... HBO's Big Love, which according to everyone is both awesome and disappointing this year, has been renewed for a fifth season. The show about a multiple-wives-having Utah dude has been on the up-and-up, growing in audience and awards show appearances. But I've always wondered about this: If all these men have multiple wives, where are they finding all these extra women? [THR]
... Sarah Chalke, who I once saw in the most insane dress ever at an ABC party (it was like two half-dresses barely joined vertically in the middle), is doing the comedy thing again post-Scrubs. She'll play a newly appointed member of congress in the ABC pilot The Freshman, which has nothing to do with eating Komodo Dragons. [EW]
... Rob Lowe, fresh off ditching Brothers & Sisters, may be headed to The Eye. Rumors have the actor up for a big part in CBS' Criminal Minds spinoff, which recently cast Forest Whitaker. Lowe, Whitaker, Larry Fishburne... CBS procedurals are like some weird actor graveyard. [E! Online]
... Even more casting news: Cynthia Watros, famous for playing Libby on that freaky-deaky Lost show, is moving into House. She's on board for multiple episodes as (I'm told this might be spoiler-y, so avert ye eyes) one of Wilson's ex-wives. Look for her on the show sometime in April. [EW]
... People are making a big deal over David Letterman hiring a female writer for his Late Show staff. Not because it's rare for women to write for late-night television (though it is), but because of Letterman's affair with another staff member. No need to look too far into this, people. [TV Squad]
... People will once again think they can dance this summer. Fox and So You Think You Can Dance have announced a Season 7 premiere for May 27. In case that's your thing. [Fox, via press release]
... Happy Birthday, Facebook! The time-sucking, old-girlfriend-stalking, useless-information-posting Web site turns six today, which sounds like a perfect opportunity to tell you to become a fan of TV.com on Facebook. We promise not to post any boring pictures of our children. [Facebook]
If Big Love has been renewed, I hope they send the director of this week's episode back to a refresher course on how to pace and unfold a story.
A Criminal Minds spinoff? I'm a huge fan of the three CSI's and NCIS but even I can admit that CBS is maybe going a little too far with the spinoffs.
Rob Lowe is smart to ditch that show. He needs to move up in the face time department. His character is DOA right now.