Showgirl-turned-widow-turned-mentor Michelle (Sutton Foster) has faced her fair share of trials on the first season of ABC Family’s Bunheads — from a disapproving mother-in-law to a disagreeable pantsuit — but she tells HollywoodLife.com to brace for Michelle’s biggest trial yet on the Feb. 25 season finale: an uncertain future! “What I find interesting about the finale is that it opens a whole new door,” Sutton tells us. “A whole new avenue is being opened up, so we’re sort of leaving viewers thinking, ‘Now what?’”

Sutton promises a cliffhanger of sorts, though she wants to make one thing very clear: “It’s not like someone’s actually dangling over a cliff.” (Thanks for clearing that up!)

“On the finale,” she explains, “Michelle goes on an open call for a Broadway musical. There’s a huge audition sequence where we take Michelle through a cattle call to see if this is something she still wants to do.”

So is it something she wants to do? Is Michelle really considering leaving her soft-shoed minions — Boo (Kaitlyn Jenkins), Ginny (Bailey Buntain), Sasha (Julia Goldani Telles) and Melanie (Emma Dumont) – to fend for themselves in Paradise? Sutton admits her character will always have big-city dreams, but also concedes that her priorities have shifted.

“She’s starting to become a fixture in these girls’ lives; they’re turning to her for guidance,” Sutton says. “I definitely think Talia’s phone call got Michelle thinking, [but] she has committed to being in Paradise.”

The Future Of ‘Bunheads’: Will It Get A Second Season?

Bunheads‘ future remains in question, but if ABC Family does decide to pick it up for a second season, Sutton knows exactly how she’d like to see Michelle grow as a person.

“I would love for her to find romance, or at least a relationship,” she tells us. “I don’t think she’s ever had a real relationship. I’d love to see what a real relationship would bring. No more dead husbands; a nice living guy.”

HollywoodLifers, how do YOU hope Bunheads wraps up its first season? And what would you like to see if it gets a second? Watch a preview of the finale below, then drop a comment with your thoughts and theories:

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

More Bunheads on HollywoodLife.com:

1. ‘Bunheads’ Scoop: Jeanine Mason Previews ‘Scandalous’ Twists Ahead
2. ABC Family Reveals Winter Premiere Dates For ‘The Lying Game’ & More
3. ‘Bunheads’ Star Bailey Buntain Previews Her Move To ‘The Middle’

There’s trouble in Paradise — and it goes by the name Cosette. Hollywoodlife.com chatted with Bunheads‘ new troublemaker Jeanine Mason about how Cosette and brother Frankie (Niko Pepaj) will be “shaking things up” at the dance academy, including an unexpected effect the siblings will have on Ginny (Bailey Buntain)!

Read on for my full Q&A with Jeanine:

I’m happy to see some new blood on Bunheads. Cosette and Frankie are really shaking things up.

“As the season progresses, they shake things up even more. By the end, the stuff that goes down is definitely a result of their actions. It’s pretty scandalous.”

I can’t wait! Can we expect more jealousy from the other girls?

“What’s pretty cool, and what became evident on the last episode, is that it’s Ginny — more so than any of the other girls — who’s really having a problem with Cosette entering and changing the dynamic of the girls in the studio. [Cosette is] changing that foursome and trying to implant herself. Ginny’s not having it.”

But judging by your tweets, you’re clearly getting along with the girls off camera.

“I love these girls so much. In a way, I’m the oldie on set, and I’m so used to being the young’n. It’s been so fun hanging out with them. … It’s just nice to have girl time, and talk with some ladies. They’re like my sisters now. We just finished up our last episode, and we were all, like, sobbing, but also excited.”

It must be nice for you to have a job that perfectly blends your love of dancing and acting.

