royal pains

'Burn Notice' goes on a break after next week's episode, but you won't have to wait too long until Michael, Sam and Fiona return for more spy games.

USA just announced its fall premiere dates, and the 'Burn Notice' gang will be back for more adventures in November. The show will head back to conclude its fourth season starting Thu., Nov. 11, one day after 'Psych' returns to the tube with new episodes on Wed., Nov. 10, reports The Live Feed.

USA also announced that 'Royal Pains' and hit series 'White Collar' are both slated to return in January. The cable net's new legal drama, 'Facing Kate,' will also bow early next year.

File this one under: "Huh?"

According to the NY Post, actor Hayden Christensen and his brother filed a lawsuit against USA Network Tuesday claiming that 'Royal Pains' was stolen from a pitch they made in 2005.

Mark Feuerstein has had a checkered career to say the least. Through the 1990s and the most of the 2000s, Feuerstein was in the same category that Paula Marshall and Jon Cryer once occupied, and where Alex O'Loughlin currently finds himself: talented actors who get repeatedly chosen as the lead in high-profile new shows, only to have the shows crash and burn.

But with USA Network's 'Royal Pains,' which is in its second season and airs Thursdays at 10PM ET, Feuerstein has a legitimate hit on his hands. And he's very appreciative of the show's success.

".. I truly count my blessings every day I come to work," he told me last week, "and I just can't believe that my story was written in this way where I got to feel like I was a star at times in shows that failed or a glorified extra in other situations, and everything in between."

Feuerstein and I talked about that success, working with Henry Winkler and Marcia Gay Harden, who he used to be mistaken for, and why he decided to bust out some Beastie Boys rhymes on the 'Today' show a few weeks ago.

(S02E02) Ah, the heart. It's a life-giving organ that means well, and can bring two people closer together. But a wounded heart can also lash out at old hurts and get you into trouble. And it was all of these cases in the second episode of the season.

And I'm happy to report that this episode seemed to gel a lot better than the season 2 premiere: the rapport between Hank and Evan was strong and snappy, Christine Ebersole made a welcome return as the wealthy and surgically addicted Ms. Newberg, and we got a special treat of a guest star in '24' fixture Mary Lynn Rajskub.

Rajskub played Blake, Ms. Newberg's stepdaughter who gave up meat and dropped out of culinary school in Lyon to live the life of an ascetic in San Francisco after falling for a hot young yogi named Jamie. Trouble was, she was also falling in all the wrong places -- first at Ms. Newberg's shindig, and then while attempting some balancing moves. While Blake tried to shoo away the bobbles with wryly funny excuses like "I'm suffering from a condition known as 'complete lack of coordination,' and I've had it since birth," both Hank and Divya had their doubts, and insisted that Blake be strapped to a very uncool heart monitor.

(S0201) We've officially hit the summer TV season, Squadders. And what could be better for these warm nights than the second season of the USA Network's 'Royal Pains'? This show is a perfect prescription for the summer: It's like a tasty treat that's super lite, fun and easy to consume, but with enough brainy medical terminology to ensure not too many brain cells are lost while enjoying that Hamptons breeze.

To catch up: Prominent New York doctor Hank Lawson (the always-affable Mark Feuerstein), blackballed in Manhattan after a billionaire trustee died on his watch, finds a second life as an in-demand concierge doctor in the Hamptons.

Season 2's first episode was all about relationships, fathers and sons and being caught between a rock and a hard place.

There's no reason to go into TV withdrawal now that so many of your favorites have had their season finales. We've still got 'Glee' to go yet. But more than that, June offers such a plethora of new series and season premieres, you'd think it was premiere week in September. HBO is back in a big way with new seasons of 'True Blood,' 'Hung' and 'Entourage.'

'Burn Notice,' 'In Plain Sight' and 'Royal Pains' kick off their summer runs on USA. Perhaps a little higher on the anticipation ladder is the long-awaited return of 'Futurama' on Comedy Central. Also returning to television is Betty White, This time she's teaming up with three comic vets on TV Land's first-ever scripted comedy, 'Hot in Cleveland.'

There are series finales ('Saving Grace,' 'The Tudors') and sports finals (NBA, NHL) as you'd expect this time of year. More surprising, perhaps, is the networks debuting several new scripted series for the summer season, to join their reality staples. NBC premieres 'Persons Unknown,' while ABC brings 'Scoundrels,' 'The Gates,' 'Rookie Blue' and 'Boston Med.'

Click on through to see all the premieres, specials and finales for June 2010.

Yes, that headline says it all. Henry Winkler is joining the cast of 'Royal Pains' for its second season starting Thu., Jun. 3 on USA and to celebrate the new season, the cast recorded a rap music video.

Mark Feuerstein, Winkler and the rest of the cast rap in this exclusive video from TV Guide Magazine. Look for special appearances by USA Network stars Matt Bomer and Jeffrey Donovan in the video.

