Da Bits: "Hi Neil, When can we expect the next season of NCIS? I see FX replaying last season but I am ready for the next season to begin. I am "dieing" to know how the each of the cast members reacts to the shooting of Kate!"

Neil: Fridays at 9pm from January 13. Other January premieres on FX include The Wire Season 3 (Tuesdays at 9pm from the 17th), Chapelle's Show (Thursdays at 10pm from the 24th) and Last Man Standing (Mondays at 9pm from the 16th).


Laura: "When will the next season of America's Next Top Model be on UK screens? I understand it has started in the US already."

Neil: You can catch a marathon of season four on the weekend of January 7/8 before season five finally premieres at 9pm on Monday, January 16.


Daniel Cox: "When will the 8th series of Charmed be aried in the UK? Will it be on Channel 5 or Living TV?"

Neil: Living TV, beginning Thursday, January 5 at 8pm.


George: "I have been watching the excellent Rome and cant believe that it is not being pushed harder in terms of marketing because I feel that everyone should be watching the programme.

Anyway my questions are:

1. How is Rome doing ratings wise?
2. Do you know if Joss Whedon will ever do anything Angel/ Buffy or serenity related again (serenity kills it)?
3. Is Serenity doing well (cinema wise) enough for a tv comeback?
4. Is there going to be another series of west wing?
5. Where can I catch the new law and order criminal intent?"

Neil: Five questions is pushing my hospitality a little, but I'll indulge and go All About George for a moment. The answers you require:

1. Not bad, but rather worringly it lost around a third of its audience last week. It's still not bad for a BBC Two show though, with over 3 million viewers.
2. Yes, there are rumours of a number of spinoff projects: check out our news archives for more.
3. A common question, but I'm not sure who might take a punt on it. One interesting possibility (mulled by many studios of late) is a direct-to-DVD type thing. So watch this space, I suppose.
4. Yes, More4 from next year (if you discount the current "new" series)
5. Hallmark and Five, next year.


Jane: "Is the Oprah show airing in the UK?"

Neil: Not right now, but check out ITV2 from January and you may be pleasantly surprised.


Niall: "When does Parkinson finish their current series? I read on Radiotimes that this series would have 12 episodes. The one on November 26th being episode 8. The following week there is no episode. So if the remaining 4 episodes were to be aired after that the show would finish on December 30th. Other talk shows like Jonathan Ross are finished a week earlier. Is Radiotimes correct in there being 12 eps this series?"

Neil: The episode order is correct, but I'm not completely sure on the timings. What they may do is keep back episodes 11 and 12 for the new year.


Jane: "When is the new season of American Idol starting?"

Neil: January. My guess is the 20th.


Casey Britton: "Just wondered how MTV's TRL does in the figures? How does it compare to the US version?"

Neil: Not brilliantly. It varies, depending on the guest(s) on the show, but it tends to average around 15-20,000.


and finally....
A small update on Veronica Mars - reruns of season one begin on Living TV, weekdays at 3.15pm from Monday, January 9. Meanwhile, I'm hearing that season two is likely to air from the summer.

Oh, and The Comeback will premiere January 5 at 9.30pm.


More next Saturday!