Summer is typically a quiet time for TV watchers, but thanks to the proliferation of cable shows and broadcast networks burning off episodes, this summer was not without entertainment and some surprises. Below are the moments, actors, shows and realizations that surprised me this summer.

The supporting cast of NURSE JACKIE: Yes, Edie Falco is fabulous, but for me, it’s the people surrounding Jackie who make the series, especially Merritt Wever, Eve Best and Peter Facinelli. Each one adds something unique and unexpected to the show. Wever is absolutely hilarious. Best, who has the most amazing laugh, is the perfect juxtaposition to Jackie. Facinelli takes what could have been a jackass character and makes him a lovable doofus. I’m surprised and delighted that NURSE JACKIE has introduced me to Wever and Best. In a way, it feels like I’m also discovering Facinelli for the first time. I’ve seen and enjoyed him before in different movies and TV shows, but I’m pretty sure his shirtless chest did most of the acting in Fox’s short-lived FASTLANE.

Sebastian Stan on KINGS: Thanks to NBC banishing KINGS to summer burn-off theater on Saturdays, not too many viewers watched this epic and imaginative series. That’s too bad because as reliably magnificent as Ian McShane and Susanna Thompson were, the real surprise was Sebastian Stan. I’d seen the actor before on GOSSIP GIRL as Carter Baizen, a role he’ll be reprising this fall, but I had no idea he was capable of this. His Jack was complicated, tormented, selfish, lonely and desperately seeking love and acceptance. Watching him come to accept who he is as he stood up to his mother, was like watching Stan show us who he really is as an actor.

Bonus KINGS surprise: No show got a bigger gasp out of me this summer than when Silas yelled at Jack, “And you’re no prince, you faggot!”

TRUE BLOOD: I’m just not that into you. Earlier this summer, I made my way through the first season of the HBO series and it wasn’t love at first sight. I’m not even sure it was like. Everyone around me seems to be crazy for these vamps, but maybe I’ve had my fill of bloodsuckers because I just can’t get into TRUE BLOOD. I haven’t even attempted to watch season two yet and am in no rush to do so. Maybe my feelings will change if I ever getting around to it, but I’m having a hard time imagining myself getting over my annoyance with almost every character on the show.

DROP DEAD DIVA: The charming, funny Lifetime series and its extremely talented leading lady have captured my heart. Brooke Elliott is simply fabulous at balancing the duality of playing two characters. Congrats, Diva, on becoming the first original Lifetime series to land on my DVR record list. Thanks to you and SoapNet’s BEING ERICA, I’m starting to believe that all hope is not lost for shows about real women. Despite the fantastical premises of both series, they’re more relatable and grounded than the ladies of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES.

MAKE IT OR BREAK IT, my new guilty pleasure: I thought it would be 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU, which I enjoy and is more well-written, but no… At first, I found this series meh, and I still have my issues with Emily — do all her love interests keep disappearing because they’ve realized she’s really not that special? — but its soapy, teen drama storylines and pileup of secrets have quietly gotten me hooked. I have to give the show props for trying to make the adult characters interesting and integral. Susan Ward has taken what could have been a cartoonish character and given her real dignity and heart. Plus, I enjoy playing “Who will Sasha inappropriately flirt with this week?”

Uli doesn’t make the final four on PROJECT RUNWAY: ALL-STAR CHALLENGE: Yes, Daniel’s red carpet dress was fabulous and would look great on Nicole Kidman, although I’m still unclear about who exactly will be wearing the dress at the Nine premiere. The rest of his collection? Bizarre and boring. I loved Daniel and his designs in season 2 of PROJECT RUNWAY, so I can’t help wondering if the judges crowned him the winner because he was the fan favorite that year who didn’t win. And for that matter, did the judges punish Korto because she’s a sulky, sore loser? Has this women ever smiled during her time on the show? Still, I’d keep her in the top 4 and replace Sweet P’s overly twee collection with Uli’s sophisticated and impeccably crafted designs. But as PROJECT RUNWAY reminds me every season, what do I know about fashion?

What surprised you this summer?

Vlada resides in Los Angeles, where there are stars in the sky and on the ground. She has worked for TVWeek, Starpulse.com, SignOnSanDiego.com and The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, CA. She runs the TV blog Staying In and can be found on Twitter: @stayingin.

