Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on Bones, Castle, Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries, HIMYM, Grey's and More!
Got a scoop request? An anonymous tip you’re dying to share? Just want to say hello? Send any/all of the above to askausiello@tvline.com
Question: Here’s my burning Gossip Girl finale question: How do we know Dan and Serena got married in that flash-forward? We didn’t actually see them exchange vows. —Carmen
Ausiello: Great, conspiracy-obsessed minds think alike, Carmen. I too wondered why exec producers Stephanie Savage and Josh Schwartz opted not to show the two of them tying the knot. For all we know, Jenny had a bomb strapped to her back that was set to detonate right after the cameras cut away — retaliation for the role her brother/Gossip Girl played in running her out of town. Stranger things have happened. So, what say you Ms. Savage? “Dan and Serena do, in fact, get married.” Hmmm…until I see more evidence, I remain suspicious.
RELATED | Gossip Girl Post Mortem: The Real Story Behind Producers’ Decision to Make Dan Gossip Girl
Question: Any Big Bang Theory scoop? —Kirsty
Ausiello: It was bound to happen — the geek squad will be making their way to (a rough facsimile of) Comic-Con in the new year. “We are going to touch upon our first look at the guys taking a trip to a comic-book convention,” exec producer Steve Molaro tells TVLine exclusively. “And that will be a fun one. That’s looming in the distance.”
Question: Could you give us more details on the episode where Brennan gets shot on Bones? Please! —Faye
Ausiello: The February installment unfolds as follows, per exec producer Stephen Nathan: “Brennan is working on a case that someone does not want her to solve. And in their attempt to prevent her from doing that, she gets shot and has a near-death experience where she meets her mother again.” The family “reunion” forces Brennan to take a good hard look at her belief system. “This is the further evolution of Brennan’s character,” explains Nathan. “She is somebody who has been so literal, so rational and so reasonable; she wants everything to be explained. And now she is having an experience that is inexplicable, so she has to admit that there are things that are not explainable. As much as she tries to discount it and dismiss it, it changes her and makes her a bit more open to the world.”
Question: What’s the biggest scoop on Bones (Booth and Brennan, maybe?) you have at the moment? —Elena
Ausiello: Piggybacking on the above spoiler (which was pretty big, IMHO), Nathan says Brennan’s heavenly run-in with her mom will give viewers insight into “what she was like as a kid, before she became the Brennan that we know. She picks up the relationship with her mother where it left off.”
Question: The Nikita fandom is imploding over what appears to be Alex kissing Michael in the promo for the next episode. Care to shed some light before anyone else sheds blood? —Kat
Ausiello: I can confirm that there’s a kiss. I can also confirm that there’s a twist. As exec producer Craig Silverstein explains, the lip-lock takes place during a mission — in other words, it’s more business than pleasure. That said, “It’s a very cute scene,” he shares, “because they both don’t want to do it.”
Question: It kills me that more people aren’t watching Happy Endings. Not sure what my question is, but there you have it. —Joshua
Ausiello: Reading between the lines, I’m thinking your question was, “Can I please have some Happy Endings scoop?” And my answer is… yes! In an upcoming episode, Dave is forced to make a major decision about his career, so naturally, he consults a tarot card reader. But what the reader couldn’t have predicted — and by “reader,” I mean you, Joshua, not the tarot card reader — is that, though Dave walks in skeptical, he walks out as big a believer as Alex. Or, that is, as big a believer as Alex was when she walked in. When she walks out, she’s skeptical! (It’s very complicated, you see!)
Question: Any Castle news? —Gabriella
Ausiello: “It’s every man’s worst nightmare,” show boss Andrew Marlowe explains, when Castle’s ex-wife Meredith (Scandal‘s Darby Stanchfield) not only resurfaces in the next new episode (airing Jan. 7), but crashes at his place to tend to a sick Alexis. Especially since Kate is also at the time bunking with Rick, who famously has/had a habit of indulging in “ex sex” — and old habits perhaps die hard for one of the former marrieds. ”Castle has kind of dug his own grave and spends the episode trying to dig himself out of it,” Marlowe previews. “It’s also interesting to see everybody else’s take on things.” For in addition to RySposito sounding off on the sticky sitch, “You have Lanie saying to Beckett, ‘Girl, you have got to claim your territory!’”
Question: I’m still looking for NCIS scoop. —Lyn
Ausiello: One of the possible titles for CBS’ in-the-works NCIS: LA spinoff is NCIS: Red. Anyone know how that ties into the mobile unit premise? Not being snarky — I really want to know. (And please don’t make me do the research. I have Christmas presents to buy for myself.)
Question: Do you have some scoops about CSI: NY? —Bryan
Ausiello: Fans of “Flovato” (aka Detectives Flack and Lovato) should find themselves quite happy with the next new episode back, airing Jan. 4.
