"Heroes" Review: Back On My List?

You guys know I’ve dumped “Heroes” twice. But all the talk lately about the show getting back to basics and the way it was in season one got me feeling a little nostalgic.

So, I requested a screener of Monday’s episode from NBC. The episode begins the new volume, “Fugitives.”

Accompanying the screener was a letter from “Heroes” creator Tim Kring explaining that this episode starts the show “pretty much from scratch. There is almost nothing that the audience needs to know from the previous volume to follow [the] storyline.” And considering the mess that was “Villains,” that’s a good thing.

But does that mess get cleaned up?

Honestly, yeah, it does. But whether things will stay clean remains to be seen…

When the episode begins, the heroes are trying to get back to normal. Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) is a paramedic./ Matt (Greg Grunberg) is a security guard trying to have a normal life with Daphne (Brea Grant), who is working as a delivery person. Mohinder (Sendhil Ramamurthy) is once again a taxi driver and a powerless Hiro (Masi Oka) is trying to turn Ando (James Kyson Lee) into a superhero. Claire (Hayden Panettiere) has moved in with Angela (Cristine Rose) and is considering going to college.

But the normalcy doesn’t last long as a mysterious individual (Emmy Winner Zeljko Ivanek) begins capturing the heroes. I’m not going to reveal who’s behind the plot, but I will say it’s actually kind of cool.

And my two favorite characters are back to the way I like them. HRG (Jack Coleman) is shifty and mysterious and we have no idea whose side he’s on. And Sylar (Zachary Quinto) is back to being a man on a mission as he begins the search for his real parents.

By giving Chloe her GED, the show has eliminated one of the more annoying subplots of Claire in high school. And returning everyone to the real and present world does give the show more of a season one feel. But they push that a little too far by giving one of the heroes a new power that belonged to a season one hero (Maybe that will serve an important purpose later.).

Still, by the end of the episode, the whole gang is back together and everything ends in a classic “Heroes” cliffhanger. So much of a classic cliffhanger I plan to record the second episode.

That’s right. “Heroes” is back on my list. But if the second episode doesn’t sustain the momentum of the premiere, it will be the show’s third strike.

And you know what that means…

“Heroes” returns Monday, February 2nd at 9 p.m. on NBC…

Photos Credit: Trae Patton/NBC

Pick of the Week: Hooray for Hollywood!

I hate to make it look like I’m plugging my other blog, but since this is one of my favorite things of the entire season, I have no choice but to make it my Pick…

My Pick of the Week is “American Idol.”

It’s Hollywood Week on “American Idol,” my absolute favorite part of the show. And thankfully, we’re getting an extra hour next week so we can get the full Hollywood Week experience.

This year for the first time the contestants are actually going to Hollywood (instead of Pasadena) and are auditioning on the stage of the enormous Kodak Theater. And, Group Day, where the contestants have to form groups and perform together with choreography, makes its triumphant return.

Even if you aren’t an “Idol” fan, you won’t want to miss what is sure to be some of the biggest drama of the TV season…

“American Idol” airs Tuesday, February 3rd and Wednesday, February 4th at 8 p.m. on FOX…

Photo Credit: FOX

"Lost": Is It Tripping You Out?

Because I’ve been keeping busy with other stuff, I just got around to watching this week’s “Lost”…

WOAH! Talk about trippy.

But we did learn a few things during the hour, so let’s recap…

Warning: If you have not yet seen the January 28th episode of “Lost,” stop reading now…

Charles Widmore funded Daniel Faraday’s time travel experiments. And apparently those experiments led to a woman’s sickness. Widmore is paying for the woman’s care…

Charles Widmore was on the island in 1954, along with the Others. Of course, that included Richard Alpert, who Juliet said has always been there and is “old”…

A young woman on the island reminds Daniel of someone he once knew—presumably the ill woman…

The U.S. military brought a hydrogen bomb to the island in the 50s…

But since this is “Lost,” anything we learn leads to even more questions…

Is the young woman on the island the ill woman or are they just related? If she is the woman on the island, did she and Widmore have some kind of connection? Am I the only one that thinks she looks like Penny?...

John invited Richard to visit him after he was born (two years later). Is that why Richard came to see him and did the test? Was that compass one of the items in the test (I can’t remember.)?...

