Each summer, television critics gather in Hollywood for press sessions with network execs and cast members from their new Fall series.  The Q&A panels often yield interesting facts, and we’ve gathered ten scooplets:

• The Vampire Diaries is “not just a high school show,” says producer Kevin Williamson.  “We’re much more of a small town show, and once you get past the premise, we’ll start to develop the huge mythology.”
• A new series regular will soon join the Vampire Diaries cast.  He comes to Mystic Falls with a secret agenda, and awakens the town to the idea that undead bloodsuckers are living among them.
• One of the vampires fought in the Civil War, and the show is set in Virginia…so filming in Atlanta offers a nice Southern, small town feel.  The CW series will use the first three books by L.J. Smith as a backdrop, and then pursue its own stories.
• CW president Dawn Ostroff believes both Smallville and Supernatural have a lot stories left to tell, and would like both to return beyond the upcoming season.
• Sara Paxton’s character on The Beautiful Life: TBL is based on the real-life modeling experiences of series creator Ashton Kutcher.
• Headline magnet Mischa Barton is “very prominent” in the show, says Kutcher.  “She’s one of our lead players,” adding he’s extremely pleased with her work.  “For me, it’s the best I’ve seen Mischa Barton.”
• Melrose Place already has Laura Leighton, Thomas Calabro, Daphne Zuniga and Josie Bissett returning from the original series—is Grant Show next?  He talked with producers this week, and “stuff is brewing, definitely.”  Also, the door is open for Heather Locklear at any time.
• Of the new MP cast members, only 36-year-old Colin Egglesfield (pictured) has seen Aaron Spelling’s wild-n-crazy 1992-99 primetime soap.  Katie Cassidy says her parents wouldn’t let her watch because she was too young.
• Critics continue to praise midseason dramedy Life UneXpected.  EW calls the pilot “completely charming,” and says the show is “bound to capture the hearts and minds of anyone who liked Privileged and, before that, Gilmore Girls.”
• Exec producer Liz Tigelaar (Brothers & Sisters, Once and Again) feels Life UneXpected is “reminiscent of the programming that made The WB Network ‘teen drama central.’”  She adds, “The biggest thing that excites me is how flawed and how real these characters are.”

TCA reporting by the TV Addict, Zap2it, L.A. Times, THR, Variety, EW.

It’s always great to see The CW add characters to their dramas, especially when the roles involve obvious antagonism.  What are your thoughts on this week’s six casting moves?

John Schneider: Meet the mean step-father who had Liam (Matt Lanter) hauled off to reform school in the middle of the night on 90210.  He’s a Hollywood plastic surgeon whose war at home will continue this fall.  CW fans remember John as Clark Kent’s dad on Smallville.

Kelly Carlson: What’s Melrose Place without scandal?  Kelly (Nip/Tuck) is a high-priced Hollywood madame who crosses paths with Stephanie Jacobson, the med-student who happens to need cash for her tuition.

Brooke Burns: She’s married to Dr. Michael Mancini (Thomas Calabro)—so you know how that’s gonna turn out!  They have a younger son, but how long before she’s a suspect in the Melrose Place murder mystery…or has eyes for estranged stepson Shaun Sipos?

Sebastian Stan: Okay, he’s not exactly new to Gossip Girl, but Carter Baizen will stick around NY for awhile, nurturing a strange romance with Serena (Blake Lively)!  As you’ll recall, he located the golden girl’s long-lost father in the season finale.

Nacho Figueras: The hunky Argentine polo star for team Black Watch is a real-life member of Manhattan’s social scene.  He plays himself in a Sep. 14 Gossip Girl episode filmed at the Greenwich Polo Club.  Coincidentally, Nacho is also a model for Polo Fragrances.  Next up, tortilla chips?

Adam Bertrand: This one’s intriguing. The 17-year-old model is famous for being famous.  He’s a rising reality star who hangs with the West Coast society crowd and just signed on as the face of German fashion house Escada’s fragrance and men’s brands.  Adam brings a definite edge to the young models on The Beautiful Life, and this fall he’ll also release his debut single, “World Keeps Turning.”

