The TV guy

Ignore this headline; blog is updated

2008-10-15T09:57:00.000-04:00

New Site Now Working

2008-09-08T10:54:00.001-04:00

OK, it's finally working now.

Say good-bye to this site and go to www.macon.com/thetvguy for all the new posts.

'Blood'-y Good Fun

2008-09-06T22:20:00.001-04:00

I'm reposting this here, because the new blog isn't working yet.

Anyway, one of the most interesting new shows on TV kicks off Sunday night with the debut of "True Blood" (HBO, 9 p.m.), the new series from "Six Feet Under" creator Alan Ball.

Based on the series of Southern Gothic vampire novels by Charlaine Harris, "True Blood" posits what would happen if a new synthetic form of blood was developed and vampires decided to come "out of the coffin." Ball isn't particularly subtle about having the attitudes toward vampires reflect real-life attitudes towards gays, such as having a vampire advocate debate a Jerry Falwell-type minister on a "Nightline"-style show.

The plot centers around Sookie (Anna Paquin), a waitress born with the ability to hear everyone's thoughts. This isn't as cool an ability as one might think, since it drives her batty (so to speak). Her life is turned upside down when she saves the life of a vampire (Stephen Moyer), who is being drained of his blood. (Vamp blood is a very valuable narcotic on the black market).

Sookie becomes fascinated with the vampire and his lifestyle as her small, Louisiana town becomes more divided over the bloodsuckers. Are they evil or just misunderstood?

"True Blood" isn't "Buffy," "Angel," "Moonlight" or any of the other recent vampire shows on TV; while there is action on the show, it's not an action-adventure every week of people fighting each other and facing monsters.

It's more of a social commentary, mixed in with a lot of humor (mostly from a scene-stealing Rutina Wesley, who plays Sookie's BFF Tara). Being an HBO series, there's also quite a lot of sex.

Is "True Blood" the next "Sopranos" for HBO? Probably not. But it does compare pretty favorably with "Six Feet Under," and that isn't bad.

Also of note: Macon actress Carrie Preston is a series regular, playing a waitress at the same bar that Sookie works at. Also, Chris Offutt, a writer who taught a semester at Mercer University, is one of the show's writers, as is Oscar nominee Nancy Oliver.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: Normally, I don't promote game shows. But tonight's installment of "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?" (Fox, 8 p.m.) should be a lot of fun, since the contestant is Georgia Secretary of Education Kathy Cox. Considering the state of Georgia's public schools right now and the controversy Cox has brought with her to the job, this could be pretty interesting.

Time flies when you are having fun: "Monk" (USA, 9 p.m.) celebrates its 100th episode with a lot of returning guest stars, including John Turturro as Monk's brother and Sarah Silverman as his No. 1 fan. Interestingly, they didn't bring back Sharona (Bitty Schram) as film producers do a documentary about Monk's life. It's followed by a new "Psych" at 10 p.m.

ABC Family is getting into the action-adventure gig with the six-part miniseries "Samurai Girl," which runs each of the next three nights from 8-10 p.m. This comes on the heels of "The Middleman," it's well-regarded superhero/spy show.

All of the Big 3 networks are running "Stand Up To Cancer" at 8 p.m. On CBS, the network is airing a preview show of its new fall series at 9 p.m., followed by a new "Swingtown" at 10 p.m. Having seen some of CBS' new offerings, it's a bit of a mixed bag.

Saturday features a new episode of "Primeval" (BBC America, 9 p.m.) as well as college football. Georgia faces Central Michigan (Fox SportsNet, 3:30 p.m.), and Georgia Tech visits Boston College (12 p.m., WPGA), while Morehouse visits Fort Valley State on Sunday (ESPNU, 2 p.m.)

On Sunday, there's a new "Mad Men" (AMC, 10 p.m.) while the season premiere of "Entourage" (HBO, 10 p.m.) follows "True Blood."

The new Fox game show, "Hole In The Wall" (Fox, 8 p.m.) debuts. It involves people jumping through a weird-shaped hole in a wall that is moving towards them. I'm not making this up.

Aloha, Blogger

2008-09-05T10:28:00.002-04:00

The transition I mentioned a couple of weeks ago from Blogger to macon.com is complete.

This is my last post on Blogger, though the site will still be active for a while should anyone want to look through any of the other 529 posts I've put up.

Anyway, the new blog is www.macon.com/thetvguy, so make that your new bookmark and please continue to check in and leave your comments.

The first post is already online, previewing the HBO show "True Blood," (though the link still has a bug or two to be worked out; it may not be viewable until this afternoon).

Still A Letterman Fan

2008-09-04T09:54:00.002-04:00

David Letterman sometimes comes off as acerbic on his "Late Show," but I've always been struck by his graciousness.

Some examples:

-The way he celebrated his medical team after his heart surgery.

-His standing up for Ted Koppel and "Nightline," even though the show appeared on a rival network during the same timeslot.

-His loyalty to sportscaster Marv Albert, a longtime Letterman friend who was involved in a humiliating sexual harrassment case several years ago. While other comics took plenty of shots at Albert, Letterman never did once and later had Albert on as a guest.

-His post 9/11 show celebrating New York's cops and firefighters is still one of the great moments in TV.

-Inviting Conan O'Brien on shortly before he took over "Late Night," and appearing as one of Conan's early guests.

I bring this up because in the newest issue of "Rolling Stone," Letterman has taken the NBC brass to task for their treatment of "Tonight Show" host and longtime rival Jay Leno.

In the interview, Letterman said: "Unless I’m misunderstanding something, I don’t know why, after the job Jay has done for them, why they would relinquish that. ... I guess empathy is the right word. It’s hard to know what he felt about it. I have to believe he was not happy about it."

Letterman said he would love to have Leno as a guest after his stint on "The Tonight Show" is over.

Letterman also had kind words for Conan, who will be taking over "The Tonight Show" for Leno and be Letterman's new competition.

"It will be weird to see Conan at 11:30, don’t you think?" he said in the interview. "Which is not to say he can’t succeed, but, no, I don’t know what the competition will be like. I hope we’re able to do OK."

Letterman was less clear about his own future about whether he will continue to do "The Late Show" after his contract is up in 2010.

"The way I feel now, I would like to go beyond 2010, not much beyond, but you know, enough to go beyond. You always like to be able to excuse yourself on your own terms," Letterman said. "If the network is happy with that, great. If they wanna make a change in 2010, you know, I’m fine with that, too."

Here's one fan hoping he sticks around a while longer.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: Wow, you TV viewers really, really liked the next generation of "90210," didn't you? It became the highest-rated series debut ever for The CW, and set records for several key demographic groups. Of course, if the same numbers were on, say, ABC, we wouldn't be writing about this, but CW is so happy that it will repeat the two-hour pilot tonight at 8 p.m.

Giving equal time to both conventions, tonight marks Republican presidential hopeful John McCain's keynote speech at the convention tonight. Coverage of the convention begins at 8 p.m. on PBS and on cable, but you can catch his speech on any of the networks when their coverage picks up at 10 p.m.

The NFL kicks off tonight with a matchup of the Super Bowl champion New York Giants hosting the Washington Redskins (7 p.m., NBC) On the college side, you have the classic SEC matchup of Vanderbilt and South Carolina (ESPN, 8:30 p.m.)

'Anarchy' Is A Good Thing

2008-09-03T00:29:00.003-04:00

FX has been pretty hit-and-miss with its series over the years. For every "Rescue Me" or "The Shield," you also get the likes of "Dirt" and "The Riches."

Fortunately, "Sons of Anarchy" (FX, 10 p.m.) is in the former category. In fact, comparisons to "The Shield" and "The Sopranos" are pretty apt. Though "Sons" doesn't rank yet with those two series - two of the best ever on TV, IMHO - it does show a lot of potential early on.

Think "Sopranos" redone as a biker gang, shot in a style reminiscent of "The Shield." (Not surprising, since the show was created by "The Shield's" producer, Kurt Sutter.)

Ron Perlman ("Hellboy") leads a biker gang that runs the crime in a Southern California town. With snitches among local law enforcement and dealing with all the rival gangs, the Sons of Anarchy are kind of the flip side of the coin to the strike team on The Shield.

In tonight's episode, the Sons must get back a warehouse full of guns stolen from them by a rival gang in order to fulfill the terms of a contract with a third group. Meanwhile, Jackson (Charlie Hunnam), the gang's annointed leader-to-be and son of the gang's founder, must deal with his ex-wife's (Drea De Matteo) drug habit that has put the life of their unborn son in danger.

The standout here is Katey Sagal ("Married With Children"), Perlman's wife and Hunnam's mother. As the matriarch of the gang, she channels both Carmela and Livia Soprano and is a forced to be reckoned with.

As FX series goes, "Sons" lacks the wit and emotional impact of "Rescue Me" and the adrenaline-induced shock value of "The Shield," but with the latter's exit at the end of this season, "Sons" has shown the potential to be a worthy replacement.

Note that the pilot runs 78 minutes, so like every other FX show, set your recording device of choice to run long.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: "Bones" (Fox, 8 p.m.) returns for Season 4 with a two-hour premiere that finds Bones (Emily Deschanel) and Booth (David Boreanaz) lecturing in London, only to be drawn into a case.

"Bones" has a lot to make up for with last season's less-than-stellar finale, in which team member Zach was shown to be the ally for the serial killer Gormogon. Though some of the blame lays with the WGA strike that shortened the season, the storyline was borderline ludicrous. In fact, "Bones" in general is plagued by somewhat silly weekly plots; what makes it worthwhile is the chemistry within the cast, especially the Deschanel-Boreanaz dynamic, one of TV's best non-couples.

"America's Next Top Model" (CW, 8 p.m.) kicks off a new seasons, while "Greatest American Dog" (CBS, 8 p.m.) continues to wind down.

The Return Of 'The Shield'

2008-09-02T00:11:00.004-04:00

Just before "The Shield" (FX, 10 p.m.) debuted in 2002, I saw the promos for it on FX. While they looked interesting, I was worried this would just be another "cop on the edge"-type series.

Then I watched the pilot. In that first episode, creator Shawn Ryan created an unforgetable character in Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis), the very definition of an anti-hero.

Mackey has done virtually anything and everything you can think of on both sides of the law, taking gangs down when he needs to but more often than not using them to try to keep the peace on the streets. While taking money, he still works to enforce the law. While he loves his family, he has no qualms about cheating on his wife.

When we last left Mackey, he had just come into possession of a load of blackmail material being used by Mexican gang members to pressure public officials. Facing losing his badge, Mackey now had an arsenal of weapons that should help him keep it.

If he can use it. His partner, councilman David Aceveda, his former captain who tried to get him fired, has forged an uneasy alliance between the two, and doesn't want to use the blackmail material.

Meanwhile, Mackey must deal with a renewed threat from the Armenian mob, from whom he and his strike team stole $2 million.

Having watched the first eight episodes of "The Shield's" final season, the producers are throwing in everything but the kitchen sink. Mackey and his partner, Ronnie (David Rees Snell), must deal with team member Shane (Walton Goggins), who killed the fourth member of their team.

Meanwhile, Mackey is continuing to have problems with his daughter, growing more rebellious by the day.

Other storylines include precinct Capt. Wyms (CCH Pounder) dealing with lupus; officer Danny Sofer (Catherine Dent) dealing with being a single mom after a fling with Vic; a detective (David Marciano) suing the precinct; and a federal agent (Laurie Holden), who might be playing both sides of the fence.

While consistently one of TV's best shows, "The Shield" has often been overlooked by the Emmys despite Chiklis winning Best Actor during the first season. Former guest star/cast members Glenn Close, Anthony Anderson and Forest Whitaker turned in fantastic performances that were ignored by the Academy. The turns by regulars such as Goggins and Pounder have been equally overlooked.

The fact is, "The Shield" is still one of TV's top 10 programs, essentially "The Sopranos" told from the law & order point of view.

Fans of the series will be happy to learn that the quality that was present during the first six seasons is there in abundance during the final year.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: I don't think a single new show has been as hyped as much as the next generation of "Beverly Hills, 90210" (CW, 8 p.m.) I was never a fan of the original, and to me it's only noteworthy because it's being produced by Rob Thomas ("Veronica Mars"). I'd love to be able to tell you it's worth the hype, but the CW refused to send out screeners to the critics, which tends to be a bad sign. On the bright side, in keeping with the CW tradition, everybody on the show seems to be really, really pretty.

"House" (Fox, 8 p.m.) repeats last season's stellar two-hour season finale, as House (Hugh Laurie) himself is the mystery - after hitting his head during a bus crash, he can't remember why he was meeting Wilson's girlfriend Cutthroat Bitch at a bar. Though some criticized the show as being uneven last season, the finale was definitely one of the high points.

Welcome To The New Stuff

2008-09-01T01:20:00.004-04:00

It's appropriate that with Labor Day marking the end of summer and the beginning of fall, several new and returning shows are hitting the air tonight.

Perhaps the most intriguing is "Raising the Bar," (TNT, 10 p.m.), which will be taking over "Saving Grace's" timeslot for a few weeks.

It stars Mark-Paul Gosselar ("NYPD Blue") as a public defender and Gloria Reuben ("ER") as his boss. Jane Kaczmarek ("Malcolm In The Middle") plays a judge.

The series was created by Steven Bochco, who has produced some of the great TV of our time ("NYPD Blue," "Hill Street Blues") as well as some of the most forgettable ("Cop Rock"). Where will "Raising The Bar" fall on the Bochco scale? Early reviews have been mixed, so we'll wait and see.

COMING TUESDAY: The Telegraph's Charles E. Richardson reunites with Kenny Burgamy for the debut of the "Kenny B. and Charles E. Show" on WPGA-FM 100.9 from 6 a.m.-9 a.m., with the first hour of the show being aired live on WPGA-TV.

The talk show will provide a contrast to WMAC-AM 940's recently debuted talk radio program, hosted by Chris Krok.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: I gave up on "Prison Break" (Fox, 8 p.m.) at the beginning of last season as the show went ridiculous beyond even its own standards, but evidently someone is still watching it, so he or she will be up for tonight's two-hour debut. I'm still wondering how they will explain away how Michael's decapitated girlfriend is back to being a series regular.

A new "Saving Grace" (TNT, 9 p.m.) leads into "Raising The Bar."

To give equal time, I should note that the Republican National Convention kicks off tonight. You can catch the action at 8 p.m. on PBS and cable, or the key speeches at 10 p.m. on the networks.

Check last week's postings for "Reel Fanatic's" review of the season premiere of "Gossip Girl" (CW, 8 p.m.), followed by the season premiere of "One Tree Hill" (CW, 9 p.m.) as the network looks to get out of the gates early.

Finally, CNBC didn't do a good job of promoting it when it debuted last week, but "The Apprentice UK" (CNBC, 8 p.m.) airs its second episode as contestants face off for the opportunity to get a job with British tycoon Sir Alan Sugar. If you want a better version of "The Apprentice" franchise, check out the BBC America series "Dragon's Den" on Thursdays, in which would-be entrepreneurs seek backing for their projects from five UK millionaires. It's a much more interesting format than the artificial tasks contestants are given on "The Apprentice."

Clever Promo

2008-08-29T10:39:00.002-04:00

There's a new series on the UK's ITV that looks pretty good, call "No Heroics." It's about four rather lame superheroes and the regular lives they lead (very reminiscent of the live-action version of "The Tick" on Fox.)

It debuts in September, though I have no idea when it is coming across the pond. Here's the clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3zpMTKvvgk

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: Sorry for the short postings this week, but with the holiday weekend, I have a lot of work to do in a very short time. Besides, there's really nothing new on, thanks to the holiday. Shows like "Monk" are being pre-empted for the US Open, while AMC is re-running the first few episodes of Season 2 of "Mad Men" Sunday night.

On the bright side, I'm finally getting my screeners from the networks. I'll have reviews of "Sons of Anarchy" from FX and "Privileged" from the CW for the new shows, and hopefully "The Shield" and other returning shows, depending on the mail service. I'll also have a posting on Monday.

In the meantime, go to your favorite sports bar to catch Georgia-Georgia Southern on satellite or on the radio this Saturday and have a safe holiday weekend.

Obama's Big Night

2008-08-28T00:51:00.002-04:00

Just a brief update today, since there is little else on ("Burn Notice" is on hiatus for three weeks, unfortunately).

Not playing partisan politics at all, but tonight marks Barack Obama's acceptance speech at the Democrat National Convention. Along with John McCain's speech next Thursday, this is usually the only interesting parts of the conventions for me, regardless of party.

The networks, once again, are downplaying the conventions as a whole, beginning their coverage at 10 p.m. on the East Coast. You can catch the entire night's coverage if you wish on PBS beginning at 8 p.m. or on cable.

Sports And TV Continue To Mix

2008-08-27T09:55:00.002-04:00

Thursday marks (potentially) one of the most important dates in baseball history, as Major League Baseball begins the use of instant replay during games. The new rules allow umpires to check on a TV monitor whether a ball was a home run or not as opposed to a foul ball or a ball that didn't clear the fence.

The rules' proponents argue that it will help ensure accuracy by clearing up any disputes over balls that are too close to call, and will help out umpires who have to make a call in a fraction of a second about a ball that is several hundred feet away.

People opposing the rule argue that the beauty of baseball factors in human error, that instant replay will slow the game and that the process is a slippery slope. Whose to say MLB won't enact replays for balls and strikes or close plays at first base?

As much as I am a baseball purist, I have to say that while I don't think replay is necessary, I don't think it will harm the game, either. How many balls are really that close where replay is necessary? A few, but not that many. The one thing I oppose is making the change during the season. Baseball has been around more than a century; we could have waited until next spring training to make the switch.

In a completely unrelated story, the SEC and ESPN signed a mega-deal earlier this week for a 15-year partnership that begins in 2009. Every SEC football game (except for those that fall under the CBS deal) will be broadcast on an ESPN network, such as ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU.

In addition, the deal allows for ESPN to carry men's and women's basketball games, as well as other, non-revenue sports.

Considering the athletics success in various sports that Georgia, Florida, LSU and others have enjoyed over recent years, this should be a sports fan's dream. Of course, if it turns out to be bad somehow, we're stuck with it until 2024.

ABC PICKS UP PILOTS: According to various media outlets, ABC has ordered five pilots (three dramas and two sitcoms) for next year.

Among them:

—"Cupid," re-introduced by creator Rob Thomas with actors Bobby Cannavale and Sarah Paulson taking over the original roles of Jeremy Piven and Paula Marshall. Sorry, but this one is going to have a hard time living up to the '90s version, one of the most original TV shows ever produced.

—"Castle," starring the always-fun Nathan Fillion ("Firefly"), about a novelist who assists the NYPD. It's from Andrew Marlowe ("Air Force One").

—"The Unusuals," a cop drama produced by Peter Tolan ("Rescue Me") and Noah Hawley ("Bones"). Included in the cast are Amber Tamblyn, Harold Perrineau and Adam Goldberg.

—"Better Off Ted," produced by Victor Fresco ("Andy Richter Controls the Universe"). No idea what this one is about.

—"Single With Parents," starring Alyssa Milano, about a single career-girl. It's produced by Kristin Newman ("How I Met Your Mother").

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: The penultimate night of the Democratic National Convention features speakers Bill Clinton and VP candidate Sen. Joe Biden (PBS, 8 p.m.).

"Mythbusters" (Discovery, 9 p.m.) tackles the myth that the 1969 lunar landing was a hoax.

I caught "Greatest American Dog" (CBS, 8 p.m.) last week for the first time. It's not bad and easy to get into even at this late stage.

Finally, the US Open (USA, 7 p.m.) continues for all you tennis nuts.

Psst...'Gossip' Back Next Week

2008-08-26T01:07:00.003-04:00

With all of the new shows about to hit the air beginning next week, I'm trying to pack in a few reviews early.

The first is "Gossip Girl," which returns to the CW on Monday.

Because I don't watch this show, I asked Keith Demko, The Reel Fanatic, to review the first three episodes of Season 2. Here's what Keith had to say:

"For the record, I do realize I'm far too old, male and, well, straight to be in the target audience for the CW's "Gossip Girl," but I just can't help it. The show is just the most addictive kind of trash.

When these teen shows work for anyone who hasn't seen a high school hallway in many years, they have to play out almost like a really dishy Jane Austen novel, a comedy of manners starring kids so bratty-but-perfect-looking you just want to sock them in the nose. "Gossip Girl" achieved this mix in season one by being just tawdry but also witty enough to keep viewers coming back, and judging from the first three episodes of season two that isn't going to change.

So, where are we when season two begins? For Serena (Blake Lively), of course, summer means the Hamptons, and we find she's still broken up with Dan (Penn Badgley), though not completely. Blair (Leighton Meester) returns from her summer in Europe with a new "boyfriend" in tow whose main job is to make Chuck (Ed Westwick) insanely jealous, but of course brings his own baggage across the pond to liven things up. And Jenny (Taylor Momsen) finds that working as an intern for Blair's mother's fashion house isn't as rewarding or fun as she had imagined.

The only difference you'll notice is that Georgina, played by a woefully miscast Michelle Trachtenberg, doesn't make an apperance in the first three episodes, but I understand she will be back soon and possibly become a regular. Even if she can't really manage to play the bad girl the role demands, it's just nice to see anyone from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" getting steady work.

The bottom line: If you liked season one of "Gossip Girl," tune in when it returns at 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 1, because it's still just the nearly perfect kind of trashy fun you've come to expect."

It will be interesting to see how the CW's strategy of "Gossip Girl" and "Beverly Hills, 90210" - unavailable for preview - pays off. The guy caught in the middle is "GG" creator Josh Schwartz, whose show "Chuck" will also air Mondays at 8 p.m.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: More political coverage from the Democratic National Convention, airing on PBS, MSNBC and CNN beginning at 8 p.m. and the networks at 10 p.m.

Also new is one of the minisodes of "The Shield" (FX, 10 p.m.)

Political Convention Season: Celebration Of Democracy Or Boring TV?

2008-08-25T00:39:00.003-04:00

For those of you in the record audience that watched the 2008 Olympics that are already in withdrawal, fear not - there is plenty of spectacle left on the tube.

Tonight marks the four-day commercial for the Democratic Party, to be followed by next week's advertisement for the Republicans.

Once upon a time, the conventions were vaguely important because of all the backroom deals to pick a candidate, but with the candidates already picked and Barack Obama having announced his running mate over the weekend, there's not a whole lot of suspense. I'm guessing we'll know John McCain's VP pick before the Republican Convention begins next week.

So it becomes four days of speeches, speeches and more speeches, followed by endless analysis and spin doctoring.

In the UK, of which I'm also a citizen, the conventions actually decide the party's stand on a variety of issues and they set their annual agenda, so the conventions mean something. Here, not so much.

My colleague, Travis Fain, has pointed out that both parties would do better to donate half the $100 million or so it costs to put on a convention to the city that would be hosting it, which would still be a boost for the local economy, and donate the other half to some worthy cause.

But the networks are finally fixing something that I've been complaining about for years - giving the viewers other options. This year, the conventions will be shown live and in full on CNN, MSNBC and PBS, while the networks will only broadcast an hour of highlights and commentary at 10 p.m. each night.

Really, this is how it should be. We don't need every dial on the tube broadcasting the same speech. It's overkill. Ditto for things like the State of the Union. I'm not against broadcasting these speeches - on the contrary, it's very important - but really, this is what PBS is for. It's public television that's available to everyone.

So please, feel free to watch either convention or both, or neither. Now you have that choice.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: OK, admittedly, not a whole lot on the tube, so you may as well watch the convention, since everything is pretty much repeats. (That won't be the case next week during the Republican Convention).

Still, one can catch new episodes of "The Closer" and "Saving Grace" on TNT, beginning at 9 p.m.

HBO is premiering the documentary "The Black List: Vol. 1" at 9 p.m., profiling the lives of notable African-Americans. "Weeds" (Showtime, 10 p.m.) is also new.

Finally, the US Open (USA, 7 p.m.) runs virtually ad nauseum beginning tonight.

Olympics Close Out

2008-08-22T01:47:00.002-04:00

It seems like the Olympics just started, and yet the Games will be finishing up with the closing ceremonies Sunday night.

Generally, the closings have as much, if not more, fanfare than the openings, and considering the visual spectacle China put on two weeks ago, expect a good show.

NBC has done a fairly solid job with its coverage, though it could have used some more variety. If you wanted to watch something other than volleyball, track, swimming, gymanstics or men's basketball, you were pretty much out of luck. And if you wanted to watch some of the great athletes from around the world, you needed to hope they were facing a highly rated American.

Considering all of the buildup heading into the Games, the events themselves seemed a bit anticlimactic, save for the swimming, of course.

But if you haven't gotten your fill of spectacles yet, fear not - the Democratic National Convention kicks off Monday.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: Monk finally begins to show interest in another woman besides his late wife as he tries to prove guest star Joanna Pacula innocent on "Monk" (USA, 9 p.m.), followed by a new "Psych" at 10 p.m. "Stargate: Atlantis" (Sci-Fi, 10 p.m.) is also new.

On Saturday, catch a new "Primeval" (BBC America, 9 p.m.) and last week's at 8 p.m., always useful if you are like me and accidentally erased it before watching it on tape.

On Sunday, tear yourself away from the Olympics for an hour to catch an all-new "Mad Men" (AMC, 10 p.m.)

Still On Blogger...

2008-08-21T11:11:00.002-04:00

It looks like we'll be here for a few more days, but I'll let you know when you can switch over to the new site.

Meanwhile, check out our redesign on macon.com.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: Sorry, just a quick update today.

The Olympics, of course, are still going, though I have to admit everything else seems like a bit of a letdown post-Phelps.

Thursday's top pick, as always, is "Burn Notice," (USA, 10 p.m.) which is all new. Also new is "Flashpoint" (CBS, 10 p.m.), though why anyone would watch this over "Burn Notice" is a bit of a puzzle.

Finally, football fans can catch what is sure to be thriller (note the sarcasm) with the preseason matchup of the 49ers and the Bears (Fox, 8 p.m.)

Ch-ch-ch-anges!

2008-08-20T10:00:00.003-04:00

In the next day or so, you'll be noticing a new look to this and the other Telegraph blogs as we move off Blogger and onto the main site at macon.com. In TV parlance, think of it as us getting a new timeslot.

I'm not quite sure how this is going to work - I leave all the technical stuff to our Webmaster - but it should only affect you in the sense that you may have to put in a new address for your bookmark and homepage. (What?!? This site isn't your homepage? What is wrong with you?)

The switch will allow us to better manage the blogs and log the incoming traffic (who knows, I might be getting loyal baker's dozens of Web surfers) and give all of our blogs a more uniform look.

This specific Web page on Blogger will still be good for a while as the Web people try to figure out how to transfer the other 500-plus previous posts to the new site, so you will still be able to go through and peruse my previous postings at your leisure (which I know all of you do regularly).

Anyway, back to our regularly scheduled programming. Just a few bits of TV news today.

Laurence Fishburne made it official this week and will be stepping into the lead role of "CSI," sort of replacing William Petersen, who will still appear in a recurring basis.

Speaking of changes, Annabelle Wallis has replaced Anita Briem in the Jane Seymour role on "The Tudors" for Season 3. The two actresses look a lot alike (and both are drop-dead gorgeous) so it shouldn't be too much of a distraction.

Speaking of gorgeous, Charlotte Sullivan ("MVP") has been cast as Maxima on "Smallville." If the writes do the character any justice and write her the way she was in the comics and on the Superman animated series, she should be a fun addition to the series.

Also, Courtney B. Vance ("L&O: CI") will join his real-life wife, Angela Bassett, for a multi-episode arc on the final season of "ER."

Finally, a get well shout out to Christina Applegate ("Samantha Who?"), who had a double mastectomy to treat her breast cancer. Applegate said doctors were able to get all of the cancer, which hopefully means a good prognosis. This should serve as a reminder to all women about the importance of breast exams each year.

90210 SURPRISE: We're supposed to not take this as a bad sign, but the CW is not sending out an advance copy of the new "Beverly Hills, 90210" pilot to critics.

In a statement released to critics this week, the CW said: "The CW and our studio partner CBS Paramount Network Television have made the strategic marketing decision not to screen "90210" for any media in advance of its premiere. We're not hiding anything . . . simply keeping a lid on 90210 until 9.02, riding the curiosity and anticipation into premiere night, and letting all our constituents see it at the same time."

Um, yeah. I suppose it's a smart move strategically - critics are more likely to be unkind in talking about the BH revival, which should draw pretty ratings for the network built around marketing very pretty people.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: We used to have a reporter at The Telegraph who was obsessed with Ninjas. I don't know if he's reading this, but tonight's "Mythbusters" (Discovery, 9 p.m.) explores the legends of the Japanese assassins, such as the ability to catch an arrow in mid-flight. I can do that, but I choose not to.

"Greatest American Dog" (CBS, 8 p.m.) continues on CBS, while the Olympics continue on NBC.

Weberific

2008-08-19T09:40:00.003-04:00

A couple of quick items from the world of the World Wide Web today that may be of interest.

First, TVGuide.com has posted its Fall preview online. It's your one-stop shop for all things TV for the upcoming season, including a calendar listing of debuts, a daily schedule grid and photos from your favorite shows.

You can find it here: http://www.tvguide.com/special/fall-preview-2008/default.aspx

Also, the Emmys are letting people vote for their favorite TV moments ever. Go to www.emmys.tv and vote for which shows you want to see have clips presented during the Sept. 21 broadcast.

CBS FOOTBALL: CBS has apparently accidentally leaked its SEC/college football schedule this season. According to Web sources, here it is:
09/13 - 2:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Georgia @ South Carolina (CBS HD)
09/20 - 2:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Florida @ Tennessee (CBS HD)
09/27 - 2:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Tennessee @ Auburn (CBS HD)
10/04 - 2:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Florida @ Arkansas or Kentucky @ Alabama (CBS HD)
10/11 - 2:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Tennessee @ Georgia (CBS HD)
10/11 - 7:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m. LSU @ Florida (CBS HD)
10/18 - 2:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. LSU @ South Carolina (CBS HD)
10/25 - 2:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Georgia @ LSU (CBS HD)
11/01 - 2:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Georgia-Florida (CBS HD)
11/08 - 2:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Alabama @ LSU or Georgia @ Kentucky (CBS HD)
11/15 - 11:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Notre Dame @ Navy (CBS HD)
11/15 - 2:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. South Carolina @ Florida or Georgia @ Auburn (CBS HD)
11/22 - 2:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Ole Miss @ LSU or Tennessee @ Vanderbilt or Arkansas @ Mississippi St. (CBS HD)
11/28 - 1:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m. LSU @ Arkansas (CBS HD)
11/29 - 11:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Georgia Tech @ Georgia (CBS HD)
11/29 - 2:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Auburn @ Alabama (CBS HD)
12/06 - 11:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Army @ Navy (CBS HD)
12/06 - 3:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m. SEC Championship

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: More Beijing Olympics goodness (NBC, 8 p.m.) and another "Rescue Me" minisode (FX, 10 p.m.)

Webisodes

2008-08-18T10:07:00.003-04:00

More and more, TV networks are looking to come up with Web-specific content. Sometimes, it's to augment shows currently on the air, such as the mini-sodes of "Heroes" and "The Office" that are used to bridge the gap into the upcoming seasons.

But there's also original content being done, Web-only shows that are designed to run in two- or three-minute bits, about the average attention span for the average Web user.

Much in the tradition of "Quarterlife," which ran disastrously on NBC for one episode after building itself up on the Web, the Peacock is having a go online again with "Gemini Division," about a NYPD undercover cop, Anna Diaz (Rosario Dawson).