And did Charlotte really die before Daniel got to plant one on her?...

If I’m watching the previews correctly, then it looks like the present Losties are going to meet up with the past Losties since Sawyer said he saw Kate.

Hey, maybe my time travel knowledge from “Back to the Future” will come in handy after all…

Your thoughts on this extra-trippy season so far?...

Photos Credit: Mario Perez/ABC

"Top Chef": Jeff Goes After My Man Tom

Well, it looks like my dumping of Jeff as my favorite contestant on “Top Chef” was a good move…

In an exit interview with People.com, Jeff said he felt like the show used him as “some kind of sex object.”

According to Jeff, he was shown with his shirt off in “every single show that [he’s] ever seen.” He went on to say, “It seems like a camera was always following me around trying to find me whenever I’m taking my clothes off to change in the morning or at night. So, to be used like that is always fun.”

Okay, I’ve seen every episode this season at least twice (most of them four and five times) and I don’t remember Jeff having his shirt off. And I would’ve remembered that…

I think Jeff is just expressing some sour grapes. Did the show play up Jeff being an attractive guy? Of course. But use him? Sorry, Jeff can’t agree.

But I could look over that if he had just stopped there…

Also in the interview with People.com, Jeff took some serious shots at Head Judge Tom Colicchio. “My opinion about Tom Colicchio’s food is that it’s extremely boring. I’vebeen to his restaurant. His chicken dish on his menu is roasted chicken with roasted potatoes, thyme and olive oil. If I want that, I’d go to my grandmother’s house. That’s just not exciting to me. I don’t know who would go out and pay exorbitant amounts of money for that food.”

WOW! Bashing my man Tom? And here I was considering voting for Jeff for fan favorite to make up for dumping him. No way now.

However, I will say that this will make a VERY interesting reunion show—if it hasn’t already been filmed. I hope Tom puts a big old black eye on that pretty face…

No wait. That’s not going to happen. Tom’s actually got class…

Photo Credit: Bravo

"Top Chef" Scores A Touchdown

I haven’t said much about my beloved “Top Chef” lately because there really hasn’t been that much to say.

But that all ended Wednesday night with the season’s strongest episode to date and one of the strongest in “Top Chef” history…

You can usually tell by how the episode is edited who will be in trouble. So when Hosea started talking about all of Stefan’s victories, I knew it was either bad for Hosea or Stefan. But which one?

In honor of the Super Bowl this Sunday, the elimination challenge was “Top Chef Bowl.” Each contestant had to cook head-to-head—not against each other, but against contestants from previous seasons. Each pair had to cook a dish inspired by an NFL city in twenty minutes in front of a live audience. The judges’ choice received seven points (touchdown) while the choice of the culinary students in the audience got three points (field goal). Any contestant who did not win their head-to-head was eligible for elimination.

Stefan won the Quickfire Challenge so he got to choose which “all-star” to cook against. He chose Season One’s Andrea, who was actually eliminated twice, because he was sure he could beat her. I knew at that moment that Stefan was in trouble…

Now the other contestants don’t really like Stefan because he wins so much and he’s so cocky about it. But he’s quickly become my favorite because I love his attitude. He’s replaced hottie Jeff as my fave because Jeff just can’t seem to learn that more is not better. And who doesn’t love Fabio, who has got the fan favorite sewed up?

So when it got down to the competition, it was a lot of fun as the chefs did some trash talking while they hustled to get their dishes done. And since the judges voted one-by-one, it created a good deal of tension.

And sure enough, Andrea edged out Stefan—but not before he fell in love with her. But I was sure that Stefan would be fine—until it dawned on me that if he was the only one who lost his head-to-head, he would go home.

That’s when I got nervous…

But Stefan was not alone in the bottom three. He was joined by Fabio and Jeff.

That’s right. One of my three favorites had to go home…

Now I’m a big proponent of eliminating contestants based on their work and not on their entertainment value. But in this case, I knew that the absence of Stefan or Fabio would leave a major hole in the show.

So even though Jeff was my original favorite, I rooted for the judges to send him home.

And in the last ten minutes, I felt more tension that I’ve felt all season watching “24”…

In the end, the judges did the right thing and sent Jeff home. Yes, Fabio overcooked his venison, but Jeff never learned how to edit his ideas—even though it continually bit him.

