Network Report Card '08, III: The CW

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."

Emmy Memo II: Drama

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.)

2 1/2 CSIs

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.

DVD Pick: Justice League - New Frontier

One of the best graphic novels of the past decade was writer/illustrator Darwyn Cooke's "Justice League: New Frontier," which re-imagined the classic superheroes during the 1950s-60s era - the beginning of the Silver Age of comics.

Notable for its distinctive, retro-style artwork, the miniseries introduced several familiar characters - Green Lantern, Flash, Martian Manhunter - through their diverse backgrounds, gradually bringing them together as they encountered an ancient, supernatural entity called The Center.

As great as the novel was, I didn't think it would be possible to recapture it onscreen when I heard Warner Brothers was doing a straight-to-DVD project. But I was wrong - sort of.

I was a big fan of the WB's "Justice League" cartoons, created by the same people who did "Batman: The Animated Series," "Superman," "Batman Beyond," etc. All of them, plus Cooke, are involved with "New Frontier."

The DVD truncates Cooke's graphic novel, streamlining it to a huge degree. On the one hand, it makes the movie more manageable, particularly if you don't have 60-plus years of DC Comics characters committed to memory. On the other hand, some of the flavor of the novel is lost a little bit.

The DVD focuses mainly on two characters: Hal Jordan (David Boreanaz), who eventually becomes Green Lantern, and the Martian Manhunter (Miguel Ferrer), an alien accidently brought to a McCarthy-era Earth where masked heroes like Batman (Jeremy Sisto) and the Flash (Neil Patrick Harris) are not trusted, while unmasked heroes such as Superman (Kyle MacLachlan) and Wonder Woman (Lucy Lawless) work for the government.

Gradually, each of the heroes becomes aware of the threat of the Center (Keith David), which threatens the entire world. The heroes must unite as one force to save the day.

This is not a kids-oriented film, to be sure. People get killed in New Frontier. Some of the language is not what you'd expect in a cartoon.

But the story, as voiced by an exceptional cast, is extremely fast-paced. Maybe a little too fast-paced, since I would have liked to have seen some more character development. And non-comic book fans may get lost.

If you do rent "New Frontier," watch the extra that gives a history of the Justice League first. It will give you some good background on a lot of the characters that will help when watching the movie.

With a live-action "Justice League" movie headed to the big screen in 2009, these are characters that will be in the public eye for a long time to come. "New Frontier" is a good way to introduce (or re-introduce) them.

WEDNESDAY'S BEST BETS: The Anne Heche dramedy, "Men In Trees" (ABC, 10 p.m.) returns to the air tonight, one of the few new things that aren't reality. It will go opposite a new "Law & Order" (NBC, 10 p.m.)

Of the reality fare, "American Idol" (Fox, 8 p.m.) turns it over to the ladies, once again, while "Project Runway" (Bravo, 10 p.m.) begins Part 1 of its two-part finale.