Mad About 'Mad Men'

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.

'Lost' Rocks! (Warning-Spoilers); New Summer Programming

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

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.

Finale Thursday

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.

LiLo's Big Comeback?

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

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.

Too Much TV!

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.

'Eli's' Coming, With The Season Finale

ABC has cornered the market this season on whimsy, offering viewers the likes of the delightful "Pushing Daisies" and "Dirty Sexy Money."

Right up there has been the ever-improving "Eli Stone" (ABC, 10 p.m.), which wraps up its first season tonight with Eli (Jonny Lee Miller) in a coma after the surgery to remove his aneurysm goes wrong.

I'm pulling for both Eli Stone the character and "Eli Stone" the series to survive next season. It's one of those bubble shows that hasn't gotten a full commitment from ABC for next year.

(For a list of other shows and their chances, check out TVGuide.com's Michael Ausiello's list here: http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Ausiello-Scoop-Favorite/800037719)

It's been an interesting ride with Eli as he tries to cope with his visions, which include a plethora of George Michael songs, and his cases. The writers do a good job of making us care each week whether Eli and his law partners win such cases as the rights of prisoners or even two gay chimps who want to live together.

The supporting cast is also first-rate, especially the always-terrrific Victor Garber as Eli's boss and father figure. (Note to producers: include more musical numbers for Garber next season.)

And credit the producers for moving the story along. They could have dragged out Eli's secret being revealed or his relationship with his ex (Natasha Henstridge), and destroying the Golden Gate Bridge (through CGI) last week was particularly inspired, because it let the viewers know anything can happen. As a viewer, you don't expect to see something like that, so it proved to be a delightful surprise to me.

I always pull for shows that have a true sense of originality, and they don't come more original than "Eli Stone." Here's hoping we get a lot more George Michael numbers in the future.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: It's like a conspiracy that all of the networks get together and decide to put their best stuff on Thursdays. In the end, it's a victory for we, the viewers (and helps make up for crappy Wednesdays.)

In case you need a refresher for the return of "Lost" next week (at its new 10 p.m. time slot), ABC is running the last two episodes from a few weeks ago from 8-10 p.m. The first deals with Sun's pregnancy, making for one of the most poignant moments of the season, while the second one tells us what happened to Michael after leaving the island.

NBC's comedy lineup is all new, beginning with "My Name Is Earl." (NBC, 8 p.m.) Please let Earl get out of the coma, already. Jack tries to recruit Tracy to join the Republican Party on "30 Rock," while "The Office" gang fights for their parking spots, finishing with an all-new "Scrubs" before an all-new "ER" at 10 p.m.

Someone is definitely supposed to die soon on "Smallville" (CW, 8 p.m.) No spoilers here, but if I were a betting man, I'm guessing Lionel Luthor. It's followed by a rerun of "Supernatural," but it's the best episode of the season - Dean is killed over and over and over in the show's tribute to "Groundhog Day." If you have never seen this series before - and it's one of the most underrated shows on TV - this is the episode to catch, folks.

A Bit More 'Lost' And 'Grey's'

If the bloggings seem light over the next couple of days, it's because I have a tremendous amount of stuff due in the paying side of my job, so apologies in advance.

Just a quick note today to deliver some good news. ABC announced that both "Lost" and "Grey's Anatomy" will have an extra hour apiece added to their post-strike orders.

The tricky bit is that "Lost" needed an extra hour to tell the season finale the way Team Darlton wanted to, but because of the way the schedule worked out ("Lost's" finale is essentially a three-hour long episode), ABC needed an extra hour filled, so it ordered another "Grey's."

The one bad thing, though, is that the first part of the "Lost" finale will air May 15, but we then get a two-week break before the final two hours air May 29, because Team Darlton felt it better not to break up those final two hours. So ABC will air the "Ugly Betty" and "Grey's" finales during that May 22 run, while the May 15 "Lost" will re-air in the 8 p.m. time slot May 29, making it an all-"Lost" night.

Ironically, none of this will help ABC much ratings-wise, because sweeps end May 21, meaning all of ABC's heavy hitters will be airing their finales after that key ratings period.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: Abby tries to prove a dog's innnocence on "NCIS" (CBS, 8 p.m.) That's one of the reasons I love this particular procedural - it's exactly the sort of thing Abby would do. Top that, CSI!

