13 of those and how was that one and was my close-up good. So it took all the math out of acting. It was really real.”

When in Rome
Further setting CAPRICA apart from its predecessor is that it requires absolute zero knowledge of prior BSG mythology. If you’re one of the many who think a toaster, is well, an actual toaster… don’t worry! Explained Moore, “I never say never, but the intention of CAPRICA is really to make it its own show, a series that stands on its own, that is part of this larger universe but is not predicated on knowledge of, or love of, the original. That was very important to us.” Added Eick, “The connections to BATTLESTAR should be subtle, ‘easter egg’ like, fun but not imperative, to understanding the show.” In other-words, joked showrunner Jane Espenson, fans should not be holding their breath for a surprise appearance by Col. Tigh’s father!

And finally, there’s no rush
Sure, NBC Universal would certainly like you to run out and buy/download CAPRICA right away, but the fact of the matter is that there’s really no rush. Especially since Sci Fi SyFy does not plan on premiering the actual series until early 2010. Which means moments after you jump fof your couch and shout, “Holy Frak! What happens next?” following an epically cool final act… it will quickly dawn on you that ‘next’ won’t happen for a minimum of nine months.

For a complete recap of the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA/CAPRICA Paley Festival Event, click here.

For the love of the Gods, before you press play on that just purchased copy of CAPRICA, why not take a moment to ensure the series gets off on the right foot by joining executive producers David Eick and Ronald D. Moore in a pre-screening libation, a tradition that goes back to the first initial bow of the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA mini-series.

“We were very careful in those days to do it in private because we had a lot of dignity and a lot of self-respect,” revealed Eick mere moments before the curtain fell on CAPRICA at last night’s Paley Festival event honoring both BSG and CAPRICA. “But that’s all changed now.”

So with that in mind, grab your shot of tequila (or for our underage readers, may we responsibly suggest a shot of milk… we hear it does a body good!), press play on the video above, and toast CAPRICA on what will hopefully be the start of a beautiful four, five or fifty-eight season relationship.

So say we all.

Characters coming back from the dead! Season finale shockers! The fate of Michael and Susan! Seriously, this TV Addict did not expect notorious spoiler-phobe Marc Cherry to be so quick to dole out the spoilers. But dole out he did, as you’ll read in this TV Addict’s report from Saturday’s DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES panel at Paley Fest ’09

Shocker: Mary Alice has an evil twin sister!
Okay, not really. But actress Brenda Strong who plays dearly departed Wisteria Lane resident Mary Alice in addition to narrating almost every single DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES episode does have an idea as to how she might get a little more on-camera screen time for her character. “I always thought maybe some woman just magically moves onto Wisteria Lane who looks uncannily like Mary Alice!” jokes Strong at yesterday’s Paley Festival. Too bad for Strong, creator Marc Cherry explained that, “I’ve had several actors over the course of the series who have suggested a sibling who looks an awful lot like them but it’s something I have resisted because it’s such a staple of daytime soaps.”

OMG: Marc Cherry’s Killer Regret!
Sadly, it’s not killing Edie Britt (more on that later). It’s offing Christine Estabrook who played Martha Huber way back in the first season of HOUSEWIVES. “I love Christine is a friend of mine, a I had done a series with her in the mid-ninties and I said to her during the pilot that I’m going to be killing you in sweeps, sort of my motto,” explained Cherry when asked who he regrets killing off the most. “But by the time it had come to do that plot-line I was really regretting it because she had popped so much.”

Spoiler Alert: The one housewife who will never die is….
Kathryn Joosten, who plays everyone’s favorite curmudgeon Mrs. McCluskey. Explains Cherry, “I remember talking to Kathryn on set one day about THE WEST WING [Cherry is a huge fan] and you [Kathryn] indicated to me that you were a little irritated that Aaron Sorkin killed you off [Adds Joosten, "A little?"] And in a moment of weakness, maybe I was feeling bad or I didn’t want her to be mad at me like she was at Aaron I said I’ll never kill you off. And as soon as the words left my mouth I thought, I don’t usually make that promise. But I have made it and she is the one character who will never be killed off on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES.

