Kim Kardashian Strips... Off Her Makeup

Scott Bakula Scott Bakula remains approached for just about any recurring role on Desperate Regular folks, TVGuide.com has confirmed. As first reported by TVLine, Bakula would play Bree's yet-to-be-named new lawyer. Inside the original casting call, the level of smoothness is known to love a captivating, conservative guy who'd are available in four to five episodes using the finish in the ABC drama's final season. Exclusive: Shawn Pyfrom returning to Desperate Regular folks Bakula, 57, last starred on TNT's considerably acclaimed Males from the Certain Age for just two seasons as lighthearted actor-switched vehicle sales rep Terry. A Golden Globe champion for his performance on Quantum Leap, he's commonly known as for his roles on The Exorcist: Enterprise and Chuck. Desperate Regular folks airs Sundays at 9/8c on ABC. Are you currently presently excited to find out Bakula back round the small screen?

The Bachelor's Chris Harrison: Women Tell All ... About Courtney

Jordana Spiro My Boys alum Jordana Spiro has showed up charge in Fox's untitled drama from Drop Dead Diva's Josh Berman and Robert Wright, and Justified's Michael Dinner.Spiro may have Sophistication Delvin, a thoracic surgeon who splits her time between her career and her long-term debt south Chicago mob.Pilot Season: Have the scoop!Jamie Lee Kirchner (Necessary Roughness) has furthermore been cast to get a surgical resident who's the daughter in the hospital's chairman. James Carpinello and Jesse Lee Soffer are likely to co-star.Aside from her role in my Boys, Spiro has recently came out on Harry's Law and Dexter.

David Morrissey to experience The Governor around the Walking Dead

Sacha Baron Cohen, The Dictator The Dictator has won! The Acadmy of movement Picture Arts & Sciences has asked Sacha Baron Cohen to go to Sunday night's Oscar ceremony outfitted as his title character within the approaching film The Dictator, Deadline reviews. This decision reverses the Academy's previous stance banning participants while using red-colored carpet for "stunting" or self-promotion. Baron Cohen had initially planned on walking the Academy awards red-colored carpet because the imaginary Admiral General Aladeen. Can Clooney win? TVGuide.com's Oscar forecasts "VICTORY IS OURS!" reads an argument in the Dictator themself on Friday. "Today the Mighty Nation of Wadiya triumphed within the Zionist snakes of Hollywood. Evil and all sorts of individuals who made Satan their protector were vanquished and driven in to the Off-shore Ocean. Things I am saying here would be that the Academy have surrendered and sent over two tickets along with a parking pass! TODAY OSCAR, TOMORROW OBAMA!" The actor has past doing crazy stunts to advertise his films, once showing up in the Cannes Film Festival because the character Borat inside a giant lime eco-friendly thong. In the MTV Video Music Honours in '09, he outfitted in character as Bruno, a gay fashion icon, travelled in on overhead wires and literally arrived within the lap of the apparently furious Eminem. Test out your Academy awards IQ Vital Pictures informs Deadline that Baron Cohen has not made the decision if he'll attend, whereas Academy awards telecast producer John Grazer and Academy Leader Tom Sherak state that Baron Cohen is attending and is actually an element of the show. The conflicting reviews could indicate the whole "banning" situation would be a publicity stunt from the beginning. The 84th Oscars airs Sunday, February. 26 at 8:30/5:30c on ABC. The Dictator opens in theaters countrywide on May 11. Do you consider this complete affair is a publicity stunt from the beginning? Are you going to watch The Dictator?