There’s no shortage of great roles at The CW, and casting directors have been working overtime to fill out the series rosters with regulars and guest-stars.  Below are some of the recent announcements, in case you missed them.  And we’re still awaiting news on three major characters: the devil on Supernatural, new heartthrob Teddy on 90210, and wild model Alexis on One Tree Hill.

• MELROSE PLACE: Josie Bissett reprises her role as Jane Andrews Mancini, the sibling of diabolical Sydney (Laura Leighton).  Thomas Calabro (Michael) is the ex-husband of both sisters—twisted!  He and Laura are series regulars.
  Series Premiere:  Tue., Sep. 8
• AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL: Reality star Kim Kardashian is signed as a guest-judge for Cycle 13, which features contestants all 5-foot-7 and under.
  Season Premiere:  Wed., Sep. 9
• SUPERNATURAL: Remember Sam’s girlfriend, Jessica, who died on the ceiling in the series pilot?  Adrianne Palicki returns for an episode this fall.  Rob Benedict (Chuck the prophet) and Julie McNiven (Anna the angel) are also back to help the Winchesters in their new war with the underworld.
  Season Premiere:  Thu., Sep. 10
• ONE TREE HILL: Robert Buckley (Lipstick Jungle) will play Nathan’s sports agent, Clayton.  And newcomer Shantel VanSanten (The Final Destination) moves to the stump as Haley’s sister, Quinn.  Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice drops by as himself in an early episode.
  Season Premiere:  Mon., Sep. 14
• GOSSIP GIRL: Joanna Garcia (Megan on Privileged) is the new love-interest for Nate.  And Chris Riggi has his own secret agenda, returning as the supposedly-dead-but-really-alive offspring of Lily and Rufus.  Who will be cast as Serena’s long-lost father?
  Season Premiere:  Mon., Sep. 14
• THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE: Corbin Bleu (HSM) was originally slated to appear in the first episode, but he’s wisely been upped to series regular.  Corbin is the wingman to fellow model roomie and resident party-machine Jordan Woolley.
  Series Premiere:  Wed., Sep. 16
• SMALLVILLE: Callum Blue (The Tudors), pictured, has been cast as General Zod, the Kryptonian military leader sentenced to the Phantom Zone for his crimes.  The legendary DC Comics villain found an escape in the season finale, and he’ll be trouble all year.  Brian Austin Green (BH: 90210) will be introduced as Daily Planet reporter John Corben, alias Metallo—a cyborg villain powered by the green rock.  Both Metallo and Zod make their debut to kick off the new night.
  Season Premiere:  Fri., Sep. 25

We called this one nearly three months ago, but it’s nice to see impartial reviews confirming our early assessment of The CW’s new fall companion to Top Model.  “Expertly cast and brimming with chemistry, The Beautiful Life is a flat-out joy to watch,” raves Brian Ford Sullivan of The Futon Critic, one of the web’s most-respected television resources.  “Sara Paxton and Ben Hollingsworth have an undeniable spark that permeates the entire show, one that somehow manages to capture the ‘lightning in a bottle’ that is being young and discovering the world.”  The pilot episode taps not only the obvious dark side of the runway, “but also the simple concept that the modeling profession operates on a fleeting whim, that there’s no rhyme or reason to it.  It’s an intoxicating premise,” the critic muses.  Melrose Place and The Vampire Diaries have stolen most of the headlines, but series creator Ashton Kutcher’s latest foray may well be the best cast, top-to-bottom, and the network’s sleeper hit.  We marveled at the star power in earlier postings, here and here; and Sullivan himself notes that modeling icons Elle Macpherson and Mischa Barton “both bring a fun, meta edge to the proceedings that complements our (newcomer) heroes’ journeys.”  Another reviewer was amazed at the script, “which could be above everything the network has done these last years.”  Talk about it!

