TV Tonight 17th of December 2011: Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia.

TV Tonight 17th of December 2011: Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia.

The daily list in alphabetical order, of all the new episodes airing in Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia.

    48 Hours Mystery S25E10: "American Girl- Italian Murder: The Verdict"
    Bakuman. S02E12: "Experience and Data"
    Behind The Music S12E30: "Rick James"
    C3 S01E12: "Episode 12"
    Cardfight!! Vanguard S01E49: "Episode 49"
    Celebrity Ghost Stories S04E08
    Color Splash S09E17
    Dan vs. S02E02: "Dan vs. The Mall Santa"
    Detective Conan S18E40
    Dina's Party S01E12: "Elegant Winter Wonderland Holiday Party"
    Fairy Tail S03E15: "Dead-end of Despair"
    Fate/Zero S01E12: "Invitation of the Holy Grail"
    Last Exile (JP) S02E10: "Episode 10"
    Match of The Day S47E21: "Season 47, Show 21"
    Merlin (2008) S04E12: "The Sword in the Stone (Part 1 of 2)"
    Metal Evolution S01E05: "Glam Metal"
    My Ghost Story S03E10: "Holiday Hauntings"
    My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic S02E11: "Hearth's Warming Eve"
    NFL Thursday Night Football S06E07
    Nissene over skog og hei S01E17: "Season 1, Episode 17"
    Oddities S03E02: "Ghost Rider"
    Pit Bulls and Parolees S03E06: "Heart Broken"
    Pokémon S14E46: "Beartic Mountain Feud!"
    R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour S02E13: "Dreamcatcher"
    RocKwiz S09E12: "Season 9, Episode 12"
    Saturday Kitchen S10E25: "December 17, 2011"
    Saturday Night Live S37E10: "Jimmy Fallon/Michael Bublé"
    Schlag den Raab S06E03: "Season 6, Episode 3"
    Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi S02E11: "Love makes the world go round"
    Shakugan no Shana S03E11: "Episode 11"
    Soccer AM S16E19: "Series 16, Episode 19"
    Strictly Come Dancing S09E25: "Series 9, Final (Result)"
    Strictly Come Dancing S09E24: "Series 9, Final"
    That Metal Show S09E06: "Sully Erna / Jesse James Dupree"
    The Football League Show S03E19: "Series 3, Show 19"
    The Xtra Factor S08E37: "The Winner's Story"
    Total Wipeout S05E03: "Winter Wipeout"
    Wild Germany S02E06: "NVA"
    Working!! S02E12: "Episode 12"
    X Faktor (HU) S02E18: "Élő adás - Döntő - 1."
    You've Been Framed S19E14: "December 17, 2011"

Betty White to dominate NBC with 90th birthday extravaganza

Betty White to dominate NBC with 90th birthday extravaganza

Ready for some hot, steamy, Betty White-on-Betty White action?

You'll have to wait a long, cold month for it, but it's coming.

"Hot in Cleveland" star White will be all over NBC on January 16, with a 90-minute televised celebration, "Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl," followed by a preview of her hotly anticipated hidden-camera series, "Betty White's Off Their Rockers."

A sort of "Punk'd" for the Geritol set, "Off Their Rockers" will feature White leading "a fearless band of senior citizens to the streets to pull shockingly hilarious pranks on the younger generation," with the "Golden Girls" alum providing "saucy commentary" and sharing "engaging, comical pearls of wisdom." The series, based on the Belgian show "Benidorm Bastards," will be executive-produced by White.

The sneak preview will be preceded from 8 to 9:30 p.m. by "Betty White's 90th Birthday: A tribute to America's Golden Girl." (White's actual birthday is January 17, but she'll probably be otherwise occupied at Chippendales that night.)

Taped live at Los Angeles' Biltmore Hotel, the special will feature White's co-stars and other famous well-wishers feting the actress with musical performances, special appearances and comedy. Brad Lachman Productions and Universal Television are producing, with Brad Lachman, Jon Macks and Steve Ridgeway serving as executive producers.

Bruised "X Factor" limps toward finals

Bruised "X Factor" limps toward finals

American viewers have chosen the three singers who will compete in the finals of "The X Factor" after a first season that underwhelmed critics and raised questions about audience fatigue ahead of returning TV contests "American Idol" and "The Voice."

Power ballad singer Melanie Amaro, 19, bluesy Josh Krajcik, 30, and troubled rapper Chris Rene, 28, will sing for a $5 million recording contract in next week's two-part finale of the Fox show.

But after major hype from creator and judge Simon Cowell -- who had initially predicted "X Factor" would replace "American Idol" as the most-watched show on U.S. television -- the program's bickering mentor-judges, big production numbers and flashing lights has left many critics scratching their heads.

"As a viewer, it is agonizing to watch and just so fake that none of it is compelling, " said Annie Barrett, who covers "X Factor" for Entertainment Weekly.

"Everything is a gimmick. It is a glossy, shiny version of a reality show that might give you a seizure because of all the lasers and lights," Barrett told Reuters.

Thursday's semi-final, in which 20-year-old hopeful Marcus Canty was eliminated, drew 9.6 million viewers -- below the audience for a repeat of CBS comedy "The Big Bang Theory" and less than half the regular audience for "American Idol" earlier this year.