The comparison to "Quarterlife" is deliberate on my part, because both that and "Gemini" bored me to tears, a remarkable feat considering the installments last about three minutes.

"Gemini" is told through a series of Web phone calls from Dawson to an unknown friend, detailing about her romantic getaway with her boyfriend Nick (Justin Hartley, "Smallville") and the mysterious guy following them (Kevin Alejandro, "Shark"). Unfortunately, the plot device is more annoying than informative, shot this way no doubt as a budget saving measure.

Anyway, the press notes lead me to believe that Anna's personal and professional lives will intersect, causing all sorts of mayhem. Where is this series going? Don't know, don't care.

I'm all for alternative forms of entertainment, and obviously the influence of the Web is only going to continue to grow, but the shows have to be good, at least. Maybe the networks should stick to the Webisodes from series that are already established, like "The Office," where we know the characters already and the plots aren't especially complex.

OLYMPICS RATINGS: It's not all bad news for NBC, which got 31.1 million viewers for Michael Phelps' record-breaking eighth gold medal Saturday night. So far, the Games have gotten 191 million viewers through the first nine days, more than the totals for the previous two Games' entire runs.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: Kevin Bacon directs his wife, Kyra Sedgwick, in tonight's "The Closer" (TNT, 9 p.m.), no doubt helping all those "Six Degree" players out there. It's followed by a new "Saving Grace" at 10 p.m.

Also new is "The Middleman" (ABC Family, 10 p.m.), plus more Olympics, but no more Michael Phelps.

Send In The Clones

2008-08-15T10:05:00.002-04:00

With the good TV still weeks away, I'm probably going to be taking in some of the big releases this weekend at the cinema (though not "Vicky Christina Barcelona," which isn't coming to Macon yet).

"Star Wars: The Clone Wars" is a continuation of the animated series of shorts that ran on The Cartoon Network a couple of years ago, and tells the story of the years between the second and third prequels. The animation of the shorts was done in traditional, 2-D animation but this new version is CGI 3-D.

Though I'm curious about the project, I've heard enough negative reviews of it (and no positive ones) that I'll wait for it to be re-run on TV — which will be in only a few weeks. In this rather unique deal, the movie gets a cinema release first before debuting on TV.

The other big movie that opens this week is "Tropic Thunder." Earlier this week, I covered protests from people representing groups such as the Special Olympics, who are protesting nationwide the movie's excessive use of the word "retard."

It's tough to judge something to be offensive without having seen it, but from what I can gather, the movie uses the word in a satirical sense and is making fun of the actors who play physically or mentally challenged individuals in order to win Oscars, not those individuals themselves.

Does that make it right? It's hard to say. I remember when "Pulp Fiction" came out and blacks were incensed at the frequent use of the n-word by both black and white characters. And though I enjoyed "Pulp," it did seem use of the word was gratuitous, whereas in a movie such as "Mississippi Burning," for example, the word is used to provide historical context.

I asked one of the demonstrators if she thought that by protesting "Tropic," it would actually bring more people to the film by raising their curiosity. She said that while that is a possibility, the movie could also serve as a forum to teach people that use of language can be hurtful, which may be the most important part of the controversy.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: If you are staying in and not watching the Olympics, you still have some choices of new stuff.

"Monk" (USA, 9 p.m.) must solve a mystery while trapped on a Navy submarine; it's followed by a new "Psych" at 10 p.m. "Stargate: Atlantis" (Sci-Fi, 10 p.m.) is also new, as is "Swingtown" (CBS, 10 p.m.)

On Saturday, I was a little underwhelmed by the premiere of "Primeval" (BBC America, 9 p.m.) The premise is pretty interesting, but the rather poor CGI effects of the dinosaurs proved to be a distraction. Still, there's enough there that I'm going to give the show another chance.

On Sunday, it's a night of endings. Chris Noth departs another "Law & Order" franchise with his final "Criminal Intent" (USA, 9 p.m.), which is followed by the season finale of "In Plain Sight" (USA, 10 p.m.)

On PBS, the last-ever "Inspector Lynley Mysteries" airs on "Masterpiece Mystery" (PBS, 9 p.m.)

On the bright side, we've got a whole lot of season left on the superb "Mad Men," (AMC, 10 p.m.), which has somehow managed to raise its game to an even higher level.

Radio Wars

2008-08-14T00:38:00.002-04:00

Hopefully, you've been reading The Telegraph for the past couple of days and have been following the news about the local radio waves.

My story today, about WMAC-AM 940's hire of Chris Krok to replace the morning spot vacated by Shayne McBride a couple of months ago comes on the heels of business writer Linda Morris' piece Wednesday about WPGA-FM 100.9 and The Telegraph partnering up to re-unite former morning talk show hosts Kenny Burgamy and Charles Richardson.

The radio war heating up shouldn't be dull. Krok, in a brief tryout in late July with WMAC, already has made a mark by getting into it with city councilwoman Elaine Lucas. Say what you will about Krok, who previously worked for WSB in Atlanta, but no one is going to accuse him of being shy.

You can hear some of the Krok-Lucas exchange on this audio file:

http://images.redstate.com/chriselaine.mp3

Already, he has fired the first shot across the bow of his competitors and hopes to use his two-week headstart to get the jump on Burgamy and Richardson. Noting that Burgamy is the vice president of Atlantic Southern Bank and Richardson is The Telegraph's editorial page editor, Krok said he will be living his talk-radio job 24/7.

"This isn't a second job for me," he said. "I believe the people deserve better. I think it's an insult to the people to say this is a second job."

Richardson and Kenny B, as he is known around these parts, took Krok's comments in stride. They both noted their long experience in the Middle Georgia market and the listeners' familiarity with their previous show, which ran on WMAC from 1997-2000, before Richardson left to become the metro editor for The Telegraph and was replaced by Jami Gaudet.

"I wish him nothing but success," Burgamy said. "I hope he gets to the point where he can take on two jobs and do them well."

The formats of the show will likely be pretty different, though both will be oriented around news and issues important to Middle Georgians. Krok will work solo, having only the occasional guest but mostly relying on callers. He describes himself as more of a conservative than a Republican, and noted times when he was in Atlanta when he challenged Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., on the recent immigration bill, and supporting Hank Johnson against Cynthia McKinney in the Democratic primary last year for the Congressional seat in Georgia's 4th District.

Richardson and Burgamy said they will likely return to their familiar pattern of talking about issues from their respective left and right points of view, mixing in guests with callers. They should have a more low-key approach than Krok.

"We can disagree with our guests without being disagreeable," Richardson said.

Richardson said in addition to people already knowing him and Burgamy, their show will enjoy other advantages, such as a more-powerful FM signal in the mornings as well as the fact they will be simulcast on Macon.com and (for the first hour of each day) on WPGA-TV, leading into "Good Morning America."

With our local political entities seemingly never short of material to provide the talk radio hosts, this should be an interesting battle in the mornings. Stay tuned.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: Sorry for not posting yesterday; as I explained to my father, I'm occasionally too busy.

With the Olympics (NBC, 8 p.m.) still going strong, not too many options. Not to worry, the first new shows will be hitting the air in early September, and I hope to be able to review as many as possible beforehand.

Still, you can treat yourself to one of the summer's most fun shows with "Burn Notice" (USA, 10 p.m.)

A much lesser choice, but also new, is "Flashpoint" (CBS, 10 p.m.)

And if you are a sports fans not into the Olympics, you can catch the NFL Preseason when Carolina faces Philadelphia (Fox, 8 p.m.)

Old Is New

2008-08-12T09:40:00.003-04:00

Who says there are no new ideas in Hollywood?

From varying sources such as The Hollywood Reporter and Variety...

CBS is set to make a remake/sequel to the 1960s hit "Hawaii Five-O." The new series would pick up with Steve McGarrett's (Jack Lord) son running the 5-0 unit in our 50th state. No word if this new McGarrett will say "Book him, Dano Jr."

Meanwhile, ABC is developing a TV version of "The Witches of Eastwick," based on the book by John Updike and the movie that starred the likes of Jack Nicholson, Cher, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer. NBC had tried to pull it off in the early 1990s, making an unaired pilot produced by Carlton Cuse ("Lost") and the late Jeffrey Boam ("Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"), the pair that made "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr," one of my all-time favorite shows.

No word when either series will get things going, but they join the likes of the remake of "Cupid" and the next generation of "Beverly Hills, 90210" as shows getting a new life because the networks apparently believe in recycling. And they wonder why they are losing their audiences to cable.

CASTING NEWS: According to the trades, Kim Dickens ("Deadwood") will appear on "Friday Night Lights" this season as the estranged mom of quarterback Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford).

Meanwhile, on "Heroes," the ever-growing cast adds two more with Breckin Meyer and Seth Green. That's in addition to the new cast members being added through the webisodes on NBC.com.

Speaking of "Heroes," you can now see the series' alternate ending for Season 2 - in which the Shanti Virus is unleashed - (albeit without sound) here: http://heroesspoilers-odi.blogspot.com/2008/08/heroes-season-2-alternate-ending-and.html

Without the sound, it's not really worth watching, but they also do show a separate clip in which we see Hiro's dad's (George Takei) power - and it's a pretty cool one. That clip also doesn't have sound, but because the scene is between him and Ando, it's done with subtitles. Both clips and more (presumably with sound) are supposed to be on the "Heroes" DVD set to be released next month.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: Olympics, of course (NBC, 8 p.m.), though nothing during the rest of the Games will compare to kicking French butt Sunday night.

The rest of the night is mostly reruns, perhaps most notably "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" (Fox, 9 p.m.) as the network tries to catch people up before the series returns. If you missed it the first time around, I recommend it.

"Rescue Me" (FX, 10 p.m.) follows up with another new mini-episode, though I'm not sure they can top last week's, and it's followed by a new "30 Days" at 10:06 p.m.

Finally, "Nova" (PBS, 8 p.m.) discusses the history and significance of Einstein's Theory of Relativity, my personal favorite in terms of scientific theories.

Just Another Manic Monday

2008-08-11T09:43:00.002-04:00

Man, you know I must be operating on no sleep if I'm quoting the Bangles.

After the opening weekend of the Olympics, I have to say the coverage has been a mixed bag. As always, there's way too much face time given to the so-called "Redeem Team," especially when they blew out China yesterday (though it was the most watched basketball game world-wide in the history of the sport.) But really, during the parade of nations Friday, did we need constant shots of Kobe and LeBron waving? How about shots of the badminton team or the rowers, athletes who don't get that same sort of coverage year-round as the average NBA superstar?

The coverage of the individual events has been decent, though. NBC's coverage of the swimming, including last night's spectacular relay event, has been top-notch. The boxing coverage, though, was dismal. All this talk about how controversial the US coach is, yet they never bothered to tell us why, even during a 1-on-1 interview. The rest of it has been in-between, though I always welcome the presence of Melissa Stark to my TV.

R.I.P. BERNIE MAC, ISAAC HAYES AND BERNIE BRILLSTEIN: It was a bad weekend in Hollywood as a trio of personalities passed away. Mac, who died after a bout of pneumonia, was best known for his Emmy-nominated sitcom on Fox and his role in the "Ocean's 11" series of movies.

Hayes won an Oscar for his theme song to "Shaft" and was the voice of Chef on "South Park," until a fall-out with the show's producers over their poking fun at Scientology.

Brillstein was a well-known Hollywood power player who helped launch the careers of everyone from Lorne Michaels to Jim Henson to Garry Shandling.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: You know, one thing I hate about so-called reality TV is the way they drag it out. I was perfectly ready for "The Mole" (ABC, 10 p.m.) to be revealed last week. Instead, they drag it out for one more episode in which they put in mostly filler because the actual revealing of the mole and the show's winner will take about a minute. I really don't need these "reunion" shows where they bring back all of the eliminated players to give commentary.

Getting ready for the new season to start in a few weeks, the networks are running reruns for a change, so if you want to catch up with CBS' comedy lineup or shows like "Prison Break" and "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" on Fox, now's your chance.

If you aren't watching the Olympics, your options for new episodes include "The Closer" (TNT, 9 p.m.) and "Saving Grace" (TNT, 10 p.m.), "Weeds" (Showtime, 10 p.m.) and "The Middleman" (ABC Family, 10 p.m.)

Simon Back With HBO

2008-08-08T10:01:00.002-04:00

"The Wire" may not have gotten a lot of love from the Emmys over the years, but that hasn't stopped series creator David Simon from teaming up with HBO once again for a new series, to be called "Treme."

Simon also produces the current new HBO miniseries "Generation Kill."

And, in a case of putting the band back together, Simon has signed Wendell Pierce and Clarke Peters from "The Wire" to play the leads in the new series, about New Orleans residents struggling to put their lives back together post-Katrina. Also in the cast is Khandi Alexander ("NewsRadio," "CSI: Miami").

Hopefully, it will do better than Fox's "K-Ville," which fizzled earlier this year following two cops who tried to keep the peace in New Orleans after the floods.

8-8-08: People keep saying the convergence of eights will make this a lucky day. I hope so; Happy Anniversary to my brother, whom I guess you can call the "DVR Guy," and my sister-in-law.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: With the Olympics running the next two weeks, I won't be offering too many highlights. You can refer to the schedule I posted the link for on Thursday to find out when your favorite events are running. Odds are, it will mostly be the so-called "Redeem Team" anyway as NBC short-shrifts the other, less glamorous sports. Tonight's opening ceremony starts at 7:30 p.m. and will run the rest of the night.

If the Olympics aren't your cup of tea, there are a few options. "Monk" (USA, 9 p.m.) and "Psych" (USA, 10 p.m.) are new, as is "Swingtown" (CBS, 10 p.m.)

On Saturday, BBC America kicks off a new series called "Primeval," (BBC America, 9 p.m.), a fantasy series in which dinosaurs mysteriously start popping up in modern-day England. I don't know much about "Primeval," but given the network's recent history with fantasy-oriented shows - "Torchwood," "Life on Mars," "Jekyll" - this series deserves at least a look.

In case you missed it the first time around, FX is re-running the entire season of "Damages," starring Glenn Close and Ted Danson" in a marathon from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. "Damages" picked up 16 Emmy nominations, tying it with "Mad Men" for most nominations.

On Sunday, "Masterpiece: Mystery" (PBS, 9 p.m.) kicks off a new series of "Inspector Lynley Mysteries" as the title hero is arrested for murder.

USA offers new episodes of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" at 9 p.m. and the penultimate episode this season of "In Plain Sight" at 10 p.m.

Finally, the pick of the night is, of course, "Mad Men" (AMC, 10 p.m.)

Five-Ring Circus

2008-08-07T09:47:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow night marks the beginning of the 2008 Summer Olympics (NBC, Friday, 7:30 p.m.) in Beijing, games that have already been marked by their fair share of controversies.

Doping, Beijing's pollution, China's abysmal record on human rights - these aren't shaping up to be the happy fun games.

Still, there's something about the Olympics that are unmatched in sports. When a record in track or swimming falls, it still seems to mean something. When you see someone like Kerri Strug perform a vault in gymnastics on a busted ankle to capture a gold medal, you still get chills.

So many great stories usually come out of the Olympics that they are worth watching, especially when all they are up against is so-called reality TV. The Olympics are the genuine deal.

Though NBC will have a small army descend upon China for the games, it's a little disappointing to see the other networks not take advantage of this rare opportunity to report from that country; most are only sending a few reporters. It's a rare opportunity for access to a country that, otherwise, rarely grants it.

Still, there are some problems with the Olympics coverage. For me, most notably, American coverage of the Games usually revolves around Americans, so if an American athlete doesn't have a decent shot at medalling in an event, that event rarely gets shown. In addition, the coverage tends to focus on U.S. athletes who finish in sixth place while some foreign athlete sets a record and barely gets noticed.

And, the Olympics have never quite been the same since ABC stopped covering them, which meant no Jim McKay serving as host. McKay died earlier this year, and no studio host will ever match him in the booth.

NBC has provided a complete schedule of what it is televising: www.nbcolympics.com/tv_and_online_listings/index.html. In addition, networks like Telemundo are also providing coverage, and satellite and internet owners should be able to pick up all sorts of broadcasts.

So, let the Games begin.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: The quirky and charming "My Boys" wraps up its second season at a special time (TBS, 10 p.m.) as the gang gets ready for Bobby's wedding and PJ tries to reunite him with his squabbling brother. It follows two new episodes of the "Bill Engvall Show," beginning at 9 p.m.

One of the best shows of the summer, "Burn Notice," (USA, 10 p.m.) is brand-new. It's opposite new episodes of the docu-drama "Hopkins" (ABC, 10 p.m.) and "Flashpoint" (CBS, 10 p.m.)

On the so-called reality front, both "So You Think You Can Dance" (Fox, 8 p.m.) and "Last Comic Standing" (NBC, 8 p.m.) announce their winners.

Finally, I saw the first episode of the HBO vampire series "True Blood," created by Alan Ball ("Six Feet Under") and it's pretty good. I'm going to review it in detail just before it debuts in September (and, I've also interviewed one of show's stars, Macon native Carrie Preston), but you can catch a sneak peek of what it's about with a 15-minute special (HBO, 8:15 p.m.)

My Kingdom For A Horse

2008-08-06T10:24:00.002-04:00

Car aggravation is forcing to make today's entry real brief, so just some casting news:

--Laurence Fishburne is reportedly in line to replace William Petersen as the lead on "CSI," according to TVGuide.com. No word on who will be replacing other departed CSIers Gary Dourdan and Jorja Fox.

--Joss Stone has been cast as Anne of Cleves for the next season of "The Tudors." The real Anne was supposed to have been rather unattractive, and while Stone isn't in the class of the actresses who play Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour, Stone is more attractive than her historical counterpart.

--Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Robert Forster ("Jackie Brown") will be cast as the father of Nathan and Peter Petrelli on "Heroes," a pretty cool bit of casting, actually. The series producers said Season 3 will be a great improvement over Season 2, and judging by the reported reaction at Comic Con to the first episode of the new season, they've taken a step in the right direction.

--AMC's next new series will be a political thriller, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The show centers on one of those pesky secret societies that tries to control the world. Considering how good AMC's other two original series - "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad" - are, I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of this one.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: Just another month until all the good TV returns. In the meantime, the so-called reality shows will have to do.

"Greatest American Dog" (CBS, 8 p.m.) continues on its new night, while "The Baby Borrowers" (NBC, 9 p.m.) has a town hall reunion with guest Dr. Drew Pinsky.

Bravo continues its reality run with new installments of "Project Runway" at 9 p.m. and "Shear Genius" at 10 p.m.

Supersize Me

2008-08-05T09:49:00.002-04:00

OK, I'm going to admit to be a bit of a hypocrite.

I've often criticized NBC for its "supersized" episodes of its various Thursday sitcoms over the years. Usually, they've been little more than a ratings stunt that began when the NBC brass was looking for a way to counteract the popularity of CBS' "Survivor" by extended "Friends" from 30 minutes to about 42.

With NBC's ratings constantly in flux, it's a trend they continued with shows like "The Office," "30 Rock" and "My Name Is Earl."

Generally, the extra material written and produced for these episodes haven't been anything special or memorable, and much of it has been, and will continue to be, excised when these series hit syndication.

However, the producers of "Battlestar Galactica" announced last week at Comic-Con that they had too much material to try to squeeze into the show's final 10 episodes. The finale had already been extended, but apparently, this means that there will be even more stuffed into the final season.

So, at the risk of hypocrisy, I say Bravo! In this case, you can't have too much of a good thing (well, at least I can't.) "BSG" producer David Eick didn't say how the extra material was going to be added - if this meant more two-hour episodes or just more episodes than the 10 that are planned - but that there was more story to tell than minutes that were being alotted.

It's a nice thing for the fans, who might have had to wait for DVD releases to get "bonus material" of extra scenes. "BSG" was already shooting more than it was using, having the "secret, extra, online" scene it would promote each week at the Sci Fi Channel's Web site. I'm guessing this is more than that.

ONE TO MISS: As a nation, we seem to be obsessed with beauty pageants for little girls. For me, I tend to see these things more at the JonBenet Ramsey end of the scale rather than the "Little Miss Sunshine" source for humor. But that hasn't stopped We TV from announcing a six-episode run for a new series called "Little Miss Perfect," in which 5- to 11-year-old girls compete for a crown, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Personally, I can't think of anything more horrific, but I'm sure it will end up being a ratings grabber for the network. Yeesh.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: Tonight marks the finale of "I Survived a Japanese Game Show" (ABC, 9 p.m.) I can't say I survived making it through this series, but I'm sure there's a segment by the image of adults wearing diapers competing for a lot of money.

"Eureka" (Sci Fi, 9 p.m.) is brand new, and I keep forgetting to plug the "Rescue Me" minisodes (FX, 10 p.m.) that lead into "30 Days."

R.I.P. Skip Caray

2008-08-04T00:50:00.002-04:00

By now you've probably heard the sad news that longtime Atlanta Braves radio/TV announcer Skip Caray died Sunday at age 68.

Unfortunately, I can't say I was too surprised when I heard the news. Caray had been ill for a while, and I could definitely tell listening to him this year that he wasn't his old self; the vibrance in his voice was gone.

Much like his dad, the late Harry Caray, Skip was oft-imitated and much beloved by the hometown fans. Skip often brought his wry, unique wit to telecasts and made the games fun to watch even when the Braves weren't very good.

I think my fondest moment with Skip came one night in the late 1980s when the Braves, in the midst of another terrible season, were getting pounded in Pittsburgh. Coming back from a commercial break, Skip said, "Well, the bases are loaded, and right now, I wish I was, too." He'd use that line a few more times.

Most Braves fans will likely remember his call of Sid Bream's mad dash in the 1992 NLCS to beat the Pirates and win the pennant.

I was lucky enough to meet Skip a few times back when I covered the Braves, and he was always a decent guy.

The Caray legacy lives on with Skip's son, Chip, a broadcaster with TBS. His younger son, Josh, broadcasts the games for the Class A Rome Braves.

A lot of non-Braves fans would often classify Skip as a "homer," but I think it's a bit of an unfair generalization. (And I'm a non-Braves fan). Skip recognized that he was a Braves employee, so he broadcast the games from their perspective, something pretty much all broadcasters do for the teams' flagship stations.

But he was hardly John Sterling when it came to homer-ism. Caray would often criticize the Braves if they made a bad play or Bobby Cox made a questionable managerial decision. When the Braves were a last-place team in the '80s, Caray's good-natured poking fun at them was often what made the games tolerable to watch.

Caray represents a dying breed of baseball broadcaster. Today's guys are a bit too homogenized for the most part, lacking the distinctiveness that made broadcasters like Caray so memorable. He will be missed.

GET WELL, KELLY BUNDY: TVGuide.com is reporting actress Christina Applegate, nominated for an Emmy for "Samantha Who?" has been detected with an early form of breast cancer. The report says it's been caught early and the prognosis is very good, but hopefully, it will serve as a reminder to women out there that early detection is the key and to get yourselves checked.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: OK, enough with the sad news. On a happier note, the scrappy bunch of Little Leaguers from Warner Robins continue their march back to Williamsport, Pa. with another regional game tonight in Florida. You can listen to the broadcast of the game via Macon.com. (See, there are other good things on the site besides this blog.)

The force of nature known as Miley Cyrus hosts the "Teen Choice Awards" (Fox, 8 p.m.), so odds are, you'll know where your 11-15 year old daughter is tonight.

"The Mole" (ABC, 10 p.m.) is revealed tonight. If they show it to be Mark the teacher, well, he was a terrible mole because he won the team more money than anyone. But he's also the least suspicious.

The TNT duo of "The Closer" and "Saving Grace" air new episodes, beginning tonight at 9 p.m.

"The Middleman" (ABC Family, 10 p.m.) is also new, as are "Weeds" and "Secret Diary of a Call Girl," beginning on Showtime at 10 p.m.

Ready For The Weekend

2008-08-01T10:06:00.002-04:00

Another light posting today, guys, because of all the work that has piled up for the job The Telegraph actually pays me for.

But with the slate of TV coming up, the weekend is extra fun.

For those who missed the news, "Mad Men," (AMC, Sun., 10 p.m.) drew a 1.9 rating for its season debut, more than double what it averaged last year, a nice tip of the cap to all of the critical praise, Emmy nominations and word of mouth the series generated.

And, in some quasi-related news, actress Christina Hendricks will return to NBC's "Life" for Season 2 next month when she reprises her role as Charlie's soon-to-be new stepmother.

On that note, here's the rest of the weekend's best bets:

Tonight marks the extra-long, 90-minute season-finale of "Doctor Who" (Sci Fi, 8:30 p.m. - note the special starting time). For some of you who caught Sci Fi's unfortunate decision to put spoilers last week's previews, some of the edge has been taken off the cliffhanger you were left with of the Doctor (David Tennant) regenerating. However, I'm happy to report that there are many surprises and guest characters who have yet to make an appearance in what has been a wicked big finale. It's followed by a new "Stargate: Atlantis" at 10 p.m.

"Monk" (USA, 9 p.m.) and "Psych" (USA, 10 p.m.) are also new, as is "Swingtown" (CBS, 10 p.m.)

On Saturday, "Robin Hood" (BBC America, 9 p.m.) finds the gang heading to the Holy Land to rescue King Richard in the second season finale.

On Sunday, the NFL preseason kicks off with the Colts and Redskins (NBC, 8 p.m.)

On the dramatic side, there's a new episode of "Generation Kill" (HBO, 9 p.m.) and new installments of "In Plain Sight" (USA, 10 p.m.) and "Army Wives" (Lifetime, 10 p.m.)

Thursday's Best Bets

2008-07-31T10:11:00.002-04:00

Just a quick note today because I have a lot of stuff going on:

"My Boys" (TBS, 9:30 p.m.) is close to wrapping up as the gang head's to Bobby's ranch for his upcoming wedding and PJ (Jordana Spiro) decides to go out with his brother, Jack. It follows a new "Bill Engvall Show" at 9 p.m.

"Burn Notice" (USA, 10 p.m.) is all new, as are "Flashpoint" (CBS, 10 p.m.) and "Fear Itself" (NBC, 10 p.m.), which guest stars Doug Jones ("Hellboy 2") as a rancher possessed by an evil spirit.

ABC's docudrama "Hopkins" (ABC, 10 p.m.) continues its six-part run taking a look inside Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Finally, several so-called reality offerings, including the semifinals of "Last Comic Standing" (NBC, 8 p.m.) and "Big Brother" (CBS, 8 p.m.)

Also, if you have a chance to catch it this week, take a look for Bob Costas' weekly sports series on HBO. I caught some of it last night and it was an hour-long interview with Hank Aaron and Willie Mays, before a live studio audience that included several Hall of Famers and celebrities. Anyone who loves the game should check it out.

Extreme Home Do-Over

2008-07-30T10:13:00.002-04:00

By now, most of you should have heard the news about the Atlanta family who got a new house from the ABC show "Extreme Home Makeover" in 2005.

Some 1,800 people helped rebuild a house that was falling apart into a $450,000 mini-mansion, complete with new furnishings and appliances - the show's largest-ever project to that point. In addition, the family was given enough money to pay taxes on the place for the next 25 years as well as a college scholarship fund for the family's three kids.

But the feel-good story turned into a nightmare earlier this week when Atlanta news organizations found out the family squandered the money and the house on a loan for a construction business that didn't work out. The bank will foreclose on the house next week and put it up for public auction.

The family has been ripped among the message boards and in the press for squandering what should have been a windfall. To many people, this was the equivalent of winning millions in the lottery only to end up destitute a few years later. It was frustrating to the many people who donated time and money to help this particular family out, when many other families might have been more appreciative and smart.

It's frustrating to people who see someone squander a gift, when you think to yourself, "If only something that fortunate would happen for me."

From my point of view, though I don't want any family to lose their home (as millions of Americans are these days), it's a little hard to muster up sympathy for this particular family, which essentially blew the gift they were given.

It would be especially annoying if ABC or someone else bailed the family out at this point so that everyone save's face. The family made a choice and must learn to live with the consequences, IMO.

But I don't think the family should get the blame alone. I think the show's producers should have some fault here as well. Why did the family need a mansion when a new house would simply do? For $450,000, the show could have built four or five fairly nice, dependable homes, which still would have been an upgrade to this particular family, and helped out others.

While the show's producers say they encourage the families to seek out financial counseling, maybe they'd do better to either provide a counselor or make the families sign something that prevents them from using their new homes as collateral for questionable loans.

The show would do better to follow the Habitat for Humanity model of building solid, dependable, no-frills houses and spreading the wealth among many families rather than one specatular house for one.

But then, that doesn't make for exciting TV. However, maybe this will provide a cautionary tale to future home recipients.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: Those fans of the new CBS reality show "Greatest American Dog" should take note that it has moved to Wednesdays at 8 p.m.

"NOVA" (PBS, 9 p.m.) has a new "Science Now."

Everything else is pretty much various reality fare, so pick one and enjoy.

Has Nolan Killed The Bat-Franchise?

2008-07-29T09:41:00.003-04:00

As "The Dark Knight" continues to shatter box office records (13 of them as of today), the title might seem like a strange question to ask.

After all, Christopher Nolan's vision of Batman has revived the character several years after director Joel Schumacher nearly killed it with the crapfests "Batman Forever" and "Batman & Robin."

There's no denying that Nolan has made a masterpiece, one that has both comics fans and mainstream media critics alike buzzing with glee and Oscar speculation. While the movie may not be perfect, it's certainly among the best films of the year and perhaps arguably the past several.

And there-in lies the problem. Nolan did such a great job with "The Dark Knight" and got such memorable perfomances out of his cast that clearing such a high bar with future sequels is virtually impossible.

So, one has to ask oneself, what will the expectations be for the next one? Nolan has yet to sign on for it (don't worry, Bat-fans, Christian Bale already has). Even though Nolan can ask and likely receive the moon from Warner Bros. and do whatever he likes, he faces a daunting task in meeting what will be ridiculously high expectations for the next one.

Often, expectations are so high among the viewing public that even good movies can seem like disappointments. For example, I liked "Indy 4" this summer, and it performed well at the box office. While admittedly it wasn't as good as "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (and how many movies are?) or even "Indy 3," it was a satisfying adventure. Yet a lot of the critics and fans lashed out against it, simply because it didn't meet the expectations of a viewing public that had waited 19 years to see Indiana Jones crack his whip one more time.

While perhaps no one is expecting future Batman installments to shatter so many box office records so quickly, from a creative standpoint, where does Nolan go from here? (And, if for some reason Nolan didn't sign on again, I can't imagine too many directors would want to step in and try to follow his success). He's used up all of the best Batman villains (Joker, Scarecrow, Two-Face, Ra's Al-Ghul) and it would be hard to build the same sort of tension with one of the gimmicky villains, such as the Penguin.

Also, there may not want to be a lot of actors who want to sign up to be a Batman villain and face the inevitable comparisons to Heath Ledger's Joker. (And really, though he hasn't gotten the same buzz for obvious reasons, Aaron Eckhart's Two-Face was just as terrifically portrayed).

Me, I try to judge each movie on its own merits and not compare it to other films, but the general public seems to only want to judge a film with comparisons to others.

That makes future installments of Batman a very tricky proposition, and I'm curious to see how Nolan (or whomever) handles it.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: The Sci Fi Channel brings back its original series, "Eureka," tonight at 9 p.m. and allows viewers to catch up by running an all-day marathon of the first two seasons. Hopefully, Sci Fi won't give anything away with spoilers in the promos it runs. Ahem.