ABC airs a new "Boston Legal" at 10 p.m. following the "Dancing With The Stars" results show. Fox is all-reality with "American Idol" and "Hell's Kitchen," while NBC delivers a new "Law & Order: SVU" at 10 p.m. after the finale of "The Biggest Loser."

Finally, a new "The Riches" (FX, 10 p.m.) airs.

Admitting I Was Wrong

I'm a big enough person to admit when I am wrong (rare though that is).

When "Celebrity Apprentice" (NBC, 9 p.m.) first debuted a couple of months ago, I was pretty derisive and snickering in my comments. Usually, "all-star" versions of so-called reality shows are among the worst installments.

But you know what? "Celebrity Apprentice" has been pretty entertaining this season. Somehow, the producers have made it all work.

Sure, it does seem fixed somewhat in that Omarosa should have been fired the first week but somehow made it to the final six, despite complete incompentance and obnoxiousness. Sure, some of the "celebrity" picks (Nadia Comenchi anyone?) were pretty lame.

But Piers Morgan has been a star, Carol Alt still lights up any room she's in, and people like Trace Adkins and Stephen Baldwin have been entertaining. The boardroom sessions, in which Donald Trump fires a candidate, have been some of the best in the entire series.

In fact, other than keeping Omarosa around for way too long, my lone regret was Gene Simmons essentially quitting the show in the first few episodes. Simmons was hilarious and the one person on the planet whose ego trumped Trump's. (Seeing Trump practically beg Simmons to reconsider his actions made for one of the best boardrooms ever).

"Celebrity Apprentice" wraps up tonight with a two-hour finale as Morgan and Adkins square off for their respective charities. It should be a fun ride.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: Oy, what am I going to do with "Lost" for the next few weeks? ABC is re-airing the season premiere tonight, sandwiched by new two new episodes of "Miss Guided" at 8 p.m. and "Eli Stone" at 10 p.m.

"Smallville" (CW, 8 p.m.) and "Reaper" (CW, 9 p.m.) are both new.

Finally, the NCAA basketball tournament (CBS, 7 p.m.), or what I like to term, a waste of $5, resumes tonight and runs through the weekend before next weekend's Final Four.

Oh, Buffy, How I Miss You

The highlight of the Paley Fest no doubt had to have been the "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer" reunion held last night.

Bloggers galore have been writing enthusiastically about it.

You can read about what went on here: http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Scoop-Spoilers-Secrets/800035980

and here: http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Roush-Dispatch/Joss-Whedon-Buffy/800035958

and here: http://www.thefutoncritic.com/rant.aspx?id=20080320

It's a testament to the quality of the show that nearly five years after it ended people are still jazzed to get any Buffy discussion going. Don't forget, both "Buffy" and "Angel" still live on in comic book form, with series creator Joss Whedon writing or approving the scripts that form the hypothetical next seasons of each series. ("Angel," in particular, has had some really great twists to it).

It only gets my juices going even more when Whedon's new series "Dollhouse," starring "Buffy" alum Eliza Dushku, will hit the airwaves next season on Fox.

MY BAD: The big "Lost" ending Michael Emerson alluded to will be in the first episode when the series returns in a few weeks.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: I always like it when I find little nuggets on cable. "Futurama" never got as much ink as other adult-oriented animated series out there, but I enjoyed it just as much as "The Simpsons" or "Family Guy." I never got the chance to catch the direct-to-DVD "Futurama" movie, "Bender's Big Score," when it came out, but now I can see it with everyone else when it debuts this Sunday on Comedy Central at 8 p.m.

The very-disappointing "Return of Jezebel James" (Fox, 8:30 p.m.) is new tonight, disappointing in that it's really not good, surprising with all the talent attached to it.

"Torchwood" (BBC America, Sat., 9 p.m.) is all new, heading toward the end of its second season.

On Sunday, the miniseries "John Adams" (HBO, 9 p.m.) continues as Adams and Ben Franklin head to France.

And finally, the NCAA tournament will be running all weekend on CBS. Hopefully, your brackets aren't too busted.

'All Hell Breaks Loose'

Dear "Lost," how do I love thee?