A Scavo Split Up Shocker!
At least that’s what actor Doug Savant was worried about when moderator Will Keck started sniffing around about the much buzzed about MELROSE PLACE re-boot that just so happens to star Savant’s real-life wife Laura Leighton. Said Savant, “If they were interested in having me back [to MELROSE PLACE] I would entertain the idea…. is there something I need to know [looking over at HOUSEWIVES creator Marc Cherry]…. have I been voted off the island?”

A DESPERATE ratings ploy?
“LOST had gotten so much attention for their fast forward and I though we needed to do something kind of like that. Something shocking,” recalled Cherry when asked about why the five year time jump, which according to executive producer Bob Daily was originally going to be 10 years until Cherry remembered, “Oh wait… I have actresses!”

Breaking News: Susan is never leaving Wisteria Lane!
Or so promises actress Teri Hatcher when asked by moderator Will Keck why she has pledged to never move away from Wisteria Lane, “I love the job, the character and the people I work with.” Too bad the same can’t be said for Eva Longoria-Parker, who it seems is a goner the moment creator Marc Cherry decides to move on. “Marc touches every word of every script. He’s on set everyday and to think of another person doing that…” explains Longoria-Parker, “I’d have reservations about carrying on with the show without Marc.”

Extra! Extra! Mike and Susan together forever eventually!
“This is the traditional problem in doing soap operas is that happily married couples are the death of drama,” explained Cherry on when fans can expect their favorite Wisteria couple to get back together. “Right now it’s interesting exploring a relationship between these two divorced characters and their child. But if Disney makes deals with all of us [as expected] it looks like we’ll get a few more years to play this out and I would imagine at some point in the continuum Susan and Mike will find their way back together.

Spoiler Alert! Get ready for the return of wicked Kathryn Mayfair!
“What you’re going to start to see as Kathryn starts growing closer to MIke yet still has reservation about his connection with Susan is that Kathryn will start doing some very Machiavelli things to keep him closer.” Adds Dana Delaney, “You never quite know about Kathryn, is he telling the truth, lying or just being really nice.”

Wisteria Whaaat? Guess who Mrs McClusky has her eye on!
“I have my eye on the [Scavo] twins!” joked actress Kathryn Joosten when asked by moderator Will Keck who Mrs. McClusky would like to hook up with if given the option! Adds Cherry on a more serious note, “I was just recently talking to Kathryn about a love interest for next season and she actually had a couple of interesting ideas which were somewhat shocking to me. She’s not the conservative older woman you would think she would be. There’s a wildcat in there!”

Killing off Nicollette Sheridan: Cherry comes clean
“Nicollette played Edie better than anyone in this town ever could have and I respect her so much,” explained Cherry. “But when a show goes on for years and years, I have a desire to keep you guys in engaged and to do that I have to keep this thing fresh, surprise you and come up with new characters that intrigue you. Creatively, my writers were starting to run out of ideas and the hope is that by killing off a beloved character, we get the opportunity to bring some new freshness to the lane.” Adds Cherry, “On tonight’s episode, we actually did something I’ve never done before. We did a whole episode about one character as Edie Britt deserves her due. She even gets the voiceover.”

Spoiler Alert! Gale Harold returns
According to Cherry, “In two Sundays, Harold will return and complicate Susan’s life in the most surprising of ways.” Not enough intel? Click here for more scoop.

More Spoilers! Nathan Fillion…..
… does not return. But that’s only because he’s otherwise occupied with his own ABC series CASTLE. A scheduling snafu that often plagues the show, with Cherry explaining that he’d also love to bring back Mark Moses who played Paul Young, but can’t due to Moses commitment to MAD MEN.

Finale Spoiler! Cherry teases the final five minutes.
“A major character from the first two seasons will be featured in the last five minutes of our season finale,” teases a surprisingly spoiler happy Cherry. “I think it will be a big shock who we decided to bring back.” [For the record, theTVaddict is thinking that Zach Young will be making a return, as John the gardner is way too obvious]

Our Paley Festival adventure continues with a report from Friday night’s panel honoring THE MENTALIST featuring the cast (Simon Baker, Robin Tunney, Owain Yeoman, Amanda Righetti, missing in action Tim Kang) and creative team (Bruno Heller and Chris Demetral).

