Debuting last week, the hot new webseries DATING RULES FROM MY FUTURE SELF has already taken off like wildfire.  As seen in the first webisode, Lucy is on the verge of getting married and out-of-the-blue gets these text message warning her to not go through with it.  Unsure who exactly is sending the messages, Lucy is uncertain whether to take the advice being offered.  But as the series continues, even more adventures are to be had as Lucy discovers that she is receiving text messages from a future-version of herself.  Sounds like a sci-fi show, but in reality, this webseries is a fun comedy about a young woman trying to make the right choices in her life.  Taking a few minutes in an exclusive interview with theTVaddict.com, the vivacious star and producer Shiri Appleby gave the inside scoop on the series and what is really going on with the mysterious text messages that her character Lucy is receiving from the future.

Why don’t you describe how you got involved both starring and producing DATING RULES FROM MY FUTURE SELF?
SHIRI:  The guys at Alloy Entertainment came to me and basically asked me if I wanted to do it, and they said that if I would, that I could produce it and that was something I was really looking forward to and looking to want to do.  And I read the read and I thought it was an incredible show and a great concept, and I got involved.  And they were really, really awesome letting me be as involved as I wanted to be.

Sounds like a really rare treat in Hollywood, where they come to you with this dream-project.
SHIRI: Yeah, and I was really involved with the director, the writer, casting, production design.  I sat in editing every day.  I was involved with it from the beginning, so it’s been so incredibly rewarding.

What about Lucy, what can you describe about her and what really drew you to that role?
SHIRI: She is a girl that is learning to start listening to herself, that’s really what the text messaging and the Future Lucy is all about, and she’s got two great friends around her and she’s at that moment in her life where she is starting to blossom, and become a woman and have fun and enjoy her dating life.

Those text messages, are they going to translate more from a warning of “don’t date so-and-so” to more like advice along the lines of “look for a guy who has these qualities”?
SHIRI:  It’s more like “let loose,” “have fun” — yeah, she gives her all kinds of advice.  Lucy goes through all kinds of things.  Future Lucy even says, “stop texting me and go date!”  It’s really what you want somebody to hear.  It’s not just the sweet things.  It’s kind of like the harder things also.

Who writes the texts?  Does the writer write those or do you get to write them?
SHIRI: The writer wrote the episodes and the text messages, and then when we’re in editing we tweak to make sure they really work and hit home for the scene where the show was.

Do you ever feel tempted to re-write some of the texts yourself?
SHIRI:  I’m definitely part of the process, but we’ve got Sallie Patrick who is from LIFE UNEXPECTED.  She is an incredible writer.  We got pretty lucky having her aboard.

The show feels like a dream-cast and dream-setting for fans, particularly for those who followed you from LIFE UNEXPECTED.  It’s really fun that Sallie’s working with you again! 
SHIRI:  Thanks!

How would you describe the relationship between Lucy-in-the-present versus Lucy-in-the-future?
SHIRI:  Lucy-in-the-future, I think, is a little more desperate.  She knows where the story is kind of going, and she doesn’t like it.  She’s very lonely.  And Lucy-in-the-present is definitely a bit more timid, but is getting the courage and kind of getting the guts to make bolder choices because she has Future Lucy in her life.

Do you think Lucy-in-the-present will become dependent on her future self, or will she learn to become independent of herself as well?
SHIRI:  No, she gets made a Future Lucy.  She definitely has fights with herself. But, hopefully, she becomes — that they will have a relationship that will be back-and-forth and give-and-take.

I know there are a lot of questions initially whether it could be one of Lucy’s friends pulling a prank on her and trying to help her without her knowledge.  Is that explore further or is there a definitive that the future version is actually helping her?
SHIRI:  The future version really proves herself.

So it becomes really obvious.
SHIRI:  Yeah.  She says something that nobody else could know.

The clue!  For the upcoming season, it seems like there has been some wonderfully cast men on the show.  How many exactly are more romantic prospects and which are more just the friend variety in Lucy’s life?
SHIRI:  The guys?  Well, Vincent played by Martin Starr is really just a friend.  Dave, Taylor Kinney’s character, he might be a potential love interest.  And there’s a lot of guys that she kind of goes in and out of dating.  Like picking up a guy at bar.  Going to parties.  She does speed-dating.  There’s a ton of really cute boys that came in and out of this show.  It was pretty fun.

