'Once Upon a Time,' 'Castle,' 'Leverage,' 'How I Met Your Mother': Spoiler Room

As I’m capping off this week’s Spoiler Room, Regis Philbin is saying goodbye on Live! So as I try to ignore it enough not to weep like a mad person, forgive me if I don’t make a lot of sense. (God, I’m such a ridiculous sappy human!)

Okay, let’s get down to business. Here are this week’s goodies. Thanks to all who submitted questions. Keep ’em coming! Don’t know how? Here’s the info: spoilerroom@ew.com or @EWSandraG on Twitter.

And a special thanks to all those brave souls who answered my call for video questions on Twitter (which you can see in the next Spoiler Room: Video Edition). There will be more chances to do so very soon!

‘ONCE UPON A TIME’: BIG BATTLE ON THE HORIZON?

I know I’m certainly not the only person recently enchanted by Once Upon a Time, and in next week’s episode, we continue our journey with an exploration into the story of Jiminy Cricket (Raphael Sbarge). I’ll have more on that next week (a full chat with Sbarge), but I also wanted to touch on it a bit now because I, like several of you, was peeved when Archie (Jiminy’s present-day doppelganger) corroborated Regina’s fake story about some stolen files and got Emma sent to jail. “Jiminy Cricket would NOT do that,” a few of you wrote. Well, I agree. So I took our outrage straight to Sbarge, who told me, he felt the same way! But…

“In this [coming] episode, I think you’ll get a real sense of what that dynamic is between him and Regina,” he said. “It’s so funny because I got so many phone calls, ‘I can’t believe you did that!!’ They were so mad at me. I was like ‘Hold on! It’ll be explained!’ So this episode will give context for that event and more.”

To Sbarge, it’s all part of the slow walk to something much bigger. “What they’re doing is laying out the core character and what their inner and outer struggles are. And in doing so, as things coalesce…we know that there’s a battle that’s going to have to begin,” he says. Sbarge acknowledges that he hasn’t yet read or heard anything from producers to indicate this battle is imminent, but he says it’s definitely what he hopes to eventually see. “We know that everyone is living in this dream-like state and they’re going to have to rise up and fight. There’s going to have to be – at least, they’re laying a lot of track for it – some epic battle. That’s my opinion.”

‘CASTLE’: YOUR ‘KILL SHOT’ QUESTIONS ANSWERED

I love our little Q&A sessions, so after I checked out next week’s episode of Castle, I thought it might be fun to do one. If you didn’t get a chance to get in on the action, make sure you’re following me on Twitter! (@EWSandraG)

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‘LEVERAGE’ BOSS TALKS GREAT PARKER AND HARDISON MOMENTS AHEAD

One of the cable couples I get asked about the most is easily Parker and Hardison on Leverage, and that thrills me because I find them totally fascinating. Parker, for her hesitation to let herself fall for Hardison, and Hardison, for his unwavering patience with the situation. And as executive producer Dean Devlin told me in our conversation about the last stretch of this season, these next few episodes will be big for the couple. “I think we’re going to continue what we’ve built on. The key is to not go backwards, and that’s challenging because we really progressed their relationship in the first half,” he said. “Parker is a uniquely damaged character and she’s only now coming out of that shell and dealing with her emotions. So, now that she’s accepting that she’s moving forward with Hardison, she’s really having a hard time trying to understand what that all means, because literally, she’s never had, in her entire life, a relationship like this.”

So what will the next few episode bring? For one, Devlin says there are a couple of episodes “where she gets challenged in dealing with how she’s feeling, and in some ways, she has to go through what everybody else went through when they were in jr. high and high school.” And in the season opener, he says, there’s a particularly fun moment “where Parker tries to encourage Hardison and it’s clearly a complete fake, and his chagrin at watching her do it is so touching and romantic…. It’s so lovely because it says so much about their relationship within the subtext.” Having screened the ep, I’m inclined to agree.

(Keep an eye out for our full chat with more Leverage scoop this weekend!)

NEXT: Scoop on ‘How I Met Your Mother,’ ‘The Walking Dead,’ ‘Nikita,’ and more

SIDE DISHES

I’d love scoopage on Bones or I could go for some How I Met Your Mother action. (You actually got me hooked on it…be proud) — Madison from Texas

For those wondering if Robin could be redeemed after last week’s heartbreaking episode, she might accomplish that this week. (And it’s absolutely killing me that I can’t tell you how!!) Let’s just say you do not want to miss the last four or so minutes, which find Robin (self-) barricaded inside a room with a plate of cheese having a chat with the Barnicle. I mean, in all honesty, you’ll enjoy the whole episode. (Barney and Ted introduce us to “bro-parenting”…and once again seriously make me consider naming my baby Hurricane.) But again: The. Last. Scene.

So when are Alex and Sean going to hook up on Nikita? I am loving these two! — Aja

I’m with you there, Aja! So I took this question to the one guy who could give us some insight — Dillon Casey. “I think Sean sees a bit of himself in Alex. They bond over the fact that they’re both a little bit of an island within Division, and they’re looking for somewhere to put their allegiance and they’ve put it in family,” he says. “I think they are both sizing each other up and they both don’t necessarily trust each other, but they have feelings they’re trying to ignore. Sean, not so much. He’s trying to seduce her to use her. But I think it leaves Alex in a [strange] position.” But does he think they’ll ultimately get together? “I think Alex wants to be seduced, but maybe it’s not the No. 1 thing on her list, which is weird because every girl I meet wants to be seduced by me,” he jokes.

Thanks for showing some love for Suburgatory. Would love something on their Thanksgiving episode next week! — Hope

Family drama! One family will welcome a new member. Someone has a secret romance. Someone gets a drastic(ish) makeover. And someone ends up buck naked in the back seat of a car. Who said the ‘burbs were boring?!

