'The Secret Circle' spoilers: 'Darkness' makes Cassie so much cooler

'The Secret Circle' spoilers: 'Darkness' makes Cassie so much cooler

We really loved the mid-season finale of "The Secret Circle," so we've been wringing our hands since November anticipating the new episode. We were left with some major cliffhangers, including the identity of Cassie's secret (circle) sibling and the degree of her dark magic powers. Usually, cliffhangers make hiatus even more unbearable, but in this case, we actually had fun theorizing over the break about Cassie's family ties.

It's a good thing we don't mind the speculation, because Thursday's (Jan. 5) episode, "Darkness," doesn't answer that pesky sibling question. It does, however, give us a glimpse into what Cassie is capable of now that she's beginning to explore her dark side. The CW asked us to keep a whole lot of things about "Darkness" under wraps, but just to whet your appetite, here are five things you can expect from this week's "Secret Circle":

1. More Chris Zylka. We haven't exactly been subtle about the fact that we totally love Jake Armstrong and we think his presence in the show has made it infinitely more entertaining -- so we were a little bummed when he sailed away in the mid-season finale. We figured we'd have to endure some separation anxiety... but luckily, Jake shows up to warn Cassie about impending doom very early in the episode. Sort of.

2. Cassie and Adam continue their song and dance. If you're not loving Cassie/Jake as much as we are, don't fear! Cassie and Adam seem to be getting closer, as he's the only member of the Circle she wants to confide in when it comes to her scary lineage. They even spend a little time lounging around in her bedroom, for those of you who get a kick out of that sort of thing. Unfortunately, the mood is kind of crushed when she accidentally tries to kill him with her brain. Don't you hate when that happens?

3. Grey Damon makes his first appearance as Lee LaBeque. "Friday Night Lights" barely used Damon, and we didn't even care, because his lack of significant screen time meant more minutes spent on Tim Riggins and his hair. In his first guest starring appearance on "The Secret Circle," though, Damon has definitely turned our indifference around. LaBeque is a sketchy guy who uses magic for money, running an business out of his garage that caters to naive types who, as he tells Faye and Melissa, "want to set the mean girls who stole your boyfriends on fire." Fortunately, Faye sets him straight and informs him that they are the mean girls, thankyouverymuch. And then sexiness ensues. If the ritual he performs on Faye doesn't get you all hot and bothered, you're probably made of stone.

4. Meet hot Granny. Stefanie Kramer stars as Charles' mother, Kate. Whereas the last elder who came to town, Henry, seemed to be a bit out of his league, Kate totally has Dawn's number and isn't going to let her get away with any funny business. We absolutely love Kramer in this role -- her ability to shift from concerned grandmother to HBIC is effortless. There's a particularly great stand-off between Kate and Dawn, but even that pales in comparison to what happens when she realizes Cassie's potential. We can't wait for you all to see Britt Robertson's performance -- we were blown away by how awesome she is. Dark magic makes Cassie so much cooler.

5. We see a shift in Charles and Dawn's relationship. We were getting a little tired of him following her around like a kicked puppy, so we're glad to see that the dynamic between Charles and Dawn is balancing out a bit. Where he once seemed to have a long-lingering crush on her, he now has a very keen awareness of her cold nature -- and, dare we say it, his objection to her power-lust may just outweigh any feelings he has for her.

Tune in this Thursday at 9 p.m. after a new "Vampire Diaries" episode. Prepare for awesomeness.

Rupert Murdoch Joins Twitter

Rupert Murdoch Joins Twitter

The 80-year-old CEO of News Corp hasn’t yet shared his thoughts on the phone-hacking scandal, but managed to amass more than 21,000 followers within hours of joining the microblogging site.

He has more options than most when it comes to being able to air his views on a public platform. And he's just endured a year that would give most people every reason to retreat beneath the radar. But none of that has stopped the 80-year old chairman and CEO of News Corp, Rupert Murdoch, from joining the democracy of Twitter to share his enthusiastic thoughts and opinions  – as well as very publicly getting to grips with the new technology.

After launching his account on News Year’s Eve with the post “Have just. Read The Rational Optimist. Great book,” @RupertMurdoch was verified as authentic by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey and attracted more than 21,000 followers within 24 hours of his debut.