Marketer Bert Gould dies at 52

Marketing specialist Bert Gould, who held positions at Showtime, Fox Broadcasting, Marvel Entertainment and Comedy Central, among other entertainment industry companies, died in Glen Ridge, N.J., on Feb. 14 after a long battle with cancer. He was 52.Gould started in marketing with jobs at radio stations in NY and Miami, leading to management positions at Showtime and the Movie Channel. In 1990, Fox Broadcasting recruited him to help launch the Fox Kids programming block on the Fox Network, which included the introduction of "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers."He did a stint as exec VP of marketing for Marvel Entertainment and served as senior marketing consultant for the Classic Sports Network (now ESPN Classic).At Comedy Central, where he was senior VP of marketing and new business development, Gould helped lead the network into the digital age with ComedyCentral.com and oversaw the licensing program for the "South Park" series and movie, which generated retail sales of more than $500 million.In 2004 Gould and partner Joe Owens founded their own event marketing firm, Entertainment & Sports Intl.Gould was also the producer of the Toyota Comedy Festival in NY. He is survived by his wife, Anita Axelrod-Gould; his mother; and two brothers.Donations may be made to the the Arizona Cancer Center, Bert Gould Memorial Fund for Cancer Prevention, c/o Paola Villar Werstler, 1515 N. Campbell Ave., Tucson, AZ 85724. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

IFC Accumulates Latest From Cristian Mungiu & S&M Banker Story Tied: Berlin

EXCLUSIVE: IFC has acquired US privileges to Cristian Mungius approaching untitled film thats likely to arrive being an official selection in Cannes. The Romanian company directors first feature since 2007′s Palme d’Or champion 4 Several weeks, 3 Days And A Pair Of Days focuses on a youthful womans descent into madness in an Orthodox convent. Wild Bunch, that is co-creating and handling worldwide sales, also came to the conclusion deals in The country, France, A holiday in greece, Israel, Mexico and Colombia in the EFM. IFC has additionally acquired Wild Bunch’s Hlne Fillires-directed Tied which stars Benot Poelvoorde and Laetitia Casta like a banker and the mistress inside a sadomasochistic relationship. The film also offered within the United kingdom to Momentum together with other areas including Europe, Russia, Israel, Columbia, Singapore and Poultry.