On the show’s origins:
Creator/executive producer Bruno Heller’s basic pitch for THE MENTALIST was Sherlock Homes, with a spin. “Essentially it was our attempt to get back to an old fashioned detective in which we tried to create a framework for a bravura performance by a great actor and this is the result.”

Inspiration for Thomas Jane:
“If you go to any city in America, any part of town, you’ll find a psychic on the block who is essentially applying the same trade as mentalists,” explains Heller. “They’re trying to create the illusion that they can read your mind, that they can see beyond the veil. And what they’re doing is essentially using genuine nature skills of empathy… to create the illusion of supernatural powers. And that seemed to be a very interesting moral position to be in because they’re essentially performing the function of a psychoanalyst or a priest. But at the same time they’re lying about their powers. And least that’s my opinion. I think the interesting thing about the psychics is that half the country will say they’re, it’s not real, they’re charlatans, the other half will say, no, they are truthful and profound things about them. And it’s precisely that line that mentalists walks along.”

Simon Baker vs. Tim Roth:
“I haven’t seen an episode of LIE TO ME but I think Tim Roth is a fantastic actor,” explains star Simon Baker. “My fear always going into the THE MENTALIST was, how can you branch out the concept so that the characters can go in a lot of different directions. And I was very interested in how LIE TO ME deals with it, the concept after five or six episodes. It’s a lie! So what?”

Meet the class clown:
When asked by moderator Ben Grossman who the class clown is among the cast, without missing a beat, the entire panel looked over at Owain Yeoman, who quickly blamed the panel’s only absentee member Tim Kang, “He’s a joker.” Adds Baker, “Tunney has her moments too.” Who quickly defends herself by saying, Sometimes when I guy wins ‘Sexiest Guy on Television,’ somebody’s got to make fun of him.”

Meet the class clown (Part II):
Continuing the light-hearted tone of the evening, Robin Tunney attempts to praise creator Bruno Heller by saying that the relaxed tone on the set, “comes from the bottom down.”
Bruno Heller: “Bottom down?”
Robin Tunney [Laughing]: “Top down. A lot of guys that are successful in Hollywood are the guys who weren’t cool in high school and want to take control, be loud and feel important.”
Bruno Heller: “Are you saying I wasn’t cool in high school?”
Robin Tunney: “He’s really bright, he’s not somebody who got this job who couldn’t get a girlfriend. [Heller mimes digging a hole, audience laughs] He’s incredibly comfortable with himself, nobody feels slighted, everybody feels safe, incredibly gentle and kind. I don’t think that happens a lot. I feel completely good at work and it’s because of him.”

Owain hearts Chuck Norris:
“Tim [Kang] and I will pass many hours reading Chuck Norris facts,” explained Yeoman. “I can recommend “Chuck Norris vs. Mr. T” which is one of my favorites.” Adds Yeoman when asked for his favorite Chuck Norris fact, “When Chuck Norris doesn’t do a push up, he pushes the world down.”

Earmuffs!:
Or at least that’s what moderator Ben Grossman told the mother of two young kids in the audience before asking, “When is somebody finally going to get laid on the show?” Answered Heller, “It’s deliberate that everyone is not getting laid every week. I don’t think people get laid in real life as they do in television. But I just think that we’ll go there but we’ll go there carefully, respectively and slowly. And once you start getting laid you have to keep getting laid and we only have five actors.” Adds Tunney, “The chase is so much more fun.”

Jisbon forever:
Grossman alerts the panel that there is a “Brangelina-esque” name for Jane and Lisbon, “Jisbon!” And not only that, there is a facebook group as well: Jisbon Forever, complete with 18 members.

Should they or shouldn’t they:
Baker says “No! [Claps the audience] What was it… MOONLIGHTING…. did they get together? [Audience: Yes!] Was that the end of the show? [Audience: Yes!] Bingo!” Adds Heller, “That will be the end of the show then.” “I think the reason why the relationship works is that the characters are hardwired completely differently,” explains Tunney. “They approach work completely differently and they’re both very damaged. He’s [Jane] has been through this horrible thing with his wife, he’s not dating material.”

