[Televisionary]

In case you haven't heard, Brothers & Sisters creator Jon Robin Baitz is no longer involved with the ABC drama. But lest you say he was fired off of the series he created, he's quick to point out that he was "ousted, not fired, an important distinction," in a heartbreakingly honest two-part piece Baitz has written for the Huffington Post about the nature of his, er, departure from Brothers & Sisters . (Part One can be found here .) He admits that the series, which struggled early on in its run, needed help. "I will very openly state on the record that the second show-runner who stepped in, did, in fact, quite literally save the show," writes Baitz, "and that in fact, were I left to my own devices in TV land, it is fairly certain that B&S would have been canceled within hours of the third episode." Despite acknowledging deep-seated tensions between him and the studio, Baitz is quick to point out that the rumors swirling about his oust...

Call it a case of growing pains... or sibling rivalry. I can't help but wonder what exactly is going on at ABC's Brothers & Sisters , the freshman drama starring Calista Flockhart, Rachel Griffiths, Balthazar Getty, Dave Annabel, and Sally Field as the only-on-TV-are-these-people-related Walker family of not so sunny California. (Ron Rifkin and Patricia Wettig also star.) When the behind-the-scenes drama on a series seems more intense than the actual show itself, that's a sign for alarm, especially as fall premiere dates seem to be looming ever closer. First, there were the well-publicized cast changes . Jonathan LaPaglia and Betty Buckley were voted off the island; replacing them are Matthew Rhys and Sally Field. Okay, post-pilot cast changes/additions are always to be expected and nine times out of ten they're really for the best. (Just look at the original Willow on the pilot presentation of Buffy the Vampire Slayer if you don't believe me.) News leaked out ...

It's moments like these when you just have to gloat and say things like, You read it here first at Televisionary ! (No, I mustn't gloat, it's not attractive.) I had reported several weeks ago about Desperate Housewives showrunner Tom Spezialy walking off the set of the ABC drama and the rumors coming to me about nearly all of the show's writing staff receiving their walking papers. I had also reported on a rumored replacement for Spezialy: former Out of Practice and Frasier producer Bob Daily . In a rather juicy turn (fitting given the soapy series in question), I can now say that the above rumors have been confirmed as fact. Variety is today reporting that Daily has signed a deal to join Desperate Housewives full-time as a co-executive producer, replacing Spezialy. Additionally, Joe Keenan, Daily's colleague on Out of Practice (he was the co-creator of the now-cancelled sitcom), and former Will & Grace showrunner Jeff Greenstein are in discussions to jo...

Scandal erupted on the set of Desperate Housewives on Friday when the show's executive producer and showrunner Tom Spezialy walked off the set. According to the Hollywood Reporter, sources indicated that a replacement might be found for Spezialy next season. The cause of the walkoff was undisclosed, but The Hollywood Reporter described it as "an unspecified falling out." However, behind-the-scenes movements over the weekend must have calmed down Spezialy, as he is expected to return to work today in order to wrap production this week on the dramedy's season finale. UPDATE: I pulled out my nifty Hollywood rolodex again (well, opened my contacts in Outlook anyway) and came across some rather juicy gossip emanating from the set of Desperate Housewives . According to my well-placed agency sources, there's been much in-fighting among the DH writing staff for quite a while now and that Spezialy's departure may be the first of many from Wisteria Lane. One rumor ha...