[Televisionary]

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television update. It's official: Julia Stiles ( The Bourne Ultimatum ) has signed on to appear in ten episodes of Showtime's serial killer drama Dexter next season. Stiles will play "a mysterious young woman who forms a unique relationship with Dexter (Michael C. Hall) in the wake of the death of his wife," according to Showtime. Production on Season Five of Dexter gets underway this month and is expected to premiere this fall. [Editor: any guesses on just who Stiles will be playing and just what her relationship is to Dexter? Let the speculation begin.] (via press release) Could pop superstar Lady Gaga be heading to Doctor Who ? If writer Gareth Roberts has his way, she would be. While Gaga hasn't signed on to appear in an episode of Who , Gareth maintains in an interview with OK! Magazine that he has already thought out a plotline for the "Bad Romance" singer to appear in. "She is no stranger to dressing up and

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing. Could ABC be dipping its toes back in the Alias well? According to a story by E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos, ABC Studios is said to be considering a reboot of J.J. Abrams' Alias , which starred Jennifer Garner as superspy Sydney Bristow. "It's only very initial talk at this point, but I'm told that the development folks over at the Alphabet network are considering doing a new version of Alias that would borrow some elements of the original series," writes Dos Santos. "But the series would most likely not include any sort of complex mythological throughline such as the Rambaldi prophecy (a storyline that lost some of the fans). According to this source, ABC is hoping to hold onto its lost Lost audience with a re-envisioned J.J. Abrams series, in light of FlashForward not working out so well. (It was canceled last week.)" [Editor: Interestingly, ABC seems slow to get back into the superspy game,

When it came time for Steven Moffat to revisit the Weeping Angels, I didn't know how he'd be able to top their jaw-droppingly creepy debut in Season Four's "Blink." Yet, in this week's episode of Doctor Who ("The Time of Angels"), written by Steven Moffat and directed by Adam Smith, Moffat manages to not only make the terrifying "Blink" seem like child's play in comparison, but he creates a whole new level of dread and suspense involving these otherworldly creatures, taking Doctor Who 's fairy tale ethos into a very dark place indeed. Since their introduction in "Blink," The Weeping Angels have remained my favorite Who villains to date as their very horror stems from the fact that they're quantum locked: we can't see them move or about to pounce until it's too late for us. Look away, or even blink, and they'll consume the full potential of your life. While that was already a particularly unnerving proposi

"You took it upon yourself to save me from that. That was wrong. You don't ever decide what I need to know." - The Doctor Despite his kindness and benevolence, The Doctor has always been a figure of immense pride that borders on hubris. As a 900-year-old Time Lord, he might risk life and limb to save Earth time and time again but it's his belief that he knows better than the planet's inhabitants, that he's better equipped to make the monumental decisions than the mere mortals whose continued existence is in his hands. The Doctor, to put it bluntly, has a bit of a God complex. This week's episode of Doctor Who ("The Beast Below"), written by Steven Moffat and directed by Andrew Gunn, found the Doctor and Amy together on their first adventure in the TARDIS and encountering the numerous secrets of Starship UK, the future of Great Britain, now a fused-together spaceship looking for a new home among the stars. As a first outing for the Doctor and his

The Doctor might travel through time and space in his trademark TARDIS, a little blue police call box, but the true time machine is Doctor Who itself. When the series truly clicks, it functions as a way to travel back to our own childhoods, to recapture that feeling of awe and surprise that are unfortunately usually lost on the long road to adulthood. What Doctor Who can do is transport us back to our younger selves, to a time where we saw a very different world: one that's full of possibility and magic. I thought that the opening sequence of this weekend's season premiere of Doctor Who ("The Eleventh Hour"), written by Steven Moffat and gorgeously directed by Adam Smith, managed to achieve just that as it introduced both the Eleventh incarnation of the Time Lord known only as the Doctor (Matt Smith, taking over for David Tennant) and his latest companion, Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), the girl who waited. Arriving to seemingly rescue Amy, the only Scottish girl in a sm

