Question: My old Smurf t-shirt doesn't fit me anymore. I'll send it to you in exchange for some Supernatural prattle!
Answer: You got a deal! I just found out that Buffy's Amber Benson will guest star in the episode “Bloodlust.” She plays — get this — a vampire(!) who kidnaps Sam, but then delivers some very surprising news that causes the Winchesters to rethink their stand on the supernatural.
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Question: Will The O.C. return to its 8 pm/ET slot? The move to 9 pm/ET last season conflicted with CSI. They are both great shows, and I enjoy watching one then the other, not flipping back and forth and missing things.
Answer: For the moment, and unless Fox changes its mind between now and The O.C.'s Nov. 2 premiere date, the show will still air at 9 pm on Thursdays. (Two new comedies will provide the lead-in, though I'll be amazed if Happy Hour makes it past the baseball hiatus.) In the spirit of public service, let me prepare you for the inevitable. This is almost certainly The O.C.'s last hurrah. Not only will it still be facing CSI, but Grey's Anatomy is going to crush it even further. (Given the competition, and the counterprogramming, I'm wondering if even CW's enjoyable Supernatural will beat it by the time The O.C. finally limps back onto the schedule. ...
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Question: I know it's still summer, but have the networks announced tentative dates for their season premieres?
Answer: As of now, the only network not to announce premiere dates is CBS, which will likely launch most of its new and returning shows the weeks of Sept. 17 and 24.
Here's how the others shape up: The season kicks off early on Fox, with Prison Break and Vanished on Aug. 21; then the limited reality series Duets on Aug. 29; Justice and Bones on Aug. 30; House and Standoff on Sept. 5; the comedies 'Til Death and Happy Hour on Sept 7; Nanny 911 on Sept. 8; Cops and America's Most Wanted on Sept. 9; Fox's animated comedy lineup plus The War at Home on Sept. 10; and MADtv Sept. 16. (The O.C. won't return until after postseason baseball on Nov. 2.)
On ABC, 20/20 officially kicks off Sept. 8; Dancing with the Stars returns Sept. 12 and 13; Wife Swap premieres Sept. 18; Grey's Anatomy and Six Degrees on Sept. 21; Ugly Betty and Men in Trees on Sept. 22; Extreme Makeover: Home
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Question: I heard that Supernatural received two Emmy nominations, which completely surprised me. I was tickled to hear that. I gave up on the Emmys long ago and rarely pay attention anymore, but when I heard about Supernatural, I was shocked. Shows like that never get noticed. If this is true, can you tell me what categories the nominations are in?
Answer: You may be less tickled to learn that the show's nominations are in the categories of music composition for a series (dramatic underscore) and sound editing. Not that these aren't important elements of any TV show, but the fact is, even the best fantasy-genre programs tend to be recognized only in the technical categories. Take Battlestar Galactica, which should be a contender in all of the major categories, including acting and especially writing. It scored three whole nominations, for costumes, single-camera sound mixing and special visual effects. ...
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Question: I find the 9 pm/ET time slot on Thursdays this fall very interesting. The race for winner is between Grey's Anatomy and CSI, but I really don't know who's going to come up on top. Nor do I care that much. What I find interesting is the effect these two shows will have on the others in the time slot. Deal or No Deal has a loyal audience that tunes in two to three times a week to watch a boring show — but hey, it pulls in the ratings and the right demos. What do you think Deal's effect will be on Grey's and CSI? Will both Grey's and CSI succeed, albeit with lower ratings, or will they cannibalize each other? If so, would that leave a greater chance for Supernatural and The O.C.? I think the loser for the time slot will probably be one of the two latter shows. What's your opinion?
Answer: This is the killer hour of the entire week, that's for sure. ABC moving Grey's Anatomy to this critically pivotal and financially lucrative night is one of the potential game-changers of the
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