For those keeping track, the body count on CBS’ new murder mystery “Harper’s Island” is clipping along at a fast pace. There have been five deaths - not including deer - after just two episodes of the 13-episode, short-run series that follows a group of family and friends who travel to a secluded island for a destination wedding.

In the latest installment, Sarah Smyth ( “The Covenant”) who played bridesmaid and socialite Lucy Daramour and Anna Mae Routledge (”Supernatural,” “Psych”) who played the needy island outcast Kelly Seaver met their untimely ends in classic slasher-film fashion. We caught up with Smyth and Routledge to talk about their roles, their death scenes and their insights into just how the mystery will unfold.

Question: Sarah, I think the first thing everyone wants to know is, was Gigi your little toy dog spared the same fate as Lucy?

Sarah Smyth: (laughter) I don’t really know what happens to her but I suspect Gigi is the killer so I think she’ll be around until the end.

Q: Anna Mae, we just started getting into your character last night and then you were gone. Were you surprised when you read the script that you would be gone by episode’s end?
Anna Mae Routledge: You know, I was. My character really got to go through her entire life story in one episode. You had some redemption, love or lust and then she was gone, which was kind of sad.

Q: How much did you know about your character’s fate going into the project and when did you find out about your death scenes?

SS: When I got cast we didn’t know how long we would make it. One of the producers told me at the end of filming the first episode that Lucy wouldn’t make it to the third.

AMR: When I was cast even my agent told me ‘just try to stay alive.’ I also found out at the end of the first episode when the new scripts came around. You sort of just thumb through it to see what happens.

Q: What did you think about your death scenes? We were sort of shocked by the discovery of Kelly’s body hanging in her house and then we got to see Lucy fall into a pit and set on fire in another brutal death scene.

AMR: I’m really impressed with the way the writers are crafting these stories. I really thought with all that character development that Kelly would stick around, that somehow she’d survive. So when you see her there it was a surprise but I was also surprised that Lucy went so quickly.

SS: As soon as I was told I would be carrying a small dog around I knew I was doomed (laughter). It’s ‘let’s kill off Paris Hilton.’ I think my death scene was really cool actually. You really got to see what happened to her.

Q: I know the killer’s identity is being kept secret but are there any personal predictions you want to share on who the culprit might be?

AMR: I really have no idea. Right now my bet is on J.D. Dunn. He’s just a really dark character.

SS: I don’t know. My guess was Gigi was going to be the killer. If it’s not then maybe Mr. Wellington. He seems really shady. There’s just too many possibilities.

Q: What’s next for the two of you? Where else can we expect to see you?

SS: I’m in a film that was just released in theaters on April 3 called “Alien Trespass.”

AMR: I have a film that comes out in June called “I Love You Beth Cooper” with Hayden Panettiere (”Heroes”).

SS: I also have an upcoming guest spot on “Smallville” in an episode called “Injustice.” Let’s just say I play a character who’s electrifying (Editor’s note: Rumor has it that she’ll be playing Livewire also from the DC Comics universe).

AMR: Who knows? You might just find me hanging around.

By Jeremy D. Bonfiglio
MyTVHatesMe.com

Don’t worry, Harry Hamlin is alive and well. The same, however, can’t be said for Uncle Marty, the character he played in CBS’ new murder mystery “Harper’s Island.” The 13-episode, short-run series, which debuted on Thursday, follows a group of family and friends who travel to a secluded island for a destination wedding. The only problem is they are being picked off one by one in classic slasher film fashion. Surprisingly Uncle Marty was the first (well, technically second but who’s counting) to go. We caught up with Harry to talk about this short-lived role, his death scene and his thoughts about the killer.

Question: I have to ask. What made you decide to take on such a small television role?

Harry Hamlin: I loved Uncle Marty. I never played a character who was such an extrovert and just way out there but who also has a dark secret. It wasn’t a huge role but it was a couple weeks commitment, which was perfect for me.

Q: How much do the cast members know about their own fate?

HH: Everyone left in the cast is in the dark as far as I know. They don’t know when or if they will be killed. I knew I died in the first episode because that was the only way they could get someone like me to do it.

Q: What did you think about Uncle Marty’s death scene? That was pretty brutal.

HH: Yeah, I mean, he was cut in half. The title of the episode was “Whap!” so that gives you an idea that it was going to be brutal to whoever was going to get it. When I actually saw it, I said to the producer that I didn’t think the network was going to put it on.

Q: What kind of insight can you give us on the killer? Any predictions you want to share on who the culprit might be or who might die next?

HH: I don’t know who the killer is and I don’t know who the next to die is. I think they’ve kept that pretty close to the vest and only a privileged few know that answer. What I do know is that what happened last night with Uncle Marty being cut in half in the first episode when the way he was introduced you thought he would be around for awhile let the audience know that nobody is safe. As far as who the killer might be, there’s going to be a lot of speculation on that one. Knowing the people behind this, I’m convinced that whoever the killer is, it will be an absolute and utter surprise.

Q: Completely off topic. In a battle between 1980s fantasy film heroes who would win — Perseus of “Clash of the Titans” or “The Beastmaster” and why?