Question: It’s been quite a while since you’ve given us anything on How I Met Your Mother. How about a little something? –Rebecca
Ausiello: Reports of a Robin Sparkles comeback have not been greatly exaggerated. EP Carter Bays confirms that Scherbat’s ’90s alter ego will resurface in a big way in the Monday, Feb. 4 episode. “We [wanted to see] the next step in the progression that took her from Robin Sparkles to who she is today,” he previews. “What dominoes had to fall to get her from there to here?” Bays teases that viewers will be exposed to “a darker, edgier Robin Sparkles,” adding, “We’re going to see her rebellious side come out.”
RELATED | Inside How I Met Your Mother‘s “White-Knuckle, Nail-Biting” Season 9 Talks
Question: I was wondering if you have any scoop on The Lying Game. — Kristi
Ausiello: In fact, I do — straight from showrunner Chuck Pratt. “Laurel’s music will propel her into the beginning of the season,” he says, “but then Laurel’s going to take on a whole new dynamic in the show. She’ll become more of a force and an equal with Mads. She and Emma really start to bond, too, which will cause Emma problems because she’s lying to her.” If it sounds like the boss is a Laurel fan, it should. “One of our goals was to bring her to more of the forefront and really feature her this season,” he admits, “because we just think the world of [her portrayer] Allie Gonino.”
Question: I need some Hart of Dixie news involving Zade (Zoe and Wade). Hit me with your best shot. —Kris
Ausiello: You may end up trading Zade for Jade, if Travis Van Winkle catches on as Lemon and Brick’s cousin — and Wade’s potential competition for Zoe — Jonah. “He is a really fun character — a conceited, arrogant Southern boy,” teases exec producer Leila Gerstein. “You can think of him as a young Brick Breeland. He gets in Zoe’s face, and there’s conflict ahead.” And even further ahead, potentially romance. But, Gerstein swears, “There won’t be anything like that, certainly, for awhile.”
Question: I was devastated to see Amber and Ryan break up on Parenthood! Is Matt Lauria done on the show, or is there still hope? —Meghan
Ausiello: We have not seen the last of Ryan this season. Not by a long-shot.
Question: Time for a weekday update, Seriously?! Edition (insert Seth Meyers and Amy Pohler voices). Seriously Aus, where’s the love for The Vampire Diaries? —Sydney
Ausiello: Have you looked in your local roller disco? Because that may be where the show is headed. Though exec producer Julie Plec hastens to note that nothing is set in stone, she does admit, “We’re just now writing a script which, in a perfect world, will take us back to the ’70s in New York City. Everything could change, but it’s an era we haven’t explored yet. It could be a lot of fun.” Especially since she adds that “it’ll definitely involve our brothers in some form or another.” Cue the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in 3, 2, 1…
Question: I am enjoying this season of The Vampire Diaries, but the one thing it needs is Katherine back! Any chance that’s happening anytime soon? —Ali
Ausiello: “That elusive vixen is still somehow lurking in the shadows,” teases Plec, “but keeping herself well hidden… Given Klaus’ continued presence in Mystic Falls, we shall see if we’ll be able to get her back into town.” Scram, Klaus!
Question: Any Parks and Rec scoop?! —Julie
Ausiello: Jerry’s retirement is on hold! “To be honest, we don’t have any specific plans” for him to pack it in, showrunner Mike Schur tells my colleague, Megan Masters. “It’s always been in the back of our head… as a chip to play, but I’m not sure we’re going to play it this year.” Hallelujah!
Question: January seems a lifetime away. Any Grey’s Anatomy scoop on Jackson/April to tide me over until then? —Alex
Ausiello: I’m going to answer your question with a question of my own: What do you think of April and [Spoiler] as a couple? I’m not saying Grey’s is going there, mind you. I’m just wondering what you think of them (i.e. They’re most likely going there. Maybe.)
Question: Too early to be asking for Sons of Anarchy scoop? —Joel
Ausiello: The fifth season just ended. The first episode of the sixth season hasn’t even been broken, let alone written. And it won’t air until next fall. I guess what I’m trying to say is, no, it’s not too early. “You can get ready for another reset for Clay next year,” speculates Ron Perlman. “What it is, I don’t know. But I would guess that Season 6 is going to very much be an exploration of [Clay and Jax] changing places. [Clay] goes on some sort of journey of retribution, while [Jax] watches his aspirations disintegrate right in front of his eyes, even if he can’t see it.” Perlman is quick to note that, “Every time I’ve tried to guess where [series creator] Kurt [Sutter] is going, I’ve been wrong. But it’s fun to play the game.”
RELATED | Sons of Anarchy Season 6 Scoop: Will [Spoiler] Be Back?
Question: No question – just want to say Happy Holidays and thanks for all you do! —Frank
Ausiello: No thanks needed. Unless it comes in the form of a vegan burrito. I’m starving. But seriously, you’re welcome. And to prove how very welcome you are, I have a present for you — one last scooplet from this, the final AA of 2012! A major female character on an hour drama is getting killed off this spring. That’s it. That’s all you’re getting. (Hey, I didn’t say it was a good present.) Happy holidays!
That’s a wrap! Please send questions, comments, and anonymous tips to askausiello@tvline.com. (Additional reporting by Vlada Gelman, Meg Masters and Kim Roots)
Get more from TVLine.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
