'Smallville' creators Al Gough and Miles Millar have signed a two-year deal with Sony Pictures TV for the development of new programming, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The two have not been involved with 'Smallville' since 2008.

The pair was also involved in a number of big-screen projects, including 'Shanghai Noon,' 'Spider-Man 2' and the tween flick 'Hannah Montana: The Movie.'

The article does not specify the type of programming they will create for Sony's TV division. If they're consistent in terms of the shows they've previously worked on, then it will likely be material aimed at the CW type of audience (or those who appreciate teen angst).

On the other hand, 'Smallville' improved in quality once the two of them departed. That time coincided with the show concentrating more on the geek factor than the teen angst (which is useful since the characters aren't of teens anymore). As a result, it's tough to say whether this deal is more a boon for Gough and Millar or Sony.

By my own reckoning, somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,000 various forms of media (books, television shows, movies) have been done about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in ancient Pompeii, Italy. Whatever the count actually is, add one more to it because Ridley Scott will be producing a miniseries about the famous eruption for Sony Pictures Television and Germany's Tandem Communications.

The story is described by the people involved as a thriller love story set against the backdrop of a historical disaster. In other words, it's a thematic duplicate of the movie 'Titanic.' The miniseries will be based on the book 'Pompeii' by Robert Harris, which was originally intended to be developed into a film directed by Roman Polanski (who suddenly became unavailable due to his arrest).

When a major historical event has been covered in an episode of 'Doctor Who,' you know it's been overdone. Hopefully Ridley Scott and company can put a unique spin on the tale. Has anybody read the book? Do you think it could be made into a good miniseries?

Oprah often gives away cool things for those in her studio audience. It seems her featured guests don't do too badly either.

"... And you get a show! And you get a show!"

Harpo Productions has announced plans for a new syndicated talk show featuring Nate Berkus, interior designer and featured regular on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show.' The as yet to be titled show is slated for 2010 and would be the second collaboration between Harpo Productions and its distributor, Sony Pictures Television. Their first collaboration, 'The Dr. Oz Show,' premiered this year and is proof that Oprah knows how to cultivate and develop new daytime talk show stars.

Berkus will join Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray and Dr. Oz in the "I was on Oprah, now I have my own show" club.

Oh my God. Maybe the Unabomber was right, about how technology could weaken humanity and destroy us all. Not about sending bombs in the mail. That was and always will be a big no-no.

IBM is developing a new computer system that can compete on TV's Jeopardy! by digesting the show's questions, buzzing in and answering in the famous question format.

The system is being developed in the same vein as "Deep Blue," the computer that defeated chess champion Gary Kasparov. The Jeopardy! system nicknamed "Watson" is part of IBM's ongoing attempt to overtake humanity by whooping humanity's ass at their own games. An IBM spokesman estimated humanity's spirit will finally be broken when they perfect a computer system that can beat the world's greatest Chutes and Ladders player.

The hours of preparation have been grueling. The amount of studying has been tedious and boring. The sacrifice required to reach this moment has been great and punishing. I didn't shower for two days and the smell almost set off the fire alarm in some of the smaller rooms.

Now the only weapons I have at my disposal are my nimble fingers, my rapid comprehension and my ability to remember everything I've read in the span of four days. We're about to go head-to-head with the razor-toothed man eater that is the Jeopardy! contestant test.

We're gonna need a bigger brain.