Once Upon a Time Casts Lost's Emilie de Ravin As Belle

Once Upon a Time Casts Lost's Emilie de Ravin As Belle

Once Upon a Time has landed another Lost alum.

Emilie de Ravin, who played Australian castaway Claire on the ABC island mystery series, has been cast as Belle, as in Beauty and the Beast's Belle, TVGuide.com has learned exclusively.

Details of her role are scarce, but we hear Once's Belle will have a connection to Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle). No word on whether the titular Beast will appear, but Gaston is slated to pop up as well.

The 29-year-old Roswell alum has starred in such films as Remember Me, Public Enemies and Brick. She will first appear in Episode 12, slated to air early next year.

Weeds Renewed For 8th Season

Weeds Renewed For 8th Season

SHOWTIME is packing another hit of its highest-rated comedy series WEEDS, picking up an eighth season. Thirteen new episodes will go into production in 2012.

True Blood Taps Valentina Cervi for Villainous Role

True Blood Taps Valentina Cervi for Villainous Role

True Blood is bringing in more fresh blood for Season 5.

Italian actress Valentina Cervi will join the cast as a series regular, TVGuide.com has confirmed. Cervi, who recently appeared in the BBC miniseries Zen, will portray Salome, an ancient vampire who's not only intelligent but a skilled seductress. TVLine.com first reported the news.

Salome, as in the Salome from the Bible, is the most powerful person, though she's capable of hiding her powers when it serves her purpose.

True Blood is slated to return with Season 5 next year.

What to watch this weekend....

What to watch this weekend....

Hopefully you'll be spending your post-Thanksgiving weekend chillaxin' with your families and just enjoying some cool holiday vibes. Feel free to not watch television at all! But if you must, here are some things:

What to watch on Friday, November 25...

HOLIDAY SPECIAL, 8pm, CW
Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer
This is a cartoon version of the song that every town's worst radio station plays a million times every Christmas (when not playing "Christmas Shoes"). Basically a dude named Jake Spankenheimer (comedic name) has to find his grandma and save Christmas or something. I don't know.

HOLIDAY SPECIAL, 8pm, CBS
Hoops&Yoyo Ruin Christmas
Here's a brand-new holiday special based on a popular line of greeting-card characters? Again, don't look at me. The synopsis involves two creatures named Hoops and Yoyo who accidentally fall through a wormhole and disrupt a young Kris Kringle from becoming Santa Claus. Are you with your family? Maybe just turn off the TV and have a nice conversation instead. Life is very short!

HOLIDAY SPECIAL, 8:30pm, CBS
The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf's Story
This is another brand-new holiday special, but this one is based on a children's book and also a billion dollars worth of merchandising? I'm not a historian. However: It's about an elf who helps a boy believe in the magic of Christmas. Does he tell the boy to avoid watching animated Christmas specials based on toys or greeting cards? I don't have all the answers.

9pm, CW
Olive, the Other Reindeer
Nobody could have ever predicted that Olive, the Other Reindeer would one day be the most respectable holiday special on television the night after Thanksgiving, but here we are. This 1999 special features the voices of Drew Barrymore, Joe Pantoliano, Ed Asner, Dan Castellaneta, and Jay Mohr. It concerns a dog who travels to the North Pole and attempts to fill in for an injured Blitzen.

SERIES PREMIERE, 10pm, TBS
Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse
This is a Tyler Perry sitcom based on his hit film franchise Why Did I Get Married? Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

PLUS NEW EPISODES OF...
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, 8 p.m., Cartoon Network
ThunderCats, 8:30 p.m., Cartoon Network
Tyler Perry's House of Payne, 9 p.m., TBS
20/20, 10 p.m., ABC
Boss, 10 p.m., Starz
Onion News Network, 10 p.m., IFC
Sanctuary, 10 p.m., Syfy
Marvel Anime: X-Men, 11 p.m., G4
Gold Rush Alaska 9 p.m Discovery

What to watch on Saturday, November 26...

ORIGINAL MOVIE, 8pm, Lifetime
Dear Santa
Hey, Amy Acker! It's Amy Acker, you guys. The former Angel actress stars in Dear Santa, the story of a young woman who intercepts a girl's letter to Santa requesting a new mom and then seeks out the girl and her widower father to BECOME that new mom? Okay not gonna lie, this sounds like a horror film.

ORIGINAL MOVIE, 8pm, Hallmark
Debbie Macomber's Trading Christmas
If you thought Nancy Meyers' The Holiday was too high-budget and plausible, here comes Trading Christmas, the story of a widow (Faith Ford) and a writer (Tom Cavanagh) who trade homes for the holidays, run into complications, and meet-cute with new love interests. You will think I am lying, but the director's name is Michael Scott.

ORIGINAL MOVIE, 9pm, Syfy
Storm War
When a demented mad scientist uses weather satellites to zap Washington, D.C., his two estranged sons band together to take pops down. Okay, this looks good.

