Facing The Reaper?

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.

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.

Damn You, Tim Kring!

Some major spoilers here if you didn't watch last night's "Heroes."

Still here? Good.

AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!

OK, I enjoyed how Kring & Co. managed to wrap things up pretty neatly considering all the divergent storylines. The early battle with Hiro vs. Peter played out very well, with Hiro finally mixing his powers with his swordplay (you might argue that the Season 1 finale battle would have been much better if they had Hiro doing that against Sylar.)

I could see Nathan's fate coming a mile away (even if Nathan couldn't), but explain to me how an assassin gets multiple shots off with two telepaths in the same room with him. Hopefully, we haven't seen the last of him or Nikki, though explaining how the two manage to survive without a Claire blood transfusion will be pretty tricky.

But no, where Kring & Co. drove me crazy was when Sylar shot and killed Maya. I actually cheered as they bumped off one of the most annoying and useless characters on TV. But then what happens? All is right with the world when suddenly Mohinder brings her back to life with Claire's blood. Are you frakkin' kidding?

How can you tease us like this, Kring? Maya was dead, expired, finished, kaput! Now we're going to be stuck with her whining and plague carrying for the last half of the season, whenever it airs.

I did enjoy seeing he re-powered Sylar at the end, and I always like how Kring always starts the newest chapter at the tail end of the old one, giving us the briefest hint of what's to come.

But there are a lot of questions still to be answered. How can HRG possibly work with The Company again, when there is no trust left between them? Whose side is Elle on these days? What happened to Peter's Irish girlfriend - did he leave her in the future? Will Copycat Girl download a bunch of Criss Angel Mindfreak videos next time around, so she isn't tied up the next time she bungles a job? Have we seen the last of Adam?

After a slow start, "Heroes" rebounded with a strong second half, and I'm eager to find out what's next.

But the next time you kill off Maya, Kring, make sure she stays dead. Please.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: I have to think the "Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" (CBS, 10 p.m.) is a fairly easy programming choice, especially during these strike-filled days. Beautiful women in lingerie. It kind of sells itself, don't you think? Anyway, the fashion show has been around in previous incarnations, so this bit of programming wasn't due to the strike. But something tells me if the strike continues to last, we may see future incarnations sooner than you think.

Not a whole lot else going on. "The Biggest Loser" (NBC, 8 p.m.) sends the remaining contestants to work in a pizzaria, continuing with what I consider to be cruel plotlines in a show that touted itself in being helpful to the overweight. But I guess that kind of show makes for dull reality TV. It's followed by a new "Law & Order: SVU" at 10 p.m.

"Reaper" (CW, 9 p.m.) is coming off a strong episode last week which included Melinda Clarke as the Devil's girlfriend; now, her daughter may be Sam's new squeeze. But is she the Devil's daughter as well?

Part 3 of "Tin Man" (Sci-Fi, 9 p.m.) wraps up the miniseries tonight. If you missed it, don't worry: Sci-Fi is running a marathon of all three parts this Saturday.

Finally, "Boston Legal" (ABC, 10 p.m.) is also new.

Writers' Strike Imminent?

Over the past few days, the Writers Guild of America sent out letters and e-mails to its membership asking for authorization for a potential strike, tentatively scheduled to begin Nov. 1.

With the contract between the WGA and the studios due to end Oct. 31, there are huge issues dividing the two parties, most notably, new media platforms and compensation. In other words, how much of the $1.99 does the writer get when you download a TV show or movie off iTunes?

It's a question that isn't going away, and with the actors' and directors' guilds contracts due to end next year, Hollywood hasn't heard the last of this issue no matter how the WGA deal shakes out.

So, why am I telling you all this? Originally, it was assumed that the WGA would wait to hold their strike until next June, to go in conjuction with the other two guilds. For the studios, it gave them more breathing room - by then, the TV seasons would be complete and they would have an extra eight months to stockpile movie scripts and get more projects in the can.

But now with only a window of a month to settle the dispute, movie projects all over Hollywood may be shut down and the networks are going to have to scramble to fill in programming, since most TV series will only have no more than a dozen episodes (probably less) in the can before a strike. Shows like "Heroes," which had planned on going the entire season without airing reruns, may now be forced to reconsider those plans. And the schedule will likely be full of reality style programming (another issue as the WGA wants those producers subject to WGA rules).

For the average TV and movie viewer, it's looming to be a gloomy holiday season, and the two sides seem far enough apart that this won't be resolved easily.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: Our motto at the TVGuy should be "We watch awful TV so you don't have to." (No thanks necessary, but I do accept tips.)

ABC, which hasn't had a good half-hour comedy in a long while, launches two more tonight that will likely extend that streak. The much publicized "Cavemen," based on the Geico commercials, debuts tonight (ABC, 8 p.m.) followed by "Carpoolers" at 8:30 p.m.

"Cavemen" wasn't sent out in advance to critics, never a good sign, and the original pilot was so panned that it had to be entirely reshot. As a result, the series takes place in San Diego instead of Atlanta, the original setting.

"Carpoolers" stars Jerry O'Connell as part of a quartet of guys who share a ride to work each day. It's supposed to be a buddy series about male bonding, but it falls completely flat. The humor is lame and the situations these guys find themselves in border on the ridiculous. Between "Carpoolers" and "Big Shots," ABC really ought to stay out of the male bonding genre — they really suck at it.

Those shows are followed by ratings juggernaut "Dancing With The Stars" and Emmy favorite "Boston Legal."

