Morning Static: GOSSIP GIRL, TRUE BLOOD, CAPRICA & More!

Welcome to our new morning round-up of big/interesting TV news that you may have missed over the past 24 hours because unlike us, there’s a fairly good chance that have a life outside of the small screen.

After two seasons GOSSIP GIRL’s Vanessa Abrams [Jessica Szohr] finally justifies her existence and bringing something to the table. That something — her TV mom Gabriela Abrams — who will be played by the phenomenal ALIAS/ FIREFLY alum Gina Torres [TVGuide]

In what we can only hope is some sort of friendly rivalry with Joss Whedon — who recently made headlines by snagging BATTLESTAR GALACTICA alum Jamie Bamber and Michael Hogan for his DOLLHOUSE — executive producer Jane Espenson has signed James Marsters to a sizable CAPRICA arc where he’ll play a dangerous terrorist leader by the name of Barnabus Greeley. Joss, it’s your move (Hint: Tricia Helfer would make an awesome doll!) [EW]

Sunday’s installment of TRUE BLOOD sucked in a record 4.5 million viewers. Further evidence that if you built it — ‘it’ being great television, even in the summer — viewers will come. How long until the big 5 networks get the message? [THR Live Feed]

“The Time Traveler’s Wife is being turned into a TV show. The plans are to go back in time and not cancel JOURNEYMAN.” — was our favorite reaction to ABC’s plans to turn the just released hit movie into a television series with [TheWrap]

Richard Hatch, once a survivor, now officially the biggest loser. [MSNBC]