Besides being renowned for his spoilers, Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is also know for his blind items. The gossip columnist has been toying with readers with his "you'll never guess who" type of gossip posts since his TV Guide days. This week, Ausiello announced to the world that one major TV star was about to get booted from his or her show and didn't know about it yet. Since this is one of Ausiello's blind items, he doesn't reveal just who may exit a popular TV series. However, he does leave clues for us to try and find out who he's talking about.Why not join me in trying to find out which TV star is about to get axed and doesn't know it yet? The picture on the right gives you an idea of who I hope will get axed. However, she is not who I think Ausiello is really referring to...
Basically, Ausiello says that an original cast member of a hit series has been canned and doesn't know it yet, but there's a very slim chance the person may get to stay on the show.
If you've been an avid reader of Ausiello in the past years, you know that he loves to put clues inside of his posts and enjoys playing with words. Here are excerpts from his post which I think offer some clues:
- "They should squint extra hard" - Could "squint" refer to someone on Bones? After all, the team members are referred to as "squints." Then again, there is a certain character on Heroes who squints a lot...
- "Original cast member of a hit series" - In Ausiello land, "hit series" more than likely refers to shows like Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Bones, etc. "Original cast member" can help us narrow down the field. For example, if he's talking about Desperate Housewives, his blind item is not about Dana Delany because she joined the show in season 4.
- "A combo platter of budget cuts and creative redirection..." - Most shows have been asked to cut their budgets, so that part of his post doesn't help us much. However, we know of a few shows that are going through creative redirection: Heroes and Grey's Anatomy, just to name two.
- "said performer was never going to win any popularity contests with their co-stars" - This clue can apply to pretty much every cast member on the set of Grey's Anatomy.
- "MVP" - The performer in question is important enough for his/her show to be labeled a "most valuable player".
- "the regular's ..." - The person is a series regular.
- "Although death has cast a shadow over many a plot, this personality's demise would probably be deemed too morbid, even for this show." - From this clue, it looks like there have been many deaths on the show in question. As for the "too morbid" part, maybe it's because the person is a child or went through so much lately that death would be a terrible option for the show?
Seeing Katherine Heigl go is my wish, because I can't stand the Izzie/Denny storyline. However, my official bet is on Masi Oka who plays Hiro on Heroes. His power on the show requires him to squint; he's an original cast member/series regular/MVP; the show is going through a major creative redirection; and there has been a lot of death on the show. As for the "never going to win any popularity contests" clue, since Oka is no major hottie, maybe that's why he won't win a popularity contest? Backing up this theory is the fact that Internet rumors have been flying about Hiro not seeing the end of the current season...
UPDATE: This just in! Ausiello gave two more clues in his latest Ask Ausiello column. The performer is over 30, and the show s/he stars on does not air on FOX or The CW. Katherine Heigl was born on November 24, 1978, meaning that she's technically over 30, but only by a few days. As for Masi Oka, he was born on December 27, 1974, meaning that he's over 30. Both star on shows that do not air on The CW or FOX.
Do you agree with my assessment? If not, who do you think may be getting axed and why? Share your theories in the comments below.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
12-04-2008 @ 10:15AM
Logan said...
Given the fact that the producer of Heroes is finally listening to fans about the fact that nothing on Heroes is ever permanent, because of time travel, I think it's going to be Masi. Personally, I wish they'd just take away his ability to time travel, but keep the character.
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12-04-2008 @ 10:21AM
Dorv said...
I think that this, combined with the recent post of Kristen's at E!, that the clues point to George/TR Knight on Grey's.
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b71145_greys_anatomy_blind_item_whos_in.html
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12-04-2008 @ 10:26AM
Buckly said...
I don't believe it is Masi Oka. From what I hear, he is a very nice guy. That doesn't fit with the whole not-very-popular-onset theory.
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12-04-2008 @ 10:31AM
Scott said...
I agree. I can't imagine that there's any dislike for Masi Oka on the "Heroes" set. As much as I find his character annoying, in interviews and candid moments I've seen, he seem to be a very down-to-earth, likeable guy.
12-04-2008 @ 10:47AM
TheH2s said...
I think it's Teri Hatcher. She squints a lot and she fits all the other clues.
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12-04-2008 @ 12:02PM
Rico said...
One can only dream about this possibility......oh please let it be so.
12-04-2008 @ 3:30PM
lovegrey's said...
I thought Terri too! she's the one who squints all the time. but then...doesn't Felicity Huffman wear glasses?
12-04-2008 @ 10:55AM
Mac said...
I think Dorv's right, and that it's T.R. Knight. (March 26, 1973. Apparently nobody on that show is popular with their castmates.) There have been a number of rumors that he's on his way out.
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12-04-2008 @ 10:56AM
Isabelle Carreau said...
I would be fine with TR Knight leaving. It's not like he is a MVP on the show anymore.