Oscar Index: Ladies First

You will know when two of the very respected commentators in most of Oscardom argue (within times of one another!) for limiting both epic Oscars season race and also the ceremony that culminates, persistence for those this garbage is putting on thin. Knowing that - as well as thinking about the "race" for many of these groups ended days or several weeks ago - who's up to have an Oscar Index lightning round? (The whole staff at Movieline's Institute for that Advanced Study of Kudos Forensics boosts its hands.) OK, then - towards the Index! The Ultimate 9: 1. The Artist 2. The Assistance 3. The Descendants 4. Hugo 5. Moneyball 6. The Tree of Existence 7. Night time in Paris 8. The Daldry 9. War Equine Though we can't eliminate these underdogs' mounting a behind-the-moments charm blitz before Academy polls close next Tuesday, or even the implications from the indication that no movie about movies has ever won Best Picture, The Artist's triumph finally weekend's BAFTA Honours only stiffened its seeming lock around the Best Picture Oscar. Still, let us listen to it for that Descendants, blazing the media afterburners for any frantically needed uptick. (The Assistance, in comparison, got a forlorn-searching electronic billboard.) Also, don't look now, but somebody really dared to create attentively concerning the Daldry. Not really a minute too early! Anyway, yes, Steve Pond, we are with you: Let us just finish this farce already. The Ultimate 5: 1. Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist 2. Alexander Payne, The Descendants 3. Martin Scorsese, Hugo 4. Terrence Malick, The Tree of Existence 5. Woodsy Allen, Night time in Paris As the BAFTAs nudged Hazanavicius ever nearer to Oscar glory and Sasha Stone considered the receivers of the potential split election - which is usually the most the commentators and campaigners engineering an anti-Artist backlash can expect at this time - only Allen received a really needle-moving endorsement now. As well as gentlemen, I provide you with Nick Jonas: "[F]or pointing, I selected Night time in Paris because Woodsy Allen is my personal favorite. Hes awesome.[... T]here will be a Woodsy Allen film around the coach from time to time. Theres always a Woodsy Allen movie on." You've now learned. The Ultimate 5: 1. [tie] Viola Davis, The Assistance 1. [tie] Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady 3. Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn 4. Rooney Mara, The Lady Using the Dragon Tattoo 5. Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs "I really hope we are able to all agree that after the Oscar conversation involves stars as massively gifted as Meryl and Viola all of us win," authored Nathaniel Rogers from the juiciest race going. "If perhaps we will have a tie!" Haha, fine for the time being, but NO. Don't provide the Academy any ideas it'll totally ruin my Oscar-party ballot. Nevertheless, the correct answer is a conversation, using the BAFTAs and also the Berlinale's gala tribute slanting momentum back Streep's way. But when we are to think the ongoing distribution and discussion of those occasions among honours experts and also the media cognoscenti are true factors that persuade Oscar voters (and that i guess we're to think that, appropriately or otherwise - otherwise, what exactly are we doing here?), then would it not follow the ongoing distribution of Davis's never-ending class, intellect and talent around the campaign trail would either match or supersede Streep's own carefully cultivated hype? Take this incredible appearance that Davis and Help co-star Octavia Spencer lately made on Tavis Smiley's show, a job interview which has been covered here, there and everywhere [transcript through the Carpetbagger]: I really want you to win, Mr. Smiley stated, but Im ambivalent by what youre winning for. Ms. Davis was direct. That very mind-set you have which lots of African-People in america have is completely wrecking the black artist, she stated. The black artist cannot reside in a revisionist place, she added. The black artist are only able to be truthful about humanity, and humanity is untidy. Individuals are untidy. White stars realize that. [...] We as African-American artists tend to be more worried about image and message and never execution, she stated, and that's why any time you call at your images theyve been watered lower to the stage where they aren't realistic whatsoever. My whole factor is, will i also have be noble? she ongoing. Being an artist, you have to determine the mess. The Academy hasn't really given any suggestion of getting taste that will or might be moved with a situation like this. But when its people within the stars branch particularly will have that taste, plus they can hear her voice over the noise, then Davis may yet function as the actress to conquer. For the time being, meanwhile, it is simply too near to call. In other brief news, Mara got another profile-improving close-up while Close - who's facing such wonderful head lines as "Glenn Close: Next Full of Oscar nonwinners? might as well request to simply be awoken when it is February. 27. Tough world. The Key 5: 1. Jean Dujardin, The Artist 2. George Clooney, The Descendants 3. Kaira Pitt, Moneyball 4. Demin Bichir, A Much Better Existence 5. Gary Oldman, Mess, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Sure, Dujardin stated the BAFTA making more zeitgeist-y viral-video waves in 48 hrs than than his competition combined makes all years, but Clooney and Oldman particularly keep working the circuit looking for hearts and minds. Be careful for that latter candidate, who may yet coax away individuals crucial "sentimental favorite" votes that Clooney never really deserved to begin with (avoid three Oscar nods for acting in 5 years, anyway) and that have been recognized to split groups. Might be interesting, though I am most likely just hallucinating non-existent intrigues at this time. You know me. The Key 5: 1. Octavia Spencer, The Assistance 2. Brnice Bejo, The Artist 3. Jessica Chastain, The Assistance 4. Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids 5. Jesse McTeer, Albert Nobbs Bejo like magic reappeared in this area for around 20 seconds by having an interview along with a 15-year-old video clip known as Pregnant or Lesbian? Which should nearly get it done. The Key 5: 1. Christopher Plummer, Beginners 2. Max von Sydow, The Daldry 3. Jonah Hill, Moneyball 4. Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn 5. Nick Nolte, Warrior "Enough about Max von Sydow's burst of applause, already!" admonished Kristpher Tapley. First got it! Just attempting to stay awake right here. Anyway, help you in a few days using the conclusion from the 2011-12 Oscar index! Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

