TV News Page 632

"ER" aims it big for its final season wrap. Now that George Clooney is known to have appeared on the set of the show, the execs are splatting the icing of the cake by signing Susan Sarandon in. E! Online reported that the actress has filmed some scenes with Clooney late last week.

Sources are spilling that they filmed together at the Warner Studios in Burbank but no more details are given other than the info that the episode will air toward the end of the the current final season. It still remains a mystery though how Clooney's Dr. Doug Ross will contribute to the storyline but E! said that he shares at least one scene with Linda Cardellini who plays Nurse Samantha Taggart.

A bunch of clips are released in promotion of "Knight Rider" February 4 episode "Fight Knight". In the episode, Michael is forced to get involved in an underground fight competition in order to investigate the death of a sergeant.

Mike's old Army friend recruits his help to investigate the suspicious death of a tough-as-nails drill sergeant Jack Burber (guest star Tiki Barber, "Today"). Mike learns that the drill sergeant was participating in an underground fight club for military veterans for extra money. In order to find out what really happened, Mike has to infiltrate the fight club and try not to get himself killed in the ring.

"Medium" is entering a new season this Monday, February 2 with the episode "Soul Survivor". In the series premiere, there has been a case of mistaken identity where Allison suspects that a murderer is a man whose status on the record is already dead.

Allison tries to help Devalos solve the recent murder of his friend's sister, but her dreams keep pointing to the friend's first husband, Nathan, who died in a car accident two years ago. The case takes an unexpected turn once she learns more about the woman's current husband, Joel. Meanwhile, Bridgette is sent to the principal's office for drawing nude pictures of her art teacher.

Things are getting more and more complicated between Blair and her new teacher, Rachel Carr, in the next "Gossip Girl". Blair devises a plan to bring down the teacher in retaliation for not playing by the unspoken rules of Constance Billard and finds it easier when she knows that Dan may have an affair with the young teacher.

In "Carnal Knowledge", Serena spots Dan in a bar with Rachel. After Chuck wakes up in a hotel and only has a minor recollection of what happened the previous evening and who he spent the evening with, Nate and Vanessa try to help him fill in the missing pieces of what is turning out to be an increasingly intriguing mystery.

Recent Screen Actors Guild Awards winners, Tina Fey and Jon Hamm have joined forces to appear in the upcoming episode of "30 Rock". A sneak peek of Hamm's role as Dr. Drew Baird has been given, through a clip where Liz goes to his place to deliver a mail.

The episode will be called "Generalissimo", a term which is a reference to a character in a Mexican telenovela that Elisa's grandmother watches. Jack wonders why his new lover's grandma doesn't like him and finds out that he bears a resemblance to the telenovela's villain. This is sneak peeked in the other clip.

The special after-Super Bowl episode of "The Office" has been given a sneak peek through several clips and a featurette. The clips which are compiled in a single player, shows what the staff of Dunder Mifflin have to go through to reduce their stress level, while the featurette shows some behind-the-scenes.

Dwight's fire safety seminar goes awry, he must make amends to the stressed-out office. Michael tries a number of ways to get his employees to relax before discovering that he is the number one stressor at work. So that people won't feel afraid of him, he insists on a no-holds-barred roast of himself. Also, while watching a pirated movie, Andy is convinced that Jim and Pam are film gurus.

Finally, the untitled Amy Poehler's project is given a working title. "Public Service", the new sitcom coming from the creators of "The Office" and "Saturday Night Live", will premiere April 9 at 8.30/7.30c on NBC.

The show was supposed to be effective after Super Bowl XLIII on February 1 but Poehler got pregnant and delivered her baby in October last year, which require her to adjust. In the show which is also starring Aziz Ansari and Rashida Jones of "The Office", Poehler will be a mid-level government official named Leslie Knope.

A batch of new clips are given out as a preview to "Heroes" volume four chapter one that will air February 2 on NBC. In "Clear and Present Danger" the hunt for those with abilities is launched and it is up to Peter and Claire to prevent it from happening.