Maybe you could talk about the casting.  This seems like a fun cast.  How did you come up with everybody?
SHIRI:  For Mircea Monroe, Alan (the director) and I had emailed a few executive producers that we knew asking them if they knew of any hot, funny girls, and they all wrote back with Mircea.  Alison Becker, we found browsing the PARKS AND REC IMBD page.  Martin Starr, I had worked with a few times and I called him.  And Alloy had actually worked with Taylor Kinney on THE VAMPIRE DIARIES.  So they were really excited about having him on the show.  And Bryce Johnson, who plays Brendan, he and I have known each other for years ’cause when I was on ROSWELL, he was on a television show called POPULAR.  So we were both on the WB at the same time.

Oh that was fun! That was a great era of the WB.
SHIRI:  It was!  That was when FELICITY was on.

Were you a fan of FELICITY?
SHIRI:  I love FELICITY!

We all miss that.  In fact, we miss a lot of WB shows!  So where are you filming?  What sort of locations are you filming this webisode series?
SHIRI:  We shot in Los Angeles.  We built a lot of the sets.

What would you say would be clues that the viewers should be keeping an eye out for as they watch the webisodes to kind of enrich the experience for them?
SHIRI:  I think to got along with and just have a really good time.  The show is meant to be fun and have a bit of a message.

Maybe you could tease some of the upcoming storylines, like the speed dating, the Lucy, Kelsy and Amanda get involved with.
SHIRI:  They have parties at the house.  Future Lucy is definitely pushing Lucy to go to a bar and hook up with random guys. Lucy learns to stand up for herself with Brendan.  And the app that Lucy came up with becomes more and more a possibility.

With this new dating life being pushed upon her and to pursue the things that the future version of herself wants, are we going to have a major cliffhanger at the end of the season or where does this end up at for the first season?
SHIRI:  There’s a little bit of a cliffhanger.  Yeah, there is.  We want to leave everyone wanting more.

Will Brendan be kicked to the curb right away, or will he kind be featured more in the series?
SHIRI:  He’s actually not a bad guy.  He’s just not the right guy for her.  But he pops in and out.

So he’s not completely out of the series, he can come back at any time?
SHIRI:  No, no, not at all.

Maybe you could take a little bit about Lucy’s work environment.  The twins that she works with as her bosses are funny as anything.
SHIRI:  I know! Aren’t they?  The Yuan twins.  Yeah, she works at this great place where they create apps and she pitches an idea in the opening episode that has a lot of potential but isn’t received very warmly.  But the idea definitely comes back around.  Maybe somebody else pitches it.  But she stands up and definitely asserts herself at work.  So as the show goes on, we see her blossom there.  I think you start to realize that we’re starting to see how she created this app.

Is there a possibility that she’s being texted from a computer-version of herself, and not her actual physical self in the future?
SHIRI:  Oh, that I have no idea about!

That’s probably too sci-fi for your show.
SHIRI: It’s too sci-fi for me!  I don’t know.  I don’t know about that!  [Laughter]  But I think we did a really great job and I hope that everybody can tune in!

To see the next new webisode of DATING RULES FROM MY FUTURE SELF, be sure to keep an eye on the show’s Facebook page.  New episodes are posted Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.  Find out exactly what kinds of advice Lucy is getting from her future self and whether that advice really works. The adventures await!

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.

Most Unexpectedly Real Reality-TV Moment: We went from laughing at THE BACHELOR’s Madison to respecting her when she removed her faux fangs and admitted to realizing that by staying, she’d be robbing another woman of their chance to find love with Brad.

Worst Decision, Daytime Division: News that GENERAL HOSPITAL was firing Rebecca Herbst — who has played nurse Liz since 1997 — was such a shock that she actually wound up a “trending topic” on Twitter!

Best Guest Appearance: Lucy Lawless looked flawless and was wildly funny during her bits on THE SOUP.

Worst Guest Appearance: While Rob Lowe may perfectly encapsulate the American ideal of a political operative on PARKS AND RECREATION, his complete and utter lack of comedic timing has us wishing we could vote him out of office… and STAT!