So far the News Corp CEO has proved an eclectic enthusiast, posting a dozen tweets on a range of personal, business and political topics in his first day. So far he has opted to follow only four fellow tweeters, Dorsey, a fake account for Google co-founder Larry Page, Zynga co-founder Mark Pincus, and famously grumpy British technology entrepreneur and long-time friend, Lord Sugar.

The mogul, whose global empire spans movie production, TV networks, book publishing, new media, satellite TV and newspapers, is clearly struggling with some of the syntactical demands of Twitter. Dubious punctuation has led to the odd cryptic message, such as the two word tweet “Alan-sugar” – a reference, in all probability, to the Sugar he follows on Twitter.

However, in less than a day aboard the social platform Murdoch has offered thoughts on subjects as varied as the New Year’s Eve party he attended (“Huge NY do. Oligarchs and Silicon Valley biggies (like Jack). May. Learn something”), time spent “uboating” in the sea with his young daughters, the new Fox-produced George Clooney movie The Descendants (“Thank God, one to be proud of. Star Geo Clooney deserves Oscar. Maybe film too.”) and his recent holiday (“Vacations great time for thinking. St Barths too many people. Thoughts best kept private around here. Like London!”)

Murdoch also posted in favor of the WSJ op-ed piece on Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul (“Huge appeal of libertarian message”) and had the following thoughts on the global economy in the year to come: “Happy 2012. May itbe better than all experts predict. Has to be! Must change everything to create jobs for all, especiallyyoung.”

Murdoch’s optimistic tone and enthusiasm will come as a surprise to many, after a year that saw him hauled before a British Parliamentary Inquiry into phone-hacking. The scandal has yet to fully play out, but has dented Murdoch's long-cherished succession plans and forced the resignations of some of his longest serving lieutenants. It also continues to have huge financial implications for News Corp going into 2012.

There was plenty of skepticism from the Twitter community about the move. “Rupert Murdoch has apparently joined Twitter. Meanwhile everyone else changes their passwords,” tweeted @jamiep7, while former British deputy Prime Minister John Prescott welcomed the mogul to Twitter saying, “Hey @rupertmurdoch. I’m surprised you’re only following two people. The police said it was at least 800.”

There’s no doubt that Murdoch's new account could become Twitter’s hottest and most closely-read account. And in a year when one of the world’s most powerful media moguls will likely have to give evidence under oath to a British phone-hacking inquiry – if he keeps up with his early enthusiasm – Twitter newbie @rupertmurdoch promises a degree of insight and context that is not to be missed.

Lady Gaga to Ashton Kutcher: Hollywood Tweets Its New Year's Resolutions

Lady Gaga to Ashton Kutcher: Hollywood Tweets Its New Year's Resolutions

Albert Brooks jokes he's going to stop tweeting; Kurt Sutter doesn't want "flawed men" to distract him; Rachel Maddow wants to learn to "de-beard mussels."

With 2011 in the rear-view mirror, the entertainment industry took to their Twitter accounts New Year's Day to share their resolutions for 2012.

Here are some of Hollywood's best tweets.

"My new years resolution: Never be afraid to be kicked in the teeth. Let the blood and the bruises define your legacy," said Lady Gaga hours after performing and counting down the ball drop in Times Square.

Ashton Kutcher took a break from his self-imposed Twitter ban and wrote, "In 2012 let's agree to a resolution to feel one another's pain & joy, & create the peace we desire through proactive generosity. XO ak."

"Happy New Year! My resolution: To give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Imagine the world if we did that instead of rushing to judgment..." said James Van Der Beek.

Comedian Horatio Sanz wrote, "My New Years resolution is to stop setting cars on fire. #LAisLoco."

Tony Bennett tweeted, "My New Years resolution is to study piano and sculpting. Wishing you all the best in 2012!"

"I have no resolutions!! Can I make them tomorrow? Should my resolution be to not procrastinate making resolutions?" Rita Wilson lamented.

Donnie Wahlberg retweeted user @chocolateduck's "A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other."

"My New Year's resolution is to figure out how to balance motherhood with taking care of myself," said Alyssa Milano.

Colin Quinn joked, "My New Years resolution is to stop smoking cursing and drinking. Darn I left my GD cigs in the bar. #oneoutofthreeaintbad #lol"

How I Met your Mother creator Carter Bays said, "If you're thinking of tweeting the ten second countdown to midnight, I have a resolution for you: maybe a little less twitter this year."

Footballer Marshall Faulk tweeted, "My New Years resolution..... I will not talk about the #Cowboys anymore this season."

