joanna philbin talkshow

Here is a cornucopia of vidbits. Make that a plethora of pithy paragraphs from the world of television, and answers to pressing questions from readers.



FALL SEASON: The afterglow of swimmer Michael Phelps' stunning Olympic performance hasn't even worn off yet, and some couch potatoes' thoughts are turning to what's next. Some readers are pulling a Bart Simpson and asking, "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

Almost. But first we have to get through the Games and then the Democratic and Republican conventions.

The official fall season gets under way Sept. 22, when "Heroes" and "Boston Legal" return, but some series will get a jump-start. On Sept. 1, Fox rolls out "Prison Break" and The CW brings back "Gossip Girl" and "One Tree Hill."

New and returning series will be joining the lineups all the way through Oct. 17, when NBC debuts "Crusoe," a lush, colorful drama set in the 1700s and based on the Daniel Defoe "Robinson Crusoe" story.

MORE EARLY STUFF: On Sept. 2, The CW debuts its remake of "Beverly Hills, 90210" with a new bunch of attractive kids plus a couple of old-timers (Jennie Garth and Shannen Doherty). Also on that night, "The Shield" begins its final season on FX.

In addition, Fox launches another season of the entertaining little romance, mystery and forensics series "Bones," starring Emily Deschanel as Dr. Temperance "Bones" and David Boreanaz as FBI Agent Seeley Booth.

Fox's new big-ticket item, the sci-fi thriller "Fringe," comes out of the gate Sept. 9 as does The CW's new dramedy "Privileged."

"Privileged" stars JoAnna Garcia ("Reba") as a Yale-educated journalist who becomes nanny, friend and surrogate parent to a couple of rich Palm Beach sisters. It's being billed as something fans of "Gilmore Girls" will like.

"Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" returns to Fox on Sept. 8. "Kitchen Nightmares" is back Sept. 11.

On Sept. 10, Fox brings back the Brad Garrett comedy "'Til Death" and adds a new comedy, "Do Not Disturb."

Fox's most popular drama, "House," returns Sept. 16. On that same night, NBC's "The Biggest Loser: Families" starts up.

The CW's "Smallville" and "Supernatural" are back Sept. 18.

Fox needs an early start because it has the Major League Baseball playoffs and the World Series interrupting its fall season. The CW just needs to get some attention.

Get the complete list of premiere dates at Walt TV on TBOEXTRA.com.

CASTING NOTES: Regis Philbin will play himself on the Sept. 29 episode of CBS' "How I Met Your Mother." Production starts next week. Philbin encounters "burger-mad Marshall" (Jason Segel), who is on a "quest to find the restaurant where he had his very first New York burger."

Khandi Alexander, who left her role as medical examiner Alexx Woods on "CSI: Miami," has joined the cast of the HBO series "Treme," named after a New Orleans neighborhood that has produced a lot of famed musicians. Created by David Simon ("The Wire"), "Treme" is a post-Hurricane Katrina drama about the city's political corruption, public housing problems, crime, cops and artists.