“It’s been such an amazing job. I keep telling [creator] Amy Sherman-Palladino how lucky am I to have my dream role written and come to fruition. It’s been so much fun, and it’s such a perfect balance. We’ll have a solid block of just dialogue, working through that Palladino freight train, and then we’ll go through a few days of dancing, where we’re just delirious and having the time of our lives. It’s great.”

And I’m sure working with Sutton Foster must be pretty great, too.

“Oh my God, I love her so much. My background is in theater, so my equivalent of the ‘posters on the wall’ is Sutton Foster. She’s been a huge inspiration for me, and every day I get closer to her and get to pick her brain.”

You mentioned earlier that Cosette & Frankie will be shaking things up. Can you elaborate?

“This next episode [airing Feb. 4] will be really amazing. The opening scene is going to be something you won’t see on any other show. We have an entire scene while we’re actively doing a routine. … In that episode, you’ll really see how Cozette’s presence is getting to Ginny. But what’s interesting is what will unfold between Ginny and Frankie. And Bailey is such a badass.”

What do you make of Jeanine’s teases? Do you predict Ginny will do something drastic to oust Cosette from the group? And do you think Ginny and Frankie will become more than friends? Drop a comment with your thoughts, and check out ABC Family’s official Bunheads page for more show info.

Watch: Emma Dumont Spills On Bunheads New Season

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

More Bunheads on HollywoodLife.com:

1. ABC Family Reveals Winter Premiere Dates For ‘The Lying Game’ & More
2. ‘Bunheads’ Star Bailey Buntain Previews Her Move To ‘The Middle’
3. ‘Bunheads’ Scoop: Is Michelle Falling For A New Guy Already?

ABC Family junkies, prepare yourselves for sensory overload: The second season of Switched At Birth premieres Jan. 7 at 8 p.m., before  the return of new Bunheads episodes at 9 p.m. The following night, Jan. 8, will bring the return of Pretty Little Liars at 8 p.m., followed by the second season premiere of The Lying Game at 9 p.m.!

Of course, there’s still plenty of drama left in 2012. Pretty Little Liars‘ Halloween special airs Oct. 23 at 8 p.m., and the season finale of Switched At Birth airs TONIGHT at 8 p.m.!

Which series are YOU most excited to have back? Drop me a comment with your favorite.

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

More scoop on these shows:

1. ‘Pretty Little Liars’ Shocker: Someone Dies On The Halloween Special
2. ‘The Lying Game’ Scoop: Laurel Will Learn The Twins’ Secret In Season 2
3. ‘Switched At Birth’ Stars Reveal ‘Massive’ Drama As Season 1 Ends

Now that the fall TV season is officially in full swing, I’m bringing back my weekly Spoiler Party, a collection of mini-scoops from some of my favorite shows. This week, I’ve got exclusive details on Melissa’s return to Pretty Little Liars, Henry’s new dilemma on 666 Park Avenue, a potential Suburgatory exit, and more!

Pretty Little Liars

Torrey DeVitto may be living large in Mystic Falls at the moment, but fear not, she’ll be back in Rosewood very soon! ”Melissa does come back,” Torrey tells me of her Pretty Little Liars persona, Melissa. “You’ll see a lot more of her in January.” (Let’s hope she’s not pregnant this time. That never ends well.)

666 Park Avenue

There’s always a lot to keep track of on 666 Park Avenue, but for the Oct. 21 episode, Rachael Taylor tells me that viewers should pay particular attention to Henry’s (Dave Annable) political subplot. “Henry is put between a rock and a hard place,” she explains. “At first, it doesn’t seem like it has anything to do with the Drake, but we realize a few episodes down the track that it absolutely does.” (Make a note, kids!)

Switched At Birth

It’s only fitting that the Oct. 22 season finale of Switched At Birth is Halloween-themed, because Daphne’s (Katie Leclerc) relationship with Jeff (Justin Bruening) is about to take a scary turn. Let’s just say her sudden promotion at Maize has raised a few eyebrows among the higher-ups — and they’re not ignoring their suspicions. (I’ll have more finale scoop later this week, so keep checking back!)