PLUS NEW EPISODES OF...
Cops, 8 p.m., Fox
Holiday Block Party 2011, 8 p.m., HGTV
America's Cutest Pet, 9 p.m., Animal Planet
Celebrity Ghost Stories, 9 p.m., Biography
Primeval, 9 p.m., BBC America
Suze Orman Show, 9 p.m., CNBC
48 Hours Mystery, 10 p.m., CBS
Bizarre E.R., 10 p.m., Discovery Fit & Health

What to watch on Sunday, November 27...

8pm, ABC
Once Upon a Time
Tonight Henry tempts death when he hopes to travel to the fairytale world via a sinkhole he found. Elsewhere, Jiminy Cricket (!) attempts to find a new vocation. This show.

MIDSEASON PREMIERE, 9pm, TNT
Leverage
America's favorite schemers return tonight to investigate the mysterious vanishing of several Boston-area homeless veterans. Jeez, serious stuff, basically. Godspeed, schemers.

MIDSEASON FINALE, 9pm, AMC
The Walking Dead
Life on the farm continues to deteriorate, but Rick and Hershel must band together to deal with a "grave threat." Also Dale and Shane continue to butt heads, possibly for lady-related reasons.

9pm, Showtime
Dexter
Dexter attempts to stay ahead of Miami Metro in his pursuit of the Doomsday Killer(s) (LOL). Meanwhile Deb's latest therapy session uncovers something surprising. Not that her brother is a serial killer. Something else probably.

AWARDS SPECIAL, 9pm, BET
2011 Soul Train Awards
This 24th annual celebration of soul, hip-hop, and R&B is hosted by Cedric the Entertainer and features performances by Cee Lo Green, Common, Musiq Soulchild, and Natalie Cole. Award recipients include Earth, Wind, and Fire and Gladys Knight. (Better luck next year, T-Boz.)

ORIGINAL MOVIE, 8pm, ABC Family
Desperately Seeking Santa
Nick Zano stars alongside Laura Vandervoort (V, Smallville) in this Nick Zano vehicle concerning a woman who starts a sexy mall santa contest in which Nick Zano participates. Plus romance, etc.

SERIES PREMIERE, 9pm, TV Guide Network
Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On
In possibly the saddest-titled reality series ever conceived (I know it was their hit song, but still), the ladies of Wilson Phillips attempt to record a comeback album and Chynna announces her intention to compete on Dancing With the Stars. Oooh, I hope she wins!

PLUS NEW EPISODES OF...
19 Kids and Counting: World Tour, 8 p.m., TLC
Amazing Race, 8 p.m., CBS
Being Chaz, SERIES PREMIERE, 8 p.m., OWN
Holiday Engagement, ORIGINAL MOVIE, 8 p.m., Hallmark
Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer, 8 p.m., Animal Planet
The Simpsons, 8 p.m., Fox
Allen Gregory, 8:30 p.m., Fox
Boardwalk Empire, 9 p.m., HBO
Family Guy, 9 p.m., Fox
Mitch Albom's Have a Little Faith, ORIGINAL MOVIE, 9 p.m., ABC
Next Iron Chef: Super Chefs, 9 p.m., Food Network
Sister Wives, 9 p.m., TLC
The Real Housewives of Atlanta, 9 p.m., Bravo
American Dad!, 9:30 p.m., Fox
All-American Muslim, 10 p.m., TLC
Hell on Wheels, 10 p.m., AMC
Homeland, 10 p.m., Showtime
Hung, 10 p.m., HBO
Kourtney and Kim Take New York, SEASON 2 PREMIERE, 10 p.m., E!
Reed Between the Lines, 12 a.m., BET
Talking Dead, 12 a.m., AMC

TLC Orders Extreme Couponing All Stars

TLC Orders Extreme Couponing All Stars

Couponing just got even more extreme.

TLC has ordered the competition series Extreme Couponing All Stars, featuring 12 of the original series' best savers as they go head-to-head in a shopping challenge to see who can save the most. The competitors will be challenged with buying $500 worth of items in 30 minutes, though nothing can be full price. Their hauls will be donated to charity.

Each episode of the seven-part series will feature two couponers, while the one-hour finale will pit three of the best shoppers against each other.

"Saving money can be like a sport these days — taking careful planning and unwavering commitment," said TLC GM Amy Winter in a statement. "The cast of Extreme Couponing are very serious about being the best shoppers, and this will be a fun way to see who has what it takes to save the most."

The series will premiere Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 10/9c on TLC.

The Secret Circle Lands Two New Bad Boys

The Secret Circle Lands Two New Bad Boys

The Secret Circle is stocking up on dangerous new dudes in the New Year.

Graziadei, best known for playing Daniel Romalotti on The Young and the Restless, will portray Callum, a good-looking but quick-tempered guy with deadly charm. His behavior is especially disturbing to Faye (Phoebe Tonkin).

Rotibi, whose credits include Lord of War and Tears of the Sun, will portray Eben, an ominous and authoritative leader of a dangerous group who's a true believer in his malevolent cause. Sounds like the head of the council, no?