Now, there are only six left as the show hits the home stretch and heads for the finale in New Orleans.

I still believe Stefan is the favorite if his cockiness doesn’t get the best of him. Personally, I would love to see Stefan take on Hosea and Fabio in the finale, but first we have to get rid of Carla, the “love” chef; Jamie, who Stefan has the hots for; and Leah, who Hosea has the hots for.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love this show?...

“Top Chef: New York” airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on Bravo…

Photo Credit: Virginia Sherwood/Bravo

MarJohn: Making the Most of It

Being snowed in gives me a chance to play a little catchup and talk about the departure of John and Marlena last week on “Days of Our Lives”…

As I said before, the premise was pretty lame as Charlotte (Sandra Ferguson) sought revenge on Marlena for stealing her father’s love from her. When Charlotte couldn’t inject Marlena with her killer drug, she injected John, but Marlena was able to keep him alive.

However, the drug did do damage to his central nervous system and put him in a coma. But Marlena decided she could get him out of it with their memories.

Cue the flashbacks. Only we got more—and better—flashbacks in the YouTube video I showed you.

Then, suddenly, John opened his eyes and declared that he remembered everything. Just like that. But he was unable to move his arms or legs. So, after a little pity party where he tried to push Marlena away, John decided he wanted to marry Marlena before they took off to Switzerland for his treatment.

Thankfully, John improved enough for his oxygen tube to be removed from his nose (and get a robe on) for the wedding…

And that’s when Drake Hogestyn and Deidre Hall took over. Yes, the show spent so much time setting up their departure that it didn’t leave enough time for their actual goodbyes. But Hogestyn and Hall absolutely made the most of it.

The wedding was simple, beautiful and touching—not because of the writing, but in spite of it. Marlena and John deserved a real wedding with all of their friends and family instead of a small hospital wedding where John couldn’t even move. But Hogestyn and Hall managed to turn a crappy wedding into something quite special.

And even though it didn’t make a lot of sense, I thought it was only appropriate that Stefano (Joe Mascolo) was there too…

I’m sure that those “Days” fans who are still watching believe that John and Marlena will be back. And I’m sure at some point the show will decide they want them back. But personally, I hope Hogestyn and Hall tell them where to stick it.

I know their fans would understand…

You can watch their final scene here…



I meant to post this a couple of hours ago, but when I went to YouTube to look for their final scene, I got distracted and ended up watching hours of clips from the Marlena possessed by a devil storyline and clips from Marlena and John’s affair when she was married to Roman.

If you’re a MarJohn fan, you should take some time out of your busy day to watch a few of those clips yourself. The possession storyline was one of the craziest things ever, but once again Hogestyn and Hall made the most of it…

"24": My Faith Begins to Falter...UPDATED

I’ve been playing around on the Internet, working on some other things while I figure out what to say about tonight’s “24.”

I could talk about the ramping up of the B-story, or Tony’s near breakdown or the fate of Renee. But the truth is tonight’s episode lost me within the first ten minutes when it made one of the biggest continuity errors I’ve ever seen…

There were two major villains in season five: President Charles Logan (Gregory Itzin) and Christopher Henderson (Peter Welling). Henderson was the man who “killed” Tony. It’s a name that I will never forget because I was upset that the writers gave the man who killed one of my favorite characters my last name. Every time I heard it that season—which was A LOT—I winced a little.

So imagine my surprise when both Emerson and Jack referred to a Christopher Anderson when they were talking about how Emerson got Tony out of CTU. When Emerson first mentioned the name, I didn’t know who they were talking about, but then when Jack repeated it, it was clear they were talking about Henderson.

During the first commercial break, I rewound the tape to make sure I heard correctly. I even turned on the closed captioning. And sure enough there it was. Christopher Anderson.

How could the writers make such a terrible mistake? Where was the Continuity Director? As much as Henderson’s name was mentioned that season, how could they not catch the error? It’s even in the recaps on the official “24” website, for goodness sake!

And that glaring error completely soured me on the rest of the episode. It’s bad enough that the explanation of how Emerson got Tony out wasn’t very convincing (and a little unnecessary in my opinion), but to get something so wrong? That’s just ridiculous…

I don’t think I have to tell you that this does make my faith in my beloved show falter a little bit…

Actually, that’s not true. It makes it falter a lot…

UPDATE: So my second favorite Canadian, RT, who is my source for all things "24," assures me that I'm wrong and that they did say Henderson. Since she has a MUCH better TV than I do, I'm going to trust her. But somehow, that doesn't make me feel much better about the episode...