It seems that you can either have sparkly vampires or ones that are more discreet. 'True Blood' fans probably prefer the latter and can their fix when season 2 of this HBO series comes out on DVD May 25.

In the second season, Eric is worried about the disappearance of his maker, Godric, and desperately tries to find him with the help of Sookie and Bill. Maryann comes into Bon Temps as a shape shifter from Sam's past who causes havoc throughout the town.

But even if you watched every single episode and know all this, there is still something new for you. The DVD comes with bonus areas including seven cast audio commentaries and other new featurettes from the series.

If blood makes you squeamish -- the inaugural seasons of 'The Real Housewives of New York', 'Top Chef' and 'Royal Pains' also come out this week.

Find more new releases this week after the jump.

Mary Lynn Rajskub, better known to some as Chloe, one of Jack Bauer's only friends on '24,' has signed up to guest on the June 10 episode of the hit USA series 'Royal Pains,' the Ausiello Files is reporting.

In it, Rajskub will play Newberg's (Christine Ebersole) stepdaughter, who, according to her Twitter, does yoga on diet pills.

'Royal Pains' returns to USA on June 3.

Meanwhile, in other '24' news, executive producer Howard Gordon recently sat down for an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, during which he revealed that the show will have an unhappy ending. Jack (Kiefer Sutherland), for example, will be left in a "compromised place morally, ethically and emotionally," he said.

If you want a glimpse of summer -- TV style -- check out the new crossover promotion for the USA Network summer series, 'Burn Notice' and 'Royal Pains.' The shows return on Thursday, June 3, back to back at 9 PM and 10 PM.

Just the sight of 'Burn Notice's' Bruce Campbell as Sam Axe -- sucking down a mojito -- and 'Royal Pains' Paulo Costanzo as Evan Lawson -- hanging by the beach in the Hamptons -- was like a refreshing summer breeze off the Atlantic. These shows scream summer, don't you agree?

Oscar and Tony Award winner Marcia Gay Harden is making another bid for her EGOT: The actress, who was nominated for an Emmy for her guest appearance on 'Law & Order: SVU' in 2007, is adding another high-profile TV guest gig to her resume with a role on USA Network's hit drama 'Royal Pains.'

The Ausiello Files reports that Harden will appear in several episodes of the dramedy, playing Dr. Elizabeth Blair, surgeon and board member of the Hamptons Heritage Hospital where Dr. Jill Casey (Jill Flint) works. Dr. Blair will at first butt heads with Dr. Casey, before eventually becoming her mentor.

Harden's first appearance on the show will be in the 'Royal Pains' season two premiere, on June 3.

This is Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at TV Squad where we supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our tips form or by emailing us at tvsquad at gmail dot com, or call and leave a message at (775) 640-8479. Your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have spoilers for: 'CSI,' 'Lost,' 'Royal Pains,' 'Glee,' 'Desperate Housewives,' 'NCIS: LA' and 'Castle.'

A while back, while announcing the season premieres for 'Burn Notice' and 'Royal Pains', I briefly mentioned the reason why these original USA network programs, as well as their other offerings, work so well. As I thought about it some more, I realized that it wasn't just the focus on characters and the mix of comedy and drama that made these shows click with audiences. There was more to it. In fact, three more 'its' to make a TV Squad list. How's that for ironic!

So, if you'll indulge me for a moment, here are the five things that make USA network shows resonate with viewers.

1. Actual character-driven shows -- When USA uses the tag line "Characters Welcome" they aren't kidding. Every original program since 'Monk' has been character driven. They haven't relied on special effects, or musicals, or unanswered questions that, when answered, produced more unanswered questions. It's characters that drive the shows and move them forward.

While most viewers glaze over at the amount of dreck major networks spew out during the warmer months, fans of USA Network's original series vibrate in anticipation for the return of the favorite programs.

And why not? USA is doing what its big brother NBC hasn't been able to do: create character-driven programs that mix humor with drama, all wrapped up in a nicely written script. Not only do fans have a right to be excited, but the network can crow a bit itself. As it will do in June when two of its most popular shows return.

On Thursday, June 3rd, 'Burn Notice' and 'Royal Pains' return to the schedule with all new episodes. For 'Royal Pains', which debuts at 9PM ET., it will be the sophomore season. At 10PM ET. 'Burn Notice' begins its fourth season, ranking it the second-longest running show behind 'Psych' (not including 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent', which originally ran on NBC).

USA Network has announced the premiere dates for two of its most popular series.

According to the Live Feed, 'Burn Notice' season 4 and 'Royal Pains' season 2 will premiere on Thu., June 3, at 9 and 10PM, respectively.

Meanwhile, the network will also premiere 'White Collar,' 'Psych' and 'Covert Affairs,' starring Piper Perabo, in July.