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing. Looks like we're at the halfway point for AMC's Mad Men , at least according to creator Matthew Weiner. Speaking at last week's National Association of Broadcasters, Weiner stated that he would like to wrap up the period drama after six seasons as he couldn't see the series, produced by Lionsgate Television, going past that point. [Editor: Personally, I think that this is a good thing as an end date would allow Weiner to not only go out on a high note but begin planning the back half of the series' run while knowing just when it will end, much like Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse had requested an end date for Lost /] ( The Weekly Blend via The Wrap's Weekly Blend ) Elsewhere at AMC, The Wrap's Josef Adalian is reporting that Breaking Bad is likely to be back on the cabler for a fourth season, following news that executive producers were told that the series is ready for a renewal. However, there is curren

"Trust me. I'm the Doctor." With just a few hours to go before the US premiere of Doctor Who , now starring Matt Smith and Karen Gillan and written by Steven Moffat, I thought I'd remind you one last time to tune in tonight to BBC America when the Doctor regenerates and sets out for a whole new series of adventures among the stars and the sands of the hourglass. You can read my spoiler-light review of the first two episodes of Doctor Who here , as well as my feature article for The Daily Beast about the Eleventh Doctor , as I interview Matt Smith and Steven Moffat about what's coming up for the Doctor, the challenges and joys of working with a character that continues to endure, romance, wardrobe choices, and much more. And, if that weren't enough Who goodness, I've got the outtakes from my feature piece, presented on this site as two Q&A-style interviews, one with Matt Smith and the other with executive producer/head writer Steven Moffat . I'll

Geronimo! The eleventh hour is upon us as the US premiere of Doctor Who , overseen by new head writer/executive producer Steven Moffat and starring Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, is set for tomorrow on BBC America. (I caught up with Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Steven Moffat, and Russell T Davies at last night's fantastic BAFTA/LA screening, Q&A, and cocktail party here in Los Angeles.) I had the opportunity to speak to Doctor Who 's Matt Smith (who replaces David Tennant as the Time Lord known only as the Doctor) and Steven Moffat a few weeks back for a feature piece for The Daily Beast (which you can read here in its entirety ), but I wanted to dive back into both interviews to bring you the stuff that you didn't get to read in my original feature. (You can also read my review of the first two episodes here .) With Doctor Who set to premiere on Saturday on BBC America (with an extended-length episode with limited commercial interruptions), I thought I'd apply even mo

Geronimo! With the US premiere of Doctor Who just two days away, anticipation for the new series, overseen by new head writer/executive producer Steven Moffat and starring Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, is about to reach a fever pitch, thanks to a series of well-timed publicity stops around the country this week. I had the opportunity to speak to Doctor Who 's Steven Moffat and Matt Smith (who replaces David Tennant as the Time Lord known only as the Doctor) a few weeks back for a feature piece for The Daily Beast (which you can read here in its entirety ), but wanted to dive back into both interviews to bring you the stuff that you didn't get to read in my original feature. (You can also read my review of the first two episodes here .) With Doctor Who set to premiere on Saturday on BBC America (with an extended-length episode with limited commercial interruptions), I thought I'd spend the next two days offering up the offcuts from that feature. First up: Steven Moffat, wh

Fairy tales are funny things. Ostensibly stories for children, they manage to capture that incredible sense of wonderment and awe that we all have when we are younger, as well as darkness and terror, a fear of the things that go bump in the night. When I spoke to Matt Smith and Steven Moffat a few weeks ago for a feature I wrote on the new iteration of Doctor Who --which launches Stateside this Saturday on BBC America--both of them described this new Doctor Who as a "dark fairy tale," and, having seen the magical first two episodes, I can say that the comparison is particularly apt. Under new head writer/executive producer Steven Moffat, Doctor Who has been transformed. 27-year-old Matt Smith has stepped into the role of 900-year-old Time Lord the Doctor with an equal mix of relish and madcap verve and he's joined in the TARDIS (which itself gets a facelift, along with the Doctor's trademark sonic screwdriver) by Scottish actress Karen Gillan, who plays new companio