Fox executives say they are happy with the viewer numbers, especially among teens, and the show has helped the network reverse its historically patchy fall ratings in the 18-49 viewer group most coveted by advertisers.

Fox has already ordered a second season for the fall of 2012, calling "X Factor" a "monumental success."

CRYING FOR CROW

Andy Dehnart, editor of realityblurred.com, said that for all the new tweaks in the singing contest formula, few were for the better.

"There is no real national buzz about it. I don't think 'X Factor' has broken through the zeitgeist in the same way as 'American Idol'," said Dehnart.

Indeed, it seems the first season's most memorable moment came a week ago when bubbly 13-year-old Rachel Crow collapsed in tears on being sent home, sparking viewer outrage against judge Nicole Scherzinger.

Whoever wins after public votes are announced next Thursday, Cowell's hopes of discovering a new global singing star -- who will be signed to his Sony Music-owned record label SyCo -- may be dashed.

None of the instantly downloadable songs from this week's semi-final were in the Top 50 iTunes singles charts on Friday.

"I don't see anyone here who is going to be the next Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood, which is what the show claimed it was going to do," said Dehnart.

Barrett said that four months of "X Factor" twice a week had made her appreciate "American Idol".

But with NBC's surprise hit "The Voice" returning in February and "Idol's" 11th season beginning in mid-January on Fox, Americans may soon lose their appetite for lengthy singing contests.

"I do think there will be some fatigue going into next season with both 'American Idol' and 'The Voice.' Two nights a week is a huge commitment," Barrett said.

But Dehnart was more optimistic. "If we are going to see any kind of fatigue with this kind of show, it is going to show up now. But I wouldn't be surprised if they all work on their own level."

ABC under fire for cross-dressing comedy "Work It"

ABC under fire for cross-dressing comedy "Work It"

The ABC comedy "Work It" doesn't even premiere until Jan, 3, and already it's invoking ire from rights groups.

The series has sparked anger from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Human Rights Campaign, who argue that the series could prove harmful to transgendered individuals.

The series stars Ben Koldyke ("How I Met Your Mother") and Amaury Nolasco ("Prison Break") as two friends and former coworkers who, unemployed and desperate, take to cross-dressing in order to get hired by a pharmaceutical company that's looking for female sales reps.

The concept spurred an angry message from GLAAD, which argued that, while the show "does not explicitly address transgender people, many home viewers unfamiliar with the realities of being transgender will still make the connection. 'Work It' invites the audience to laugh at images of men trying to adopt a feminine appearance, thereby also making it easier to mock people whose gender identity and expression are different than the one they were assigned at birth."

GLAAD took particular offense to a print ad for the series, in which the two main characters stand side-by-side at a pair of urinals, while dressed as women.

"Not only does it inadvertently further notions that transgender identities are humorous or artificial, but imagery like this are one of the first things anti-LGBT activists resort to when trying to deny transgender people protections against discrimination," GLAAD argues.

The organization asks that the network not circulate the urinal ad, and to "consider whether airing this show is worth the damage it has the potential to do."

Human Rights Campaign is going one step further, and urging the public to boycott the series.

The HRC has set up a write-in campaign which urges supporters to send a message to ABC reading, "It is never appropriate to belittle or mock those who do not adhere to society's gender norms or the struggles they face ... As an ABC viewer, I urge you not to air a show that reinforces negative and damaging stereotypes about transgender people."

Shouldn't they be more offended that the series sounds like an almost complete ripoff of "Bosom Buddies"?

FX orders cold war pilot "The Americans"

FX orders cold war pilot "The Americans"

FX has ordered the drama pilot "The Americans" about two KGB spies posing as -- you guessed it -- in suburban Washington, D.C. in the early 1980s.

The series, created by former CIA employee Joe Weisberg, follows spies Phillip and Elizabeth Jennings, who have an arranged marriage and two children who know nothing of their secret. As their relationship becomes more genuine, it is tested by the Cold War and the spies and informants they oversee.

Weisberg will executive produce with "Justified" executive producer and show runner Graham Yost. DreamWorks Television is also credited as an executive producer on the pilot, which is being produced by Fox Television Studios and FX Productions.

Weisberg worked for the CIA before becoming an author. He then moved into television and became a writer/producer on TNT's "Falling Skies."

Child endangerment appears to be TV's hottest trend

Child endangerment appears to be TV's hottest trend

The biggest trend in finales this year is -- ulp! -- child endangerment.

Shows from "Dexter" to "The Walking Dead" have made kids in danger the dramatic thrust of their finale storylines. "The Walking Dead" even killed a child -- not once but twice -- and had another suffer a ghastly, near-fatal shotgun wound to the gut.

FX's new "American Horror Story" didn't even wait for its finale to start dispatching kids, violently offing a pair of young twins in its first minutes.

Viewers will find out on Sunday's "Dexter" season finale whether Dexter's son, Harrison, will also perish at the altar of TV drama. Previews of the episode show bad guy Colin Hanks threatening to stab the toddler in the neck with a wooden sword.

No harm, of course, came to any actual children in the making of the shows. But whether harm could come to kids who watch them is an open question. (Assuming any parents are clueless enough to let their kids watch surefire nightmare-inducers.)