The History Channel is running a new series called "Jurassic Fight Club" (History, 9 p.m.), about how dinosaurs battled each other for survival back in the day. I'd tell you more about it, but the first rule of Jurassic Fight Club is you do not talk about Jurassic Fight Club!

Randy Pausch, the cancer-stricken professor who inspired many with his final lecture, died a few days ago, and tonight, "Primetime" celebrates his life with an hour-long special (ABC, 10 p.m.)

Finally, I rarely plug reruns, but one of the top episodes of "House" (Fox, 9 p.m.), in which Mira Sorvino guest stars as an ill scientist trapped in the North Pole, airs tonight.

'Next Week On...'

2008-07-28T09:33:00.002-04:00

Jeers to the Sci-Fi Channel.

In Friday's posting, I said that the cliffhanger on "Doctor Who" was one of the best I had ever seen.

I'll do the viewer who may not have seen it yet a service by saying skip down below the asterisks. Also, if you are watching Friday's episode on DVR, hit the stop button right when it says "To Be Continued..." on the screen.

************

SKIP THIS BIT FOR SPOILERS

Anyway, so watching the BBC airing through the miracle of the internet, we get the same ending of the Doctor starting to regenerate. With his face obscured by the light, you can't tell if there is a new actor about to step into the role. Then it goes to the "To Be Continued" screen, then the final credits rolled.

No next week's scenes.

On Sci-Fi, however, they fill it up with shots of David Tennant continuing in the role, totally ruining the cliffhanger viewing. All the sense of shock that the Doctor might be replaced by a new actor is completely dissolved after about five seconds.

*************

BACK TO NON-SPOILERS

After watching the BBC version, I was in such shock for not having any spoilers from next week's scenes that I checked around the Web for what the Brits were saying.

It's funny now having seen Part 2 already how wrong the speculation ended up being, but EVERYBODY was buzzing about it and coming up with all sorts of theories.

Which is what a good cliffhanger was supposed to do.

You don't need next week's previews to draw the viewer back; no one was going to not watch the finale after being left hanging like that.

Yet Sci-Fi felt compelled to cut together its own clips of next week's scenes, absolutely taking away any sense of shock from the viewers.

Trailers for TV and movies are kind of a necessary evil. It's fine to tease as to what is coming up with a few clips stitched together, and in the case of movies, give the viewer an idea of what it's all about.

But how many times do you watch a trailer and it's nothing like the movie it's advertising — and not in a good way. (**COUGH, 'Hancock'). Or you see a trailer for a comedy and, after leaving the movie, you say, "They used all the best lines in the trailer."

Look at the campaign for "The Dark Knight." It shows a few moments from a few of the action sequences and gives you some insight into the Joker (which is what everyone was going to be talking about anyway with the death of Heath Ledger). It's just enough to tease without giving anything away, plot-wise. And the movie has done pretty well so far.

Anyway, TV and movie promoters need to do a better job and use a little common sense in not giving away the big reveal, and trust that some people want a little surprise in their lives.

COMIC CON NEWS: Some tidbits gleaned from Comic Con (don't worry, no spoilers).

--On "Lost," it's not really a surprise to say we haven't seen the last of Locke or Jin, despite seeing them dead in last season's finale. And, there are rumors of some other dead characters who may yet be seen.

--On "Smallville," expect more Clark-Lois interaction (finally). Also, comics legend Geoff Johns is penning an episode involving the Legion of Super Heroes. Gee, wish I had thought of that; oh, wait, I did.

--On "Chuck," there are going to be a variety of guest stars, including Nicole Richie as an enemy agent. Also, we meet Capt. Awesome's parents.

--On "Pushing Daisies," creator Bryan Fuller is hoping to create a little bit of crossover by using characters from his previous series, "Wonderfalls." Of course, only six people watched that other series, so I don't really know how big that news is.

--Finally, you can catch some video of the panels from "The Office" and "Heroes" over at NBC.com.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: New episodes of "The Closer" and "Saving Grace," beginning at 9 p.m. on TNT. Ditto for "The Middleman (ABC Family, 10 p.m.)

"The Mole" (ABC, 10 p.m.) also winds down with the final elimination before the season's end.

There's a documentary that looks kind of interesting called "The Recruiter" (HBO, 9 p.m.), about an Army recruiter who tries to bring in new recruits in Louisiana.

Finally, new installments as well from Showtime's "Weeds" and "Secret Diary of a Call Girl," beginning at 10 p.m.

Mad About 'Mad Men'

2008-07-25T01:16:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Post No. 500!

It's kind of appropriate that we celebrate this milestone with a milestone of television — the debut of Season 2 of "Mad Men" (AMC, Sun., 10 p.m.) this weekend.

"Mad Men" took the TV world by storm last year as AMC's first original drama series. Created by former "Sopranos" writer Matt Weiner, it was a stylish look at the early 1960s, where sexism, prejudice and other vices reigned supreme. It provided star-making turns for most of its cast, including the likes of Jon Hamm (an Emmy nominee), January Jones, Christina Hendricks, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser and others.

The series follows the exploits of Don Draper (Hamm), a star in the world of advertising with the seemingly perfect home life. But underneath it all, Don's got a lot of problems. For one thing, he isn't really Don Draper; he took the real Draper's dog tags after getting wounded in Korea in order to get away from his miserable family. He also has a series of mistresses, a pig of a boss (Emmy nominee John Slattery, in the performance of his career) and a young rival desperately trying to steal his job (Kartheiser).

But "Mad Men" is more than Don's story. Each character, from the eager young secretary looking to further her career (Moss) to the quietly frustrated, loyal wife (Jones), it's a richly textured group of characters and subplots. "Mad Men" deftly mixes pathos and humor, and hopefully you caught up on Season 1 during AMC's marathon run last Sunday.

If you didn't, you won't be completely lost. Season 2 begins over a year after Season 1 ended, with the action moving up to 1962 and the height of Camelot in America. Considering Don's firm, Sterling Cooper, ran the Nixon campaign in 1960, that may not be a good thing.

"Mad Men" is likely the leading contender in the Emmys for Best Drama, and after its terrifically executed first season, it's easy to see why. Here's looking forward to more of the same in Season 2.

AROUND THE DIAL: Former Oscar nominee Harvey Keitel has been named the replacement for Colm Meaney on the US version of "Life on Mars." I had low expectations for this version of one of my favorite UK series, but Meaney was the one bright light for me. ... Erika Tamura (the princess on "Heroes") and Sean Patrick Thomas ("Save The Last Dance") are joining the cast of "Reaper" this season. ... "Smallville's" producers told TVGuide.com that, in addition to the appearances of Green Arrow, Black Canary and Aquaman this season, familiar DC characters such as Plastique and Maxima will also meet the future Man of Steel.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: One of the best-done cliffhangers I've ever seen takes place tonight on "Doctor Who" (Sci Fi, 9 p.m.), the first of the two-part season finale in which Earth disappears and it's up to the Doctor (David Tennant) and pretty much every other guest star the series has ever had to make sure it gets back. After you see the end of the episode, my advice is to avoid the internet for the next week. It's followed by a new "Stargate: Atlantis" at 10 p.m.

"Monk" (USA, 9 p.m.) has guest star David Strathairn as a chessmaster, followed by a new "Psych" at 10 p.m.

Worried that you missed "Swingtown" last night? Don't be - it's been moved to Fridays at 10 p.m.

Gone into "Lost" withdrawal? (Yeah, me too.) Anyway, a behind-the-scenes special about the series is airing tonight at 10 p.m. on G4.

On Saturday, "Robin Hood" (BBC America, 9 p.m.) begins part one of the two-part second season finale as Robin and the gang set off to the Holy Land in search of King Richard.

On Sunday, "Masterpiece: Mystery" (PBS, 9 p.m.) wraps things up with the series finale of "Foyle's War."

Mary (Mary McCormick) has a fling with a protectee on "In Plain Sight" (USA, 10 p.m.)

Finally, a new episode of the HBO miniseries "Generation Kill" (HBO, 9 p.m.) airs.

I Want To Believe This Movie Will Be Good

2008-07-24T11:13:00.000-04:00

Some six years after they signed off the small tube for the final time, Agents Mulder and Scully (David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson) return on the big screen when "X-Files: I Want To Believe" debuts at midnight.

As I noted a few weeks ago, "The X-Files" has been kind of out-of-sight, out-of-mind for me. As much as I enjoyed the series for its first five or six seasons, I haven't been pining away for Mulder or Scully in same way I have for Buffy or Angel, for example.

Part of it has to do with how the series unfolded over the years. When "The X-Files" first debuted, it had this wonderful underlying conspiracy revolving around the government and aliens. As Mulder and Scully uncovered one piece of the puzzle, more questions than answers would arise.

It was great TV - for a while. Eventually, creator Chris Carter felt he had to keep pushing the mystery by leading the viewer around an endless series of plot loopholes and changes that left even the most devout X-Files fan in the dark. The plot twists and conspiracies became white noise after a while because they were so endless.

One of the reasons I love "Lost" so much is that while the creators of the series introduce difficult storylines, sci-fi elements and conspiracies, they do a much better job of giving the viewer resolution to some of the questions they raise. We may not like the answers, but we get them. Knowing that "Lost" only has 48 episodes left, the creators have a definite ending point they can map themselves to; hopefully, this will mean the viewer won't feel cheated when all is said and done.

That wasn't the case with "The X-Files," which got to be meandering after a while. As a friend pointed out to me recently, Carter & Co. didn't seem to get that the heart of the series was the Mulder-Scully relationship, and that the series often worked better with the standalone and humor episodes than it did with all of the conspiracy.

With the exception of "Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man," almost all of the episodes I remember fondly were the standalone episodes that displayed a lot of comedy and/or heart: "War of the Carcophages," "The Unnatural" (written by Duchovny), "Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose," etc. Honestly, I can't remember whose side the government or the aliens were on at this point.

Based on early reviews of the new movie, it comes off more as a standalone bit rather than a continuation of the series. Mulder and Scully, six years after leaving the FBI, are brought in to examine a case in which a defrocked priest (Billy Connolly) seems to have ESP.

Hopefully, Carter and co-writer Frank Spotnitz will focus on what made the series great in the first place: its heart.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: Another series in which the relationship among the main characters surpasses the weekly storylines is USA's delightful "Burn Notice" (USA, 10 p.m.), though the weekly plots are often quite witty and clever. Adding the ridiculously gorgeous and talented Tricia Helfer to the mix only makes it that much better.

CBS has flip-flopped "Flashpoint" and "Swingtown" on the schedule, meaning you'll get the SWAT-oriented "Flashpoint" (CBS, 10 p.m.) tonight instead of Friday. It doesn't matter to me - I gave up on both shows after the pilots.

Another show I gave up the ghost on: "Fear Itself" (NBC, 10 p.m.), which never lived up to its promising beginning. Most of the episodes have been plodding, not scary and so predictable that I've usually figured out the twist by the second commercial break. (Oh, for the days when "The X-Files" would scare the socks off you.) Anyway, tonight's installment stars Brandon Routh of "Superman Lives."

"My Boys" (TBS, 9:30 p.m.) winds its season down as PJ (Jordana Spiro) must decide if she will date Bobby's womanizing brother. It follows a new "Bill Engvall Show" at 9 p.m.

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

2008-07-23T00:41:00.002-04:00

One of the ways I learned how to critique something and love movies of all sorts was watching "Siskel & Ebert At the Movies" growing up.

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert were two of the most famous film critics in America when someone had the bright idea of pairing them up in the mid-70s on the show "Sneak Previews" and had them argue over films.

Except that they didn't argue; they made arguments. There's a difference. Sometimes they would agree a film was great, sometimes they'd agree that a film sucked, and sometimes they disagreed on a film's merit, but there was always the underlying respect for the other's opinion even if one thought the other was bonkers for liking or disliking a certain movie.

Siskel & Ebert eventually moved on to syndication with their own show and their trademarked "Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down" approval system, and they became joined at the hip. It was impossible to think of one without the other.

And often, when I found myself in the Ebert camp, Siskel would win me over. And vice versa. What I liked about them is that they always talked about a film on its own merits, and tended to give a movie the benefit of the doubt. I try to do the same thing when I review TV shows. It says a lot about both men that each could make a compelling argument over the merits of a movie while taking opposite stances.

Jeffrey Lyons and Michael Medved took over the PBS version of "Sneak Previews," but it was a pale copy, in part because when they argued, it seemed like they were doing it for show. Also, they both seemed to come in with pre-conceived notions for a movie rather than judge it for its own merits. I remember when they panned a movie simply because it carried the words "Star Trek" in the title; Ebert and Siskel split on the same movie, but the thumbs down was a lot more mild and less mocking.

Siskel, of course, died several years ago after a long illness, and the show floundered for a bit as Ebert tried out an endless line of co-hosts before settling on fellow Chicago Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper. Roeper turned out to be a good fit filling Siskel's very large shoes.

Then, Ebert got sick a couple of years ago, and because he had surgery to his throat and was unable to speak, stopped appearing. Again, Roeper tried out a large selection of co-hosts. For a while, it seemed that A.O. Scott of the New York Times would get the gig, but eventually, it went to Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune in what has been a very natural pairing.

The "Thumbs Up" rating system quietly vanished a couple of years ago, and has been replaced by "See It/Skip It." But the show was going along smoothly (despite being shown at 4:30 a.m. Sunday mornings on WGXA in the Middle Georgia market - thank God for VCRs).

That changed this week when Roeper announced he wouldn't be renewing his contract at the same time Ebert was pulling his name off the show. Neither could reach a deal with Buena Vista Television, which produces it. So next month, Ebert, Roeper and Phillips will be gone from "At The Movies," replaced by Ben Lyons of "E!News" and Ben Mankiewicz of Turner Classic Movies.

Lyons is the son of Jeffrey Lyons, who replaced Ebert a couple of decades ago on the PBS show, while Mankiewicz is the grandson of Herman Mankiewicz, who co-wrote "Citizen Kane." No one is questioning their movie pedigrees, but one has to wonder if they can re-capture the same magic Gene and Roger brought all those years ago.

If they can't, the good news is Ebert and Roeper are looking at doing a new, similar sort of show (and Ebert owns the "Thumbs Up" copyright). Since Ebert is still too ill to do TV, I'd have to think Phillips is a natural choice to be Roeper's on-screen partner. Nothing has been made official yet, but hopefully the show will live on (and in a better timeslot, WGXA).

With print movie criticism dying off thanks to the struggles of the newspaper industry, it's nice to have an "At The Movies"-type show to fall back upon.

R.I.P. ESTELLE GETTY: The star of the "Golden Girls" was 84 when she died Tuesday of an extended illness. Getty toiled in obscurity for many years before landing a role on the hit series in her 60s, convincingly playing Bea Arthur's mother despite being only a few years older.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: It's all sub-mediocre reality fare tonight. Go out and see "The Dark Knight" instead.

Dark Knight: Oscar Worthy?

2008-07-21T11:23:00.002-04:00

For all the buzz the late Heath Ledger is generating for his performance as the Joker in the Dark Knight (well-deserved buzz, BTW), it does raise the question: does the movie itself deserve to be nominated for Best Picture?

Some would turn their noses up at the notion of any movie based on a comic book/graphic novel being up for an Oscar, conveniently forgetting that "Road To Perdition" was based upon a graphic novel and turned out pretty well.

Certainly, Oscar seems to overlook many action-oriented films that gross big numbers at the box office, yet will throw practically every gold statue that the committee has at something like "Titanic," which also generated big box office numbers.

If one classifies "Dark Knight" as a fantasy film rather than a comic book movie, it certainly has some good company in the Oscar field, being right up there with the likes of "Star Wars" and the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

Or, look at it another way: compare "Dark Knight" with last year's winner, "No Country For Old Men." Both movies center around a serial killer and the confrontation between the justice and anarchy.

The differences? Well, "No Country" was a snoozefest that robbed the viewer of the final dramatic confrontation that it had spent three hours setting up. In addition, in a film full of moral ambiguity, it doesn't end up making any sort of statement. (And plot-wise, the inciting action to get the whole movie going was so ridiculous that it made the movie pointless.)

Meanwhile, no one can say "Dark Knight" dragged at any point. It sets up perfectly the confrontation between Batman and the Joker, and later, Batman and Two-Face. It raises the questions of moral ambiguity by making us question whether Batman's actions are justifiable, and gives us an ending that attempts to answer the question while leaving the matter open for debate.

Look, in addition to Ledger being a shoo-in for a nomination (and Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent could easily have been up for one as well, but no way does the Academy give two acting nominations in the same category to "Dark Knight"), the movie will grab several other ones, most notably Wally Pfister's beautiful cinematography and the film's incredible makeup work. You could easily make a case for Christopher Nolan for Best Director, given the movie's amazing action sequences. (Nolan and his brother, Jonathan, also deserve credit for Best Adapted Screenplay).

And, even though it's July and we haven't gotten to what is considered Oscar season yet, name five films this year that are better than "Dark Knight." Good luck with that.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: Now back to the small screen. The Emmy-popular duo of "The Closer" (TNT, 9 p.m.) and "Saving Grace" (TNT, 10 p.m.) offer new episodes.

Speaking of superheroes, "The Middleman" (ABC Family, 10 p.m.) continues its run.

Showtime presents new episodes of "Weeds" and "Secret Diary of a Call Girl" beginning at 10 p.m.

'Monk,' 'Psych' Return

2008-07-18T01:01:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago, I noted the passing of actor Stanley Kamel, who played Monk's shrink Dr. Kroger on "Monk." (USA, 9 p.m.)

Kamel, a veteran character actor, appeared on some of the best episodes of the series and was a delight in the role of Monk's overworked therapist.

Kamel's death from a heart attack brings a note of poignancy to tonight's season premiere, as Monk must deal with the death of the character of Kroger, who often served as Monk's security blanket.

The episode isn't that great, even with guest stars Hector Elizondo as Monk's new shrink and Brad Garrett as the guy fixing up Monk's new house; the mystery is fairly easy to solve and how Monk is rescued in the end is downright silly.

But the final scene (and the underlying theme of much of the episode) is a nice tribute to Kamel, so it's worth checking out.

It's followed by the season premiere of "Psych" (USA, 10 p.m.), which has always been a rather silly show. We meet Shawn's (James Roday) long-lost mother (guest star Cybill Shepherd) tonight, but the "case" is even sillier than usual.

REMINDER: The second part of the three-part "Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog" starring Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillion hit the Web on Thursday at DrHorrible.com. You can check out the finale on Saturday. After Saturday, you'll have to pay $1.99 to download it off iTunes instead of getting it for free, though it is well worth it.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: "Doctor Who" (Sci Fi, 9 p.m.) meets "It's a Wonderful Life" in the episode "Turn Left," as Donna (Catherine Tate) experiences a world in which she never met the Doctor (David Tennant). Want to see what life on good ole Earth would be like without the Doctor constantly saving us? Tonight provides a great example. It also provides some hints into the two-part finale, in which all of the Doctor's companions play a key role. It's followed by a new "Stargate: Atlantis" at 10 p.m.

With Robin Hood away, Marian (Lucy Griffiths) must intervene to rescue the poorfolk of Nottingham in her guise as the Night Watchman on "Robin Hood" (BBC America, Sat., 9 p.m.)

On Sunday, Foyle is back on the job on "Masterpiece: Mystery" in a new "Foyle's War" (PBS, 9 p.m.)

ESPN manages to waste a lot of time with the annual "ESPY Awards" (ESPN, 9 p.m.)

The second installment of "Generation Kill" (HBO, 9 p.m.) debuts Sunday.

Finally, missed "Mad Men" the first time around and want to catch up before Season 2 begins? AMC is running an all-day marathon of the Emmy-nominated series on Sunday beginning at noon. Now is your chance to catch up before Season 2 begins a week from Sunday. This is TV at its absolute best and worth a day of watching or at least Tivo-ing.

2008 Emmy Nominees

2008-07-17T10:06:00.004-04:00

Well, the list is finally out. I'll do predictions and such at a later date:

DRAMA SERIES:
"Boston Legal," ABC
"Damages," FX
"Dexter," Showtime
"House," Fox
"Lost," ABC
"Mad Men," AMC

Thoughts: I'm glad the Emmy voters bent the rules and expanded the list to six nominees. I'm disappointed that they did so in order to include "Boston Legal." Putting that show in the same group as the other shows listed is downright laughable. It was also surprising that they left the critically acclaimed "The Wire" off this list for its final season.

COMEDY SERIES:
"Curb Your Enthusiasm," HBO
"Entourage," HBO
"The Office," NBC
"30 Rock," NBC
"Two and a Half Men," CBS

Thoughts: No big surprises here, just disappointment that the voters didn't have the foresight to include "Pushing Daisies."

ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES:
Gabriel Byrne, "In Treatment"
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Hugh Laurie, "House"
James Spader, "Boston Legal"

Thoughts: Again, what the hell is this obsession with "Boston Legal?" Great, great list until you get down to James Spader. If you are going to expand the nominees, why not include Kyle Chandler of "Friday Night Lights?" But I'll stomach Spader's inclusion since the voters had the foresight to include Bryan Cranston's remarkable performance.

ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES:
Glenn Close, "Damages"
Sally Field, "Brothers and Sisters"
Mariska Hargitay, "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit"
Holly Hunter, "Saving Grace"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"

Thoughts: Emmy voters nearly had it perfect with "Battlestar Galactica's" Mary McDonnell making the semifinals list. Instead, the voters proffer Mariska Hargitay. Jerks.

ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES:
Christina Applegate, "Samantha Who?"
America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "New Adventures of Old Christine"
Mary-Louise Parker, "Weeds"

Thoughts: Disappointed with the omission of Anna Friel of "Pushing Daisies" and a little surprised at the omission of the "Desperate Housewives" actresses.

ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES:
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Lee Pace, "Pushing Daisies"
Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"
Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men"

Thoughts: No surprises here.

SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES:
Jon Cryer, "Two and a Half Men"
Kevin Dillon, "Entourage"
Neil Patrick Harris, "How I Met Your Mother"
Jeremy Piven, "Entourage"
Rainn Wilson, "The Office"

Thoughts: Woo-hoo! Neil Patrick Harris! Unfortunately, Macon's own Jack McBrayer, very deserving on "30 Rock," misses the cut.

SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES:
Ted Danson, "Damages"
Michael Emerson, "Lost"
Zeljko Ivanek, "Damages"
William Shatner, "Boston Legal"
John Slattery, "Mad Men"

Thoughts: You know, I love William Shatner as Capt. Kirk and in the Priceline commercials as much as the next guy, but seriously, putting him on the list is just about the biggest joke around. Meanwhile, the remaining four-way battle should be one of the most interesting of the awards show. Great list (otherwise!), Emmys.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES:
Candice Bergen, "Boston Legal"
Rachel Griffiths, "Brothers and Sisters"
Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy"
Dianne Wiest, "In Treatment"
Chandra Wilson, "Grey's Anatomy"

Thoughts: Surely the omission of "Mad Men's" Christina Hendricks, one of the breakout stars on TV this year, was a typo.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES:
Kristin Chenoweth, "Pushing Daisies"
Amy Poehler, "Saturday Night Live"
Jean Smart, "Samantha Who?
Holland Taylor, "Two and a Half Men"
Vanessa Williams, "Ugly Betty"

Thoughts: Poehler remains a very interesting nomination choice by the voters, and the delightful Chenoweth ought to be a shoo-in to win, but this being the Emmy voters, who the hell knows?

Gazing the lists of some of the other categories, "John Adams" and "Recount" both got a tremendous amount of Emmy love, which seemed fairly logical. A few disappointments, though: both Sarah Chalke ("How I Met Your Mother") and Amy Ryan ("The Office") were left off the Best Guest Star Actress, Comedy category. And Phil Keoghan ("The Amazing Race") should have been on the list for Best Reality host.

We'll have more as the Emmys draw closer at the end of the summer, including predictions and another online poll. Which were the choices you liked and didn't like? Is there a "Boston Legal" fan out there who can explain its appeal to me?

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: Whew, on top of all the Emmy madness is a pretty good night of TV.

Pick of the night is "VH-1 Rock Honors" which pays tribute to one of the greatest bands of all time, The Who. (VH-1, 9 p.m.)

Also highly recommended is the delightful "Burn Notice" (USA, 10 p.m.), in which you actually do get to see Tricia Helfer this time around.

"Swingtown," (CBS, 10 p.m.), which somehow missed out on the Emmys this year, airs a new episode. It's opposite "Fear Itself" (NBC, 10 p.m.), which continues to decline on a weekly basis.

Meanwhile, "My Boys" (TBS, 9:30 p.m.) continues to delight on a weekly basis. It follows a new "Bill Engvall" at 9 p.m.

'Horrible' Is Terrific

2008-07-16T10:31:00.003-04:00

When "Buffy" creator Joss Whedon writes out his grocery list, it's news, at least for me.

So when I hear that Whedon created a one-hour musical online called "Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog," you know I'm going to be logging in.

The problem is, so is the rest of the planet. So many people logged in to the DrHorrible.com Web site Tuesday night when it debuted that the server crashed, making it difficult to see what the fuss was about.

Eventually, though, I did, and it's brilliant. Whedon (along with his brothers) creates a love story revolved around the not-very-evil Dr. Horrible (Neal Patrick Harris), who longs to join the Evil Society of Evil and win the heart of the pretty redhead (Felicia Day, one of the slayers on "Buffy") who does laundry at the same laundrymat he does. Unfortunately, he's thwarted time and again by the city's big jerk of a superhero, Capt. Hammer (Nathan Fillion).

Whedon, who created one of the most memorable hours of TV ever with the "Buffy" musical episode, "Once More, With Feeling" shines again mixing comedy and music, and has a cast worthy of his efforts. Harris is pitch perfect as lovelorn title villain, and Fillion relishes his role as the pompous superhero. Day has a breakout role as the love interest.

"Dr. Horrible" is being shown in three, 15-minute parts. Part 2 airs Thursday and Part 3 debuts Saturday. The special, which was created during the strike and financed entirely out of Whedon's and his partners' pockets, will be free to watch this week. Afterwards, it will cost money to download it from platforms like iTunes, but it's definitely worth $1.99 if you miss it this week.

AROUND THE DIAL: William L. Petersen announced he will be leaving "CSI" — sort of. According to several sources, Petersen will depart midway through the season as a regular, but return to the show for guest spots. He will also remain on as a producer for the series. ...

In other casting news, Amy Poehler of "Saturday Night Live" will be the new lead in "The Office" spinoff for NBC this fall. ... FX announced a couple of big guest star roles for its series. Michael J. Fox will guest star on "Rescue Me" in 2009 as Janet's (Andrea Roth) new boyfriend. Fox, who suffers from Parkinson's Disease, will use a wheelchair on the show, which should be a great touch for the politically incorrect Tommy (Denis Leary). Meanwhile, Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden has signed on for "Damages" as an attorney who takes on Patti (Glenn Close). ...

The Home Run Derby on Monday set a record for such events with a 6.4 rating, meaning 6.2 million viewers tuned in to watch Josh Hamilton's sizzling performance and Justin Morneau's victory. Last year's Derby clocked in with a 5.1 rating. This Derby was the highest-rated non-NFL related programming on ESPN since the Miami-Florida State football game in 2006. ...

Stratford alum Jon Allen, a pianist who has performed with the likes of Dolly Parton, Rod Stewart and Stevie Wonder, will appear on "The Today Show" Thursday morning.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: With so-called reality shows dominating the airwaves tonight ("Big Brother," "So You Think You Can Dance," "The Baby Borrowers" and "Celebrity Circus"), my advice is to check out "Dr. Horrible."

The one reality show worth noting is the season premiere of "Project Runway" (Bravo, 9 p.m.), making its last appearance on the network before moving to Lifetime next year.

Finally, as a wrap-up for All-Star weekend, ESPN is running a special on the history of Yankee Stadium at 6 p.m. as well as the Triple-A All-Star Game at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

'Clean' Start

2008-07-15T00:44:00.003-04:00

Benjamin Bratt returns to series TV tonight, and A&E returns to scripted drama for a change with the debut of the new series "The Cleaner" (A&E, 10 p.m.)

Reportedly based on a real-life story, the series revolves around a recovering drug addict (Bratt) who, along with his team of recovering addicts, intervene with drug abusers by forcing them into rehab. But with Bratt devoting his time to his work, his family remains neglected.

I've seen mixed reviews of the series; some credit the acting and the grittiness and say it is worth your time; others think the stories are too over the top.

I've been disappointed with A&E for several years now because they abandoned their original format of quality entertainment in favor of various reality type shows such as "Dog The Bounty Hunter." Indeed, the popularity of the reality show "Intervention" on the network is getting credit for A&E's willingness to give "The Cleaner" a shot.

Fans of Bratt may want to check the series out, since he's being given credit for his best work since his "Law & Order" days. (What, the critics didn't like him in "Catwoman?")

R.I.P. - The relationship between Sarah Silverman and Jimmy Kimmel. I was rooting for those kids. But at least their dalliances with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck will live forever on YouTube.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: Josh Hamilton's performance in Monday's Home Run Derby should get the juices flowing for MLB's 79th All-Star Game (Fox, 8 p.m.) BTW, I did call Justin Morneau winning the contest in yesterday's posting. Yay, me.

Other networks are offering lesser forms of competitive events: ABC airs "Wipeout" and "I Survived a Japanese Game Show" from 8-10 p.m.; CBS has "Big Brother" at 9 p.m.; and NBC offers "Celebrity Family Feud" and "America's Got Talent." Yep, baseball it is.

Of course, if you want extreme reality, then the delightfully titled "Hurl" (G4, 9 p.m.) is for you as contestants battle to control their regurgitative ability. Oddly, the network elected not to show the actual spewed materials, making one wonder if they truly know their audience.

Hey, I don't create the shows, I just tell you when they are on.

Home Run Derby

2008-07-14T09:51:00.002-04:00

Tonight marks the beginning of the fan festivities for baseball's All-Star Break, highlighted by the Home Run Derby (ESPN, 8 p.m.)

Thanks in part to the steroids scandal and the fact that some of baseball's biggest hitters don't participate, the event - at least for me - has lost a bit of its luster, especially as it gets a bit repetitive seeing batting practice home runs over and over again.

But it's still worth checking out if you are a baseball fan, especially with the All-Star Game taking place at Yankee Stadium for the final time. If it's one thing baseball does well, it's honoring its past. Who could forget the game in Fenway Park a few years ago when they gathered all of the game's living legends for one giant photo op?

Anyway, given the dimensions of Yankee Stadium, my money is on either Houston's Lance Berkman or Minnesota's Justin Morneau to win.

It's still a long way from the old "Home Run Derby" which aired in 1959 and was broadcast by Mark Scott. Those shows, which used to be broadcast on ESPN, included the likes of Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and others in their primes, battling for prize money that usually equalled $2,000 a show. (Aaron ended up winning the most money at $13,500 - thank you, Wikipedia).

The game will be followed by the celebrity softball game at 10 p.m.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: TNT returns its two most notable series with "The Closer" at 9 p.m., followed by "Saving Grace" at 10 p.m. Both Kyra Sedgwick of "The Closer" and Holly Hunter of "Saving Grace" are on the Emmy Best Actress short list, though I must confess I stopped watching both series about midway through their first seasons.

"The Mole" (ABC, 9 p.m.) returns tonight with a clips show to catch viewers up at 9 p.m., followed by the newest episode at 10 p.m.

The family hit "The Middleman" (ABC Family, 10 p.m.) airs a new episode tonight.