"My New Year's resolution was to stop tweeting," joked Albert Brooks.

"new years resolution #1 next NYE don't say "10 minutes til midnight" when its really 10 seconds. oops," said Pete Wentz.

Terra Nova star Jason O'Mara reflected, "6 years ago today, a little show called 'In Justice' premiered on ABC. 3 months later it was cancelled. My resolution? No more 13 and outs."

"My New Years Resolution: Reserve the word "amazing" for things that are actually *amazing*. Like: This bagel is really good, *not* amazing," said Olivia Munn.

Hart Hanson revealed, "This morning I broke my New Year's resolution to be more patient by yelling "shut up!" at a mocking bird - it was imitating a leaf blower."

"My resolution is to not settle for less in 2012...& clear all the clutter out of life," said Bravo's resident matchmaker Patti Stanger.

Sons of Anarchy producer Kurt Sutter wrote, "A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION: FOCUS ON THE DIVINITY OF PROCESS AND DO NOT GET DISTRACTED BY MY HUMAN RESULTS OR THE OPINIONS OF OTHER FLAWED MEN."

"Kim Jong-un's New Year's resolution: 'To find out what this big pulsating red button is for.' #HappyNewYear" wrote comedian Andy Borowitz.

"NY Resolution: Seek therapy for my addiction to that yelp sound a puppy makes when you step on it's foot accidentally," Dave Navarro tweeted.

Race car driver Danica Patrick said, "Resolution(s)- more green tea and cardio before breakfast. Why are these thoughts running through my head right now?"

"Ok new year resolution broken...damm this cucumber martini is good!," joked Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpump.

Singer/songwriter Michelle Branch tweeted, "I forgot another resolution: in 2012 I hope to tour outside the USA. I especially want to visit Asia and Europe."

Judah Friedlander had many, one being, "New Years Resolution #10: Stop driving while texting. Driving while texting causes typos. #WorldChampResolutions2012"

"My New Year's resolution? To be less laz," joked comedian/actor Jim Gaffigan.

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow said, "2011 new year's resolution to learn to de-beard mussels? check! with five hours to spare."

"Wishing everyone a Healthy, Happy, and Prosperous New Year! Make your resolution list short and your list of fun things to do tall :-)," said Gossip Girl actress Kelly Rutherford.

'Kourtney & Kim Take New York': Kris Humphries Points His Gaydar Where It Doesn't Belong

'Kourtney & Kim Take New York': Kris Humphries Points His Gaydar Where It Doesn't Belong

The basketball player makes Jonathan Cheban's sexuality his business and it was downhill from there.

So, how does one know if someone is gay? E!’s Kourtney and Kim Take New York never really explains how Kris Humphries had come to believe that his gaydar is so fine-tuned that he can declare that wife Kim Kardashian’s friend, publicist Jonathan Cheban, is in fact homosexual. But, he firmly thinks that it’s true and really goes the distance to get Jonathan to come out on Sunday’s episode.

First, can we acknowledge that the line between what happens on reality shows and what makes headlines has become blurred. Reports surfaced months ago that Jonathan was suing Kris for using a gay slur against him during the shooting of the series. If Sunday’s episode is the one in question, then that either never happened or it was edited out. I’m leaning toward never happened, because I can’t imagine that E! would leave something as sensational as Kris using a homophobic slur against Kim’s best friend on the cutting room floor.

Second, how is it possible that Kim could call John her best friend and yet not know what his sexuality is? Kim could probably learn to show some interest in others’ lives. Just a hunch.

Now, back to Kris’s gaydar. Here’s what I was able to gather from the episode. If one doesn’t talk about women, openly parade their dates with women around their friends, likes a scented candle now and again, and exhibits a less in your face version of masculinity, then one is gay in Kris’s book. In the end, Jonathan told Kris that he was straight and he should have left it alone. Even if Jonathan is gay, Kris should have respected his right to choose his own timeframe in which to come out.

It wasn’t until Jonathan’s business partner, Simon Huck, told Kris and Kim about being horribly outted by a teacher before he was ready that Kris decided he should close his investigation down and apologize. The two man-hugged it out and it was squashed – so I thought.

What I found interesting was that everything seemed resolved by the end of the episode, but it’s clear that Jonathan is still holding some anger. He tweeted several times about the gay standoff and I’m assuming he’s referring to Kris when he tweeted “BULLY!” and “IGNORANT!” Judging from Kris’s actions in Sunday’s episode, I can’t say I disagree. For the record, I don’t believe that Kris is homophobic. Judgmental and self-righteous, yes, but I wouldn’t say he’s homophobic.