Elaborates Baker, “There’s five regular characters on the show. Van Pelt and Rigsby represent youthful sexual exuberance desire while our characters [Jane and Lisbon] represent a working evolved adult relationship where people see things differently at times. There’s sort of a sibling relationship and sometimes I think it’s paternal relationship. I think we’re not just pursing the sort of sexy vibe all the time, we’re actually filling their relationship with other areas people can identify with.”

THE MENTALIST vs. The Devil Wears Prada:
On which role was more fun, Baker says, “This one, because I had like three scenes in The Devil Wears Prada and I get to play this one every day.”

Paging Nurse Baker:
Prior to acting, Baker went to nursing school. “I was a dud student who spent too much time socializing and couldn’t concentrate, cognitive difficulties,” recalled Baker. “I was looking for a way out from the small town and meet women and the best possibility was nursing school where 85% of the students were women, 85% of the men were gay. So suffice to say, there will be a Seth Rogen, Judd Apatow movie about two guys going to nursing school!”

Solving the mystery of Thomas Jane’s car:
According to Baker, Thomas Jane’s car [a Citreon DS 21 in case you're wondering] was the actor’s idea. “Like his old worn shoes, I thought he [Jane] would be a guy who woul dhave a unique car.” Adds Tunney, “I still can’t open the door on it!”

Funniest fan question of the night:
Goes to the woman who told Baker, “My husband told me to say he thinks your ride marvelously in Ride with the Devil. He likes your riding, I like you!”

The truth about the CBI:
“The CBI used to exist but no longer does,” revealed Heller. Laughs Tunney with regards to the irony, “They [CBI] finally get a TV show and they no longer exist!”

Direct from the Paley Fest ’09 in Hollywood comes the TV Addict’s report from the hilarious and heartwarming panel featuring the cast (Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg and Kunal Nayyar) and creators (Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady) of hit CBS show THE BIG BANG THEORY.

What’s in a name: Producer, co-creator Chuck Lorre revealed that the character names of Sheldon and Leonard were a “goofy homage… just a little fan thing of our own… a tip of the hat,” to pioneering film and television producer, actor and writer Sheldon Leonard.

It all started with: Sheldon, Leonard and a very hard partying dangerous girl who moved next door. [The original [working] title for THE BIG BANG THEORY was “Lenny, Penny and Kenny”] “We learned very quickly that the audience hated this girl [who would eventually evolve into Penny] because they were protective of these two guys. They were innocent with big open hearts and you simply couldn’t put a toxic girl next to them,” explained Chuck Lorre with regards to the initial pilot that didn’t make the cut. “But CBS did a nice thing and gave us another chance. The network recognized that even though we hadn’t got the writing right, that they had two stars in these two guys [Sheldon's Jim Parsons and Leonard's Johnny Galecki] and said, do it again.”

Simon and Kunal’s theory on the show’s success: “The cast is really good looking,” joked Kunal Nayyar who plays Rajesh Koothrappali on the show. “Me!” added Simon Helberg who plays Wolowitz before transitioning to a more serious note, “I don’t think there are that many cool people in the world, really. So I think everybody’s got this inner kind of nerd that sort of feels inept in certain ways.”

What’s in a name (Part II): Just to clarify for all the fansites out there, “Shenny,” is what Kaley calls Sheldon and Penny scenes, because “Peldon,” according to Jim [Parsons] sounds like a garment.

Guest Star [Red] Alert: “When somebody comes on the show as a guest star they have to really step it up,” revealed Lorre. Added co-creator Bill Prady, “We’ve seen people come in and not be able to stay with us. You’re playing in the big leagues with these guys.”

K.I.S.S: Who knew this TV Addict’s high school english teacher had what it took to work for Chuck Lorre, whose entire philosophy when it comes to writing THE BIG BANG THEORY is K.I.S.S. [Keep It Simple Stupid] “There probably hasn’t been, of the 40 some odd episodes that we’ve done where Chuck hasn’t said, ‘Could this story be smaller? Simpler?’ Because when you get down to, the characters look at the world differently you don’t have to do elaborate storytelling around them. It is just let’s go sit in a train or Sheldon’s inability to figure out how to buy a Christmas present. Because the characters are different then you need the most ordinary of situations to put them in… which sometimes makes stories hard to come up with. Because at first it doesn’t look like it’s going to be anything until you listen to the voices of the characters.”