"Follow me through time and space." Anticipation is building to a fever pitch as the countdown until the launch of the new Doctor Who continues, with UK residents very luckily getting the first episode of the Steven Moffat-executive produced Who --starring Matt Smith and Karen Gillan--on Saturday. (Those of us in the US will have to wait until April 17th, when BBC America launches Doctor Who .) Until then, some clips to sate your appetite, including the first 35-seconds or so of the Doctor Who premiere, entitled "Eleventh Hour," the first full-length episode featuring Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor, and a look at the Doctor battling some vampires in Venice from the sixth episode, "Vampires in Venice." (You can also read my interview with Doctor Who 's Matt Smith and Steven Moffat over at The Daily Beast here .) It looks like the Doctor has his hands full when "Eleventh Hour" begins, as you can see from the clip below. Doctor Who : "E

Doctor Who returns this month on BBC One and BBC America with a new Doctor (Matt Smith), a new companion (Karen Gillan), and a new head writer (Steven Moffat). Looking to learn more about what's new and what's remained eternally the same? Head over to The Daily Beast to read my latest piece, entitled "The New Doctor Who ." I spoke to new series star Matt Smith and new head writer/executive producer Steven Moffat about the Doctor, Amy Pond, the Doctor's wardrobe, what makes this Doctor Who different, what's next for the iconic time-traveler, and much more. Head to the comments section to discuss your take on what Smith and Moffat have to say, your take on the Eleventh Doctor, and anything else that springs to mind. Or as the Doctor himself would say, "Geronimo!" Doctor Who launches Saturday, April 2nd on BBC One and Saturday, April 17th on BBC America.

Digital cabler BBC America today unveiled its newest promotional trailer for Doctor Who , which launches April 17th in the US. Starring Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, this new Doctor Who finds Smith tacking up the mantle of the Doctor, a 900-plus-year-old traveler from a vanquished planet who travels through time and space in his TARDIS. Joining the Eleventh Doctor is Gillan's Amy Pond as the dual-hearted time traveler's latest assistant. Plus, Steven Moffat comes on board as the new head writer/executive producer. Having written such standout installments as "Blink," "The Girl in the Fireplace," and "Silence in the Library," among others, I can't wait to see just what he gets up to when he's at the reins. You can watch the full minute-long promo below as we begin to count down the days before the new Doctor takes to the sky. Doctor Who premieres Saturday, April 17th at 9 pm ET/PT on BBC America.

Looking for something to watch this spring? Head over to The Daily Beast, where you can read my latest piece, "15 Reasons to Watch TV This Spring," where I round up fifteen new and returning series airing this spring--from Doctor Who , V, Nurse Jackie , and Fringe to Treme, Peep Show, and Top Chef Masters , among others--as well as some major events like the end of ABC's Lost in May. What are you most looking forward to this spring and what's caught your fancy as your latest television obsession? Head to the comments section to discuss.

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing. Entertainment Weekly 's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Battlestar Galactica 's Michael Trucco--next seen on ABC's V this spring--hs signed on for a multiple-episode story arc on ABC's Castle. Trucco will play a new love interest for Stana Katic's Beckett in the final four episodes of this season and is described as a "charismatic cop in the homicide division." Ausiello also indicates that, if the character clicks with the audience, he could return next season. ( Entertainment Weekly 's Ausiello Files ) BBC has ordered a sixth season of sci-fi series Doctor Who , which will once again feature Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor. The broadcaster confirmed that Smith will return for Season Six of Doctor Who and that a Christmas special, written by new head writer/executive producer Steven Moffat, is on tap for this winter. ( Broadcast ) TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams talks with Lost 's Nestor