And I was so distracted by the whole Henderson thing that I forgot to ask why "24" feels the need to pick on Kidron, Ohio. As most people know, that's the heart of Amish country! And since I've been through there many times I can tell you that I've never seen a chemical or nuclear power plant there. Just a lot of buggies and cool furniture and cheese shops.

That evil Colonel Dubaku. What does he have against the Amish, anyway?

"The Closer" Review: There's No One Like Her

You guys know that I always root for Kyra Sedgwick when she’s up for awards.

But that’s just because I really like her. I have actually never seen an episode of “The Closer”—that is, until last night when I watched the season premiere.

Now I’ll root for Sedgwick even harder…

There’s really no other character on TV like Brenda Leigh Johnson. One minute she’s juggling crazy decisions in her personal life, the next she’s interrogating a murder suspect—all while trying to satisfy her insatiable craving for sweets. And no cop on TV does an interrogation like Brenda. That is why she’s called The Closer after all.

And the rest of the Major Case Squad are great compliments to Brenda, especially since they’re in the hands of good actors like G.W. Bailey and Tony Denison. And who doesn’t love J.K. Simmons…

In the premiere, Brenda is faced with a suicide that takes a lot of interesting twists and turns before Brenda closes the case.

I can’t really say much more about the episode than that because I am sworn to secrecy. But both cliffhangers from September—the fate of Sanchez and Brenda’s answer to Fritz’s wedding ultimatum—do get resolved rather quickly.

“The Closer” is a solid drama with a fantastic cast and I encourage you to check it out—unless you have a Nielsen box and then I encourage you to tape it and watch “24”…

Sorry, I just can’t help myself…

“The Closer” premieres Monday, January 26th at 9 p.m. on TNT…

Photo Credit: Karen Neal/TNT

"The Last Templar" Review: A Strong Start But An Unsatisfying Finish

When a network schedules a big expensive mini-series in a non-sweeps month, that usually means the mini-series is not very good.

But that’s not the case with “The Last Templar”—at least for the first 3 hours and 40 minutes…

“Templar” stars Mira Sorvino as Dr. Tess Chaykin, an archaeologist who has hung up her digging boots for museum work due to being a single mother. But when a group of mysterious men dressed as Templars steal several artifacts from a Vatican exhibit, Tess decides to pick her boots up and take off in search of a legend.

The Templars were a deeply religious order charged with protecting Christianity. According to legend, they had a large treasure that they hid from the invading Muslims in 1291. Tess soon realizes that a stolen decoder holds the key to finding that treasure.

Watching Tess’s every move is FBI Special Agent Sean Daley (Scott Foley) who is trying to solve not only the thefts but the murders of the thieves. Watching his every move is Monsignor Michael D’Angelis (Victor Garber), who is receiving pressure from the Vatican to retrieve the stolen artifacts.

It becomes obvious rather quickly that there is much more going on than just treasure hunting as more and more people join the search for the treasure.

The first part is pretty solid as the foundation is laid for the treasure hunting that dominates the second part. There are many twists as we learn just who is behind all of the intrigue. But honestly, you’ll know who’s behind it before the movie tells you because of the hints in the actor’s performance—or maybe I was just paying too much attention because I love the actor in question.

And speaking of the cast, all of the attention in the promotion for the movie has been focused on Mira Sorvino because she’s an Academy Award winner. But in all honesty, she’s not always completely convincing in the role. No, the reason to watch is Scott Foley who is adorable in his role as Agent Daley. This guy truly needs a better vehicle than the hilarious excuse for a drama known as “The Unit,” and this movie shows why. Plus, his chemistry with Sorvino is pretty palpable.

The movie shows off a lot of great special effects as it roars toward the revelation of what exactly everyone is after—and that’s where it falls apart. I just couldn’t really get behind the whole concept. Then the last fifteen minutes dissolves into a diatribe on faith that doesn’t always make sense.