Introducing the 61st Annual CRU Undie Run. Or as this TV Addict likes to call it, a rating stunt we can really get behind. And yes, we’re is well aware that if this were any other network (cough*CW*cough), or any other series for that matter (cough*THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE*cough), we’d probably be screaming something to the effect of “most blatant sweeps stunt EVAR!” But since we’re talking GREEK here, a show that not only has earned the right to have a little fun after three season of consistent quality, but could use all the eyeballs it can get… Well, we’re just gonna go ahead and remind you that not to miss an annual college tradition on September 14th at 9PM on ABC Family. One that will have your favorite Greek Row Co-eds partaking in “The Half-Naked Gun.” More revealing photos of which can be found after the jump.

At any given point during the 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU pilot – an adaptation of the Heath Ledger-fronted 1999 film, itself a modern telling of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew – you can gather the impression that this teen dramedy is both smarter than you’d think and a causality of the very tropes it tries to play up.

Helmed by GREEK writer-producer Carter Covington, it should fit rather comfortably with ABC Family’s lineup of just-saucy-enough programming – attractive to GOSSIP GIRL fans but not enough to wrinkle the noses of the 700 CLUB.

Kat (ALIENS IN AMERICA’s Lindsay Shaw) and Bianca (Meaghan Martin) Stratford are the new kids at Padua High, having just moved to town from Ohio with their obstetrician father (Larry Miller, who reprises his role from the film).  The sisters are quickly established as foils: Kat listens to NPR and gets riled up by lack of universal health care; Bianca combs through Facebook pages to pinpoint the most popular girl at school so that she may copy her ever move.

Shaw should just be in every scene – she’s just great, whether you like her character’s politics or not. When she meets the Heath Ledger character (played here by Gregory Peck’s grandson Ethan), who mostly sits and broods intently during this first outing, there’s a powerful sense of chemistry between them, largely because she’s smart enough not to fall (at least right away) for puppy dog eyes, leather jackets and motorcycles.

The cast is rounded out by the unfortunately named queen bee Chastity Church (Dana Davis), who’s popularity Bianca lusts for and Kat brushes up against, and the dopey and lovelorn Cameron (Nicholas Braun), who we know would fall for Bianca even before they share a scene together.  

10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU lacks the nuance of former high school-set series like FREAKS & GEEKS or My SO-CALLED LIFE – for all it’s hip pop culture references and knowing female lead, it is plainly familiar territory that’s styled up for 2009. The original film buoyed this with wit and charming, immensely likeable actors like Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger, which this comes close to with Kat and Bianca, their relationship being the strongest aspect of the show, full of sarcasm and sisterly rapport.

But charming it veritably is. A dominant trait among ABC Family as of late (save for THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER, which is just another review entirely) that almost inexplicably lifts shows from being derisive, played-out trope-fests into breezily endearing productions that are light on originality but stoked in charm.

This series should only be approached casually (to do anything more would be to court serious disappointment) – this is grinning summer fun, and shouldn’t be expected to be anything else. Grade: B

10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU premieres Tuesday July 7 on ABC Family at 8PM

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING:
MAKE IT OR BREAK IT (9PM ABC Family)
This Stick It-esque drama about young gymnasts with dreams of the Olympics may mine every teen sports movie trope there is (showbiz mom and dads; catty competition; down-on-her-luck protagonist defies odds and scores huge), but it manages to do so with a naturalness that’s a relief — I don’t I could take another broadly drawn teen drama. It’s no FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, but even if you’re not this show’s target audience, you shouldn’t feel bad for liking it. Grade: B — Aleks Chan

NEW & NOTABLE:
STAR TREK: TNG (8PM Sci Fi)
JJ. Abrams STAR TREK re-boot got you itching for more? Why not jump on the NEXT GENERATION bandwagon with the thrilling two-part episode that assimilated this TV Addict into the annals of TV nerdom.

THE CLOSER (9PM TNT)
In what will most likely be her best shot at a much-deserved Emmy nod (since the Frakkin’ nominating committee doesn’t seem to recognize anything to do with science fiction) BATTLESTAR GALACTICA’s Mary McDonnell arrives on the scene to investigate Gabriel’s shooting.

