Midnight

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Considering what happened to him in the season premiere of "Damages," you wouldn't think things could get much worse for Tom Shayes. Wrong. We learned in the season's second episode that Tom (Tate Donovan) -- who is destined to die this season -- also has a personal connection to the legal case he and Patty (Glenn Close) are pursuing and saw a couple of pieces come together regarding the investment fraud and the mysterious homeless guy (Michael Laurence), who apparently lives next to a very important trash bin. Donovan and co-creator Todd Kessler talked about those developments and more in a conference call Tuesday (Feb. 2). Some highlights: Tom's connection to the Tobin case Kessler: "What's revealed in the second episode is that the case is personal to Tom, in a way that no case in either the first season or the second season had been personal to Patty or anyone in the office. For us it was a really kind of poignant story idea that Tom, unbeknownst to him, was actually invested in these Tobin funds -- and it's something that actually is based on the reality of what happened with Madoff. ... So for Tom to lose a sizable portion of his personal wealth, and also for his family ... [to have] lost that based on his advising them to get into the same fund he put his money is really a game-changer for us and really helps raise the stakes for the character." Playing dead Donovan: "It was creepy to sit there for a couple hours and do the makeup. The guy they brought in was extraordinary. He's gone to morgues and stuff like that, and he showed me some photographs. The colors they put on their face -- it's horrific what happens to you when you die. ... It's a pretty intense thing to go through. ... [On whether he's filmed his death scene] "No, I have not. We find out along the way what caused his death, but we haven't shot that yet. I'm curious. I'm fascinated with how it's all going to come to an end." Tom and Ellen: Romance? Kessler: "[Tom and Ellen's relationship] definitely enters the main storyline soon, and it's something we're very excited about, because it's also taking the show to a place we haven't gone before. What is actually happening between them and how that's presented and how that puzzle comes together, we think, is going to be very exciting to follow. Donovan: "Well, there's always a lot of chemistry when I work with a beautiful female. ... No. What happens is they get involved in something that gets them both in a lot of [trouble]. That's about as succinctly as I can put it." Kessler: "The bond between Tom and Ellen [Rose Byrne] is many ways is very strong. ... It's really following up on the seeds that were planted from the very beginning of these two characters and how their lives are entwined and how their relationship has evolved. I know I'm being intentionally cryptic, because I don't want to ruin the story, but we really think it's going to deliver." The magic Dumpster Kessler: "We met the homeless man in the flash-forward [last week], and now he becomes a player in the main story ... where Tom meets up with him and they get the cowboy boots. ... "[The trash container's location] is integrated into the story, so it will make sense as you start to see further pieces of this puzzle -- what the Dumpster's significance is, the location of the Dumpster, why that's significant and how it all relates to the main story. One of the things we really kind of pride ourselves on is that ... we don't just put out propositions and then not answer them. Things come back into play. We really hold onto those clues and deliver on the meaning of those clues throughout the season. So the Dumpster itself becomes extremely significant." Follow Zap2it on Twitter and Facebook for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news. Related: 'Damages' post-mortem: The season begins with an ending Photo credit: FX

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Kathryn Bigelow has nabbed the Directors Guild of America award for her work on "The Hurt Locker." The feature film award and other directorial achievement awards were announced during the 62nd Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, Jan. 30 in Los Angeles, hosted by Carl Reiner. In the past, the DGA's feature film award winner has been a decent predictor of who will win the best director Oscar. Since 1948, the DGA and Academy have only differed six times in that category. Bigelow beat out fellow directors James Cameron ("Avatar"), Lee Daniels ( "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire"), Jason Reitman ("Up in the Air") and Quentin Tarantino ("Inglourious Basterds"). The other awards in directorial achievement follow: Documentary Louie Psihoyos, "The Cove" Dramatic Series Night Lesli Linka Glatter, "Mad Men" episode "Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency" (AMC) Comedy Series Jason Winer, "Modern Family" "Pilot" episode (ABC) Movies for Television/Mini-series Ross Katz, "Taking Chance" (HBO) Musical Variety Don Mischer, "We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial" (HBO) Reality Programs Craig Borders, "Build It Bigger Season," "Hong Kong Bridge" episode (Discovery Science) Daytime Serials Christopher Goutman, "As the World Turns," "Once Upon a Time" (CBS) Children's Programs Allison Liddi-Brown, "Princess Protection Program" (Disney Channel) Commercials Tom Kuntz - Cadbury "Eyebrows," Skittles "Tailor," Old Spice "Scents for Gents," Career Builder "Tips" In addition, Norman Jewison, Robert Iger, Barry Meyer, Roger Goodman, Cleve Landsberg and Maria Jimenez Henley received various service and achievement awards. Follow Zap2itHanh on Twitter, Zap2it on Twitter and Facebook for the latest movies, TV and celeb news Related: Lee Daniels first African-American Directors Guild of America nominee 'Glee,' 'Mad Men,' 'Modern Family' garner Directors Guild nominations Photo credit: Summit Entertainment