Many studies have linked violence on TV to actual aggression in children. But violence against children -- or at least so much of it at once -- is new territory.

Thou Shalt Not Kill a Child has long been one of the unspoken commandments of horror movies, to say nothing of TV shows. (Teenagers, especially sexually active ones, are fair game, as Wes Craven spelled out in 1996's "Scream.") Putting young people in danger is one of the cheapest ways to shock an audience -- but can also be a legitimate way to explore serious ethical questions.

Child deaths also play heavily into the plot of Showtime's "Homeland," which concludes its first season after the "Dexter" finale Sunday.

Freshman ethics classes love to pose questions about children in danger to explore the concept of utilitarianism -- the idea that the right course of action is the one that brings about the most overall happiness and the least overall pain. Students are asked to ponder (and sometimes do, for the rest of their lives) whether they would let one child die to save a train full of people, or kill the infant Hitler if it would prevent the Holocaust.

Walt's "Breaking Bad" dilemma fits in cozily alongside those questions: Would you risk a child's life to save yourself and your family?

Shane's decision to kill the hunter in "The Walking Dead" is another utilitarian calculation brought on by child endangerment: He decides the hunter's life is worth less than his own, and that of the boy the hunter shot. The entire search for Sophia also comes down to a cold calculation: Should all the survivors risk their lives to look for one little girl?

Her discovery as a zombie barn leads to another ethical debate about who deserves our empathy. The survivors take a fairly strict us vs. them approach to zombies -- until the most vulnerable of "us" becomes one of "them."

Horror aficionado Eli Roth cleverly riffed on the no-killing-kids rule in his 2005 "Hostel," the extreme 2005 film that helped inspire the phrase "torture porn." The climax of the film includes a moment when a villain seems prepared to run over a pack of children. It seems like the most grueling possible coup de grace to a film filled with grotesqueries.

But ultimately Roth lets the kids win, by swarming their would-be killer. That's right: This is the year basic cable dramas crossed a line that "Hostel" wouldn't.

FX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," which also toys with audiences' boundaries, played with the no-harm to children rule this season in an episode in which a character pretended, for tax purposes, that her baby had died.

"I will say this," show creator Rob McElhenney told TheWrap in a recent interview. "That there has never been, nor will there ever be, a sitcom on television where they have a baby funeral. We're the only one."

The only sitcom, sure. But not the only show, the way things are going.

"Who's Still Standing?" Israel puts mark on U.S. TV

"Who's Still Standing?" Israel puts mark on U.S. TV

NBC's new quiz show "Who's Still Standing?" has contestants dropping through the floor, and the burgeoning Israeli TV industry whooping with delight.

The fast-paced trivia game, which sends losers falling through trap doors, makes its U.S. debut in a week-long series of shows this coming Monday, December 19, as the first Israeli reality program to find its way to the United States.

Judging by the in-roads being made by Israeli producers and creators on television around the world, it won't be last.

Twenty years after Israeli television broke away from its one channel model of mostly news, and British or U.S. drama imports, young producers are making their mark internationally with original programming often made on shoestring budgets.

"It has been a quick learning process," Tel Aviv-based producer Lisa Shiloach-Uzrad told Reuters. "We started with simple game shows and buying international formats and adapting them. But in the last few years we have seen more and more original programming, scripted shows, reality shows or game shows."

"Who's Still Standing?" (or "Still Standing" as it is called in Israel), has been sold to 13 countries including Spain, Hungary and France since Shiloach-Uzrad created the show in 2010 with business partner Amit Stretiner.

The duo are also the creative team behind "The Frame", a reality show hybrid of "Big Brother" and "The Amazing Race" that has sold in 30 countries and is due to make its way to the CW network in the United States in 2012.

Elsewhere, cable channel Showtime's critically-acclaimed psychological thriller "Homeland" has its creative roots in Israel, and HBO is making a U.S. version of Israeli crime drama "The Naked Truth".

QUIZ, COMEDY AND TRAPDOORS

"Who's Still Standing?" will be hosted on NBC by Ben Bailey and features one main competitor and 10 challengers in a battle of wits for a $1 million jackpot. As soon as a contestant answers a question incorrectly, they disappear through trap door and are out of the competition.

Shiloach-Uzrad, co-partner of Israel's July August Productions, said she believed the show owed its success to a format that combines "a trivia show where the viewer is playing along and the comic effect of physical humor."

"The Frame" was developed specifically for international audiences. It features eight couples who live in small rooms around the clock for all to see, and gives them challenges. The audience votes off the least popular couple.

"You see lots of reality shows where you take people out of their natural environment and put them into a fantasy land. In this case we said, what can be more intense than being closed in with your partner for 6-8 weeks in a very small space?," Shiloach-Uzrad said.

The claustrophobic effect is both a product and a bonus from working with limited resources. HBO's therapy drama "In Treatment", adapted from another Israeli original, also found success by using a small number of actors sitting in one room.

"We have to work with low budgets. This means you really have to find smart and creative solutions to make things work," said Shiloach-Uzrad.

"With scripted shows, you have to lean on high quality writing and good acting and great characters because there is no money for Hollywood special effects or car chases to cover up for weak plots," she said.

