The TV Addict 

Even though there may not be that much to talk about on screen — behind-the-scenes — network execs, actors and agents have never been busier. And keeping track of it all is your very own TV Addict, with the latest news on which actors and actresses will soon be popping up on your favorite shows come the Fall 2008.

The News: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA’S Paul Campbell [Billy] will be joining the cast of KNIGHT RIDER as the head research tech at Knight Industries.
The Lowdown: Finally giving us a reason to tune in after February’s uber-disappointing two-hour car commercial.
[Source]

The News: Ex-FRIEND Matthew Perry has signed on to headline Peter Tolan’s [RESCUE ME] Showtime pilot THE END OF STEVE. A dark comedy revolving around Perry, who will play a local TV anchor who’s real-life personality is somewhat different than his cheery on-camera one.
The Lowdown: Could we BE anymore excited for the return of Matthew Perry to television? Umm… no.
[Source]

The News: Madchen Amick is returning to Central Park West, or more accurately, the Upper East Side to play a possible MILF for Nate [Chace Crawford].
The Lowdown: Already spoiling May’s finale tease that ‘S’ and ‘N’ might have lived happily ever after, at least for a little while. Way to go EW.
[Source]

The News: ALL MY CHILDREN’s Leven Rambin will join TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES this season as Riley, a new school friend of John Connor.
The Lowdown: And by friend, we naturally assume love interest. So place your bets now, Riley is (a) an undercover Terminator sent from the future, or (b) Terminated by a Terminator, thus kick-starting John’s transformation from brooding teenager to leader of the revolution!
[Source]

The News: Television icon Mary Tyler Moore will be joining NBC’s LIPSTICK JUNGLE for a multi-episode arc next season, playing Brooke Shields’ mother.
The Lowdown: Casting coup yes. But in all seriousness, how many fans in the younger demographic NBC so dearly covets really has an attachment to 70’s TV icon Mary Tyler Moore?
[Source]

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Anticipating a rather lengthy spate of reruns thanks to the writers strike, I’m checking out a few shows that are either new to me or which I’ve only seen an episode or two of. The latest one? Geek-turned-spy comedy CHUCK, which I saw the pilot of and liked, but not enough to become a regular viewer. So Monday night, I tuned back in and found that little has changed since the pilot… and I mean that in the best way possible. There’s nothing that can kill a struggling-to-survive show quicker than if newbies wander in and the show has a mind-boggling mythology or complicated backstory making it nearly impenetrable to the uninitiated or casual viewer. While I may not know exactly how Bryce came back from the dead or the circumstances which led to a much-discussed kiss between our hero and fellow operative Sarah, it didn’t much matter. The hour was fast-paced, enjoyable and easy to digest. The laughs weren’t of the belly variety and the plot didn’t require all that much attention be paid, but that’s part of the show’s charm, as is an incredibly appealing cast. The gimmick here — Chuck’s brain dowloaded a whole lot of top-secret intel which comes to him in flashes — is probably the weakest link, but it’s really little more than a way of bringing together people who wouldn’t otherwise have a reason to talk let alone bond and bumping the plot from point a to z without us having to think too hard. All in all, I’d have to say this show is a gee-whiz-that-was-fun winner. If you suddenly find yourself with some empty hours to fill thanks to the strike, you could do a whole lot worse than this charmer.

Finally, a well-written, interesting, debate-filled episode of LAW & ORDER: SVU! I know, I know, after last week’s mess of an offering I vowed to stop watching, but… well, I lied. Sue me. This week, the plot involved polygamy, involuntary female circumcision (ouch), a movement encouraging the snuffing-out of snitches and more… including a fantastic final-act twist. In a throwback to classic L&O, the personal details were scant and yet intriguing; the look on Benson’s face as she realized that Stabler had dated an attractive bit player helping them gather info was subtle and perfect. This is the show I fell in love with. Let’s have more episodes like this and fewer of the sucktacular crap like last week.

Speaking of craptacular, anybody else notice the size of those promos for The Bourne Ultimatum which popped up every 15 minutes or so during SVU? It’s bad enough that the networks allow more and more time to be taken up by ads, or that the insist on pimping whatever show is coming up next, tomorrow or somewhere down the line. But these were ads for a DVD being released on December 11. You want to hawk DVD’s? Do it on your own time. These types of promos are taking over the screen and serve to immediatley take us out of the show we’re trying to watch. Producers need to stand up and demand that the networks put an immediate stop to this kind of nonsense.

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In an exclusive interview with EW.com, actor Isaiah Washington sounded off on what the future holds now that he won’t be returning to GREY’S ANATOMY.

EW: What type of offers have you received?

ISAIAH: I’ve gotten a ton of offers in both film and TV, and now my agent Ben Press and I are just sorting through all the options. There is one network in particular that’s very interested. But I don’t want to say anything specific until it’s a done deal.

Now I’m no network executive (clearly my TV tastes are far too smart to slum it), but how about this for the most brilliant move ever — Dr. Burke, looking for a change of scenery following his anti-gay slur wedding being called off should hop on the next flight and take a job at County General. Yes, you heard me. Signing Isaiah Washington would not only be the shot in the arm ER so desperately needs, it would completely re-ignite interest in NBC’s aging medical drama. Ben Silverman, you can thank me anytime.