It’s Pilot Season, the time of year when TV networks begin sifting through new series proposals for their fall lineups.  Generally, the process begins with a script order—The CW currently has 13 of those in the pipeline—and from there, the most promising concepts are given the greenlight to produce a trial episode.  The first five CW dramas chosen to advance are now auditioning stars, so we can expect frequent casting announcements for awhile.  Two shows with immediate buzz are a departure from typical teen angst:  Nikita is a sequel to the 1997 USA action/thriller Le Femme Nikita, in which Peta Wilson was falsely imprisoned for murder and recruited as a covert assassin.  In the new series, Nikita has gone rogue and a replacement takes over—perhaps tracking the fugitive.  Then, based on the 2007 novel, Betwixt will follow three teenagers who discover their eerie changeling nature and intertwined destinies.  Both sound like intriguing companions to The Vampire Diaires, Supernatural or Smallville.  In addition, Gilmore Girls creators Amy Sherman-Palladino (pictured) and Dan Palladino are producing a sudsy Midwest drama set on a horse ranch; and two other projects are filming condensed pilot presentations: Hellcats, Tom Welling’s expose of competitive cheerleading; and HMS, Hayden Panettiere’s intimate look at the Harvard med freshman class.  Are there any former network stars you’d like to see in these casts?  A few available favorites come to mind, such as Kelly Bishop, Keri Russell, Jason Dohring, Charisma Carpenter and Holly Marie Combs.  You can read about some of the other CW scripts in development here and here.

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When popular supernatural dramedy Reaper ended its two-year run on The CW last season, fans were left with key unanswered mythology questions.  Series creators Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters provided closure this week in a rare post-mortem Q&A.  Here’s the shocker:  Sam (Bret Harrison) was not the devil’s son.  “Sam’s dad (Andrew Airlie) was a demon, who made a deal with the devil,” they tell CliqueClack.  “He fell in love with Sam’s mom and wanted to marry her, so the deal was, fine, you’re not a demon anymore.  But he was never fully human, either, which is why you can’t kill him.”  Part of the deal was that he could never tell Sam the truth—and that’s what was written on the contract pages Dad mysteriously ripped out and burned.  Sam’s special abilities came from his father, and the devil paid so much attention to him because he “was really worried that this kid was going to be his downfall.  Throughout the series, he’s trying to tempt Sam to be bad (so he) isn’t a threat anymore.”  Here are a few other interesting nuggets:  

Buffy the Vampire Slayer favorites Anthony Stewart Head (Giles) and James Marsters (Spike) both read for the role of the devil, “but as soon as Ray Wise auditioned, he was the one.”  The Akron native embodied what the producers were looking for.  “He was amazing, he just blew people away.” 

Andi (Missy Peregrym) gambled her own soul in the finale to try and save Sam.  Had the show continued, she would’ve worked in the DMV alongside Gladys.  “Christine Willes is just so much fun, and we thought she and Andi had a great way of sparring with each other.” 

The character of Ben became a dark-horse favorite of the writers.  “He had such an interesting love story with Nina; and more than any other person on the show, (Rick Gonzalez) formed that character.  Ben became a much different person toward the end.”  

Ben and Sock were not secret guardians of Sam.  “Tyler Labine had this storyline worked out that he and Rick were like archangels, but we had never intended for that.  They were just good friends helping out their buddy.” 

Reaper would’ve had a happy ending.  “Sam would have gotten the girl and he would have gotten out of his deal with the devil.  We would’ve found a way to get there.”