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Fast National ratings for Friday, Jan. 29, 2010 After last week's "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon, Friday returned to its usual programming, which means CBS claimed victory once again in each hour of primetime even though numbers overall were soft. FOX's "Dollhouse" series made its final goodbyes to even more lackluster ratings, performing worse than The CW's "Smallville" in the same hour. CBS drew 8.3 million viewers and a 5.2 rating /9 share in households for the night. NBC took second with 6.4 million and a 4.2/7, followed by ABC (5.7 million, 3.8/7), FOX (2.7 million, 1.7/3) and The CW (2.0, 1.3/2). CBS also took the adults 18-49 demo crown with a 1.8 rating. ABC came next with a 1.5, then NBC, 1.4, FOX, 1.1, and The CW, 0.8. and NBC tied for second at 1.5, and FOX scored a 1.0. The CW managed only a 0.5. Friday hour by hour: 8 p.m. CBS: "Ghost Whisperer" (8.3 million viewers, 5.1/9 households) NBC: "Law & Order" (6.8 million, 4.4/8) ABC: "Supernanny" (4.7 million, 3.0/5) The CW: "Smallville" (2.5 million, 1.6/3) FOX: "Dollhouse" finale (2.2 million, 1.4/2) 18-49 leader: "Ghost Whisperer" (1.9) 9 p.m. CBS: "Medium" (8.0 million, 5.0/9) NBC: "Dateline" (7.3 million, 5.0/9) ABC: "Shark Tank" (4.4 million, 2.7/5) FOX: "Kitchen Nightmares" (3.3 million, 2.0/3) The CW: "Smallville" rerun (1.5 million, 0.9/2) 18-49 leader: "Medium" (1.8) 10 p.m. CBS: "Numb3rs" (8.7 million, 5.5/10) ABC: "20/20" (8.1 million, 5.6/10) NBC: "The Jay Leno Show" (4.9 million, 3.2/6) 18-49 leader: "Numb3rs" (1.8) Ratings information includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change. Source: The Nielsen Company. More ratings at Zap2it: Daily, weekly and cable Photo credit: FOX

[imgleft] [/imgleft] "Dollhouse" is closing its doors for good, but from the looks of things Joss Whedon's show is going down fighting. Friday's (Jan. 29) series finale is called "Epitaph Two: Return," and as the title implies, it takes place in the ruined world portrayed in "Epitaph One," the show's first-season closer (seen only on DVD). FOX describes the finale this way: "Picking up from the events depicted in 'Epitaph One' ... and set in the year 2020, Echo and her surviving Dollhouse crew attempt to restore order to a devastating future world before mankind is eliminated." FOX has released three clips from the episode, which we present for your appetite-whetting pleasure. First up: Echo (Eliza Dushku) and Paul (Tahmoh Penikett) find Topher (Fran Kranz), who's gone very far around the bend with the realization of all he's done and is babbling about what he still has to do. http://www.zap2it.co...dd37a&src=front They eventually bring him to a safe(-ish) house where Adelle (Olivia Williams), Sierra (Dichen Lachmann) and others have gathered. http://www.zap2it.co...ecc18&src=front Finally, Sierra and Victor (Enver Gjokaj) discuss their regrets and what they should do next. http://www.zap2it.com/videobeta/watch/?watch=d30e0280-ab0b-49ac-b5ef-4873b5c38ba8&src=front What are your thoughts on the end of "Dollhouse"? Follow Zap2it on Twitter and Facebook for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news. Photo credit: FOX

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Typically seen fighting aliens on BBC's "Torchwood" series, John Barrowman will soon take on the "Desperate Housewives." An ABC representative has confirmed to Zap2it that Barrowman is joining the cast this season in a five-episode arc that will begin in April. A "show insider" told Entertainment Weekly that Barrowman will complicate Drea de Matteo's character Angie's storyline in this season's big mystery. Angie Bolen and her family have tried to lay low on Wisteria Lane. Of course, we all know that just makes the housewives pry even more. A recent episode shed light on the domestic terrorism crime, which keeps the family on the run. Ana (played by Maiara Walsh), who has started dating Angie's son Danny Bolen, has been stirring up trouble for the new housewife. Now with Barrowman's casting, we think Angie will have bigger fish to fry. Marc Cherry should be very proud of himself. According to the site, Cherry has been trying to find the right role for Barrowman since summer of last year. And we're definitely not complaining. Follow Zap2it on Twitter and Facebook for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news. Related: 'Desperate Housewives' and TV's girl-girl kissing legacy 'Desperate Housewives' recaps Teri Hatcher discusses 'Housewives,' Karl and her upcoming strip scene Photo credit: BBC America

