Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on Good Wife, Castle, NCIS , Vampire Diaries, Suits, and zaidi 

Got a scoop request? An anonymous tip you’re dying to share? Send any/all of the above to 

 now that Makenzie Vega isn’t a regular? —Joyce

Ausiello: Quite a bit, actually. “You’re going to see exactly as much of Grace as you would any other season,” insists exec producer Michelle King. “She will be as involved in Alicia’s life as any teenager of her age would be.” Fellow EP Robert King adds that Grace may even be more of a fixture this season now that she will be working as her mom’s assistant. “We’re going to see a new side of Grace,” he reveals, “not just the religious side.”

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Question: I read that a Halloween episode is in the works on 

crossover event — which falls on the Thursday before All Hallows Eve — is sorta tangentially Halloween-themed, I suppose. I doubt you’ll see Ichabod and Abbie getting their trick-or-treat on with Booth, Brennan & Brood, as fun a visual as that would be. I think I can satisfy your desire for a spooky spoiler though: The Oct. 1

‘s upcoming season will be appreciated. —Marsha

Ausiello: Tuesday’s Season 13 premiere features not only fine performances by Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly and guest star Jon Cryer, but also an unexpected amount of (archival) Darby Stanchfield (aka

Scandal‘s Abby), when Gibbs’ daughter, Kelly, revisits happier days with the in-limbo surgery patient. P.S. Speaking of Cryer’s turn as a Navy doc, here’s one line you wont want to miss.

Question: I really want to know how Stefan will show his game to seduce Caroline on

Ausiello: Good question, Carmen. So good, in fact, that we posed it to Paul Wesley and got this response: “He’s going to be sort of the same loving guy he’s been for the past six seasons — except when he was ripping people’s heads off. Man, Stefan’s killed a lot of people. Everyone on the show has. If you think about it, pretty much everybody on this show is a murder. Isn’t that wild?” Wesley’s tangent aside, it sounds like he’ll use the same tactics he did on Elena back in Season 1, but he’s definitely got his work cut out for him. “Caroline wants to be with Stefan, but she’s also trying to do the right thing by herself, taking the time to mourn her mother’s death so she can enter into this relationship with a clean state and a free mind. The heart wants what it wants when it wants it, so we’ll see moments where’s she’s struggling, wanting to say something but not knowing what to say.”

Question: Which new shows this fall are the best?! I don’t want to miss out on the next

Ausiello: I detailed my fall picks (and one must-pass) here, but, regrettably, I must confess I’m far less enthusiastic about

after having seen the final, finished pilot. There are moments of pure nostalgic joy for sure, but, sadly, they are too few and far between. But I am not giving up on Kermit and Piggy. I’m giving them at least five episodes to turn the ship around (which, BTW, is three more than I’m giving any other new fall series).

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Question: What’s next for Daphne (Rayna’s youngest daughter) on 

? I feel like we hardly see much of her on the show. —Andrew

Ausiello: Daphne is definitely part of Wednesday’s premiere, and showrunner Dee Johnson tells TVLine that the younger Conrad sibling will have a bunch to do this season — though for reasons she may not like. Maddie and Daphne “have always been thick as thieves,” but because one of them wanting to grow up too soon, “some friction exists.”

Question: Any word on what’s going to happen to Eric Close’s character Teddy Conrad on 

 Season 4, now that he’s been arrested for corruption at the end of Season 3? —Claire

Ausiello: Though Close is no longer a series regular, “We’ll see him,” says Johnson. “He’s their dad, you know?”  Plus, “There’s still some emotional bulls—t from what happened to him at the end of the previous season.” And even if you weren’t the biggest fan of the corrupt mayor, you’ve got to give him props for this: His arrest means the FBI is no longer investigating Tandy and Highway 65’s less-than-savory funding. Or, as Johnson puts it, “Teddy took one for the team.”