JON & KATE PLUS EIGHT (9PM TLC)
We hear that Jon & Kate are going to make some sort of big announcement. Wonder what that’s about?

As ABC Family gets set to unveil their new original series MAKE IT OR BREAK IT tonight, your very own TV Addict had the chance to do something that his ten-year old self would be like, OMG, so totally jealous of! Talk to our childhood crush FULL HOUSE’S DJ Tanner actress Candace Cameron Bure. Here’s what we learned:

On what brought Candace Cameron Bure back to television.
After tackling her life’s most important role to date, that of mother to three genetically blessed children, her husband Valerie Bure’s retirement from the National Hockey League (NHL) was what allowed her to get back in front of the camera. “It’s always been very important for me as a parent to have one of us stay at home with our children,” explained Cameron Bure. “And when ABC Family came to me and presented MAKE IT OR BREAK IT I found an instant connection with the show because it’s based on competitive sports, a world that I’ve been in for the past 13 years and know well since my husband was a professional athlete.”

On the parallels between competitive sports and acting.
Whether you’re hitting your mark on camera or on the balance beam, there is a fine line between success and failure. A line, that as it turns out has very little to do with the child, and much more to do with the parents. Something Candace Bure knows all-too-well having grown up on FULL HOUSE and spent the last twelve years married to a NHL player. “The parents really will determine whether they can navigate a child through show-business and/or through competitive sports well. Trying to balance the child’s life of what’s right, how much is enough, when too keep pushing, it’s all very similar.”

On how she managed to stay out of the tabloids.
Which probably explains how Candace Bure (unlike her fictional small screen siblings: Jodie Sweetin and the Olsen Twins) came out of that awkward child star phase with nary a scratch. “My parents were parents first, then didn’t set out for me to become a television star. They just placed the importance on family, God and our faith. That’s what molded me into the woman I am today, so I can carry those values and try to teach my kids the same principles.”

On how she’ll react when her own children ask to go ‘pro.’
“My kids have no choice, they’re going to be either actors or athletes!” joked Candace Bure who clearly understands what it must be like to have kids who have seen the benefits first hand of having a mommy and a daddy who have reached the pinnacle of success in their respective fields

On the possibility of a FULL HOUSE reunion.
“I don’t think there will be a reunion show. I don’t think the whole cast is on board.” revealed Cameron Bure, who was also quick to add her two cents (”It sounds a little odd”) on the recent news that FULL HOUSE co-star John Stamos wants to develop a FULL HOUSE movie with an entirely new cast. “I don’t think the show is quite old enough to have other people playing us. But who knows.”

MAKE IT OR BREAK IT premieres on ABC Family Monday June 22 at 9PM following the second season premiere of THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER

Deep breath, don’t panic, September is just around the corner. Or so we keep telling ourselves. Because the unfortunate reality of the situation is that September is in fact, not just around the corner. Which is why theTVaddict.com is going to spend the next few days offering up our “Summer Survival Guide.” Alternatives to the painful mix of reality TV, reruns and third-rate miniseries/ movies the major networks are trying to pass off as entertainment.

But before we get into those alternatives which include the worlds of TV on DVD, books and online, we first thought we should offer up five reason why you may not want to cancel your cable just yet.

WEEDS  [Showtime, June 8]
Mary Louise Parker, America’s sexiest and arguably most irresponsible mother is back! And while critics and discerning fans have been quick to proclaim that the Botwin’s clans move to the border was a mistake of shark jumping proportions, WEEDS (alongside HBO’s ENTOURAGE, 30 ROCK and HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER) remain to this day one of the only comedies that without fail, always leaves us jonesin’ for more. Also this summer on Showtime: NURSE JACKIE (June 8th)

HUNG [HBO, June 28]
Would you pay $14.99 per month for Thomas Jane? HBO is certainly hoping that you will when you meet Ray Decker; a down-on-his-luck high school teacher who must use his best (and some might say, biggest) asset to escape from his very own personal and financial crisis. Unfortunately, on a family friendly web site, we’re not exactly at liberty to say what said asset is. Rest assured, HUNG has the makings of HBO’s next big thing (and yes, that is in fact what she said.) Also this summer on HBO: ENTOURAGE (July 12) and TRUE BLOOD (June 14)