Fortunately, you the viewer has plenty of good options tonight. Fox has the best lineup with new episodes of "Bones" at 8 p.m. and "House" at 9 p.m., as our favorite curmudgeonly physician puts 40 candidates through the job interview from hell.

"NCIS" (CBS, 8 p.m.) wrapped up its season arc from last year a little too neatly for my taste, considering we won't be seeing any more of Armand Assante's guns dealer after a year's worth of buildup. It's followed by "The Unit" and "Cane."

Perhaps gearing up for the writers' strike, NBC has a 90-minute "Biggest Loser" beginning at 8 p.m. followed by "The Singing Bee" before it finally airs a dramatic show in "Law& Order: SVU" at 10 p.m.

Hopefully, you caught the pilot last week to one of TV's best new shows in "Reaper" (CW, 9 p.m.), but if you didn't, it's not too late to catch up with it now.

Finally, last, but certainly not least, Ken Burns' "The War" (PBS, 8 p.m.) continues tonight with victory in Europe and the death of FDR.

More TV Goodness

Well, if you haven't heard, Ken Burns' World War II documentary miniseries "The War" (PBS, 8 p.m.) drew a whopping 18.7 million viewers for its debut Sunday night, unheard of for the network except for all the other times Ken Burns has a documentary airing.

Whether the numbers hold remains to be seen as "The War" continues to go head-to-head with all of the network season premieres, but odds are, "The War" has its own built-in, loyal audience. It just goes to show that there's no way to predict the tastes of the average American.

COUCH NOT SO UGLY: Former Maconite Christina Stefano Wood's couch was ugly, just not ugly enough. It made it to the final three of the "Ugliest Couch" contest to earn a spot this morning on "Live With Regis & Kelly," but fell short of the ultimate prize of $5,000 and a selection of seat covers.

Of course, if you saw the couch that actually one, it was pretty much no contest. The winner could have won the "Ugliest Couch of All-Time" award.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: CBS kicks off the night with the season premieres of "NCIS" at 8 p.m., followed by "The Unit" and the debut of "Cane." "Cane" is probably worth a look, although it will require a major commitment from the viewer to stick with it. But the cast, including Jimmy Smits, Hector Elizondo, Rita Morena, Nestor Carbonell and Polly Walker, is stellar and the pilot was better than I expected.

Fox programmers are showing a lot of common sense, moving "Bones" to Tuesdays at 8 p.m. and pairing it with its top-rated drama, "House." Both shows carry that same sort of tongue-in-cheek charm in a procedural form, so the audiences for both shows should be similar. "House" picks up with House all alone after his staff rebels and leaves him, forcing him to hold a cattle call of young doctors to be the new team. Poor saps have no idea what they are in for...

Tonight marks the debut of the male dancers on "Dancing With The Stars" (ABC, 8 p.m.) (Go Wayne Newton!) It's followed by inexplicable Emmy darling "Boston Legal" (ABC, 9:30 p.m.)

NBC is also all-new, with a two-hour "The Biggest Loser" at 8 p.m., followed by the season premiere of "Law & Order: SVU" at 10 p.m.

Finally, the pick of the night is TV's coolest and cleverest new show, "Reaper" (CW, 9 p.m.) Though the comparison to shows like "Buffy" are apt (though "Reaper" is much more tongue in cheek), this should appeal to a variety of ages. I watched the pilot with my mom, who loved it. In fact, the only possible nitpick for this show is that Ray Wise is so brilliantly cast as the Devil, you actually find yourself pulling for Satan, and I'm not sure how good a thing that is.

CW - The Network To Watch?

The CW tends to be the forgotten stepchild when it comes to network TV, but it's new fall roster, combined with some returning favorites, may shake that label if enough people start watching.

Yes, the CW killed off "Veronica Mars," but it returns shows like "Smallville," "Supernatural" and "Beauty and the Geek," all of which have developed their own followings.

Now, the CW has a chance to improve that roster. One of the shows that has gotten the most praise by critics for any network has been "Reaper," and having seen the pilot this weekend, let me tell you, most of the hype is justified.

"Reaper" tells the story of a slacker (Bret Harrison) who is forced to become the Devil's bounty hunter. If this show succeeds, Ray Wise, portraying Satan as almost a smarmy game show host, may be an early front-runner for the 2008 Emmys. The show has drawn comparisons with "Buffy," and it will appeal to that crowd, but "Reaper" is a lot more tongue-in-cheek.

I expected to merely pass over "Aliens In America," especially when all the press kits kept describing it as "sweet." Then I watched the pilot, about an unpopular high school kid who gets an Islamic Pakistani exchange student as a roommate, and laughed a ton. "Aliens" is reminiscent of "Malcolm in the Middle." And it has lots of charm, not sweetness, to go along with the humor.

Finally, as the critic of the people, I endured the pilot of "Gossip Girl." I found the pilot to be uneven and confusing, with too many characters and too much backstory crammed in. Based on a series of popular teen books, however, this show may find its own niche audience, especially since it was created by Josh Schwartz ("The O.C.") And it does have Kristen Bell as the show's titular narrator.

This might be the season the CW finds its footing. Hey, I'd be happy if two-thirds of the other networks' offerings were as good.

TASTE OF 'HEROES': No show on TV does a better viral marketing campaign than "Heroes," which returns with new episodes on Monday. But to get a taste of the upcoming season, click here: http://yamagatofellowship.org/ for a look into Hiro's storyline for the upcoming season.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: After two Fox premieres on Monday, the networks take a night off once more. But you still have new episodes of "Eureka" (Sci-Fi, 9 p.m.) and "Damages" (FX, 10 p.m.) on cable.