Simpson and Egglesfield out in 'Melrose Place' shake-up

Two months into its run, The CW’s ratings-challenged (but creatively-smokin’) Melrose Place reboot is about to undergo a major renovation. For starters, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Colin Egglesfield have been let go (they’ll last air in January), and the “Who Killed Sydney?” mystery is being wrapped up in December. Then, in addition to Heather Locklear’s Amanda, several new characters will be introduced and the show will take on a lighter, more fun vibe. Here, in an exclusive interview, exec producers Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer explain why they’re fixing a series that many (myself included) felt wasn’t broken and tease what’s ahead for Melrose 2.0... ah, 3.0.

What was behind the decision to let Ashlee and Colin go?

TODD SLAVKIN: Well, we always knew that this murder mystery would end in episode 12. And we always knew that [Ashlee's] character of Violet would be instrumental in that as a suspect, and [Colin's character of] Augie as well. And once that murder mystery was solved, she would go on her way. That was the original plan going into the development of the show.

So it was always the plan for Ashlee to leave after episode 12?

SLAVKIN: Yes. Because we felt that once the murder mystery was resolved, the tone of the show was going to shift into a much more fun, romantic, sexy upbeat kind of show, and [her] character would move on.
Same thing with Colin?

SLAVKIN: Colin was always meant to be the ultimate suspect. And his brooding alcoholic [character] tonally didn’t fit the paradigm moving into post-murder mystery Melrose Place.

Is it fair to say that if either of those characters clicked you would’ve found a way to keep them?

SLAVKIN: Well, you never know when you go along. But in the end, we felt like it was right [decision].

DARREN SWIMMER: The nature of soaps is that as things progress along, the story takes on a life of its own and the characters come and go in relation to that.

How did Ashlee and Colin take the news?

SLAVKIN: They’re total professionals and they took it like professionals. When you go into a show you never know what’s going to evolve and what the possibilities are. But because they knew ahead of time [that leaving was a possibility], it wasn’t a complete shock.

People are going to look at these changes and assume it’s a direct result of the show’s disappointing ratings.

SLAVKIN: Well, I understand that perspective. None of us foresaw the ratings; there’s nothing we can do about that. All we can do is write and produce the best show we know how. It’s fine to speculate, but in the end there was always a plan.

What about Laura Leighton and Thomas Calabro? Are they leaving, too?

SLAVKIN: Thomas is very much a part of the fabric of this show. Many storylines are ahead for him. You’ll get to see him interact with his old friend Amanda Woodward as well as all the characters on our show. With Laura, we would never close the door officially. She did her part in the murder mystery. We love her. We think she is gorgeous and a great actress and would love to have her be involved in the future, but there is no plan at the moment.

Can you elaborate on the tonal shift?

SLAVKIN: Now that the characters are no longer suspects, they can have a great time, they can focus on their careers, they can get into bed with each other without having this ominous cloud hanging over the building… But this is still Melrose Place. There’s still going to be intrigue on the show.

Do you think viewers were turned off by the dark nature of the show?

SWIMMER: Who knows why the ratings aren’t better? I think for us, it’s just a matter of moving on in the direction we [always] wanted to go.

Some people might wonder why you’re fixing what’s not broken. Personally, I love the show.

SLAVKIN: Which we understand and I totally get that. I think our feeling is that TV shows need to evolve. Mike, you’re a fan of Smallville. You’ve watched that show and you’ve seen the evolution in that show. Characters come and go. This being much more of a soap opera, we feel that it’s heated up more rapidly, where characters come and go and have arcs and move on. There will be new characters coming in.

Tell me about those new characters.

SLAVKIN: There’s a doctor, a new resident at the hospital who is irreverent and funny and will mix it up and move into the building. He will be a roommate of one of the characters and interact with Lauren. He’s a guy that, even though he’s a doctor, he doesn’t take life very seriously. Medicine can be very fun as well as serious to him and he ends up lightening up Lauren. We think this guy’s a lot of fun and is going to mix it up in a great way with the rest of the cast.

Has the role been cast?

SLAVKIN: Not yet.

Any other new characters?

SWIMMER: We have [Heather Locklear's] new love interest played by Billy Campbell. He has a three-episode arc. He plays basically a billionaire version of Jonah. He’s the equivalent of a Mark Cuban. Again, a lot of fun, funny, irreverent, and is someone who can actually make Amanda Woodward smile.

How long do you have Heather for?