ROYAL PAINS [USA, June 4]
What is the one thing that can get this procedural-phobic TV Addict to tune into another [insert medical/cop/lawyer] show that the cable networks can’t seem to get enough of? Two words: Mark Feuerstein. The actor who swept Ashley WIliams off her feet in the short-lived GOOD MORNING MIAMI and swept us off our feet with his unforgettable and ridiculously likable guest stint on THE WEST WING is just what the doctor ordered and coincidentally enough, what the rich and famous need in this new Hampton’s set medical drama. Also this summer on USA: BURN NOTICE (June 4), MONK & PSYCH (Summer 2009)

10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU
[ABC Family, July 7]
Will 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU continue ABC Family’s winning streak that started with KYLE XY and continued with GREEK and THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER? Well, not actually having seen the pilot, we’re not entirely sure. But as fans of the underrated movie that starred the late Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, this TV Addict knows what he’ll be doing on July 7th at 8PM. Also this summer on ABC Family: GREEK, SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER (June 22), MAKE IT OR BREAK IT (June 22)

CONAN O’BRIEN [NBC, June 1]
On June 1st, following 17 years at the helm of television’s most popular late night institution, Jay Leno will officially pass the torch to Conan O’Brien. Will O’Brien tone down his zany 12:35 antics for an 11:35 show? Have we really seen the last of the Masturbating Bear? And most importantly, has O’Brien’s fair Irish complexion survived the move to California? Fans will have all summer to find out, when O’Brien finally gets to sit in the big chair and welcomes some big name guests, including Will Ferrell, Pearl Jam, Tom Hanks, Green Day, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bradley Cooper, Sheryl Crow, Gwyneth Paltrow, John Mayer, Ryan Seacrest and Chickenfoot.

Good News: After far too long a hiatus, GREEK returns to TV tonight for the start of its sophomore season. Bad News: For my wallet. No seriously. One needn’t look any further than my iTunes bill for proof of this TV Addict’s dedication to GREEK. And can you really blame me?

Thanks to its perfect mix of frat boy fun and sorority high-jinx, GREEK has it all. The heart of which is star Spencer Grammer (Casey Cartwright), who was kind enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to talk to the TV Addict about everything from what it’s like to grow up in the shadow of a famous father to what fans can expect when Casey Cartwright returns from Washington when GREEK kicks off a brand new season tonight at 8PM on ABC Family.

First off, I am in love with your father [Kelsey Grammer]. How’s he doing?
Me too! He’s like my favorite Dad. Well, my only Dad. But he’s doing much better thanks [following a heart attack over the summer], playing tennis and everything seems to be working out okay.

Was he the reason you wanted to become an actress?
I’ve always been driven to do something satisfying and something that I loved because whatever you choose, you’re going to be doing it for most of your life.

Hanging out with Cappie and Ashley all day sure sounds like a tough job!
I have an awesome kick ass job. It’s so much fun. When I was a kid I was a dancer and at some point I went, “I don’t know if dance is the right thing for me.” So I started acting and then in high school I really pursued it.

Was it harder to be taken seriously because of your Dad?
Because I’m a girl and I used to have really short hair, I didn’t really tell people unless they put the names together. I really wanted to make it on my own.

It’s funny, because prior to the show’s premiere, I always assumed Rusty was “Spencer Grammer”
[Laughs] I get that all the time. I think I really wanted to be an actress because I thought more girls should be named Spencer and that people would finally stop making fun of my name.

It’s a really cool name.
I think it’s a really cool name too. My Dad named me after his best friend in High School so it’s kind of an honor to be named Spencer. I wouldn’t want to be named anything else

What’s the best advice your father ever gave you?
My Dad always said that you can’t stop on every-corner. You should always make sure you take care of yourself first and don’t waste time with people who are going to bring you down. My Dad has given me so much advice for so many things. I really go to him for everything. We’ve had our moments, I mean what girl and father don’t throughout life? But he’s great, I love him so much.