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You don’t need to be a comic connoisseur to realize the significance of this Friday’s world premiere movie event, Smallville: Absolute Justice.  Executive Producer Brian Peterson calls the two-hour superhero-fest “one of the seminal episodes of the series” which now spans nine years and 185 stories.  Over the last two seasons in particular, the drama has reached deep into the DC Comics vault to bring legendary characters in contact with young Clark Kent.  And now, the pinnacle!  “It’s the first live-action Justice Society of America,” raves acclaimed writer Geoff Johns, who also penned the 2009 Legion of Superheroes episode.  For those unfamiliar, JSA is the first-ever team of underground crimefighters, dating back to World War II, with iconic members like Green Lantern, Atom, Flash, Wonder Woman, Batman and Wildcat.  In a CW spoilery nutshell, the retired heroes are targets of an assassin—DC madman Icicle—and Sylvester Pemberton (aka, Star-Spangled Kid) lures Clark’s crew into the fray.  Hawkman, Stargirl and Dr. Fate play major roles, but expect many hush-hush cameos and “things you never thought you’d see on TV,” Johns teases to TV Guide.  Outlandish costumes add to the fun, and one joint scene “looks like you’re flipping through a comic book,” says Justin Hartley (Green Arrow) on IGN.  “It’s really cool.”  New recurring villain Amanda Waller (played by Pam Grier) makes her first appearance, as well.  Advance promos spy Clark in awe of the secret Society’s historic lair, and sharp-eyed viewers will get goosebumps as he examines the museum-like display of JSA accessories.  Whereas current Justice League upstarts are flying solo, “Clark gets to see what it was really like to have a team that functioned together and worked together as a family,” Peterson tells Fancast.  It’s a formative lesson for Superman from the “greatest generation”—and promises to be one of the year’s most electrifying nights of television.

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Matt Lanter’s lock on prom king at West Beverly High just became a bit more tenuous.  The CW went south of the border for their new heartthrob, importing Latino popstar Diego Gonzalez to spice up the cast of 90210.  The 19-year-old, also known by surnames Indigo and Boneta, will become a love interest for Adrianna (Jessica Lowndes), who joins an all-girl band as the series capitalizes on her amazing off-screen vocal abilities, says TV Guide.  You can listen to several of her demo songs here.  Diego was discovered seven years ago during the first season of Mexico’s Idol-like TV competition.  He finished in the top five, and went on to record several tunes on a Grammy-nominated, double platinum soundtrack album.  His popularity has skyrocketed throughout Latin America with starring roles on three telenova soap operas, two solo albums and a concert tour in which he performed at the world’s largest stadium in Brazil.  A natural in front of the camera, Diego was nominated for Best Actor on his very first series.  Producers of 90210 have hinted that we’ll see some intriguing couples pairing off when the drama returns in March, but the musical tandem of Diego and Jessica may well take center stage with fans and groupies worldwide.

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The list of long-departed characters heading back to their CW series continues to grow, and each new announcement brings more excitement than the last.  Which star are you most anxious to see? 

It’s been more than five years since we’ve heard from “Lydia James,” mother of Haley, Taylor and Quinn on One Tree Hill.  The always-radiant actress returns February 8 with a shocking announcement for her girls.  Are there even more siblings out there?  How many recall that rock star Huey Lewis played Haley’s father back in Season Two?  And can it really be three decades since Bess stole our hearts in her film debut opposite Alan Alda and Carol Burnett in The Four Seasons? 

Remember when Supernatural sent Dean sent back in time to meet his young parents—and his grandfather (Mitch Pileggi), who turned out to be possessed by Azazel?  Next Thursday, both Winchester boys find themselves in 1978 trying to prevent the murder of John (Matt Cohen) and Mary (Amy Gumenick).  The previous flashback was one of the series’ best episodes, and Sam’s first encounter with his disco-era folks will be emotional.  On a side note, how is Matt Cohen not a series regular somewhere on The CW?

Martha Kent has been one hard-working congresswoman, absent from the Smallville farm for nearly three seasons.  And Perry White, last seen in ‘03?  It’s about time he starts barking orders at the Daily Planet.  The real-life married couple returns with some big news in May, EW reports, and there’s online speculation it has something to do with “government agent/villain” Amanda Waller (Pam Grier).

You didn’t think we’d seen the last of Clay’s deceased wife, Sara, on One Tree Hill, did ya?  It was the season’s most heartfelt love story and certainly ended too soon.  Foreshadowing a new mystery, E! Online says we’ll see Sara again…but she won’t be Sara.  Hmm.

Last season, the Canton, Ohio native delivered one of the unlikeliest twists ever seen on Supernatural.  Turns out, Sam and Dean had a secret half-brother their dad never mentioned…and the kid led a normal, monster-free childhood.  Well, until a ghoul ate him.  On a press tour this month for Percy Jackson & the Olympians, Jake revealed that “Adam” comes back to play a pivotal role in an upcoming episode.  

