FINALLY

Oscar duty: Regis Philbin will host the official Oscar red carpet show. The arrivals show will air at 5 p.m. Feb. 24 on ABC.

Mystery hero: Mystery writer Walter Mosley, best known for his novels featuring detective Easy Rawlins, has agreed to write three novels for Riverhead Books, two of which will feature Leonid McGill, a sleuth based in New York City. Mosley first used him in the short story “Karma.”

Not over yet: Although Monday’s episode had been billed as the season finale, MTV has ordered eight more episodes of “The Hills,” which it plans to roll out in March.

Broadway bound: Debbie Allen will direct an all-black revival of Tennessee Williams’ “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” on Broadway in February, starring James Earl Jones, Phylicia Rashad, Terrence Howard and Anika Noni Rose.