SLAVKIN: A long time. She’s in every episode moving forward. She’s a major focus [of the show]. She has a hidden agenda that will become not so hidden as the episodes move along. She’s not just the boss of Ella [Katie Cassidy].

Does Heather still have it?

SLAVKIN: Absolutely. Not only is she so fun as Amanda, but she’s such an amazing, hysterical woman. Her [return] is going to be a big moment on Melrose Place.

A New New Moon Preview: Jacob Attacks Edward!

In the latest New Moon clip to hit the web, fanpires finally get a look at Jacob (Taylor Lautner) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) battling it out!

When an annoyed Edward sends him flying through the forest, Jacob transforms into a werewolf and comes charging at the vamp, leaving Bella (Kristen Stewart) stranded between the two, desperately calling for an end to the fight.

The Jacob-centric preview features new footage of Bella's best bud in werewolf form, including scenes from the wolf pack's attack on villainous vampires Victoria (Rachelle Lefevre) and Laurent (Edi Gathegi). "We only kill who we're trying to protect you from," Jacob declares.



Lautner, 17, who famously fought to reprise his role, is sure to steal fans from the Team Edward camp according to costar Jackson Rathbone, 24.

"I think people are going to be really blown away by his performance," the actor – who plays Cullen clan member Jasper Hale – told MTV. "You have these great moments that Jacob just completely is winning over Bella. And it's just beautiful to see it."

New Moon hits theaters Nov. 20.

Fox to bench 'Dollhouse' during sweeps

This isn’t a good sign: Sources confirm to me exclusively that Fox has decided to pull Dollhouse off the schedule during November sweeps. Joss Whedon’s ratings-challenged drama is expected to return in December and air back-to-back episodes on Friday night.

Bottom line: Barring a ratings miracle, Dollhouse will be shut down for good after it completes its current 13-episode order.

10 Signs It's Time to Quit

"I like what I do. I just don't like where I work." Sound familiar? From unbearable co-workers to depressing work environments, there things that can make even the best job a living hell. Here are some signs it's time to look for a new job.


Sign No. 1: Your co-workers are annoying.
Obnoxious people can invade your work life. Let's face it, not everyone gets along perfectly. But you need to have some sort of harmonious relationship with fellow employees to get the job done. How are you supposed to get any work done when these guys keep getting in the way? They are distracting and impede productivity. Most offices have a Gossip, that one person who has the "scoop" all the time and is not afraid to share it. Misery loves company, and finds it often in the Whiner, who isn't afraid to complain and bellyache. And everyone has the Neighbor whose noisy distractions include his cellular ringtone, speakerphone and radio.

Sign No. 2: The environment is toxic.
Everyone experiences job highs and lows, but discontent could also be a sign of a chronically depressing work environment or even a company in peril. A bad work environment is reflective of the culture of an entire business. Do you work in a less-than-nurturing atmosphere? Is morale constantly low? Have you been complaining for two solid years? It could be an organizational problem that applying feng shui to your cube just won't fix.


Sign No. 3: You're mentally exhausted by the end of the day.
Stress can cause low morale, decreased productivity and apathy towards work. Plus, it can spill into your personal life and even have a negative effect on your health. Today there are fewer people who are taking on more and more work. American workers experience burnout at an alarming rate. According to CareerBuilder, 68 percent of workers feel burnout at work, and 45 percent said their workloads are too heavy. Yes, we all have to pick up some slack and "take one for the team" from time to time. But if there's no end in sight, do yourself and your health a favor and dust off your résumé.


Sign No. 4: Your boss is a nightmare.
Even though this person is your boss, it doesn't give him license to do anything he wants. If you have a lousy boss, even the best job in the world can make life a living hell. Your relationship with your supervisor plays a big role in your overall professional happiness and success. Fighting to have your boss removed or waiting for your boss to change or get fired are rarely successful tactics. If you are working for someone who is always absent, unavailable, self-absorbed or untrustworthy, it's time to look for a better supervisor and a better opportunity.


Sign No. 5: You're watching the clock... every 10 minutes.
Though you might not like to work, it's even worse when you are bored while you're there. One can only watch so many videos on YouTube or bid on unneeded things on eBay. If you aren't feeling challenged, that's a sign that you need additional responsibilities or a change roles. And be warned, if you don't have any responsibility or find yourself with nothing to do, management might be trying to phase you out and you might be in danger of losing your job.