And for a movie that delivered big moment after big moment for three hours and forty minutes, it misses HUGELY on two major moments in the closing scenes that will most likely leave viewers a little disappointed. I understand setting up a possible sequel, but viewers of this movie deserve a satisfying ending—and I don’t think we get it.

That’s not to say that “The Last Templar” isn’t worth watching, because it is. Just don’t expect to be completely happy at the end of it…

“The Last Templar” airs Sunday, January 25th and Monday, January 26th at 9 p.m. on NBC…

Photos Credit: Jan Thjis/NBC

Pick of the Week: The Biggest TV Event of the Year

You know I usually stay away from sports events, but when it’s the biggest TV event of the year, I really have no choice…

My Pick of the Week is Super Bowl XLIII.

Super Bowl Sunday kicks off at 9 a.m. with a special edition of “Today.” Then at 11, it’s a special edition of “Meet the Press.”

The pre-game show kicks off at noon with “Road to the Super Bowl,” NFL Films’ recap of the 2008 NFL season. Then it’s five hours of analysis, interviews and commentary.

Then things really get started at 6 p.m. with the pre-game festivities including Faith Hill singing “America the Beautiful” and Jennifer Hudson singing the National Anthem.

Kick-off is scheduled for around 6:30 p.m. and Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band will be performing at halftime.

To guide you through the day will be the wonderful team of Costas and Collinsworth—although I’m not sure even I can handle five hours with them.

I totally avoid any of the stories about commercials because I like to be surprised, but I do know that you’ll be able to see the first 3-D trailer of “Monsters and Aliens” right before halftime. And I will absolutely be watching that. It has Kiefer Sutherland in it…

Super Bowl XLIII airs on NBC…

Photo Credit: NBC Sports

“Trust Me” Review: Hard Not to Buy What These Guys Are Selling

Putting two of the most likeable actors on TV together doesn’t guarantee a successful show. Just ask Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton. Or John Goodman and Jean Smart.

But fortunately for Eric McCormack and Tom Cavanaugh, “Trust Me” comes with solid scripts to go with their likeability…

McCormack and Cavanaugh are Mason and Conner, creative partners at a major advertising agency. They’re a team within a creative group—Mason being the art director and Conner being the copywriter.

When we first meet them, the creative director of their group (i.e. their boss), Stu Hoffman, is having a bit of a meltdown. He’s had his ego bruised by one of the account managers and he’s taking it out on Mason, threatening to fire him. But since he’s played by “Life On Mars” star Jason O’Mara (played wonderfully, by the way), you know that he’s not long for the show. And sure enough, something does happen to Stu and Mason gets promoted to creative director. The promotion causes instant friction between the partners as Mason is forced to prove that he is capable of good work without Conner.

Meanwhile, the award-winning Sarah Krajiceck-Hunter (Monica Potter) appears ready to claim her partnership with Stu and her office with a window. But without Stu, she’s left to flounder in a cubicle until she can plot her way into a windowed office.

The premiere is solid as we meet all the players and get a glimpse into life at an ad agency, but the fun really starts in the second episode when we get to see more of the agency at work as Mason’s group scrambles to save a cell phone account from being snatched up by the agency golden child.

Eric McCormack was tailor made to play Mason. He has the good looks and boyish charm to make you trust Mason completely, but he also has that wry smile and scheming glint in his eye that make you think maybe you shouldn’t trust him completely after all. McCormack is also a master at playing slightly uptight guys as he does here—the Felix to Cavanaugh’s Oscar. And no one plays adorably goofy like Tom Cavanaugh. Much of the show depends on their chemistry so thankfully it works extremely well.

The supporting cast is also solid. The fabulous Sarah Clarke (Nina, “24”) is adorable as Mason’s wife, so I hope they give her more to do in future episodes (maybe something a little more vixenish since that’s how we’re used to seeing Clarke). And I’ve never been a Monica Potter fan, but she makes it work this time.

No doubt many will call “Trust” a modern version of “Mad Men.” But “Trust” is less about advertising than it is about the relationship between two best friends and how competition and ambition can get in the way.

And with McCormack and Cavanaugh as the two best friends, it’s hard not to buy what these guys are selling…

“Trust Me” premieres Monday, January 26th at 10 p.m. on TNT…

Photo Credit: Art Streiber/TNT

"Wolverine and the X-Men" Review: Radically Different Doesn't Mean Bad

When it comes to movies and TV shows, comic book fans are some of the hardest to please people in the world.