, we’ve seen Crane’s father, but what about his mother? —Morgan

Ausiello: Good question! Too bad it’s one that won’t be answered for a while, if ever. Mark Goffman, the series’ former showrunner, told TVLine last year that Crane’s mother would be covered in Season 2… but that never came to pass. New showrunner Clifton Campbell now says, “We just felt, because of last season and some of the responses from the fans, that we should probably give Crane’s family a rest.”

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‘s version of the Loch Ness Monster will appear in? —Jordan

Ausiello: I have it on good authority that the ep will air in early 2016.

about why Captain Gates is leaving the 12th precinct? Is she going to show up this season at all? —Michelle

Ausiello: Gates’ whereabouts are promptly and efficiently accounted for early into Monday’s Season 8 premiere, and the door is — in theory — left open for the occasional appearance. Here’s more on the awaited hour, per Matt Mitovich: “Even if you’ve read about the unique structure to the two-part premiere, it is nonetheless highly entertaining and compelling — definitely one of the series’ more intense outings. As for the assorted ‘shifts’ we have heard about over the summer: Toks Olagundoye is impressively badass as Scotland Yard outcast Hayley Shipton, while ‘adult’ Alexis is a very refreshing change of pace and fits in very organically. Also, as I said on Twitter: Be forewarned, arachnophobes!”

Question: Would you have some scoop on Jim Gordon and Leslie Thompkins’ relationship for Season 2 of

Ausiello: Lee (as Leslie is regularly called now) is very much Jim’s rock as the lawman’s career continues to hit nadir after nadir, pulling him toward a bleak darkness. Jailbird Barbara, though, promises to be a recurring wrench in the works, while Lee herself is not without a charming admirer, as seen in the new season’s (shocking) third episode.

Ausiello: Not only will Bridget Regan be back as Sin Rostro, but so will her other half! “We have Yara Martinez, [who plays] Luisa, for the first 12 episodes,” exec producer Jennie Urman reveals, “which is amazing because she brings such a fresh comic energy and obviously she struggles with loving a sociopath, and that’s something she hasn’t quit worked out yet.” Season 2 will also uncover “a little bit about Sin Rostro’s backstory” and how Rose came to be the villainness.

Jane the Virgin Books Britney Spears as Rogelio’s Nemesis in Season 2

Question: There was a scene last season where Donna told Harvey she was seeing somebody on

Ausiello: Per EP Aaron Korsh, “Yes, she was telling the truth. But it remains to be seen how important that relationship ends up being. She was not lying. I do not think Donna would do that. But it’s possible that, since then, they’ve broken up. We don’t know. We have to figure that out.”

Question: You don’t talk nearly enough about Mom in Ask Ausiello. It’s so incredibly underrated. Throw us a Season 3 bone, K? —Kim

Ausiello: In the aftermath of losing the love of her life Alvin — and then falling off the wagon — Allison Janney’s Bonnie will be dipping her toe into the dating pool… possibly with disastrous results. “Bonnie makes some rather unfortunate choices to escape loneliness,” teases showrunner Chuck Lorre, “and she gets involved with a guy that probably isn’t the greatest choice — and then complicates the matter by getting involved with his sponsor. I know you can’t write this in TVLine, but it’s just a wonderful clusterf–k.”

Question: Any intel on when/if Caroline will get pregnant on 

Ausiello: Do I look like an EPT stick, Tanya? (On second thought, don’t answer that.) It’s rude to ask women if they’re pregnant — especially if you’re not sure — so we went the safe route and queried Thorsten Kaye whether Ridge would embrace the news that the stork was on its way. “His reaction would be very happy — 

 he were the father of the baby,” said the 

 alum. And if it turns out that Ridge’s son, Thomas, was the not-so-proud papa? (After all, Ridge 

 been hiding his secret vasectomy from his young wife-to-be.) “It would be a really hard thing for anyone to go along with,” Kaye said. “If you feel like someone is part of your life, and you want them still to be, then maybe you try to figure it out. But,” he couches, “it would take a big man to do that.”