Kudos campaigning goes lower towards the wire

Berenice Bejo in "The Artist" Allison Janney and Emma Stone in "The AssistanceInch 'Hugo'George Clooney in "The Descendants" 'Moneyball'It's simple to think that "The Artist" has this honours season ended, given the amount of experts honours and guild honors the film has collected since November, as well as its sweep from the BAFTAs last week. Most commentators have came to the conclusion having a dramatic yawn that the best-picture Oscar is basically certain for that black-and-whitened quiet movie.Yet for any season that allegedly ended the moment the nominations were introduced, there's still a great deal of campaigning happening in front of Tuesday's 5 p.m. ballots deadline -- and not simply for that film that will appear to require it minimal.Whilst campaigner extraordinaire Harvey Weinstein has his feet firmly grown around the gas for "The Artist," he's keeping apace with formidable competition from "The Assistance,Inch "Hugo," "Moneyball," amongst others. All the films which are working difficult on the trail do so because fortunes can change rapidly, even this late in the overall game.The newest example was this past year, when "The Social Networking" collected a large number of honours before "The King's Speech" ultimately won best picture.This Year, this area office might of "Avatar" wasn't enough to conquer out "The Hurt Locker," despite the fact that many stated at that time that voters would go ahead and take chance to reward a movie which was great for the industry's coffers. And several Oscar viewers were shocked much more 2005 "Crash" bested "Brokeback Mountain," which in fact had formerly won the PGA, DGA, Spirits, Globes, BAFTA and Experts Choice honours.Further complicating matters is a few voters' inclination to come back ballots right before the deadline. A campaigner who's also an Academy member stated that many voters concept every nominated film making informed options, making this a week ago of campaigning crucial. "Voters prefer to spread their election around once they like several movie," the campaigner described."It's anyone's year" is when another kudos consultant referred to this Oscar season.This is exactly why despite the fact that common knowledge dictates that across-the-board major guild honours for "The Artist" would appear to own Weinstein Co. reason to unwind, there is nothing certain before the ballots are at the disposal of PwC's an accounting firm."Artist" star Jean Dujardin, that has been highly visible since October, has not proven any signs and symptoms of slowing down lower since he won the Screen Stars Guild trophy in The month of january, most lately creating a "Saturday Evening Live" cameo but still dealing with London prior to the BAFTAs the following day. And director Michel Hazanvicius, producer Thomas Langmann and composer Ludovic Bource have the symptoms of spent additional time in La than Paris during the last four several weeks.The perceived leader, with a cast and crew of relative unknowns, needs to deal with George Clooney and Kaira Pitt making themselves easily available around the campaign trail. Two films each provide the best actor nominees -- each considered due for wins -- lots of speaking points.Another honours consultant place it a bit more candidly: "Films which have achieved positive results in nominations are the type that may escape the large guns. There is a lot of George and Kaira it transformed individuals opinions around the films."That isn't even with the quantity of press Martin Scorsese has accomplished for "Hugo." Academy voting precedent holds the film leading in noms is probably to win best picture, the campaign for "Hugo" continues to be going strong.The not-so-incidental plus that sets "The Artist" apart is getting Weinstein steering the campaign. While Pitt and Clooney shake hands and take interviews, Weinstein is ensuring his "Artist" crew does from creating a spoof with Funny or Die to finding the first "Produced in America" award in the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to be the only real best-picture nominee shot in L.A. Clever positioning comprises for which the pic lacks in star energy.Using the deadline to submit ballots just days away, it's obvious that nobody is taking anything as a given within this year's Oscar contest. Contact Christy Grosz at christy.grosz@variety.com

Olsen, Close board 'Therese'