[imgleft]http://series.nu/news/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/castle-300x225.jpg[/imgleft] ABC has ordered two more episodes for Castle this season taking the total number of episodes for Season 2 to 24. Since Season 2 began viewer numbers have crept up with an increase almost every week, continuing against the trend as other shows continued to lose viewers. On October 20, ABC ordered a further nine episodes to add to the initial season order of 13. Last week the much anticipated episode “Sucker Punch” in which the murder of Beckett’s mother was revisited, obtained a season high in the 18-49 demographic reaching 2.8 and 9.44 million total viewers. Castle also took the number one spot for the hour and gained more viewers than CSI: Miami in the important “women 18-34? demographic. This week the ratings rise continued with the episode “The Third Man” reaching a new series high of 3.1 in 18-49 with 10.5 million viewers. No news yet on Season 3 but the signs continue to look positive. Source: http://series.nu/news/abc/abc-orders-more-castle/

[imgleft]http://series.nu/news/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Ugly-Betty-150x150.jpg[/imgleft] This is definitely the last season of ABC’s Ugly Betty. Today, ABC and the production team made the following statement. At least fans will get their closure! “We’ve mutually come to the difficult decision to make this Ugly Betty’s final season, and are announcing now as we want to allow the show ample time to write a satisfying conclusion. We are extremely proud of this groundbreaking series, and felt it was important to give the fans a proper farewell.” Source: http://series.nu/new...ncelled-by-abc/

[imgleft]http://series.nu/news/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/JLO-300x225.jpg[/imgleft] Jennifer Lopez will guest star on CBS’ comedy “How I Met Your Mother,” which was recently renewed for a sixth season. In an episode slated to air in March, she will play Anita Appleby, a no-nonsense author of self-help books that teach women how to train men into relationship machines through the power of denial. When Robin tells Anita how Barney acts toward women, she makes it her mission to “break” him. It was the guest appearance of another pop star/actress two years ago, Britney Spears, that spurred the show’s ascend in the ratings. Lopez has been in talks with “HIMYM” producer 20th TV for a guest-starring gig on another series, Fox’s “Glee.” (THR) Source: http://series.nu/news/cbs/jennifer-lopez-to-guest-star-on-how-i-met-your-mother/

Billie Piper has ruled out a return to Doctor Who. Speaking exclusively to DS, the former companion said that she would not go back to the programme she first joined in 2005. "I think it's done now, isn't it? I think that ship has sailed. That old, wooden ship! "I really loved doing it, but Doctor Who has moved on - it's different people, different crew, different production team and I can't keep going back. It's ridiculous! It's time to move on..." The 27-year-old actress also said that she hates the fact that David Tennant has left the series, but added that Matt Smith is "capable" of filling the role.

[imgleft]http://series.nu/news/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/spartacus.jpg[/imgleft]Starz new original series “Spartacus: Blood and Sand” got off to an fairly impressive start Friday evening. The gory drama pulled 553,000 viewers on Starz, then gathered another 460,000 on Encore, according to Nielsen figures provided to the network. Those are modest overall numbers, but in Starz’ brief history as a player in the original series game, it’s easily their most-watched debut yet. It also handily beats the performance of “Crash,” whose most recent and final season debuted to 185,000. The folks at Starz expects once all sources of viewership are tallied, such as DVR and repeats this week, the “Spartacus” premiere will clear 2 million viewers. (THR) Source: http://series.nu/new...t-starz-record/

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Greg Grunberg has promised that the fourth season finale of Heroes will be "dark". The 43-year-old actor, who plays Matt Parkman on the NBC series, told DS that his alter-ego will once again do battle with Zachary Quinto's Sylar. "The remaining episodes this season, Matt gets very dark," he said. "He tries once and for all to take care of Sylar. Some would say he does succeed. "It's really dark, and he almost gets possessed in his obsession with ending this chapter of his life. I hope it's gonna scare people and they see a side of Matt Parkman they've never seen." He added that when he read the scripts for the remaining episodes, he found them "disturbing". Heroes continues Mondays at 9pm on NBC.