12-04-2008 @ 11:43AM
Dorv said...
Is...
I think that's the point. He's slow been pushed out of the storylines for a couple of weeks now. Though Mike does say there's the potential for them to be brought back.
Also, to stave off some of the arguements that have been happening over on the EW comments. Its supposedly the producers that are firing him and not the network. IMHO, ABC is getting a bad rap for their supposed "homophobia." The Hahn storyline SUCKED, and it had nothing to do with the fact that it was based on her sexuality. Being unsure of anything was so contrary to her character...
12-04-2008 @ 11:05AM
Courtney said...
You do well with assessment, which is kinda scary. I think Heigl might be too obvious--there were rumors months ago and they denied denied denied. So is there truth in that or is that a way of telling us that it's not them?
As for Heroes, I hope it's not Hiro. They've kinda made his character suck, but he's huge for the show and has a big fan following. What about our Blondie Bear, Tracy? She is an original cast member, even if she played a different character way back when? I don't know how she is with the other cast and crew, but it would take us in a different direction, and I could see them canning her.
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12-04-2008 @ 11:30AM
bruce said...
As screwed up as Heroes is, they're not gonna get rid of Hiro/Oka - he's one of the more popular characters from what I can tell. Plus we already have predictions about him doing things that we need to see materialized (esp. how they come about).
I don't think it will be Katherine Heigl, and as much as I hate the dead Denny storyline, the show would not be the same without her, I really like her both as a character and as an actress, and I'll be PISSED if they get rid of Heigl the way they tossed brook smith. Especially if it's because they had fucked up by giving her a stupid plotline. Talk about unfair. She didn't write the dead denny plotline, so she shouldn't be punished (fired!) for it. Fire the writers. I'd rather see Shonda Rhimes kicked off the show than Heigl.
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12-04-2008 @ 11:35AM
John Heltsley said...
I personally don't hope it's Katherine. Sure, the Izzie/Denny story is bad and very creepy, but that's not her fault. I think her character is good, they've just been using it poorly. Sure, she's not popular with Shonda or the other cast (who is), but I don't think that's a reason to drop her... Maybe drop the writers and get back to better stories. ;)
I think Masi makes sense, to an extent, but I also think it'd be a bad idea. There's a ton of peripheral, and worse, characters on that show that could be dumped before Hiro. He's a very popular character, and is still (to an extent) the "main" character. Sure, it'd shock people and easily signal some finality and changes, but at what cost?
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12-04-2008 @ 12:04PM
Darren said...
It better NOT be Katherine Heigl - she's one of the main reasons to watch Grey's!!! And it will not be the Ter-Bear Teri Hatcher. There is no way she's gone from DH.
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12-04-2008 @ 12:06PM
stewartwallace said...
The punny clues would indicate Connie Britton on Friday Night Lights. (Ausiello is known for his hyperbole.)
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12-04-2008 @ 12:17PM
Ryan said...
As much as I don't think it's Hiro and as much as I think it probably would do more damage than good, I wouldn't mind seeing them get rid of him. Face it, he's too powerful and all the time traveling is making an already complicated show even more complicated.
Getting rid of him now, while Peter is sans power, would be the perfect time. Again do I want him gone? No. Masi Oka is great. But it will definitely streamline the show.
Then again I wouldn't be surprised if it's Katherine Heigl or TR Knight. If that's the case, I hope it's Heigl not because I have nothing against the actress (she's great), but her character has been insufferable since S2. And this way I can enjoy Heigl in movies or whatever without having to put up with the annoying Izzie Stevens.
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12-05-2008 @ 11:30AM
LC said...
They can correct the whole Hiro problem by having him lose his ability to time travel. Let him keep freezing time and teleporting, but they can easily write a plot where during a fight with Arthur or Sylar, he suffers injuries that permanently prevent his ability to time travel.
I am hoping that Peter is now reverted to his original power and has to reabsorb the powers once again and in meeting Hiro he only absorbs his time stopping and teleport powers.
This could finally put time travel to rest on this show. (Provided Arthur is killed off).
12-04-2008 @ 12:43PM
eric f. said...
I stopped watching Grey's this season. it got way too soapy.
But seriously, "antics such as asking for better storylines" is not fair. I like her, but hate what they wrote for her. She should be pissed.
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12-04-2008 @ 12:51PM
Isabelle Carreau said...
I agree that they should have written better storylines for Heigl. However, the way she got her point accross was not the best way to actually get better things to do on the show (and I don't consider the Denny/Izzie storyline better than the George/Izzie one... it's just more watchable).
12-04-2008 @ 12:49PM
Joe said...
It's the dude who plays Tommy on Brothers and Sisters. He's had tiffs with the cast, on the show he and his mom (played by Sally Field) have barely had any scenes together all season - while the rest of the kids have numerous times.
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