TVSquad

Over at the L.A. Times, Tom O'Neil has put together two teams to predict the Emmys. One consists of writers who cover TV, including our pal from AOL, Maggie Furlong. The other is filled with award nuts, like O'Neil. The teams found a lot of common ground, with overwhelming agreement on Mad Men for Best Drama and 30 Rock for Best Comedy. They also seem pretty set on Glenn Close (Damages) for Best Actress, Drama and Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) for Best Actor, Comedy.

Those all sound like reasonably safe bets. Things get a little more interesting when you look at some of the other categories. Best Actor, Drama looks to be a three way race between Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Hugh Laurie (House), and James Spader (Boston Legal). All solid choices, to be sure, but the most surprising part of the category is that Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), who should win, only garnered one vote. Read on past the jump for more of the categories.

It was announced today that former Deadwood star Timothy Olyphant has joined the season two cast of FX's Damages in a season-long arc. This marks Olyphant's first credited TV cast role since the HBO drama went off the air over two years ago.

Olyphant, who will star with returning cast Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, and Tate Donovan, marks the second addition to the FX drama in just over a week. William Hurt joined the show last Monday.

Olyphant's character will become involved in the life of Ellen Parsons (Byrne) as she deals with her fiancé David's murder and the FBI case being mounted against her boss, Patty Hewes (Close). Hurt will play a new client of Hewes.

Season two of Damages went in to production in New York City yesterday and the show returns to FX in early 2009, likely after The Shield's seventh and final season has concluded.

FX announced today that William Hurt has joined the season two cast of Damages. He'll play a new client of Glenn Close's Patty Hewes. No further description of his character was given, but the possibility of a professional and personal relationship with Hewes was hinted at.

This will mark the first time that Hurt has signed on to a TV series as a regular as well as the first time he and Close have worked together since The Big Chill. No word on whether or not Hurt's character will extend to the third season though. Damages got the double season renewal back in November.

And now we speculate. How exactly will Hurt's character tie into the overall story? Will he be connected with the FBI and help Ellen bring down Patty? Will he have ties to Frobisher? Could he be the father of Patty's deceased daughter Julia? So many questions, but don't get too excited. Even though the show goes back into production next week, it won't return to FX until early 2009.

EW.com put up the The Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations and we've got the nominees in the television categories for you. Not surprisingly, The Sopranos swan song continues to get awards show nods, with bids in all three categories it qualifies for. 30 Rock accomplished the same feat in the comedy categories. No other show was represented in all three drama or comedy categories.

Newcomers include Jon Hamm (Mad Men) and Michael C. Hall (Dexter) in male dramatic actor. Holly Hunter (Saving Grace) was a new face in female dramatic actor, while Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?) and Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty) represented comedic actresses. Only Mad Men was able to creep in as a new show in the ensemble drama category. The complete list is after the jump.

... Six welcome returns.

Every fall season I get stoked about all the new shows, with cool new premises ("A guy travels through time trying to make right what once went wrong!"-- Journeyman not Quantum Leap), and all the big changes in store for existing shows. But it's equally exciting to see which beloved actors will be returning to television. Brad Garrett coming back to television in 'Til Death last year? Cool! Patricia Heaton and Kelsey Grammer both coming back to television ... together? That's gotta be awesome, right? Jerry O'Connell on Carpoolers ... well ... ? I like the guy, but I'm not scheduling a 'Welcome Back' shindig for him.

Half the fun of a new television season is the return of great actors and actresses to the small screen. And while I could have easily done 10 or even 20 of these, I've narrowed it down to the six talents who were most welcome back in my house on a weekly basis this past year. I've even been so bold as to rank them. Feel free to agree, disagree and present your own lists in the comments.

Variety reports the 12th Annual Satellite Awards will be handed out on December 16, 2007. The awards cover film, television, DVD, and new media. These appear to be the first major awards to involve television series from the new season, and include multiple nominations for both Chuck and Pushing Daisies, including nods for lead actor and series, comedy or musical. Other new show nominations include Patricia Heaton (Back to You) and Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies) for lead actress, comedy or musical, Glenn Close (Damages) for lead actress, drama and Mad Men for drama series.

Four or five episodes ago, you might have caught me saying that I was getting sick of Damages. It was getting slow and I was tired of all the questions. But with each week after that, things turned around and last night's finale definitely made up for any shortcomings this phenomenal season had. If FX doesn't renew this show, I'll be more disappointed than when Showtime canned Huff. All the big questions got answered. The ones we were left with won't drive you crazy. Plus, just as Tate Donovan promised us, we got one hell of a set-up for season two.

Gallery: Damages - Season One