[imgleft] [/imgleft] "The Vampire Diaries" could have a super-scary vampire visiting, one that looks eerily like Blair Waldorf. That's right, "Vampire Diaries" and "Gossip Girl" executive producer Bob Levy says that he's going to "work on" having real-life friends Nina Dobrev and Leighton Meester make guest appearances on each other's shows, says E!. We think this is a fantastic idea. Think about it: Dobrev could visit the Upper East Side and either try to out-bitch the Queen B or worse yet, put her in an uncomfortable situation like have her visit a garage sale. Eww! Used and dirty! Of course, if Meester visits Mystic Falls, she would make a damn fine vampire with very Blair Waldorfian qualities like man-stealing or a Dorota-esque handmaiden. "Vampire Diaries" shoots down in Atlanta, and "Gossip Girl" shoots in New York, so there may be a little juggling going on with schedules, but c'mon, CW, we know you can work it out. What do you think? Would you like to see such a crossover? Follow Zap2itHanh on Twitter, Zap2it on Twitter and Facebook for the latest movies, TV and celeb news Related: 'Vampire Diaries': More of the dead and dying to come ... and come back 'Gossip Girl' finds Serena's dad: William Baldwin Photo credit: Getty

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Irony of the week: NBC, which just very publicly parted ways with "Tonight Show" host Conan O'Brien, is back in business with him via his production company. The network has given the go-ahead to a pilot called "Justice" from former "Alias" and "K-Ville" writer-producer John Eisendrath. It's being produced by O'Brien's company Conaco, which as part of his exit deal from NBC will stay based at NBC Universal through this pilot season, according to The Hollywood Reporter. "Justice" will center on a former Supreme Court justice who returns to private practice after leaving the bench. Eisendrath will executive produce with O'Brien, Jeff Ross and David Kissinger. So, uh, no hard feelings? Other pilot news: - CBS has given the green light to three comedy pilots, including one from the "How I Met Your Mother" brain trust and one from "Chuck" co-creator Josh Schwartz. "Livin' on a Prayer" comes from "HIMYM" creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas and two of the just-renewed show's writers, Kourtney Kang and Joe Kelly. It will focus on a young couple and their friends in what Bays and Thomas call "the next stage of adulthood," per the showbiz trades. Schwartz and fellow "Chuck" scribe Matt Miller are behind "Hitched," about newlyweds who are still getting to know one another and their respective families and friends. - Also at CBS: A comedy about a widower with a 12-year-old son from writer Tad Quill ("Scrubs"); "Chaos," a drama about CIA agents written by Tom Spezialy ("Reaper," "Desperate Housewives"); and an untitled drama about an NYPD detective with a prodigious memory from Ed Redlich ("Without a Trace") and John Bellucci. - ABC has ordered pilots for a drama called "No Ordinary Family" and a pair of comedies. "No Ordinary Family" is about a family that develops superpowers. Greg Berlanti ("Brothers & Sisters," "Eli Stone") and Jon Harmon Feldman ("Dirty Sexy Money") co-wrote the script. The comedies are "Freshmen," about three new members of Congress who share a Washington house, from writer Greg Malins ("Friends") and exec producer Arianna Huffington; and an untitled show from Joe Port and Joe Wiseman ("Just Shoot Me") about siblings coming to terms with their parents' divorce. Follow Zap2it on Twitter and Facebook for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news. Photo credit: NBC

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Is "Glee" star Lea Michele's youthful-geriatric look as Rachel Berry worthy of an award? The Costume Designers Guild thinks it might be. The guild announced their nominees for their 12th annual awards, and "Glee" was among the nominated TV shows. Other shows nominated for their contemporary costuming include "Big Love," "Dancing With the Stars," "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" and "Ugly Betty." The awards -- which honor contemporary, period and fantasy costume design in films, TV and commercials -- will be held on Thursday, Feb. 25 at the Beverly Hilton. The full list of nominees: Excellence in Contemporary Film: "(500) Days of Summer" - Hope Hanafin "Bruno" - Jason Alper "Crazy Heart" - Doug Hall "Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire" - Marina Draghici "Up in the Air" - Danny Glicker Excellence in Period Film: "Coco Before Chanel" - Catherine Leterrier "Julie & Julia" - Ann Roth "Nine" - Colleen Atwood "Sherlock Holmes" - Jenny Beavan "The Young Victoria" - Sandy Powell Excellence in Fantasy Film: "Avatar" - Mayes C. Rubeo & Deborah Lynn Scott "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" - Monique Prudhomme "Star Trek" - Michael Kaplan Outstanding Made for Television Movie or Miniseries: "Georgia O'Keeffe" - Michael Dennison "Grey Gardens" - Catherine Marie Thomas "Little Dorrit" - Barbara Kidd Outstanding Contemporary Television Series: "Big Love" - Chrisi Karvonides-Dushenko "Glee" - Lou Eyrich "Dancing with the Stars" - Randall Christensen "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" - Jo Katsaras "Ugly Betty" - Patricia Field Outstanding Period/Fantasy Television Series: "Mad Men" - Janie Bryant "True Blood" - Audrey Fisher "The Tudors" - Joan Bergin Excellence in Commercial Costume Design: "Milk: 'Milkquarious'" - Casey Storm Do you agree with the picks? Who do you think was overlooked? Follow Zap2itHanh on Twitter, Zap2it on Twitter and Facebook for the latest movies, TV and celeb news Related: 'Glee,' please call Justin Timberlake 'Mad Men' costume designer may launch a clothing line Photo credit: FOX

