Yes, Virginia, there is life after Queer as Folk. Gale Harold begins a guest starring role in episode 3 of the new series Hellcats, debuting September 8th.  Harold plays a lawyer for Executive producer Tom Welling (Smallville.)  *** Another Smallville alum, Sam Witwer, has been cast in the SyFy channel’s Americanized version of the British TV series Being Human. It’s just like Three’s Company, but it’s two guys and one girl roommates, with one being a werewolf, another a ghost and the third a vampire. And wouldn’t you know it, none of them remember to put the garbage out on Thursdays. Also joining the cast are Mark Pellegrino, Meaghan Rath and Sam Huntington. If you have yet to experience the original version, check it out on BBC America and if you’re not impressed you don’t deserve to have cable anyway. One a recent episode, the werewolf character, played by out actor Russell Tovey, was on a date with a woman. Things were going well when she asked “do you like children?”  to which he replied, “Oh sure, but I can never eat a whole one!”  With creative and witty writing like that, how can you go wrong. A new Season of Dexter opens on September 26th and picks up right where season 3 ended, the blood bath. The real blood bath of Dexter’s wife Rita, played by Julie Benz, being found in blood filled bathtub. As the season progresses, we’ll see conflict between Dexter and step daughter Astor, who may have some issues with her bio dad being in prison and her mother being the final victim of the Trinity Killer. ***  Benz has moved on to the new NBC series rip-off of the Incredibles. The show features Benz and Michael Chiklis (Fantastic 4) as a mom and dad with kids  who develop super powers. Suddenly, the line “ Honey, where’s my super suit?”  takes on a new meaning, as in Law suit.  ***   

Over at SyFy is another not-so original super hero show, and this one is influenced by X-Men. It’s called Alphas and follows the discovery of differently wired people with special abilities. You might describe them as the ones who took the flying short bus to Comic Con.  David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck,) is in the pilot directed by former Lost producer Jack Bender with Zack Penn (X-Men: The Last Stand) among the writing staff.  ***  
Speculation is rampant as to whether a regular or new character will be outed by producer Kevin Williamson on The Vampire Diaries, returning September 9th. Williamson announced his plans at the recent TV Critics Association press tour in Beverly Hills. Some might accuse the producer/writer of repeating himself. It was also the second season of Dawson’s Creek in which he outed Kerr Smith’s character. *** 

Returning dates for ABC series include Private Practice on September 23rd. Pay close attention to an upcoming episode that was filmed last month at the LA Gay & Lesbian Center’s 'The Village at Ed Gould Plaza' on McCadden Street. Now I’ve come across hundreds of on location filming in LA but have never seen such a production spread, crew, trucks, equipment, etc. as they had on that one-day shoot. Makes you wonder why budgets cuts always seem to impact casts members first.  Desperate Housewives is all new as of September 26 and will feature Brian Austin Green as a hunky contractor working for Bree. The funniest show on television, Modern Family comes back with new episodes on September 22nd. It’s been too long without new adventures of our favorite prime time Gay couple, Cam and Mitchell. In an upcoming episode, Nathan Lane will guest star as their flamboyant friend Pepper. Don’t forget that the Sept. 26th premiere of Brothers & Sisters will be set one year after the events which concluded last season. Two bits of good news is that Uncle Saul will have a boyfriend who is not afraid of his HIV positive status. Secondly, the premiere will explain why Balthazar Getty’s character won’t be returning for the fifth season. Good riddance I say.  *** 

Julia Roberts isn’t resting on her laurels from the success of Eat, Pray, Love and has been busy as co-producer of  Jesus Henry Christ. Wow, I never knew he had a middle name, but Henry doesn’t sound very Jewish. Guess that’s from the part of the bible that gives his father’s name as “Our father who art in Heaven, Howard be thy name.” Written and directed by Dennis 
Lee, the project is based on his Oscar winning 2003 short film about a boy, created by selective design (in a lab) and raised by a left-wing feminist. Toni Collette (United States of Tara) plays the mother and Michael Sheen  (New Moon) is the sperm donor college professor whose life is turned upside down when he learns that he has a son. *** CBS has revived Hawaii 5-0, I guess it’s only natural for NBC to bring back The Rockford Files. Unfortunately, a recent pilot featuring Dermot Mulroney (My Best Friend’s Wedding) was received so negatively by preview audiences that the rumor mill has it being re-shot with Josh Holloway (Lost) in the title role.  ***

And lastly, though Halloween isn’t until next month, here’s a frightening bit for you. I feel I must announce the production of what may be the most horrifying film project ever conceived. Before you get too excited, it’s not Naomi Campbell in the next James Bond flick Blood Diamonds Are Forever.  The powers that be over at Paramount are putting together a 3-D movie on … the life of Justin Bieber. The glasses will cost an extra $8 but, for only $2 more, you get a mop and bucket to clean up your own vomit. *** 
 

Previous Entertainment Features:
Eye on Entertainment - August 2010
Eye on Entertainment - July 2010
Eye on Entertainment - June 2010
AP Tour 2010 Rocks The Sunset Strip
L.A. Radio Trio Gets West Hollywood Welcome