The actors, whose guest spots have a potential to turn into recurring roles, will first appear in Episode 12.

The Secret Circle returns with new episodes on Thursday, Jan. 5 at 9/8c on The CW.

New Show: It's All About Amy

New Show: It's All About Amy

New series. Documentary following reality star Amy Childs as she makes plans to open her own beauty salon and enjoys the trappings of her celebrity lifestyle. As the series begins, the former The Only Way Is Essex star leaves the Celebrity Big Brother house and is thrust into a world of paparazzi, TV appearances and photoshoots, meeting CBB mate Kerry Katona and old friend Brian Belo along the way

Channel 5 10:00pm Thu 1 Dec

Bruce Forsyth predicts X Factor end

Bruce Forsyth predicts X Factor end

Sir Bruce Forsyth thinks 'The X Factor' will only last for two more series.

The 'Strictly Come Dancing' presenter - who co-hosts the BBC One show alongside Tess Daly - is "thrilled" the celebrity dance competition is beating its ITV1 rival for the first time in the ratings, and admits while the programme isn't quite on its "last legs", it doesn't have a huge amount of mileage left.

He said: "There is a length of time that sort of show can last.

"I wouldn't like to say it is on its last legs as I think they will do another couple of series of it. I am just thrilled that our show is getting a bigger audience than ever this year. That is what I am thrilled about."

The veteran TV star thinks while his show competes with 'The X Factor' in the reality stakes, the rows between 'Strictly' judges are not "scripted" as they are between Gary Barlow, Kelly Rowland, Tulisa Contostavlos and Louis Walsh.

Bruce added in an interview with BBC Radio 4's 'Front Row': " Although ours is a reality show, we do have people getting up and doing something, we have got beautiful music going on, great singers, we have comedy from the judges, there is also comedy from me.

"So it has other things to offer, not just singer after singer after singer and judges making up rows between themselves - scripted, I think."

Smallville's Justin Hartley to Visit Castle

Smallville's Justin Hartley to Visit Castle

Smallville's Justin Hartley will guest-star on Castle, TVLine reports.

The actor will play the boyfriend of Kay Cappuccio (guest star Hilarie Burton), a Kim Kardashian-like reality star who's famous for being famous. No word yet on if they get married for 72 days.

Keck's Exclusives: Hilarie Burton gets the keys to the Castle

Hartley most recently appeared on Chuck.

Castle returns Monday, Dec. 5. Hartley and Burton's episode, titled "An Embarrassment of Bitches," will air early next year.

Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina Flub Their Lines on Thanksgiving

Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina Flub Their Lines on Thanksgiving

This year, we're betting that 'American Idol' stars Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina are mostly thankful that turkey day is firmly behind them. The Season 10 winner and runner-up both had pretty bad experiences yesterday.

An estimated 50 million viewers were watching as country crooner McCreery was revealed to be lip-syncing at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.

Meanwhile, Alaina can now join the pantheon of singers -- yes, we mean you Christina Aguilera, Cyndia Lauper and ... um ... Scotty McCreery -- who've flubbed the national anthem on live TV.

Poor old Scotty missed his cue just as the NBC cameras zoomed in for a close-up at at the beginning of 'The Trouble With Girls.' D'oh! For a cringeworthy few seconds -- which probably felt like eternity for him -- we could hear his voice, but he obviously wasn't singing. He caught up at last, but not before millions winced in sympathy.

Performing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' before the Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers game, Alaina started off okay but then seemed to forget the words. Ouch. After singing "What so proudly we hailed," she just stopped halfway through the word "twilight." Silence fell. And lasted just long enough for some of the crowd to start heckling.

Hey, we've all had that rabbit-in-the-headlights moment when your brain freezes and you can't even remember your own name or what you had for breakfast, so let's not be too harsh. Thankfully Alaina manged to keep it together and after a few seconds of silence, picked up the line again with "Whose broad stripes and bright stars", and then managed to sing the rest without incident. Phew.

Later on Alaina tweeted: "Thank you everyone for the kind words. But the truth is I messed up. I'm gonna spend the rest of the day being thankful for all my blessings."

Bored of the Holidays Already? Knit Your Own 'The Killing' Sweater!

Bored of the Holidays Already? Knit Your Own 'The Killing' Sweater!

Danish television series 'The Killing' (a.k.a. 'Forbrydelsen') and AMC's remake, also called 'The Killing,' have more than a few things in common apart from the plot: Crabby expressions and those sweaters. In fact, the sweaters are such an integral part of the drama that we think it's about time they got co-starring credits.

Pay attention all you 'Killing' fans who are stuffed to the gills with turkey and want nothing more than to wrap yourself in comfy knitwear and sit sour-faced in front of the TV for the rest of the weekend: You can now do it Sarah Lund/Linden-style.

Whether you want to buy their sweaters from the Faroe Islands, or knit them yourself, we guarantee that all will be revealed after the jump.