The First Annual “Have Our Cake And Eat It To Award” Recipient: MTV’s version of SKINS set out to push the envelops… then feared it had gone too far and re-edited scenes from a yet-to-air episode.

Best Accessory: With apologies to Vince Faraday’s somewhat versatile cape, Robin Sherbatsky’s vice-filled purse on Monday’s heartbreaking HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER would most certainly be our accessory of choice. Particularly after a week like this one, R.I.P. LIFE UNEXPECTED.

Best Accessory (Runner Up): In a sweet nod to his COSBY roots, Shirley’s ex-husband Andre (play by Malcolm Jamal Warner) dropped by Greendale COMMUNITY College with a sweater given to him by his “dad.” All together now, “Awwwwwwwww”

The “Yeah, We’re Not Buyin’ What You’re Sellin’” Award Goes To: The folks at FOXNews who claim that Joan Rivers appearance on the network was “accidentally canceled” instead of rebooked in light of the funny lady’s remarks regarding Sarah Palin’s connection to the shootings in Arizona. Do we think it’s now being rebooked? Of course. They may be liars, but they ain’t fools… especially where publicity is concerned.

Most Entertaining Reality-TV Competition of the Week: Sorry AMERICAN IDOL, our vote goes for THE MIDDLE’s “Square Dancing with the Stars.” Brad and Sue, now there’s a team we can really get behind!

Least Realistic Plot Point of the Week: Lux, you know we love you, but unless we missed that very special episode of LIFE UNEXPECTED that saw your family crash land into a mysterious lake along the lines of NO ORDINARY POWERS, there is absolutely no way we’re buying your two-year transformation from practically flunking our of high school to valedictorian. And speaking of NO ORDINARY FAMILY…

Best TV Mashup: Quick! What do you get when you combine elements of Die Hard, The Breakfast Club and Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country into a forty-four television show? The most entertaining instalment of NO ORDINARY FAMILY to date.

Biggest Tearjerker of the Week: Frankly, we’re not sure what has us more upset. PARENTHOOD’s beautifully played scene in which Haddie’s boyfriend-non-grata Alex (Michael Jordan) wonders aloud how his life would have turned out if he had parents like Mr. and Mrs. Braverman, or the fact that only 5.97 million of you bothered to watch.

Despite the fact that we’re hesitant to kick a good show when it’s down — or effectively canceled by the CW as the case may be — we do feel the need to get a few things off of our chest with regards to last night’s LIFE UNEXPECTED series finale.

THE GOOD: While not exactly how we would have liked to have seen the series end, we are unabashed suckers for flash forwards that wrap up storylines in a neat and tidy bow. Particularly ones that involve Cate and Baze’s tearful reaction to Lux graduating high school, Lux finally calling Cate and Baze “Mom” and “Dad,” and a clever nod to the show’s original title that saw the writers slip “Light Years” into Lux’s Valedictorian speech. Which brings us to…

THE BAD: Valedictorian, really? Now don’t get us wrong, as thrilled as we were to see Lux successfully overcome her learning disability [Insert awkward shout out to Mr. Eric Matthews here!] we can’t help but think that it would have been more than enough of a victory for Lux to have simply graduated high school and attend college with her best friend Tasha. And speaking of Tasha, why exactly is she still best friends with Lux? First Lux plays somewhat of an integral role in sending her back to Juvie, only to then go ahead and steal her boyfriend. Look, we appreciate that having our titular heroine end up with “Abercrombie” Jones was important in illustrating that Lux finally got the opportunity to score (in more ways than one!) the quintessential high school experience, but was it really necessary to do so at poor Tasha’s expense? Which brings us to the biggest shocker of the evening, Cate and Baze got their happily ever after… whodathunkit! Certainly not us, seeing as though we stopped rooting for them as a couple after creator Liz Tigelaar made it quite clear that LIFE UNEXPECTED wasn’t about the two of them getting together, but rather celebrating a different kind of family… but we digress. And will conclude with what is hands down the most disappointing issue surrounding last night’s finale. Math and Alice WTF! Just kidding…

THE UGLY: Filling the hole in the CW’s schedule starting February 23 will be the network’s newest reality competition: SHEDDING FOR THE WEDDING. Can nine overweight couples compete to see who can lost the most weight and win the wedding o f their dreams? Suffice to say, we will not be tuning in to find out.

