Fox Howls At Commercials

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.

A Cable Dilemma

Curse you, quality pay TV!

As evidenced by the love the Golden Globes showed networks like HBO and Showtime (a little too much love, in some cases) when the list of nominations were released Thursday, there's some really good stuff on those channels right now.

Which brings us to Sunday night.

Do I want to watch the season finale of "Dexter," (Showtime, 9 p.m.) which looks to conclude its fantastic Bay Harbor Butcher arc?

Or, do I want to watch the series finale of one of the most underrated comedies on TV, "Extras?" (HBO, 9 p.m.)

"Dexter" has been riveting this season, as the titular anti-hero (Michael C. Hall) feels the noose of the FBI tightening around his neck as he must comes to terms with what his life as a serial killer of bad people will mean to everyone else in his life. All the while, he must deal with his prisoner, Sgt. Doakes, who knows his secret, and his crazy ex-girlfriend Lila (Jaime Murray of "Hustle"). One of the best things about "Dexter" is that you definitely don't see the various plot twists when they pop up.

Meanwhile, series creators Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant have created a finale to "Extras" after two short seasons of the show, much the same way they did for the original version of "The Office" when it ran in the UK.

Andy (Gervais), a career background artist, must come to terms with the success of his TV sitcom which has been bastardized by the network, altering his vision of the show. While the regulars on the show - Gervais, his best friend Maggie (Ashley Jensen of "Ugly Betty") and his awful agent (Merchant) - have been terrific, what makes "Extras" truly brilliant are the cameos of real-life major stars and how they parody themselves, whether it's Ben Stiller quoting his own box office numbers or an overly self-involved Orlando Bloom, who can't figure out why Maggie is the one woman in the world who doesn't find him attractive.

The series finale includes appearances by Clive Owen, Gordon Ramsay, David Tennant and George Michael as themselves.

Since I can't tape one while I watch the other, I'll have to see which show airs its rerun first. But what a choice.

CASTING NEWS: A couple of interesting casting bits came over the wires, if the TV industry ever resumes.

Nana Visitor (Star Trek: Deep Space 9) will appear on the fourth season of "Battlestar Galactica" as a character with ties to Pres. Laura Roslin (Mary McDonell).

And the new voice of KITT in the upcoming "Knight Rider" TV movie? None other than Will Arnett of "Arrested Development," taking over for William Daniels from the original series. I have to say that if they let Arnett be his truly sarcastic self, "Knight Rider" may actually be worth watching. Also confirmed for the movie is original series star David Hasselhoff, reprising his role as Michael Knight.

STRIKE UPDATE: In a good news/bad news type of update, the WGA has filed a grievance with the National Labor Relations Board over the studios' walking away from the negotiating table.

It's bad news in that it shows the writers and studios are no closer to an agreement, but it might be good news in that hopefully the NLRB may force the studios back to the table. The studios offered a take-it-or-leave-it proposal to the union last week, then walked away from the table before the WGA even had a chance to make a counter-offer. The original offer? $200 residuals per year per episode of any TV show put online, which amounts to a slap in the face. Stay tuned.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: Ah, the last few gasps of newness before 2008 comes.

One of my many complaints about "Moonlight" (CBS, 9 p.m.) is the almost-criminal underuse of Jason Dohring as Josef, Mick's (Alex O'Loughlin) vampire mentor. But tonight's episode is pretty Josef-centric, so that could be a good thing. It follows a new "Ghost Whisperer" (hey, guys, lay off Jennifer Love-Hewitt) and precedes a new "Numb3rs."

Meanwhile, "Men In Trees" (ABC, 8 p.m.) is also new.

On the sports side, if you don't want to drive all the way to Waycross (and I can't see why you wouldn't), you can catch the GHSA Class AAAA finals of Northside vs. Ware County tonight (GPTV, 7:30 p.m.)

On Sunday, "The Simpsons" (Fox, 8 p.m.) parodies one of my all-time favorite movies, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."

For reasons passing understanding, CBS has decided to make the "Survivor" finale a three-hour affair. Me? I'll be watching pay cable, thank you very much.

'Razor' Sharp

Hope everyone have a good turkey day.

If "Battlestar Galactica: Razor" (Sci-Fi, Sat., 9 p.m.) does anything when it debuts this weekend, it will be as a reminder as to how much the regular series is missed. April seems very, very far away.

"Razor" tells three stories - all flashbacks - during the two-hour movie. One centers on Apollo's (Jamie Bamber) first mission as commander of Pegasus, in which he must destroy a Cylon weapon. His executive officer, Kendra Shaw (Stephanie Jacobsen) is the lone surviving command officer since the ship's reign of Helena Cain (Michelle Forbes).

The second flashback is Shaw's first days on Pegasus, which coincided with the Cylon attack that wiped out the 12 colonies. We see through her eyes how Pegasus survived - though didn't thrive - under Cain's command. We also learn the story of the Cylon No. 6 unit (Tricia Helfer) who infiltrated Pegasus.