Last Kelsey Grammer related question, I swear. Has there ever been talk of him appearing on GREEK?
No, we’ve never brought it up. Not once [laughs]. He’s got his own shows, he’s so busy — directing, producing, and starring.

Okay, moving onto my favorite show. How was Casey’s summer in Washington? What can fans expect from Casey when GREEK returns tonight?
I come back from Washington realizing that I really need to focus more on school, buckle down and be serious. It turns out that I really didn’t know anything about politics, I didn’t know what I was doing in Washington and everyone made fun of me because I was a Sorority Girl. Of course when I return to CRU I don’t tell anyone about this, especially Ashley, because she’d be so disappointed.

I’m sensing a reversal here, with Rusty choosing to go the more ‘Casey’ route while Casey becomes more studious.
Year for sure, that is definitely the way it’s going to go. Rusty is going to have to really balance his course-load and his social life and make choices Casey never did. Which I think is the biggest thing you learn in College: time management. Figuring out who you are and what you think is important. Am I going to be studying all the time? Or am I going to go on this date with this really hot guy or girl?

I hear we haven’t seen the last of Max. Are you surprised about that?
I think Casey got fed up with the Evans and the Cappies of the world and wanted to be her own individual person. But that doesn’t mean that her and Max weren’t constantly “IM’ing” over the summer. Casey didn’t break up with Max because she didn’t love him. She just broke up with Max because she needed to do something for herself. Which is why she choose Washington.

Will fans get a chance to see any of Casey in Washington, perhaps through a flashback or two?
You may see a snippet of Washington, though not in a flashback.

Will we be getting to spend anymore time with Carol Potter?
Carol Potter is not with us this season, but she’s with us in spirit.

Having grown up on BEVERLY HILLS 90210, it was kind of a thrill to see Mrs. Walsh make an appearance last season.
Oh My God, for me too. But we have some of the greatest guest stars this season. Jesse McCartney plays a new rush and Janeane Garofalo will be playing a professor.

Is it frustrating that GREEK doesn’t seem to get the media attention that say a GOSSIP GIRL or 90210 do, even though we both known it’s far superior to both shows?
Than you. I think our show is different and has much more of a heart to it. Sure we have parties and love triangles but at its core, it’s about family, a brother and sister first and foremost and brothers and sisters in general.

One of my favorite parts of the show is Casey’s relationship with Rusty.
I think the writers do such a good job with the Casey/Rusty relationship. It’s my favorite part of the show and really keeps GREEK grounded.

Last question, because I know you have to go.
No, it’s so much fun talking to people who actually watch the show…

One of the quirks about GREEK that I love is that time never seems to move forward. Or when it does, it moves incredibly slow! It took two real-time years to get through one year at CRU. Is it hard to shoot a show that moves at such a glacial pace?
I actually like it. With GREEK, each episode is a week in college, or a couple of days, or sometimes even one day which we call a bottle episode — where everything takes place in one location and on one day to save money — because it feels like I’m living Casey’s life and I love playing Casey.

What do you like best about Casey?
She’s three dimensional. She’s a good person but does bad things. Kind of like I do, like everybody does. She’s always trying to make right by it but sometimes, you don’t.

How do we know that Entertainment Weekly isn’t overstating things when it promises that tonight’s action-packed third season premiere of KYLE XY plays out like a one-hour version of SPIDER-MAN?

Well, this TV Addict (alongside fellow TV Addicts Ducky, Amrie and Rae) were (not so) recently given the fantastic opportunity to chat it up with Jessi XX herself way back in July at the 2009 San Diego Comic Con.

What follows is not only what actress Jaimie Alexander had to say about what the future holds for Jessi XX this season and why playing the proverbial outsider mean so much to her. But perhaps one of the most eloquent and meaningful answers from an actress we’ve ever had the pleasure of posting at the end of this interview.

What can you tell us about what is in store for Jessi this season?
Jaimie Alexander: This season, Jessi goes through a lot and must deal with normal human emotions such as being in love, being torn about who she is and battling hart to try and find out where she fits in. There are time when she’s going to feel worthless and times when she will feel like she has really has made a difference. She’ll break your heart this season.. umm.. I mean I’ll break your heart! Trust me, some of the things I was like … I’m going to need a Martini at the end of the day. It was pretty rough stuff.