Change one hair on the head of a beloved character and they go nuts.

And I can get away with saying that because I’m one of them…

Now I don’t think I’m as hardcore as some, but I hated “X-Men 2” because of certain character changes when most critics said it was great (Don’t even get me started on “X-Men 3.”). And although some would say it was a fun movie, I’ve never seen a single second of “Batman and Robin” because of all of the ridiculous changes to the Batman mythos.

But I decided to keep an open mind about “Wolverine and the X-Men,” the new Nicktoons series produced by Marvel Animation. And that was a good idea since “Wolverine” is probably the most radically different re-telling of the X-Men story I’ve ever seen.

But radically different doesn’t mean bad. So I hope “X-Men” fans will give this one a chance, because there’s real potential for this one to be one of the best animated series based on a Marvel comic book we’ve ever seen…

As the title suggests, the show centers on Wolverine, who is out on his own after a mysterious explosion in which the Xavier Institute was destroyed and Professor Charles Xavier and Jean Grey vanished.

Anti-mutant hysteria is at an all-time high as the Mutant Response Division (MRD) is tasked with containing the mutant “threat” by apprehending and detaining mutants.

When an innocent family that helps Wolverine gets caught in the MRD crosshairs, Wolverine realizes it’s time to reunite the X-Men. But he soon discovers that’s easier said than done as not everyone wants to help. Cyclops, who was the leader, has lost his will to fight with Jean gone and Rogue seems more interested in hanging out with the Brotherhood, a destructive group of mutants fighting against the MRD.

Also not coming back to the X-Men is Warren Worthington III, aka Angel, who has decided he can do more for his fellow mutants with his family’s money. Complicating things for Warren is that his father is the biggest supporter of the anti-mutant movement’s leader, Senator Robert Kelly.

And with Senator Kelly gathering more support for his Mutant Registration Act, Wolverine realizes he has to keep fighting. Wolverine, Beast, Shadowcat and Iceman will eventually be joined by Cyclops, Storm and Emma Frost.

Previous “X-Men” cartoons have dealt with the issue of anti-mutant hysteria, but “Wolverine” paints the darkest picture yet. That gives the show a much more adult tone, a la “Justice League Unlimited,” which Marvel animation projects haven’t had in the past.

I’ve only seen the first two episodes, but the possibilities here are truly endless as familiar characters continue to come out of the woodwork in unfamiliar situations. The new takes on the characters allow non-“X-Men” fans to enjoy the action, but they won’t alienate longtime “X-Men” fans.

Hey, my favorite character disappeared in the first two minutes and I kept watching…

“Wolverine” is no “Batman: The Animated Series,” the show by which all animated superhero series must be measured, but it does get Marvel a little closer.

I’m actually sorry I don’t get Nicktoons so I can see how this one turns out. Jean’s bound to turn up again eventually…

“Wolverine and the X-Men” premieres Friday, January 23rd with back-to-back episodes at 8 p.m. on Nicktoons Network…

Photo Credit: Marvel

"24": I think I'm sure...

With about 20 minutes left in tonight’s episode of “24,” I thought to myself, “How can there only be 20 minutes left? They haven’t done anything yet!”

Be careful what you ask for…

Warning: If you have not yet seen tonight’s episode of “24,” stop reading now…

I was so creeped out by the whole Renee getting buried alive thing that I almost missed what happened next.

Actually, I did miss it. But after the final moments faded, it dawned on me. The clock was silent. I even rewound the tape to be sure.

“24” fans know that the silent clock is reserved for the deaths of major characters—a point they drove into our heads to prove that Tony could still be alive. But I just couldn’t believe they would kill Renee this early.

And I still don’t. Since we’ve seen Renee in scenes in the trailer/promos that we have yet to see on the show, I’m sure she will somehow get out of the mess she’s in.

Or at least I think I’m sure…

I guess technically the clock was not completely silent since we did hear her breathing in a VERY creepy, yet VERY cool scene…

As for the rest of the episode, as I said, it was a little slow. And I’m clueless as to where the whole First Gentlemen’s story is headed. My guess is that Brian, the young Secret Service agent will end up dead because “24” has a real thing about offing hot young characters (President Keeler’s son, anyone?).