Finally, a couple of years ago, I highlighted a movie called "The TV Set," starring David Duchovny and Sigourney Weaver, which I saw at the Austin Film Festival. It's a dark comic look at a writer trying to get his vision of his TV show on the air, and how the network provides "helpful" notes. It's been showing all month on Showtime, and you can catch it tonight at 8:30 p.m., preceding new episodes of "Weeds" and "Secret Diary of a Call Girl" at 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

Some Action This TV Weekend

2008-07-11T10:06:00.004-04:00

A couple of action-oriented dramas make their debut this weekend.

I've screened the pilot for "Flashpoint" (CBS, 10 p.m.), in which Enrico Colantoni leads an elite squad of SWAT members both on and off the job. If this sounds a bit like the network's "The Unit," you aren't that far off. That's the vibe I got from it.

It's not a terrible show, but there wasn't a whole lot that seemed that fresh or interesting either. The pilot centers around a hostage crisis at a city plaza and the effect it has on one of the unit's snipers.

The way it's written, out of sequence, is a little confusing for the viewer, and it doesn't reach the emotional punch it's going for.

Meanwhile, the miniseries "Generation Kill" debuts on HBO this Sunday at 9 p.m. It's from David Simon and Ed Burns, who brought "The Wire" to the same network, so there's a lot of anticipation for this one.

I didn't get the pilot, so I can't tell you what's up with it, but I'm hoping it reverses the recent trend of Iraq-based movies and TV series that failed to draw an audience. Most of the movies about Iraq over the past two or three years have suffered at the box office, probably more to do with the nation being burned out by the war rather than the quality of the movies themselves.

The Steven Bochco TV series "Over There" for FX failed to generate much viewer support, though it wasn't a great series.

"Generation Kill" is based on the adventures of a journalist embedded with an American military unit, and the series will be told from the journalist's point of view.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: "Stargate: Atlantis" (Sci-Fi, 10 p.m.) kicks off a new season tonight, following a new episode of "Doctor Who" at 9 p.m. This week's "DW" is the weakest of the season by far, but the next three weeks are so kick-ass that it's forgiven.

Something called "Dance Machine" (ABC, 8 p.m.) airs tonight. I don't know if this is the first one or not, but apparently it revolves around a farmer and animator having a dance-off. It's a good excuse to go out tonight.

On Saturday, "Robin Hood" (BBC America, 9 p.m.) is new after taking a break last week.

On Sunday, "Masterpiece: Mystery" (PBS, 9 p.m.) kicks off a new series of the excellent "Foyle's War" as the title detective (Michael Kitchens) is called out of retirement while writing his memoirs.

From the sublime to the ridiculous: The new season of the hideous "Big Brother" (CBS, 8 p.m.) kicks off. That's the last time I plan to mention it.

'Notice:' Time To Get Burned Again

2008-07-10T01:06:00.003-04:00

After "Mad Men," my favorite show of last summer was "Burn Notice," about a former spy who is "burned," i.e. fired by his agency.

Broke, but with an unusual skill set, Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) finds himself working as private eye, helping the helpless and trying to find out why he was burned.

He enlists his ex-girlfriend Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), a former IRA gunrunner, and another ex-spy Sam (Bruce Campbell) to help him on his cases. He must also deal with his neurotic mother (Sharon Gless).

At the end of last season, Michael was close to finding out why he was burned, but his informant is killed at the last moment.

Season 2 opens tonight (USA, 10 p.m.) with Michael under the control of a mysterious handler (Tricia Helfer), who directs him to help a computer software engineer steal data from a private defense contractor. Next week's episode sees Michael trying to bring down a drug runner while attending therapy with his mom.

"Burn Notice" works on several levels, most notably the interaction among the main characters. Donavan and Anwar have great chemistry in their on-again, off-again relationship, and who makes a better sidekick than Campbell?

In addition, the series has a lot of fun with the spy genre, as Michael takes the time to explain to viewers how spies handle various situations. True fans who watch every episode will likely be able to pull their own stings and outwit security measures if they take careful notes during each show.

It took a while for "Burn Notice" to return thanks to the WGA strike, but good things have come to those of us who waited. And for those who missed Season 1, it's actually a series that's pretty easy to get into.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: NBC cuts down the "Last Comic Standing" (NBC, 8 p.m.) to the final 12 with three hours of standup.

The new reality series "Greatest American Dog" (CBS, 8 p.m.) debuts tonight. My dog, Riley, would have won had he not died a couple of years ago. After a "CSI" rerun, there's a new "Swingtown" at 10 p.m.

ABC follows a rerun of "Grey's Anatomy" with the real-life "Hopkins," (ABC, 10 p.m.) in which there are no McDreamys but real-life docs at work.

Finally, TBS airs new episodes of "Bill Engvall" and "My Boys," beginning at 9 p.m.

Check Out These Webisodes

2008-07-09T00:19:00.003-04:00

It's become chic for TV to start airing mini-episodes of different dramas and sitcoms specifically for the Internet.

Called "webisodes," they usually feature subplots involving some familiar characters, but aren't necessary to catch to enjoy the main series.

"The Office" will launch its first webisode beginning tomorrow at 3 p.m. EST at NBC.com. The webisodes feature regular supporting characters Kevin, Oscar, Stanley and Darryl and center on Kevin's attempts to secure a bank loan to pay off his gambling debts.

Joining "The Office" is "Heroes," which launches its first webisode Monday. Unlike "The Office," "Heroes" is using the webisodes to introduce new characters, but they play like extended commercials for season previews. The first webisode introduces a mailman with a sonic scream as his power.

AFTRA DEAL: The second-largest actors union, AFTRA, voted to ratify a new deal with the studios this week, which likely undermines the position of SAG, the larger of the two guilds which was talking about a strike. With four labor deals now in place, SAG will be hard pressed to commit to a work stoppage.

CASTING UPDATES: Kevin McKidd, late of "Journeyman" and "Rome," is reportedly Sandra Oh's new love interest on "Grey's Anatomy."

Meanwhile, two "Friday Night Lights" regulars, Gaius Charles and Scott Porter (Smash and Jason, respectively) have been dropped down to recurring status. The move makes sense from a dramatic standpoint, since both characters have graduated high school and Smash is now in college. The reduced storylines will allow the writers to narrow their focus a little bit, which should be a good thing.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: Tracy Morgan ("30 Rock") hosts the new season of "Scare Tactics" (Sci Fi, 10 p.m.). It follows a new episode of "Ghost Hunters International."

Other than that, the pickings are slim unless you like "So You Think You Can Dance" (Fox, 8 p.m.)

'Arrested Development's' Buster In Macon

2008-07-08T09:37:00.002-04:00

A couple of things to know about actor Tony Hale.

He has both his hands. He's not a hyper-sensitive mama's boy.

And he's a down-to-Earth, genuinely nice guy.

Hale was in Macon Monday to speak to students and fans at Macon State about being a professional actor. Hale's dad, Mike, is the director of Macon State's Warner Robins campus.

Hale is best-known as the none-too-bright, overly sensitive man-child Buster Bluth on the Emmy-winning "Arrested Development," but he has had a diverse career, beginning with guest spots on "The Sopranos" and "Dawson's Creek" after working for years in commercials.

"AD" opened a lot of doors for Hale, who has gone on to appear in "Andy Barker, PI" and the Will Ferrell movie "Stranger Than Fiction." Currently, he is in the process of wrapping up several film roles, including "The Year of Getting to Know Us" with Jimmy Fallon and "The Informant," which stars Matt Damon and is directing by Steven Soderbergh. Hale is also joining the cast of NBC's "Chuck," playing the new manager of the store that Chuck works at.

So, the big question on everyone's mind is: What is the status of the proposed "Arrested Development" movie? Hale said he gets asked the question a lot, but doesn't really know the status of it. On the one hand, the series was more of a cult hit rather than a ratings giant, so it's a risky proposition for a movie studio. On the other hand, Hale pointed out, the profiles of actors Jason Bateman and Michael Cera have risen considerably since the series, which makes it easier to attract funding.

"Until we start shooting it, I'm not even going there," Hale said with a chuckle. "But if we do it, I want a bionic hand!"

Hale was asked about his favorite episodes and characters on the series. He said he loved the plotlines with his mother, Jessica Walter, and his girlfriend, Liza Minelli - both named Lucille. He said it's difficult to decide on a favorite character besides Buster.

"Everyone brought something to the table," he said.

But he did admit that he cracked up during nearly every scene he shot with GOB (Will Arnett), one of his brothers on the show.

Hale also had a lot of praise for the show's writers. When asked about co-star David Cross' penchant for improv, he said it rarely happened because of the quality of scripts.

"The scripts were so good that no one wanted to get off-page," Hale said.

Hale said even though the series was on the bubble for all three of its seasons, the cast decided to enjoy the experience of making it rather than worrying about being canceled. Of course, it didn't help that the series at one point ran in the same timeslot as "Grey's Anatomy" and "CSI."

"There wasn't too much hope for us," he said.

Hale listed his acting influences from comics like Steve Martin and Tim Conway to giants like Robert Duvall, singling out his work in "The Apostle."

Hale said it's nice to have so many gigs lined up over the next year or so, because actors often live paycheck to paycheck.

Hale made several references to the fact that he is often cast as a bumbler or as the leading man's goofy best friend. I asked if he was worried about being typecast in such roles for his career.

"I love it," he said. "I really enjoy it. It's just a fact that I'm never going to get the girl, but that's fine."

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: It's depressing to think of how great "Arrested Development" truly was and how it constantly struggled for ratings, and then look at tonight's TV lineup.

In the land of the slightly bizarre, NBC goes promotional crazy when it pits the cast of "My Name Is Earl" against the cast of "American Gladiators" in tonight's "Celebrity Family Feud." (NBC, 8 p.m.) I'd love to come up with something witty to say about that, but I think it speaks for itself. It's followed by "America's Got Talent."

The wackiness continues on ABC with "Wipeout" and "I Survived a Japanese Game Show," followed by Primetime special "The Outsiders" at 10 p.m.

The two finalists square off in "Hell's Kitchen," (Fox, 9 p.m.), which follows a new "Moment of Truth."

Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy - Oy, Oy, Oy!

2008-07-07T09:46:00.002-04:00

Welcome back, loyal dozens. Hope everyone had a good Fourth!

I was greeted with the news from Variety that Fox has greenlit a new reality, variety series starring the Ozzy Osbourne clan. If you liked "Donny and Marie" in the 1970s (I most certainly did NOT) then this might be the show for you.

According to Fox reality czar Mike Darnell, who has single-handedly put more of these horrid so-called reality shows on the air than anyone in the history of TV, there will be six episodes, starting with a Christmas special, and the show may be packaged with "American Idol."

The series would be produced by the same people who have foisted "America's Got Talent," perhaps the most mis-named progrgam on the air right now.

The series would star Ozzy, Sharon, Jack and Kelly, the four Osbournes who appeared on the eponymous MTV series a few seasons ago.

Hey, who said originality was dead in TV, anyway?

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: "The Bachelorette" (ABC, 8 p.m.) takes over the airwaves tonight with three full hours as DeAnna makes her choice, bumping "The Mole" off the schedule this week. Perhaps they should combine the concepts, make one of the "Bachelorette" guys a mole, trying to undermine the whole courting process. That's great reality TV!

NBC counters with its own reality lineup of "American Gladiators," "Nashville Star" and "Dateline."

"The Middleman" (ABC Family, 10 p.m.) continues to get good buzz as a spoof on spy series, though I haven't had a chance to catch up with it yet.

Finally, a new "Weeds" and "Secret Diary of a Call Girl" begin on Showtime at 10 p.m.

Happy Fourth!

2008-07-04T12:08:00.000-04:00

Have a safe holiday. See you next week.

Macon's McBrayer Among Emmy Semifinalists

2008-07-03T01:24:00.005-04:00

Way to go, Emmys! In a bold move I never dreamed possible, the Emmy voters have put Mary McDonnell on the list of 10 semifinalists for Lead Actress (Drama) for her role on "Battlestar Galactica."

I've been calling for this ever since the show debuted, but Emmy has been notorious for ignoring quality shows in the fantasy genre like "BSG" or "Buffy," for example.

Here's the list of the Lead Actress nominees, courtesy of Goldderby.com:
Patricia Arquette, Medium
Glenn Close, Damages
Minnie Driver, The Riches
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay, Law and Order: SVU
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Mary McDonnell, Battlestar Galactica
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
Jeanne Tripplehorn, Big Love

Any field with Close and Field in it is going to be tough, as those two are shoe-ins to reach the finals. Moss is an interesting choice, since I feel her role is more of a supporting one. Why the Emmys love Arquette is beyond me.

Best Actor (Drama) semifinalists include:
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Patrick Dempsey, Grey's Anatomy
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Eddie Izzard, The Riches
Hugh Laurie, House
Denis Leary, Rescue Me
James Spader, Boston Legal

Seeing Cranston on this list is another reason for me to smile, since I think he turned in the performance of his career. Actually, except for the inexplicable love the Emmys show Spader, this is a pretty darn good list, and paring it down to five is an unenviable task.

Macon's own Jack McBrayer ("30 Rock") is among the semifinalists for Supporting Actor (Comedy):
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Kevin Dillon, Entourage
Justin Kirk, Weeds
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
John Krasinski, The Office
Jack McBrayer, 30 Rock
Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Fred Willard, Back to You
Rainn Wilson, The Office

Again, another fine list. It will be interesting to see how the Emmys thin it out with so many nominees on the same shows.

On the Supporting Actress (Comedy) side, the biggest shock is that last year's winner, Jaime Pressley of "My Name Is Earl," didn't even make the cut. Here's who did:
Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies
Conchata Ferrell, Two and a Half Men
Jenna Fischer, The Office
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Judith Light, Ugly Betty
Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds
Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live
Jean Smart, Samantha Who?
Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty

It's a pretty decent group, though again, "Two and a Half Men" continues to be more popular with the Emmys than it should be. Chenoweth, Fischer and Krakowski are all very good picks, and I was pleasantly surprised for the talented Poehler. One big disappointment - no Cheryl Hines of "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

Finally, Gold Derby also released the list of Best Guest Actress (Comedy):
Polly Bergen, Desperate Housewives
Edie Falco, 30 Rock
Vivica A. Fox, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives
Annie Potts, Ugly Betty
Carrie Fisher, 30 Rock
Shirley Knight, Desperate Housewives
Jane Lynch, Two and a Half Men
Amy Ryan, The Office
Sarah Silverman, Monk
Elaine Stritch, 30 Rock

While I'm thrilled to see Amy Ryan's name on here for her terrific guest turn on "The Office," I'm disappointed that Sarah Chalke's name was omitted for her work on "How I Met Your Mother." With three actresses listed for "30 Rock," it will be interesting to see how that shakes out, though I can't imagine the voters will leave Edie Falco off their ballot.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: I was chided last week for not mentioning "Last Comic Standing" (NBC, 8 p.m.), so here is me mentioning it. It's followed by a new "Fear Itself," easily one of the most uneven series of the summer.

ABC continues with its documentary/reality show "Hopkins" at 10 p.m., which will air opposite a new "Swingtown" on CBS.

Finally, a full hour of comedy on TBS beginning at 9 p.m. with "The Bill Engvall Show" and followed by "My Boys" at 9:30 p.m.

More Emmy Leaks

2008-07-02T00:56:00.003-04:00

Goldderby.com continues to lead the media in getting out the Emmy semifinalists. They leaked three categories yesterday, including Best Supporting Actor (Drama), Supporting Actress (Drama) and Lead Actress (Comedy).

Among the semifinalists are, for Supporting Actor:
Naveen Andrews, Lost
Bruce Dern, Big Love
Christian Clemenson, Boston Legal
Ted Danson, Damages
Michael Emerson, Lost
Zeljko Ivanek, Damages
T.R. Knight, Grey's Anatomy
William Shatner, Boston Legal
John Slattery, Mad Men
Blair Underwood, In Treatment
Jake Weber, Medium

In May, I singled out Danson, Emerson and Slattery as very deserving nominees, so I'm glad to see them there. Last year's winner, Terry O'Quinn of "Lost," isn't nominated this year. Whether it was his choice or the Academy's is unknown (though I'm guessing he's not pulling a Katherine Heigl and blaming the writers for weak storylines). Why "Medium" and "Boston Legal" continue to get Emmy love will always be a mystery to me, but nice call by the voters on the always-reliable Ivanek, a longtime favorite for me since his "Homicide" days.

For Supporting Actress, Drama:
Jane Alexander, Tell Me You Love Me
Candice Bergen, Boston Legal
Rose Byrne, Damages
Jill Clayburgh, Dirty Sexy Money
Sharon Gless, Burn Notice
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
S. Epatha Merkerson, Law & Order
Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment
Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy

Connie Britton, who last year submitted herself as a lead, went the supporting actress route this year and was left off the list, which is a shame. Griffiths, Oh and Wilson aren't surprises, though it remains to be seen whether the "Grey's" actresses will be helped or hindered by the Heigl controversy. Byrne is in a tough spot; no way she submits herself against Glenn Close as a lead, but at the same time, the whole series is from her character's perspective, so she's hardly supporting, either.

Bergen, Alexander, Clayburgh, Gless and Wiest (and probably Merkerson) are long-time Academy favorites, so they may comprise the entire list of finalists. I noted Hendricks in the May blog, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

For Lead Actress, Comedy:
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
Marcia Cross, Desperate Housewives
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Anna Friel, Pushing Daisies
Felicity Huffman, Desperate Housewives
Eva Longoria Parker, Desperate Housewives
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, New Adventures of Old Christine
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds
Sarah Silverman, The Sarah Silverman Program

I had hoped/figured Ferrera (last year's winner), Louis-Dreyfus, Fey and Friel for nominations, so those are some good picks. The "Desperate" ladies aren't really a surprise, though Cross has been the one I think who has shined the most since the series began. I figured Applegate and Parker would get some support as well. The big surprise is Silverman, whose show is kind of a cross between sitcom and variety. Will the Emmy voters risk what she might say during a live acceptance speech?

I'll post more nominations when they are leaked.

SAG NEWS: The contract between SAG and the studios expired yesterday at midnight with no new deal in place, but we're still a long way away from a work stoppage. The studios presented SAG with a proposal, which the actors' union will take a few days to study.

But SAG is in a tough spot, since some big name actors like Tom Hanks are pushing for a deal while others like Jack Nicholson want to keep negotiating, dividing the rank and file down the middle. In addition, with deals signed by the Writers', Producers' and Directors' guilds, and a tentative deal reached with the other actors' union, AFTRA, the framework for a deal with SAG is in place, leaving not a lot of wriggle room. Hopefully, the two sides will come together soon.

R.I.P. DON S. DAVIS: The veteran character-actor, who died Monday from a heart attack, was 65. Davis was a familiar face in a lot of TV series, including "Twin Peaks," "The X-Files" and "Stargate SG-1." If you think he played a lot of military officers, there's probably a reason -- Davis served as a U.S. Army officer before becoming an actor.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: "Nova" is beginning a new "ScienceNow" series (PBS, 9 p.m.) throughout the summer that looks at various new scientific issues. Tonight's installment centers on genetic profiling.

Everything else is so-called reality fare, so pick what you will.

Why? Why? Why?

2008-07-01T09:40:00.004-04:00

In the early 1990s, Granada TV in the UK came up with "Cracker." Written by Jimmy McGovern and starring Robbie Coltrane ("Harry Potter") as Fitz, a brilliant police psychologist whose own personal life is a mess, it was one of the most ingenious TV series ever devised.

ABC ran a very poor copy of it in the late '90s, starring the late Robert Pastorelli ("Murphy Brown") as Fitz. Comparing the US version to the UK version is a bit like comparing dinner theatre to Broadway. Needless to say, fans of the original series tuned out, and no one else ever tuned in.

Not taking the hint that once you've achieved perfection, you can't really copy it, Granada has sold the "Cracker" rights to TNT, which is developing a new version of the show, probably to make it a companion series to "The Closer," which in itself is a pale imitation of the UK's much-superior "Prime Suspect."

What the network executives don't get is that Fitz was as much Coltrane's creation as it was McGovern's, and you can't just recast such an indelible role. It'd be like trying to do a version of "The Sopranos" in the UK with someone other than James Gandolfini calling himself "Tony Soprano." Fans of the original just wouldn't buy it, no matter who was cast.

It's not the first sign that Hollywood is running out of good TV ideas. ABC has a new version of "Cupid" in the works, even though the original ran on the same network for one season in the '90s. The original "Cupid" was one of the cleverest concepts ever done on TV, starring a young Jeremy Piven and Paula Marshall in the lead roles. Even though creator Rob Thomas ("Veronica Mars") is helming the remake, he'll be hard-pressed to recreate the chemistry of the original.

For every show like "The Office" that makes a successful transition across the pond, you get a lot more like "Coupling" that don't. And of you are doing a remake of an older TV series, then why not be like "Battlestar Galactica," where at least the producers put an entirely new spin on the original story, surpassing the original.

And if American TV producers love British TV so much, then why not just buy the originals? Shows like "Hustle," "MI-5" and "Doctor Who" have proven to be very successful imports when shown on American cable, both critically and commercially.

While I'm glad Hollywood recognizes how great the original "Cracker" was (one of my Top 10 best ever series), they should realize you can't make lightning strike twice in the same place.

CASTING NEWS: OK, the rant is over. Speaking of "The Office," Academy Award nominee Amy Ryan is reprising her role as Dunder Mifflin's new HR manager after a terrific guest star appearance in last season's finale. Ryan is signed on for at least five episodes (and hopefully more). She had great chemistry with Steve Carell as a possible love interest, and her character's scenes with Kevin (the result of a practical joke by the staff) was perhaps the single-most clever bit by any sitcom this past season.

'MAD' CONTEST: With the release of Season 1 of "Mad Men" on DVD this week, AMC is holding a contest that allows people to film themselves performing a scene from the series, then uploading it to the channel's Web site. The winner will get a free trip to L.A. to appear in a walk-on role in the series. For details, visit: http://blogs.amctv.com/mad-men/2008/06/mad-men-contest-early-submissions.php.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: You know, I checked out ABC's summer entries "Wipeout" and "I Survived a Japanese Game Show" during the points where Georgia was choking away the College World Series last week, and they weren't half-bad. Are either great TV? No. But are they amusing enough to whittle away the summer? Very much so. They kick off at 8 p.m.

Less amusing is Fox's reality entries "The Moment of Truth" and "Hell's Kitchen," also beginning at 8 p.m.

A new family-oriented series called "Secret Life of an American Teenager" (ABC Family, 8 p.m.) debuts tonight, starring Molly Ringwald and Ernie Hudson. It centers around a teen pregnancy. The reviews have been uneven, so I don't think we're going to be seeing another "Juno" here.

'Smart' Remake

2008-06-30T09:25:00.002-04:00

With the dearth of stuff on TV during these summer days, I find myself at the movies a lot more during what has been an unusually strong summer.

"Get Smart" is the latest in the long trend of movies adapted from TV shows, and I have to say, it's one of the better ones. A friend of mine in LA saw the movie weeks before its official debut and raved about it, but when some less-than-kind reviews came out afterward, I didn't really know what to expect.

But my friends and I turned out to be very well entertained by the spy spoof, which stars Steve Carell ("The Office") and Anne Hathaway ("The Princess Diaries"). The movie deftly updates the 1960s Don Adams series, both paying an homage to the source material while creating something more modern.

Often, TV series adapted for the screen tend to fail more than they succeed. For every decent adaptation like "The Addams Family" (which I enjoyed at least even if others didn't), you get a lot of bad ones, such as "The Avengers."

With movies so expensive to make these days, Hollywood often looks for properties that the general public already has a familiarity with. Because people have a general idea of what something like "Get Smart" is going to be about, it makes marketing the movie that much easier.

What Hollywood often fails to realize is that TV shows have whole seasons to develop characters, whereas movies have just two hours, which is often why the movie never seems as good as the original.

But, occasionally, Hollywood also gets it right and can bring a fresh take to familiar material.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: "The Middleman" (ABC Family, 10 p.m.) has gotten a lot of positive buzz since it debuted a couple of weeks ago, and a new episode airs tonight.

ABC is all-new with its all-reality lineup, beginning with two hours of "The Bachelorette" and continuing with "The Mole" at 10 p.m. NBC counters with "American Gladiators" and two hours of "Nashville Star."

Finally, Showtime airs new installments of "Weeds" and "Secret Diary of a Call Girl," beginning at 10 p.m.

Emmy Contenders

2008-06-27T10:07:00.003-04:00

In a rather unique move, the Emmys have released the list of the final 10 comedy and drama series up for top show honors. Each list will be pared to five in the coming weeks, with the finalists in all of the categories to be announced in July.

For your perousal:

Outstanding Comedy Series Finalists
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
The Office
Pushing Daisies
30 Rock (won last year)
Two and a Half Men
Ugly Betty
Weeds

Outstanding Drama Series Finalists
Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
Friday Night Lights
Grey’s Anatomy
House
Lost
Mad Men
The Tudors
The Wire

First, the comedies. I'm glad to see "Pushing Daisies" made the list and disappointed "How I Met Your Mother" didn't. I suppose "Flight of the Conchords" shows some out-of-the-box thinking by the Academy, but "Two and a Half Men" clearly doesn't. It might be most telling that four of the 10 shows are aired on pay cable, while three of the 10 are hour-long shows and not traditional sitcoms.

I already listed who I wanted to make the finals last month, so check out the May blog posts for that. Of the list, I expect the finals to come down to "Curb," "Conchords," "The Office," "30 Rock" and "Ugly Betty," but with the Emmy voters, who knows what they are thinking?

As for the dramas, that they waste a slot on "Boston Legal" is both bitterly disappointing and not surprising. I fully expected some of my picks - which included "Battlestar Galactica" and "Supernatural" - not to make it, but I was hoping "Breaking Bad" might sneak in.

With "The Wire" airing its final season and seemingly taking the slot usually reserved for last year's winner, "The Sopranos," it will be interesting to see if the voters bring this much-praised but often-overlooked series to the big dance. Another thing to look for is how "Grey's Anatomy" fares after star (and last year's Best Supporting Actress winner) Katherine Heigl pulling out of this year's race, citing the quality of her storylines as a reason why. If "Grey's" doesn't make the cut in what is a pretty tough field, Heigl may get the brunt of the criticism.

As for the finalists, I expect it to go down to "Boston Legal" (unfortunately; God, these voters are idiots), "Damages," "Mad Men," "The Tudors" and "The Wire." That may not be the case, though, because that would mean only one network show would make the cut.

Anyway, keep an eye out in this space for when the finalists are announced.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: The second part of the two-part "Doctor Who" adventure, "Forest of the Dead" (Sci Fi, 9 p.m.) airs tonight after Sci Fi reruns the first part, "Silence in the Library" at 8 p.m. As good as the first part was, tonight's episode may be some of the best work ever done in the four seasons since the show was revived.

On Saturday, "Robin Hood" (BBC America, 9 p.m.) is new. Also, a reminder, the first-ever "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, 11:30 p.m.) starring the late George Carlin is being rerun this weekend.

On Sunday, "Masterpiece: Mystery" (PBS, 9 p.m.) continues with "Inspector Lewis." Also, there's a new "In Plain Sight" (USA, 10 p.m.)

The Perfect TV Family?

2008-06-26T09:54:00.003-04:00

As part of the new classics list I mentioned in yesterday's blog, Entertainment Weekly listed a number of sidebars and featurettes to go with the lists of best movies, TV shows, music, etc. of the past 25 years. (Check out the gallery of "The Office's" Rainn Wilson as various TV characters).

As part of the TV section, EW listed an all-star roster of what might make the perfect TV family:

Dad: Cliff Huxtable of "The Cosby Show"
Mom: Lorelai Gilmore of "Gilmore Girls"
Grandpa: Abe Simpson of "The Simpsons"
Grandma: Dorothy Zbornak of "The Golden Girls"
Son: Sam Weir of "Freaks & Geeks"
Daughter: Brenda Walsh of "Beverly Hills 90210"
Uncle: Buster Bluth of "Arrested Development"
Aunt: Jackie Harris of "Roseanne"
Dog: Brian Griffin of "Family Guy"

I'm not really sure what criteria EW used for their picks — who would be the best dad? The weirdest uncle? — but I think we can do a bit better.

My list:
Dad: Noah Bennet of "Heroes"; One simple rule for dating his daughter: If you date his daughter, he will have you killed.
Mom: Lois of "Malcolm In The Middle"; OK, she was a bit abrasive and scary, but trying to keep those kids in line, she had to be.
Grandpa and Grandma: I'll keep the same picks as EW, because I can't really think of anyone better.
Son: Dean Winchester, "Supernatural"; Not only does he keep the family business going, but he sold his soul to save the life of his brother.
Daughter: Buffy Summers, "Buffy The Vampire Slayer"; you know, she saved the world — a lot.
Uncle: Junior Soprano, "The Sopranos"; Just to ensure no one messes with the family.
Aunts: Selma and Patty Bouvier, "The Simpsons"; Just to keep things intersting.
Dog: Digby, "Pushing Daisies"; C'mon, it's the best dog on TV.

Who are some of your favorite TV relatives?

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: ABC returns "Hopkins," a real-life "ER" that is more of a documentary than a reality show about the men and women who staff Johns Hopkins (ABC, 10 p.m.) It makes for interesting drama, but the medical stuff might prove to be a bit extreme for some folks.

Much less extreme is "Swingtown" (CBS, 10 p.m.), which still manages to find an audience. It goes opposite "Fear Itself," (NBC, 10 p.m.) which has been a bit inconsistent but is still interesting.

Finally, the TBS comedies, "The Bill Engvall Show" and "My Boys" begin at 9 p.m.

EW's New Classics

2008-06-25T09:50:00.002-04:00

If you catch the current edition of "Entertainment Weekly" on newstands, you can read what their writers claim to be the 100 best movies, TV shows, books, albums, etc. over the past quarter-century.

Of course, any time you make a list of what is "the best" in a genre, you won't satisfy everyone, and such lists are there to provide the spark for an argument among the fans.

Here's EW's top 10 TV shows, all of which debuted from 1983 and after:
1. The Simpsons
2. The Sopranos
3. Seinfeld
4. The X-Files
5. Sex & The City
6. Survivor
7. The Cosby Show
8. Lost
9. Friends
10. Buffy The Vampire Slayer

You can check out the other 90 shows in the magazine or at the EW Web site.

It's really impossible to compare a show like "The Sopranos" to a show like "Sex & The City," one of the flaws of such lists, but also, the editors of EW don't really give us a set of criteria as to how they rank the shows, except for things like quality and pop culture impact.

My criteria would include longetivity, specifically, how well a show holds up years after it's off the air. For example, "The Twighlight Zone" is still a classic today; so is "M*A*S*H."

Think of it this way: How often do you pull out the DVDs of certain shows, or sit down to watch them as they play perpetually in syndication?

Shows like "The Simpsons" and "Seinfeld" clearly fall into that category, not to mention the pop culture impact both shows still make today.

But "The X-Files," a show I'm a big fan of, doesn't really belong in the Top 10. Even die-hard fans were disappointed by the show's final few seasons, and it has sort of become a series that has been out of sight, out of mind (the upcoming movie sequel not withstanding).

"Survivor" was a pop culture phenomenon when it first aired, and it cleared the way for reality fare, but most people would be hard-pressed to name a cast member after the third or fourth installment aired. Even winning "Survivor" is no longer a guarantee of fame, only fortune. If the EW crew wanted a reality show in the Top 10, "American Idol" would have been a better choice.

Some of the other interesting choices: "Freaks & Geeks" at No. 13 is one. Though I absolutely loved this series, it only lasted one season on NBC, so it's hard to say it had a huge pop culture impact (even though it launched the careers of Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and others). "The Daily Show" at No. 14 is another. This one deserves to be in the Top 10. It's hard to think of a show that has had a bigger pop culture impact over the past five years, and it's one of the few shows on the list that actually influences the American political scene.