Tis better to have watched and lost than never to have watched at all. Which is why, rather than remain bitter and resentful over the CW for YET AGAIN putting one of our favorite shows on “early hiatus” — over a measly .3 of a ratings point no less — we thought we’d take the high road by reminding everyone that tonight marks the season, nay, series finale of LIFE UNEXPECTED. Will Baze, Cate, and Lux get their respective happily ever afters? There’s only one way to find out! Tune in tonight at 8PM on the CW. And until then, enjoy these never before seen behind-the-scenes photos, more of which can be found after the jump.

Before the CW can bid adieu to LIFE UNEXPECTED, creator Liz Tigelaar has quite a bit to answer for. Thankfully for the show’s small, albeit very passionate fan base, she’ll have two-hours to attempt to give Baze, Cate, Lux and Ryan their respective happily ever afters. And here with your first look at “Teacher Schooled” and “Affair Remembered” airing back-to-back starting at 8PM this Tuesday January 18 on the CW is theTVaddict.com. More first look photos of which can be found after the jump.

Good News: For Kristoffer Polaha, who has a lot to be thankful for this holiday season after signing a rich talent holding deal with CBS. Bad News: For LIFE UNEXPECTED fans, as Polaha’s talent deal effectively puts the final nail in the proverbial coffin. RIP LUX. [Source]

Good News: Kim Kardashian is dead. Bad News: For charity. [Source]

Good News: AMERICAN IDOL winner Lee DeWyze (Remember him?) is making headlines Bad News: For holding the dubious distinction of the worst opening sales of not just any IDOL winner, but runner up to date. Ouch. [Source]

THE GOOD WIFE
Despite what some of our television viewing habits might suggest, we are in fact not a 13 year old girl. And as a result of having almost no familiarity with the Nickelodeon smash hit iCARLY, we honestly didn’t know what to expect from Tuesday’s episode featuring special guest star Miranda Cosgrove. So you can imagine our surprise when Cosgrove, stepping into the shoes of Sloane — a teenage starlet accused of injuring a woman with her car while under the influence — amounted to one of the most entertaining episodes of an already stellar sophomore season. Adding to our enjoyment of the ripped-from-the-headlines story was the not-so-subtle shot from the CBS/Viacom owned GOOD WIFE at rival Disney that had Sloane blaming her bad behaviour on trying to “climb out of the Disney Ghetto thing,” her gratuitous use of twitter that had the actress channel her inner “Lohan” by tweeting from the trial, as well the show’s now trademark penchant for incorporating such real-life technology du jour as the infamous Taiwanese news animations into the show. That, and we seriously cannot get enough of Alan Cumming’s slithering Eli Gold who has quietly usurped Kalinda as our favorite non-Florrick character on the show.

LIFE UNEXPECTED
Well, the good news is that despite LIFE UNEXPECTED’s failure to receive a full second season order from the CW, the cast and creative team clearly aren’t resting on their laurels. Unfortunately, the bad news is that Tuesday’s episode —which saw Lux confront her former foster parents with horrifying results, Cate and Ryan reach a positive turning point in their relationship and the introduction of yet another bad boy (DEGRASSI alum Landon Liboiron) to complicate Lux’s not so simple life — means that the CW looks even worse for effectively cancelling this little watched gem of a series. Note to Dawn Ostroff, we never forget (see: EVERWOOD, JACK & BOBBY, VERONICA MARS).

COMMUNITY
Just when we thought we couldn’t love COMMUNITY any more following last week’s pen-tastic episode came Thursday’s homage to classic conspiracy thrillers. Suffice to say, “Conspiracy Theories and Soft Defenses” had us in stitches thanks to an endless barrage of double and triple-crosses as a result of Jeff trying to teach Annie about friendship and Annie attempting to teach Jeff about cheating. With serious bonus points for whichever writer came up with the nickname “Professor Professorson.” No really, not even Troy and Abed’s hilariously zany subplot involving a pillow fort gone terribly, terribly out of control could top the awesomeness of that alliteration.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
Full disclosure: MODERN FAMILY probably should get the fourth spot here for what was quite possibly their funniest episode since the pilot. Unfortunately for the hit ABC series, two beavers are not only better than one, they’re better than none! Which is why, in the interest of supporting our Canadian homeland, we decided to make an executive decision and award the fourth spot on this week’s list to HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER’s culmination of the Robin Sparkles’ trilogy. Call us what you will, be it juvenile and/or immature, but we for one have yet to stop laughing over Robin Sparkles, Jessica Glitter and Alan Thicke’s double-entendre filled performance on Space Teens, the most inappropriate children’s television show in the history of the medium.