Let me count the ways:

--You are perhaps the last true watercooler show on TV right now.
--You have TV's best villain in Ben Linus (Michael Emerson).
--You've taken the practical means of storytelling to a new level with the combination of flashbacks (which many screenwriting teachers snicker at as a cop-out technique) and flashforwards.
--When you add to the cast, generally it is an improvement (Ben, Juliet, Mr. Eko, Desmond, and now the boat people)
--When a character sucks (Ana Lucia, Boone, Shannon, Nikki, Paolo) you kill them off in really cool ways.
--In a show about mystery, suspense and action, you tell some of the best love stories around (Jin-Sun, Desmond-Penny, etc.)
--You almost never telegraph your punches, meaning there are genuine surprises every week.

Oh, I could go on and on, but I'm sure there are 10,000 reasons and counting as to the greatness of this show. Tonight is the eighth episode (ABC, 9 p.m.), the last filmed before the strike. When I interviewed Emerson a few months ago, he said No. 8 could serve as a great season finale had the strike not been resolved, and that all hell breaks loose in the final moments of the episode. We'll see. Meanwhile, tonight's Michael-centric story focuses on why he has returned to the island after betraying the castaways two seasons ago and murdering two of them.

The show then airs reruns for the next two or three weeks, to make up for the gap caused by the strike. It's going to be the longest two or three weeks ever.

AROUND THE DIAL: I hope you caught last night's "Late Show With David Letterman," in which the cast of "Battlestar Galactica" came on as their characters to present the Top 10 list. On that note, Sci-Fi made it official and will pick up the "BSG" prequel called "Caprica" after BSG ends. ...

"Friday Night Lights" is very close to being official renewed now. For more on that, check out TVGuide.com's Michael Ausiello's report from PaleyFest at http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Friday-Night-Lights/800035828.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: One of the best times of the year for sports fans tips off this afternoon with the NCAA basketball tournament. Of course, the only team worth watching, the Cinderella Georgia Bulldogs, battle Xavier at noon today on CBS. Check local listings for other games in the tournament.

Surrounding "Lost" is more ABC newness, with two episodes of the promising Judy Greer comedy "Miss Guided" at 8 p.m., including one with guest star Ashton Kutcher, and "Eli Stone" at 10 p.m.

"Celebrity Apprentice" (NBC, 9 p.m.) narrows it down to two finalists. If I have to lay odds, I'm guessing Piers Morgan and Carol Alt reach the finals. It's followed by a new "Lipstick Jungle" at 10 p.m.

Hopefully, "Smallville" (CW, 8 p.m.) can rebound from last week's 42-minute gum commercial. It's followed by a new "Reaper" at 9 p.m.

The Return Of Lauren Ambrose

I was an eager participant on Fox's conference call Wednesday with "The Return Of Jezebel James" star, Lauren Ambrose. (Someone at the network must know that redheads are my kryptonite.)

The series, which debuts Friday at 8 p.m., marks the return of "Gilmore Girls" creator Amy Sherman-Palladino to network TV and has generated a lot of buzz.

It also marks the return of Ambrose, who earned two Emmy nominations as Claire Fisher on "Six Feet Under."

Ambrose, who spent the summer performing Shakespeare, seems pleased with her new show.

"The project seemed interesting," she said. "I had never done anything like it. When I did (Six Feet Under), that would be a two-week shoot. ... It was like shooting an indy movie. (Jezebel James) is a multi-camera thing. It's a whole different world. You rehearse all week, then you get ready to put a one-act play for an audience. It seemed like an interesting challenge."

Ambrose plays Coco, a free spirit living on someone's couch with no job or prospects. Her sister, Sarah (Parker Posey) is a highly successful New York children's book editor who discovers she can't have children. So she approaches Coco to be her surrogate. And Jezebel James? She was Coco's imaginary childhood friend, who later formed the basis of a successful book Sarah published.

The cast includes Dianne Wiest, Scott Cohen, Ron McLarty and Michael Arden.

Though some might see similarities between Coco and Claire, Ambrose said the two are completely different.

"Similarities? I see a similarity in that I'm playing both characters," she said with a laugh. "I see them as pretty different. Claire was a kid, a teenager trying to figure out who she is. (Coco) is a fully formed adult, even though she is kind of a mess."

Sherman-Palladino became famous for her fast-paced dialogue on "Gilmore Girls," and Ambrose admitted it took some getting used to.