In Season 1 of 'Forbrydelsen' Danish Det. Sarah Lund (Sofie Grabol) is never without her trusty off-white and brown woolly sweater. If you have 280 euros ($371) to spare this Black Friday you could be the lucky owner of a matching one.

Manufacturers Gudrun and Gudrun say the "traditional sweater" from the Faroe Islands is one of their bestselling lines, and is a favorite of Danish supermodel Helena Christensen. It even comes in mens' sizes so you can dress your favorite man up as Sarah Lund. Which wouldn't be weird at all ...

If that sweater's not to your tastes, then Gudrun and Gudrun also carry Lund's second favorite sweater from Season 1, the "Rutar," which also costs 280 euros.

Or, if you want to flaunt your 'Forbrydelsen'-ness, then how about Lund's Season 2 sweater? This jaunty red number (still woolly) with a textured star pattern on the yoke, is on sale for 240 euros. While Lund's U.S. counterpart, Det. Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos), has a more extensive sweater collection, she frequently sports a navy "Killing 2."

Better still, why not knit your own? To celebrate Sarah's sweaters, 'The Radio Times' has published the knitting pattern for the "Killing 2" sweater. They also have a frankly hilarious gallery of 'Killing' fans posing in their best dour expressions and woolly sweaters. Enjoy!

Nigel Lythgoe Says No Big Changes Planned for 'American Idol'

Nigel Lythgoe Says No Big Changes Planned for 'American Idol'

With the Season 11 premiere only a few weeks away, 'American Idol' boss Nigel Lythgoe has released a new promo video (watch it after the jump) and talked about his plans for the show.

After all the upheaval surrounding Season 10 after the departure of Simon Cowell and the most of the judging panel, Lythgoe says he's done changing the show around. He told the AP "I think we made a lot of tweaks last year. I'm not sure that we want to make too many more tweaks this year."

Lythgoe acknowledged that the biggest change he made to the show in Season 10, which was to stop making contestants sing in styles other than their own, had been a game-changer. It produced the first country winner since 2005, and made it possible for contestants like Casey Abrams to go further in the competition than they might have done otherwise.

He said that in Season 10 the show discovered "some incredible talent, and it was so diverse. ... We got this great jazz singer in Casey, we got a soft jazz singer in Haley, and the two country kids (in the finals) probably in previous years wouldn't have been as successful because they would have been asked to sing in the different styles that we used to do then."

With the Season 11 auditions done and dusted Lythgoe's confident that 2012 will uncover a similar pool of talent. "The kids that have auditioned this year that we're going to be taking to Hollywood in December are again really talented and really diverse," he said. "Hopefully they'll get through one of the toughest auditions, which is the Hollywood week, and get themselves into the top 20."

After the judging bloodbath at the end of Season 9 and last summer's will-she, won't-she uncertainty over Jennifer Lopez, Lythgoe once again confirmed that all the judges and Jimmy Iovine will be back for Season 11.

Simon Cowell Talks Howard Stern and 'America's Got Talent'

Simon Cowell Talks Howard Stern and 'America's Got Talent'

Ever since Piers Morgan quit the 'America's Got Talent' judging panel rumors have swirled about his possible replacement, and one name that keeps coming up is shock jock Howard Stern. He recently addressed the rumors and reiterated that he's a huge fan of the show, but wouldn't comment on whether he was involved in ongoing negotiations with NBC.

This week the 'New York Post' published a report alleging that Stern's agreed to join the show if certain conditions are met. Such as paying him a whopping $20 million and moving the show from Los Angeles to New York. The 'Post' quotes a source close to the show as saying that 'AGT' boss Simon Cowell is "hellbent" in landing Stern, and that "The talk on the production is that it's practically a done deal."

For his part, Cowell told 'Access Hollywood' that he's a fan of Stern but that nothing's been signed: "I like him. There's a lot of people who make decisions on this stuff. Money's got to work, schedules [have] got to work. There might be a few twists and turns still."

Cowell's an old pro at refusing to be drawn into giving leading answers, and when asked about Stern's alleged huge salary demands he said "I'm sure he does [want $20 million]. Who doesn't? That's not up to me. That's up to [NBC]. I don't write the checks, baby."

He also considered the question of whether 'America's Got Talent' would move production to New York in order to accommodate Stern's commitments to his radio show. "If it's the right thing to do, yeah. I like change. Whatever's right for the show, we'll do."

Stern previously blasted the judges' choices on 'AGT,' saying "If I was a judge on that there, there would be no nonsense whatsoever ... If I was on there, the guy who won last year, whose name I can't even remember [Landau Eugene Murphy Jr.], he would never have won."

Echoing those sentiments, Cowell said "The important thing this year is we've got to find more stars on the show, like we found with [Season 2 'AGT' winner] Terry Fator. I want someone who's going to have a big, big career. They're all going to be under pressure this year to find us stars. That's why you get paid to do the job."