Ditto for "The Oprah Winfrey Show" (No. 17), again the most influential show of its kind and therefore should be higher on the list.

Meanwhile, shows like "Beverly Hills 90210" (No. 20), "Roseanne" (No. 21), and "Ally McBeal" (No. 48) seem irrelevant and dated by today's standards.

Anyway, feel free to check out the list at www.ew.com. Which shows were ranked too high? Too low? ("Battlestar Galactica" only at No. 59? Seriously?) Which shows were left off the list, and which shows didn't deserve a ranking in the first place?

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: HBO is airing a tribute to George Carlin by airing the late comic's specials from over the years tonight and Thursday, beginning at 8 p.m. In addition, "Saturday Night Live" is airing its original Carlin episode from 1975 this Saturday at 11:30 p.m. on NBC.

Bravo tries to do for hair what it did for fashion and food with the return of "Shear Genius" (Bravo, 10 p.m.)

One of the weirdest concepts on TV airs tonight with "The Baby Borrowers" (NBC, 9 p.m.) as teens borrow babies and care for them, learning the rigors of child-rearing.

Finally, Georgia only came up nine runs short last night to clinch the College World Series. So the Dogs give it another try tonight (ESPN, 7 p.m.) in the third and final game against Fresno State.

'Rescue Me' Returns -- Sort Of

2008-06-24T09:52:00.003-04:00

I'm the first to admit that FX's "Rescue Me" isn't coming off its strongest season. Last year was kind of all over the place in terms of consistency.

On the other hand, "Rescue Me" at 60-70 percent quality is usually better than the bulk of the shows out there at 100 percent, so everything is relative.

The writers' strike pushed the upcoming season of "Rescue Me" back to 2009, but the good news for fans of the series is that we won't have to wait that long to see Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary) and the crew back in action.

FX is launching five-minute "mini-sodes" tonight beginning at 10 p.m., which will run over the next several weeks. Each one features a short scene with regular cast members that will refresh viewers' memories from last year and bridge the gap to the new season. There will be 10 in total, and FX is likely to edit them into one episode at the end of the run.

If you miss them when they air on FX, you can still catch them on crackle.com.

AROUND THE DIAL: Disney's "Camp Rock" didn't quite the hit the ratings stratosphere of "High School Musical," but the 16.2 million combined viewers for all the airings this weekend has ensured a "Camp Rock 2," according to The Hollywood Reporter. ... Good for NBC naming Tom Brokaw as interim host for Tim Russert on "Meet The Press." Brokaw is the logical choice and will host the show at least through the election. It will also make the transition much easier for whomever the network taps as the show's new permanent host.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: With the "Rescue Me" mini-sodes airing, "30 Days" (FX, 10:06 p.m.) will be trimmed slightly and air after "Rescue Me" does.

More game-show funness, courtesy of the networks. NBC airs "Celebrity Family Feud," (NBC, 8 p.m.), which sounds slightly excruciating, before airing a new "America's Got Talent," which IS excruciating.

On the flip side, watching the average American getting the snot knocked out of him or her has some humor value to it, which is why you may want to check out the tandem of "Wipeout" (ABC, 8 p.m.) and "I Survived A Japanese Game Show" (ABC, 9 p.m.)

Two episodes of "Hell's Kitchen" air consecutively on Fox from 8-10 p.m.

Finally, not to overstate this or anything, but the most important game in the history of college baseball takes place tonight as Georgia looks to clinch the College World Series title against Fresno State (ESPN, 7 p.m.)

R.I.P. George Carlin

2008-06-23T09:40:00.005-04:00

Just a brief update today, but I wanted to note the passing of the legendary George Carlin on Sunday.

Carlin, 71, died from heart complications. As this is a TV blog, it should be noted that his most famous bit was the "seven words you can't say on television," none of which will be repeated here, what with this being a Telegraph blog and all.

But in the age of YouTube and other similar sites, I've no doubt the best works of Carlin will live on for all time.

DAYTIME EMMY WINNERS: In case you missed it Friday, here are the winners of the Daytime Emmy Awards (No, Susan Lucci didn't win):

— Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Gina Tognoni, ‘‘Guiding Light.’’
— Talk Show — Informative: ‘‘The Tyra Banks Show.’’
— Younger Actor in a Drama Series: Tom Pelphrey, ‘‘Guiding Light.’’
— Younger Actress in a Drama Series: Jennifer Landon, ‘‘As the World Turns’’
— Talk Show Host: Ellen DeGeneres, ‘‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show.’’
— Drama Series Directing Team: ‘‘One Life to Live.’’
— Legal/Courtroom Program: ‘‘Cristina’s Court.’’
— Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Kristoff St. John, ‘‘The Young and the Restless.’’
— Drama Series Writing Team: ‘‘One Life to Live.’’
— Talk Show — Entertainment: ‘‘Rachael Ray.’’
— Lifetime Achievement: Regis Philbin.
— Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Jeanne Cooper, ‘‘The Young and the Restless.’’
— Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Anthony Geary, ‘‘General Hospital.’’
— Drama Series: ‘‘General Hospital.’’

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: Really, there's only one thing that people should be watching tonight, as the Georgia Bulldogs face Fresno State for the national championship as Game 1 of the Best-of-3 College World Series kicks off tonight (ESPN2, 7 p.m.) I can actually say "Go Dogs!" without a hint of biasness, since Fresno State is also the Bulldogs.

If college baseball isn't your thing, you catch ABC's all-reality lineup of "The Bachelorette" (ABC, 8 p.m.) and "The Mole" (ABC, 10 p.m.) NBC counters with "American Gladiators" at 8 p.m. and "Nashville Star" at 9 p.m.

Finally, there are new episodes of "Weeds" and "Secret Diary of a Call Girl" beginning at 10 p.m. on Showtime.

In Praise Of The Grand Moff

2008-06-20T09:40:00.003-04:00

Trying to break into the screenwriting business myself, there are certain writers who always get me jazzed when I know there names are going be in the credits.

As TV writers go, the UK's Steven Moffat is one of those guys. I'd put him in that rare category of TV's best, right up there with the likes of Joss Whedon, Aaron Sorkin and Shawn Ryan, to name but a few.

Moffat has made a name for himself in recent years, thanks to his phenomenal miniseries "Jekyll" that ran on BBC America last summer, and his work on "Doctor Who," contributing such classics as "Blink" and my all-time favorite, "Girl in the Fireplace."

Moffat is one of those rare writers who can blend humor, tragedy, romance and action, all within the same 42-minute span.

I bring Moffat up for two reasons. First, he was tapped by the BBC to take over the showrunning duties for "Doctor Who" from Russell T. Davies, who has shepherded the series since its relaunch in 2005. Most fans of the series have been pretty excited by the news. While Davies is a good writer (I think), Moffat is in a whole other weight class.

The second reason is that tonight's episode (Sci-Fi, 9 p.m.) is penned by Moffat, a two-parter called "Silence of the Library"/"Forest of the Dead." The episodes are among the best of the entire series, as Moffat deftly mixes humor and horror, creating a tale that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. It also doesn't hurt that the guest cast includes Colin Salmon and Alex Kingston.

It's always nice to see a master at work.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: Get a bunch of good-looking teenagers together, add a bunch of musical numbers and dance routines, and turn it into a TV movie. That's the formula Disney used to turn the "High School Musical" franchise into one of the most popular in the history of television.

We'll see if lightning strikes again as the Mouse presents "Camp Rock" (Disney, 8 p.m.), starring the Jonas Brothers as campers at a musical summer camp. If Disney can get even half the audience for "Camp" as it did for "HSM," expect to see "Camp Rock 2" by early next year.

ABC is presenting the Daytime Emmy Awards (ABC, 8 p.m.), also known as the Emmys that I don't handicap. It's followed by a rerun of the pilot of "MVP" at 10 p.m., for those of you who didn't catch it on SoapNet Thursday night.

On Saturday, "Robin Hood" (BBC America, 9 p.m.) is new as Marian has to adjust to life in the forest.

Those of you expecting to see Georgia continue its College World Series romp on Friday will have to wait until Saturday (ESPN2, 2 p.m.) thanks to rain in Omaha. The Bulldogs get set to face Stanford.

On Sunday, Alan Cumming takes over as the host for "Masterpiece: Mystery" (PBS, 9 p.m.), which will present the new "Inspector Lewis" series, featuring the former sidekick (Kevin Whatley) from the old "Inspector Morse" mysteries.

The Double Entendre Of Scoring

2008-06-19T00:30:00.003-04:00

Before I became America's 274th most popular TV critic, I covered hockey for seven years for The Telegraph.

That fact alone probably means I WON'T be tuning in tonight for "MVP" (SoapNet, 11 p.m.), a new soap opera drama about hockey and sex, not necessarily in that order.

SoapNet picked up the series from Canadian TV, but with all of the naughty bits edited out. Apparently, so have the hockey bits.

Anyway, the series is supposed to be in the vein of the BBC's "Footballer's Wives," so take from that what you will.

As a former pro hockey writer, I can tell you "puck bunnies" as they are called are very much a part of the lives of hockey players, though I don't know how well it translates to the small screen.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: It's gotten to a point right now that the reruns are better than the new stuff. The only bit of dramatic programming that is new is "Swingtown" (CBS, 10 p.m.), and if you are still into this show by Week 3, then perhaps "MVP" is your cup of tea as well.

Enjoy The Sunshine

2008-06-18T09:27:00.002-04:00

I've got an assignment that's going to take up most of my morning today, so no posting.

On the bright side, there's really nothing on TV worth talking about, unless you are really into "Celebrity Circus" (NBC, 9:30 p.m.), so why not take a night out and enjoy something else?

See you tomorrow.

Katherine Heigl: Darling Or Diva?

2008-06-17T09:32:00.002-04:00

In case you missed it last week, "Grey's Anatomy" star Katherine Heigl announced she wouldn't submit her work to the Emmy voters this year because she feels her work on the show didn't warrant a nomination.

It's pretty big news, since it means that Heigl, who won Best Supporting Actress in a Drama last year, won't be defending her title.

Heigl attributed her decision in part to the weak storylines her Izzie character got this year, implicitly casting blame upon the show's writers.

Reaction in the blogosphere has been mixed. Many feel Heigl is doing the honorable thing by allowing someone more worthy to earn a nomination. Others feel Heigl is forcing the writers to give her a bigger role this year and don't like her outspokeness.

I asked the Cherry Blogger, Stephanie Hartley, a "Grey's" fan, what she thought of the decision. She said Heigl didn't have much of a role this season and was stuck in the background most of the time, so it was probably a good choice on the actress' part.

On the other hand, as some critics of Heigl point out, the writers' strike severely hampered the show's creative staff. Especially with a show of the soap opera nature of something like "Grey's," losing a quarter to a third of the season is severely going to hamper storylines and character arcs, so it's hard to place the blame fully on the writers because of the way they were handcuffed.

Heigl has been the center of controversy before, when she was the most vocal opponent of former castmate Isaiah Washington, who used an anti-gay slur against co-star T.R. Knight a couple of years ago, which eventually got Washington fired. Most of the rest of the cast toed the company line and kept silent, but Heigl defended Knight. (Reportedly, so did co-star Patrick Dempsey, who got into a scuffle on the set with Washington).

Heigl certainly has the most blossoming film career of the cast, with films like "Knocked Up" and "27 Dresses" on her resume, so there is a feeling that she can move on whenever she likes and not pull a David Caruso and torpedo her own career.

My take is that Heigl is doing the honorable thing by not denying an Emmy slot to someone whose work was better this year, though the way she called out the writers and drew attention to herself might not have been the best approach to do it.

Still, Heigl's decision points out a fundamental flaw in the Emmy process, that once an actor or series becomes an Emmy favorite, they occupy a nomination slot for years even when it is undeserved. Think of all the years Candice Bergen won for "Murphy Brown," even when the show moved past its point of freshness. Or all of the nominations "Boston Legal" has nabbed each year, keeping out far more worthy nominees.

If Heigl's actions force Emmy voters to open the field up for more shows and stars, then I'm all for it.

MONDAY'S RECAP: You know, some days it's great to be a Georgia Bulldog.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: You know it's the summer because another AFI list show is on. This time, it's"AFI's 10 Top 10" (CBS, 8 p.m.), which lists the top 10 shows in 10 distinct film genres, such as sci-fi, mystery and romantic comedy. I'll probably end up watching it, then telling you where they went wrong.

It's a tough call for me, because "Nova" is repeating the documentary "Secrets of the Samurai Sword," a supercool documentary about the forging of katanas in both ancient and modern Japan (PBS, 8 p.m.)

The documentary series "30 Days" (FX, 10 p.m.) is brand new tonight.

Everything else is pretty much so-called reality, including the return of "America's Got Talent" (NBC, 9 p.m.)

Oh, and the Lakers and Celtics meet in Game 6 of the NBA Finals tonight (ABC, 9 p.m.)

Belle De Jour

2008-06-16T00:25:00.003-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I criticized CBS' "Swingtown" for being too tame because it was on a network rather than cable, making its depiction of sex and drugs rather boring.

That shouldn't be a problem with the premieres of Showtime's Monday night schedule.

Fan favorite "Weeds" (Showtime, 10 p.m.) kicks off its new season with pot-growing mom Nancy (Mary Louise Parker) moving her family to a new location after torching the old one. Specifically, she's moved them to her father-in-law's (Albert Brooks) house.

Following that is the US premiere of "Secret Diary of a Call Girl," as former "Doctor Who" companion Billie Piper shows a much different side (well, several sides) as Hannah, a legal secretary by day and Belle, a high-priced call girl at night.

The series is based upon the blog of a real-life anonymous call girl who masquerades with a "regular" life during her days. The real-life lady (of the evening) consulted with producers and Piper in secret to tell her story.

With Showtime giving us sex and drugs, the only thing they are missing on Mondays is Rock n' Roll. Maybe next year.

FRIDAY RECAP: No one does an ending like "Battlestar Galactica." Though they may not be the finales that the fans want to see necessarily, there's no denying that all four finales now have provided stunning twists, no more so than Friday's.

****SPOILER ALERT****

SKIP THIS BIT IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET

OK, HERE GOES

I was a little surprised at first as they seemed to bring the fleet to Earth so quickly after the long journey to find its location. And of course, seeing the moments of pure joy and relief of the last survivors of humanity as they took the final leg of their journey was great, but knowing the BSG producers, you knew it wouldn't last long.

The payoff of seeing both the humans and Cylons stunned by the destroyed and desolate Earth was fantastic, ensuring that the next seven months (at least) waiting for the resolution will be pretty interminable (in a good way).

Also great: Lee's game of chicken with D'Anna over ejecting people out of airlocks, and Adama's reaction to learning Tigh's true Cylon identity. (Also great: the way Tigh told him).

Of course, all the ending does is raise a ton of questions, such as: Who wiped out humanity? Ourselves, or another group of Cylons? Who fixed Starbuck's ship when she went to Earth the last time? What's next for the fleet and their tenuous relationship with the Cylons? What about the other group of Cylons, who are still hunting the humans?

Almost as irksome as the weight for the final half of the season (the good news, reportedly, is that we get 11 episodes when it returns instead of the planned 10) is that BSG will likely go unrecognized by the Emmy voters yet again, because Emmy voters royally suck.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: Speaking of royally sucking, though I'm enjoying "The Mole" (ABC, 10 p.m.), boy, is this the lamest group of contestants ever assembled on a reality show. As one of them pointed out last week, they may owe ABC money by the end of it. It's preceded by two episodes of "The Bachelorette."

The new kids adventure series "Middleman" (ABC Family, 8 p.m.) debuts tonight, and looks as if it pays an homage to shows like "The Tick" and "The Avengers," not bad company.

Finally, Georgia, coming off its remarkable comeback victory over Miami in the opener of the College World Series, faces Stanford tonight at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

Happy Father's Day

2008-06-13T09:55:00.002-04:00

Last month I talked about some of the more out-there TV moms and then a tornado hit on Mother's Day. Maybe it's a sign that I should stick with the traditional parents.

Certainly, TV has had its share of those, such as Bill Cosby, Ozzie Nelson and Hugh Beaumont. But it's interesting that whenever TV writers show an estrangement between a parent and child, it's far more often between a father and son than a mother and daughter.

As for me, I get on great with my dad, though he's skipping the weekend visit because he's under the weather. (Feel better, Dad!)

It was my dad who instilled in me the love of all things British (OK, all things except cricket. Sorry.) So as this column delves into the best of British TV, you have my dad to thank or blame, depending on your point of view.

Some other of my favorite TV dads:

--Noah Bennet, "Heroes": You really have to love a dad who would, quite literally, kill for his daughter. He would also win a lot of "My dad can beat up your dad" arguments.

--William Adama, "Battlestar Galactica": Not just the father to Apollo, but really, the father figure to the whole remains of humanity.

--Ted Moseby, "How I Met Your Mother": You really have to love a father that tries to tell his kids a simple story about the first time he met their mother, and it takes four years to do so.

--John Winchester, "Supernatural": He may give Noah Bennet a run for his money in terms of tough-guy dads, what with the sending demons to Hell gig and teaching his sons how to survive.

--Alan Epps, "Numb3rs": Somehow, he manages to get his two wildly different sons (an FBI agent and a math genius) to work together to solve crimes. In the show's first couple of seasons, Alan often had to play referee between the two.

--Mr. Suarez, "Ugly Betty": You've got to love a dad who is such a good cook. Plus, in addition to his two daughters, he often serves as a father figure to other men on the show like Daniel or Henry.

--Coach Eric Taylor, "Friday Night Lights": Another guy who has to serve as a father to more than just his own children. His scene of trying to pull Matt out of his funk by shoving him into the shower was probably the best act of parenting on TV this year and one of the best-done scenes of the series.

--Al Bundy, "Married With Children": The polar opposite to the Ozzie Nelsons of the TV world, he always kept things interesting. And he once scored four touchdowns in a game.

Who are some of your favorite TV dads?

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: OK, I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that the early buzz on "Battlestar Galactica" (Sci Fi, 10 p.m.) is that it's the best season finale cliffhanger they have done, which is saying something considering the other ones had Adama taking two slugs into the chest, finding humanity on New Caprica by jumping ahead a year, and revealing the identity of four of the final five Cylons. The bad news? "BSG" won't return to the air until early 2009 at the earliest. (Frakkin' Sci Fi!)

It follows a new "Doctor Who" (Sci Fi, 9 p.m.), in which the Doctor and Donna meet Agatha Christie.

On Saturday, "Robin Hood" (BBC America, 9 p.m.) is back with a new installment.

Also, sports-wise, the U.S. Open airs on ESPN and CBS all weekend, while Georgia faces No. 1 Miami (ESPN, 7 p.m.) in the College World Series.

On Sunday, Whoopi Goldberg hosts the Tony Awards (CBS, 9 p.m.) while another new "In Plain Sight" (USA, 10 p.m.) airs.

'My Boys' Returns

2008-06-12T00:42:00.003-04:00

When "My Boys" (TBS, 9:30 p.m.) first came out, it was hailed as a kind of "Sex & The City" for men. It revolves around PJ (Jordana Spiro), a sports writer who has a group of platonic male friends whom she relates to better as "one of the guys."

But, if anything, I think it actually has a broader appeal than "SATC." For one thing, it seems to have an equal appeal among the men and women I know.

For example, here's the female perspective, courtesy of my colleague, Jennifer Burk:

"It is very easy to relate to PJ. In many ways, she is the average young woman - confident in most facets of her life but a little unsure and timid when it comes to being with guys romantically. Her boys are like my boys: mostly sweet, at times vulgar and sometimes jerks. I think every woman sees a little bit of herself in PJ."

(It should be noted that Jennifer is the lone female among our home game of poker players, so she shares a similar perspective as to that of PJ, as well as PJ's eternal patience with male oddball behavior.)

I think the show's strength - in addition to the interplay of the cast - is that PJ's appeal to men is the same reason she can't seem to land one. She's too much like one of the guys. The irony is, a good-looking, sharp woman who enjoys sports, poker and beer would be the dream girl for many guys.

But PJ often fails at relationships because she often tries to switch to "girl mode" - and she's terrible at it. She has no interest in the "girl things" that the "SATC" women speak of ad nauseum, like fashion or fashion mags or whatever. This is often to the chagrin of her lone girlfiend, Stephanie (Kellee Stewart), who'd easily fit in with the "SATC" ladies should they ever expand their roster.

That underlying concept of PJ's dating ineptness plays into tonight's season premiere. We left her on an airplane bound for Italy for a romantic holiday with a guy. The problem is, most of the season showed PJ with three choices, and we don't know which guy she picked, until now. (I won't spoil things, except to say there's a twist).

Of course, PJ being PJ, she still doesn't know how to approach things even after the choice is made. As she tells Steph, "I'll let Italy do the work for me."

Ultimately, the strength of "My Boys" lays within the relationship of the gang, PJ's group of male friends who show her the ultimate respect by simply being themselves around her, knowing they can't possibly offend her despite their juvenile male antics.

The 'B' storyline involves the gang getting booted from their regular bar when one of them crosses the line and has a one-night stand with a waitress.

Next week's episode is a little better, with the gang all together, and collectively failing at the dating game. Plus, PJ's brother Andy (the scene-stealing Jim Gaffigan) doesn't see the downside until it's too late when he hires the world's hottest nanny.

It's ironic, but in trying to emulate "SATC," the "My Boys" producers have done a much better job of creating a comedy that everyone of either gender can relate to, since "SATC" often digressed into male-bashing and esoteric fashion quips that, for me at least, made it unwatchable.

And "My Boys" has done the viewer the service of not going to the other extreme and doing an all-male version like ABC's horried "Big Shots," which proved equally offensive to both men and women alike.

If you haven't done so yet, check out "My Boys." It's a gang you'll enjoy hanging out with.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: "My Boys" follows the second season premiere of "The Bill Engvall Show" (TBS, 9 p.m.)

A new "Swingtown" (CBS, 10 p.m.) airs, following the new, updated "Password" at 8 p.m. and a "CSI" rerun at 9 p.m.

NBC gives us a 90-minute "Last Comic Standing" at 8:30 p.m., followed by a new installment of the horror anthology series "Fear Itself" at 10 p.m., with Eric Roberts as a private investigator whose past catches up with him.

If you forgot what Ang Lee did to "The Hulk" before the new movie premieres this weekend, you can check it out tonight (Sci-Fi, 9 p.m.)

Finally, Game 4 of the NBA finals (ABC, 9 p.m.) tips off tonight.

A Smattering Of Notes

2008-06-11T00:41:00.002-04:00

From around the dial:

--Word across the pond is that Ian McKellan is now signed up to play No. 2 opposite Jim Caviezal's No. 6 on "The Prisoner" remake miniseries that ITV is producing. Since the miniseries is slated for six episodes, it doesn't say if that means there will be other No. 2s in addition to McKellan.

--Rocky Carroll has been added as a full-time cast member to "NCIS" as the new director. Not a big surprise, considering how things ended. Let's just hope he decides to re-hire everyone.

--Francis Capra is joining "Heroes" as a villain, joining old "Veronica Mars" castmate Kristen Bell. You know, a long time ago, they used to be friends. No word on Capra's power.

--Steven Weber will guest star on "Psych" as Shawn's (James Roday) uncle.

--"Chuck" will have several big names stop by for Season 2, including Michael Clark Duncan, Tony Hale ("Arrested Development") and John Laroquette. Rachel Bilson may also reprise her role as Chuck's would-be girlfriend next season.

--Finally, a lot of other networks (ahem, ABC) could take a lesson from Fox, which is rerunning the entire "Sarah Connor Chronicles" in August. Here's the schedule:

Sunday, Aug. 10: "Pilot"
Monday, Aug. 11: "Gnothi Seauton"
Tuesday, Aug. 12: "The Turk"
Wednesday, Aug. 13: "Heavy Metal"
Sunday, Aug. 17: "Queen’s Gambit"
Monday, Aug. 18: "Dungeons and Dragons"
Tuesday, Aug. 19: "The Demon Hand"
Wednesday, Aug. 20: "Vick’s Chip"
Sunday, Aug. 24: "What He Beheld"

What a fascinating idea - using the summer to rerun shows that drew some buzz that audiences might have missed the first time around.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: For some odd reason, no one tuned in a couple of months ago when CBS ran "Hidden Talents of the Stars." It got yanked after one episode. Why do I bring this up? Because NBC thinks it has got an even more brilliant concept, "Celebrity Circus" (NBC, 9:30 p.m.)

Meanwhile, the series finale of "Men In Trees" (ABC, 10 p.m.) airs tonight.

Remembering Jim McKay

2008-06-10T00:02:00.002-04:00

Sports journalism lost a giant over the weekend with the passing of Jim McKay at age 86.

For me, the Olympics were never the see once ABC no longer owned the broadcasting rights to the games, meaning McKay could no longer anchor them.

As a former sports writer myself, McKay brought something else to our profession - respectability. After his historic broadcast covering the Israeli hostage crisis at the 1972 Munich Games, McKay changed the face of broadcast journalism forever with his handling of the situation.

With his passing, I can't help but think how far sports broadcast journalism has fallen.

With ESPN having a virtual stranglehold on the industry, it's a different era. The Wide World of Sports, which brought the unusual but interesting sports to the masses, is no longer around. Why would ESPN waste broadcasting time on such things when they can foist the likes of the X-Games upon us?

And McKay's low-key, dignified approach? A thing of the past with anchors who want to shout "Boo-yah!" every five minutes and out-do each other with catch phrases and fluff.

McKay was a true broadcast legend. Let's hope he wasn't the last of his era.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: Speaking of things that were better in a bygone era, Game 3 of the NBA Finals (ABC, 9 p.m.) between the Lakers and Celtics airs tonight. It's a series of huge significance to me - 20 years ago. Now, honestly, I can give a crap but I'm sure someone out there is still watching.

If you enjoyed "Iron Man" and are eagerly anticipating "The Incredible Hulk" this weekend, you may want to check out "Comic Books Unbound" (Starz, 10 p.m.), which traces the phenomenon back to 1930s serials.

Report Cards '08, Bonus: Cable

2008-06-09T00:49:00.002-04:00

With 6,000 networks now available, I'm not giving every one of them a grade, especially since I don't watch them all.

But here are a few highlights:

FX: "The Shield" is coming off a typically terrific season, but this is the network that also renewed the likes of "Dirt." In addition, "Rescue Me" and "It's Always Sunny..." had inconsistent years. Grade: C+

AMC: The Jay Bruce of networks, in that this was the first year AMC produced original TV programming, and had a hit every time. Both of AMC's shows, "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad" should be on every critic's Top 10 list and will make noise come Emmy time. Grade: A+

USA: I've found both "Monk" and "Psych" to have become tiresome, but the network deserves points for the very clever "Burn Notice," which returns next month, and the solid "In Plain Sight." The experiment of moving "Law & Order: CI" over to USA for the first-run episodes seems to have translated well. Grade: B

Bravo: Bravo has gone from arts programming to reality heaven, but the transition has been a good one with the likes of "Top Chef" and "Project Runway," which Bravo is about to lose to Lifetime. Grade: B-

Sci-Fi: "Battlestar Galactica" is still the network's flagship (but really, guys, do we have to wait SO long between seasons?) and Mary McDonnell would have sewn up an Emmy after last week's episode if the Emmy voters ever watched. "Eureka" has turned out to be a sleeper, but "Dresden Files" fizzled despite showing some promise, as did "Painkiller Jane" and "Flash Gordon." Grade: C

BBC America: The king of the cult hits, with the likes of "Robin Hood," "Life on Mars" and "Torchwood," plus the fantastic miniseries "Jekyll," no network out there may provide more pure fun programming. Grade: A-

Lifetime: It's quietly putting together a solid roster of programming, led by "Army Wives," and grabbing "Project Runway" will be a big boost next season. Grade: B

TBS: It's starting to find a niche with "The Bill Engvall Show," "My Boys" and a few other sitcoms. Grade: B-

TNT: "The Closer" is still one of cable's highest-rated and critically acclaimed shows, but "Saving Grace" and "Heartland" didn't work out so well. Grade: C+

MTV: You know, back when I was young, this network actually played music. Now it litters the airwaves with the likes of "Tila Tequila." Grade: F

And, for Pay TV:

HBO: This is the network that once gave us the likes of "Larry Sanders" and "The Sopranos." While "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Entourage" turned in solid years, "Tell Me You Love Me" and "John From Cincinnati" didn't pan out. But the TV movie "Recount" deserves Emmy consideration. Grade: C-

Showtime: With "The Tudors" and "Dexter," Showtime has surpassed HBO creatively, and "Weeds" and "Californication" still draw good numbers. Grade: B

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: Well, "The Mole" (ABC, 10 p.m.) has produced one of the most irritating contestants in the history of reality programming after just one episode. That the woman doctor's behavior earned her immunity ultimately hopefully means her karmic payback will be that much the sweeter. It follows a new "Bachelorette."

It must be cross-promotions week: CBS airs a rerun of "Bill Engvall" at 8 p.m., teasing the season 2 premiere Thursday on TBS. Meanwhile, Lou Forrigno makes an appearance on "American Gladiators" (NBC, 8 p.m.) just before the movie premiere of "The Incredible Hulk" this weekend.

The documentary "Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired" (HBO, 9 p.m.) earned a lot of kudos on the independent film circuit and may be worth checking out.

Network Report Card '08, V: ABC

2008-06-06T00:13:00.006-04:00

Oh, ABC, ABC, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways:

--The most imaginative slate of new shows from any network this year, including "Eli Stone," "Dirty, Sexy Money," and "Pushing Daisies."
--A schedule that satisfied people both critically and in the ratings, such as "Lost," "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy."
--Looking to poach the best of other networks, by grabbing "Scrubs" after NBC discarded it and nearly grabbing CBS' "Old Christine."

WHAT WAS GOOD: Just about everything. There wasn't a network that came up with more innovative stuff than ABC, ranging from the wonderful comedy/drama mix of "Eli Stone" to the perfection that was "Pushing Daisies." "Samantha Who?" was the network's most successful sitcom, both creatively and numbers-wise, in ages.

"Desperate Housewives" had a big rebound year thanks to the addition of Dana Delaney, and "Lost" hit on all cylinders, owning the public eye while everyone else was on strike. "Grey's" just finished out of the Top 10 at No. 11, and "Ugly Betty" turned in a very solid sophomore campaign.

On the reality front, ABC owned the No. 2 reality series with "Dancing With the Stars" and also got strong ratings contributions from "Extreme Makeover," "Oprah's Big Give" and "The Bachelor."

WHAT WAS BAD: ABC didn't hit on every cylinder. It also gave us the worst show of the year by far in "Big Shots." "Carpoolers" and "Cavemen" were duds that were more consistent with ABC's sitcom failures of the past. "Private Practice" failed to live up to the show it was spun off from, "Grey's Anatomy."

"Miss/Guided" had a lot of potential, but ABC buried it on the schedule and won't bring it back.

ABC also announced it has renewed the likes of "Boston Legal" and "According to Jim" for another season.

OVERALL: ABC's hits far exceeded its misses. While it didn't have a break-out-of-the-pack commercial success like it did when "Grey's," "DH" and "Lost" all came out, the best of the new shows used a combination of critical praise and timing from the strike to earn renewals. ABC may be making a mistake by not re-airing some of those series to give new viewers a chance to catch them before the new fall season begins.