HH: The Beastmaster? Hmmm. … Well the obvious answer of course is Perseus. I mean he could become invisible with his magic sword and he had a flying horse. I mean, come on. So tell The Beastmaster, whoever he is, to bring it on.

‘Harper’s Island’
Pilot episode
Thursday, April 9
10 p.m. ET, CBS

Grade: B-

CBS’ new, 13-episode murder mystery is an interesting departure from the usual episodic network fare. Taking a page from British television, “Harper’s Island” already has a July 2 expiration date with the promise that the murderer will be revealed in the final hour of this self-contained series. It’s part mini-series, part novella with a dash of reality competition thrown in — at least one member of the cast will be eliminated each week. The difference of course is that they’ll be sliced and diced rather than voted off this particular island.

Set in the scenic Pacific Northwest, the series follows a group of family and friends who travel to the secluded “Harper’s Island” for a destination wedding. In the premiere episode, Abby Mills (Elaine Cassidy) returns for the wedding celebration of her best friend, Henry Dunn (Christopher Gorham of “Ugly Betty”) and his beautiful and wealthy heiress. fiancée, Trish Wellington (Katie Cassidy of “Supernatural”). It’s the first time Abby has been home since her mother and five others were murdered on the island seven years ago by John Wakefield. Just as Abby begins to confront her demons people once again start dying. As secrets and clues slowly unfold, it’s clear that no one is safe and no one can be trusted.

Among the cornucopia of characters is Harry Hamlin as Henry’s fun-loving Uncle Marty, Richard Burgi (”Desperate Housewives”) as Trish’s domineering dad, Chris Gauthier (”Eureka”) as hustler Malcolm Ross and Jim Beaver (”Supernatural”) as Sheriff Charlie Mills, Abby’s estranged father. Just don’t get too attached to any of them.

Even though the pilot is largely devoted to introducing the plethora of would-be victims, the gruesome murder-of-the-week format doesn’t lend itself to much character development. Instead, “Harper’s Island” revels in the creative death scenes of 1980s big-screen horror staples “Halloween” and “Friday the 13th.” Viewers can expect long walks in the scary woods, characters swimming alone in the dark and even the creepy child factor. A high death toll also means an abundance of inane characters, and “Harper’s Island” certainly has its share. Some of the performances in these side storylines fall a bit flat but hey, how long can most of these characters expect to survive, right? Perhaps the biggest challenge facing the series is how well it can sustain that murder mystery tension over a 13-episode story arc. If “Harper’s Island” does manage to keep horror fans on edge while leaving the Agatha Christie set guessing it may lead to more than just good ratings. It could entice other networks to develop short-run series of their own or try something just as bold. That alone is worth giving “Harper’s Island” a chance.

— JDB

Anil Kapoor, who is best known to U.S. audiences for his portrayal as  game-show host Prem Kumar in the Oscar-winning film “Slumdog Millionaire” will cash in on his new-found fame by becoming a series regular on “24.”

Acccording to FOX, Kapoor will play a Middle Eastern leader who comes to the U.S. on a peacemaking mission during Season Eight.

With more than 100 credits to his name, Kapoor is a Bollywood icon and one of India’s most prominent actors. He has earned acclaim for his many award-winning performances over the past three decades. “24″ will be his first American television role.

The Emmy Award-winning series starring Kiefer Sutherland, continues its seventh season at 9 p.m. Monday, April 6 with the FBI bracing for a standoff with Starkwood, a private military firm helmed by mastermind Jonas Hodges (guest star Jon Voight). Season Seven’s two-hour finale will air at 8 p.m., Monday, May 18 on FOX.

— JDB

ABC has announced the cast of its eighth season of “Dancing with the Stars.”

The 13 celebs include an NFL legend, a computer icon, a female rapper, three music artists and a “Jackass.” The only real surprise is the return of two-time “Dancing with the Stars” champ Julianne Hough, who had previously announced that she would sit out this season. Instead Hough will be paired with her boyfriend, country crooner Chuck Wicks. They won’t be the only couple on the ballroom floor.

Husband and wife Ty Murray and Jewel will be competing against each other as will newly engaged professional dancers Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Karina Smirnoff.

Couples will once again take part in a team dance, group dance and face-off, as well as perform the Argentine Tango and East Coast Swing, a first in the series. Another change is that the bottom two couples facing elimination will hold a dance-off to determine who is dismissed in the first weeks of competition. The eighth season premieres at 8 p.m. Monday, March 9 on ABC.

Here’s the full cast list:

Belinda Carlisle, 50, lead singer of The Go-Gos
David Alan Grier, comic “In Living Color”
Jewel, singer and “Nashville Star” host
Shawn Johnson, 17, Olympic gymnast (four medals in Beijing)
Lil’ Kim, rapper
Gilles Marini, French actor (”Sex and the City” movie)
Ty Murray, rodeo star and Jewel’s husband
Steve-O (aka Stephen Glover), “Jackass”
Nancy O’Dell, 42, “Access Hollywood” host
Denise Richards, Bond girl, “Wild Things,” reality star
Lawrence Taylor, NFL Hall of Famer
Chuck Wicks, country singer and Julianne Hough’s boyfriend
Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple computers and Kathy Griffin’s ex-boyfriend