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America embraced a foster teen and her flawed birth parents this week.  A winsome cast certainly illuminates Life Unexpected, but more than anything, the core story touches a nerve.  How many times did you put yourself in the place of Lux—approaching her dad, and then her mom for the first time?  Wasn’t it easy to feel the numbing jolt along with Cate?  The bewilderment of Baze?  Good TV evokes an emotional response, and series creator Liz Tigelaar has spent the last decade polishing her skills on acclaimed shows like American Dreams, What About Brian, and Brothers & Sisters.  She’s also the author of teen novels PrettyTOUGH and Playing With the Boys, which explored socially-estranged sisters and fish-out-of-water high school themes; and a series of Dawson’s Creek spinoff mysteries.  Prior to The CW’s first season, Liz conceived an unusual drama, Split Decision, about a freshman (Jessy Schram) walking the tightrope between punks and druggies on one side of the school, and cheerleaders and popular kids on the other.  The cast included a pre-Narnia Ben Barnes, plus Zack Roerig (Vampire Diaries) and Alona Tal (Supernatural).  Though it wasn’t picked up, the pilot made an impact, says the Wall Street Journal.  “That’s where we were indoctrinated into Liz’s writing and her way of getting at the heart of what is really in the soul of a teenager,” a studio exec said.  Which brings us to Life Unexpected, a twisted coming-of-age story in which the adults are the ones suddenly maturing, with Lux as their catalyst, notes Tigelaar—an adoptee who met her birth mother during the production of the show last fall.  The series premiere achieved the network’s highest ratings for the timeslot in over a year, and now the story expands to include Lux’s secret circle, a rebel boyfriend, and Baze and Cate’s quirky friends and families.  This new life with an independent teen will be complicated and fascinating to watch unfold.  And the script couldn’t be in better hands.

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Lookin’ for love?  As the song goes, Tree Hill might be the wrong place.  The seaside town has had more than its share of failed romances—not that we’re complaining.  Normal, happy couples don’t make for very interesting drama.  Since Lucas and Peyton drove off into the sunset, One Tree Hill’s most stable couple has been Nathan and Haley…and even their marriage was rocked by cheating headlines this season.  The one relationship that trumped the Scotts’ involved a ghost: Clay (Robert Buckley) and Sara (Amanda Schull) were heart wrenching in their short story arc, in which Clay could not get past his wife’s sudden cardiac death.  Beyond that, Millie cheated on Mouth with Owen (who’s soon returning!); Dan and Rachel’s nuptials were a scam of greed; and Quinn (Shantel VanSanten) never quite made it clear why she dumped her hubby, David (Scott Holroyd).  Well, guess who’s coming to dinner?  Haley and Quinn’s wild-child sister, Taylor (Lindsey McKeon), returns tonight with a new boyfriend that will send shockwaves through the family, for sure.  Another juicy showdown involves Brooke—still fuming over Julian’s blind obsession with Alex (Jana Kramer).  The Clothes Over Bros owner returns after six weeks apart with a new blue-eyed blonde model named “Alexander” (Mitch Ryan, pictured), and we’re guessing it won’t be long before he’s comforting the boss after work.  Austin Nichols agreed to return as a series regular if creator Mark Schwahn would give Julian and Brooke “a really powerful love story, the greatest happy ending ever,” TV Fanatic reports.  Maybe someday, in the finale.  But until then, most fans find the messy, zigzag hurdles far more addictive .        

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We’re only days away from the return of The Vampire Diaires, and the first ten episodes could easily define the phrase “the plot thickens.”  Regular cast members are killed off; new threads of intrigue—witches, Founders Council, raising the undead, werewolves—spring from every corner of Mystic Falls; and The CW has spared no expense in bolstering the strong cast of its award-winning hit.  With Thursday’s fresh installment, you’ll begin to see several of these guest stars (l-r) woven into the compelling mythology:

The O.C.  ice queen debuts as the boozy, absentee mother of Matt.  She’ll be around for at least three episodes (hopefully longer!), and we wonder if she’ll even notice daughter Vicki is missing.

NE Ohio’s favorite will play Ben, a jock-turned-bartender…and you just know he and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) are gonna clash.  An actor of his stature isn’t brought aboard for background scenery.

Meet Isobel, the supposedly-dead wife of vampire slayer Alaric Saltzman.  Question is, why do we suspect Izzie isn’t quite so dead?  Cable viewers know Mia from The L Word; and in an odd coincidence, she and Paul Wesley (Stefan) were werewolf siblings in the short-lived Wolf Lake.