Anything that might surprise the fans?
There are so many stunts this season. They really upped the sci-fi this year. A LOT! Matt [Dallas] and I both were shocked. There’s a lot of ass-kicking and Kyle has a lot of stunts, which was different because last year I had a lot. There’s also lot of exploration with regards to the new powers both of us have, we share. Jessi and Kyle spend a lot of time finding out about eachother and becoming more comfortable with how they were brought into this world. It’s pretty amazing.

Also, Jessi does get a love interest and moves in with the Trager family which really stirs things up between her and Lori.

The writers really are amazing this season, not that they weren’t before. But I have not been as happy working on this show as I have been this season. Really, it’s been a full on pleasure. There are also a lot of new characters which are pretty stellar. We’ve added some ethnicity and accents.

I imagine it’s nice to finally not be the ‘new girl’ on set?
I’m still the one who entered in season two! But now I get to play pranks on all the newbies that we have this year.

What’s the best thing about getting to star on a show like KYLE XY?
I love talking to fans of the show. I actually have more fun talking to people who enjoy the show than working on it because it fuels what I do. I’d have no reason to work on the show if nobody watched it.

Well now is your chance. What message would you like to send directly to your fans?
I want kids to know that while you may be the outcast now, the things you get teased for in school are really you best attributes. I was on the high school wrestling team, I have a deep voice and I’m really tall. Those thing seem to be my best attributes now.

KYLE XY kicks off its third season tonight at 9PM on ABC Family

After witnessing an absolute train wreck of a Q&A with the cast of THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER backstage following last weeks TEEN CHOICE AWARDS, this TV Addict finally found the impetus to take the plunge, shell out $1.99 on iTunes and check out the pilot episode of the ABC Family hit summer show. I mean could the show possibly be as ‘entertaining’ as the cast’s botched press conference?

Needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed.

From the “wasn’t that cool-three-years-ago” Avril Lavigne song that opened the show, to the seemingly never-ending series of trademark Brenda Hampton lectures on subjects ranging on everything from dress codes and abortion, to religion, abstinence and abuse, THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER was exactly what I expected. An unintentionally hilarious after-school special/public service announcement hybrid that is quite possibly secretly funded by some sort of religious group or pro-family organization. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

What’s worse, I’m kind of, err… sort of… umm… curious as to what’s going to happen next.

Will Amy’s parents lose it when they discover what happened at Band Camp? Does Ben finally get acting lessons lucky? Will Ricky fall for Grace and change his philandering ways? And most importantly, will “left wing Hollywood” ever stop painting Band Camp as a pit of social depravity and promiscuity!

I suppose time will tell. But until then, this TV Addict would like to pose this interesting question. Is THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER officially the best worst show in the history of television? Or is it far too early to be passing the torch from 7TH HEAVEN?

If you want my opinion, you should tune in to watch tonight’s premiere of THE MIDDLEMAN on ABC Family. It’s funny, it’s fast paced. There is a lot of action, and activism, and guitar playing, and art, and film students, and monsters, and Chloe from 24. The cast is charming, eclectic, diverse, and really well cast in their roles. But if you don’t want to take my word for it, maybe you’ll listen to one of the series’ stars, Brit Morgan, who plays Lacey on the show. Here is what she had to say about the show, why you should watch, and how she ended up “traveling” with Toby Keith, Ted Nugent, and Rodney Carrington.

So for people who aren’t really sure what THE MIDDLEMAN is about, in your words, describe your show?
Brit Morgan: It’s about a young girl, her name is Wendy Watson. She gets recruited by a temp agency to fight evil. In other words, she thinks she’s going to go work for a temp agency and it ends up being THE MIDDLEMAN. So she’s now this young girl who fights evil for a living [laughs]. It’s her journey through that.

And you play her roommate Lacey. How does Lacey fit into the whole scheme of things?
Lacey fits in, she’s Wendy’s best friend. She has all sorts of escapades of her own. She really has nothing to do with the evil-fighting as of yet. She’s sort of just Wendy’s go to whenever there’s trouble.