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Oscar winner Forest Whitaker is likely headed back into series TV with the lead role in CBS' planned "Criminal Minds" spinoff. Whitaker is close to signing a deal to star in the spinoff, which will focus on a new group of FBI profilers. The "Last King of Scotland" star will also get a producer credit on the show, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The spinoff will be introduced during a "Criminal Minds" episode set to air in the spring, in keeping with how CBS has launched the newer iterations of "CSI" and "NCIS: Los Angeles." Whitaker will play a former top FBI profiler who has been out of the spotlight for several years when he takes over as leader of the new team. "Minds" writer/executive producer Chris Mundy is writing the spinoff script, which he conceived with fellow exec producer Ed Bernero. Whitaker's most recent on-screen TV credits are a guest arc on "ER," which earned him an Emmy nomination, and a season-long stint on "The Shield." Follow Zap2it on Twitter and Facebook for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news. Related: 'Criminal Minds' gets creepy with 'Uncanny Valley' pics 'Criminal Minds' may (finally) get a spinoff Photo credit: WireImage

[imgleft] [/imgleft] The cast and producers of "Damages" will be doing weekly conference calls this season, offering their thoughts on the previous episode and what's to come. Zap2it is on the case with them. (A rather large spoiler is coming in a couple sentences' time, so if you haven't watched the season premiere yet, best to click away now.) "Damages" kicked off its third season Monday (Jan. 25) with a doozy of a "six months later" revelation. Police investigating a car that rammed into Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) uncover a body in a trash bin -- none other than that of Tom Shayes (Tate Donovan). From the earliest evidence, it looks like his death may tie into the case Patty is litigating in the present day: a Bernie Madoff-like Ponzi scheme that lost billions of dollars of investors' money -- but this being "Damages," there are a lot of layers of story to be unpeeled before the concrete connection gets made. Co-creator Todd Kessler and star Rose Byrne talked about the implications of Tom's death and what it means for the rest of the season. How does killing Tom set up the rest of the season? Kessler: We really had the idea when we were formulating the pilot and the series. With the theme of "what price success?," at some point one of the main characters should lose his or her life based on a case. ... Tom has been a character, as played by Tate Donovan, that we've just been thrilled with, and Tate's performance has been so strong, we felt like this was a great time to take this step and in a way take the risk of killing off a character. It also seems like this incident sets a more clear path to point to in the "six months later" segments. Kessler: I think that's an accurate depiction. The first season, at the end of the pilot, there was the reveal that Ellen's fiance, David, was dead in a bathtub, and Ellen was in an interrogation room being asked what happened and saying, "Get me a lawyer." ... In the second season, the endpoint wasn't as clear, except that Ellen was shooting a gun, and we didn't know who she was shooting at. I think in this third season -- we're trying to do something different each season and trying to create a thriller on television, which has its challenges. That's partly why we work in two different time frames. But having this endpoint of Tom being dead is very clear, and we feel like it's organic to our storytelling. The device of going with two different time frames allows for bigger moments to land at the beginning, then hopefully it's a great ride for the audience to get from the beginning of the season to six months later. How did Tate Donovan take the news? Kessler: I called Tate pesonally and told him that we were going to be pursuing this storyline and talked him through it, and his first response was it sounds like an amazing story and a great season, it just sucks that it has to be his character. He gets it -- he's been around and been on different series, and he understands that our desire is to give him great material and put his character at a center of the flash-forwards. So I think it is bittersweet, because it's going to be a great season for Tate. What keeps Ellen going back into Patty's world? She doesn't quite seem able to make a clean break. Byrne: It's something we're always exploring. It's very complicated, I think. They've been through so much together that Patty can understand Ellen in a way that nobody else can in her life. And I think it's vice versa too. Patty has revealed so many sides to Ellen that she probably hasn't to the closest people in her life. But what really brings them back together this season is the work [Ellen is now working with the Manhattan district attorney's office] and trying to get justice. ... They kind of reunite this season through work. Kessler: There's also some more thematic stuff that we're going to explore this season in terms of what attracts Ellen to Patty. ... For Ellen, to be around someone like Patty, who does not follow rules and really responds to things emotionally, is something we'll continue to explore this season, about why that affects Ellen. Not following the rules and not putting up with bullies are things that will come to resonate for Ellen. Rose, have you gotten to work with the new cast members [Campbell Scott, Lily Tomlin, Len Cariou and Martin Short] much? Byrne: So far I haven't. I've had just one scene with Martin Short and one scene with Campbell Scott. Most of my stuff has been in the district attorney's office, working with Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Ben Shenkman, who plays my boss. But in the second half I have a feeling I might be interacting with them a little more. I would like to -- Todd, can you write that in? I love Lily Tomlin, I'm such a fan of her and of Martin. What can you tell us about the role the homeless man [Michael Laurence] plays in the season? Kessler: Without giving away too much, clues are kind of set in the first episode and followed up in the second episode. The homeless man does play an integral role. In some ways it may be [a case of] the wrong place at the wrong time, or the right place at the right time, depending on who's looking at it. But the relationship between the homeless man and Tom is something that will continue to develop over the season, and eventually other characters get pulled into it. ... Tom and Patty start to pull at this thread, and in the flash-forwards the detectives are interviewing him, so his presence will become central as the season progresses. Follow Zap2it on Twitter and Facebook for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news. Photo credit: FX