With fellow 'AGT' judge Sharon Osbourne and Howie Mandel rumored to keen to stay in Losa Angeles, it's possible that Stern could commute to the West Coast for a part-time only gig as judge. Stay tuned for updates.

I'm a Celebrity fires ahead of Young Apprentice, UK TV ratings

I'm a Celebrity fires ahead of Young Apprentice, UK TV ratings

Reality show weighs in with 8.5 million viewers compared with 3.4 million who watched the Lord Sugar show

Battles in the boardroom proved no match for japes in the jungle as ITV1's I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here wiped the floor with BBC1's Young Apprentice.

Viewers' appetite for bushtucker trials shows no sign of abating just yet with 8.5 million viewers for the latest instalment of I'm a Celebrity between 9pm and 10pm on Monday, a 31.5% share of the audience, rising to 9 million when ITV1 +1 is included.

Young Apprentice, on at the same time on BBC1, could only manage 3.4 million viewers, a 12.8% share.

The Lord Sugar show was run close by the climax to BBC2's three-part series The Choir: Military Wives, which averaged 2.7 million viewers, a 9.9% share, also between 9pm and 10pm.

Elsewhere, Channel 4 documentary Britain's Greatest Codebreaker drew 1.4 million viewers (5.4%) rising to 1.5 million including Channel 4 +1, while the concluding episode of series eight of Channel 5's The Hotel Inspector also had 1.4 million viewers (5%).

It's the end of the brave new world as we know it

The last part of Channel 4's five-part Brave New World with Stephen Hawking was watched by 800,000 viewers, a 3.1% share, rising to 900,000 when Channel 4 +1 is included. It began with 1 million viewers (rising to 1.09 million with Channel 4 +1) last month.

The hour-long science show was up against BBC2's University Challenge, with 3.2 million viewers (12.3%) between 8pm and 8.30pm, and MasterChef: the Professionals, which had 2.8 million viewers (10.8%) between 8.30pm and 9pm.

Big night for Weatherfield

Both episodes of a double helping of Coronation Street broke the 9 million barrier, with 9.2 million viewers (38.1%) between 7.30pm and 8pm, and another 9.2 million between 8.30pm and 9pm. Including ITV1 +1, the audiences were 9.2 million and 9.4 million respectively.

The soap predictably had the better of BBC1's regional current affairs show Inside Out, with 3.9 million viewers (16.1%) between 7.30pm and 8pm, and a Panorama investigation into a government scheme to give victims of crime the opportunity to meet the perpetrators, which had 2.1 million viewers (12.8%) between 8.30pm and 9pm.

Spooks producer to make new spy drama for BBC1

Spooks producer to make new spy drama for BBC1

Eight-part series Nemesis, starring Grey's Anatomy and Alias actor Melissa George, to air late next year

Viewers missing Spooks after its recent demise will not have long to wait for a new spy drama. The BBC has commissioned a new "international espionage" series — from the makers of Spooks.

Independent producer Kudos is producing the new eight-part drama, called Nemesis, which will air towards the end of next year on BBC1.

Nemesis centres around Sam, a member of an elite private intelligence firm who survives an assassination attempt that may have been ordered by her colleagues.

Sam is played by Grey's Anatomy and Alias actor Melissa George. Mistresses actor Adam Rayner features as Sam's colleague and love interest.

Nemesis has been created and written by The X-Files and Strike Back writer and producer Frank Spotnitz.

Spotnitz said: "I'm incredibly excited about the ambition of this series. It's got action on a cinematic scale, huge story twists and turns, and intriguing characters who are both emotionally and morally complex."

The BBC drama commissioning controller, Ben Stephenson, said: "Melissa George is a fantastic choice to play BBC1's new leading lady known as Sam, a complex and mysterious Bourne-style female spy unlike anyone we've seen on TV before."

Filming has started and will take place on location in Scotland, London and Morocco.

Kudos is making the show, in association with Big Light Productions, for BBC1 and HBO's Cinemax channel.

TV review: The Manor Reborn; Living With the Amish

TV review: The Manor Reborn; Living With the Amish

Plummy Penelope returns to the manor – for an hour of grinding tedium

It's Audrey Fforbes-Hamilton! Fflipping heck! No, wait, it's … come on reality, I know you're in there somewhere … it's … it's Penelope Keith! Yes! The last working Penelope in the west, the BBC's 70s Sitcom Pursuivant of Arms has broken out her best Barbour, dusted off her vowels and pitched up to present The Manor Reborn (BBC1). You know, because she used to be in To the Manor Born. Everything old is new again!

Seamlessly filling the supposed mouldering-pile-'n'-plummy-woman-shaped hole in the viewers' hearts left by the end of Sarah Beeny's Restoration Nightmare, Keith and co-host Paul "Flog It!" Martin (the latter presumably drafted in to blunt the edge of Keith's really quite piercing Penelopeness just a smidge) are on a mission to restore the National Trust's Avery House in Wiltshire, a neglected 500-year-old gallimaufry of a place, its Tudor, Georgian, Victorian rooms bundled together so madly it looks like history had a party in the middle of its grounds and forgot to clear up properly. And they have – as tradition, or possibly by now statute, requires – just six months to do it!

