Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on Bones, HIMYM, NCIS, Nashville, Castle, True Blood, Glee and More

Got a scoop request? An anonymous tip you’re dying to share? Send any/all of the above to askausiello@tvline.com

Question: I will take anything you have on Bones. The little I have heard about the season has me truly intrigued.  —Cassidy
Ausiello: The first Bones Season 9 spoiler has arrived — and it’s an Ask Ausiello exclusive! According to a little birdie, the Sept. 16 opener is titled “The Secrets in the Proposal.” What does it mean?!?! Allow Stephen “Little Birdie” Nathan to explain: “We want to continue exploring how Booth and Brennan adjust after their ill-fated proposal and the secret Booth is forced to keep. Secrets will be a theme we keep alive — and dead (we are a murder show after all) — in the episode.”

Question: Any scoop on what season 5 of Glee will bring? —Alicia
Ausiello: At least three new female recurring characters, including African-American McKinley newbie Ruby, and twentysomethings Julie and Ryan. Interestingly, actresses auditioning for Ryan must be able to sing and play guitar. Potential portrayers of Julie just need to be cute and quirky.

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Question: How sure are you about “The Locket” being the title of the How I Met Your Mother season premiere? –Babar
Ausiello: On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being not so sure and 10 being exec producer Carter Bays has since released a photo of the premiere script with the words “The Locket” emblazoned at the top confirming my earlier scoop, um… I’ll give it a 10.

And away we go. #HIMYM pic.twitter.com/gNL7RcGncf

— Carter Bays (@CarterBays) July 8, 2013

Question: Got anything How I Met Your Mother-related for us? —Rebecca
Ausiello: Episodes 2 and 3 are titled “Coming Back” and “The Broken Code,” respectively. (And yes, Babar, I’m sure.)

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Question: I am so thrilled that Falling Skies wound up renewed! Any scoop to add to my celebration? –Chelsea
Ausiello: Try this casting item on for size: Jennifer Ferrin (The Following) guest-stars in the July 21 episode…. as Tom’s wife. Also, are you eagle-eyed enough to spy Doug Jones in the same episode out of his Cochise get-up?

Question: As a desperate White Collar fangirl could you please tell me any scoop about it? —Ellie13
Ausiello: Prepare to hose yourself down, because if you ever wanted to see Neal dressed as a fireman, this season’s sixth episode will satisfy your… curiosity.

Question: I saw the Ben/Warlow twist coming a mile away on True Blood, but I’m still intrigued by the storyline. Any intel on this Sunday’s episode? —Cathy
Ausiello: This week, you’ll learn a whole lot more about exactly how the rare fairy vampire came into existence. Plus, it will make a bit more sense why Sookie waited until after she and her latest suitor were half naked before revealing that she knew his true identity.

Question: Any scoop you can give us on Pam and Tara’s love/hate relationship on True Blood? — Ashley
Ausiello: Oh, c’mon. Even though the language they use is often hateful, you know their relationship is really more of a love/love sort. And in this week’s episode, Tara makes a biiig sacrifice that proves it yet again.

Question: Any NCIS tidbits to share on the new season? —Cheryl
Ausiello: There’s some serious WTF?! buzz surrounding the CBS smash’s Sept. 24 premiere, and here’s why: The episode is titled “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.” (Trend alert: This is the third instance in recent memory of an hour-long drama using this expression as an episode title, following Scandal and The Good Wife.) Maybe the title is a nod to the insane workload dropped on the desk of the I.T. department’s newest hire Ozzy, a towering figure who’s tasked with digging up information on an intruder and tracking down a potential hacker.

Question: Any news on whether or not Lana Parrilla will be on Once Upon A Time panel at Comic-Con? –Callie
Ausiello: Speak of the devil.. er, Evil Queen. Though Parrilla was not among the first batch of RSVPs, I have just learned that thanks to a bit of “hocus pocus,” she will materialize at the panel after all.

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Question: Any details on when and how Yvonne Strahovski’s Hannah will resurface on Dexter? —Caroline
Ausiello: Dex’s killer ex returns around midseason in what exec producer Sara Colleton calls “a very interesting way,” adding, “These two people were like magnets, and sometimes that can be attractive, sometimes that can be repulsive. But it will definitely be part of Dexter’s emotional journey to experiencing what being a human being is all about.”

Question: You’ve been conspicuously quiet about Castle Season 6. You holding out on us? —Charlie
Ausiello: Me? Never. The show is casting a handful of new agents detectives who I’m guessing will be Beckett’s new D.C.-based colleagues in the U.S. Attorney General’s office. One of them — a character named Matt, who’s intelligent and driven — will recur, so either Kate’s putting down roots in the nation’s capital or this guy’s going to follow her back to the Big Apple or… I’m talking out of my ass. It’s one of those, I swear!

Question: Are the rumors true about Once Upon a Time introducing Tinker Bell? —Bonnie
Ausiello: I’ll answer that question by describing to you the new character of Violet and letting you draw your own conclusions. How about that? Vi is a mischievous twentysomething whose penchant for troublemaking belies the heart of a true survivor. (Interesting side note, especially for Hook if she is Tinkerbell: She never lets a slight go unpunished!)

Question: Mistresses isn’t going to waste Gary Dourdan’s hotness by relegating him to a generic “insurance investigator” role, right? —April (not the Mistresses character)
Ausiello: First, the bad news: The former CSI star’s latest alter-ego won’t suddenly reveal he’s moonlighting as a hired assassin or a highly paid gigolo — so “insurance investigator” will have to sate your appetite. The good news, however, is that Dourdan’s Anthony Newsome will try to shift his relationship with Karen from professional/adversarial to personal/friendly (ahem). All he’ll need is a floodlight, a security camera and a glass of wine. As for whether she’ll be game for his affections…we’re talking about Karen, summer’s hottest TV mess. You do the math.

Question: Thanks for the Nashville scoop last week. I’m a greedy bastard, so please gimme more! —Tara
Ausiello: We almost lost Rayna! It’s true. We’ll learn in the season premiere that she nearly perished in the finale’s cheesetacular car accident, but the silver lining is the near-death experience sent her album sales soaring. Jump ahead several months to the opener and her career’s still on an upswing and she’s the apple in the eye of her label’s new top exec, the very good looking and incredibly charming Jeff. You thinking what I’m thinking? ‘Cause I’m thinking these two crazy kids are going to mix in a little pleasure with their business. (Speaking of Nashville, didja see this?)

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Question: Any scoop on Hart of Dixie? —Cornelia
Ausiello: The premiere, titled “Southern Comfort Zone,” will introduce two new recurring characters. One is Joel, a quintessential New York artist who passes through Bluebell to get some inspiration for his latest book and becomes enamored with the small town’s charms. The other’s Lynly, Lavon’s spoiled, cluless cousin who arrives to town in the hopes of mending her broken heart. News flash: Girlfriend’s not as dumb as she lets on.

Question: Production of Season 5 of Vampire Diaries officially started this week. I realize its a tad early but is there a way we can find out how much Delena sexiness is shippers can expect in the premiere!? —Ana
Ausiello: Can’t help you on the Delena front, but there’s buzz that the show is casting a male doctor who knows alllllll of Damon’s secrets.

That’s a wrap! Please send questions, comments, and anonymous tips to askausiello@tvline.com. (Additional reporting by Meg Masters)