WEEDS
While Nancy Botwin may not quite be in the running for mother of the year, one has to admire her devotion to her family. Getting Shane, Silas and Andy safely on board a flight only to escape what would surely have been the deadly clutches of a vengeful Esteban and sidekick Guillermo by turning herself into the FBI and confessing to Pilar’s murder had us on the edge of our seat. Also something we have to admire, creator Jenji Kohan’s ability to take a page from LOSTerminds Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse by ending each and every season off on a moment that has us — in the parlance of the show — jonsin’ for more.

Note: Shows that are still waiting on my PVR/DVR to be watched include GOSSIP GIRL, CASTLE, BONES, FRINGE, THE BIG BANG THEORY, BOARDWALK EMPIRE and four weeks of GREY’S ANATOMY and PRIVATE PRACTICE

This just in: With Deadline Hollywood breaking the disappointing, albeit somewhat expected news late last night that the CW has opted against picking up LIFE UNEXPECTED for a full 22-episode second season, it has officially not been a good Fall for TV Addict favorites (See: LONE STAR, LIFE UNEXPECTED and [soon-to-be] RUNNING WILDE).

That said, rather than wallow in self-pity for the latest in a long string of CW shows that we’ll no doubt continue to point to for years as examples of what could have been (see: EVERWOOD, JACK & BOBBY, GROSSE POINTE), we thought we’d do something constructive by providing you with actual answers to some burning questions that have been flooding our inbox since late last night. Just what does LIFE UNEXPECTED’s failure to get a back-nine mean for your (and our) favorite little-show-that-unfortunately-couldn’t? Here’s what creator Liz Tigelaar had to say when we pre-emptively posed a few questions to find out just that during our recent one-on-one.

“Basically put it this way, if we don’t get a back nine, 13 will be our last episode of the series,” explained Tigelaar, who even as far back as September sounded as if she knew deep down the writing was on the wall. “The CW is not going to only pick up 13 and then pick us up again next year, or at least I doubt.”

Translation: It’s over. With the only question truly up-in-the-air being just how will it end?

“Obviously if you were doing the end of this story, what I feel the fans want are Cate and Baze together, so that would be a natural series end in someway,” said the show runner. “Unfortunately, that is not going to to happen by episode 13, at least I don’t think in an artful way. So we’re just going to hope for more and if 13 ends up being our last one we will have some closure, it will feel good and the end, but it won’t be the true end.”

Good News: The CW has given full-season orders to freshman dramas NIKITA and HELLCATS as well as veteran sudser ONE TREE HILL. Bad News: For LIFE UNEXPECTED, which was conspicuously absent from the network’s plethora of pick-ups despite a recent order for two additional scripts. [Source: Ausiello]

Good News: Syfy has given the greenlight to BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: BLOOD & CHROME, a 2-hour pilot that chronicles Young William Adama’s adventures in First Cylon War. Bad News: For CAPRICA, or at least that’s the rumor FOTVA [friend of the TV addict] @rural_juror is irresponsibly starting via twitter.

Good News: Contrary to reports, ABC has not axed THE WHOLE TRUTH. Bad News: Although the show will have only one more episode to prove itself before ABC benches it for November sweeps. [Source: EW]

… but on the plus side, reports are flooding in throughout the internet that ABC has ordered additional scripts for NO ORDINARY FAMILY, OFF THE MAP and BROTHERS & SISTERS. While over on the CW, LIFE UNEXPECTED, fresh off its highest rated episode of the season that saw it attract 1.7 million viewers, also received an additional script order for two more episodes. But hey, what’s an acre or two of forest when it comes to your favorite TV shows, really?!