So we are off. Or rather: so we grind through an hour of extreme tedium. It takes 20 minutes to introduce us to the three experts (social historian Anna Whitelaw, the Goring Hotel's interior designer Russell Sage and wildly gesticulating architectural historian Dan Cruikshank), another 20 to tell us what they are going to do (tell us about the social history of the house, design its interior and provide information about its architecture while gesticulating wildly) and to let one of them start doing it, and 20 minutes to have what passes for a flaming row with the National Trust, who on present evidence should ditch the oak leaf emblem and go for something based on a set of pursed lips and flared nostrils atop a jackboot stamping on an interior designer's face for ever. After the idea of moving the bed from against the wall to the middle of the Queen Anne bedroom was vetoed, Sage must have known his faux-marble panelling was a non-starter. Still, he beat on bravely against the currents of disapproval trying to bear him back into the historically accurate past painted only in colours proven by scrape analysis to have been there before.

Eventually the trust conceded the use of decorative precedents gleaned from other houses of the period but – BUT – they would explain to visitors what had been done. I daresay the relief at Mafeking was greater, but not by much.

I don't understand the structure of these programmes. Here we have an hour spent on what should – especially once you've decided to ignore the one interesting angle, the pros and cons of perfect reproduction versus a broader sense of historical preservation – have taken five minutes. And yet, judging by the trailer for next week and the genre's own historical precedents, dozens of fascinating subjects (they're going to handweave bedlinen, throw period pots and just generally get artisanned up the wazoo) will be barely glimpsed. One master craftsman after another will have his life's work and accrued knowledge rendered down to a three-minute segment, minus honking voiceover time for Keith.

Living With the Amish (Channel 4), by contrast, moved along at the kind of clip its eponymous participants would probably regard as quite ungodly. Again, it is the traditional mix of its kind. Six fish (modern British teenagers) are placed out of water (various Amish communities in Ohio) for six weeks to learn lessons, gain insights and make occasional tits of themselves. Charlotte, an 18-year-old musical theatre student, is the series' comic relief. Gazing not-terribly-thoughtfully at a jar of home-pickled salmon from the pantry of her hosts, Jonathan and Marietta, she asks: "Do you ever have takeaways? Chinese? Indian?" But she sets to work with a will, and for this she is forgiven everything by Jonathan, Marietta and the viewer.

Seventeen-year-old James – who is unemployed and doesn't like fruit or vegetables – is set up as the hate figure until, in a manipulative twist that the producers ought to be ashamed of and works like a charm, his history of abandonment and foster care is revealed. In the end, he gets his long hair cut in the Amish style because, as he put it in a speech so sweet and straightforward it had you crying long before the end, "I started to respect Jonathan and thought it would be nice to pay back some of the thank-you for what they've done for us." "I appreciate that," said Jonathan after a long pause. "'Salright, mate," said James, "but don't make me do it again." I laughed as I cried for the rest of the hour. I tell you, when this crap works, it really works.

Who should present Daybreak?

Who should present Daybreak?

Johnny Vaughan, Emma Crosby, Natasha Kaplinksy, Sian Williams and Dan Lobb could all be considered for the breakfast TV job. But which would you choose?

There's little to dwell upon about the departure of Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley from Daybreak. At very most, Chiles might grow a scruffy protest beard like he did when The One Show made him unhappy, but that's about it. In a few weeks they'll be gone.

Which means it's time to start speculating wildly about who will replace them. This, largely, depends on what sort of show Daybreak wants to be. Bleakley was seen in some circles as too lightweight when it came to handling big news stories, from which we can assume that Daybreak wants to beef up its current affairs in order to compete with BBC Breakfast. That's why the likes of Natasha Kaplinsky and Sian Williams have been put in the frame.

But there's a difference between competing with BBC Breakfast and simply hiring its cast-offs in the hope that nobody will notice. In any case, Daybreak is a different animal from Breakfast: you can hire all the hard-nosed journalists you want, but they'll have to be comfortable linking to an insultingly easy competition package where Keith Chegwin goons around next to a swimming pool every half an hour. And, given the way that Daybreak quickly became a bad GMTV clone when viewers started registering their disgruntlement, these flinty newshounds should probably get used to the idea of broadcasting nothing but stories about fat dogs and funny-shaped vegetables after a couple of weeks.

So who else is there to choose from? One of the few positives to come from Daybreak's calamitous first year is the stand-in hosts. Kate Garraway is, of course, an old hand at the breakfast stint, while Dan Lobb is steadily building a fanbase of his own. Could they be suitable replacements?

Another option being flung around is something called "the Anne and Nick effect", whereby a couple of unknowns – Anne Diamond and Nick Owen, for example – get flung together without much fuss so that viewers can watch their chemistry blossom. It's worth remembering that this is largely how Chiles and Bleakley rose to fame on The One Show, before footballer boyfriends and bearded grouchiness got in the way.