"It was definitely a dense script I was handed," she said. "The pilot was something like 60 pages for a half-hour show. It forced us to act fast and talk quickly and be quite facile. That's (Sherman-Palladino's) whole thing."

Ambrose said the show is shot on the same sound stage as "The Cosby Show" was, and filmed in the same studio as Marx Brothers films. She hopes to tap into that classic appeal.

"It's good, old-fashioned entertainment," she said. "It's old-fashioned show biz. It's a little scary to me, which is something I like."

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: After a brief hiatus, "Smallville" (CW, 8 p.m.) returns by bringing back former co-star Sam Jones III as Pete Ross, Clark's best friend. Pete is addicted to kryptonite-laced chewing gum (stick to redheads, Pete), giving him elastic powers. (In the original comics, Jimmy Olsen was the one who became Elastic Lad.) The CW and Stride Gum are also doing a tie-in in which fans can help create an original "Smallville" comic based upon the episode. Visit cwtv.com for more information. The show is followed by a new episode of "Reaper" at 9 p.m.

Of course, a little gem of a show called "Lost" (ABC, 9 p.m.) is new. Not to spoil anything, but supposedly we learn who the rest of the Oceanic Six are, someone dies and someone else returns. It's followed by a new "Eli Stone."

Did anyone else sing "Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead" last week when Omarosa was booted off "Celebrity Apprentice" (NBC, 9 p.m.) after her crushing defeat with the art gallery challenge? That was schadenfreude, folks. It's followed by a new "Lipstick Jungle" at 10 p.m.

Alicia Silverstone Is No 'Mother'

It was rumored a few months ago that we would finally learn the identity of Ted Moseby's future wife on the CBS sitcom, "How I Met Your Mother."

Now in its third season, the series is essentially a giant flashback in which an older Ted (voiced by Bob Saget) tells his kids the story of how he met their mother. For all of the show's run, however, it's followed the misadventures of the younger Ted (Josh Radnor) and his wacky friends. Often, Ted tells his kids of one fling after another, and how the girl who might be "The One" turns out not to be.

"HIMYM" has been one of the most consistently funny sitcoms since its inception, but also constantly ratings-challenged on Monday nights, often being dwarfed in the Nielsen's by its less-funny CBS brethren (someone please explain to me the appeal of "Big Bang Theory").

So the producers of "HIMYM" have resorted to a bit of stunt casting that should give them a temporary ratings bump, but will probably hurt them in the long run.

The producers cast Alicia Silverstone in multi-episodes as a doctor who becomes Ted's love interest. Some even rumored that she would be revealed as the "Mother" from the title.

This wasn't the problem. I think Silverstone has good comic timing and charm, and might have been an interesting mix to the cast. But you won't be seeing Silverstone in the role.

She dropped out when the OTHER guest star for her first episode was announced - none other than Britney Spears, who was going to play her nurse. Yes, the producers have resorted to stunt casting everyone's favorite bipolar tabloid fodder ex-pop queen. Silverstone, meanwhile, will be replaced by the talented Sarah Chalke ("Scrubs"), but the character will only appear in that episode.

In one way, casting Spears could be a ratings coup. After all, you can barely turn the channel anyway and not see her, albeit in usually humiliating circumstances. But I'm guessing the audience that tunes in specificially to catch Spears will not be sticking around for future "HIMYM" installments.

You can read more about the whole fiasco at TVGuide.com: http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Ausiello-Scoop-Chalke/700018100

Meanwhile, Silverstone may appear as a different character in future installments of the show.

"LOST" MADNESS: My brother forwarded me this little tidbit from The Washington Post. It's a little NCAA-style bracket in which the various characters on "Lost" faceoff in a giant popularity contest. (My money is on Sawyer). You can check it out here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/television/features/2007/lost-central/lost_madness.html

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: Oh, to be in April, when new episodes of dramatic TV will appear.

In the meantime, "House"-less Tuesdays are going to continue to suck, with two-hour blocks of "American Idol" (Fox, 8 p.m.) squaring off against the likes of "The Biggest Loser" (NBC, 8 p.m.) The CW kicks off a new season of "Beauty & The Geek" at 8 p.m., but only for an hour.