'Real Housewives' Stars Dragged Into Lawsuit Over Bottled Water

'Real Housewives' Stars Dragged Into Lawsuit Over Bottled Water

Three "Jersey" cast members have been named in a dispute over how the idea of an unusual beverage was developed.

Several stars of The Real Housewives of New Jersey have been named in a lawsuit over who came up with the idea for a special bottled water product.

The concept is said to be a "better mousetrap" of water drinks, where H2O is infused with a proprietary blend of fulvic and humic acid. Two companies, BLK Brands and Creative Thinkers, offer alternative versions of how the idea for "Blackwater" was developed. On Thursday, Creative Thinkers countersued BLK as well as Housewives stars Chris Manzo, Albie Manzo, and Chris Laurita, alleging among other things that the stars' TV fame was used to sell an allegedly false story about how the idea for this drink originated.

The two companies have been fighting for several months over a process that supposedly darkens water temporarily before the minerals settle to the bottom of the glass.

In BLK's origination story, a pair of sisters, Jacqueline and Louise Wilkie, partners at BLK, developed the brew in 2008 in response to their mother having terminal bone cancer and being told she had a year to live. The sisters say they provided their sick mother with Fulvic concentrate power treatments, which miraculously worked, eventually spurring the idea behind a water-based drink.

BLK is pursuing trademark infringement and unfair competition claims, seeking declaratory relief so that a judge might put an ocean between them and their aquatic adversaries.

Creative Thinkers remains undeterred.

In counterclaims, the Canada-based company says it introduced the water process in 2009 and shared it with the Wilkie sisters, who told them of connections with Starbucks. Creative says the parties entered into a non-disclosure agreement for the "Blackwater Drink Products," and one of the Wilkie sisters was allowed to register a trademark on "Blackwater" on behalf of Creative Thinkers.S

In June 2010, at the New York Fancy Foods Show, the Housewives stars entered the picture. There, the Wilkie sisters met the Manzo-Laurita family and the alleged plot to steal modified water bubbled up. The trademark registration was allegedly transferred illegitimately, a new company was formed, and any hope that water wouldn't cause splashy litigation evaporated.

The Manzo-Laurita family is said by Creative Thinkers to have used the mark on their international reality TV show to promulgate a false story about the origins of this water. Creative Thinkers alleges breach of contract, trademark infringement, fraud, and other counterclaims, demanding a judge wash away the damage.

'The Bachelor' Lawsuit Challenges the Legality of Spoilers

'The Bachelor' Lawsuit Challenges the Legality of Spoilers

Witch hunt or winnable case? Producers sue a popular blogger for enticing insiders to reveal show secrets.

The 16th cycle of ABC's The Bachelor doesn't begin airing until Jan. 2, but readers of Stephen Carbone's website pretty much know what happens. Carbone, who operates the popular Reality Steve blog from his home in Texas, already has revealed which four finalists he says will be vying for bachelor Ben Flajnik as well as details of a romantic trip to Switzerland and which contender turns her amorous attention from Ben to another (female) contestant.

The revelations are culled from Carbone's network of Bachelor sources, and they have turned him into a leader among Hollywood's personae non gratae who regularly spoil reality competitions before they air. On Dec. 6, producers NZK Productions and Alternative Television Inc. took the rare step of suing Carbone in federal court in Los Angeles, claiming intentional interference with contracts for inducing people affiliated with The Bachelor -- sometimes with cash -- to violate confidentiality agreements. "I swear, this is the easiest money you'd ever make," an e-mail from Carbone to a Bachelor participant allegedly reads, "and you and I are the only two people that would know." Indeed, of the 24 cycles of The Bachelor, Bachelorette and Bachelor Pad, Carbone has spoiled -- in great detail -- at least a dozen, and he is almost never wrong.

Carbone, who boasts that he makes money from ads on his site, doesn't have any contract with the show. Some might argue that he and his ilk are simply a new breed of blogger-journalist who try to land scoops by any means necessary. But the "tortious interference" claim has been used against even the most esteemed members of the Fourth Estate. In 1995, CBS' news division was sued for allegedly inducing tobacco executive Jeffrey Wigand to breach his confidentiality agreement by appearing on 60 Minutes, a case that never made it to trial but formed the basis of the 1999 Russell Crowe movie The Insider. And in a competitive TV landscape, where audience interest depends on the drama of who will be voted off, spoilers arguably damage ratings (though Carbone's influence is unclear; the most recent Bachelor premiere drew 8.4 million viewers, down a bit from the previous season but still strong).

For that reason, reality contracts typically come with penalties of up to $5 million for blabbing, and producers are getting serious about punishing violators. A contender on the just-concluded season of The CW's America's Next Top Model mysteriously was disqualified near the finale, leading many viewers to speculate that she was kicked off for writing about the show on Facebook. (The CW issued this statement: “After production wrapped on the current cycle of America’s Next Top Model, we learned information that made Angelea ineligible and she was subsequently disqualified from the competition. As a result, new scenes were filmed to address this for the audience during the finale.”)

In a similar case in 2010, a company run by Survivor producer Mark Burnett sued an "inducer" and eventually traced the leak to the proprietor of the website SurvivorSucks.com, which led to a contestant who was reportedly the mole. "We believe one of the purposes of this lawsuit is to try to find out who Steve's sources have been," says Carbone's lawyer Brad Kizzia, adding that he will file a counterclaim to dismiss the suit on free speech grounds. The producers and ABC declined to comment.