Suburgatory

Tessa (Jane Levy) returns from her summer in the city on tonight’s Suburgatory season premiere, but just as quickly as she arrives, someone else threatens to leave the ‘burbs forever! Who is it, and why does her desire to escape have Dallas (Cheryl Hines) willing to do anything to keep her in town? You’ll just have to watch and find out! (Oops.. did I say “she”?)

Bunheads

ABC Family’s Bunheads goes back into production on the second half of its first season next week — and straight into damage control. “Because of everything that happened with Michelle — her macing us, and our parents hating her — it could go so many different ways,” star Bailey Buntain admits to me. “I really hope the four girls’ relationship with Michelle gets better. … And I’m looking forward to exploring more with Ginny and her mom, because I think their relationship is so fascinating.”

What’s your take on these spoilers? Drop me a comment with your reactions!

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

Bunheads star Bailey Buntain is leaving Paradise behind for a new adventure in The Middle, and she tells HollywoodLife.com she couldn’t be more excited. “I’m such a big fan,” Bailey says of the ABC hit-com. “I’ve watched it since the first season, so that just added more pressure.”

Bailey plays a “baby freshman” named Jenna on tonight’s all-new episode, and as crazy as it may sound, her character is “mentored” by hot-mess Sue (Eden Sher). Let the awkward hilarity commence! 

“Sue is a sophomore now, so she knows the lay of the land, and she decides to share that widsom [with Jenna],” Bailey explains. But because we all know Sue didn’t exactly gain that knowledge easily — her freshman year was basically an endless series of train wrecks — Bailey says “it’s really funny watching Sue try to share her wisdom. It was hard not to laugh while we were filming.”

And if you’re expecting to see Bailey playing the same high-strung character she plays on Bunheads, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

“Jenna is very easygoing and relaxed,” Bailey says. “She doesn’t worry about a lot of things and she doesn’t have to try hard to fit in, whereas Ginny can be a little uptight and pragmatic. She’s more of an old soul.”

For more info. on The Middle, head over to ABC’s official Middle page — and be sure to tune in tonight at 8 p.m. to see Bailey in action!

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

More on Bunheads:

1. ‘Bunheads’ Creator Calls It A ‘Gateway Drug’ & Talks ‘Gilmore’ Comparisons
2. ‘Bunheads’ Recap: Is Michelle Falling For A New Guy Already?
3. ‘Bunheads’ Creator Responds To Shonda Rhimes’ Diversity Criticism: ‘It’s A Shame’

Is it just me, or is Paradise starting to look more like the Twilight Zone every week? The June 25 episode of Bunheads found Michelle (Sutton Foster) handcuffed in the back of a squad car after attempting to drive down a “private” road, though she’d never know it was private because it was unmarked — a point she beat into the policemen’s heads until she was blue in the face.

Michelle decided to hit the road by foot, where she eventually met Grant, the “mystery man” who owns the “private” land she was accused of trespassing on. He helped her feel like less of a loser, and I know I’m not the only one who felt major chemistry between the two of them — a lot more than she had with Hubbell (Alan Ruck), anyway.

The weirdness continued as Fanny (Kelly Bishop) tried to make Michelle feel guilty for being the new owner of the house, the land and the dance studio — because, you know, she totally asked Hubbell to put her in his will at the last minute.

And the girls didn’t make this episode any less weird, as Michelle first encountered them taking pictures of their bunions, blisters and other various foot deformities. It was for a competition between rival dance studios, which apparently won, though I’m not sure are any real “winners” in those kinds of competitions.

There was also kind of a nice bonding moment between Michelle and Sasha (Julia Goldani Telles). There’s something going on with that girl, and I think Michelle is just the person to help her out.

What did you think of this week’s Bunheads? It was slow, but at least it set the stage for a potential new romance for Michelle. Do you think it’s too soon for her to be moving on? Hit up the comments section with your thoughts!