GRADE: A-. Had ABC spared us "Big Shots" and "Cavemen," they might have earned an A.

COMING NEXT: Mini-report cards for cable.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: Tonight's new "Doctor Who" (Sci Fi, 9 p.m.) is called "The Doctor's Daugter." Yes, we do meet the Doctor's daughter Jenny (Georgia Moffett), and her existence is explained in the first minute as the Doctor, Martha and Donna land in the midst of a massive war. Fun fact No. 1: Moffett is genuinely the Doctor's daughter - her dad is Peter Davison, the Fifth Doctor (and her mother is Sandra Dickinson, Trillian from the BBC's "Hitchhiker's Guide" miniseries from the 1980s.) Fun fact No. 2: Moffett originally auditioned for the role of Rose Tyler, which of course went to Billie Piper. Fun fact No. 3: Moffett is apparently dating series star David Tennant in real life, according to the UK press.

Also new is "Battlestar Galactica" (Sci Fi, 10 p.m.), which finds Vipers flying with Cylons, not against them.

The extremely popular "Meerkat Manor" (Animal Planet, 9 p.m.) kicks off a new season as well.

On Saturday, "Robin Hood" (BBC America, 9 p.m.) finds himself fighting the Black Knights. (Hopefully, they won't try biting his kneecaps off).

CBS presents a remake of "Sybil" (CBS, 8 p.m.), with Jessica Lange playing the shrink who has a patient with multiple personality disorder.

On Sunday, Spike airs the "Deliverance"-style movie, "Backwoods" (Spike, 9 p.m.) "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (USA, 9 p.m.) kicks off its new season, followed by a new episode of "In Plain Sight" at 10 p.m.

Also kicking off its season is the popular drama "Army Wives" (Lifetime, 10 p.m.)

Network Report Card '08, IV: CBS

2008-06-05T00:48:00.004-04:00

Talk about being damned if you do and damned if you don't.

CBS scores pretty consistently in the ratings with the likes of "CSI" (times 3)/"NCIS"/"Criminal Minds"/"Without A Trace"/"Cold Case" etc. and is criticized for producing procedural dramas aimed at an older crowd.

But when they get away from the cookie-cutter form of episodic crime procedurals and try to do something different ("Viva Laughlin," anyone?), if it doesn't blow up in the network's face, it certainly fizzles out.

When the network tries to placate smaller groups of cult fans - such as "Jericho" - CBS was rewarded with lower ratings when they brought the show back. When the network axes a show based on economics, they disenfranchise even more fans ("Moonlight").

It's enough to drive a network suit bonkers.

WHAT WAS GOOD: In addition to the above procedurals, CBS established a very solid Monday night comedy lineup, with new hit "Big Bang Theory" joining "2 1/2 Men" and "How I Met Your Mother." Plus, the network decided to keep "The New Adventures of Old Christine" rather than risk losing the Emmy darling to ABC.

As for non-dramatic programming, "60 Minutes" always delivers and "Survivor" and "Amazing Race" both made it into the Top 25 in the Nielsens.

WHAT WAS BAD: CBS doesn't exactly rake in the younger demographics, although these days, ratings are ratings. CBS tried alternative programming and misfired with the likes of "Viva Laughlin" and "Kid Nation." Shows that showed some promise like "Moonlight" and "Cane" didn't survive for a second season.

The network also foisted the likes of "Welcome to the Captain" and "Secret Talents of the Stars" on an unsuspecting public.

And finally, the much-debated hiring of Katie Couric as anchor for the nightly news resulted in a big flop as the ratings continue to decline.

OVERALL: I've seen the previews of CBS' fall lineup, and it's not particularly promising, except for "Bad Week," which should fit in nicely with the Monday night sitcoms, and "Eleventh Hour," another procedural (!) based on an outstanding British series.

Honestly, I worry with too many failures like "Viva Laughlin" or disappointments like "Moonlight" that CBS is going to give up on trying to create shows that are different from its norm.

And, for all of the criticism of the procedurals, most of the shows listed above are actually pretty decent shows.

GRADE: B-. I'm awarding CBS a few extra credit points for effort.

COMING TOMORROW: ABC

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: OK, here's another reason that hurt CBS' GPA. "Swingtown" (CBS, 10 p.m.) debuts tonight with the promise of a titillating look at the 1970s as a suburban couple (Molly Parker, Jack Davenport) gets introduced to the swinging lifestyle by their neighbors (Grant Show, Lana Parilla).

On a pay cable network like HBO, "Swingtown" might have worked because the producers could have shown a lot more. As it is, the sex and drugs they do show isn't particularly shocking nor unfamiliar. The characters are drawn two-dimensionally, and the subplots involving the children of the various couples are pretty confusing. And the "square" couple (Miriam Shor, Josh Hopkins) was so irritating, I could see why Parker and Davenport were driven to sex and drugs.

A better effort is NBC's "Fear Itself," (NBC, 10 p.m.) a horror anthology that stars different casts every week, a' la "The Twilight Zone." While nowhere near the "Zone's" class, "Fear" is pretty entertaining and not too gory for the queasier viewers.

Network Report Card '08, III: The CW

2008-06-04T00:26:00.002-04:00

How do you grade a network that would consider ultimate success to have a show crack the top 100 of the Nielsen Ratings?

Well, in my case, very carefully. You have to look at a relative set of guidelines when the CW's top-rated show is "America's Next Top Model," which tied for 127th in the final ratings.

The CW continues to aim at young viewers in the age-range that advertisers covet, and when you factor that in, the numbers improve - slightly. But the CW is giving up its Sunday nights next season, and some people think that might signal the death knell of the network.

WHAT WAS GOOD: Quality-wise, the CW found some pretty good scripts and did something with them. "Aliens In America" was the best sitcom no one watched. "Supernatural" may be TV's most underrated show. "Reaper" and "Gossip Girl" developed cult followings.

The CW's bread and butter continues to be those reality style shows like "Model" and the teen-oriented shows listed above, as well as "One Tree Hill" and "Smallville."

WHAT WAS BAD: "Aliens" didn't make it, and "Reaper" barely hung on. "Gossip Girl," which no doubt drew its inspiration from the original "Beverly Hills, 90210," had enough success to lead the network to foist a "90210" sequel upon us for next season.

The network's No. 2 rated program? "Friday Night Smackdown." Um, yeah.

OVERALL: Thank God this network can survive on cult followings, because the one-episode flop "Secret Talents of the Stars" ranked higher than any other CW show except "Model." But depending on how much patience the suits have, the CW does provide a place for the cult hits to thrive with little pressure on having to deliver big numbers. (We "Supernatural" fans are grateful).

GRADE: D+. Only the quality of a few shows managed to keep the CW from complete failure.

NEXT: CBS

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: "Men In Trees" (ABC, 10 p.m.) winds down to its finale, pretty much owning the night as the only new dramatic show.

For the reality fans, "She's Got the Look" (TV Land, 10 p.m.), about women over 35 competing to be models, has drawn a bit of buzz. If nothing else, it should provide a contrast to "Top Model."

Network Report Cards '08, II: Fox

2008-06-03T00:11:00.000-04:00

So, are you a glass-is-half-full type of TV viewer, or glass-is-half-empty?

Because, depending on which you are, will no doubt influence your view of Fox's year.

WHAT WAS GOOD: Fox brought us the top-rated show of the season ("American Idol") and the second-best rated drama ("House"). "House" delivered some of the best episodes of its run, including the Super Bowl night episode with Mira Sorvino and the devastating two-part season finale. As it has during the Mike Darnell era, Fox continues to dominate ratings-wise with reality fare such as "The Moment of Truth" and "Hell's Kitchen," not worrying about pesky things like good taste.

"Prison Break" inexplicably earned yet another season as well as a spinoff, and "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" brought in decent numbers for its debut. And remember, Fox was handcuffed by not airing "24" this season because of the strike, which is usually a ratings-earner. Its Sunday animation block is solid if unspectacular.

WHAT WAS BAD: Well, see above. When "The Moment of Truth" is the 13th-best rated show of the season, you know something is wrong, at least with the American viewing public. The much-hyped "Back To You," with Emmy winners Kelsey Grammar and Patricia Heaton, flopped. After its launch was pushed back to midseason, "New Amsterdam" was solid creatively but failed to find an audience. The usually dependable "Bones" was a bit of a mess creatively after the strike. "Canterbury's Law" came out flat and fizzled away quickly.

OVERALL: It's kind of tough to judge Fox without "24." It's a bit like watching the Braves play without Chipper Jones: They still might win, but they are playing without their heavy hitter. Fox seems more committed than ever to reality programming over dramatic programming, not a good sign for the TV audience but very good for the network's bottom line. On the creative front, I was pretty underwhelmed by most of Fox's dramatic shows, with the exceptions of "House" and "Terminator." It'll be interesting to see where Fox goes from here.

GRADE: C+. I may not like the programming, but it's hard to argue the numbers.

TOMORROW: The CW

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: Well, the aforementioned "Moment of Truth" and "Hell's Kitchen" are new tonight on Fox, so I guess this is a good night if you are into the reality programming.

A much higher class of reality airs on Fox's sister network, as filmmaker Morgan Spurlock returns with "30 Days" (FX, 10 p.m.)

Network Report Cards '08, I: NBC

2008-06-02T11:27:00.002-04:00

So begins the week where I try to grade the networks on their performances from this past year. It's more difficult than last year, because I have to grade on a curve thanks to the strike, which disrupted all of the networks' seasons.

Today we start with the Peacock.

WHAT WAS GOOD: It's hard to argue with NBC's out-of-the-box approach to creativity. You won't find "CSI"-style, cookie-cutter procedurals here (except for the umpteen number of "Law & Order" spinoffs).

NBC showed quite a bit of diversity among its programs as well as quality, with shows ranging from "Life" to "Chuck" to "Friday Night Lights." It's old standards ("L&O," "ER") continue to have a loyal following, and its Thursday night lineup of sitcoms is still the best in terms of quality.

WHAT WAS BAD: NBC continues to be mired in a ratings slump. A much-ballyhooed remake of the "Bionic Woman" fell flat both creatively and in the ratings. Season 2 of "Heroes" didn't live up to the first season. NBC failed to create a breakout hit among any of its new shows, and the ones that were renewed got to be so more because of the strike than big numbers.

OVERALL: I'd hate to see NBC go the reality/game show route more than it already has ("Deal or No Deal," "American Gladiators"). Unfortunately, those shows are producing more consistent numbers than the network's dramatic programming. As a viewer, it's frustrating to see clever, well-done shows like "Journeyman" fizzle out because of lack of ratings, but unfortunately, it's a reality in this day and age.

GRADE: C-. NBC deserves props for at least trying different things, and I hope they continue to do so. Unfortunately, one also has to be realistic, and TV - more than ever - is a numbers game these days.

TOMORROW: Fox.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: One of the more odd reality shows to come out in recent years was "The Mole" (ABC, 10 p.m.) Hosted by Anderson Cooper the first time around, it involves people doing all sorts of crazy things while one of the contestants continually sabotaged their efforts. ABC got rid of it for a couple of years, but brings it back tonight as relatively cheap summer fare, sans Cooper.

Weekend Bonus: 'Sex' Reviewed

2008-05-31T15:25:00.002-04:00

Thanks to the Cherry Blogger, Stephanie Hartley, for sending me her thoughts on the weekend premiere of "Sex & The City."

Here's her review:

Is it the perfect ending that all SATC die-hards have been waiting for? Not exactly. Is it worth your time, though? Most definitely. I was glad to see all four of our friends back together again after so long and there were definitely great moments. However, some moments felt a little awkward and some of the character portrayals were a little lacking. One friend said she thought Big was too nice, and I had some doubts about the way Samantha's character was developed. Charlotte and Miranda's characters seemed to be the most similar to what I had expected from their lives. That said, it was still enjoyable and I will probably still buy it when it comes out on DVD.

So, those of you who saw the movie, what are your thoughts?

Coming Monday: Network report cards

'Lost' Rocks! (Warning-Spoilers); New Summer Programming

2008-05-30T00:21:00.004-04:00

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS FROM THURSDAY'S "LOST" FINALE

SKIP DOWN TO THE ASTERISKS **** AT THE END FOR THE WEEKEND'S BEST BETS

SERIOUSLY, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FINALE, WHY ARE YOU READING THIS?

OK, YOU WERE WARNED!

One thing about those "Lost" finales is that they are never dull. As Michael Emerson alluded to in yesterday's posting, we did get major questions answered and the producers did give us plenty of possible new directions for the show.

HERE COME THE SPOILERS!!!

I had an inkling that Jeremy Bentham would turn out to be Locke. I mean, how many people in life do you meet that are named after famous British philosophers? (Bentham has always been a personal favorite). It's an interesting choice of names on many levels. The real John Locke gave us a philosophy of everyone starting life with a clean slate, which is what happened to the fictional Locke when he arrived on the island. Bentham espoused utilitarianism, when one tries to do the greatest good for the most people. That seems to be the fictional Locke's philosphy as he tries to protect the survivors in his own way.

The real Bentham also came up with the idea of the Panopticon, a prison in it which it would be possible to keep an eye on all the inmates at all times, but without the inmates knowing they were being watched. Sounds a bit like the stations on a certain island, doesn't it?

Of course, it begs the questions why everyone calls him Bentham after all that time of knowing him as Locke.

I give the producers major props for answering a lot of the questions on the minds of viewers. Why didn't anyone else get off the island? Who was the other man Sun blamed for Jin's death? (Actually, that one's a bit ambiguous, since she seems to finger Widmore while Jack thinks she blames him). How does one move an island?

Of course, even more questions have now popped up? How do Sawyer and Locke get back to the mainland in the future? What's the deal with Christian and Claire? What happened to all of the people on the zodiac? What's going to happen between The Others and the remaining survivors? What did Sawyer whisper to Kate?

It was hard not to get a little misty at the Desmond-Penny reunion, but the cloud of Ben Linus still hang over her head. It was also heart-breaking to see Jin's death, though Sun's transformation into a ruthless badass is cool.

Now the most depressing news to contemplate: We have to wait until January or February before it returns. AARRRGGGHHH!!!

******OK, NO MORE LOST TALK - YOU CAN LOOK NOW!*******

OK, don't look above the asterisks.

'SATC' OPENS: I hated, hated, HATED the series "Sex & The City" the few times I had the misfortune to watch it, but I can't deny the cultural phenomenon it gave us. Since I'd rather drink battery acid than pay $7 to go see the new movie in a theatre, I've asked Stephanie Hartley, the Cherry Blogger at macon.com, to post a review this weekend. She's a big fan of the series and knows a lot more than I ever could, so she can tell you if the movie passes muster.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: I had planned on devoting this space to a full review of some of the new summer fare, but it looks like I'll have to cut back a bit.

USA debuts the new summer series "In Plain Sight" Sunday night at 10 p.m. It stars Mary McCormick as a US Marshall who works with the Witness Protection Program. I've seen three episodes, and while it's not quite on par with "Burn Notice," it's well worth your time. McCormick manages to mix the right amount of wit and empathy, and it's an interesting look at how joining the program can completely uproot your life.

On Friday, "Doctor Who" (Sci Fi, 9 p.m.) wraps up its two-part episode as the Sontarans try to implement their plan. (Not good planning on the Sci Fi Channel's part to split up a two-parter with last weekend's holiday). It follows the season finale of the "Sarah Jane Adventures" and a new "Battlestar Galactica" at 10 p.m.

Viewers may also want to check out the Scripps-Howard Spelling Bee (ABC, 8 p.m.)

On Saturday, "Robin Hood" (BBC America, 9 p.m.) is brand-new.

On Sunday, "The Tudors" (Showtime, 9 p.m.) wraps up its second season. Not to spoil anything, but things aren't looking good for Anne Boleyn.

'Lost' Time With Michael Emerson

2008-05-29T00:22:00.004-04:00

As regular readers of this blog know, the TV Guy is happy to bring you "Lost" information from TV's best villain, Michael Emerson, who plays Ben. He was nominated for an Emmy last season for Best Supporting Actor, losing out to castmate Terry O'Quinn, but is a strong bet to earn another nomination this year.

Emerson is married to Macon actress Carrie Preston, and the pair are about to debut "Ready? OK!" a comedy that Preston also produced. The film will debut in New York in June.

As Emerson has pointed out in previous interviews, the "Lost" cast often doesn't find out about the show's myriad of twists and turns until the audience does. So Emerson has been looking forward to tonight's season finale (ABC, 9 p.m.) ABC will show the episode from two weeks ago at 8 p.m., followed by the two-hour finale, so viewers can refresh their memories.

Considering this season was interrupted and shortened by the strike, Emerson still feels proud of the work the "Lost" cast and crew has done. "There's a fair amount of excitement," he said. "It was such a scattershot season with the strike. ... I haven't had time to stop and think about the big picture. I think we've done a pretty good job. (The finale) is fantastic, dark, violent. You get the sense it's hurtling toward something big."

Emerson promises "Lost" fans will get their share of twists in the finale as well. "There's a great reveal and a mystery is solved - one of the (series') big questions is solved at the end. The stage is set for a quantum change."

Emerson said he had little idea Ben would be such a key figure in the flash-forward sequences that have comprised a huge part of the story-telling in Season 4. "I'm always surprised (by the writers)," he said with a chuckle. "I'm happy for a practical reason - seeing I exist (in the future) bodes well for my longetivity!"

One of the most fascinating aspects to the Ben story arc was seeing him face off with Charles Widmore (Alan Dale), the man who has sent the boat to the island to capture Ben and kill everyone else. As the two men face off, they note that neither can kill the other. Like the viewers, Emerson hopes to unravel the puzzle as to why that is.

"It's exciting to play a character that lives in these different time zones," he said. "I'm as full of questions as most viewers are. ...It's tantalizing, isn't it? It's one of the bigger mysteries. It involves some kind of contest with a set of rules; of course, it'd have to be a hell of a contest. What kind of contest would it be? I don't know."

Some "Lost" fans have speculated that neither Ben nor Widmore can physically be killed because of some of the island's mojo. Emerson has also entertained that speculation.

"Another possibility is a scientific reason," he said. "But when you look at that, you ask yourself, 'Are they real? Are they human? Aliens? Ghosts?' It just opens up more questions. I'm curious to see how it works out."

Much of the drama between the two men revolved around Ben's surrogate daughter Alex (Tania Raymonde), who was murdered by Widmore's men in front of Ben. That has led Ben to his quest for revenge in future episodes, including teaming up with Sayid (Naveen Andrews). Emerson said filming the death scene with Alex was one of the more difficult scenes he did this season.

"Losing Alex was sad on many levels," he said. "It was sad for the Ben character, it was sad because I liked working with Tania Raymonde very much. I guess Alex was a character that I had a lot of screen time with, who became a casualty. It's a turning point for Ben. He traded away his coolness. I was having to play (the scene) with real grief, (because Ben) was in a more vulnerable position than he had been in before."

It wasn't the only challenging scene for Emerson this season. Viewers missed the most difficult: trying to ride a horse in the desert. Ben was required to take out two heavily armed men, then steal one of their horses and ride off. Emerson managed to perform the fight scene, but he had limited experiences with horses, only working with them once, during the filming of "The Legend of Zorro." Those horses were relatively tame, Emerson recalled with a laugh.

"They had the biggest, dumbest horses on the Zorro sequel," he said.

Not so with "Lost," in which Ben was required to ride the horse down a gravel slope with Emerson - not a stuntman - in the saddle.

"I never dreamed I'd be an action-adventure star!" he joked. "Running, shooting, riding horses. There were days of crazy, daring work that didn't make it in the episode. ... When I was riding on the loose gravel, I made a Devil's bargain - let's get this in one take and hope I survive it. I hope the cameras worked! They need me in scenes in little, dark rooms more than they need me swashbuckling."

Despite getting the take, it didn't make it into the final cut of the episode. Oh well, maybe it will be on the DVD.

One of Emerson's favorite scenes was the trek in the woods with Hurley (Jorge Garcia) and Locke (Terry O'Quinn).

"I was real happy when they left the scene in where Hurley and Ben shared the candy bar," he said. "It was so sweet. What an unlikely trio! They were bickering like college roommates. It was nice to be in lighter circumstances, with the camaraderie and a bit of silliness. It was a good day; Jorge, Terry and I had a lot of fun."

Emerson said the cast also had fun trying to figure out who would eventually comprise the "Oceanic Six" and the fates of those who weren't part of the group.

"We were asking, 'Does Aaron count?' Technically, he wasn't on the plane's manifest. When we found out Aaron did, it meant other people who are leads are not included (among the six.) What happens to everyone else? What is there fate?"

As for what is upcoming next season, Emerson said he hasn't a clue. He said events are set in motion in the season finale that will no doubt play out next season. He also pointed out that the producers have gradually been pulling back from the island, filming more scenes off the island every year.

"Each season, they jerk the lens back," Emerson said. "The island is a smaller and smaller part of a much larger picture. It may be that less of the island is involved. It's a trend that will continue, probably."

Emerson said he is taking a break during the summer before returning to film Season 5 in August. Currently, he is in New York, but he and Preston will commute back and forth between the coasts while she is working this summer on the HBO vampire series "True Blood," created by Alan Ball.

"We are together little enough already, so I won't be doing any theatre this summer," he said. "I'll be shuttling back and forth between the coasts before going back."

COMING FRIDAY: Reviews of two new summer series.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: Seriously, it's the frakkin' three-hour finale of "Lost," people! What else would you possibly be watching?

If you tune into the two episodes of "So You Think You Can Dance" (Fox, 8 p.m.), please get your TV information from another blog from now on.

Emmy Memo II: Drama

2008-05-28T09:45:00.004-04:00

On Tuesday, I put out a list of who I would like to see on an Emmy ballot for comedy. Obviously, there are always going to be differences of opinion, but I think it's a pretty good list.

Today, I'm tackling drama. It's a little bit more difficult, because with so many more dramas on the air than comedies (and that includes counting hour-long shows like "Ugly Betty" as comedies rather than dramas) it makes for a much more crowded field.

Plus, I don't watch every single show out there, so I know at least one reader ahead of time will be ticked off that I won't be listing anyone from "The Wire" below. It's not because I don't think it is; it's because I've never seen it.

Part of the problem with the Emmy process is that the people who vote on the awards don't see every show out there, either. Most of them are actively working in the TV industry and don't have time to watch every show out there. So when they get their list of nominees, they are exposed to a certain show for that one episode. When you have a show as complex as "Lost," for example, that makes it very tough to judge a show without having context.

That said, there's still no reason for Emmy voters to keep picking "Boston Legal" every year.

Anyway, here's the list:

BEST ACTRESS:
Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights)
Glenn Close (Damages)
Natalie Dormer (The Tudors)
Evageline Lilly (Lost)
Mary McDonnell (Battlestar Galactica)
Comments: One of the toughest things about putting a list together is how to classify certain actors and actresses. When you have ensemble shows like "Lost" or "BSG," it's hard to pick someone for a lead category. But I feel OK with these picks. Close is the only one above who is a shoo-in for a nomination, but I'm hoping (praying, actually) that this is the year for Britton or McDonnell.

BEST ACTOR:
Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights)
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
Hugh Laurie (House)
Comments: Man, oh man, having to limit yourself to five slots is tough. I didn't list Michael Chiklis from "The Shield" only because it's been so long since the show has been on, I'm not sure it's in the qualifying time period. There are so many other actors I'd have love to have listed here as well - Edward James Olmos, Matthew Fox, Jonny Lee Miller and others - but I have to limit myself, just like the Emmys. Of the above list, Cranston was so sensational that he may deserve a category by himself.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica)
Christina Hendricks (Mad Men)
Maria Doyle Kennedy (The Tudors)
Yunjin Kim (Lost)
Katee Sackoff (Battlestar Galactica)
Comments: I tried not to list two actors from the same show in the same category, but it's really impossible to choose between Helfer and Sackoff. Kim's done some of her best work on "Lost" this season, and Hendricks' star is definitely on the rise. Kennedy was brilliant and tragic as Katherine of Aragon.

SUPPORTING ACTOR:
James Callis (Battlestar Galactica)
Ted Danson (Damages)
Michael Emerson (Lost)
Victor Garber (Eli Stone)
John Slattery (Mad Men)
Comments: Callis is just fun to watch as the sniveling Baltar, and Danson more than held his own with Glenn Close. Emerson is, quite simply, TV's best villain. Like I noted yesterday with Kristen Chenoweth, Garber ought to be required to do a musical number once an episode, and Slattery turned in a career-best performance (I still can't stop laughing at him having climb all those stairs after eating all those oysters).

BEST DRAMA:
Battlestar Galactica
Friday Night Lights
Lost
Mad Men
Supernatural
Comments: Since this is my list, I don't mind throwing a couple of Hail Marys. "FNL," "Lost," and "Mad Men" are virtual locks for nominations. BSG is on a lot of people's wish lists, but since the Emmys virtually ignore sci-fi and have ignored the show in the past, this is just more wishful thinking, sadly. I'm sure a lot of people are surprised by including "Supernatural" here, but few shows hit so consistently on a week-to-week basis, effectively mixing horror and humor. I know this show has zero chance at a nomination, which is why this is a wish list.

Again, feel free to list any omissions I might have made in the comments section.

COMING TOMORROW: Actor Michael Emerson talks about the "Lost" season finale.

PRODUCERS, UNION SETTLE: Hollywood studios and the AFTRA, the second largest actors' union, settled on a contract Wednesday morning. Though the studios still have to work out a deal with SAG, the largest union, it will greatly reduce the chances of another work stoppage, especially now with three union contracts in place to provide a framework for the remaining labor negotiations. So, good news indeed.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: "Men In Trees," (ABC, 10 p.m.) which has a bit of a cult following, didn't have enough viewers to get renewed. So ABC is burning off the last few remaining episodes now, including tonight's new one.

Hockey gets a rare spotlight in primetime, as NBC airs Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals between Pittsburgh and Detroit beginning at 8 p.m.

Finally, a bit of a treat as R.E.M. is the featured band on "Austin City Limits" (PBS, 9 p.m.)

Emmy Memo I: Comedy

2008-05-27T09:56:00.003-04:00

Hope you kids had a good holiday weekend.

Today and tomorrow I am doing my memo to the Academy, listing who I hope will be considered for Emmy statuettes, even though the Emmy process is probably the most frustrating of all the major awards.

This list is by no means complete -- after all, I can't watch every single show out there, though I do try -- but I think I've got some good lists going. You, gentle reader, are more than welcome to agree with me or provide some of your own suggestions.

Here we go:

BEST ACTRESS:
America Ferrera (Ugly Betty)
Tina Fey (30 Rock)
Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (New Adventures of Old Christine)
Amy Pietz (Aliens In America)
Comments: Ferrera, Fey and Louis-Dreyfuss are sort of no-brainers for this category. The winsome Friel was truly the girl next door, albeit the dead girl next door, and Pietz stole practically every scene that she was in for the under-appreciated "Aliens."

BEST ACTOR:
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Steve Carell (The Office)
Zachary Levi (Chuck)
Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies)
Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother)
Comments: The first two are practically shoo-ins for nominations. Levi displayed a goofy charm as a reluctant spy, Pace was wonderful with his deadpan as the hapless piemaker with the unfortunate power of raising the dead, and Radnor does a good job often playing the straight man to his castmates' loony adventures.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies)
Jenna Fischer (The Office)
Becki Newton (Ugly Betty)
Jaime Pressley (My Name Is Earl)
Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty)
Comments: I tried to limit myself to one actor per show, because I think the Academy should just pick one. But as I argued last year, it's really a tough call between Williams' evil Wilhelmina, who drives a lot of the plot, and the scene-stealing Newton, who didn't get as much screen time as she should have. Fischer continues to be a rising star (although castmate Angela Kinsey also deserves strong consideration). Chenoweth is always fantastic (and should be required to do one musical number per episode). Pressley won last year, and will earn another nomination.

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother)
Jack McBrayer (30 Rock)
Chi McBride (Pushing Daises)
Michael Urie (Ugly Betty)
Ray Wise (Reaper)
Comments: I'm really hoping that Harris wins his long-deserved Emmy, creating one of TV's great characters in Barney Stinson. McBrayer and Urie steal pretty much every scene they are in. McBride was a revelation in his ability to do comedy after a large body of dramatic work (though I'd also love to get a nomination here for Digby the dog). Wise was inspired casting as the Devil, and will hopefully get more screen time next season.

SERIES
30 Rock
How I Met Your Mother
The Office
Pushing Daisies
Ugly Betty
Comments: "30 Rock" and "The Office" have traditionally gotten a lot of buzz since their debut, and "How I Met Your Mother" is, for my money, the consistently best traditional sitcom on the air. "Pushing Daisies" was, hands down, the best new show on TV this season. "Ugly Betty" wasn't quite up to its first season's standards, but is certain to grab a slot. Honorable mention to "Chuck," "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and "Aliens In America."

Coming tomorrow: The dramas

R.I.P. SYDNEY POLLACK: The Oscar-winning director, producer and actor was 73 when he died from cancer Monday. I was lucky enough to meet Pollack very briefly two years ago at the Austin Film Festival, and he was doing great work right up to his death, most recently with "Michael Clayton" as George Clooney's boss.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: Nowt. Nada. Nothing. I simply can't bring myself to list new episodes of "According to Jim" (ABC, 8 p.m.) as "best" anything. In addition, the truly rancid "Moment of Truth" (Fox, 8 p.m.) returns.

If you do want something to watch, try to catch "Recount" on HBO, which will probably run another 15 times or so this week on one of the network's channels. It's a truly clever retelling of the 2000 election fiasco, and Kevin Spacey, Tom Wilkinson and Laura Dern are virtual locks for Emmy nominations in the TV-movie acting categories.

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-23T11:15:00.002-04:00

Unfortunately, what few shows that haven't wrapped up their seasons yet - such as Sci-Fi's Friday lineup - won't be showing new episodes during the holiday weekend.

Still, there are a few things out there of interest for those of you not out on a boat or in a movie theatre this holiday weekend.

The most interesting event is HBO's original movie, "Recount," (HBO, Sun., 9 p.m.), a highly praised retelling of the 2000 Presidential election fiasco in Florida. Directed by Jay Roach ("Austin Powers") and written by first-time screenwriter Danny Strong (Jonathan from "Buffy"), the movie features an all-star cast including Denis Leary, Kevin Spacey, John Hurt, Tom Wilkinson and Laura Dern, who apparently steals the movie as Fla. Secretary of State Katherine Harris.

On Monday night, A&E, which seemingly abandoned quality years ago, gives it another go with the first part of a new adaptation of "The Andromeda Strain" (A&E, Mon., 9 p.m.). Produced by Ridley and Tony Scott, it's another all-star cast that battles a killer virus that threatens all of humanity.

As for the regular fare, "Robin Hood" (BBC America, Sat., 9 p.m.) is new, as is "The Tudors" (Showtime, Sun., 9 p.m.)

No blog update Monday, as the people's critic is taking the holiday off, but we'll be back Tuesday. Have a safe holiday!

I Love You, Marion Ravenwood

2008-05-22T09:49:00.002-04:00

Just like millions of people around the world, I'm pretty stoked about the debut of the latest Indiana Jones installment.

Nineteen years is a long time to wait, but I'm hoping absence makes the heart grow fonder - especially with the return of Indy's original girlfriend, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), whom we haven't seen since the original "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

I'm not sure if it's a guy thing, or a movie buff thing, but it seems like a lot of men pick their idealized women through movie characters. For me, as a 10-year-old kid back then, it was Marion.

With those big blue eyes and winning smile, she could stand up to Indy (and slug him). She could drink men under the table. Yes, she tended to get captured by Nazis, but she wasn't a damsel in distress - rather, she was a giant pain in the ass to the German army.