Of course, in the publicity-hungry reality TV world, another motive might be at work. After all, controversy typically fuels Bachelor ratings. "Steve has been doing this for years," notes Kizzia. "Why sue now? This might just be part of the promo campaign."

'Ender's Game' Casts Canadian Teen Star Brendan Meyer

'Ender's Game' Casts Canadian Teen Star Brendan Meyer

The 17-year-old will play Stilson in the film based on the popular Orson Scott Card sci-fi novel from OddLot Entertainment, Summit Entertainment, and Digital Domain.

The casting for the film adaptation of the Orson Scott Card sci-fi novel, Ender’s Game, is heating up. And an inside source tells The Hollywood Reporter that Canadian teen star Brendan Meyer has joined the OddLot project.

Meyer will play Stilson, Ender’s (Hugo’s Asa Butterfield) classmate who taunted him during ground school in the futuristic film.

The 17-year-old actor has starred in the titular role of Adam Young on the YTV and Disney XD series, Mr. Young, as a child prodigy who graduated from college at 14 and returns to his area high school as its science teacher.

Ender's Game is described as the story of “a young boy, a genius strategist, who is drafted by the International Fleet to destroy the alien Formic race.”

Hailee Steinfeld and Ben Kingsley are currently in negotiations to join the film.

Gavin Hood (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) wrote the script and is set to direct the film. The producing team includes Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (2009’s Star Trek, Transformers), OddLot’s Gigi Pritzker and Linda McDonough, as well as Lynn Hendee, Robert Chartoff and Card.

The film will be executive produced by OddLot’s Bill Lischak, K/O’s Mandy Safavi, Digital Domain’s Cliff Plumer and Ed Ulbrich. Summit is the domestic distributor and is co-financing. Digital Domain is also a financial partner in the movie. The production is set to start shooting early next year in New Orleans with a March 2013 release date.

OddLot also co-produced the film, Drive, which just scored a supporting actor Golden Globe nomination for Albert Brooks.

'True Blood' Actor Joins 'Lone Ranger´

'True Blood' Actor Joins 'Lone Ranger´

British actor James Frain will appear in the action adventure -- which begins production in six weeks -- alongside Johnny Depp and Tom Wilkinson.

British actor James Frain, who recently recurred as vampire on HBO’s True Blood, has joined the cast of Disney’s The Lone Ranger.

Johnny Depp toplines the Gore Verbinski-directed pic, which also counts Armie Hammer, Helena Bonham Carter and Tom Wilkinson among the cast.

Frain will play a tough foreman overseeing Chinese and Indian rail workers who works for the story’s chief villain (Wilkinson).

Jerry Bruckheimer is producing the adventure movie which begins production in about six weeks.

Frain, who appeared in Water for Elephants, was one of the stars of NBC’s short-lived series The Cape and portrayed Thomas Cromwell for three seasons of Showtime’s acclaimed drama The Tudors. He is repped by APA.

Ringer, Chuck, Blue Bloods, Happy Endings, Big Bang Baby Talk and More!

Ringer, Chuck, Blue Bloods, Happy Endings, Big Bang Baby Talk and More!

What juicy goodness is on tap for Ringer‘s return? Can Morgan succeed with his most critical mission ever? Will baby talk waylay Big Bang‘s nerdy wedding plans? Read on for those answers, plus other teases from TV’s hottest shows.

Ringer | Since this CW series’ 2012 return got pushed back a few weeks [groan], I thought I’d help soothe fans over with some teasers. Overall, I am told, the new year we will serve up new reveals about the backstories of all of the characters. For example, we will find out what exactly caused the rift between Siobhan and Bridget and get the 411 on the precise catalyst for Henry and Siobhan’s love affair. Looking forward versus back, Andrew will propose anew to his “wife” (awww), we’ll get a peek inside Agent Machado’s personal life, and, of course, you should be prepared for the body count to grow….

Kris Polaha Discusses Ringer‘s ‘Shocking’ Exit, Says Show ‘Hits the Ground Running’ After Break

The Big Bang Theory | Based on the buzz at the CBS hitcom’s 100th episode party, all signs point to Howard and Bernadette  heading for a wedding this season… that is, provided they can get past a tot-sized problem. In an upcoming episode, Simon Helberg says, we will see that “Bernadette has a violent reaction to children.” Meaning…? ” She is not as soft as she seems. She turns into a bit of a werewolf,” Helberg adds. “And when he sees the eyes and the claws come out, all of a sudden he’s like, ‘Wait a second. We need to talk about children.’” Melissa Rauch, who plays Helberg’s TV fiancée, is game to tackle that twist, noting, “There aren’t a lot of women portrayed who don’t get all baby-crazy.”

Big Bang Theory Boss Reveals Plot of 100th Episode: ‘It Is a Little Risky’

Blue Bloods | Dipping into the reader mailbag, Kristen writes, “I’d love to get some scoop on Blue Bloods as an early Christmas present, preferably about the woefully underused Abigail Hawk, who plays Baker. Plus, any scoop about Erin would not be unappreciated.” Alas I’ve got nothing to report on the imminent horizon for Baker, but I can tell you that when the CBS drama returns on Jan. 6, Erin will be devastated and wracked by guilt when a confidential informant who has been aiding her in a corruption investigation meets a (gulp) most unfortunate fate.