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Fast National ratings for Monday, Jan. 25, 2010 "House" led FOX to the top of Monday's ratings pile, while "The Bachelor" also scored pretty well for ABC. The CW's "Life Unexpected," meanwhile, fell a bit from its premiere. FOX finished the night with 12.4 million viewers and a 7.4 rating/11 share in households, beating out ABC's 11.1 million and 7.3/11. CBS (9.1 million, 5.9/9) came in third, followed by NBC (5.2 million, 3.2/5). The CW trailed with 2.2 million viewers and a 1.4/2. FOX also led among adults 18-49 with a 4.3 rating. ABC's 3.6 was good for second. CBS, 2.8, finished third, followed by NBC, 1.9, and The CW, 1.0. Monday hour by hour: 8 p.m. FOX: "House" (14.2 million viewers, 8.5/13 households) ABC: "The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love" (10.9 million, 7.1/11) NBC: "Chuck" (6.9 million, 4.1/6) CBS: "How I Met Your Mother" rerun (6.1 million, 4.1/6)/"Accidentally on Purpose" rerun (5.6 million, 3.7/5) The CW: "One Tree Hill" (2.2 million, 1.5/2) 18-49 leader: "House" (5.2) 9 p.m. ABC: "The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love" (12 million, 7.8/12) CBS: "Two and a Half Men" rerun (12.1 million, 7.7/11)/"The Big Bang Theory" rerun (11.5 million, 7.1/11) FOX: "24" (10.7 million, 6.4/10) NBC: "Heroes" (4.3 million, 2.9/4) The CW: "Life Unexpected" (2.1 million, 1.4/2) 18-49 leader: "The Bachelor" (4.3) 10 p.m. ABC: "Castle" (10.5 million, 6.9/12) CBS: "CSI: Miami" rerun (9.55 million, 6.3/11) NBC: "The Jay Leno Show" (4.3 million, 2.8/5) 18-49 leader: "Castle" (3.1) Ratings information includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change. Source: The Nielsen Company. More ratings at Zap2it: Daily, weekly and cable Photo credit: FOX

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Ted's story of "How I Met Your Mother" will continue for at least another year. CBS has given the comedy an early pickup for the 2010-11 season, the network confirms to Zap2it. The news comes on the heels of series creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas signing a new deal with "HIMYM" producer 20th Century Fox TV, which secures their services for three more years and includes new development as well as the current show. The early renewal is something of a changeup for "How I Met Your Mother," whose renewal has been left to the last minute more than once in its five-season life. The show, however, has earned solid ratings so far this season as the lead-off to CBS' Monday comedy block. It averages 8.9 million viewers (including repeats) and a 3.6 rating among adults 18-49; the latter number is among the top 40 shows on television for 2009-10. The renewal also locks three of the Monday block's pieces into place for next season. "Two and a Half Men" and "The Big Bang Theory" are each in the midst of multi-year commitments. "How I Met Your Mother" reached the 100-episode milestone earlier this month. In the episode, Ted (Josh Radnor) catching the first glimpse of his future mate -- he saw her foot as she disappeared into the bedroom of an apartment she shares with the woman Ted was dating (guest star Rachel Bilson). Follow Zap2it on Twitter and Facebook for the latest TV, movie and celebrity news. Related: Could 'How I Met Your Mother' suit up for eight seasons? Carrie Underwood flies the 'HIMYM' friendly skies 'HIMYM' recaps Photo credit: CBS E-mail DiggFacebookFarkYahoo BuzzStumbleuponShareThis

