After years of praying and hoping and wishing and dreaming for Kristen Bell to return to the small screen medium that turned her into a household name, the artist formerly known as Veronica Mars is back.

Playing Jeannie Van Der Hooven, a bright and beautiful up-and-coming member of a cutthroat management consulting firm fronted by Marty Kaan (Don Cheadle) in Showtime’s newest series HOUSE OF LIES, Bell has finally been given the opportunity to grow up. And nobody is as happy about that fact than her.

“It’s a very very different role than anything I’ve ever played,” explained Bell of her flirtatious and mysterious new character. “For one it’s an adult, I’m playing my age — YEEEES — not acting my age! For another, the character is very flawed and I think that makes it interesting.”

Suffice it to say, interesting doesn’t even begin to describe Bell’s latest role that has her immersed in the often indefinable and murky world of management consulting. Said the actress, “Management consultants do anything and everything it takes to get the job. No one really knows what consultants do and I don’t think consultants actually know, but they know they need to walk in there and convince you they are necessary. Not unlike an actor’s job, I will say, striking similarities there. So there’s a lot of putting it together on the fly, which keeps the pace of the show up because you never know if it’s about to unravel.”

Which, let’s face it, is half the fun and much of the appeal of acting on a cable network like Showtime, where anything really does go.

“I think they’re [Showtime] not under the same restrains as the Networks so they can go a little further with subject matter, with what they show and how provocative they are.” admitted Bell when asked about the differences between Network and cable. “I think it’s a little more interesting and I had my eye and was looking for something to kind of come back to TV. It’s like a feeling that I’ve been away from home for too long. I love doing movies, but I look at TV like high school and movies like camp. You create these great relationship in movies and then they sort of dissipate and you sort of go your separate ways. With TV, I like the crew that I work with and going to the same job everyday, it appeals to my emotional stability a lot more.”

Also appealing — aside that is from the risk of putting out a bad movie (“Unlike that one bad episode of VERONICA MARS in season 3… which didn’t exist by the way, you can do one bad movie and it can be attached to you as a little barnacle for the rest of your career!”) and not having to face the burden of carrying an entire series on her own shoulders (“If I tried to explain how happy I am to get to take a backseat, yet still have completely relevant role that is interesting and dynamic that is not all resting on my shoulders that tape would run out.”) was how comfortable the producers made her feel with regards to the more provocative nature of the series.

“She [Referring to her character] gets around, which is interesting and awkward to shoot but feels surprisingly safe. I did it in Sarah Marshall a little bit but haven’t done a ton of those kind of simulated sex scenes but they’ve actually been feeling weirdly comfortable,” said Bell. “I was very measured about talking to the Producers and they were basically like, ‘You own it so tell us what you will do, tell us what you won’t do’ and it just made me feel very in control which is all you can ask for.”

Well, that and a run that lasts slightly longer than the dearly departed brilliant but canceled VERONICA MARS.

HOUSE OF LIES premieres on Sunday January 8th at 10PM on Showtime (Monday at 9PM on TMN in Canada). Watch Kristen Bell’s HOUSE OF LIES For Free Online Right Now!

Because we sure as heck aren’t about to miss out on the opportunity to remind fans that after a string of forgettable movies VERONICA MARS’ Kristen Bell is returning to the medium in which she belongs (Read: The small screen), theTVaddict.com is thrilled to unveil this first look at Showtime’s newest series HOUSE OF LIES. Premiering January 8th, HOUSE OF LIES is built upon Martin Kihn’s popular book entitled How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Tell You the Time and revolves around dueling management consulting firms staffed with a handful of very good-looking people including Don Cheadle, Ben Schwartz, Josh Lawson, and Dawn Olivieri.

The fight for your disposable income between pay-cablers HBO and Showtime just got that much more interesting thanks to today’s news that has newly-minted Showtime President of Entertainment David Nevins giving the greenlight to two new series.

HOUSE OF LIES, based on the tell-all book of the same name is a new half-hour comedy created by Matthew Carnahan that takes a scathing look inside the world of management consulting and stars Don Cheadle as Marty, a highly-successful and cutthroat consultant who is never above using any means (or anyone) necessary to get his way with and for his clients. More exciting still is that his co-workers include Kristen Bell (HEROES… just kidding, VERONICA MARS) who plays Jeannie Van Der Hooven, a razor-sharp, Ivy-League graduate as well as Ben Schwartz (UNDERCOVERS) and Josh Lawson (ROMANTICALLY CHALLENGED).

HOMELAND is a psychological thriller based on the Israeli television series PRISONERS OF WAR, that tells the story of Carrie Anderson (Claire Danes), a CIA officer battling her own demons, who becomes convinced that the intelligence that led to the rescue of Scott Brody (Damian Lewis) a U.S. soldier who had been missing and presumed deal for nine years, was a setup and may be connected to an Al Qaeda plot to be carried out on American soil. Mandy Patinkin will portray Saul, a veteran CIA Division Chief who is Carrie’s (Danes) boss and mentor. 

Both series are set to start production this summer.

