Ellen DeGeneres got more than she bargained for by signing on with American Idol. The talk show queen has decided that “judging people and sometimes hurting their feelings” is just too hard for her. She also cites a heavier work schedule than she anticipated among the reasons she has decided to exit American Idol effective immediately. She will not appear on the show’s upcoming 10th season.

Ellen’s timing could be serendipitous. Scuttlebutt around the TV industry is that Fox is hoping to replace the entire judging panel this year, to make a big splash following founder Simon Cowell’s highly-publicized exit. (Cowell left to work on the American version of his British talent search show The X Factor.) The sole remaining original judge, Randy Jackson, has reportedly been expressing his desire to move on from the show as well.

At least one new high-profile panel member has just been verified: Jennifer Lopez. Fox isn’t confirming it, but it’s a done deal nonetheless. Fox is likely hoping to make a big announcement of the entire judges panel, which rumors indicate could include big names like Justin Timberlake and Elton John.

Raise your hand if you miss Battlestar Galactica. So say we all!

Yes, Caprica is pretty doggone awesome. But I still miss BSG, darn it.

If you’re feeling the same, Syfy hears your cries. The somewhat-still-science-fiction-based cable network has greenlit an online series (a la Doctor Horrible) called Blood & Chrome, which will depict the adventures of young William “Husker” Adama during the first Cylon War. BSG and Caprica co-exec producer Michael Taylor is writing the script. The goal of the production, according to the Chicago Tribune, is to show “both the realities of war as fought by soldiers on the ground, and the somewhat less real version portrayed in the media.” In other words, expect Blood & Chrome to contain plenty of the same timely social commentary that BSG was known for.

Blood & Chrome episodes are expected to last about nine or ten minutes, and will use the same “virtual sets” (i.e., green screen) production philosophy as Syfy’s Sanctuary. Episodes will also up the ante with more extreme content than you can get away with on the small screen, since it’s destined for Internet broadcast.

If successful, Blood & Chrome could lead to more online BSG projects of a similar nature, or possibly even a Syfy TV show. Production has not yet begun, so it could be a while before the series appears on the Net.

If AMC’s The Walking Dead was the most talked-about new TV show of Comic-Con, then NBC’s The Event was undoubtedly the runner up. It’s been a long time since NBC had a show that was a hit among genre fans, but The Event looks like it just might change things.

The mystery-laden plot surrounds a cross-section of characters including a regular joe whose girlfriend disappears, the President of the United States, and the leader of a secret group of detainees, all of whom are converging around a singular event in human history. Its fascinating plot is paired with a cast that’s filled with inspired choices like Jason Ritter, Blair Underwood as the U.S. President, and Laura Innes of ER. The Event is already garnering positive comparisons to both Lost and 24, and it’s heading for the fall season with a tremendous amount of buzz.

Best — and most important — of all, The Event’s creators appear to have a solid grasp on their subject matter and all reports indicate that they have a solid master plan. So all of the show’s big mysteries really are leading to some jaw-dropping reveals.

See for yourself what all the hype is about with this smart, pulse-pounding trailer.

Here’s a really good grab of the trailer for Smallville’s 10th and final season, as shown on Sunday at Comic-Con 2010. Looks like a lot of familiar faces are returning for the last hurrah, and you’ll also catch a glimpse of some things you thought you’d never see on Smallville: the red & blue suit, and a character referring to Clark as “Superman.” This is truly the end…

As if the cast of Glee weren’t already the outcasts of McKinley High, now in season two they will be tackling an even more weird and alienating subject matter, the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Co-creator Ryan Murphy announced plans for the Rocky Horror spot at Comic-Con (SDCC) over this past weekend.

The second season of Glee will debut on Sept. 21 @ 8 PM ET on Fox.

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Linda Hamilton best known for her role as Sarah Connor in Terminator has signed on for a recurring role on the upcoming season 4 of Chuck. Hamilton will play the long-lost mother of Chuck and Ellie.

The announcement of her role was made at Comic-Con by show producer Josh Schwartz. According to Schwartz, the decision came from huge fan support for her role in the upcoming season.

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As we all take a collective breath and step back to absorb all of the goodness that Comic-Con 2010 bestowed upon fans of television, here’s the 4-minute trailer that was shown at SDCC for AMC’s The Walking Dead series by Frank Darabont. It’s a bootleg recording of the trailer shown on the show floor, but it’s the best quality version I’ve found (until AMC releases the high-def themselves).

The Walking Dead follows the of survivors of a zombie apocalypse and their efforts to find their loved ones and a safe place to live. The buzz on this one is off the charts, and judging by this trailer, it’s going to be intense. Note that the trailer contains some language that’s mildly NSFW.

CBS has signed a first-look deal with Oni Press, the publishing company behind Brian Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim graphic novels. The same graphic novels upon which the endlessly-buzzed-about Scott Pilgrim vs. the World film is based.

More properly, it’s CBS Television Studios, not the broadcast network, that’s inked the Oni Press deal. Which means that CBS now has the first rights to look at Oni’s library of comic books and graphic novels and consider using them as fodder for television shows and made-for-TV movies.

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News straight from Comic-Con: USA network chief Jeff Wachtel announced in front of a packed room of fans that a prequel film is in the works for Burn Notice. Said telefilm would star the show’s resident ex-Navy SEAL, Sam Axe, played by Comic-Con favorite Bruce Campbell.

According to Mo Ryan of the Chicago Tribune, the two-hour movie will not substitute for two episodes of the show, but will instead be a full movie focused solely on Sam. The movie is set in South America during Sam’s days as a SEAL, and will tell the story of how he ended up retired in Miami.

No air date has been set, as production has not yet begun.

It’s not exactly news that San Diego Comic-Con International is a big deal for Hollywood. Genre movies and TV shows can be made or buried by fan reactions to what they see at the Con.

Several networks have, in recent years, used Comic-Con as a launching pad to build buzz for their newest and hottest shows with panels and show-floor booths with swag giveaways. This year two of the most buzzed-about shows are releasing tie-in comic books as enticements for hungry fans.

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