As for scripted TV, "Jericho" (CBS, 10 p.m.) airs the first of its likely final three episodes, while "One Tree Hill" (CW, 9 p.m.) airs its 99th episode. Oh, and "According To Jim" (ABC, 9 p.m.) is also new.

'Lost' On The Web

Sorry for the delayed post, out sick yesterday and covering a trial today.

My Web master, Ryan Gilchrest, told me he has been catching up with "Lost" (ABC, 9 p.m.) by catching it online at ABC.com. Currently, it's the only show the network is offering in the HD-format.

If you have a fast enough connection, you get the benefit of it being shown full-screen, with terrific clarity and sound. If you don't own a HD television, this is a good way to see what you are missing.

Unfortunately for me, my computer is on the slow end, so when I tried watching the download, it came out choppy in full screen mode (but worked great in small-screen mode). The picture was sharp and the sound was excellent.

"Lost" is one of the few shows I have to watch right when it is being aired, both for obsessive enjoyment and fear of spoilers. But I know a lot of people who do download it, and it might be worth a look if you aren't OCD like me.

Of course, as more and more people catch TV online instead of on their sets, you get an idea as to what the WGA strike was about.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: In addition to the Juliet-centric episode of "Lost," ABC also has a new "Eli Stone" at 10 p.m.

"American Idol" (Fox, 8 p.m.) gives us more voting results tonight, followed by a new episode of "New Amsterdam" at 9 p.m., following Tuesday's pilot.

"The Celebrity Apprentice" (NBC, 9 p.m.) whittles it down to five contestants, followed by "Lipstick Jungle" at 10 p.m.

News & Notes

Well, I wasn't the only person who flat out hated NBC's "Quarterlife."

In addition to most of the major TV critics in the country also giving it a negative review, the viewers apparently listened to us. "Quarterlife" had the lowest ratings in that timeslot for NBC in nearly two decades, capturing about a third of "Law & Order's" audience.

"Quarterlife finished with a 1.3 rating - about 3.1 million viewers - in the 18-49 demographic.

NBC is sticking with the show at least one more week, and possibly more when it moves to its regular Sunday timeslot. If anybody cares.

AROUND THE DIAL: In a good news/bad news type of deal, "Dexter" showrunner Daniel Cerone is leaving the Showtime hit. But at least he is joining ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money." ... Gary Cole will join the cast of "Desperate Housewives" as Dana Delany's ex-husband. ...

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: So, what did happen to the helicopter that carried Sayid and Desmond to the boat on "Lost?" (ABC, 9 p.m.) Tonight, we find out in this very Desmond-centric episode. For years, "Lost" fans have speculated about time travel being a part of the island's mystery, and there may be an element of that with the helicopter. It's followed by a new episode of the charming "Eli Stone" at 10 p.m.

"American Idol" (Fox, 8 p.m.) votes off another contestant, while on "Celebrity Apprentice" (NBC, 9 p.m.), Donald Trump merely fires them. That show is followed by a new "Lipstick Jungle" at 10 p.m.

Quick Tidbits

It appears that NBC's high asking price to other networks may be a sticking point to bringing back "Friday Night Lights" for next season.

Variety is reporting that the network has been talking with The CW, E!, G4 and TNT about sharing "FNL," airing it first on one of those networks, then re-airing them on NBC (similar to the arrangement NBC has with its sister network USA for "Law & Order: Criminal Intent.")

Leave it to NBC to try and milk a show for all its nickels even when it is considering cancelling said show. The irony is, despite its small ratings, "FNL" does extremely well with the groups advertisors most covet.

Whatever happens with "FNL," "Bionic Woman" won't be joining it. Though it's not official, insiders say the disappointing NBC action series is kaput.

Meanwhile, "Law & Order" will be back on NBC next season, but Jesse L. Martin won't be. After nine years, he's stepping away from his role as one of the long line of NYC detectives featured. One rumor Variety is floating is that Anthony Anderson is being considered as a replacement, even though Anderson's "K-Ville" has yet to receive an official cancellation from Fox (though it's very likely).

Over at ABC, the network has announced the remainder of its lineup for this season. Both "Ugly Betty" and "Grey's Anatomy" will return for five new episodes apiece, beginning April 24, the same night "Lost" switches to 10 p.m.