But there are plenty of other options. If Daybreak wants to be more irreverent, Johnny Vaughan is leaving his radio show soon. If it wants approachable glamour, former GMTV host Emma Crosby would probably jump at the chance. And then there's dear old Eammon Holmes.

Holmes had emerged as something of a lead contender to replace Adrian Chiles on Daybreak, largely because he kept parping on about how much he'd like the job all the time. And, to be fair, he would have been a steady hand. But this morning Holmes ruled himself out of the race.

So who's left? There's one name that hasn't been mentioned once since the Daybreak seats became vacant, and this seems like a tremendous oversight. Why not have Lorraine Kelly present the whole show for three-and-a-half hours every day? She's been the most popular part of ITV mornings for years, so it makes perfect sense to just let her sit there and say how lovely everything is again and again for 17-and-a-half hours a week.

Who would you like to see replacing Chiles and Bleakley as Daybreak hosts? Your comments below, please.

Neil Patrick Harris to Guest Co-Host Live!

Neil Patrick Harris to Guest Co-Host Live!

He's hosted the Emmys and the Tonys. Now Neil Patrick Harris is going to co-host Live!.

Harris, 38, is the latest celebrity set to be paired with Kelly Ripa on Live! after Regis Philbin exits this week.

Harris will co-host Nov. 28 through Dec. 2. Jerry Seinfeld has already been announced as Philbin's first (temporary) replacement, appearing on the show Nov. 21-23.

Philbin's last show airs Friday, but no permanent co-host has been announced. Ripa, who recently renewed her contract for five more years.

Survivor Host Jeff Probst to Debut Talk Show in Fall 2012

Survivor Host Jeff Probst to Debut Talk Show in Fall 2012
         
He's mastered the tribal council, but can Jeff Probst rule daytime?

The longtime Survivor host will officially debut his new daytime talk show, Jeff Probst, in the fall of 2012, CBS Television Distribution announced Thursday.

The syndicated show has already been sold in more than 55 percent of the country for next fall. Hosted and executive-produced by Probst, the self-titled show will cover everything from relationships and family dynamics to newsmakers.

"I'm fascinated with people," Probst said. "And I love adventure. I can't wait to bring these two worlds together in daytime, and the added bonus is I get to continue with Survivor in prime time."

In addition to hosting 23 seasons of Survivor, Probst has cut his teeth on talk shows as a frequent substitute host on Live with Regis and Kelly. "Stations enthusiastically embraced our and Jeff's vision for re-creating the classic talk show," CBS Television Distribution's president, John Nogawski said in a statement. "Jeff developed his listening and storytelling skills on the prime-time hit Survivor, and his hosting appeal was cemented on Live With Regis and Kelly and Larry King Live. Jeff has the ingredients to become an instant asset to stations and provide a strong lead in to their newscasts."

Probst, 49, has won four Emmys for outstanding reality host for his work on Survivor, and he is the only winner in that category since it started in 2008.

Money

Money

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? New series. Three programmes focusing on aspects of money, beginning with the extraordinary rise of wealth creation gurus, who teach others how to become rich. The practice developed in America about 15 years ago, and has now spread worldwide, with coaches writing books, releasing DVDs and hosting hotel seminars attended by devoted followers. The film features American wealth gurus Robert Kiyosaki and T Harv Eker, who preach financial freedom through the cultivation of a `millionaire mind', and asks whether any of their British disciples have become rich as a result of their methods

BBC2 London 9:00pm Tue 29 Nov

Revenge: What's Your Number?

Revenge: What's Your Number?

I'm kind of offended by how good Revenge was this week. I'm an ardent side-eyed fan of the show, and I like to watch it with my tongue firmly in my cheek, Chardonnay in hand, laughing out loud at the Dell tablets and fake rich people. But "Suspicion" was actually really awesome. How dare this show! I need my superior chuckles, Revenge, not an hour's worth of TV that engages my emotions and makes me feel all kinds of confusing, earnest sadness and yearning. I blame the episode's three-pronged attack, which involved A) perfect poetic irony, B) a plausible and subtle turnaround for Ashley, and C) mother-effing ninjas.

Revenge started the way it usually does, with Emily and Daniel making out while Madeline Stowe looked on from a CGI Widow's Walk. So far, so silly. Daniel's first day of interning for his dad's company included the most overcast company volleyball tournament of all time. Fair enough! "Kara" also made the most of the gloom by sunbathing outside the Red Lobster, which made Nolan contact Emily, who then asked Kara to leave, and she was like "NOPES."

It was all in keeping with typical Revenge hijinks, except we got to spend a lot of screen time with Nolan, which, YES PLEASE. Showrunners, if you want to keep your necessary explanations of the characters' convoluted actions engaging, let everything be narrated by Nolan, because everybody in the audience kind of wants to go on a road trip with him. Just saying. So we had Nolan giving Emily the play-by-play, and then we also had his discovery that Tyler had stolen his credit card, leading to a follow-up scene (finally!) between the two that I know we've all been waiting for since the hotness a couple weeks back.

