[Televisionary]

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing. Entertainment Weekly 's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Minnie Driver ( The Riches ) has landed a plum guest role on ABC comedy Modern Family , where she will play "a friend and former co-worker of Claire’s (Julie Bowen). The two reconnect after years of being out of touch and things are not exactly how they remembered." Driver's episode is slated to air in January. ( Entertainment Weekly 's Ausiello Files ) Jeffrey Tambor ( Arrested Development ) will star opposite David Tennant in NBC's legal dramedy Rex is Not Your Lawyer , where he will play the psychiatrist of the panic attack-prone titular lawyer (Tennant) who is described as "a specialist in anxiety disorders who himself suffers from them and who also becomes romantically involved with Rex's mother." David Semel will direct the pilot, written by Andrew Leeds and David Lampson. ( Hollywood Reporter ) ABC is said to be close to handing o

I have to give the producers of Bravo's addictive culinary competition series Top Chef some major credit: they know how to apply just the right pressure on the contestants to have some of them take risks and succeed while others crack under the strain. This week's episode of Top Chef: Las Vegas ("Strip Around the World") was no exception and, at this point in the competition, I would expect nothing less from the reality series' challenge organizers than some seriously arduous challenges that put these chefs through their paces. After all, the point of a reality competition isn't to create an easy environment for success but to force contestants to succeed beautifully in spite of the many obstacles being thrown at them. This week found the chefs preparing breakfast in bed for Padma and the always lovely Nigella Lawson... and they would have to do so under a tight deadline and in a remarkably cramped kitchen that only allowed two of them to cook at a time. Lat

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing. It's official: FOX has canceled Joss Whedon's metaphysical drama series Dollhouse . The series, which is currently in production on this season's eleventh episode, will finish production and the network is currently expected to air all thirteen installments of the low-rated Friday night drama beginning December 4th. Whedon himself posted on Whedonesque about the cancellation news (which didn't come as a surprise to anyone tracking the ratings) and said, ""I don't have a lot to say. I'm extremely proud of the people I've worked with: my star, my staff, my cast, my crew. I feel the show is getting better pretty much every week, and I think you'll agree in the coming months. I'm grateful that we got to put it on, and then come back and put it on again. I'm off to pursue internet ventures/binge drinking," he wrote. "Possibly that relaxation thing I've read so much about. By

Good news for fans of Doctor Who spinoff Torchwood ! (I count myself among their oh-so devoted number.) TV Guide Magazine is reporting that development of the series' fourth season may begin as early as January, according to a report by TV Guide 's Ileane Rudolf, who speaks with Torchwood creator Russell T. Davies. “The recession has hit British television, but fingers crossed, it will be a go," Davies told Rudolph. "We expect things to start to move in January. We’ve got great ideas for the show. I think there’s a further lease on life for many years to come, but certainly for a [fourth season]." Fans should also rest assured that John Barrowman's Captain Jack Harkness will be back for a fourth go-around, even if no airdate or episode count have been reported.

Looking to discuss last night's episode of ABC's alien invasion drama V ? Head over to the Los Angeles Times /Show Tracker site to read my take on the series' second episode ("There Is No Normal Anymore") in a piece entitled " V : Upsetting the Apple Cart." Lots to discuss including some very intention shout-outs to creator Scott Peters' last series, The 4400 , new reveals involving several of the characters, and a rather interesting ending, to boot. Did you enjoy the second episode? Was it as good as the pilot? Are you sticking around for the ride? Or waiting to watch the first four episodes after the Olympics (when V returns with new episodes)? Head to the comments section to discuss. Next week on V ("A Bright New Day"), Chad reports from the Peace Ambassador Center as 100 diplomatic visas are being issued to the first wave of American Visitors, with Anna getting the first, but not everyone agrees with the decision; Erica tracks a death

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing. Given that it's Veteran's Day, there are but a few headlines to get through this morning. Entertainment Weekly 's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Robert Patrick ( The Unit ) has been cast in an upcoming episode of NBC's Chuck , where he will play Col. Keller, described as "a mysterious figure from Casey's past." He's slated to appear about halfway through the series' third season in a Casey-centric episode entitled "Chuck Versus the Tic Tac." ( Entertainment Weekly 's Ausiello Files ) TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams talks to Glee star Chris Colfer about tonight's episode of Glee ("Wheels") and the romantic permutations coming up on the FOX musical dramedy series. "It's very incestual," Colfer told Abrams about the glee club's romantic entanglements. "There's love triangles right now, but there's soon to be love pentagons and hexag

Curious to hear what the creator of Mad Men has to say about Sunday night's season finale? You're in the right place. I was extremely lucky to have the opportunity to conduct an exclusive interview with Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner about the third season finale of the AMC period drama and take a look at the third season as a whole. You can read my extremely illuminating interview with Matt Weiner, entitled "Mad Men, Laid Bare," over at The Daily Beast , where he discusses the end of the Drapers’ marriage and Sterling Cooper, new beginnings for Don and Betty, the Kennedy assassination, and real-life figure Conrad Hilton, among other topics. (There was a lot of fascinating information that unfortunately didn't make it into the final Q&A due to length, so apologies if some topics of interest didn't get touched upon.) Let me know what you think and head over to the comments section to discuss.