Ask Ausiello: How Will Switched at Birth‘s Daphne Deal With the Bay-Emmett Romance?

Switched at Birth | Speaking with Constance Marie, who plays Regina, at ABC Family’s skating party, I asked about the “skeletons” said to be hiding in the closet of Bay’s recently resurfaced biological father. “Yes, he does have skeletons — and he is also not too bad to look at,” she said with a nod to Angela’s portrayer, Gilles Marini. “The good news is that we get to explore the relationship of a father who wasn’t there, a flawed father… a handsome-looking father… and the relationship between him and I — is it over, is it not over?” As for Angelo’s dynamic with Daphne, Katie Leclerc told me, “Things get nasty” between the two when Season 1 resumes Jan. 3.

Tracks the Cougar Town Cameos on Happy Endings, Body of Proof and Other Shows

Happy Endings | Thus far on ABC’s buzzy sophomore comedy, we’ve met Penny’s mother, Max’s parents, and Michael McKean (Smallville) is on his way to play Dave’s dad. So where be Jane and Alex’s folks? “What I’ve been kind of told,” Eliza Coupe shared with us, “is that they’re going to wait until hopefully a third season, or maybe the end of this year” to introduce viewers to the sisters’ parents. Until then, Coupe and her TV sib have batted around the occasional guest-casting idea, including one that would put an exclamation point on the 24 in-joke made during Season 1. “I was joking about Kiefer Sutherland playing our dad — it’d be so original for Elisha [Cuthbert], wouldn’t it? ” Coupe says. “I also said Jim Carrey, because I want in some capacity to work with him. But that one’s a bit of a stretch.”

She’ll Be Back: Chuck Matriarch Linda Hamilton to Return for Series Finale

Chuck | Morgan may have lost his frosted tips (thank god), but during his rough patch with the Intersect he also lost the girl. So now, continuing through the terrific Christmas episode (airing Dec. 23), the rookie spy will do his best to rescue his love life. “Morgan’s going to be desperate to try to get Alex back, but it’s not an easy thing,” says series cocreator Chris Fedak. After all, “He broke up [with her] on a text [message]. He turned into a douche.” The key to succeeding in this off-the-books mission, says Joshua Gomez, lies in “being persistent, as Morgan often is, and maybe getting a little help from the big guy” – meaning not Him, but J.C. aka John Casey.

'The Vampire Diaries' Originals: Is Klaus going soft? Plus, Rebekah's rise-and-shine

'The Vampire Diaries' Originals: Is Klaus going soft? Plus, Rebekah's rise-and-shine

Now, it's time to talk about Originals. When we last saw our new favorite character, Rebekah (Claire Holt), Damon had dumped her in the Salvatore basement with a dagger in her back. Don't worry, Rebekah fans -- her red homecoming dress won't be collecting dust in that dungeon for long.

If you totally love Claire in the role as much as we do, we're certainly not alone! "She has been such a delight for everybody, from the crew and the writers, to everybody at the studio and network level that pays us to do our jobs," executive producer Julie Plec tells us.

That's not the say that they're surprised by how delightful she is. Rebekah strikes a perfect balance between nasty and sympathetic. "That character was obviously meant to make a splash. I mean, when we introduced her she gets to walk in and lick blood off Stefan's mouth. Hello. Her entrance was pretty powerful," Julie laughs. "She has this great presence. She's a mean girl without being unlikable, she's tough without being too aggressive, she's vulnerable without being a sap. Everything about her is so fun to watch. She also happens to be a very nice person off-screen, which is always a bonus.'

On-screen, it's no more Miss Nice Girl for a while. Rebekah will wake up soon (we can't tell you who pulls the dagger out, though!) and she is not a morning person. She shared some powerful secrets with Elena (Nina Dobrev) in the first half of the season, only to have Elena literally stab her in the back (only on this show!). And now she's pissed.

"She ain't gonna be happy," says Julie. "She doesn't like to be duped, she doesn't like to be betrayed, and she certainly doesn't let anyone get the one-up on her, which is what Elena did."

Though we can look forward to Rebekah being around Mystic Falls for quite a while, we shouldn't be expecting her to join the gang or get invited to slumber parties any time soon.

"The funny thing about the Originals as villains and antiheroes -- they're very similar to how Damon used to be, where it's always two steps forward, one step back with them. Just when there's an emotional connection being forged, either one of our heroes literally stabs them in the back, or they do something destructive to destroy the relationship," Julie says.

Speaking of destructive...

We kind of sort of felt sorry for Klaus (Joseph Morgan) in the most recent episode, when we saw just how hateful his father was. Then we remembered that it's Klaus -- the guy who killed his own mother, sacrificed Aunt Jenna, doomed Tyler to a lifetime of servitude -- and our sympathy waned.

Julie assures us that Klaus won't be softening up any time soon -- he's really, really evil, you guys, and as we get to know him better in his moments of vulnerability, his villainous nature is going to get increasingly worse. When Stefan (Paul Wesley) stole the coffins containing Klaus's family, he struck a dangerous nerve, and we're going to see the fall-out from that impact everyone in Stefan's (former) life. "It's definitely the driving engine when we come back for a good chunk of our winter episodes," Julie says.