Apparently Tyler, in true hustler fashion, had used Nolan's credit card to buy Ashley a stunning/hideous gown (an orange sheath under black lace? Halloween is so far from this show's timeline, costume department, that I don't even care how good the sales are at JoAnn Fabrics right now). Daniel's father pitted Tyler and Daniel against one another as competing interns, both on the stormy volleyball pitch and at his fundraising soiree. Tyler asked Nolan to invest through him in the company, and Nolan's answer was to set up his stealth USB webcam and bounce. This was actually a weak moment in the episode: Tyler scanned Lydia's incriminating speech onto the computer to read it? Why? Why not just pull it out and look at it? Why go over it in Nolan's house? Bizarre.

But, confusing technological jibber-jabber and intrigue aside, I'm loving all the Nolan. After his tense meeting with Tyler, we returned to the Graysons' manor. Victoria was parading around in stilettos and a bandage dress while slipping Lydia pills and hiding her wheelchair. Whatevs. Also, she intercepted Charlotte's texts to Declan. Sure. The police found Frank's cellphone, which Emily hid on the property. Yawn. Typical Revenge.

Then a couple amazing things happened:

Victoria marched down to Red Lobster and offered Declan money to break up with Charlotte. "What's your number?" was how she phrased it. "Everybody has a number."

Jack actually had chemistry with someone. After weeks of ineffectually hovering around Emily's porch, it was refreshing to see Kara melting in Jack's arms. He actually seemed vaguely likable, like Jack Sparrow + 10 lbs and a crisp preppy haircut.

Tyler and Nolan KISSED! And Ashley saw! …and ran off in a huff, but Tyler intercepted her and told her to stop hating the players and get in the game. And she did! The next time she saw Victoria, she offered to stab Emily in the back, pretty much, provided Victoria would help her get ahead. Ashley's tentative steps toward bitchcraft were beautifully handled: She's now a tragic character, abandoning real relationships to cozy up to a minx like Victoria. And the actress playing her is making it happen. You got chops, Madekwe!

Revenge rounded out these stunning developments with an ending that was, to use a scholarly term, like a Jet Li punch to the face. Kara confessed to Jack that she's the real Amanda. Jack embraced her as the love of his life, then dragged her to his home away from home, Emily's porch, so she could see the swing he buffed and varnished and also inform Emily of her "real" identity. It was a moment of almost literary irony, a moment that reminded me of childhood viewings of The Little Mermaid when Eric fell in love with the fake Ariel. Emily had to silently accept everything she had given up—the man she honestly loves, who would've accepted her as herself—all to continue on her twisty path of revenge. It's both weird and awesome to honestly be effected by this show.

Oh, and Emily is a mother-effing ninja, apparently.

Fast National ratings for Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011

Fast National ratings for Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011

Almost all shows were down just a bit the night before Thanksgiving, but ABC's comedy block still put up a solid night led by "Modern Family." "The X Factor" results show also had a decent night. "Happy Endings" was actually up just a tick from last week.

ABC led with 8.6 million viewers and an 5.2 rating/9 share in households, followed by CBS at 7.8 million and a 4.8/8. FOX was third with 6.6 million and a 4.0/7, NBC was fourth at 3.7 million and 2.4/4 and the CW trailed with 938,000 and a 0.6/1 share.

In the 18-49 demographic, ABC also won with a 2.7, followed by FOX (2.0), CBS (1.8), NBC (1.2) and the CW (0.4).

Wednesday hour by hour:

8 p.m.

ABC: "The Middle" (9.1 million, 4.7/8)/"Suburgatory" (8.3 million, 4.8/8)
FOX: "The X Factor" (8.5 million, 5.1/9)
CBS: "Survivor: South Pacific" (7.9 million viewers, 4.6/8 households)
NBC: "Up All Night" (4.3 million, 2.8/5)/"Up All Night" rerun (2.99 million, 1.9/3)
The CW: "America's Next Top Model" rerun (863 K, 0.6/1)

18-49 leader: "The X Factor"/"The Middle"/"Suburgatory" (tie, 2.5)

9 p.m.

ABC: "Modern Family" (12.6 million, 7.2/12)/"Happy Endings" (7.2 million, 4.3/7)
CBS: "Criminal Minds" rerun (8.2 million, 5.2/9)
FOX: "Mobbed" (4.7 million, 2.8/5)
NBC: "The Biggest Loser" special (3.7 million, 2.3/4)
The CW: "America's Next Top Model" (992 K, 0.6/1)

18-49 leader: "Modern Family" (4.5)

10 p.m.

CBS: "CSI" rerun (7.25 million, 4.5/8)
ABC: "Revenge" (7.2 million, 4.7/8)
NBC: "The Biggest Loser" special (3.7 million, 2.4/4)

18-49 leader: "Revenge" (2.1)

Ratings information includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change. Source: The Nielsen Company.