As Apollo tries to smooth the way between Shaw and Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff) in getting ready for the mission, William Adama (Edward James Olmos) remembers his first mission as a pilot during the first Cylon War.

In true BSG style, none of the characters are presented sympathetically. We see what Shaw experienced with Cain and why she turned out as hard as she has become.

Though the ending is a little too neat and predictable, "Razor" provides a tremendous amount of insight into one chapter of the "BSG" saga and gives us tantalizing hints into elements of the final season.

But what it really does it remind us how far away April is, when the new season is supposed to start.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: It used to be Thanksgiving was a time for reruns, but that's not what the networks are giving us.

CBS is all-new Friday with "Ghost Whisperer," "Moonlight" and "Numb3rs," while ABC airs new episodes of "Men In Trees" at 8 p.m., followed by "Women's Murder Club" at 9 p.m.

On Saturday, it's a double-treat for sci-fi fans between "Razor" and "Torchwood," (BBC American, Sat., 9 p.m.) which airs its penultimate episode.

It's a full night of Sunday TV when "The Simpsons" (Fox, Sun., 8 p.m.) air a mini-"Frasier" reunion. Kelsey Grammer returns as Sideshow Bob, David Hyde-Pierce is his brother, Cyril, and John Mahoney plays their father. It's followed by "King of the Hill," "Family Guy," and "American Dad."

The teams race to Burkina Faso on "The Amazing Race," (CBS, 8 p.m.), followed by new episodes of "Cold Case" and "Shark."

ABC is all-new with "Desperate Housewives" at 9 p.m. and "Brothers & Sisters" at 10 p.m.

Finally, Michael C. Hall was robbed of an Emmy nod last year, but hopefully, last week's performance as "Dexter" will secure him a statuette. We'll see a different side of Dexter (Showtime, 9 p.m.) this week as the FBI closes in on the Bay Harbor Butcher. It's followed by a new "Brotherhood."

Best.Animated.Movie.Ever.

OK, so I'm a little stoked about "The Simpsons" movie premiering this weekend. But then, I'm old enough to remember the Simpsons vignettes on "The Tracey Ullman Show" an eon or two ago.

Truth be told, the series - which has surpassed 400 episodes - hasn't lived up to the high benchmark it set for itself during its first decade. Episodes like the one about the monorail, or the company softball team, or some of the other classics from those early years far surpass most of the ones done in recent years.

In fact, the only truly standout "Simpsons" episode I can think of during the last few years that measures up as a classic was the one written and starring Ricky Gervais as a guy who swaps wives with Homer.

But despite the show's recent faults (and, in defense of the writers, it's probably hard coming up with fresh stuff after 18 years) there's no denying "The Simpsons" have become a part of Americana.

And the reviews of the movie have been pretty good. Whenever adapting a current-running TV series into a movie format (such as "The X-Files" a few years ago), it's hard to do something that doesn't seem like an expanded episode of the series.

So my advice is to grab a doughnut, pour yourself a squishy and race to get the best seat in the house. Woo-hoo!

RIMES RESPONDS: TVGuide's Michael Ausiello has a pretty interesting interview with "Grey's Anatomy" creator Shonda Rimes about the departure of Isaiah Washington, posted here: http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Shonda-Rhimes-Breaks/800019387

Personally, I don't believe a word of what she said about the incident. In the interview, she said it was her decision to fire Washington and she wrote the season with that plan in mind all along.

COMIC CON ITEM OF THE DAY: I really should make this a regular feature while Comic Con is still going on. (I plan on attending at some point in my life, but sadly not this year).

Karen Allen, who played Marion Ravenwood in "Raiders Of The Lost Ark," will be reprising her role in the newest Indiana Jones movie.

Though specifics on what Marion's role would be in the story, the mere presence of one of the greatest female characters in the history of cinema (I don't exaggerate; I love Marion) is just getting me more antsy to see this movie.

THIS JUST IN: "The View" will be adding two rotating co-hosts to replace the departed Rosie O'Donnell, the Associated Press is reporting Friday.

Whoopi Goldberg and Sherri Shepherd, both of whom have appeared on the show before, will be rotating in with regular hosts Barbara Walters, Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Joy Behar.

Whether they will have the ratings impact the controversial O'Donnell had remains to be seen, but the ratings remained strong after Rosie left, so it shouldn't be too much of a worry.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: The Doctor and Martha run into Daleks during 1930s New York on "Doctor Who," (Sci-Fi, 9 p.m.) On USA, "Monk" visits a nudist resort while Shawn takes on an FBI psychic on "Psych" from 9-11 p.m.

On Saturday, BBC America is running a marathon of the entire second series of "Hex," which had one of the more disappointing endings in recent memory.

On Sunday, the second part of "Kill Point" (Spike, 9 p.m.) airs. Hopefully, the show will pick up a bit. Also, "Mystery" (PBS, 9 p.m.) presents a new Miss Marple case. "The 4400" (USA, 9 p.m.) and "The Dead Zone" (USA, 10 p.m.) are also new.