TV Spoilers & Speculation Corner: 03/07/12

This week, we have spoilers for Once Upon a Time, Doctor Who and Supernatural:

Once Upon a Time (Sunday nights, 8pm, ABC)
By Heather S. Vina

ABC released the press release for the episode “Hat Trick” with the Mad Hatter:

“The Who’s Roger Daltrey Guest Stars as the Voice of a Talking Caterpillar – EMMA IS KIDNAPPED BY A MAN WHOSE SANITY TEETERS ON THE EDGE OF MADNESS, AND THE EVIL QUEEN PERSUADES A MAN OF MAGIC TO STEAL SOMETHING FROM THE QUEEN OF HEARTS, ON ABC’S ONCE UPON A TIME:

“‘Hat Trick’ – While searching for a missing Mary Margaret, Emma is kidnapped by a man whose affinity for hats has him teetering on the edge of madness. Meanwhile, viewers will be transported outside of the fairytale land that was for the first time when the Evil Queen persuades a skillful man of magic to come work for her one last time and travel to Wonderland in order to help steal something from the Queen of Hearts, on Once Upon a Time, SUNDAY, MARCH 25 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

“Once Upon a Time stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Robert Carlyle as Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold, Lana Parrilla as Evil Queen/Regina, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/David, Eion Bailey as August, Jared Gilmore as Henry Mills, and Raphael Sbarge as Jiminy Cricket/Archie Hopper.

“Guest starring are Tony Perez as Valet, Giancarlo Esposito as Sidney/Magic Mirror, Jennifer Koenig as Queen of Hearts, Sebastian Stan as Jefferson, Ali Skovbye as Paige/Grace, Donald Adams as Vendor, Roger Daltrey as Caterpillar (VO), Paul McGillion as Knave of Hearts, Laura Wilson as Mrs. Grace, and Scott E. Miller as Mr. Grace.

“‘Hat Trick’ was written by Vladimir Cvetko & David H. Goodman and directed by Ralph Hemecker.”

I find it really interesting that Eion Bailey (August) is listed in the main cast, instead of under guest-starring. Last press release, he was listed in both places, so I figured it was a typo. This one, he’s only listed in the main cast. Hmmm….

From last week, TVGuide had up the first pictures of Sebastian Stan as the Mad Hatter. I’m looking forward to this episode, I hope it’s good!

Well, lots of new info as a result of the Paleyfest appearance by the show. All of the main cast (except for Jared Gilmore, who seems to never get to go anywhere for the show, poor kid! Interestingly enough, even Raphael Sbarge came, and considering he hasn’t been on the show for a while, I was kind of surprised to see him. Though, considering Archie features in the spoilers, maybe it’s not so surprising) made the appearance, as well as showrunners Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. Clarissa over at TVOvermind has a great article up about it, synopsising all of the spoilers from the panel.

I’m most interested in who August is and what will go down between Gold and Regina, now that they know what is up with the other’s memories. Although I think Gold always knew Regina remembered; she didn’t know he did.

I haven’t seen it revealed anywhere online yet, but TVGMagazine – who was at the panel – tweeted that they showed the first ten minutes of next week’s episode and it revealed the identity of the Big Bad Wolf character. Still have no idea – of the characters that we have seen so far – who it could be.

TVAddict had a quote from Edward about the Huntsman coming back and the Sheriff’s death. Pretty much the same thing he keeps saying when being asked about killing off that character and whether Jamie Dornan would come back.

TV Guide had an interview with Edward and Adam up regarding the Red Riding Hood-centric episode, “Red Handed”.

Matt at TVLine has another familiar soundbite from Adam and Edward regarding why the “true love kiss” between David and Mary didn’t break the spell they were under. Translation: because they are going to drag out the curse forever and neither true love nor parental love will win the day over evil! ‘Cause evil keeps them in business!

Ausiello at TVLine has an interesting little quote from Robert Carlyle on what’s up with Rump and the curse:

“Question: What’s next with regards to Regina and Mr. Gold’s battle on Once Upon a Time? – Joy
“Ausiello: ‘Certain things happen toward the last five or six episodes that shake our relationship,’ teases Robert Carlyle. ‘You realize that maybe Rumpelstiltskin [didn't create the curse] for her at all; maybe he was doing it for himself. Maybe the curse was created for him.’”

Jane Espenson on Twitter revealed that she wouldn’t be “surprised” to see Belle return for the finale.

Mega Buzz at TV Guide had up an interesting quote from Edward about Gold and Regina, bringing up the fact that Gold as Rump is the one who created this curse, and yet, let the Evil Queen unleash it.

