TVSquad

Invasion aired for one season from 2005-2006. Check out Jonathan Toomey's great reviewcaps here.

Along with Surface, Invasion was one of my favorite new shows that season, with each episode getting better and better. By the series finale, I was hooked. I'm still miffed that ABC didn't give it more time to flesh out the story and characters.

Incorporating a sci-fi-alien mystery, a government conspiracy, and plenty of family drama, Invasion had a built-in audience because it aired directly after another sci-fi mystery, Lost. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to keep the series on the air.

(S02E16) Things are finally coming into place on Ugly Betty. Wili officially declared war on the Meades, Betty dealt with serious baby drama, and Hilda got back into the dating game (almost). If this keeps up, the show will be back to its old self--Wili scheming, Betty working with Daniel against her, and an end to the Suarez family mourning period. Sounds good to me!

This is Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at TV Squad where we'll supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our tips form or by emailing us at tvsquad at gmail dot com or call and leave a message at (775) 640-8479 - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: 30 Rock, Desperate Housewives, Greek, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, How I Met Your Mother , Numb3rs, Smallville and Ugly Betty. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

Here's an interesting bit of news from Kristin over at E Online: producers of Bones will solve the mystery from the short-lived show Vanished on the show this fall.

Now, that's undoubtedly fantastic news for fans of Vanished (both of you), and it's intriguing that the network and the people behind Bones would actually want to take the time and effort to solve a mystery from a show most people have forgotten. But it's very cool, something you don't see on TV that often. I'm sure the episode will be more Bones-centric than Vanished-centric, but it's a great idea.

Murder, She Wrote did this once. They solved a mystery from an old film noir movie from the 40s (Strange Bargain), and even got several members of the cast back together for it.

The last time we left Vanished (well, actually, the last time you left it, since I didn't watch it), star Gale Harold had been killed off after the actor had been fired from the show (according to USA Today). The show will return next week, in the network-is-going-to-cancel-it-anyway slot of Fridays at 9pm. The new star is Eddie Cibrian.

FOX asked the show's executive producer Josh Berman to wrap up the storyline in 13 episodes, the same thing that NBC asked the makers of Kidnapped to do (that show has been shoved over to Saturday nights). There's no such like for fans of CBS' Smith, which was simply canceled. (Actually, I thought Vanished was simply canceled too, but I guess it has come back to life, if temporarily.)

I wonder when the networks will start toying with the idea of giving shorter seasons to a show and giving viewers the confidence of investing in a show, especially one with an ongoing, season long mystery?

This week, the low-rated Fox drama Vanished made a surprise move by killing off its lead character, Det. Kelton (played by Gale Harold). It was only seven episodes into its first season. Why would they do that? Was it because ratings were so low? Or, because of reports that Harold was reportedly a bit of a prima donna on set? The producer, Josh Berman, says no and no.

In an interview with TV Guide's Ausiello, Berman says it was their way of "thinking outside the box", a directive from Fox when they started the show. He said he and the writers realized that Kelton was getting closer than they planned to solving the mystery of the missing Sara Collins, so it was time for him to die. Berman also says that Harold was pumped about his character's death and even suggested the scene where his estranged wife gives back his wedding ring as a way to wrap up that subplot. The new lead detective on the show is Det. Danny Lucas, played by Eddie Cibrian. Berman also said a lot of the mystery about Collins' disappearance will be wrapped up by the 13th episode, as the show has not yet received an order for a full season. If it does, Berman has plans for new plot lines.

Now it's time for the Vanished fans to chime in: Was killing off Det. Kelton a good or a bad move?