Sign No. 6: You get no respect.
Does any of this sound familiar? Your ideas aren't taken seriously; there are no opportunities for advancement; the boss ignores you; co-workers alienate you; you're discouraged from improving skills with a course or seminar; you're passed over for a promotion -- again; or you're excluded from key projects and strategizing sessions. So why are you still giving this organization your time, energy and great ideas?<


Sign No. 7: Your co-workers act like animals.
They live for themselves and only themselves. They irritate you. They offend you. They have no manners or ethics. And you work with them all. There's the Office Thief who steals your ideas. The Shirker arrives late, leaves early and disappears whenever work is near. The Buck-passer unloads her work onto everyone else and blames others for her mistakes. The Procrastinator delays things until the last possible minute, slowing you down by not having the information you need to meet your deadlines. The Interrupter stops by your cubicle 10 times a day to chat about her latest boyfriend despite your ringing telephone and pressing deadlines. And don't forget the infamous Elevator Person who rides up only one floor instead of taking the stairs.


Sign No. 8: Nobody communicates.
Although we live in a world of e-mail, cell phones, instant messages, Blackberries, WiFi and, yes, even face-to-face conversation, there can still be a complete lack of communication. Whether it's a co-worker who's not returning your voice mail or the CEO not conveying a company's goals and accomplishments, the breakdown of communication can be frustrating and detrimental to your job. It can cost you an account, make you to miss a deadline, cause you to lose a client, and even get you fired.


Sign No. 9: You're not valued.
Forty-three percent of workers do not feel appreciated, and one-fourth of workers feel that they are just a "number" within their organization. You need to realize that you deserve credit for your successes. Recognition is important, and good companies implement programs to let employees know they are valued. Is your company doing anything to reward your efforts? Do you ever receive bonuses, perks or positive feedback? If your boss has never heard of positive reinforcement verbal or otherwise, find a company that will value your talents.


Sign No. 10: You feel stifled.
What kind of quality of life do you have? Is your 40-hour week turning into a 24/7 grind? While salary may seem like the end all and be all, your quality of life determines your overall happiness. How much time you spend on the job, working conditions, supervisors and subordinates can positively and negatively impact your job outlook. If you dread the time you spent at work, it should be a clear indicator that it's time to break free. A job shouldn't stifle you creatively, mentally or physically


Bottom line:
Considering what you don't like about your current situation should give you insight into what you are seeking in future endeavors. If you know what your priorities and preferences are and actively seek them, work can be an enjoyable experience. If, however, you've answered yes to more than four of these signs, then you might want to get started on a new job search.

Miles Brown Channels Michael Jackson, Is Just Not That Into 'Ellen'

Clad in two white gloves and a black hat, the young boy talked to host Ellen DeGeneres before he danced for the audience.

The boy was unresponsive when Ellen told him "it's nice to meet you," but went on to explain the kind of dancing he does.

Watch



Brown then reprimanded Ellen when she assumed that popping and locking were the same thing.

The two carried on the awkward interview for a little bit. "There's nothing to tell you," the comedienne said after questioning him if he knew he was smart.

"How come you like dancing in front of people so much?" Ellen then asked.

"I dance so much because it makes me happy," he replied.

"That's great. It's good to do things that make you happy. And it probably makes other people happy, too. So then you make them happy, and then they're happy and you're happy and there's all that happiness -- doesn't that just make you happy hearing about it?"

"No," Miles answered.

If you like Miles' MJ-esque dance, check out these other youngsters doing their best Michael Jackson.

Rosie O'Donnell and Kelli Carpenter Split?

Rosie O'Donnell and Kelli Carpenter are having problems. Big ones. In a chat with USA Today on Tuesday, the former daytime TV host broke down in tears while discussing her longtime partner, whom she shares four kids with. "We're a family. We will remain a family forever. And we are working on our issues," she coyly answered to questions on whether she and Carpenter had split.

O'Donnell herself has been fueling the breakup reports with answers to fan questions on her blog. She has recently called marriage "very very very hard" and seemed genuinely unaware that Carpenter had a Facebook account.

The couple married in San Francisco in 2004 have three adopted children (Parker, 14, Chelsea, 12, and Blake, 9) as well 6-year-old Vivienne, whom Carpenter carried.

"They're adorable and wonderful and they are by far a priority," O'Donnell said with tears welling. "Kelli and I love each other very much and we are working on our issues. Those are the only words I am ever going to say. Ever. And that is something that has been agreed upon by all parties."

The National Enquirer reported in August that Carpenter had moved out their home and into Manhattan.

O'Donnell may not be ready to disclose the likely breakup, but saying "We will both continue to parent them and we're friendly and everything's all right" does not sound like an endorsement of a strong relationship.