“Once Upon a Time scoop, please! – Billy
“NATALIE: Now that Regina has discovered that Mr. Gold knows the truth about the curse, ‘their relationship is definitely going to change,’ executive producer Edward Kitsis says, noting that both their motives will become clear in the coming episodes. Lest we forget, Rumpelstiltskin did create the curse that the Evil Queen unleashed. ‘The question that I would ask is: Why would somebody create a curse that they didn’t themselves employ and for what reason? That is a question we’re going to answer this year,’ he says.

They also posted something regarding the Evil Queen’s early years:

“When will we learn what Snow White did that made the Evil Queen hate her so much on Once Upon a Time? – Sarah
“NATALIE: April 1 is the magical day. So much is revealed in the hour that Lana Parrilla says she was surprised the story wasn’t spread over several episodes. ‘You’ll meet young Regina,’ she says. ‘I look totally different – fresh-faced, doe-eyed, young, fun, excited about life, in love, and then it just gets really dark. It’s way before she becomes the Evil Queen.’ Adds Ginnifer Goodwin, ‘Folks will sympathize with the Evil Queen in ways they’re not expecting.’”

Yea, sorry, Ginny, but I don’t think so. She’s done way too much for me to feel sympathy for her now.

And finally, the TV Guide issue featuring Once Upon A Time is out on the stands, and the site has a taste of the article inside here: http://www.tvguide.com/News/Once-Upon-Time-Set-1044486.aspx

Kristin at E! had the bit about Archie getting new patients (Gold and David) up in her most recent spoiler chat.

And finally, the ratings for the show are in. It received a 3.4/9 in the demos, and 10.67 million viewers, which is up from last week!

Doctor Who (Saturday nights, 9pm, BBC America)
By Heather S. Vina

According to TV Guide, John Barrowman (Captain Jack) has been cast in a pilot for ABC from Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice) called “Gilded Lily“. According to the article, “The project is an upstairs-downstairs look at the opening of the first true luxury hotel built in New York City circa 1895. Barrowman will play Julius Ashford Lily, the golden boy of the prestigious Lily family opening the hotel. He’s Mama’s favorite son, who’s very charming, lucky and loose.”

Congrats to Captain Jack!

Freema Agyeman has been cast in the CW pilot, The Carrie Diaries, about the early days of the lead character from Sex and the City.

Toby Whitehouse, one of the writers of Doctor Who and a showrunner on the UK version of Being Human, spoke to Hollywood Reporter about both shows. Since it contains Being Human spoilers, I will just share the relevant Doctor Who bits here:

“THR: What can you say about working on Doctor Who and what’s next there?

“Whithouse: In terms of the series as a whole, I know…there are quite a few things I know. I know some plans for the new Companion and that kind of thing. The one downside of working on Doctor Who is that you know what’s coming up. I knew who River Song was months and months and months before most other people, and it was great. Doctor Who is not necessarily a job I need to do because Being Human keeps me very busy, but I love it.

“THR: Fans of the show were surprised when it was announced there would be a new Companion. Were you aware of it?

“Whithouse: To be honest, it was probably more of a mutual decision than people would assume. These things tend to be kind of agreed, particularly the Companions have a natural shelf life. I know a bit about the new Companion. I don’t know who they cast and even if I did, if I told you, Steven Moffat would come out here and punch me in the neck. Steven is one of the cleverest, most inventive people I’ve ever met in my life, and so, you know it is in very safe hands with him. If he makes decisions, the chances are it’s for the best; it’s the best thing for the show.”

Interesting! I can’t wait to find out who the new Companion is and whom they have cast!

Supernatural (Friday nights, 9pm, CW)
By Paula R. Stiles

Ausiello dropped a casting spoiler: “The show is looking to cast a male or female Asian teenager to play a brilliant overachiever whose world ‘is suddenly turned upside-down when he/she unwittingly becomes a prophet of sorts.’ The character will appear in this season’s final three episodes.” It seems he took this wholesale from the site “Angry Asian Man” (Ask Kristin also got into the “Let’s not attribute our spoilers to any sources” act), which was passing along a casting call. The call also reported that 7.21 will be written and directed by Ben Edlund and will begin filming on March 15. For those keeping count, the Executive Producers listed are: “Robert Singer, Sera Gamble, Phil Sgriccia, McG,” in that order (though, when asked if Gamble might be leaving, producer Jim Michaels insisted she wasn’t). The episode’s name has been changed from “In Case of Emergency” to “Reading is Fundamental”, because the final episode titles this season remain the gift that keeps on sucking.