It seems to us that striking a balance between Klaus's psychotic streak and his more human side would be difficult for the writers -- after all, they've done a masterful job of it. Julie confesses that it's actually been easy to create the dimensional villain when they keep in mind one key trait: Everything Klaus does is fueled by rage.

"Klaus isn't ruled by love the way that Damon, even in his darkest moments, is ruled by love. Love is Damon's achilles heel. For Klaus, his achilles heel is his fury, his rage at having been unloved or not properly loved," Julie says. "Every time he gets a moment where we can see his vulnerability, the very act of him feeling vulnerable triggers that rage. His response, his fight-or-flight response, is to get angry and to act out and to be hostile and manipulative and evil. With one comes the other."

As for the other Originals -- no, we don't have any word yet on when Elijah (Daniel Gillies) will be roused from his slumber. We have our hopes up, though, that when Kol (Nathaniel Buzolic) and Finn (Caspar Zafer) come into the picture, Elijah won't be far behind. We miss him and his beautiful coif.

Jamie Oliver Returns to BBC America on January 3

Jamie Oliver Returns to BBC America on January 3

"Jamie's American Road Trip," a six-part series, premieres on Tuesday, January 3 at 10:00/9:00c.

'Absolutely Fabulous' 20th Anniversary Special Mocks The Kardashians

'Absolutely Fabulous' 20th Anniversary Special Mocks The Kardashians

Patsy and Edina tell Saffy all about the Kardashian syndrome.

The Kardashian Syndrom

R.I.P. Christopher Hitchens: The TV Gladiator

R.I.P. Christopher Hitchens: The TV Gladiator

Every pundit that has tried to make a point, throw a punch, or declare victory should pause today to salute Christopher Hitchens.

He burst on the U.S. media scene first on William F. Buckley Jr.'s television series Firing Line, then on CNN's Larry King Live and Crossfire in the early Reagan Presidency. He (along with now presidential candidate Newt Gingrich) knew immediately that cable television was the new media play for serious public policy combat. The "disruptors," as our web friends say now. Hitchens didn't talk to the empty chairs each night on C-SPAN as Gingrich did to make his points and show the American people that he was still at work, he just swung for the rafters with every comment on the only two cable shows.

Pat Buchanan, a great verbal brawler in his own right, is the only person I ever saw who could anticipate the blows. Hitch had a big fight with Bob Novak once on Crossfire and Bob banned him from the show for a while. It was like losing a world champion. I think Bob finally let us bring him back because he knew Hitch had real fight in him, and we kept bringing up his name.

Hitch was even more dangerous in person. The twinkle, the total confidence -- he never missed anything. To be invited to Hitch's home was Washington's equivalent of the Vanity Fair Oscar party. There was no doubt that anyone who mattered would be there. With his incredible wife and partner, the writer Carol Blue, you knew you were at ground zero for intellectual conversation.

When longtime friend Christopher Buckley's book, Thank You for Smoking, hit the movie screens, I attended a small dinner celebration at the Metropolitan Club. Being with these magical word masters and best of friends on such an important occasion was a total treat. These gladiators of language would throw something in the air and it would burst into fireworks dazzling those lucky enough to watch it rain down. It was then I decided the greatest TV show of all time would be The Dueling Christophers. (Yes, I did later pitch the idea to PBS.)

Carol, Hitch and I went to the Naval Academy to attend the memorial service for the father of our friend, Elizabeth Edwards. Hitch wanted to be there for his friend. After selling millions of books condemning religion, to my surprise, he gently sung all the hymns. I asked when the last time he was in a church and he said six months earlier at Bill Buckley's funeral.

One of my favorite TV stories was when a young ABC News producer booked him to give funeral commentary for one his favorite targets, Mother Teresa. It was another brief but great Hitchens TV moment.

You didn't have to share his beliefs to share his passion for debate. He was voted one of the top five public intellectuals on a website for a publication only the very elite read; we used to joke he moved down the list when he quit smoking. In the last few years, when I was lucky enough to get to know him well, he was telling me about his summer plans. I interrupted him to tell him I already knew his exact schedule and told him every TV producer in town knew about his annual trips and his phone numbers at the various locations. He was a ringer, a sure thing, and we tracked him like a criminal to bring into an important show.

Last year I asked him if he would talk to a young writer, Graham Moore, who had just signed with Jonathan Karp at Hitch's publisher, TWELVE. Hitch guided Moore through the publication of the best selling novel, The Sherlockian. During a book party for The Sherlockian at Vice President Biden's home, Moore got to meet and thank Hitch for his mentoring. Despite serious health challenges, Hitch was determined to go and finally meet his protégé in person; and in the company of all who glitter in Washington no one twinkled more than Hitch, with Carol and his kids at his side.
For a town and an industry still mourning the loss of Tim Russert, this is a painful day. So let's drop our iPhones and iPads, and raise a glass to remember a great gladiator.

10 Most Anticipated New Shows for Midseason 2012

10 Most Anticipated New Shows for Midseason 2012

Television's midseason might not come with as much hype and push as the start of the fall season of TV, but that doesn't mean it's full of Bosom Buddies repeats (don't be alarmed if you catch one, though; it's actually just ABC's Work It). There are plenty of high-quality baby shows calling early 2012 "mother"-here are the ones we're looking forward to most.