OlsenClose Exclusive Media is shopping worldwide sales rights to romantic thriller "Therese" to customers in Berlin.Pic, starring Elizabeth Olsen, Glenn Close and Tom Felton, is founded on Emile Zola's "Therese Raquin."Pic might be the feature debut of theater helmer Charlie Stratton, who mounted a stage version of "Therese Raquin" in La in 1995.Occur 1860s Paris, Olsen plays Therese, a sexually repressed lady in a loveless marriage to her sickly cousin Camille (Felton), which has cheating along with her husband's childhood friend, Laurent.Close plays Madame Raquin, Therese's domineering mother-in-law. Casting for Laurent is going to be introduced shortly. Wonderful Films' William Horberg and Mickey Liddell result in the pic, that's due to lense in April. LD Distribution is handling U.S. release. Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com

Ask Matt: Once Upon a Time, Pilot Season, Luck and HBO, Revenge and More

Josh Dallas, Ginnifer Goodwin Question: I've been watching Once Upon A Time from the beginning, and I thought by now, we'd start to see some real movement towards the present-day fairy-tale folks realizing that something was amiss. But it seems to be dragging and dragging, and while the "fairy tale" portions are fun to watch, there's nothing there that gives one hope that finally, someone other than Henry knows something's amiss. It's getting boring. Any tidbits as to when that might finally happen? - HollyMatt Roush: We're only 11 episodes into the first season (which didn't even premiere until late October), which seems awfully early to be getting impatient for game-changers. Although I've felt from the start that the Storybrooke stories tend to pale next to what's going on back in fabulous Fairy Tale Land. And judging from the questions I've been fielding lately, the entire convoluted premise of the town living under this curse has thrown lots of fans into a nit-picking frenzy. I won't project what's down the road because this isn't a spoiler column, but your dissatisfaction with the present-day stuff seems more a reflection of the show's overall unevenness - and I'm speaking here as someone who's learned to enjoy the show - than a problem with pacing, because they're actually breaking a fair amount of story from week to week. Just not the story you'd like to see being played out quite yet. But give it time. These are early days, and Once Upon a Time is going to be with us for a long time to come.Question: How likely is the chance that Harry Potter would become an HBO show? One book per season or two for the big books. It's made all the money it's going to make from the movies save for DVD sales, but those get surges when released, and there are no more movies. I get it would be a gamble to do a Kid to Young Adult show in the vein of Game of Thrones (minus sex, cursing, heavy bloodshed and incest). The only issue with the movies was they couldn't show everything, but with 10 hours or more of content per book, one would think it could bring the books alive in a different way. And again make loads of money. (Also all the people that started with those books would be late teens to early-to-late-20s by now, so that would be a prime demo ratings get for any show.)Secondly, in magical quandaries, Once Upon a Time is, I think, the best new show on TV. I'm wondering your thoughts on my theory that Prince Charming 1.0 (aka James's dead twin brother) was the Evil Queen's love. His father the king was poor, and his son was his best chance at saving the kingdom. He would have paraded him around the differing kingdoms looking for an alliance, and he was of the same age as Snow. I could see Prince Charming 1.0 going to meet King Leopold and Snow only to find them away temporarily with lonely unloved Queen Regina to entertain them. She could have told Snow about this hoping that she would turn the prince down were he to return or something like that, only to have Snow betray that misplaced trust. In the last episode, King Leopold was already reading Regina's personal diary, indicating he didn't trust her. So either King Leopold or maybe Regina herself (if his father demanded the Prince to marry so she decided no one gets to have him) had a reason to ensure Prince Charming 1.0's death at the hands of the brute. I just think it would be interesting if part of the reason the Evil Queen cursed all of Fairy Tale land was because Snow was married to the same face/same body that she loved. I could see that as a motive. Plus let's be honest, it would make for a great contrast to have David/David's twin to share loving scenes with both Snow White and the Evil Queen. - TrentonMatt Roush: Have you considered a future in fan fiction? I like your final image of a flashback to the twin princes pairing off with very different love interests, but beyond that, I confess I haven't given a great deal of thought to any of this, and I'm more interested in how the whole Snow/Prince Charming story plays