Q and A: Week of August 30

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Q and A: Week of August 30

Q: I can’t tell you how excited I am that the fall shows are about to start up. Can you give me a little scoop as to what I can expect on my favorite show, “Castle”? — Drew D., via e-mail

A: The ABC Monday night comedy/suspense/detective drama returns with a bang on Sept. 20. I spoke recently with Jon Huertas (pictured, left), who plays Detective Javier Esposito, and he gave me a sneak peek at Season Three.


“For my character in particular, I’m going to have a little bit of an onscreen romance with another member of the cast,” he said. “Also, for the first episode, there’s a big surprise. In the murder we are investigating, our first suspect surprises everybody. You also are going to see a lot more fleshing out of the satellite characters — my character, Det. Ryan and Dr. Lanie Parish — there’s going to be a lot more of that.”

Q: I know there is talk that Danny McBride could be coming to “The Office” to fill the void when Steve Carell leaves, and I think that’s a great idea, but I hope it won’t interfere with his hilarious HBO series, “Eastbound and Down.” When does Season Two start, and can you tell me anything about it? — Sam M., Miami

A: Ana de la Reguera, who co-starred with Jack Black in “Nacho Libre,” comes to the show as a series regular (when it returns on Sept. 26) as a lounge singer whom Kenny Powers meets in Mexico. Ana gave me the scoop: “After Kenny leaves April at the gas station, he basically disappears and wants to start over. He wants to go to a new world, so he goes to Mexico. He’s in a completely new culture. His weaknesses are much bigger. I’m a singer, and he thinks we have a connection because I sing Bob Seger songs, covers, but in Spanish the whole time.”

Q: Why didn’t Sylvester Stallone cast Jean-Claude Van Damme in his summer blockbuster, “The Expendables”? He seems like a perfect fit! — Denny J., via e-mail

A: I agree, and so did Sly. However, Jean-Claude did not. According to Sylvester (in an recent interview in Britain’s Sunday Times), he asked Jean-Claude to be in the movie: “I wanted to set Jean-Claude against Jet Li, but he didn’t want to lose to Jet. He didn’t think that was cool. But that’s why it would be cool — to have Jean-Claude beaten by the other man.”

Q: How is Michael Douglas doing? I read he has cancer! — Trudy G., Altoona, Pa.

A: Doctors discovered a tumor in the throat of the 65-year-old actor, for which he’ll have to undergo eight weeks of radiation and chemotherapy. His doctors expect him to make a full recovery.