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

For the second week in a row, Bunheads proved it owns all of our emotions; but while last week’s pilot made us think through laughter, the June 18 episode worked our tear ducts. While this definitely wasn’t the same Bunheads we were presented with last Monday, it was an important episode — for the viewers and for Michelle (Sutton Foster).

Within the first few minutes, we learned that Hubbell’s (Alan Ruck) car accident was indeed fatal, which changed the course — pun intended so hard — of Michelle’s life, yet again. It also sent Fanny (Kelly Bishop) into a frenzy as she attempted to throw together a Buddhist memorial service. (Loved that scene with Fanny and her friends, by the way!)

The four girls, meanwhile, “mourned” in their own special way — by skipping school and seeing a Mark Wahlberg movie. As creator Amy Sherman-Palladino promised, this second episode kept the focus on Michelle, but also gave us a taste of what each of the girls is all about. Specifically, we learned that Boo (Kaitlyn Jenkins) suffers from good-hearted paranoia, while Sasha (Julia Goldani Telles) is really good at whining until she gets her way.

They eventually came to their emotional senses and broke down over Hubbell’s death, which was Michelle’s cue to take charge. (“There’s no crying in baseball … or ballet!”) She helped Fanny’s students put together a really beautiful dance, which turned out to be exactly the kind of simple goodbye she needed.

So what’s going to keep Michelle in Paradise now that Hubbell is dead? Well, that’s the twist, my friends: It turns out he changed his will and left everything to her!

Are you still in love with Bunheads after this week’s episode? Did you enjoy watching the characters work through their grief, or did you think it was too depressing? Drop me a comment with your thoughts!

— Andy Swift

Follow @AndySwift

Bunheads creator Amy Sherman-Palladino has never been afraid to speak her mind, so it’s no surprise she’s got some choice words for Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes, who just last week accused ABC Family’s new ballet-centric series of lacking diversity. “I think it’s a shame,” Amy tells Media Mayhem. “I wouldn’t go after another woman. Frankly, I wouldn’t go after another show.”

Though Amy admits it would be foolish to get into a “pissing match” with Shonda, who’s “doing just fine for herself,” she also points out that Shonda’s comments are merely part of a larger issue for women who work in television.

“I’ve also felt, in a general sense, that women have never supported women to the level that they should,” Amy explains. “It’s been my experience through my entire career that the biggest boost I’ve gotten … have always been from men. And I’ve worked for some powerful women.”

In case you’re not up to speed, here’s what Shonda tweeted June 11: ”Hey @abcfbunheads: really? You couldn’t cast even ONE young dancer of color so I could feel good about my kid watching this show? NOT ONE?”

Once she realized her comments were causing a disturbance in the Twitterverse, Shonda tweeted a few clarifications: “I def don’t feel bad when my kid watches white performers,” she wrote. “Not at all what I’m saying. …  I did love seeing girls of all shapes and sizes. That was great. Am a huge Gilmore Girls fan. Just pointing out one issue.”

As this discussion continues, I’m worried that too many different issues are being mixed together. For one thing, I’m not sure I agree with interviewer Allison Hope Weiner for turning this into a women-attacking-women situation, rather than keeping it as a creators-attacking-creators situation. I think the relationship between female creators is an entirely separate argument, though one definitely worth exploring, and Amy did a terrific job of distinguishing it as such.

For the record, ABC Family is famous for having strong women running its most popular shows. I was in attendance for the network’s winter upfront presentation in New York, where the panel featured women like Brenda Hampton (The Secret Life of the American Teenager), Marlene King (Pretty Little Liars) Lizzy Weiss (Switched At Birth), as well as Amy — and they all had the greatest respect for one another’s work.

Watch Amy’s full interview below, then vote, and tell us how you feel in the comments section:

Click here to view the embedded video.