Aspiring TV Writers Tip #1: “Befriend Chuck Lorre,” said Pardy when talking about how to get a show on the air. “The show came from fundamentally hating what I was doing [for a living] and calling up Chuck and asking if he wanted to do a pilot. We then made the decision to figure it out on our own and just started writing it.” Now here’s the part where being friends with Chuck Lorre pays off. Because Lorre, thanks to a string of hit sitcoms including DHARMA & GREG and TWO AND A HALF MEN is one of the few men in Hollywood who has the power to put CBS head honcho Les Moonves in a room, get a few actors together and essentially act out what would become THE BIG BANG THEORY.

The origins of Sheldon: “Before I was a writer I was a computer programmer and was working with guys who were amazingly bright and had a little trouble fitting into the world, me among them. I would tell Chuck [Lorre] about a guy I knew who was a human calculator. If you programmed in Z80 assembly you had to convert from decimal to hexadecimal and you could either grab the calculator or you could shout it to this guy and he would be faster. But he couldn’t calculate a tip at a restaurant. And the reason is because the formula for a tip is 15-20% depending upon the quality of the service and he couldn’t put a numeric value on the service. It was human.”

The origins of Jim Parsons: “The first time Jim read for Sheldon I thought he must have gotten lucky, that can’t be real, it can’t happen again. I said, ‘Bring him back [into the audition room] and he’ll break your heart.’” Recalls Prady, “I said that’s the guy, and not only did he not break our hearts he did it better. His performance on the second audition, when he locked into it, has never changed. It’s weird.” Added Jim Parsons, “I have problems…”

The origins of Wolowitz: Revealed Prady, “There was a guy named Dave and Dave had a series of women, all kinds of women. And said he had two rules and the rules were: proposition every woman, have no standards.”

A Promise From Penny: Expect Kaley to make hordes of “sweaty men” [as Simon so affectionally referred to them] sweat even more with her plans for Comic Con 2009, “I want to dress up this year!”

If the CERN Large Hadron Collider Explodes…: Blame the scientists who love the show, have visited the set, and probably are spending a little too much time watching the show when they really should be watching that Super Collider!

The Mystery that is Penny’s Last Name: “It’s a very strange thing and has now become somewhat superstitious,” admits Prady. “Characters get names as you need them. Leonard and Sheldon didn’t have last names for a long time and ultimately someone called them by their last names. Wolowitz and Koothrappali started out with last names and then got first names.”

The Koothrappali that almost was: Dave Koothrappali was almost a reality, with Kunal recounting that, “Originally, my first name was ‘Dave’” Recalls Prady, “The original idea for Koothrappali was that he was going to be American born to Indian parents. But when Kunal came in….” Interjects Simon, “He was just so Indian!”

The Rules: In case you’re wondering, the rules to rock, paper scissors, lizard spock can be found here

THE BIG BANG THEORY ‘The College Years’: Don’t hold your breath. For as much fun as it might be to pull a LOST and flashback, which Chuck promises jokes we’ll see in “season 7″ he’s not so sure it would work, considering the gang basically all attended college when they were 14!

Putting to rest Ausiello’s scoop from earlier in the week: Lorre quickly shut down the audience who yelled “Penny!” when moderator Cynthia Littleton asked about a love interest for Sheldon. “We’re pretty clear that Sheldon’s passion lies elsewhere. Sheldon is in love with science. He’s opted out and it’s really interesting because i don’t know that I’ve ever seen a character on television that’s opted out. ‘No this is not what I want out of life. i want this over here.’ That makes Sheldon very special very interesting to me. All that energy is devoted to the things he loves. I think it’s great.”

Tonight’s reason why audience Q&A rocks: Comes from a 16 year old aspiring actress who told Kaley, “I just wanted to say without the intent of making you cry, thank you so much for being a positive role model. When most girls look up to the people on THE HILLS it’s nice to have someone so real and so genuine to look up to.”

We solve the mystery of how Simon fits into his wardrobe: “It requires pulling and I’ve actually had to have assistants help. I wish I was joking.”