Does she know about Wendy, or is that a secret world?
She doesn’t. She doesn’t know about Wendy; Wendy constantly has to keep this side of life from me, from Lacey. So Lacey doesn’t know. When Lacey finds out, I’m sure it’ll be big, but Lacey does not know. [laughs]

How did this role happen for you?
I had been with my manager for a few months, and I got this audition. It was pilot season, so it was great to go out for a pilot. But when I read it, it was like, just like a page of really interesting dialogue. It was like nothing I had ever read, nothing I had ever auditioned for while being in LA. I was excited for it. I got a callback, went later that day. I met with the producers in a couple days, and then that was it! And THE MIDDLEMAN became a part of my life.

What would you say to people who are interested in watching it – why should they definitely tune in? Why are fans going to like it?
I think fans are going to like it because it has so many elements combined. It’s funny, it’s got references. I guess kids would love it because it’s got all the action packed greatness of the monsters, zombies, vampires. But the humor would actually appeal to 20s, 30s, it’s got tons of pop culture references. It’s real hip in this artists’ community. It’s got so many elements. It’s very edgy and different and it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It’s completely unique. It’s very entertaining. It’s hilarious; the show’s hilarious. It’s very funny.

How did acting in general get started for you?
When I was 6 years old, I loved to entertain; sing, dance, you know, all that. But it wasn’t until middle school, I felt kind of like I was one of those people that didn’t really fit in. At all. So it kind of gave me a really great escape. That was 6th grade on; it gave me an escape from school, it gave me escape from home life. Acting provided therapy. That’s when I first started, when adolescence kicked in.

Whose career would you love to have?
Now that I’m a little older, my idol really career wise is Kate Winslet. She is my absolute favorite. Kate Winslet, and back in the day, Goldie Hawn. That’s someone’s career that I’d love to have. [laughs] They just branch out. They can do anything. They have a lot of integrity and they’re good role models. You know, all those reasons.

Do you prefer to do comedy or drama? Would you prefer either more?
No, I wouldn’t prefer either more; however, I do think comedy is my favorite. I love drama, but I do think comedy comes a little easier. But I hope to do both, a lot.

What are some shows that you get to watch in your downtime?
When I have downtime, I watch old seasons of THE WEST WING and EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND [laughs]. That’s really all I watch. I don’t have TV in my house. So I buy like old seasons of things and then I just watch them all the time. SEX AND THE CITY is my favorite. I cannot wait [for the movie]. I am rounding up all my friends; I can’t wait, I’m so excited!

What else besides THE MIDDLEMAN do you have coming up?
Well, I have a movie coming out in August. I’m so, so, so excited about. It’s called BEER FOR MY HORSES and it’s got Toby Keith in it, Ted Nugent, Willie Nelson, Rodney Carrington. It’s got a bunch of country stars in it; a bunch of amazing, some legends like Willie Nelson. It’s about these three guys, Rodney Carrington, Ted Nugent, and Toby Keith – they’re sheriffs in this town and they go across the country on a road trip and I’m a girl that they pick up along the way. It’s an awesome film. It’s really funny, it’s going to be great for people who love country music, and people who love that kind of blue collar comedy. It’s really fun. It was the funnest thing I think I’ve ever filmed. It was my first movie.

You don’t think immediately of Ted Nugent and Toby Keith as actors but I think they’re so funny in their own right that it could make for a really good movie!
Absolutely! [laughs] It’s great!

Is there any advice you’d want to give to someone trying to break into the business?
I’d say, I really only “made it” for one reason, well, I don’t know if I quite “made it” yet, but I think the best advice to give somebody is just to believe in yourself. Just believe in yourself and let nobody tell you who you are. Just be persistent. Passion and determination can overcome everything, I really think. Just believe in yourself, stay true to yourself.

Is there anything else you want people to know?
Definitely tune in on June 16 to THE MIDDLEMAN and I’ll be having a website come out soon that I’d like people to know about [we’ll keep you all posted when we get the link]. Just to keep people updated on THE MIDDLEMAN and the behind the scenes stuff will be up. All that, and just stay tuned! And BEER FOR MY HORSES comes out in August.

Be sure to tune in to the premiere tonight – and catch all thirteen episodes as they spool out over the summer. Keep your eye on Brit Morgan – she shines on the show, and I think she’s really going places!