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Last week, "How I Met Your Mother" star Neil Patrick Harris tweeted a photo of "American Idol" Carrie Underwood all dressed up as a retro stewardess for an upcoming episode of "How I Met Your Mother" and we could almost hear her saying, "What would you like? Coffee, tea or me?" Now, CBS has posted official photos from the upcoming episode and Underwood is '60s flight attendant perfection. The episode, "Hooked" has not been scheduled yet, although the show's creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas said earlier this month that is will likely air in March. Underwood's character, Tiffany, strikes Barney's (Harris) fancy. [imgleft] [/imgleft] "What makes her even more intriguing," the creators say, "is the fact that she's a pharmaceutical rep, or Pharma Girl, which according to Barney [Neil Patrick Harris] has replaced nurses and stewardesses to become the Official New Profession of Hot Chicks." Follow Zap2it on Twitter and Facebook for the latest movies, TV and celebrity news. Related: 'How I Met Your Mother': Carrie Underwood first look Carrie Underwood engaged to NHL player Mike Fisher 'How I Met Your Mother' meets Carrie Underwood 'HIMYM' 100th episode pictures Photo credits: CBS

[imgleft] [/imgleft] "Psych" stars James Roday and Dule Hill were scheduled to guest host "WWE Monday Night RAW" on Monday (Jan. 25), but only Hill was actually on hand. Turns out Roday had an appendectomy on Saturday and was unable to make the hosting gig. News that he would be missing the "WWE" show was broken during a promotional chat with Hill and wrestler John Cena earlier in the day. What does an appendectomy get you from a bunch of wrestlers? A Get Well Soon card or a lot of teasing? The new season of "Psych" premieres this Wednesday on USA and will feature Cena. Good thing it was filmed months ago, or there may have been some payback. Follow Zap2it on Twitter and Facebook for the latest movies, TV and celeb news. Photo credit: USA

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Heard of the failcock? No? Well it seems web designers are now jumping on the NBC-bashing bandwagon. Media savvy web designer Mitch Canter posted a twitpic of a not too flattering NBC logo he had created. It's a hybrid of the NBC peacock logo and the Twitter "fail whale" image that appears when Twitter is over capacity. The original fail whale image -- a flock of Twitter birds attempting to haul a whale -- was designed by Yiying Lu and has become a pop culture icon, generally representing unsuccessful or struggling projects. "I just finished designing NBC's new logo. I call it the #failcock #conan #nbcfail," Canter, a concierge web designer who advertises he's available for freelance work on his website, tweeted on Jan. 20. Canter has been a vocal Team Conan supporter during the whole late night "Tonight Show" fiasco on his Twitter feed and a critic of NBC's bad programming/employment choices. A couple days later, Internet news blog Mashable posted the image, assuring that it would go viral. What do you think? Does NBC deserve this treatment? Follow Zap2itHanh on Twitter, Zap2it on Twitter and Facebook for the latest movies, TV and celeb news Related: Conan O'Brien's last 'Tonight Show' grabs big ratings Will Ferrell and wife Viveca Paulin send off Conan O'Brien on 'Tonight Show' Conan O'Brien's last 'Tonight Show' live blog Photo credit: Studio Nash Vegas

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Will Barney Stinson get to suit up for three more seasons? The "How I Met Your Mother" creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas have signed a three-year, eight-figure deal with the sitcom's studio 20th Century Fox, according to the trades. This means that their popular CBS sitcom, which is currently in its fifth season, could possibly go to Season 8. Bays and Thomas will also be developing as part of the deal. On their plate first is executive producing a spec script about a dating couple from "HIMYM" writers Kourtney Kang and Joe Kelly. In other TV news: - Joanna Garcia of The CW's short-lived "Privileged" has been cast in ABC/WBTV's comedy by Shana Goldberg-Meehan about two sisters, says The Hollywood Reporter. One sister (Garcia) falls pregnant and ends up marrying her baby daddy, while the other is in a longterm romantic relationship, but has yet to take the plunge into matrimony. Garcia was last seen guest starring on The CW's "Gossip Girl" and an episode of "HIMYM." - Showtime's adaptation of the British series "Shameless" is filling out its cast with Steve Hawey, Shanola Hampton and Jeremy White. The show centers on an oft-drunk patriarch (Macy) who relies on his eldest daughter Fiona (Rossum) to take care of the family when his wife abandons them. - NBC has ordered two pilots: "This Little Piggy," produced by ABC Studios, revolves around two adult siblings who are feeling the economic slowdown and must move into the home of their eldest brother and his family; and "Nathan vs. Nurture" centers on a successful heart surgeon who was given up for adoption as a child and reconnects with his birth parents, only to find that his biological siblings aren't all that ambitious. - FOX has ordered the pilot to legal drama "Pleading Guilty," which is based on Scott Turow's novel and center son an ex-cop Mack Malloy who becomes a lawyer in a big Chicago firm. FOX also ordered pilots for drama "Breakout Kings" and comedies "Traffic Light" and "Most Likely to Succeed." Follow Zap2itHanh on Twitter, Zap2it on Twitter and Facebook for the latest movies, TV and celeb news Related: TV Bites: 'Chuck' marathon, Oscars producer, 'The Freshman' redux Casting call: William H. Macy is 'Shameless,' Krysten Ritter feels 'Gravity's' pull Photo credit: CBS

