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While we here at Team WWK don't make a habit out of reporting daytime television scoop, we just couldn't resist this one.

That's right, tubers: Golden Globe winner, Judd Apatow muse and former Freaks and Geeks heartthrob James Franco is set to join the soapy goodness that is General Hospital!

A network rep confirms the addition to E! News, telling us that James' multi-episiode stint begins airing Nov. 20.

James' character steers clear of the hospital, though, opting instead to go toe-to-toe with resident mob thug and G.H. superstar Jason Morgan (Steve Burton), says Fancast.

No official word on why the Pineapple Express star took the gig, but sources tell ABC Soaps In Depth that the movie star "wants to do everything" throughout his career. Franco is scheduled to be on set one day a week, filming several episodes at a time.

Don't get us wrong—any chance to see more James on the small screen is always welcome. We're just a little surprised by the Funny or Die dude's latest career move. Hey, if they keep this up, we might just have to make General Hospital one of our regulars from now on.

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Yay! We knew you'd love Modern Family as much as we did (don't deny it—we saw those huge premiere ratings).

Ty Burrell, otherwise known as ultracool, hipster dad Phil on ABC's new hit, was nice enough to chat with us about what's coming up on his little branch of the family tree, including thievery and toy planes.

On top of incredible guest star scoop (Edward Norton and Elizabeth Banks—hello!), Ty couldn't help but brag about the incredible cast and crew on the show and provide more scoop than he probably should have—sorry, ABC.

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Leaving American Idol has turned Paula Abdul into the belle of the ball! Not only is Nigel Lythgoe trying to talk her into a gig on So You Think You Can Dance, but we just learned at the Television Critics Association press tour that ABC boss Steve McPherson would love to get her a job on Dancing With the Stars.

If Paula signed on to DWTS, would she be a judge, a choreographer or a dancer? Here's the dish from today's press tour:

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Summer has barely kicked in, but we already have our minds on the much-anticipated fall TV season.

ABC is the first of the biggies to release some of their premiere dates for returning shows like Desperate Housewives and newcomers such as Flash Forward, featuring Lost's Dominic Monaghan. In case you forgot what the Alphabet network has in store for us, please revisit our Upfronts story.

Read on to see how ABC is rolling this fall...

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Is the quirky and adorable Dr. Elliot Reid scrubbing back in for the ninth season of the hit ABC series?

The short answer? She's still not sure. But the long answer is more fun anyway, right?

The lovely Sarah Chalke is one busy lady. She's making the rounds promoting her new Lifetime miniseries, Maneater. She's still a shoo-in to drop by CBS's How I Met Your Mother. And, unfortunately, she's also still up in the air about that offer to return to ABC's just-renewed Scrubs.

"I actually don't know yet what I'm going to do, but I will very soon. You guys will be the first to know," says Sarah. "Regardless, I'm excited that the show got picked up again and it's going to go another year."

So there you have it. Nothing set in stone yet, but what Sarah said next about what was presumed to be the series finale of Scrubs and where she might end up next may surprise you...

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Jump inside to follow our liveblog of ABC's presentation to advertisers at the Lincoln Center upfront here in New York City.

We've got a sneak peek of the first act of hot new futuristic drama Flash Forward, everything you need to know about ABC's best-looking comedies (including Cougar Town, starring Courteney Cox) and a whole lot of Jimmy Kimmel telling it like it is.

It's good times, we promise...

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And now we're on to NBC's official scheduling announcements. What a busy day! The most important general note about NBC is that it's running two schedules for the 2009-10 season, one in fall and one in spring.

Canceled NBC Shows

• My Name Is Earl star Ethan Suplee twittered: "Just got the call that My Name Is Earl has been canceled. They sure did take their time with that decision or rather informing us of it." Theoretically Earl could still go to another network, but it's leaving NBC for sure.
• NBC has also canceled Medium. The show is produced by CBS Paramount, so according to Industry reports, it might go to the CBS network, where it might even fit better, at least as far as network brands are concerned.
• As previously announced or leaked, Life, Kath & Kim and Knight Rider have all been canceled.