One of the reasons why the "Indy" sequels never quite worked for me was that there was no female lead to get me excited. Kate Capshaw (Mrs. Steven Spielberg) mostly whined her way through the second picture. I mean, we get it, it's scary with these crazy cultists, but Marion would have given them lip, not screamed "Help me, Indy!" every five seconds.

And while Alison Doody's classical good looks weren't an unwelcome addition to "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," she loses a lot of points for being, you know, a Nazi. (And not much of an archaelogist, either. No wonder the Nazis had to trick the Jones boys to find the Holy Grail).

Marion broke the mold of making it possible for a woman to be an action star, yet still retain her feminine side. Sigourney Weaver's Ripley from "Alien" was the other strong woman archetype from the early 1980s, but I don't think she would be as fun a date as Marion would be.

Allen, now in her 50s, still looks terrific in the few clips and stills I've seen from the new movie, still with the twinkle in her eye. Hopefully, she also still has that right cross.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: "Ugly Betty" (ABC, 8 p.m.) wraps up its second season with a bit of stunt casting, as Lindsay Lohan makes the first of what could be several appearances on the show. No doubt the producers are hoping LiLo gives "Betty" the same shot in the arm in the ratings that Britney Spears gave "How I Met Your Mother." The difference here is that Lohan (when sober) is actually a pretty decent actress. The "HIMYM" producers should have stopped with Spears after the one time; but Lohan could be a decent addition if she stays committed to the acting, especially in the faux tabloid world of "Betty."

"Grey's Anatomy" (ABC, 9 p.m.) wraps up the year wtih a two-hour finale, in which creator Shonda Rimes promises a lot of kissing, including one kiss that's supposed to be so huge that viewers will go nuts. That's what is being reported, anyway. Supposedly, the viewers will also get some resolution to the Mer-Der on-again, off-again, on-again, off-again (you get the idea) relationship. They had better, because it pushed back the finale of "Lost" for an extra week.

The reality series "Last Comic Standing" (NBC, 9:30 p.m.) also returns to the network with a 90-minute debut tonight.

Rule Brittania

2008-05-21T10:18:00.004-04:00

I officially became a British citizen yesterday.

Don't worry, I haven't lost my love for the good ole US of A. I still love baseball, mom and apple pie. (OK, not so much with the apple pie; I prefer cherry pie, but still...)

As some of you loyal dozens of readers know, I've mentioned in the past that I'm half-English on my dad's side, so I qualify as a dual-citizen. So why go through all the time and expense (seven frakkin' months and $439!!!) to get my UK passport?

As a UK citizen, if I sell one of my screenplays to a UK producer, any movie we shoot qualifies for certain tax breaks; even more so if we were to shoot in Britain or in the Commonwealth, like Canada or Australia. Both of the scripts I optioned were to UK producers (evidently, their standards are A LOT lower than US producers!), so the tax credit thing was actually a factor in my favor.

Plus, I get the thrill of being like my new fellow countryman, James Bond, carrying the multiple passports and all.

Also, the UK passport allows me to work anywhere in Europe without a visa, because of the whole EU thing. When I optioned my first script a few years ago, that producer was extremely inept with a lot of things (he sent me a list of potential directors which included John Frankenheimer, who was a great director WHEN HE WAS ALIVE) but one thing he did know was about all the financing that goes on with other countries these days.

That's one of the big ways films and TV shows are made, filming in locales outside of LA because of production costs. Almost every state in the union now tax credits for filming there, and the state of Georgia recently increased the benefits to filmmakers who shoot here and use Georgia crews. (They even get a little bit extra if they somehow mention Georgia, I think.) When I visited the Austin Film Festival last year, members of the Texas Film Commission were there lobbying filmmakers to shoot in the state and not go to neighboring Louisiana, which was offering even bigger financial incentives at the time.

That's why you see so many TV shows shoot in Vancouver or other parts of Canada; it's all about the incentives. Generally, most shows shoot where they get the maximum amount in incentives, then shoot exterior shots in the actual city where the show is set. That's why there have been US-produced TV made as far away as Australia; believe it or not, it's cheaper.

Anyway, I don't know how effective a Brit I will make, so maybe it's a good thing I'm staying here for the foreseeable future. When I told my dad yesterday about getting my passport, he asked me if I knew the lyrics to "God Save The Queen."

"Does the Sex Pistols version count?" I said.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: Fellow Brit Simon Cowell went nuts apparently in his praise of David Archuleta over David Simon in last night's "American Idol." But it's the voters who decide, and we will find out the results tonight (Fox, 8 p.m.) in the two-hour finale. Not to criticize my fellow Americans, but these are the same voters who picked Taylor Hicks over Katharine McPhee, so there's no accounting for taste.

CBS wraps up the seasons of "Criminal Minds" at 9 p.m. and "CSI: NY" at 10 p.m., while "Law & Order" (NBC, 10 p.m.) also draws to a close for the season.

Finally, "Boston Legal" (ABC, 10 p.m.) celebrates American justice with a case where the partners square off about a town that tries to secede from the union. Seriously, town, just go for dual citizenship.

Slight Mea Culpa

2008-05-20T09:39:00.002-04:00

SOME SPOILERS FROM MONDAY, BEWARE

I erred slightly yesterday when I posted that someone on "Bones" would die. I had read online about a funeral in the season finale, and had assumed there was a dead body in the coffin.

The ads for "Bones" indeed just listed a traitor and not a death. I must have gotten mixed up with the promos for "Lost," "Smallville," "NCIS," et. al. this season, all of which have teased deaths to a key character.

But my original point still stands, that all of the dramatic tension of a series is sucked out, not enhanced, by promoting that "someone will die" or that "someone is a traitor." Last night's "Bones" might have been a better episode if we didn't already know someone was a traitor. Certainly, the "Bones" scribes didn't do much of a job in telling us why Zack went over to the dark side or give us much insight to the killer. I found the whole notion, "He was a nobody who just wanted attention" to be a letdown since the serial killer theme has framed most of the season.

On yesterday's blog, an anonymous poster said one of the reasons he/she likes "The Wire" is the fact that the characters are killed off in such a fashion that it adds to the shock value. I had the same feeling when I watched "The Sopranos." There were times during that series when I was stunned that a character WASN'T killed off. How much would it have lessened the impact if we had an idea ahead of time that characters like Christopher or Bobby, etc., would be killed in the manner they were? Answer: Lots.

MORE SPOILERS, BEWARE

On the flip side, the fact there was no "big announcement" promo for "How I Met Your Mother" truly enhanced the ending. I have to admit I was surprised, not because of the way the stories have been written leaning toward the direction of finding out who Ted's future wife might be, but because of "Scrubs" renewal on ABC, I didn't think Sarah Chalke would be available to continue to play Stella on a regular basis. Of course, we don't know if she will say yes to the proposal, but I sure as heck hope so. And the continuing of the Barney-Robin storyline was also a bit of a surprise in how they played it.

ABSOLUTELY NO MORE SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT

Because that's the end of today's posting.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: OK, perhaps one more: Someone named David is going to win "American Idol" (Fox, 8 p.m.). That's because the two finalists are both Davids, so not much of a spoiler. It's followed by "Hell's Kitchen," in which someone will almost certainly get yelled at by Gordon Ramsay.

The long-awaited death on "NCIS" (CBS, 8 p.m.) occurs tonight, as teased by countless promos for the two-hour season finale. It's followed by the series finale of "Shark" (CBS, 10 p.m.), a decent show in which the producers tried to copy the formula for "House," but didn't quite get it.

"Dancing With The Stars" (ABC, 8 p.m.) takes up the whole night on the network, while "Reaper" (CW, 9 p.m.) concludes its first season.

Someone Is Going To Die

2008-05-19T10:01:00.002-04:00

When "M*A*S*H" killed off Lt. Col. Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson) in the 1970s, you know when the cast and crew found out? Second before they filmed the scene in which the actual characters found out. So the director of the show was able to film the characters/actors reacting in shock to the news, which of course, stunned the viewers as well.

If "M*A*S*H" came out today, we'd have a rumor mill started by TV Guide that would say, "One of these characters is going to die. Take our poll to see which one it is." Then the promos on CBS would run, calling this the episode no one can miss.

I bring this up because it used to be, back in the old days, producers liked the shock value when they killed someone off suddenly. It's one thing if the character is already dying, such as Mark Greene on "ER" a few years ago, to promote the episode in which he dies. That's expected (and was beautifully shot; the show never reached as high a point since).

But these days, the "someone is going to die" promos have almost become cliche, and half the time the person getting killed off isn't one of the stars, but one of the recurring characters.

I don't know when the trend started (I think it might have been "Beverly Hills 90210" when they killed off that recurring friend of Brian Austin Green's) but I do know that the trend has been incessant.

Someone is scheduled to die on "Bones" (Fox, 8 p.m.) tonight, and we know it won't be Booth (David Boreanaz), who was shot last week. And since we know it won't be Bones (Emily Deschanel), it becomes a sort of Russian Roulette guessing game as to whom it will be.

And tomorrow night, someone will die on "NCIS," which ironically managed to keep a pretty good lid on things when they killed off Kate (Sasha Alexander) a few seasons ago. No one saw that coming. In last week's blog, I listed whom I didn't want to die, but it's a virtual guarantee one of those characters is gone because they've been throwing so many hints that it's going to be Jenny (Lauren Holly) that it almost can't possibly be her.

The point is, death in real life is supposed to be a shock most of the time, and especially in shows about crime, so why not go back to making it a shock by NOT PROMOTING IT OVER AND OVER? The quick answer: the producers are trying to lure lapsed viewers back to the show by promoting the big, stunning item and keeping viewers guessing with their own death pools.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: Following "Bones," which has been something of a disappointment since its post-strike return, "House" (Fox, 9 p.m.) has to risk his life to save Amber, aka Cutthroat Bitch. I hope it's not a spoiler to say House won't die, what with the show being named after him and all.

CBS wraps up its comedy season with the final new episodes of "Big Bang Theory," "How I Met Your Mother," "2 1/2 Men" and "Rules of Engagement," beginning at 8 p.m. Since the network hasn't run a promo of a death, I'm guessing all of those sitcom characters are pretty safe. I'm not so sure about "CSI: Miami" at 10 p.m.

If they let the contestants fight to the death on "American Gladiators," (NBC, 8 p.m.) it might make the show more interesting and jack up the ratings, which were abysmal last week.

ABC is all reality tonight with "Dancing With The Stars" winding down its season while "The Bachelorette 4" kicks off.

Finally, I think it might just be people dying socially on "Gossip Girl" (CW, 9 p.m.) and "One Tree Hill" (CW, 9 p.m.), but really, is there anything worse?

Fox Howls At Commercials

2008-05-16T10:17:00.003-04:00

A few interesting things from the Fox upfronts this week, not the least of which is Fox execs say they will cut down the number of commercials for new announced series "Fringe" and "Dollhouse" when they debut next season.

The idea is to "re-invigorate" the action adventure genre, the execs said.

It's an interesting idea. With the continued penetration of DVRs into the general market, commericals are becoming a thing of the past anyway, not to mention people who watch their favorite shows online. In fact, the whole paradigm of TV is shifting because commercials are becoming less and less viewed on the tube, and that's what pays for the shows. With the ratings system also becoming antiquated because of time-shifted shows, a whole new model on how to pay for TV and measure viewership needs to be devised.

One thing Fox president Peter Liguori didn't mention was how Fox would make up for the lost revenue of not airing as many commercials.

Both "Fringe," from "Lost" producer JJ Abrams, and "Dollhouse," from "Buffy" creator Joss Whedon, are among the only new dramas announced by the network for the next season. "Fringe" will air Tuesdays in the fall following "House," giving it a strong lead-in.

Meanwhile, "Dollhouse," Whedon's sci-fi thriller project with actress Eliza Dushku, won't air until January. Some are worried that this means it could be another short run for a Whedon show on the network (witness the shoddy treatment of "Firefly" a few years ago), but that may not be the case. Because of the baseball postseason and the NFL, Fox often delays some of its bigger shows until the winter, a' la "24" and "American Idol," where they debut to a little more fanfare and run straight through without pre-emptions. With the less commercials, that could mean a greater freedom in ratings, giving the Whedon project a much better chance than "Firefly" had.

Fox may also introduce a spinoff for "House," but the catch is, it won't be a medical drama. Fox plans on introducing a detective (Michael Weston) on a couple of episodes of "House" next season, which will serve as a potential backdoor pilot if the character takes off.

Here is Fox's fall lineup:

Monday
8 p.m. — ‘‘Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles’’
9 p.m. — ‘‘Prison Break’’
Tuesday
8 p.m. — ‘‘House’’
9 p.m. — ‘‘Fringe’’
Wednesday
8 p.m. — ‘‘Bones’’
9 p.m. — ‘‘’Til Death’’
9:30 p.m. — ‘‘Do Not Disturb’’
Thursday
8 p.m. — ‘‘The Moment of Truth’’
9 p.m. — ‘‘Kitchen Nightmares’’
Friday
8 p.m. — ‘‘Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?’’
9 p.m. — ‘‘Don’t Forget the Lyrics!’’
Saturday
8 p.m. — ‘‘COPS’’
8:30 p.m. — ‘‘COPS’’
9 p.m. — ‘‘America’s Most Wanted: America Fights Back’’
Sunday
7 p.m. — ‘‘The OT’’ (NFL Post-Game)
8 p.m. — ‘‘The Simpsons’’
8:30 p.m. — ‘‘King of the Hill’’
9 p.m. — ‘‘Family Guy’’
9:30 p.m. — ‘‘American Dad’’

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: "Doctor Who" (Sci-Fi, 9 p.m.) will get a giant shot of nostalgia. Not only does Martha Jones (Freema Agyeman) return to the show, but she also works in the Doctor's old job as the scientific advisor for UNIT. Who are the villains this week? The Sontarans. Actually, they visit next week as well, since it's a two-parter. It follows new "Sarah Jane Adventures" at 8 p.m. And Kara brings the Cylons back to the fleet on "Battlestar Galactica" at 10 p.m.

CBS wraps up Friday nights with the season finales of "Ghost Whisperer" at 8 p.m. and "Numb3rs" at 10 p.m. Meanwhile, a number of female TV viewers will curse the network when the series finale of "Moonlight" airs at 9 p.m.

On Saturday, "Robin Hood" (BBC America, 9 p.m.) is brand-new, while "America's Most Wanted" (Fox, 9 p.m.) celebrates its 1,000 capture.

On Sunday, "The Simpsons" (Fox, 8 p.m.) wraps up its 19th season, while, unfortunately, "Aliens In America" (CW, 8:30 p.m.) wraps up for good after the season finale of "Everybody Hates Chris."

"Desperate Housewives" (ABC, 9 p.m.) finishes up the season with a two-hour episode.

Getting ready for that Indiana Jones movie, but you don't know what a crystal skull is? Sci-Fi attempts to tell you with the documentary (I use the word in the loosest sense) "Mystery of the Crystal Skull," (Sci-Fi, 9 p.m.) I made it through the first hour learning little more about the skulls than I already knew (which is next to nothing), but too many conspiracy theories about aliens, Atlantis and the end of the world on the Mayan calendar caused me to skip the second hour.

Finally, "The Tudors" (Showtime, 9 p.m.) is brand-new.

Finale Thursday

2008-05-15T01:04:00.003-04:00

OK,so ABC isn't wrapping up tonight, but a bunch of other shows are.

The CW airs the season finales of "Smallville" and "Supernatural" beginning at 8 p.m. A bit of good news on the "Smallville" front - Allison Mack will be returning next season as Chloe. I'm assuming Jensen Ackles will also be back as Dean Winchester even though his soul is ticketed to go to Hell tonight.

Earl has to choose between continuing his list of good karma and Alyssa Milano on the hour-long finale of "My Name Is Earl." Tough choice. I'm still thinking...

It's followed by the hour-long finale of "The Office" (NBC, 9 p.m.) which promises a few shockers as well as the departure of Toby in favor of Oscar nominee Amy Ryan as the new HR person.

More isn't necessarily merrier, though. The supersized versions of the NBC sitcoms that ran this year haven't been among the best of either series by any means.

Speaking of NBC follies, check out this interview with "Scrubs" creator Bill Lawrence, courtesty of TVGuide: http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Ausiello-Scoop-Lawrence/800039701

No wonder NBC is a fourth-place network these days. Meanwhile, Steve Buscemi guest stars on the season finale of "ER" at 10 p.m.

CBS wraps up "CSI" (CBS, 9 p.m.) by paving the way for the departure of legally-challenged Gary Dourdan, whose character is legally challenged as well. It's followed by the season finale of "Without a Trace."

Speaking of weird programming, ABC isn't wrapping up tonight, but rather setting up its finales over the next two weeks. "Ugly Betty," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Lost" are all new tonight. "Lost" is essentially a three-part finale, but the final two episodes won't air for two weeks.

Meanwhile, "Betty" and "Grey's wrap up next week, with the latter having a two-hour finale, which is why "Lost is being broken up. Fear not, though. "Lost" will re-air tonight's episode in two weeks at the 8 p.m. slot.

Incidentally, some more good news. The "Lost" producers confirmed that the two episodes that got nixed this year because of the strike will be made up over the show's final two seasons. So we'll get two 17-hour seasons rather than 16 as originally planned.

Cool Web Site

2008-05-14T10:13:00.002-04:00

Every so often I throw my screenwriting experiences onto this blog.

For those of you who ever thought of penning your own TV script, have I got a Web site for you: http://tvwriting.googlepages.com/

On that site are actual sample scripts and some show bibles to dozens upon dozens of TV shows, some still in production, some defunct. Most of the scripts are saved in .pdf formats and are easily accessible.

For the average TV fan, it's an interesting way of looking at how your favorite show is filmed by putting the shooting script out there to be compared to the final episode that hit the airwaves. For the budding writer, it's a good way in hearing "the voice" that producers of the show use to create their product.

Even if your favorite show or writer isn't listed, who couldn't learn something from reading the likes of Aaron Sorkin or David Milch?

MONDAY RATINGS: Maybe reality/game shows aren't the instant moneymakers people thought they were. While "Dancing With the Stars" easily won its time Monday night with 18.27 million viewers, the return of "American Gladiators" got dunked into a water tank, pulling in only 4.9 million - a 37 percent dip from what "Deal or No Deal" drew in the same timeslot.

"How I Met Your Mother" got another Britney Spears bump, pulling in 9.02 million, surpassing lead-in "Big Bang Theory" (7.88 million) and almost equalling "Bones" (9.4 million). Meanwhile, "The Bachelor" finale (9.18 million) edged "Medium" for second place at the 10 p.m. hour, behing some 13 million for "CSI: Miami."

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: Of course, a dip in the ratings doesn't mean the networks will stop putting reality/game shows into primetime. The aforementioned "Deal or No Deal" (NBC, 8 p.m.) occupies two hours tonight before a new "Law & Order" at 10 p.m.

"American Idol" (Fox, 9 p.m.) cuts from three finalists down to two, following new episodes of "Til Death" and "Back To You."

"Criminal Minds" (CBS, 9 p.m.) and "CSI: NY" (CBS, 10 p.m.) are both new, as is "Boston Legal" (ABC, 10 p.m.)

More Pickups

2008-05-13T09:36:00.002-04:00

ABC guaranteed itself at least 90 minutes of my viewership per week next season by renewing "Eli Stone" and picking up "Scrubs" from NBC.

Though "Eli's" ratings were middling, it's one of those rare shows that struck an emotional chord, and really picked up week after week. (Between "Eli" and "Pushing Daisies," has any network had a better year creatively with its new shows than ABC?) This is a star-making turn for lead Jonny Lee Miller, and the supporting cast is terrific. (I am, however, demanding at least one Victor Garber musical number every other episode, ABC).

"Scrubs" star Zach Braff announced the show's long-rumored switch to ABC on his MySpace page yesterday. "Scrubs" has long been one of my favorite sitcoms, and it deserved to go out on its own terms, not with a strike-truncated season. Now creator Bill Lawrence can write the finale he wanted to for next year.

"Reaper" (CW, 9 p.m.) also will return. After its outstanding pilot, the show struggled creatively, but has shown signs of life over recent episodes by examining the Hell hierarchy. And Ray Wise has been Emmy worthy as the Devil.

CBS' "The Unit" somehow defied the odds and bought another season. As TVGuide's Michael Ausiello noted yesterday, the show is slated to run on Fridays at 9 p.m. next season, leaving the fate of cult favorite "Moonlight" up in the air. My gut feeling is that "Moonlight" will survive somehow, even as a midseason replacement. "How I Met Your Mother" should be getting its official renewal soon (so enough with the Britney Spears appearances, guys), but "New Adventures of Old Christine" is still in limbo. However, indicators remain strong that it will join "Scrubs" and switch to ABC if CBS doesn't pick it up.

Among the not-so-lucky were ABC's "October Road" and "Women's Murder Club." The former was savaged by critics, but I thought the latter had some potential which never quite panned out.

There have also been a bunch of new projects announced, including ABC's "Bad Mother's Handbook," starring Alicia Silverstone and Megan Mullally; a Ryan Seacrest reality show for NBC called "Momma's Boy;" and a Fox reality show called "Secret Millionaire," in which real-life millionaires go undercover to live in bad neighborhoods, where they meet poor people, to whom they will give money in the final episode. Who said TV is running out of good ideas?!?

Previously announced new shows on CBS include "The Ex-List," based upon a popular Israeli series about a woman destined to be with a guy she previously broke up with; problem is, she doesn't know which of her ex-boyfriends it is; "Eleventh Hour," Jerry Bruckheimer's adaptation of a BBC thriller (the original starred Patrick Stewart and Ashley Jensen); and "The Mentalist," starring Simon Baker. There's also a Jay Mohr sitcom on the slate. CBS is also mining the wedding market with "Harper's Island," a murder-mystery set on an island during a wedding, and the sitcom "Worst Week of My Life," seemingly similar to ABC's failed sitcom "Big Day."

Finally, PBS announced a new version of the children's classic education show, "The Electric Company." Unlike the version I grew up with, I'm guessing this one won't have Morgan Freeman or Spider-Man appearing regularly. I hope at least they bring back "Letter-Man."

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: Someone is supposed to get killed on "NCIS" (CBS, 8 p.m.), and I'm starting to get worried that it will be someone I like rather than Director Shepherd, whom I don't care too much about and who seems to be gettiing written out anyway. I mean, they can't kill off Gibbs (Mark Harmon), but it would truly suck if they killed off Tony, Ziva, Ducky or McGee. (It'd also suck if they killed off Abby, but I don't think the producers would ever do that. I hope.) Of all the above, I worry the most about Ziva. Even though Don Bellisario is no longer associated with the show, he has a history of constantly replacing the female leads. "JAG," the show that spun off "NCIS," went through three other female leads in its first season before they settled on Catherine Bell. Ziva (Cote De Pablo) herself was brought in after a couple of other women to replace Kate, who was killed off, who was the replacement for another actress who appeared in the backdoor pilot from "JAG." Plus, they focused on the germ-phobic agent a couple of weeks ago. I know the episode has already been shot, but guys, please don't kill off Ziva. It's followed by a new "Shark."

Catch "Women's Murder Club" (ABC, 10 p.m.) while you can; if follows the "Dancing With The Stars" results show at 9 p.m.

"Reaper's" penultimate episode follows the finale of "Beauty and The Geek" (CW, 8 p.m.)

"American Idol" (Fox, 8 p.m.) is down to its final three and is followed by a new "Hell's Kitchen." "Law & Order: SVU" (NBC, 10 p.m.) is also new.

Finally, "Frontline" (PBS, 9 p.m.) is doing a documentary on climbers who were trapped on Mt. Everest during a blizzard.

Bubbles Burst On Some Shows

2008-05-12T10:00:00.003-04:00

The fates of a few shows were decided over the weekend, as Fox announced it won't be bringing back "New Amsterdam" or "Back To You," while The CW is dropping the sublime "Aliens In America." Meanwhile, ABC has inexplicably picked up "Boston Legal" for a fifth season.

I'm not sure which is more painful, seeing "Boston Legal" back for another year or "Aliens In America" go away. The former is a ridiculous show that vacillates between comedy and drama (not in a good way) and ends up stealing Emmy votes from more worthy competitors. During its long hiatus this year, no one seemed to miss it.

The latter was the best new sitcom on TV, albeit one of the most ratings-challenged. It's style and sharp writing was reminiscent of "Malcolm In The Middle" at its height, and the show had a lot of charm to go with it. And its central theme of a Muslim student transplanted to Midwestern America offered sharp insight without ever becoming preachy.

As for the Fox shows, "New Amsterdam" never seemed to find any momentum after getting retooled from its original pilot and airing during the strike. There was enough of interest there where I would have liked to have seen a few more episodes, but I won't be losing any sleep over its departure, either.

"Back To You," which included a stellar cast of Kelsey Grammer, Patricia Heaton, Fred Willard and others, and a stellar crew, didn't live up to the hype. It's premise of a TV news crew seemed tired when compared to the TV classics "Mary Tyler Moore" and "Murphy Brown." With all of the talent attached to this project, maybe my expectations were too high, but the laughs just weren't there.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: She's back! Tabloid diva Britney Spears reprises her role as a dim receptionist on "How I Met Your Mother" (CBS, 8:30 p.m.), along with the sublime Sarah Chalke as Ted's (Josh Radnor) love interest. Spears was perfectly adequate last time, but did bring in much-needed ratings with her appearance, so let's hope it's more of the same. It's part of an all-new lineup that includes "Big Bang Theory," "2 1/2 Men" and "Rules of Engagement," all followed by a new "CSI: Miami" at 10 p.m.

"Bones" (Fox, 8 p.m.) gives a shameless plug for "American Idol" tonight, while "House" (Fox, 9 p.m.) begins a two-part season finale.

"The Bachelor" (ABC, 10 p.m.) makes his final choice tonight. I'm sure the relationship will be long-lasting and produce lots of grandchildren in the future.

"American Gladiators" (NBC, 8 p.m.) returns to the air tonight with a two-hour premiere. Let's hope they cut down on the boring interviews and up the action this time around. It's followed by a new "Medium" at 10 p.m.

Finally, "Gossip Girl" (CW, 8 p.m.) and "One Tree Hill" (CW, 9 p.m.) present new installments.

A Tip Of The Cap To TV Moms

2008-05-09T10:03:00.003-04:00

Every Mother's Day, the media always polls TV fans as to who was the best TV mom. It generally is divided among the usual suspects - June Cleaver of "Leave It To Beaver," Carol Brady of "The Brady Bunch," Claire Huxtable of "The Cosby Show," Harriet Nelson of "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet," and so forth.

Me? No disrespect to those ladies, but I like my TV moms with something of an edge to them. Besides, no mom is as perfect as the ones listed above (except my Mom, who is. Happy Mother's Day, Mom!)

So, in no particular order, a few of my favorite TV moms:

--Sarah Connor (Lena Headey), "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" - Listen, any mom who teaches you how to strip down an assault rifle and make bombs while you are still in your early teens has a certain amount of cool to her. On the other hand, it's probably a good thing John Connor is humanity's savior, because I certainly wouldn't want to be disciplined by a mother who could kill man six different ways while unarmed.

--Lois (Jane Kaczmarek), "Malcolm In The Middle" - Though often scary to her kids - and with those kids, she had to be - Lois was a brilliant creation as the mom from hell who did everything she did out of love. Together with Bryan Cranston as Hal, one of my favorite TV couples.

--Peg Bundy (Katey Sagal), "Married: With Children" - Arguably one of the worst, most self-involved mothers on TV, Peg was hilarious in her devotion to bon-bons and driving Al to an early grave.

--Marge Simpson (voiced by Julie Kavner), "The Simpsons" - Marge is forced to put up with quite a lot dealing with Homer and the kids, so it's no small wonder that Homer is always scared she will leave with someone else, from the French bowling instructor in Season 1 to a trophy husband after she became mega-rich by opening a gym this season.

--Bree Van Der Kamp (Marcia Cross), "Desperate Housewives" - I stopped watching "DH" a while ago, but it wasn't because of the magnificent Cross, who stole every scene she was in as the anal-retentive, Martha Stewart clone. Since Susan (Teri Hatcher) is always a disaster and Lynnette's (Felicity Huffman) holier-than-thou act wore thin long ago, Bree is the most interesting of the women who are actually moms.

--Joyce Summers (Kristine Sutherland), "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer" - It took a while for Joyce to deal with the fact that her daughter was The Chosen One, that lone girl destined to fight the forces of darkness. But once she did, things really picked up for Joyce, especially the time in Season 3 she comforted a heartbroken Spike. And of course, when Joyce died in Season 5, it was one of the best-written, most memorable episodes of the series, a testament to loss and how much it means having a great mom in your life.

Who are some of your favorite TV moms?

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: Though she has no children, it's hard to argue that Pres. Laura Roslin (Mary McDonell) isn't a maternal figure to the remaining 40,000 or so humans left. Roslin is going to be a pretty critical figure over the next few episodes of "Battlestar Galactica" (Sci Fi, 10 p.m.), even moreso than usual. It follows new episodes of "The Sarah Jane Adventures" at 8 p.m. and "Doctor Who" at 9 p.m.

We learn Mick has a son, a pretty neat trick for a vampire on "Moonlight" (CBS, 9 p.m.) Hopefully, Mick's kid isn't kidnapped by his mortal enemy and taken to a Hell dimension, something that is wont to happen to the offspring of vampires. It follows a new "Ghost Whisperer" and is followed by a new "Numb3rs."

On Saturday, "Robin Hood" (BBC America, 9 p.m.) is all new as the Sheriff is set to deploy a new secret weapon against the Merry Men.

On Sunday, speaking of Marge Simpson, Homer's fugitive mom (Glenn Close) returns to Springfield once more on "The Simpsons" (Fox, 8 p.m.)

One of my favorite new TV moms has to be Franny (Amy Pietz) on "Aliens In America" (CW, 8:30 p.m.) Pietz steals every scene she's in on this overlooked sitcom, and should be an Emmy nominee. It follows a new "Everybody Hates Chris."

"Masterpiece" (PBS, 9 p.m.) continues with part 2 of "Cranford" with an all-star cast. Also new among period costume dramas is "The Tudors" (Showtime, 9 p.m.) as Henry meets Jane Seymour for the first time.

'Scrubs' Finale - Perhaps

2008-05-08T09:55:00.002-04:00

Tonight marks the possible series finale of one of my favorite sitcoms, "Scrubs" (NBC, 8:30 p.m.) I say possible, because there have been reports that ABC, which produces the show, will pick it up for one more season since NBC has officially dropped it.

I hope ABC does. Tonight's finale is a tribute to both "The Princess Bride" and "Monty Python" as Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) tells his son Jack a bed-time story involving members of the cast. It's something completely different, but for the "Scrubs" cast and crew, different is pretty normal.

What tonight's episode isn't is the series finale that creator Bill Lawrence had dreamed up before the strike. Because of the shortened season and production time, Lawrence wasn't able to put into effect what he wanted to do. So a move over to ABC would allow the series to wrap up on its own terms.

"Scrubs" has never been ratings gold, in part because it's never been a traditional sitcom. More accurately, the show could be described as a dramedy in the vein of "M*A*S*H," mixing comedy with drama. It's developed a rich and talented cast that perfectly complements each other.

If tonight is indeed the finale of "Scrubs," there is a silver lining. Sarah Chalke, who plays Elliott on the show, would be free to expand her work on "How I Met Your Mother," in which her character of Stella would almost certainly be revealed as the unknown mother in the title. In the ideal world, the scheduling would work out where Chalke could do both shows, helping "Scrubs" wrap up on ABC while integrating herself with the terrific "HIMYM" cast.