[imgleft] [/imgleft] Conan O'Brien left "The Tonight Show" on a high note -- in more ways than one. Not only did Conan welcome three great guests to his show in Steve Carell, Tom Hanks and Neil Young, but he got Will Ferrellto send him off with an off-tune but very fun rendition of "Freebird." Who knew Conan could wail on the guitar like that? But in addition to all the fanfare and heartfelt speeches, the show brought in monster ratings and the monster ratings carried over into "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon." Late Night Show Ratings: NBC: "The Tonight Show" 7.0 rating/16 share NBC: "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" 3.3/10 CBS: "Late Show with David Letterman" 2.5/5 CBS: "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" 1.5/4 ABC: "Jimmy Kimmel Live" 1.3/4 A ratings point represents about 1.15 million households, or 1% of the estimated 115 million TV homes in the U.S. This means that approximately 8 million viewers tuned in to watch Conan's last broadcast, beating the high-water mark of 7.1 million viewers Conan garnered for his "Tonight Show" premiere. Conan also won the coveted 18-49 demographic with a 4.8 rating among viewers in that age range. In contrast, Letterman scored a 0.6 in the 18-49 demo. These numbers are all preliminary. The final numbers for last night will be available. Jan. 28. Ratings information includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change. Source: The Nielsen Company. Follow Zap2it Andrea on Twitter and follow Zap2it on Twitter and Facebook for the latest movies, TV and celeb news Related More ratings at Zap2it: Daily, weekly and cable Will Ferrell, wife Viveca Paulin send off Conan Conan O'Brien's final 'Tonight Show' live blog Photo credit: NBC

[imgleft]http://blog.zap2it.com/thedishrag/andy-dick-mugshot.jpg[/imgleft] Comedian Andy Dick has been arrested again? Must be Saturday! Andy Dick was arrested after performing at The Funny Bone, a comedy club in Huntington, West Virginia. The charges came after "things at a Huntington bar allegedly went too far," according to WSAZ out of West Virginia. Dick was arrested around 4:00 a.m. Saturday morning (Jan. 23) and when he was being escorted off in cuffs, WSAZ asked him why he was being arrested and he responded, "People grabbing on me." Dick will be detained at the Western Regional Jail until he is arraigned later Saturday morning in magistrate court. This is not the first time Andy Dick has been arrested. He seems to have a real problem keeping himself out of trouble Follow Zap2it's Dish Rag on Twitter and Facebook and follow Zap2it Andrea on Twitter for the latest celebrity news and buzz More Andy Dick dish More problems for Andy Dick -- another arrest Andy Dick charges dropped from sexual battery to assault Andy Dick is a trisexual? Photo credit: Western Regional Jail

[imgleft] [/imgleft] "American Idol's" Simon Cowell is the next in a long line of celebrities helping to raise money for Haiti relief in the wake of the devastating earthquake. Cowell told the Associated Press that he was asked by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to aid in the Haiti relief effort, so he will be producing a single within the next 10 days and all the proceeds will go to the Haiti earthquake victims. "I don't know who's available, but I will get a record out within seven to 10 days," said Cowell, adding that the British government may forgo tax revenues on the single so that as much money as possible can be sent to Haiti. Some of the names already being considered are British stars Leona Lewis, Susan Boyle and Cheryl Cole, added Cowell. If you'd like to get involved in the Haiti relief efffort, the "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon airs in the U.S. Friday, Jan. 22 on just about every network. Check your local listings for times. Follow Zap2it Andrea on Twitter and follow Zap2it on Twitter and Facebook for the latest movies, TV and celebrity news Related Simon Cowell signs new sony deal - 'X Factor' just the beginning Should 'Idol' go on without Simon Cowell? Simon in talks with possible 'X Factor' judges Photo credit: FOX