Returning NBC Shows

• Chuck is officially coming back, thanks to the largesse of sponsor Subway. Chuck will air Mondays at 8 p.m. beginning in February, after the Olympics.
• Heroes will take the Monday 8 p.m. time slot in the fall.
• Law & Order has been renewed for season 20.
• Law & Order and Southland will share Friday nights at 8 and 9 p.m., respectively. This Jay Leno situation makes TV all strange and unnatural.
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit will air Wednesdays at 9 p.m. in both halves (fall and spring) of NBC's 2009-10 schedule.

New NBC Shows

• New paramedic show Trauma will follow Heroes at 9 p.m.
• New apocalypse show Day One will air Mondays at 9 p.m. beginning in February.
• Joel McHale's Community will air at 9:30 p.m. on Thursdays after The Office.
• Parenthood will air at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays in the fall, and then cede that slot to Mercy at midseason.
• 100 Questions launches midseason at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Read on for more NBC news in our liveblog of the Peacock's scheduling conference call...

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ABC boss Steve McPherson held a press conference this morning at the Alphabet's New York headquarters, and we were there to interrogate him about what just got canceled, what (and who) is coming back and all those new programs that are airing in the fall.

Read along with our liveblog to get all the news about Elizabeth Mitchell's fate on Lost, the return of Scrubs and who killed Samantha Who?. Plus, all the facty data you could ever want about scheduling, time slots and pilot stars!

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Looks like the rumor was true. ABC has picked up the newly revived comedy Scrubs for a ninth season.

After touting its eighth year as its last, most of the shows main stars are returning for another go-around, including fan faves Donald Faison, John C. McGinley and Neil Flynn. And all of the debate surrounding the return of Zach Braff, Scrubs' daydreaming, kooky main doc, can be put to rest. The star has signed on for six episodes to help the show switch over to its new format.

Sadly, coupled with the return of Scrubs will be a few new characters, but mainly the interns from season eight and possibly a new look. Show runner Bill Lawrence is said to be considering changing things up from the current single-camera setting.

Some other potential changes? Sarah Chalke has yet to sign the same six-episode deal as Zach, and Judy Reyes has reportedly not even been approached to return, but would more than likely be billed as a guest star.  

Keep reading for more awesome news from the ABC-verse, including a few things you might be able to guess on your own based on the picture up top...

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Yay! ABC has just announced early pickups for 12 series, including six dramas we love: Lost, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty and Brothers & Sisters. (Renewals were expected for all of these shows but this official nod means the studio and producers can now securely start spending budget dollars on new staff and new stuff.)

On the "unscripted" side of things, look for more of The Bachelor, Dancing With the Stars, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Wife Swap, Supernanny and good ol' America's Funniest Home Videos.

ABC series that are notably not included on this early pickup list include Samantha Who?, Better Off Ted, The Unusuals, Castle, Cupid and Surviving Suburbia, but any of those series might still be picked up before the ABC upfront presentation to advertisers in New York City on May 19. (Scrubs is reportedly also under consideration for a ninth season, but a renewal is dependent on negotiations with key talent, so perhaps an early pickup is too much to hope for.)

Among those ABC shows ending for sure are According to Jim and Life on Mars.

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Dying to know where the Piemaker and his beloved Charlotte Charles will end up when Pushing Daisies comes to a close?

Join the club! But apparently ABC is in no hurry to give the fans closure.

Sources close to the Alphabet network tell me exclusively that the remaining episodes for Daisies will not air until—wait for it, ‘cause you're gonna have to—this summer.

And that's not all. It's the same case for those two other much-loved but recently canceled ABC series: Eli Stone and Dirty Sexy Money.

Yes, word is Daisies' final three episodes and Eli and DSM's final four won't air until June at the earliest.

According to insiders, the original plan was for the final three episodes of Daisies to begin airing last Wednesday, but ABC decided to air reruns of Scrubs instead.

And what you really won't want to hear is...

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ABC/DANNY FELD

No, no, no. A thousand times no.

This is what I can tell you hundreds of panicked fans who have emailed in this evening after hearing a fast-spreading rumor that Pushing Daisies has been canceled.

I've just checked in with very reliable and well-placed sources connected to the show, who tell me that ABC has not yet informed producers whether the series will end after its initial 13-episode order for the current season.

In fact, show runner Bryan Fuller confirms to me tonight that he has not received any word yet on the show's fate.

Still, there is some truth to the rumor going around...

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