Empire. Make me more excited by throwing a scoop my way, please! —Brittany

Ausiello: Executive producer Brian Grazer told us at the show’s red-carpet premiere event that guest star Ludacris — playing a prison guard who has a contentious relationship with Terrence Howard’s Lucious — may prove the most surprising addition to the Season 2 cast. That said, Grazer added that the show’s creative team is “coming to the conclusion that as great as these guest stars are, it’s the [core] characters themselves that we need to give even more screen time.” One of those delicious Lyons, newly pregnant (and murderous) Rhonda, will be “softer” when the Fox smash returns next week, teases her portrayer, Kaitlin Doubleday. “She’s more worried about Andre having another mental breakdown or confessing [to his role in Uncle Vernon’s death] than she is in saying, ‘Let’s figure out how we can f–k over your family,\'” she says.

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Question: My favorite character on Empire is Porsha. Now that Ta’Rhonda Jones is a series regular, I’m desperate to know what we can expect for her! —Keith

Ausiello: Don’t throw your damn shoe, Keith, because according to Jones herself, Porsha won’t have time to get it for you. Instead, she’ll be too busy keeping a spying eye out for her boss Cookie’s best interests. And despite Cookie’s notoriously short fuse, Jones says you shouldn’t look for any angsty moments between the Lyon matriarch and her assistant. “Porsha is as green as they come, but her and Cookie have this mutual understanding,” Jones says. “Porsha knows Cookie was locked up for a really long time, and she’s got a lot on her plate. She’s trying to figure out who her sons are. She’s got Lucious with all his dirty, deceitful games he’s playing. Whatever happens, Porsha knows Cookie doesn’t mean her harm.” BONUS SCOOP: Remember how last month, Adam Bush got cast as Chase One, “an avant-garde gay artist” who becomes infatuated with his male star during a photo shoot? Busch’s erstwhile Buffy co-star and current Empire EP Danny Strong tells us Chase will wind up “connecting with” Jussie Smollett’s Jamal in an episode he wrote and directed. Speaking of the Fox phenom…

Season 2 and I got nary a whiff of a sophomore slump. The show continues to fire on all creative cylinders, I am relieved to report. Even the parade of guest stars didn’t distract from the central Lyon-family narrative. If anything, the spot-on performances from the likes of Chris Rock and Marisa Tomei only added to the entertainment value. The real star of the premiere: Boo Boo Kitty herself, Grace Gealey. Cookie’s underrated punching bag is at the center of my two favorite moments, one of which is pure physical comedy gold, and another is her just absorbing a classic Cookie zinger. With all due respect to the great Taraji P. Henson, let’s keep in mind that Cookie’s Boo Boo kabooms  wouldn’t land as spectacularly as they do without Gealey’s restrained, subtle reaction shots.

‘s Jon Hamm will win his first Emmy Sunday night, sources close to my gut tell me exclusively. To view the rest of my predictions in all the major races, head over to TVLine’s sister site GoldDerby.com.

That’s a wrap! Please send questions, comments and anonymous tips to askausiello@tvline.com. (

Additional reporting by Kim Roots, Rebecca Iannucci and Michael Slezak

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Glad to hear Empire isn’t slowing down! Lots of great scoop on several shows I watch, thanks as always Michael!

Already read enough preview screeners to know what happens in 8×01

A question more than a comment. I left last seanson thinking that last man standing had been cancelled but i see that it is back. I am old and senile so was i just gaving a moment or had it actually been cancelled?

it is coming back for what should be its final season

On Good Wife, it should be interesting to see Grace working with her mom and it could push her towards having a law career one day.

Looks like the hypothesis of Jared’s death on Bones is confirmed. Poor Booth

That poor tarantula on Castle. Hope he’s a member of the union, he’s been around since the early episode The Third Man.

There’s hardly any proof though they only used a spider on the show once

If Gates dies in Castle, that’ll be two precinct captains in a row that die, which wouldn’t bode well for Beckett’s career choice…

The spoiler said it would leave it open for Gates to make a guest appearance. I don’t think she dies.