Months after explosions brought down Pinehurst and Primatech, our Heroes try to put the past behind them and begin new lives. Now powerless, Hiro tries to train a reluctant Ando to be a true superhero. Suresh returns to life as a taxi driver, Peter is back to saving lives, and Daphne and Matt try to live as a normal couple.

"Ugly Betty" may not be the highest-rating primetime for ABC but it is not one that was thought to be benched. After a report from EW that the network have tried to replace the show's timeslot with an episode of "Samantha Who?", Michael Jensen of After Elton wrote that a spokesperson from ABC said they have big faith in the show.

"We are going to be premiering In the Motherhoood paired with new episodes of Samantha Who? starting March 26th, but Ugly Betty will be back in that timeslot," the spokesperson said. "ABC has complete confidence in Ugly Betty and the hiatus is no way meant to reflect a loss in faith for the show which remains large part of ABC's identity."

"The Amazing Race" aims it big in their fourteenth edition that will premiere Sunday, February 15 at 8/7c on CBS. The 11 teams competing for the $1 million prize were put in the "most grueling" courses in the show's history, including surviving the freezing temperature of Siberia and jumping for the world's second tallest bungee jump.

"Heading into our 14th season, I wanted to pull out all the stops. We have extreme climates, intense roadblocks and less time in airports, which adds up to an exhausting course for the racers," said co-creator and executive producer Bertram van Munster on the press release. "Whether you're a screenwriter, a Harvard graduate, a jockey or a carpenter, this race will test your stamina, your heart and your will to win."

More TV winners are rolling in at the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series goes to Sally Field of "Brothers & Sisters" while Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series falls to the hand of "Mad Men" cast.

Minutes later Laura Linney is announced as the winner of Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries. She has won at the recent Golden Globes for similar role in HBO's miniseries "John Adams". Meanwhile, her co-star Paul Giamatti takes the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries.

Live from Los Angeles' Shrine Exposition Center on Sunday, January 25 is Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony. Both leading actors of "30 Rock" take a kudo during the early announcement of its winners. Alec Baldwin wins Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series while Tina Fey grabs the Female category.

Jon Hamm and Kyra Sedgwick hand the prize for Baldwin while Rosario Dawson and Kiefer Sutherland give Fey hers. Additionally, the "30 Rock" stars earn double when the show is announced as the recipient of Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series over shows such as "Desperate Housewives", "Entourage", "The Office" and "Weeds".

A special edition of "Chuck" will be broadcast on February 2, and an introduction from the cast of what's so special about it has been released. Zachary Levi and Yvonne Strahovski express their enthusiasm of the first 3D episode of the series, and so does guest star Dominic Monaghan who plays a rock star.

Creator Josh Schwartz said, "The technology is pretty amazing, and the stuff we were able to shoot - all the mind flashes are going to be in 3D and the opening credits, as well as the action set pieces." He added that there could be scenes of Sarah scantily clad and Mike eating a donut, all in 3D.

Returning from its sleep during the transition between fall to midseason, "Life on Mars" give a sneak peek of its January 28 episode. In "Take a Look at the Lawmen", Lieutenant Hunt faces off with his arch rival from another precinct while investigating a bank robbery with international connections.

A longstanding competition between Lt. Hunt and the detectives of the 1-2-5 and Lt. Anthony Nunzio and his men of the 1-4-4 heats up when the Russian mafia appears to be linked to a bank robbery. The investigation becomes a furious contest of one-upmanship between the two squads.

The January 29 episode of "Private Practice" has been given a sneak peek. The clip taken from "Second Chance", is on Addison's conversation to her younger brother who decides to move to L.A. and work at Pacific Wellcare.

Addison expresses her objection of having Archer entering her life, working in her place and sleeping with her best friends. In fact, his presence causes a problem between Addison and Naomi. She is asking Archer to leave although his intention is to get closer to her.