itself out. Regarding a reboot of the Harry Potter franchise: One thing in its favor is that HBO is part of the Warner Bros. empire, so that makes a certain business sense. But it's way too soon for anything like this to happen. A generation has grown up on the movie series, and taking over for Daniel Radcliffe & Co. will be an unenviable proposition whenever the time should come, if it ever does. I imagine someday someone will want to tackle these iconic stories again - and the canvas of TV would be the natural medium for going even deeper into the books than the movies could do - but it won't be soon, and it's a stretch to imagine HBO pouring its resources into a more PG-style operation. Still, what an interesting question, and looking at it objectively, Harry Potter would be an amazing TV character.Want more TV news and reviews? Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!I was wondering with Alcatraz and the new show Touch on Fox, where does that leave Terra Nova for Monday nights? Terra Nova started out with a bang, but it fizzled midway through the season then had an interesting cliffhanger for the winter finale. Is Terra Nova gone the way of The Event, or is it coming back at a different time and or day? - StephanieMatt Roush: Terra Nova is done for the season, so is currently in limbo, and its renewal chances are probably dimming, given the solid performance of Alcatraz and the strong opening of Touch in its sneak-peek premiere. If Touch and Alcatraz hold up, Fox may not need to bring back Terra Nova, which was already pretty much "on the bubble" at the time of its December finale. On the other hand, if Fox were to plot out a schedule where some of these shows were renewed for shorter 13-episode seasons (if the economics made sense) and shared time periods the way Terra Nova and Alcatraz (and later, Touch) have done this year, maybe the show could be saved.Question: I watched Touch, and I really enjoyed it. However, I have my concerns over whether the premise could be stretched out into a series that could potentially last years. The idea, in fact, seemed far more conducive to a two-part miniseries or movie-length format. Interestingly, I've found that problem with a lot of shows: The premise is awesome, the pilot interesting, and then over time the idea becomes stretched so thin that the story starts running out of steam. I'm thinking of shows like Touch or Alcatraz or even a show like Ringer. Do you think American television will ever take a note from Spanish-language TV and its concept of telenovelas? That is, shorter-run series that have a defined running period? Or is that a pipe dream? - BarbMatt Roush: This is a question that dogs any long-running serialized show built around a tantalizing high concept. It's almost inevitable that whenever an out-of-the-box pilot captures our attention, especially those that play more like a movie than a formula TV show, that we end up asking: How long can they sustain it? Even something as captivating as Showtime's Homeland has us wondering, after the first season: What next? How can they top it? Should they even try? Currently, I'm wondering how far they can take the thrill ride of ABC's riveting The River beyond the first eight-episode season should it explode the way it deserves to. Some premises do seem better suited for miniseries (the telenovela concept) than for the long-run, but the networks have turned away from that format, and if a show somehow becomes a hit, the bottom line typically demands more, not less. I do think we'll see (and to a small degree are already seeing) the networks moving closer to the cable model, and this midseason could provide a few watershed moments in watching limited-run series - like The River and NBC's fascinating Awake - try to break through.Question: As a longtime reader of TV Guide Magazine, I have noticed the last week all the networks announcing pilot pickups and orders for new shows. Now the question is, with what appears to me to be the most successful TV season in years now underway, where are the spots for these new shows? I would think most cancellations already have taken place. Are shows on the block that you would think are safe? One example is ABC who ordered at least six shows, but they are having the best year of any network. - JeffreyMatt Roush: This is pilot season, business as usual, and keep in mind that just because pilots are going into production is no guarantee they will make it to air. And no matter how well a network is doing - and ABC is doing better than many, having produced keepers like Once Upon a Time, Revenge, Suburgatory and Last Man Standing this season - the last thing they can afford to do is to be complacent and stop developing for the future. There are still a number of holes on ABC's schedule (on Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday) to be addressed in the season ahead. Even CBS, the most stable and successful of the mainstream networks, is