The character is 15 and is named ‘K. Tran’ (indicating a possibly Vietnamese character). Angry Asian Male demonstrated the same skepticism I’m feeling about it – namely, that the character sounds like a raging cliche. Contrary to speculation I’ve seen bandied about, there have been several Asian characters on the show (the latest, I believe, being Dick’s assistant in “How to Win Friends and Influence Monsters”), especially if you remember the South Asian ones (like Kali and Stewie), but it is true that the only recurring one so far has been Maggie from “Ghostfacers”. In addition, the character is a teen (not a group terribly well-portrayed by the show, or TV in general) and sounds like Luke Skywalker. Ask me if I care about K. Tran in the middle of a storyline about Leviathans, though I suspect Tran may not be a biblical prophet, but connected to the Bigmouths in some way.

I think my biggest problem with it, though, is that it’s the biggest spoiler all week and it’s about what is bound to be a minor, new character, recurring or not. This is not the kind of spoiler info I’m looking for, show. That said, I’d like the thank Angry Asian Male for it, since the show certainly didn’t leak this one on its own.

Late edit: From today’s print issue of TV Guide:

“A pair of cursed ballet slippers that drove a ballerina to dance herself to death can only mean one thing: The possibility of seeing one or both of the Winchester brothers going all Black Swan!”

Hmm, this is rather a curious situation, isn’t it? We already know for a fact that Sam will have a major breakdown and need to be committed to a mental hospital in 7.17. We already know that Dean will be cursed with some kind of psychotically obsessive (and self-destructive) behaviour in 7.16, since Black Swan is about a ballerina who has a massive nervous breakdown. So, we’ve got info about two situations that really ought to lead one into the other – except that they’re for separate brothers. Could it be Sam won’t be the only one committed in 7.17, but that Dean will have to break out alone because Sam is catatonic or otherwise incapacitated?

The 7.17 synopsis is up:

“MISHA COLLINS RETURNS!! – Lucifer (guest star Mark Pellegrino) drives Sam (Jared Padalecki) to the breaking point and Sam ends up in a mental hospital. Desperate to save his brother, Dean (Jensen Ackles) calls every hunter he knows for help. One of the hunters gives him the name of a healer who turns out to have a very familiar face (guest star Misha Collins). Robert Singer directed the episode written by Sera Gamble (##717).”

Not anything there no one knew, already, except for the part about Castiel – sorry, whatever character Misha Collins is playing being a healer. Though, even then, many fans called it months ago that Castiel might be the one who ended up healing Sam. It kind of sounds as though Sam actually won’t be in this one much, unless the mental hospital stuff has any active connection to Dean’s hunt to Save Sam.

It appears that Felicia Day will be guest-starring in 7.20 and there is a screencap up from the credits sequence in 7.17, showing a doctor talking to someone (perhaps Dean, perhaps an orderly) while in his office. Probably Sam’s shrink.

Misha Collins gave a short interview in which he talked about “Castiel” being a healer, and that his new character arc would go from “naive” to “contrite”.

Guy Norman Bee gave an interview this week, in which he talked a lot about past Supernatural episodes, and dropped some hints about his dream team for his upcoming episode, but no spoilers.

There was a big convention in Burbank last weekend…and the only spoilers that appear to have come out of it were that Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles will be doing a commentary for “Slash Fiction” that will appear on the season seven DVD and that filming for 7.20 started on Monday. Also, according to Ackles, the lack of the handprint in “The Slice Girls” was an oversight not deliberate, and that, if Dean could do it all again, he would never have gone to Lisa and Ben. Jim Michaels claimed the handprint was healed in “Swan Song”. Hmm, sounds like an oversight now being handwaved to me.

Set pics from 7.19 (last week) show a creepy looking mansion, lots of snow in Vancouver, and Sam looking remarkably robust for just having had a massive nervous breakdown. Contrary to rumours that they took a week off, Padalecki and Ackles were spotting shooting all week in the area.

Bob Singer will direct the season finale.

The show was nominated for a Saturn award in the Best Series category. And Jim Michaels was listed in a TV Guide article about people you should follow on Twitter.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan gave yet another interview saying he was unlikely ever to appear on Supernatural again and the reasons he thought why. Fans who seemed unaware that he’s been saying the same thing for years used his statements to angrily lambaste the showrunners for not asking him back. Because the show hasn’t already cheapened death in its story by bringing back everyone and their mother. John is dead and doesn’t need to be in the story, anymore. Let it go, folks.

Finally, ratings for last Thursday’s episode were 0.3/2 and 950 thousand, which was up slightly from last week’s 0.3/1 and 930 thousand in audience, while last Friday’s episode was down to a 0.3/1 and 1.03 million. And, once again, the Live+7 ratings went up from a 0.8 to 1.2 for the February 17 episode.

We’ll be back next week with more spoilers. Stay tuned and check out our reviews of Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, Torchwood, The Event, Once Upon a Time, and Supernatural.