Yes, Dexter’s daddy is also the proud papa of two vampires.  Guiseppe Salvatore is one of the town’s founding fathers…and wait’ll you see what he knows about Katherine! 

More 1864 backstory is coming soon, and that’s where apothecary “Pearl” has a testy vervain showdown with a familiar vampire couple.  Would you be surprised to learn her descendants are still snooping around Mystic Falls?  Fun fact:  Kelly was cast in The WB’s 2004 pilot remake of Dark Shadows.

Okay, this dude’s got a chip on his shoulder.  Seems he was Lexi’s boyfriend and isn’t too thrilled that Damon dusted his 350-year-old hottie.  (Did you know Brandon played a werewolf for three seasons of Big Wolf on Campus?) 

We know that newcomer “Noah” is obsessed with Elena, which perturbs Stefan, of course.  But our ‘Spidey senses’ are tingling—there’s another agenda at work here…and it’s gonna be good.

She plays the Big Bad so well, but Damon believes his decades-old fling can whip up a spell to free those vampires entombed beneath the ruins of Fell’s Church.  Look for her and Brandon Thursday night.

Speaking of those vamps trapped with Katherine, this guy’s one of ‘em.  And the fact that he’s slated for at least four episodes seemingly bodes well for a little homecoming.  Cryptastic, eh?  Back in the Civil War, “Harper” was a Union soldier.  Damon…Confederate.

Jeremy’s on the rebound, and this Disney favorite has the look he wants…as well as some startling theories about the supernatural antics in Mystic Falls.  Think she’s got ties to Pearl?

Welcome home, Mr. Forbes.  Caroline has taken verbal swipes at her wayward father, and we certainly hope his arrival doesn’t spell danger for the none-too-sharp sheriff. 

Katharine’s handmaiden, Emily, will be back!  Earlier this season, Damon watched in horror as Emily inhabited the body of her great, great, great, great-granddaughter, Bonnie, destroying his plan to unseal the tomb.  Fanboys recall Bianca’s short stint as “Kendra,” the vampire slayer called into duty when Buffy briefly died in Season 1.

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Rashida Jones is so naturally low-key, it’s easy to overlook the mysteries beyond her girl-next-door beauty.  As Karen on The Office, she’s the ‘other woman’ from the Stamford branch who lost her heart to Jim (John Krasinski).  In real life, she’s a Harvard graduate; the daughter of legendary composer Quincy Jones and actress Peggy Lipton (The Mod Squad); a 3-time People’s Most Beautiful honoree; and a guy-magnet who’s been engaged to Spiderman (Tobey Maguire) and dated stars like Krasinski, Josh Hartnett and John Mayer.  She’s currently linked with White House speechwriter Jon Favreau.  Rashida has also now transferred a bit of hidden girl power to a new comic book heroine loosely based on—ready for this?—socialite Paris Hilton.  Frenemy of the State will be published early this year, featuring a young heiress who works undercover for the C.I.A.  Rashida tells Vanity Fair she developed the idea from the “funny notion that (Hilton) was actually some crazy genius who knew exactly what she was doing.”  Apparently Hollywood likes the premise, as well, since Universal snapped up the spy series for a big-screen film months before the first issue was ever printed!  The actress and her writing partner, actor Will McCormack, will pen the screenplay.  The moral of this story is:  if your TV boyfriend chooses the receptionist over you, grab a ream of Dunder-Mifflin paper and start writing.

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(Contains spoilers) The most controversial episode of Bones airs for the first time on WBNX this Sunday night.  Throughout Season 3, a cannibalistic serial killer referred to as ‘Gormogon’ plagued FBI special agent Booth (David Boreanaz), Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and her forensic anthropology team.  Their investigation uncovered an unfinished human skeleton being assembled from various victims, with the chomped-on bones now bathed in silver.  Further clues and slip-ups led them to suspect there was an “apprentice” working with the madman from inside the crime lab.  And that’s where viewers were jolted with the biggest twist of the entire series.  Gormogon and his accomplice have a date with fate this weekend.  On another note, it’s been confirmed that Eric Millegan will return as “Dr. Zack Addy” for Bones’ 100^th episode scheduled to air in April.  The popular costar made an appearance here in Northeast Ohio this past Fall to greet fans and promote the drama.

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