Former soap starlet Kelly Rutherford (Generations, Melrose Place) sure gets around in showbiz. Every time we turn around, the Homefront alumna has landed herself a new television gig. She currently co-stars as Frankie in ABC's new counter-terrorist drama Threat Matrix (Thursdays at 8 pm/ET), which recently received a full 22-episode order. Here, TV Guide Online rings up the 35-year-old actress in her trailer on the Threat set, where her Jack Russell terrier stands sentinel as her personal bodyguard. Watch out, Osama!

TVGO: What's all that barking?
Kelly Rutherford: (Laughs) My dog barks at people if they get near my trailer. His name's Oliver and he is protective! So I have to make sure he doesn't bark at my fellow actors. He just went after Kurt Caceres, who plays Tim on the show.

TVGO: Let's talk about your career. Back in the day, you played Sam on NBC's Generations. Did you ever snag that hottie with the $60 million?
Rutherford: I think so. I don't remember. It was so long ago. Yeah, Sam is probably shopping a lot now!

TVGO: The soap didn't last long here, but didn't it make you a huge celebrity in Turkey?
Rutherford: Yes, there was a short, brief storyline where my father was off in Turkey... Generations did very well in other countries, but particularly in Turkey, where they played it twice a day. It was very popular, so I went over there and met the prime minister and got a tour of Istanbul. It was a magical experience.

TVGO: Do you keep in touch with the other minxes from Melrose Place?
Rutherford: I see Marcia Cross and Lisa Rinna a lot at yoga. We also get together sometimes to have lunch or dinner.

TVGO: We miss Homefront, which only lasted two seasons. Is the DVD ever coming out?
Rutherford: I loved Homefront. I wish they would [release it on DVD]. I loved my character, Judy. She was very unique for the [World War II] period, being an independent woman and working. I just loved the clothes. Unlike Juicy sweatsuits, they were tailored for a woman's figure, yet toned down. There's something classic and beautiful about a white silk blouse with a tweed skirt. They didn't bare their bellies back then.

TVGO: So were you surprised ABC picked up Threat Matrix? Critics hate the show, and it hasn't made much Nielsen noise...
Rutherford: (Laughs) It's the opposite situation from Homefront! The fans and the critics loved it and thought it was a great show, and nobody picked it up! It makes no sense, the madness of television and the way a network executive's mind works. I just show up for work here and if we're still filming, great.