Here’s an extended preview of the Melrose Place remake that will air on The CW in the fall.

What’s good: The re-appearance of Michael Mancini (Thomas Calabro) and Sydney Andrews (Laura Leighton), especially in the scene where it’s clear Sydney is up to her old blackmailing tricks with Michael.

What’s not-so-hot: The nearly 25-year-old Ashlee Sinpson-Wentz‘s Violet is supposed to be four months out of high school, i.e. 18-ish? That’s as kookie as 26-year-old Ian Ziering playing high school student Steve on Beverly Hills 90210, an idea that became less and less believable the faster Ziering’s hairline receded, but which was still more believable than Jessica Simpson‘s sister looks playing an 18-year-old.

What do you think? Are you at all excited about this Melrose reboot?

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• Filed in Drama, Ya Gotta See This!
• Tags: Ashlee Sinpson-Wentz, Ian Ziering, Laura Leighton, Melrose Place, Melrose remake, Michael Mancini, Remake, Sydney Andrews, The CW, Thomas Calabro

Don’t call it a remake. Don’t call it a sequel or a prequel (especially since Buffy papa Joss Whedon isn’t involved). Instead, like J.J. Abrams‘ Star Trek, the upcoming Buffy the Vampire Slayer big-screen movie will be a reboot of the franchise, one that could lead to a series of movies and maybe even a new TV series.

But, who’ll fill Sarah Michelle Gellar (and to a lesser extent, original Buffy movie star Kristy Swanson‘s) shoes? The Hollywood Reporter throws out Megan Fox, Kristen Stewart, Jessica Stroup, Amanda Seyfried and Teresa Palmer as candidates, but if I were the Buffy producers, I’d take a look at seasons one and two of Chuck on DVD …

Yvonne Strahovski, as tough spy chick Sarah Walker, is the best TV action heroine since Jennifer Garner left the tube in Alias. In fact, Chuck premiered on NBC during the same season as the network’s ill-cast Bionic Woman remake, and I think if Strahovski had been the titular star of that show, it would have been a runaway hit.

As Chuck devotees, particularly the male ones, will tell you, Strahovski is one of those rare actresses who can serve up a side of vulnerability with her kick-assedness, which is an endearing quality and a key to playing the often emotionally tortured Buffy.

So Buffy fans, let’s hear it: Who should be cast as Buffy 3.0? Megan Fox? Big Love star Seyfried? Twilight‘s Stewart? Or do you agree that Chuck star Yvonne Strahovski should stake (pun totally intended) a claim to the role?

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• Filed in Boob Tube to Big Screen, Chuck, Drama, TV News
• Tags: Amanda Seyfried, Buffy, Buffy Summers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Chuck, J.J. Abrams, Jessica Stroup, Joss Whedon, Kristen Stewart, Kristy Swanson, Megan Fox, Prequel, Remake, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sequel, Star Trek, Teresa Palmer, Yvonne Strahovski

Here’s the official line-up from The CW, followed by the network’s description of its new series:

THE CW PRIMETIME SCHEDULE: FALL 2009
(All Times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8PM – Gossip Girl
9PM – One Tree Hill

TUESDAY
8PM – 90210
9PM – Melrose Place

WEDNESDAY
8PM – America’s Next Top Model
9PM – The Beautiful Life

THURSDAY
8PM – The Vampire Diaries
9PM – Supernatural

FRIDAY
8PM – Smallville
9PM – America’s Next Top Model encore

…Read more

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• Filed in Comedy, Drama, TV News
• Tags: 90210, Ashlee Simpson, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, Ashton Kutcher, Corbin Bleu, CW, Fall season, Kevin Williamson, Laura Leighton, Melrose Place, Michael Mancini, Mischa Barton, New shows, Remake, Smallville, Supernatural, Sydney Andrews, The Beautiful Life, The Vampire Diaries, Thomas Calabro