From coast to coast, the reviews are in—and critics are raving about The CW’s new fall lineup, the network strategy, and individual shows.  Here’s a small sampling:

• “Most on-target development: The CW.  A cohesive lineup of culturally-relevant shows engages viewers on myriad platforms.”  - Broadcasting & Cable
• “The theme of the campaign (TV to Talk About) reflects how successful CW executives have been in scheduling series that generate some of the most pervasive buzz for any new primetime shows.”  - NY Times
• “CW has transformed its primetime lineup into one sleek body of fantasy soaps.”  - Washington Post
• “Melrose Place looks like high-gloss, over-the-top trashy fun; and vampires, especially cute ones (Ian Somerhalder, pictured), are hot right now with the network’s target audience.”  - TV Guide
• “For fans of the departed WB, there is a show coming that’s reminiscent of that netlet: The Vampire Diaries.”  - USA Today
• “The Beautiful Life: The return of Mischa Barton and a backstage pass to the scandalous world of modeling…beautiful indeed.”  - TV Addict
• “Parental Discretion Advised feels reminiscent of the WB hit Gilmore Girls.”  - MediaWeek
• “Melrose was an instant favorite before a page was written.”  - Hollywood Reporter
• “The TV show I can’t miss: Gossip Girl.  It’s the next generation of Sex and the City.  The cast is beautifully vapid.  Love it!”  - Life & Style Weekly

Chat.  Text.  Blog.  Tweet. There are so many methods to talk about your favorite TV shows, and after previewing The CW’s impressive Fall slate, we’re gonna need every gadget we can get our hands on.  All four new series look tantalizingly good—so much so, it’s difficult to choose one that stands above the others.  Melrose Place will be paired on Tuesdays with 90210, and returning veteran Laura Leighton (Sydney) is immediately established as the shrewd villainess viewers will love.  The Beautiful Life follows Top Model on Wednesdays, with driven characters we quickly relate to…and a roster of drop-dead gorgeous actor/models.  “They don’t seem to have a problem finding good-looking people,” one media buyer told TV Week.  The Vampire Diaries will lead off Thursdays, as top-rated drama Smallville slides over to anchor a strong Friday.   Midseason newbie Parental Discretion Advised is described by CW exec Dawn Ostroff as “Juno meets Gilmore Girls,” deservedly-high praise for the offbeat family dramedy featuring Shiri Appleby and Kerr Smith.  “The buzz the CW generates transcends television,” Ostroff says.  “It’s become part of the fabric of pop culture.”  TV to talk about.

The Beautiful Life finished shooting its series pilot this week in Montreal, and someone behind-the-scenes has posted nearly 50 short backstage video clips. They’ll introduce you to much of the impressive cast, including Mischa Barton, Sara Paxton, Ben Hollingsworth, Nico Tortorella and Ashley Madekwe, as well as guest-stars (and hopefully recurring actors) Corbin Bleu and Jordan Woolley. Only 23, Mischa has been a tabloid favorite for so long, it’s almost surreal to see her in front of the camera. “It feels great to be back on set again,” she blogs. “I really like the structure that series television brings to my daily schedule. Couldn’t have written a better-suited project myself. I’ve always enjoyed fashion, and now I get to play a character who’s immersed in it.” The Beautiful Life follows a coed group of models—at much different career stages—living together in NYC, and you’ll be drawn in to these charismatic personalities right away. The series is competing with five other dramas for a place on The CW’s fall schedule, which will be announced on May 21. Take a look at some of the videos and post your thoughts.

Among the CW fall pilot contenders, A Beautiful Life grabbed the headlines this week with some blockbuster casting announcements. The drama is another project from network fave Ashton Kutcher, and centers around a group of young models struggling to hit runway paydirt in New York City. Storylines promise to unmask the industry’s rarely-seen dark side. Media magnet Mischa Barton (Marissa on The O.C.) was first to sign on, and is now joined by ‘80s supermodel Elle Macpherson—who’ll head the Focus Models agency with a rather fierce management style. High School Musical fans are abuzz with the news that Corbin Bleu is set to play a male-model with the Lenny Kravitz-type vibe, reports Zap2it; while Sara Paxton, fresh off rave film reviews for Last House on the Left, returns to TV as a novice poser in the Big Apple. Other roomies include Ashley Madekwe (Secret Diary of a Call Girl), Ben Hollingsworth (Cutting Edge 3; pictured), and newcomer Nico Tortorella, who could quickly become a breakout CW heartthrob. Off-camera, Hollingsworth shares an apartment with fellow Canadian Nina Dobrev, who he met on the set of Degrassi, IMDb notes. Nina recently won the female lead role in The Vampire Diaries series pilot. A cast this noteworthy will be difficult to keep off the schedule in September.