10. Frozen Planet (Discovery)
When it's on: Sundays starting March 18
Who's in it: Nature
What it's about: Educational television never looked better! This Discovery miniseries, which was co-produced by the BBC and comes from the creators of Planet Earth and Life, takes a look at some of the harshest ecosystems on the planet: the north and south poles. Note: This is a must-see in HD.

9. Luck (HBO)
When it's on: Sundays starting January 29
Who's in it: Dustin Hoffman, Dennis Farina, John Ortiz, Nick Nolte, Michael Gambon, Kevin Dunn, Richard Kind
What it's about: Winners, losers, and everyone in between at a local horse-racing track.
Why we're excited about it: All you have to do is read the cast credits to get amped up about this show (but go ahead and also slap your behind with a riding crop if you need to). Dustin Hoffman, Deadwood creator David Milch, Hollywood hotshot director Michael Mann, Nick Nolte, and Dennis Farina are all involved in what's sure to be HBO's next critical hit.

8. GCB (ABC)
When it's on: Sundays starting March 4
Who's in it: Leslie Bibb, Kristin Chenoweth, Annie Potts, Jennifer Aspen, Miriam Shor, Brad Beyer, Mark Deklin
What it's about: A Texas woman returns to her hometown to cat-fight and gossip and generally do all the things you want to see on television.
Why we're excited about it: ABC isn't exactly making its move toward female audiences a secret with primetime soaps, and GCB may be the most over-the-top of the bunch. It won't win any Emmys, but it's what we'll be talking about at work the next day.

7. Alcatraz (Fox)
When it's on: Mondays starting January 16
Who's in it: Sarah Jones, Jorge Garcia, Sam Neill, Parminder Nagra, Robert Forster
What it's about: Inmates and guards who went missing from the famous prison decades ago mysteriously reappear and start doing weird things.
Why we're excited about it: J.J. Abrams put his name on this project, so you know it's going to be more than just your everyday sci-fi drama. And with the Lost's Jorge Garcia and Sam Neill visiting our living rooms every week, it has our attention.

6. Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (ABC)
When it's on: TBD
Who's in it: Dreama Walker, Krysten Ritter, Eric Andre, Michael Blaiklock, and James Van Der Beek
What it's about: A woman from the country relocates to New York City and moves in with a sketchy party girl.
Why we're excited about it: ABC is currently on a hot streak with comedies, and we've had our eye on this ever since it was announced. Ummm... and James Van Der Beek plays himself. Plus it's, uhh... a bit crass. Okay, okay. Krysten Ritter. There. We admit it.

5. Awake (NBC)
When it's on: TBD
Who's in it: Jason Isaacs, Steve Harris, Wilmer Valderrama, Laura Allen, Dylan Minnette, B.D. Wong, Cherry Jones
What it's about: A police detective gets in a car accident and wakes up to two different realities: one where his wife didn't survive the accident, and one where his son didn't survive the accident.
Why we're excited about it: This mind-bender comes from Kyle Killen, the creator of Lone Star, who loves to play with dual universes. It also happens to be the best pilot of the season. The only reason it isn't number one on this list is that NBC still hasn't scheduled it and there were reportedly problems with the production of its later episodes.

4. Touch (Fox)
When it's on: Mondays starting March 19, with a preview January 25
Who's in it: Kiefer Sutherland, David Mazouz, Danny Glover, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Roxana Brusso, Karen David
What it's about: A father discovers that his mute son's gift with numbers is more than just a way to communicate.
Why we're excited about it: Creator Tim Kring (Heroes) is responsible for one of the best debut seasons of sci-fi in network history. (We won't talk about what happened after that.) Touch has the chance to combine mystery, spirituality, and fantasy in one... we just hope fans will respond.

3. House of Lies (Showtime)
When it's on: Sundays starting January 8
Who's in it: Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell, Ben Schwartz, Dawn Olivieri, Richard Schiff
What it's about: A consulting firm grifts corporate fat cats into overpaying for its services.
Why we're excited about it: Don Cheadle can act like no one's business, and we're always suckers for a steal-from-the-rich-and-give-to-the-less-rich storyline. That is, until we get rich. Plus, Kristen Bell is in her underwear in the trailer.

2. The River (ABC)
When it's on: Tuesdays starting February 7
Who's in it: Bruce Greenwood, Joe Anderson, Paul Balckthorne, Paulina Gaitan, Leslie Hope
What it's about: This found-footage horror show traces what happened to a rescue team that went searching for a missing adventurer/television personality.
Why we're excited about it: We're guessing something bad happened. This is legitimate horror on primetime television from the creator of Paranormal Activity, and for some reason everything is always scarier when it's seen through the lens of a camcorder. Plus, the pilot is awesome.

1. Smash (NBC)
When it's on: Mondays starting February 6
Who's in it: Debra Messing, Brian D'Arcy James, Christian Borle, Katharine McPhee, Jack Davenport, Anjelica Huston, Uma Thurman
What it's about: The buzz for this musical drama is off the charts! And with a cast that confirms its quality, we're guessing this could be the next big hit that America falls in love with, even if it is on NBC.