The TV Zone

Nathan Fillion fans - you know who you are and why you are - will be very pleased to learn that he's landed a big series commitment from ABC, which announced a handful of '08 pickups yesterday, as reported on TVtattle.com.

Perrineau - he needs no intro - will be in a comedy/cop procedural called "The Unusuals" (also previously announced.) It'll be set in NYC, and check out the descrip on the jump.

Alyssa Milano and Beau Bridges are coming to ABC, too.

Fillion - of "Firefly" and of course "Lost" fame - will headline a show called "Castle," and here's what the press release says about it:

“'Castle' is a comedic crime procedural about a famous mystery novelist, Nick Castle, who is bored with his own success. When a real-world copycat murderer starts staging scenes from Nick’s novels, Nick is teamed up with NYPD Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic] and the challenge gets his blood pumping as he steps in to help solve the crime. Nick and Beckett’s styles instantly clash and sparks begin to fly, leading both to danger and a hint of romance. Nick is kept grounded by his Broadway diva mother, quick-witted teenage daughter and his long-suffering ex-wife… who happens to be his editor. "

Please head on down to the ol' jump for the rest of the new series descriptions, via ABC:

That's what she'll be telling Robin Roberts on Tuesday's "GMA." Here are some quotes, gratis "GMA:"

"I'm clear," the star of "Samantha Who?" said. "Absolutely 100 percent clear and clean. ... They got everything out so I'm definitely not going to die from breast cancer."

Here's the rest of "GMA's" late afternoon presser:

"Applegate, who started getting mammograms six years ago after she turned 30, said the cancer was found through the second of two MRI tests as a follow-up from a biopsy she had last year.

During the interview she laughs about her reaction to the initial diagnosis, but perhaps only to offset the fear she felt then.

"'I was so mad and I -- I just remember I was -- I was just shaking'," she says."

Blink and you might not even know that ABC just announced a new fall schedule about ... oh ... 35 minutes ago. It looks the same ... smells the same ... largely IS the same as the one that appeared last fall. 'Tis no huge surprise: ABC was in good shape then and is in good shape now, and when "good" is the dominant flavor of your prime-time fortunes, then there's little reason to change.

And speaking of "good," there's a new Mike Judge animated joining the schedule, tilted "The Goode Family." Also (as expected), "Scrubs" will join up sometime midseason.

The most intriguing thing here? A new Tyra Banks beauty pageant -- no details -- that joins up midseason, too.

Otherwise, there are no surprises with this schedule. "Boston Legal" will return -- that was reported last week. The new David E. Kelley show, "Life on Mars" is here too (absent Kelley.)

But why go on. Here's the lineup, with the network's capsule descriptions of new shows to follow ...

MONDAY: 8:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars”
9:30 p.m. “Samantha Who?”
10:00 p.m. “Boston Legal”

TUESDAY: 8:00 p.m. “Opportunity Knocks”
9:00 p.m. “DWTS" results.
10:00 p.m. “Eli Stone”

WEDNESDAY: 8:00 p.m. “Pushing Daisies”
9:00 p.m. “Private Practice”
10:00 p.m. “Dirty Sexy Money”

THURSDAY: 8:00 p.m. “Ugly Betty”
9:00 p.m. “Grey’s Anatomy”
10:00 p.m. “Life on Mars”

FRIDAY: 8:00 p.m. “Wife Swap”
9:00 p.m. “Supernanny”
10:00 p.m. “20/20”

SATURDAY: 8:00 p.m. “Saturday Night College Football”

SUNDAY: 7:00 p.m. “AFHV"
8:00 p.m. “ExMa: HE"
9:00 p.m. “Desperate Housewives”
10:00 p.m. “Brothers & Sisters”

And...the newbies...

"Opportunity Knocks" (reality/game):

"Our mobile team will arrive at 'Anywhere, America' in a semi-truck that is full of flat screen TVs, new furniture and big cash prizes that the family can win right there. We will take the action of a game show directly into our contestants’ homes, setting up shop in a family’s front lawn."

"Life on Mars":
"The series revolves around Sam Tyler, a modern-day police detective who, after a car crash, mysteriously finds himself transported back to 1973 and still working as a detective."

"The Goode Family":

"The Goode Family is obsessed with doing the 'right' thing, whether it’s environmentally, politically or socially. Unfortunately their efforts often have unintended comic consequences."

"Ashton Kutcher/Tyra Banks" reality show:

"A beauty pageant unlike any you’ve ever seen, from executive producers Ashton Kutcher and Tyra Banks."

(Photo: Of You Know Who. Courtesy, Time.)