Good News: Kristen Bell is finally returning to series television after signing onto Showtime’s dark comedy pilot HOUSE OF LIES opposite Don Cheadle. Bad News: But not before sullying her once untarnished name in a string of box office bombs which include You Again, Couples Retreat, When in Rome, and… [shudder]… Burlesque. [Source]

Good News: The highly controversial too-hot-for-History-Channel TV miniseries THE KENNEDYS has found a new home. Bad News: On ReelzChannel, a network we not only didn’t realize existed until today, but one we’re fairly certain is not included in our current cable package. [Source]

Good News: In anticipation of Sunday’s post-Super Bowl extravaganza, Entertainment Weekly has obtained GLEE’s “boobalicious” opening number featuring a group of scantily clad Cheerios rocking out to Katy Perry’s “California Gurls.” Bad News: Nothing will ever compare to the unforgettable way in which Jennifer Garner kicked off ALIAS’ post-Super Bowl episode in 2003. [Source]

Good News: ABC has given the green light to a handful of high profile pilots from Marc Cherry, Darren Star in addition to the Producers of Twilight, GREY’S ANATOMY and LOST. Bad News: For on the bubble shows such as NO ORDINARY FAMILY, DETROIT 1-8-7 and BROTHERS & SISTERS. [Source]

Dear Ms. Bell,

It’s a cold, cruel world out there, as evidenced by the chilly reception critics gave your latest big-screen offering, When In Rome. But you know where it’s nice and toasty? In the warm embrace of your small-screen fans, who adore everything you do, whether it was your starring role on VERONICA MARS or those cheeky GOSSIP GIRL voiceovers. Heck, many of us even stayed with HEROES way longer than we would have — or should have — when you came on board.

We get the appeal of movies, we do. Hey, we’ve all gone slummin’ for a buck. But if the best you can do is pad your resume with one regrettable pic (Couples Retreat)) after another (When in Rome), is that really your best option? Isn’t that rather like leaving a job at Goldman-Sachs to wait tables at Denny’s? Especially given the amazing roles being created for actresses on everything from comedies to dramas. When so many movie stars are flocking to the small screen — heck, a recent DAMAGES scene featured Glenn Close, Martin Short and Lily Tomlin! — why buck the trend?

TV is now the place to be. Trust us. Take a glance at The Hollywood Reporter’s Pilot Log and you’ll find a slew of amazing roles that are more challenging and rewarding than those you’ve been making for the silver screen.

And hey, we’re not asking you to give up movies. That’s why God created the hiatus.

So while we’d loved to have seen you sign on as the lead in the CW’s LA FEMME NIKITA reboot, we completely understand if you’ve outgrown the teen-friendly network. But if it’s romantic comedy you crave, does it not make sense to have the creators of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER or THE OC pen it instead of the guy who wrote Old Dogs?

You know we love you,
XOXO
The TV Addict

No, seriously. According to Bell, if you want to see VERONICA MARS on the big screen (and really, who doesn’t?), the proverbial ball — as the saying goes — is in your court. Explained Bell via twitter yesterday, “VM movie fans- rob [Thomas] and i took it to WB- and they said ‘there is no enthusiasm’ to make it So fans have to convince WB! rob and i r in!” Adding, “ive told em i want to so bad- i think they dont think it will make any money so they want to be sure people will see it. big business. ugh.”

Which naturally begs the question, will you join in Bell’s crusade? And if so, will you use the hashtag #veronicamars in your tweets to help get the topic trending on twitter? Because in case you were wondering, this TV Addict is so totally in.

We’re not gonna lie, running one of the web’s most popular television blogs does have its privileges. Take tonight for example — rather than to endure repeats of FLASHPOINT or worse, a new episode of ABC’s highly unfunny SURVIVING SUBURBIA — this TV Addict is reveling in his very own EVERWOOD marathon.

Yup, season two finally comes to DVD this Tuesday, and to kick start the celebration (which rest assured, will culminate in your very-own chance to win a copy of season two on DVD on Tuesday), we simply couldn’t wait to share this photo of episode two’s fashion-forward guest star Kristen Bell! Seriously, Kate Gosselin’s getting credit for what now?!

Channelling Chandler Bing: Could Kristen Bell be any cooler?

In yesterday’s TVGuide, Super Scooper Michael Ausiello revealed that Kristen Bell has yet to sign on for a third season of HEROES.

Cue deep sigh of relief.

For if the lackluster season of HEROES, combined with the brilliance that is LOST illustrated anything. It’s that Ms. Bell made a career mis-tep so serious, you’d think Logan Echolls was running the show.

That said, thanks to the WGA Strike [never thought I'd use that phrase in a sentence] one doesn’t need to harness Hiro’s time-travelling abilities to make things right.

Heading into the new season, Ms. Bell is in the driver’s seat. And with advice from theTVaddict.com’s know-it-all readers, will hopefully avoid making the same mistake twice.

So take a moment to put on your $1000 Armani suit [Think Ari Gold], randomly dress down the person sitting to your right [if they ask you with a confused look why you're yelling "Lloyd!" offer to "hug it out b•tch"] and answer this question: Your client is Kristen Bell, should her next move be…

(a) Sign on for another season of HEROES.
(b) Return to her Broadway roots by starring in her own show. [Or LEGALLY BLONDE]
(c) Ride the Apatow juggernaut to movie stardom with the upcoming Jason Segel penned FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL
(d) Hook up with Rob Thomas for another incredible television show.

Just in case the one-two combo of HEROES and VERONICA MARS didn’t cement Kristen Bell as Nerd, err sorry Tech-Guy Goddess — here’s a first look at Ms. Bell doing the Princess Leia thing in her upcoming big screen adventure FANBOYS.