"Desperate Housewives" will run five new episodes, plus a two-hour finale, beginning April 13. On April 20, it will be joined on Sundays by the first of four new "Brothers & Sisters." "Samantha Who?" returns April 7 and "Boston Legal" April 8, each for six new episodes. "Pushing Daisies," "Private Practice" and "Dirty Sexy Money" will all be back next season.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: As if watching "Lost" (ABC, 9 p.m.) isn't reason enough, in of itself, tonight's episode is Kate-centric, reportedly featuring both flashbacks and flash-forwards. Will we learn identity of who Kate is living with in the future? It's followed by a new "Eli Stone" at 10 p.m.

"Supernatural" (CW, 9 p.m.), which paid a brilliant tribute to "Groundhog Day" last week, looks to tackle "Assault On Precinct 13" this week as the boys are trapped in jail as a town has zombies attacking it.

On the so-called reality front, "American Idol" (Fox, 8 p.m.) announces the winners and losers from the first round of voting, Piers Morgan and Lennox Lewis mix it up on "Celebrity Apprentice" (NBC, 9 p.m.) and fans battle favorites on "Survivor" (CBS, 8 p.m.)

'Dexter' On CBS

You can make a strong argument that Showtime has surpassed HBO in producing quality TV among pay-cable networks, especially with "The Sopranos" no longer on the air.

If you make that argument, "Dexter" would be at the top of the list.

Based upon a series of novels, "Dexter" stars Michael C. Hall as a police lab tech who moonlights as a serial killer. His victims? People in Miami who have committed crimes but somehow skirted the law. Dexter is a one-man judge, jury and executioner, trained by his late adoptive father to channel his latent homicidal instincts into a force for good.

Thanks to the strike, you can catch "Dexter" on network TV, when CBS begins airing the first season of the series Sunday night at 10 p.m.

There's been a little controversy over this, since obviously being on a network, the producers will have to cut out the strong language and nudity, as well as some of the gore that is one of the hallmarks of the series.

Can I recommend a watered-down "Dexter"? Yes. Though I think the series is best-presented in its Showtime format, there is enough great about the series that watching it on CBS won't affect the average viewer.

Hall is fantastic as Dexter, a total opposite to his character on "Six Feet Under." He is Emmy-worthy in his performance. His supporting is solid as well, although many fans of the series wish the whole thing was about Dexter and wouldn't go off into the various subplots.

"Dexter" isn't for the faint of heart, but it's a great mix of storytelling, acting and even humor.

THURSDAY RECAP: DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS ABOUT "LOST!!!"

SERIOUSLY!

OK, still here? Good.

Man, oh man, assuming the "Lost" producers have every subplot figured out, the ending of this series in a couple of years will be a humdinger, given all the little clues and twists they are leaving for us with the flash forwards.

Sayid (Naveen Andrews) becoming Ben's (Michael Emerson) personal hitman? Didn't see that one coming. And, of course, it begs the question about who the Germans were that Sayid was dispatched to infiltrate.

I can't wait to find out who the final two "Oceanic Six" survivors are.

Meanwhile, the one bad thing about "Lost" is that it's opposite "Supernatural," which might have aired its best episode ever. What could have been a simple ripoff of "Groundhog Day" as Dean (Jensen Ackles) is killed over and over while Sam (Jared Padelecki) is trapped in the same day turned out to be a brilliant mix of humor and pathos. This continues to be TV's most underrated show.

Finally, "Celebrity Apprentice" continues to be bizarrely entertaining, though enough is enough with Omorosa. She was beyond ridiculous last night and should have been booted off the show because of her behavior, no matter which team won.

WEEKEND'S BEST BETS: NBC, which sends me DVDs for nearly everything it does, did not send me the DVD for the "Knight Rider" TV movie airing Sunday at 9 p.m. So I can't tell you if it's any good or not, but my expectations aren't high. In fact, the one reason why I really wanted to see it - "Arrested Development's" Will Arnett voicing KITT - is gone as Arnett was replaced by Val Kilmer. Justin Bruening takes over the role as the son of Michael Knight, who fights crime in a Mustang supercar. And yes, David Hasselhoff does make an appearance in the movie, which may serve as a pilot if it's successful. It follows the finale of "American Gladiators."