deep in development and always on the lookout for new tentpoles. At some point, even long-running franchises tend to be phased out - I'll be surprised if CBS keeps all three CSI series another year (NY being the most vulnerable) - and if any of the networks think they have come up with the next big thing, they're always going to be able to find room for it.Question: Watched the first episode of Luck. It looked gorgeous. The cast is outrageously talented. Unfortunately, it felt like John From Cincinnati. Is this worth sticking with, or is this another HBO vanity project whose grasp exceeded its reach? - RickMatt Roush: Luck is nowhere near as inscrutable and self-consciously opaque as John From Cincinnati, although even when you can understand what the actors are saying - lots of method mumbling going on here, delivering that peculiar David Milch-ian syntax - you may not always understand what they're talking about, because they often speak in horse code. There's no question Luck is a test of the viewers' patience, and like many HBO dramas, isn't always seen to its best advantage in weekly hour-long chapters. But even consuming the entire nine-episode series over a couple of days, as I did earlier this year, wasn't as satisfying as I'd hoped, though as you'd expect, there are some terrific and moving moments along the way, usually involving horses, and there are some exceptionally acted character studies. For some, including a stable of discerning critics, that's enough to balance things out in the win column. I'm not so sure.Question: What is going on with HBO? Luck was a bore and had horrible ratings. Showtime's Sunday line-up continues to beat HBO with amazing shows like Homeland and Shameless. Meanwhile HBO's line-up continues to disappoint and fail us viewers with awful shows like Luck, Treme and Enlightened. To make matters worse they cancel Bored to Death! This show was one of the few bright spots on the HBO schedule. I am truly angry that Bored to Death was canceled and Enlightened was renewed. Showtime has such great variety and manages to keep producing edgy, interesting and iconic shows.The decline of HBO has been going on for several years. Are they aware that their programming is forcing viewers to cancel their subscriptions? The lackluster line-up of original programming is really bothersome and is forcing me to consider canceling HBO. I just wanted to get your opinion on why HBO is running itself into the ground. Is this a social experiment? Are the viewers being tested to see how much horrible programming we could tolerate? Can this all be a colossal joke? Matt, is there any way that you can make HBO realize that their original programming needs to be restructured? I am tired of waiting for HBO to step up their game. Is there still hope? Showtime is now my favorite network but I still have a soft spot for HBO. - LizMatt Roush: I'm not sure what I could add to your rant that would be any more forceful, and kudos on the "social experiment" crack, which made me laugh. It's curious that you would leave out of the discussion such breakout shows as True Blood and Game of Thrones, but maybe genre isn't your thing. But without them, and the occasional season of Curb Your Enthusiasm - which was great again last year, but who knows when we'll get the next one? - there isn't a lot on HBO these days that feels nearly as buzz-worthy as the best of Showtime: Homeland in particular, which for me exhibits everything you'd want from a pay-cable series, including actually being entertaining. HBO often seems to operate under the assumption that it's in the business of producing "important" art, which involves giving idiosyncratic producers free rein - some would say overindulging them - to pursue their vision to the fullest, ratings be damned. The result is a slate of shows that can be easier to respect than to enjoy, although each of the shows you mention has a passionate if small following. Even Bored to Death was a bit precious for my taste, but at least it attempted to be funny, which is more than can be said for many of the network's recent half-hours.Question: Can you explain what is up with the delay, re-runs, etc. with Revenge? This is a fairly new series, so why are they doing re-runs and not just airing the next episode? Is there anyway that they could/would state at the end of the show when a new episode will air? - KMatt Roush: Doesn't matter that a show is in its first year, there are still going to be interruptions along the way if the network wants to stretch the season into May. It's especially noticeable this time of year, and more so when a show is this heavily serialized with built-in cliffhangers. I'm sure this complaint will rear its head again in the spring, when repeats and pre-emptions are common for many shows through March and April. But the good news that Revenge will be new the next two weeks, with pivotal episodes catching us up with the shooting on the beach that