Montgomery showed up in a flashback in an episode called Veritas years after he was shot.

Gates doesn’t die, it’s clearly stated that her departure is explained and the door is open for future appearances, so she isn’t dead. Unless she appears as a ghost of course.

Ghost Gates spooking around the 12th? That’s a spin off that needs to happen.

Spoilers already said that she’s been promoted to another job in NYPD. Don’t remember what it’s called though. Deputy something in 1PP (I think)

Love Castle so much! thanks for the Positive vibes and upbeat spoilers! Hope all Castle lovers are ready and waiting to watch!

It’s Friday end of a crazy week and we get an AA session! Thank you Michael!!

As a lifelong Leslie Thompkins fan, I will never, ever call her Lee. That’s as bad as trying to get us to call Selina Kyle “Cat”. LOL!

@michaelausiello, your link in the NCIS scoop doesn’t work. there is a quotation mark at the end of the run of numbers that doesn’t belong there, removing the ” makes the link work.

I wish NCIS would really give Tony something interesting to do but I don’t have much hope. He hasn’t had a character arc since season 4 while Gibbs gets several each year. It really has become the “All About Gibbs All the Time” show. McGee has been featured much more and was portrayed as a more significant agent than Tony for the last couple seasons. Tony rarely contributes anything to the case, he is only featured as the idiot in the “comic” moment portion of the show. I’ve got to wonder if tptb are diminishing Tony in order to diminish his character’s popularity so they can write him out. Tony is my absolute favorite but it would almost be a relief.

“The Oct. 1 Bones premiere features a pivotal-ish death.”

Ugh, here we go again. I almost gave up on the show after they killed Sweets.

I thought the same thing. Hopefully, the death is someone random like Cyndi Lauper’s psychic and not a squintern or like Angela.

He said “pivotal-ish”. Even though we haven’t seen Jared in awhile he is still really important and to me his death would be more than pivotal-ish. I know they had to change stories but killing off Booth’s brother just a year after Sweets to me would be a bit much. They could be killing off his wife maybe. If its Jared poor Booth!!!

That first moment mention with Grace Gealey is DELICIOUS! I’d put it in the top 3 moments of the premiere.

Dear Clifton Campbell, new showrunner of Sleepy Hollow,

YOU ARE LISTENING TO THE WRONG FANS. You do know that they’re a loud minority, right? The rest of us DO NOT want the Abbie Mills show. We want both of them. AND BOTH their pasts. They only want Abbie, no matter how many times they say that isn’t true. It is. Stop listening only to them. They don’t speak for most of us. Please. We’re begging you. Stop.

“We want both of them. AND BOTH of their pasts.”

Hello, Sandra/Diane. Thought you and your cronies were done with Sleepy Hollow once the Season 2 finale aired lol! Isn’t that why you started the #CancelSleepyHollow tag?

P.S. – Dear Clifton Campbell, You made the correct call. Don’t be fooled by people like this – they have never liked Abbie (or the actress) since the show debuted in 2013. These people are liars who hate. Constantly. Plain and simple.

P.S. – Dear Mr. Campbell, You made the correct call. Don’t be fooled by people like this – they have never liked Abbie (or the actress) since the show debuted in 2013. These people are liars who hate. Constantly. Plain and simple.

BS, we had more than enough about his boring past and we’ll still get plenty with more historical figures and a regular character, Betsy Ross. I’m tired of Crane’s drama, family and friends. I’m even tired of him and would have gladly taken a break from him for the next couple of seasons. Since that’s not happening, the show should start rehabilitating Crane, so that most fans don’t feel like throwing up at the mention of his boring past.

Are you presuming to speak for most fans? Not me–I like both of them. Don’t understand why you must use hyperbole to make a statement, and speak for others, I like the historical factor as well. Unless you have the proof of “most fans” to back you up, speak for yourself…

Fustercluck and Mother Trucker are my go to’s when needed. The give the needed umph without offending. Feel free to employ when necessary.