RTL Retains German Ratings Crown In 2011 As Public Channels Weaken

RTL Retains German Ratings Crown In 2011 As Public Channels Weaken

The network ends the year with a record 18.4 % share of the 14-49 demo.

RTL Television strengthened its position as Germany's number one channel in 2011, thanks to a reality onslaught that included local versions of Brit formats I'm a Celebrity - Get Me Out of Here!, Farmer Wants A Wife and Pop Idol. Under the leadership of managing director Anke Schaferkordt, RTL beat its record performance last year, taking a 18.4 per cent share of the key 14-49 demo and 14.1 per cent of the total German audience.

The Cologne-based network left the competition far behind. In the 14-49 demo, Pro7 was a distant second-place, with a 11.7 per cent share, up 0.1 per cent on the strength of its U.S. sitcoms, among them Two and a Half Men, How I Met Your Mother and, starting in January, Zooey Deschanel-starrer New Girl.

Germany's public channels had a rough year, with both ARD and ZDF losing ground. ARD 's share of the total German audience dropped 0.8 per cent to 12.4 per cent while ZDF lost 0.6 per cent to 12.1 per cent. Things were equally bleak in the 14-49 demo, with ARD scoring a mere 6.6 per cent scare – down 0.7 per cent – and ZDF off half a per cent at 6.2 per cent. Those numbers should improve in 2012 as ARD and ZDF will be broadcasting both the London Olympics and the European Soccer Championships.

Oprah Winfrey's 'The Next Chapter' preview: Steven Tyler talks monogamy and more

Oprah Winfrey's 'The Next Chapter' preview: Steven Tyler talks monogamy and more

Oprah Winfrey is debuting a new show on her OWN channel. "Oprah's Next Chapter" is a show in which Oprah steps outside the studio for in-depth interviews with newsmakers, celebrities, leaders and real-life families.

"American Idol" judge and rocker Steven Tyler is the first interview of the series. His rumored fiance Erin Brady also joins them, where they speak very honestly about how hard it is to be monogamous in Tyler's kind of lifestyle.

The show debuts Sunday, Jan. 1, with a two-hour event from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET/PT on OWN. The series continues in its regular time slot starting Sunday, Jan. 8 (9 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET/PT) on OWN.

Carnie Wilson Talks Weight Gain, Fears Daughter Will Follow In Her Footsteps

Carnie Wilson Talks Weight Gain, Fears Daughter Will Follow In Her Footsteps

Though 2011's "Bridesmaids" brought Wilson Phillips back into the spotlight thanks to their cameo performance, Carnie Wilson still has a lot to look forward to in 2012. With her episode of "Celebrity Wife Swap" airing on Jan. 3, a new reality show set to air in April and upcoming tour dates with Wilson Phillips, the singer has big things planned for the year ahead.

However, in a new interview with Fox News, Wilson admits that yes, she's gained back some of the weight she famously lost in 1999 and worries that her daughter, Lola, will follow in her food-loving footsteps.

"I've had so much stress in the last year so it's really [a] struggle," she told Fox about trying to keep a healthy lifestlye, adding, "I'm definitely up in weight. I'm looking forward to getting an exercise routine again. It's like a daily decision. Am I going to eat healthy today or am I going to make some sh**ty decisions?"

Wilson continued to reveal that her sobriety hasn't helped curb her obsessive and addictive personality.

"I always think I am one of the the millions and millions of people that struggles with an addiction to food," she said. "I don't know how to relax, that's my problem. I can't smoke a joint, I can't have a glass of wine, because I want 10 joints and 10 glasses of wine."

This isn't the first time in recent years that Wilson has commented on her own weight.

"I'm fat as fuck, what can I say?" she told "Naughty But Nice With Rob" host Rob Shuter last year. "You know, after all these years, it's just like we are who we are and it's a struggle for me and sometimes I'm heavier and sometimes I'm thinner."

But it's not just her own weight that Wilson worries about these days. She keeps an eye on her six-year-old daughter, Lola.

"I see Lola loving sugar like all the other children but I also see her pay a little more attention like when there's a birthday party, I see her being the first in line to get the cake. I see me in her," Wilson told Fox, adding, "I think she's going to be alright as long as we're in control of this."