opened the series. There will be a pre-emption on Feb. 22 (try not to scream) for a special celebrity-themed "Before They Were Famous" edition of 20/20, but the story will pick up on Feb. 29 with the aftermath to the murder scandal. At that point, 16 episodes will already have aired, so expect more stops and starts before the season finale. There's nothing new in this - it's the arithmetic of network TV - and the only alternative would be for it to run straight through (a logistical improbability) and wrap the season several months early. Either way, someone's going to be disappointed.Question: There was some drama and confusion on Twitter about how Fringe is scheduled for the rest of the season and what that means for its future. I know it goes away for a few weeks in March but comes back with new shows. So could you explain what is going on and if it is as big a deal has some seem to think it is? - AmandaMatt Roush: Drama on Twitter? Are you sure? That would be so out of character! Sarcasm aside, it's no bigger a deal than any other aspect of Fringe's precarious existence on Fridays. After airing originals all through February, Fox is apparently opting to remove Fringe for the first few weeks in March rather than run repeats, which would lower its puny ratings average even further. Fringe will return March 23 and play out the rest of the season without repeats. Again, nothing out of the ordinary here, except that it reinforces the show's lousy ratings, which only get worse in replays.Question: Another question about Fringe: People keep talking about it as if it were a Fox product, but my understanding is it's a Warner Bros. production purchased by Fox. I have no idea what the DVD sales look like or how it plays overseas (major issues for CW shows) but if it were switching networks just to make it to the 100-episode syndication mark, wouldn't the CW be a more logical place for it? I mean, Warners would own the rerun rights, not Fox? Fringe is one of the few shows I can watch multiple times. Which, given how little I usually like J.J. Abrams, says a lot. - BarbaraMatt Roush: With this, I think we have now exhausted in this column every single imaginable alternative for Fringe should Fox not renew it. You're right that Fringe is produced by Warner Bros., and since The CW basically exists as a distribution platform for WB and CBS/Paramount shows that couldn't survive anywhere else except maybe on cable, there is logic to this theory, given that the numbers it's pulling on Fox would look almost robust by The CW's standards. And it would be a relatively compatible show with Supernatural or shows of that ilk. So it's not the strangest scenario I've heard, though it's probably still a long shot, given budget and other issues (including that the CW is already busy developing for next season and may not be in a position to accept someone else's cast-offs).Question: I am a fan of the awards shows that come on in January and February. When I watched the Golden Globe Awards, I was very pleased to see my favorite drama series, Homeland, and actress Claire Danes deservedly honored in their respective categories. However, when I watched the SAG Awards on Jan. 29, neither of the lead actors nor the ensemble was even nominated. I was very disappointed. Did I miss something? Do you have an explanation forthis oversight? - SheilaMatt Roush: Doesn't make any sense to me either, except if you look at the TV results (nearly all of them repeat winners; I mean Alec Baldwin six times in a row?), I think they just dropped the ball all around, making some very lazy choices in the nominations and wins. I heard some buzz that maybe Homeland started too late in the year to get on their radar, but American Horror Story started around the same time, and Jessica Lange (the best thing about that show) was not only nominated, she won. So basically, no excuse.Question: Watching the SAG Awards, I couldn't help but wonder how come the television branch has no supporting actor/actress nominees? Even if they had them, the telecast would still be shorter than the rest of the award shows. Is there another different reason behind this? - SonalMatt Roush: There is a sense that the TV categories are a bit of an afterthought here and at the Golden Globes, which features a supporting category but lumps together comedy, drama and movie/miniseries actors, which is just bananas. I suppose that because the SAGs make a distinction in the TV acting categories between comedy and drama, unlike the movie categories (where everyone competes in either lead or supporting categories, regardless of genre), they've cast a wide enough net. And given that Jessica Lange won for what's basically a supporting role, maybe it is a fair playing field.That's all for now. Keep sending your comments and questions to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com, and in the meantime, follow me on Twitter!Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!