"Monk" (USA, 9 p.m.) begins its two-part season finale as Adrian (Tony Shalhoub) is arrested for the murder of his wife's killer and becomes a fugitive. It's followed by the season finale of "Psych" at 10 p.m.

On Saturday, "Torchwood" (BBC America, 9 p.m.)

And I was remiss last week in forgetting to mention that one of TV's best new shows, "Breaking Bad" (AMC, 10 p.m.) is all-new Sunday.

Oscar Picks

Keith Demko of macon.com's Reel Fanatic blog and I have teamed up for our Oscar predictions this year. Last year, we did a podcast, but this year, it's full video.

You can check it out here:

The Oscars will air Feb. 24 on ABC, complete with writers and actors now that the strike is over. Though I rarely watch a full Oscars telecast, I prefer it to the option of three hours of clips from previous shows, which was the plan had the strike continued.

Speaking of the strike, now that it's over, here's an amusing tale. As regular readers of this blog know, I am trying to break into the world of professional screenwriting. My latest work, completed in November, is an animation tale. Since animation wasn't part of the contract that was being disputed between the studios and the writers, I could sell a script (in theory) without being a scab, since I don't qualify as a member of the WGA.

Anyway, as I called around in November after the strike had started, a number of companies said they wouldn't discuss my script until after the strike was over, even though it was technically legal to do so.

Finally, I called the WGA and asked about the status of animated scripts. They acknowledged that it was true, animated scripts weren't covered.

WGA LADY: Let me ask you, are you a member of the guild?
ME: No, ma'am.

WGA LADY: Do you ever want to be?
ME: Of course.

WGA LADY: Then maybe you don't want to try to be selling a script during the strike.

I stopped trying after that, since I didn't want to cross picket lines even though I wasn't a member of the union. Wednesday was the first official day I could start calling production companies about my script once more. Of course, me and the 20,000 members of the WGA, all of whom have TV and movie credits and agents, so the strike ending now really helps me very little. But if I ever do sell anything, then hopefully the concessions the union won will be of great benefit in the future.

THURSDAY'S BEST BETS: TVGuide. com is reporting that "Lost" (ABC, 9 p.m.) has proven so successful on Wednesday's that the ABC suits are considering airing the show in the 10 p.m. slot behind "Grey's Anatomy" when new episodes start airing in April. An "Ugly Betty"-"Grey's"-"Lost" trifecta would be powerful indeed. The Web site is also reporting that "Lost's" eighth episode, which actor Michael Emerson told me ends with a gigantic cliffhanger and shocking twist, may be pushed back to April to air with the five episodes left to be filmed. I guess we'll see. It's followed by "Eli Stone" at 10 p.m. tonight.

"Celebrity Apprentice" (NBC, 9 p.m.) finds Omorosa and Piers on the same team for once, leading to all sorts of wackiness. It's followed by "Lipstick Jungle," which should make at least one reader of this blog happy.

Kara is back (albeit with amnesia) on "Smallville" (CW, 8 p.m.), followed by the always-entertaining "Supernatural" at 9 p.m.

Finally, Fox is airing the NAACP Image Awards, hosted by Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin.

It's Official! The Strike Is Over

The WGA voted overwhelmingly to end the strike Tuesday, meaning that writers can officially start banging out scripts on their laptops once more. Huzzah!

It's going to be a short posting today, since I want to savor Roger Clemens getting grilled by Congress.

A second "Save 'Friday Night Lights' " site has popped up here: http://www.savefridaynightlights.tv/

Finally, TVGuide.com's Michael Ausiello has a Q-and-A with "Lost" producer Carlton Cuse. Cuse reports that there will be only five more episodes after the initial eight this season, but he hasn't given up hope of getting those three episodes back at some point over the final two seasons. Also, there will be a four-week gap between the eight in the can and the five left to shoot. You can check it out at http://community.tvguide.com/blog/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/700000049

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: "American Idol" (Fox, 8 p.m.) begins the cut to get to 12 men and 12 women semifinalists.

"Cashmere Mafia" (ABC, 10 p.m.) is new; hopefully Can't-Wait-For-Lipstick-Jungle, who posted here last week, will give this show a chance as well. It's opposite a new "Law & Order" on NBC.

Finally, PBS continues to celebrate Black History Month with "African American Lives" at 9 p.m.