You seem very Chair biased with your Gossip Girl spoilers and opinions. Do you think you can manage anything for Dair fans? — Alice

I’m glad you brought this up, Alice. I will try better to keep things even. And on that note, this weekend I’m going to a party to celebrate Gossip Girl‘s 100th episode. So stay tuned to my Twitter for updates from the party (when I’m able) and send me your many, many questions (Dair, Chair and otherwise). I will try my best to get you as many answers as possible!

Is Sophia ever gonna be found on The Walking Dead? — @beetlejuice851

“Is Sophia alive?” “Is Rick still making radio calls in the morning?” “When will Rick find out Lori is preggo?” “When will Shane find out Lori is pregnant?” “Can someone survive if they fall into Hershel’s zombie pit?” The answer to one of these questions is in this week’s episode. And the answers to two of the others are in the midseason finale. Enjoy the game!

Hi Sandra. First off, happy anniversary to you and the Spoiler Room column. (Spoilerversary?) You’ve been nice enough to answer more than a few of my queries since the column started and I appreciate that. Thank you. Now, my question: The winter premieres for The Lying Game & Switched At Birth are about six weeks away. Any spoilers yet? — Bruce

I’ll take The Lying Game for $300, mostly because a spy of mine spotted the show filming some juicy stuff this past week at Texas State University in San Marcos, Tex. I’m told the episode will find Emma (still as Sutton, obviously) being courted by universities, and in this case, a tennis recruiter named Randy (played by Friday Night Lights‘ Drew Waters). While dad (Andy Buckley) is stoked about the development, Emma is less so — but obviously not enough to stop her from making a campus visit. (And you’re welcome! ☺)

NEXT: Scoop on ‘The Good Wife,’ ‘The Closer,’ ‘Sons of Anarchy,’ and more

Would love scoop on Good Wife‘s Will and Alicia! I read in the comments that some crazy people like her better with Peter. They’re crazy. It’s all about Will and Alicia. There’s a gold star in it for you if you bring me back something good. — Carrie

Will I get half a gold star for scoop on one of the two? Because if you’ll remember, last week Jackie had some super intense scenes in which she was snooping through Alicia’s bedroom and computer, and if you think that’s going to go unaddressed this week, you’re wrong! Look for Alicia to have her finest confrontation with Jackie yet — and for her to make a couple of bold moves that will certainly make her mother-in-law keep her distance.

The Closer comes back soon. Tease please! (Hey, I rhymed!) — Tim

When the show returns, you’ll get a good idea of how things have changed in the department after this big case has been brought against them. And at the end of the episode you’ll also see more of the unbearable lawyer (Curtis Armstrong) at the center of it all. He’ll reappear thinking he has intel on Capt. Raydor, but just remember, she always has the edge. (While screening the ep, I literally yelled at the TV, “Take that, you little booger!” and I didn’t even mean to pun!)

True Blood already took Henry away from Grey’s! Tell me they’re not also going to take Denis O’Hare away from American Horror Story! — Liz

While it’s true that Scott Foley has moved from the land of scrubs and studs to the modesty-sock capital of America, O’Hare seems less sure he’ll have to make the same either/or choice. While on a conference call with reporters yesterday, he said, “I don’t know anything about the future…but luckily for me they shoot on opposite schedules. True Blood starts up this Monday and will go until July, and Horror Story is winding down the first week of December and won’t be shooting again until next July. So it fits as two halves to a lovely year.”

How great is Ryan Hurst on Sons of Anarchy!? Please give me something on poor Opie. He’s about to snap, am I right? — James

More right than even you realize. But don’t get me wrong, there is much quiet, somber action going on in the next episode, including an especially touching scene in a crematorium, where Opie says goodbye to his dad…with Jax by his side. Oh, then there’s crazy, too. Lots and lots of crazy.

I hated how Santana picked on poor Rory this week on Glee. I mean, I don’t think anyone deserves to get outed, but please tell me Rory gets a comeback. — Jen

Could the answer to Rory’s popularity troubles be a new LOVE? Could be. When we talked to Damian McGinty over the weekend, the Glee Project winner was certainly open to the idea. “I hope [Rory] gets a love interest,” he told us. “There’s no denying all the girls on Glee are absolutely gorgeous. There’s so much more to talk about with Rory than just having a girlfriend. There’s a whole list of storylines for him, and maybe having a girlfriend is a little bit down that list. Who knows? It’s a little bit weird because all the girls are two years older than him, but it doesn’t bother me.” I’m sure it doesn’t bother them either, Damian.

Anything new to report on New Girl? And this is a random question, but I’m curious: How long is she going to be ‘the new girl.’ If the show goes on for 10 seasons or something, will they ever change the name? — Ted

“We definitely might go into their family stories,” explains executive producer Liz Meriwether. “I feel like there is so much comedy in who Jess’ parents are and who Schmidt’s parents are and who Nick’s [are]. We’re definitely going to do that. We don’t have anything lined up right now, but it’s sort of constantly discussing it in the writer’s room, so I’m hoping that will happen soon. I’m really interested in Schmidt’s bunny costumes and his mother’s experiences. Schmidt’s bunny costumes and his mother’s experiences.”

You’re slacking on your It’s Always Sunny scoop. — Dan

Well you’re slacking on your asking. Ever think about that, Dan!? Huh?! Um, while I take some calming breaths and put down this cup of caffeine, chew on this: If I were to give next week’s episode a new title, I’d call in: “Sweet Dee Gets Hit By a Water Wall of Sh–” or “Dennis Sex on Tape.” It’s really as great as it sounds.

(Lanford Beard, Erin Strecker, Benjamin Wood contributed to this report.)