GOOD NEWS FOR "BAD": AMC made it official by renewing its other breakout hit "Breaking Bad," giving the network one of the best one-two punches in original drama along with "Mad Men." "Bad" revolves around a dying high school chemistry teacher (an Emmy worthy Bryan Cranston) who turns to making crystal meth in order to provide for his family after his death. This could be my favorite new show of the season, and one I strongly urge you to catch when AMC starts reruns.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: "Scrubs" isn't the only sitcom wrapping up tonight; "30 Rock" (NBC, 9:30 p.m.) also ends its second season with the return of Edie Falco. "My Name Is Earl" (NBC, 8 p.m.) and "The Office" (NBC, 9 p.m.) are both new, but both will be on for at least another week. They are followed by a new "ER" at 10 p.m.

Clark (Tom Welling) must find out who carved Kryptonian symbols into Lex (Michael Rosenbaum) on "Smallville" (CW, 8 p.m.), while the Winchester boys must split up to tackle two cases on the criminally underrated "Supernatural." (CW, 9 p.m.)

Tonight's "Lost" (ABC, 10 p.m.) is Locke-centric, giving Emmy winner Terry O'Quinn yet another chance to shine as we finally meet the mysterious Jacob. Perhaps. It follows new installments of "Ugly Betty" and "Grey's Anatomy."

On CBS, there's one guy and four women left on "Survivor" (CBS, 8 p.m.) Hmm, I like those odds. Meanwhile, the writers of "2 1/2 Men" get to return the favor to "CSI" by penning tonight's episode, in which a sitcom star (Katey Sagal) is murdered and everyone is a suspect. It's followed by "Without A Trace" at 10 p.m.

More Hollywood Labor Fun

2008-05-07T10:52:00.003-04:00

Remember the strike that crippled the movie and TV industry for several months? It's hard not to; we are still feeling the effects of the truncated TV season.

Well, the possibility exists that labor troubles may not be over.

It just moved across the wires this morning that the studios have broken off talks with the Screen Actors Guild, claiming their demands are "too high."

Does this mean we are looking at another potential work stoppage during the summer, when the actors' contract expires?

I'm guessing not. The last strike, between the studios and the writers guild (the actors joined the strike in sympathy), lasted months and centered around issues that included residuals for new media and DVD sales. At the end of the strike, both sides took a hit in the public opinion and cost the movie industry hundreds of millions of dollars.

I doubt the public would be willing to endure another work stoppage, nor can many people in the industry afford to be out of work again. Also, now that the writers guild and directors guild contracts are in place, there is a framework for the actors and the studios to work with in crunching the numbers.

Part of the problem here is that the studios are dealing with two unions this time around - SAG and the smaller AFTRA. Though many actors are members of both, there is a lot of animosity between the two unions, which are negotiating separately. With that wedge, it puts more power into the hands of the studios, which broke off contract talks after 18 days of negotiations.

But the studios should remember that their attempt to break the writers' solidarity failed and not count on breaking the actors' unions.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: Part of the fallout from the labor issues was the increase in non-scripted shows on the air, and it's no more apparent than tonight.

Only CBS has more scripted fare tonight than so-called reality, but even The Eye kicks things off with "The Price Is Right" before going into new episodes of "Criminal Minds" and "CSI: NY."

Fox has new episodes of "Til Death" and "Back To You," beginning at 8 p.m. before the "American Idol" results show at 9 p.m.

A new "Law & Order" (NBC, 10 p.m.) airs after a two-hour "Deal Or No Deal."

Finally, both ABC and The CW are completely unscripted. The former airs a lineup of "Wife Swap," "Supernanny" and the Barbara Walters hour-long special about her new autobiography, "Audition." The latter gives us the likes of "America's Next Top Model" and "Farmer Wants A Wife."

Barbara On 'Oprah'

2008-05-06T09:43:00.002-04:00

Two titans of the talk show world meet up today when Barbara Walters of "The View" goes on "Oprah" (WMAZ, 4 p.m.) to promote her new autobiography that also hits bookstores today.

I've never really been a huge Barbara Walters fan -- I don't like "The View" and I always skip the "Barbara Walters Specials" on ABC -- but she is something of a TV pioneer as the first femae co-anchor of the evening news in 1976.

The book has already drawn a certain amount of notoriety because it details Walters' affair with U.S. Senator Richard Brooke, the first African-American elected to the Senate. Though I'm not a fan of adultery by any means, I actually have more of an issue of a journalist sleeping with a public figure she's supposed to be covering. Compromising objectivity downgrades the whole profession.

Walters, however, can't complain about the advance publicity for her book. In addition to the "Oprah" appearance, she is also getting a one-hour special on ABC Wednesday night at 10 p.m. called "Audition: The Barbara Walters Journey."

ELECTION COVERAGE: A few weeks ago, I said the networks should limit themselves to one network covering key political events, and that it should rotate around.

Interestingly, since we're in the sweeps period, none of the networks are covering the Indiana and North Carolina primaries live, instead opting for original programming. (Although I'm certain they will be interrupting the shows with news breaks and a crawl giving constant updates). So you'll have to tune into one of the cable news networks for the running totals in these key primaries.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: If you are fine with limiting your political knowledge to the news crawl and limited news breaks, there's plenty of new stuff around the dial.

It's hard to believe, but "Dancing With The Stars" (ABC, 8 p.m.) has already reached 100 episodes, and will be running back-to-back episodes tonight, followed by a new "Women's Murder Club" at 10 p.m.

That "other" music reality show, "American Idol" (Fox, 8 p.m.), is down to its final four contestants and is followed by "Hell's Kitchen."

CBS has new episodes of "NCIS" and "Shark" beginning at 8 p.m., while NBC has a new "Law & Order: SVU" at 10 p.m. "Reaper" (CW, 9 p.m.) is also new.

Finally, a couple of documentaries of note. "American Experience" (PBS, 9 p.m.) examines the presidency of the first President Bush, while "Bud Greenspan: At The Heart Of The Games" (ESPN2, 9 p.m.) details the life and experiences of the great Olympics filmmaker.

2 1/2 CSIs

2008-05-05T09:49:00.002-04:00

In the past, I've blogged about how much I love crossover episodes of two different TV series. Detectives from "Homicide: Life On The Street" would appear on "Law & Order" and so forth.

But tonight begins one of the weirdest TV crossovers ever. Tonight's episode of the hit sitcom "2 1/2 Men" (CBS, 9 p.m.) was written by a writing team from "CSI" and includes a guest starring appearance by "CSI" star George Eads as a crime scene investigator.

On Thursday, the "Men" writers return the favor by scripting this week's "CSI," about the murder of a difficult sitcom star (Katey Sagal). That episode is supposed to be full of in-jokes, since it was written by "Men" creator Chuck Lorre, who had a notoriously stormy relationship with Cybill Shepherd when he created her sitcom "Cybill" in the mid-90s.

It's certainly not a crossover that would have ever occurred to me. It's not like I watch either series, but I can't say the thought has ever popped up during a drama that said "Boy, this show would be much better if it was written by sitcom guys."

On the other hand, the switch could be a positive one for a couple of reasons. For one, shows that have been on the air for a while, even if they are hits, could use a shake-up from time to time, and bringing in different writers with a fresh perspective is one way to do that.

Another positive is that the writers themselves get to stretch their creative muscles for a bit by writing something completely different, including a different format.

My guess is that the "CSI" episode will work a little better, because comedy is one of the most difficult genres to write, and Lorre is bringing a lot of his own background into the "CSI" episode.

I'm wondering if both episodes do well, will CBS continue to switch around more writing staffs, and will other networks jump on the bandwagon? Perhaps the writers of "Numb3rs" could do an episode of "How I Met Your Mother," in which Barney uses complex mathematical algorithms to optimize picking up women, while the "Numb3rs" team from 30 years in the future recalls a case from 2008.

The possibilities are endless.

"MEN IN TREES" AXED: ABC won't be renewing "Men In Trees" for next season, TVGuide.com is reporting. The Anne Heche series jumped around the schedule a lot, making it difficult pick up an audience.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: By the way, there are plenty of drama writers who can do comedy just fine, so I'm not dissing the "CSI" writers with tonight's "2 1/2 Men," which anchors new episodes of "Big Bang Theory" and "HIMYM," and is followed by "Rules of Engagement." Although I have to point out, "CSI" isn't as unintentionally funny as "CSI: Miami." (CBS, 10 p.m.)

For example, some of the best comedy writing of the season was done last week on "House" (Fox, 9 p.m.), as House and Cutthroat Bitch battled for custody of Wilson, who just hung around in the background helpless against the schemes of his best friend and his girlfriend. This week, House (Hugh Laurie) kidnaps his favorite soap star when he diagnoses him while watching an episode. It follows a new "Bones."

ABC sandwiches "Samantha Who?" (ABC, 9:30 p.m.) with "Dancing With The Stars" and "The Bachelor."

"Gossip Girl" (CW, 8 p.m.) has a character outed out of the closet. It's followed by "One Tree Hill" at 9 p.m.

LiLo's Big Comeback?

2008-05-02T10:22:00.002-04:00

TVGuide's Michael Ausiello is reporting that ABC's "Ugly Betty" is in talks to not only bring tabloid queen Lindsay Lohan aboard for the season finale, but for a good chunk of episodes next season. You can read about it here: http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Ausiello-Scoop-Lindsay/800038711

When I saw the headline, I immediately thought about the impact Britney Spears had on "How I Met Your Mother" - her appearance, though brief, drew the highest ratings to what turned out to be one of the best episodes of the season (not because of Brit, who was perfectly adequate for her small role, but for guest star Sarah Chalke, who turned in an Emmy-worthy guest performance).

"HIMYM" is returning with a second episode for both Spears and Chalke that will no doubt get a lot of buzz.

Clearly, "Ugly Betty" is hoping for a similar style ratings bump if it can land Lohan, who has become more infamous for her disastrous tabloid life than her acting. The difference, though, is that back in her pre-partying days, Lohan was actually a pretty decent actress, and with the right role (and her head on straight) could be so again. And with the paparazzi-inspired world of "Ugly Betty," she could be an inspired choice.

THURSDAY RECAP: When you have as much good TV as there is on Thursdays, staying up until 2 a.m. to watch it all is certainly worth the lack of sleep.

I'm running out of adjectives to describe how great "Lost" continues to be. I did have one thought about last night's episode that did worry me, so if you haven't seen it yet, be forewarned of spoilers.

****SKIP TO THE END****

****WHY HAVEN'T YOU SEEN LAST NIGHT'S EPISODE, ANYWAY?*****

****STILL HERE?****

OK. So one of the things my dad keeps asking me about this show is "Are they supposed to be dead?" I never presumed they were before, but after last night's episode, that possibility now looms.

Witness the conversation between Hurley and Jack in the future, where Hurley states he believes as much. When Jack disputes the argument, Hurley points out that Jack is living in what would be a heaven-like scenario for him - with Kate and Aaron, back to his old job as a top surgeon.

The part that worried me was the smoke detector scene, in which Jack hears the beeping of the smoke detector in the hallway - it sounded like the beeping of a heart monitor. Is Jack really in some sort of coma, and the smoke detector was some sort of subconscious effort to deal with the beeping? Perhaps Jack never woke up after Bernard gave him the ether.

As much as I love the series, I'd hate for there to be a big reveal where it was all someone's dream. We'll see.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: The other unmissable series on TV for me right now continues to be "Battlestar Galactica" (Sci-Fi, 10 p.m.), which sees the return of the Cylon Leoben, who joins up with Starbuck's crew on the garbage scowl searching for Earth. And Tyrol continues his downward spiral, though the writers are going to be hard-pressed to come up with anything that matched the scene last week between him and Adama in the bar. It follows new episodes of "The Sarah Jane Adventures" at 8 p.m. and "Doctor Who" at 9 p.m.

CBS has an all-new night of "Ghost Whisperer" at 8 p.m., followed by "Moonlight" and "Numb3rs."

A new "Robin Hood" (BBC America, Sat., 9 p.m.) premieres Saturday.

On Sunday, "Masterpiece" (PBS, 9 p.m.) kicks off the three-part "Cranford," about life in an English village. The all-star cast is led by Oscar winner Judi Dench and is based upon the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell.

"Cold Case" (CBS, 8 p.m.) wraps up its season, followed by two episodes of "Dexter" beginning at 9 p.m.

"The Simpsons" (Fox, 8 p.m.) kicks off Fox's animation lineup by having the family go to the Sundance Film Festival. The CW is also new, including "Everybody Hates Chris" at 8 p.m. and "Aliens In America" at 8:30 p.m.

"The Tudors" (Showtime, 9 p.m.) is also brand new.

Finally, "Desperate Housewives" (ABC, 9 p.m.) and "Brothers & Sisters" (ABC, 10 p.m.) continue to wind down their seasons.

Elseworlds

2008-05-01T10:06:00.003-04:00

DC Comics used to have special issues called "Elseworlds," in which various characters would find themselves in different circumstances than what we were used to seeing them in. The idea was that these stories never happened in the continuity of their various titles, but rather, what if something different happened.

What if Batman was a 16th century pirate? What if Superman's rocket had landed in communist Russia during the 1940s? Etc.

When I wrote my spec script for "Smallville" (CW, 8 p.m.) a couple of years ago, it was entitled "Elseworlds." Through a bit of technology, Clark (Tom Welling) was able to see what life would have been like had he been adopted by Lionel Luthor rather than the Kents. Let's just say I brought the idea of sibling rivalry to a whole new level between Clark and Lex (Michael Rosenbaum).

Clearly, that script was never bought, because I'm still here doing this blog for you guys, but "Smallville" does finally visit an Elseworlds scenario for tonight's 150th episode, directed by Welling. As Brainiac (James Marsters) flies back to Krypton of the past to assassinate the young Kal-El, Clark wonders if the world might not be better off without him. The spirit of his father gives him a slice of what that might be like.

Lex is President, with Brainiac as his chief of staff and Kara (Lauren Vandernoot) as his enforcer. Lois (Erica Durance) is a Pulitzer Prize winner investigating Lex's sinister plans.

As a comics enthusiast, I've always enjoyed the Elseworlds ideas that the writers have come up with over the years (Marvel Comics has a similarly themed series called "What If?") While "Smallville" is hardly the first series to tackle the "It's a Wonderful Life" dilemma, at least it can fall back upon the DC Comics tradition of Elseworlds to justify it.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: "Smallville" isn't the only CW series to play with an alternate reality; Dean Winchester experienced his own version last season on "Supernatural" (CW, 9 p.m.) Tonight, Dean gets a visit from a spirit claiming to be that of his father.

Addison (Kate Walsh) makes a one-night return to "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC, 9 p.m.) from her spinoff "Private Practice," no doubt sending "Grey's" fans into a frenzy. It follows a new "Ugly Betty" at 8 p.m. and precedes a new "Lost" at 10 p.m. as Jack falls gravely ill, and Kate and Juliet rush to save him. Ah, to be nursed back to health by Kate and Juliet...

"CSI" (CBS, 9 p.m.) must be investigating Vulcans, because several victims turn up with green blood, followed by a new "Without A Trace," which presumably has no Vulcans.

Earl is finally awake on "My Name Is Earl" (NBC, 8 p.m.), which kicks off the network's terrific comedy lineup of "Scrubs," "The Office" and "30 Rock," followed by a new "ER" at 10 p.m.

Finally, the documentary "Carrier" (PBS, 9 p.m.) wraps up tonight.

Late Night Shuffle

2008-04-30T09:53:00.002-04:00

On vacation last week, I didn't get around to reporting the news that former "SNL" cast member Jimmy Fallon will be replacing Conan O'Brien on NBC's "Late Night" when O'Brien gets the "Tonight Show" gig next year.

My brother and his friends, who follow the late night talk show circuit a lot more than I do, seem to think this will be a disaster of Titanic proportions because none seem to be fans of Fallon. They aren't the only ones that are worried.

One TV critic, Tim Goodman, wrote a column wondering if would-be movie star Fallon would be able to reduce his own ego in favor of his guest's, something that every talk show host needs to do (though somehow Larry King has managed a career for 40 years without being able to do this). Another critic, Alan Sepinwall, seemed to think the opposite, that Fallon wouldn't have enough of a personality to make a go of things.

My thoughts? Let Fallon actually tape a show or two before passing judgment.

Here's the thing. I remember when O'Brien was first named Letterman's replacement. Here was a guy who hadn't appeared regularly in front of a camera or an audience who was taking over for the most popular host on TV at that point. Needless to say, no one thought much of Conan's chances, but a decade-plus later, he seems to have done well enough for himself.

The late night circuit is something of a crapshoot, anyway. I never thought much of Jimmy Kimmel before, but with his recent brilliant Matt Damon-Ben Affleck-Sarah Silverman love triangle videos, he's riding a huge wave of popularity.

On the other hand, Chevy Chase, who had a very successful movie career, may go down as the worst talk show host in history.

Now people are questioning whether Conan, arguably the top host right now not on a show produced by Comedy Central, can take over "The Tonight Show," which skews to an older audience than his. I'm guessing if you ask an NBC exec, they are counting on Conan's appeal among younger viewers to cut into the Comedy Central juggernaut of "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report."

Meanwhile, people are pointing to Fallon's lackluster movie career and the success of his former SNL partner Tina Fey as to reasons why he will fail. I'll point out that A) few people are as hot as Tina Fey right now, or as funny in general, and B) the six people who watched the movie "Collision Course" probably never imagined that Pat Morita's partner in that flick would be able to successfully replace the legendary Johnny Carson.

Let's see Fallon do his thing, and then pass judgment.

AROUND THE DIAL: It's going to be very difficult for anyone to replace the late Stanley Kamel as a recurring character on "Monk," but the producers have signed the always reliable Hector Elizondo to play Monk's (Tony Shalhoub) new therapist. ... Oscar nominee Amy Ryan will be joining "The Office" as a guest star as Toby's replacement, while Oscar and Emmy nominee Angela Bassett will be joining the cast of "ER" for its final season next year. ...

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: Can we please siphon just one of Thursday's great shows over to Wednesday's? Just one? Seriously, it'd free up my TV watching greatly to spread the wealth.

As it is, "American Idol" (Fox, 9 p.m.) dominates the night following new episodes of "Til Death" and "Back To You" on Fox.

"Criminal Minds" (CBS, 9 p.m.) is new, as is "CSI: NY" at 10 p.m., which squares off with a new episode of "Boston Legal" (ABC, 10 p.m.) "Law & Order" (NBC, 10 p.m.) follows a two-hour "Deal Or No Deal."

The CW is debuting the new reality show "Farmer Wants a Wife" at 9 p.m. I'd watch, but I'm worried my liver will force its way into my neck, cutting the flow of blood off to my brain. Come to think of it, that may be the only way to watch this show.

Finally, the documentary series "Carrier" (PBS, 9 p.m.) continues tonight.

'Shark' Swims Again

2008-04-29T09:38:00.002-04:00

Tonight marks the return of the law drama "Shark" (CBS, 9 p.m.), a show fairly derivative of Fox's superior "House."

The main difference between the two shows is that the larger-than-life lead character, Sebastian Stark (James Woods), is a lawyer and has a teenaged daughter while House (Hugh Laurie) is a doctor and completely alone.

But both shows are structured essentially the same. Stark and his minions get a weekly case that seems unwinnable, only to have Stark pull a brilliant legal trick to win in the end. "Shark" isn't a bad show, but is a good example of the sort of formulaic hour-long crime dramas CBS is famous for.

One of main things I wish "Shark" would do more of is develop the supporting cast better. Though the supporting doctors on "House" don't get a whole lot to do, at least we care about them as people. In "Shark," we rarely get that with the lawyers working for Stark.

Tonight's episode, the first new one since the strike, picks up with Stark facing both criminal charges and losing his law license after helping cover up a murder for his client (Jonathan Banks) years earlier. But that character is a small fish, and a tough U.S. Attorney (Paula Marshall) is pushing Stark to help net Banks' sociopathic partner, who ordered the original murder to cover up a bigger crime.

It's a pretty strong episode and something of a roller coaster ride as we see Stark facing up to the worst mistake he's ever made and risking losing everything. Marshall, who is filling in for Jeri Ryan while Ryan is on maternity leave, has some good chemistry with Woods.

The worst moments for "Shark" for me are usually the ones with his daughter (Danielle Panabaker), who is written as so consistently whiny and annoying, it's hard to care about her. She continues that streak tonight.

I'm not sure if "Shark" has been officially renewed yet, so the ratings for the next few episodes in its new timeslot could be critical. A new episode of "NCIS" at 8 p.m. as a lead-in should help.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: Another crime drama that is testing a new timeslot and night for a ratings boost is "Women's Murder Club," (ABC, 10 p.m.) back with a new episode and new showrunners. This quirky little crime drama could get a big boost not only from switching away from the Friday night wasteland, but also following "Dancing With The Stars" at 9 p.m.

"Law & Order: SVU" (NBC, 10 p.m.) has guest star Robin Williams playing a character who does all sorts of crazy antics. Boy, never seen that before.

Fox's highly rated reality lineup of "American Idol" and "Hell's Kitchen" puts its contestants through the grinder once more.

On cable, "The Riches" (FX, 10 p.m.) is all new.

Finally, the documentary "Carrier" (PBS, 9 p.m.) continues tonight. It follows a rerun of "Nova," also about giant naval vessels, this one about the sinking of the Japanese supership the Yamamoto in 1945.

Back In The 'House'

2008-04-28T09:55:00.002-04:00

OK, back from vacation and back in Macon. (Yes, I did post four times last week while on holiday, making me the coolest TV critic ever, especially since I don't get paid for this).

I guess karma is rewarding me with the first new episode of "House" (Fox, 9 p.m.) since the strike. This time, our favorite curmodgeon is stuck with a cheery patient.

It should be interesting to see how "House" fares on its new night after being a staple of Tuesdays. It helps to have the natural pairing of "Bones" (Fox, 8 p.m.) as a lead-in. As I've often written, both shows are natural complements of the other.

SUNDAY NIGHT SHOUT-OUT: After all this time, "The Simpsons" still manages to make me laugh. Thanks to Matt Groening & Co. for working the Bayeux Tapestry into the opening couch sequence. Well played, sir, well played.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: One great thing about being in the sweeps period is that the networks pull out all of the stops. This period is especially important, because the last one in February was seriously affected by the strike. The networks use the ratings generating during sweeps to set ad prices, so it's the most critical time of the year in terms of revenue for the networks.

Maybe that's why "Deal Or No Deal" (NBC, 8 p.m.) is trotting out a "Star Wars" themed episode, which includes the 26 models dressed in the Princess Leia slave bikini from "Return of the Jedi." It's followed by a new "Medium" at 10 p.m.

CBS is all-new with its comedy lineup, plus "CSI: Miami" at 10 p.m.

"Gossip Girl" (CW, 8 p.m.) is new and features "Buffy" alum Michelle Trachtenberg, followed by "One Tree Hill."

Finally, the documentary "Carrier" (PBS, 9 p.m.) continues to feature life aboard a US Navy ship.

A Wee Bit Of Heartbreak For Me

2008-04-25T00:18:00.002-04:00

It was kind of a good news/bad news day for me yesterday, courtesy of the WWW.

As you loyal dozens know, I (try to) knock out screenplays and teleplays in my spare time. Not full-time, mind you, because that would require me selling something and making some money, and I'm not in danger of that any time soon.

Anyway, in this golden age of Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV with the revival of the "Doctor Who" (Sci Fi, 9 p.m.) and "Battlestar Galactica" (Sci Fi, 10 p.m.) franchises, my ultimate dream was to lead the revival of "Blake's 7" back to TV.

Since I'm sure most of you have never heard of it, let alone seen it, "B7" was a BBC sci-fi series that ran four seasons from 1977-81. Created by Terry Nation (also the creator of the Daleks, BTW) and brilliantly written (albeit with cheesy, 1970s BBC special effects), the series told the tale of Blake, a freedom fighter who battles against the totalitarian Earth empire in a dystopian future.

What I loved about the old series was that Blake and his crew weren't really the good guys, more like anti-heroes. And the bad guys weren't all that evil, just very bureaucratic. The end of the series was one of the most memorable ever. (Let's just say the good guys don't win).

In this post-9/11 world, where shows like "BSG" achieve the pinnacle of good science fiction by providing an allegory to our own world and values, I always thought "B7" would be a perfect candidate. After all, from different perspectives, Blake is either a freedom fighter or a terrorist. In our world where terrorism remains such a prominent problem, what better thing than to look at the issue in a futuristic way?

Well, apparently I'm not the only one to think this way. Sky TV announced yesterday that "B7" would be revived as a TV series. The Hollywood Reporter article can be found here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/international/news/e3if57cb0c541e56ebf5d7d34e9c0e33ed9

The guys shepherding the project do have experience in the "B7" universe - they produced a radio series last year.

It's not that I resent them, but this was always my screenwriting fantasy. I mapped the whole thing out in my head, how it would pay tribute to the original series but be updated with a post-9/11 spin. I even came up with my own killer ending and a dream cast. Of course, one of the first things would-be screenwriters learn is not to write about copyrighted properties they don't own, which is why you will never see my killer "Batman" movie idea, by the way.

Sadly, unless I win the lottery tomorrow and buy out the "B7" rights, all of this will remain in my noggin, another dream to be unfulfilled.

On the bright side, I'm hoping these guys capture some of that "BSG" magic and do justice with the new "Blake's 7" so that it becomes the pop culture phenomenon that Galactica has become.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: As noted above, Sci-Fi is all-new tonight, including the "Sarah Jane Adventures" at 8 p.m.

Speaking of fantasy shows, "Moonlight" (CBS, 9 p.m.) returns after a long, strike-induced layoff with a new episode. Though on the bubble, this show has a loyal core of fans, particularly of the female persuasion over star Alex O'Loughlin. It anchors new episodes of "Ghost Whisperer" at 8 p.m. and "Numb3rs" at 10 p.m.

On Saturday, BBC America will have a mini-marathon of "Robin Hood" before airing the brand-new (on this side of the pond) second season at 9 p.m.

On Sunday, PBS takes a break from "Masterpiece" with the docu-drama "Carrier" at 9 p.m. about life aboard a US Navy carrier.

Fox's animation lineup, led by "The Simpsons," is all-new.

A new "Desperate Housewives" and "Brothers & Sisters" on ABC take on a new "Cold Case" and "Dexter" on CBS, beginning at 9 p.m.

"Wire In The Blood" (BBC America, 8 p.m.) airs a new installment.

Finally, "The Tudors" (Showtime, 9 p.m.), which was just renewed for a third season, continues with a new episode from Season 2.

Too Much TV!

2008-04-24T10:06:00.005-04:00

Everything on Thursday is back and it's all new. Get those VCRs and DVRs fired up.

In fact, it's been such a long time that we've seen some of these shows that I can't remember where we left off.

For example, how did we leave things on "Ugly Betty?" (ABC, 8 p.m.) I remember Bradford Meade dying and Betty trying to choose between Gio and Henry, but other than that, it's all a blank. The networks might have done a better job with a few reruns here and there after the strike.

I suspect there will be some fans of "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC, 9 p.m.) in the same boat, especially which couples are still together and which aren't, and who kissed whom most recently. Of course, that's a scorecard that changes seemingly every week on that show, so maybe they aren't as badly off.

Of course, "Lost" (ABC, 10 p.m.) last aired a new episode last month, and had a pretty memorable ending of Ben's surrogate daughter Alex being menaced by a sniper. ABC also showed the rerun last week.

Another favorite of the TV Guy, "Supernatural" (CW, 9 p.m.) is back after a long absence and follows a new "Smallville" at 8 p.m.

The CBS lineup - "Survivor," "CSI" and "Without A Trace" - is all-new, as is the NBC comedy lineup and "ER." Note that "Scrubs" and "30 Rock" have flip-flopped on the schedule - the former is now at 8:30 p.m. behind "My Name Is Earl" while the latter follows "The Office" at 9 p.m.

Finally, Fox is airing a two-hour "Fifth Grader" beginning at 8 p.m. (thank goodness I have other choices). More of note is "Great Performances" (PBS, 10 p.m.), featuring Antony Sher's one-man show "Primo," which tells the tale of a survivor of Auschwitz.

Facing The Reaper?

2008-04-22T11:32:00.002-04:00

Tonight marks the return of "Reaper" (CW, 9 p.m.) to its regular timeslot with a new episode.

One of the most hyped new shows this season of any of the networks, "Reaper" hasn't really established an audience and is a bubble show for next year.

For me, the show has been inconsistent. On the one hand, it features an Emmy worthy comic performance by Ray Wise as the Devil, but it also features one of the most irritating performances on TV from Tyler Labine as Sock, the best friend of the show's hero Sam (Brett Harrison).

"Reaper" has added two amusing guest stars (Ken Marino, Michael Ian Black) as friendly, gay demons who help Sam out. It remains to be seen over the show's final few episodes if "Reaper" is strong enough creatively and in the ratings to earn a reprieve for next season.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: At the beginning of the season, I noted that "NCIS's" recurring storyline with Armand Assante as an arms dealer was pretty much a letdown with its resolution. Apparently, the producers decided to beat that dead horse once more as the FBI investigates Director Sheppard (Lauren Holly) tonight (CBS, 8 p.m.)

NBC shows a rerun of "The Best of Chris Farley" (NBC, 8:30 p.m.) before a new "L&O: SVU" at 10 p.m. "Boston Legal" (ABC, 10 p.m.) is also new.

Finally, feeling the pinch at the gas pump? Check out tonight's "Nova" (PBS, 8 p.m.), in which Car Talk guys Tom and Ray Magliozzi search for a new car and explore all of the alternative fuels out there.

Robin Sparkles Again

2008-04-21T00:45:00.003-04:00

One of the best things about "How I Met Your Mother" (CBS, 8:30 p.m.) is that the series will set up a joke during one episode and carry it on as a running joke through the series.

One of the best is the "Robin Sparkles" persona of Robin (Cobie Smulders), when she was a teen mall queen pop star back in Canada. The video of Robin is still around the Web where she sings "Let's Go To The Mall."

Tonight, the subplot is revisited with a plethora of guest stars as Robin meets up with her high school boyfriend (James Van Der Beek), and we also see Alan Thicke and real-life teen mall queen Tiffany. I'm fairly certain we get another cheesy pop video as part of the package.

It's one of the aspects of the show that I love, along with everything from suiting up to slap bets.

If you want an introduction to TV's best sitcom, you could do worse than tonight's installment, part of a whole new night of CBS comedies.

SARAH CONNOR RETURNS: TVGuide.com's Michael Ausiello is reporting that though it isn't official, the cast and crew of "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" will be returning for a second season. It's good news, as "SCC" had surprising emotional impact to go along with its action.

MONDAY'S BEST BETS: "Bones" (Fox, 8 p.m.) is new, but not all-new. Tonight's episode was originally shot last season, but it centers around the death of a college basketball star. Because it was set to air right around the time of the Virginia Tech shootings last year, Fox wisely decided in would be in poor taste to air it, so it is finally hitting the airwaves tonight.

"Gossip Girl" (CW, 8 p.m.) has been deliberately drawing attention to its return tonight with a racy campaign that seems to fit in perfectly with the show itself. It's followed by a new "One Tree Hill."

"Samantha Who?" (ABC, 9:30 p.m.) is sandwiched by "Dancing With the Stars" and "The Bachelor," while "Medium" is brand new at 10 p.m. on NBC.