Typos happen (and probably will in my own post), but I love Buffy alumni, so: “BONUS SCOOP: Remember how last month, Adam Bush got cast as Chase One[…]” Can I get a “Busch,” please.

Question, did the Blind Item from earlier this year ever get solved? The one about a major TV couple breaking up possibly for good??

I didn’t read about that resolution but I’m still nervous for a few of my favorite show couples.

It has not been revealed. Even though fans who clearly have no business pestering the crew for spoilers say it is.

I think you made a mistake with mentioning scoop on The Following, it’s been cancelled.

Wait. Didn’t Gibbs’ daughter die? Who’s Kelly? Gibbs’ daughter’s friend?

I was thinking this too…. Gibbs’ daughter is dead. (I can say this with all certainty because I am binge watching NCIS on netflix.) Kelly was the name of his daughter, but she did have a best friend. So maybe that is who they are referring to????

They’ve already had dead daughter Kelly calling to daddy Gibbs from beyond but the current producers on NCIS are repeating themselves constantly these days in order to make sure that Gibbs is always the focus of all drama. They never focus on any other character for more than a scene or two. It’s a steady diet of Gibbs at the center of every exciting or dramatic scene now. Although we get spoilers making it seem as if other team members might get a little drama, danger, or attention, the current show runner and producers don’t even really pretend like any other team member matters when it actually comes to what we see on the show. So once again we’re going to see the cliché Kelly and Mike Franks in this latest Gibbs near death experience. Nothing new. It’s already been done several times on the series. Heaven forbid Mr. Harmon’s Gibbs not be in the lime light at all times.

If you are whining about cliches, that about sums up your continual posts. I suggest you go back to the pilot on JAG that was the start of NCIS–re-watch all the seasons–this has always been about Gibbs, his cases, his perspectives, his handling of the situations. It’s just easier to moan about how much you hate it isn’t it? Here’s a thought, turn the channel and watch something else. (You won’t because you enjoy your little rants). The true fans of NCIS watch for everything–go look up tedious in the dictionary–that picture next to the word is your face. You know what else is nothing new? Your posts…

If you are whining about cliches, that about sums up your continual posts.

Anywho, in regards to other shows…it would be fun to meet Crane’s mom on “Sleepy Hollow” someday, and I’d be all for it if and when the show ever did want to explore that. But for the time being, I also agree that we do know a lot about Crane as it stands, so it’s a good idea to turn the focus to delving into other characters’ families and pasts a little further right now, getting to know them and their backstories more as well.

Thanks for the info about the Castle premier. I’m really looking forward to the changes they’ve talked about because I won’t lie… I was getting a little bored with the show. I hope people will give it a chance.

Spiders on Castle? EEP. When do I need to look away? Total arachnopobe. I get nightmares!

When the bad guy brings out the white plastic bag. #TVLineCares

Well done! A perfect application of classical conditioning (in a Pavlovian way). Now Carla Krae will not only be an arachnophobe (ic) but also scared to death of white plastic bags. If applied to the general population, this can only be positive and will certainly decrease the amount of plastic bags in the Pacific Ocean. ;]

My question is if Grace on the Good Wife has been downgraded from Series regular, why does it seem that she’ll be on the show even more. Not complaining because lately she’s been one of the few characters I still like from the show. Just wondering why the downgrade then?

Squeaky wheel gets the grease, I guess. Despite the fact that the squeaks are awful and wrong. What a horrible, horrible mistake.

So, does “no longer a series regular” mean that the actor is still under his or her original contract, or an option thereof, but only gets paid for the episodes in which he or she appears now, or was he or she released from the original contract and now has a new contract to appear in and be paid for a limited number of episodes? I remember a time when, if you were a regular and your name appeared, you were paid regardless of whether you were actually in the episode. But, I get the impression that this i no longer the case. I cannot imagine the original men on Mom are getting paid for all 22.

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