Ray Mickshaw / FOXHappy 2012, you lovely TV watchers!
Since we've been off enjoying baked goods and awkward family interactions, some good TV news has gone down, and it's high time we catch up. Most notably, Melanie Amaro, season-one champion of The X Factor, has been signed to Epic Records following her big win. Plus, Ryan Murphy dropped a hint about American Horror Story's mysterious second season. And guess who's getting awfully cozy when The Vampire Diaries returns this week with an all-new episode?
Epic Records announced today that they have signed Amaro to a recording contract. And lest you all forget, she also wins $5 million, the largest prize in television history, and she'll star in a Pepsi commercial.
"I joined The X Factor to be able to discover undeniable talent such as Melanie," judge L.A. Reid says in a statement. "I am pleased that she is now signed to Epic Records because I believe we have only scratched the surface on uncovering her talent and her inevitable journey to super-stardom."
The Vampire Diaries: Damon (Iam Somerhalder) and Elena (Nina Dobrev) miss having Stefan (Paul Wesley) around, that's for sure. But they certainly don't miss him enough to keep a symbolic space between them. Just check out the photo from this week's episode, "The New Deal." Delana fans: rejoice! Stelana fans: recoil.
American Horror Story: Murphy told EW.com that a huge clue to where season two will take place can be found in the penultimate episode of season one, "Birth." "Go through it frame by frame," the AHS boss said. "I planted it in there." Awesomely enough, our buddy at TheInsider.com did some digging and came up with five possible locations for season two. Our favorite guess? A prison or asylum!
CSI: Jesse McCartney, he of the "Beautiful Soul" persuasion, will guest star in the Feb. 15 episode of the CBS procedural, CSI Files reports. The pop singer will play Wes, a recent college grad who crashes his car after passing out behind the wheel. Most importantly, he bonds with our favorite investigator, Nick "Über-Handsome" Stokes (George Eads). That episode will also be the debut of Elisabeth Shue's series regular role.
iCarly: Glee may get the likes of Britney Spears, but that show has nothing on iCarly. EW.com has the first look at Michelle Obama's guest appearance on the Nickelodeon hit. In the episode, Carly's (Miranda Cosgrove) two best friends break some rules to set up a web chat so Carly can speak to her dad, who's serving overseas. The first lady, who hears about the girls' efforts, then comes to talk to them about the importance of connecting soldiers with their families.