And I’m REALLY concerned about the soap opera plot that is developing in the FBI between Erica (Ever Carradine) and Sean (Rhys Coiro). Those storylines never work out well and I really thought Sean getting his wife’s plane at the top of the landing list was leading to a much more exciting storyline—not a stupid love triangle.

But don’t worry, folks, I am always willing to give my beloved show the benefit of the doubt…

Now if those stupid FOX promos would just stop giving away stuff…

“24” airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on FOX…

Photo Credit: Kelsey McNeal/FOX

Your Inauguration Day Schedule

Here’s a look at what the major networks will bring you for Inauguration Day Tuesday, January 20th…

10 a.m.-4 p.m.: ABC, CBS and NBC will carry the Inaugural festivities live. President-Elect Obama will be sworn in at noon.

4 p.m.-5 p.m.: ABC and CBS will continue live coverage, while NBC turns things back over to it local stations.

6:30 p.m.-7 p.m.: ABC, CBS and NBC will air their evening newscasts live from Washington, D.C.

8 p.m.: ABC broadcasts live the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball, which will include the President and First Lady’s first dance, accompanied by Beyonce..

9 p.m.: CBS airs its recap of the day’s festivities, “Change and Challenge: The Inauguration of Barack Obama.”

10 p.m. NBC presents its recap, “The Inauguration of Barack Obama.” ABC will also air a recap, “A Moment In History: The Inauguration of Barack Obama.”

Of course, all of the cable news channels will be providing all-day coverage and you can watch the festivities on many websites, including MSNBC.com and CNN.com…

Photo Credit: Steve Fenn/ABC

"Lie to Me" Review: Carrying on a Great Tradition

When I hear that a show is coming from Imagine Television, I get excited. After all, Imagine has brought us some of the best shows of the last 10 years…

There’s the late great “Sports Night,” the late great “Arrested Development,” and a little show you may know I love and adore called “24.”

So does “Lie to Me” carry on the Imagine tradition?

Yes, it does…

Tim Roth stars as Dr. Cal Lightman, an expert in the science behind lying. Lightman believes that we all lie the same, so he uses his knowledge of microexpressions (the small facial expressions we make) to determine who is lying and who is telling the truth.

Lightman runs The Lightman Group, a private firm hired by everyone from the FBI to the Democratic National Committee to determine liars. Lightman’s partner is psychiatrist Dr. Gillian Foster (Kelli Williams). Joining them is Eli Loker (Brendan Hines) who always tells the truth (no matter how uncomfortable it might be) and new recruit Ria Torres (Monica Raymund).

The show is rooted in the real-life scientific research of Dr. Paul Ekman, who serves as a consultant to the show. That science is spelled out to the viewer in a fascinating manner, including comparisons to real-life liars (Bill Clinton among them).

In the opener, the group investigates the #1 suspect in the murder of a teacher—a student who’s a devout Jehovah’s Witness. They also look into a Congressional sex scandal. Both cases take more than a few unexpected turns during the hour.

And that’s part of what makes the show work. As Foster says in the premiere, the important thing is not that someone is lying, but why they are lying. Lightman finds the liars fairly quickly. It’s the why that makes the show go.

But the biggest part of what makes the show work is Tim Roth. Roth never allows Lightman to come off as an arrogant jerk. Yes, Lightman is extremely intelligent, but he’s also quite funny. And he even manages to be a little endearing along the way—especially when it comes to his daughter.

Kelli Williams—who truly deserves a hit show—is the perfect foil to Roth as she brings a more optimistic approach to a rather pessimistic profession.

It would be easy to write off “Lie” as a copycat of “The Mentalist,” but that would be a mistake. Yes, there are some similarities, but the tone of the two is quite different. While “Mentalist” has a lighter look and feel to it, “Lie” has an almost seedy quality to it which helps heighten the suspense.

“Lie” is an engaging and intriguing drama that will not only entertain you, it will also completely change the way you look at people.

And that’s no lie…

“Lie to Me” premieres Wednesday, January 21st at 9 p.m. on FOX…

Photo Credit: Frank Ockenfels/FOX & Mike Yarish/FOX

Pick of the Week: It's Time to Once Again Get "Lost"

There is a lot of good stuff on this week, including the inauguration of our new President.

But how can I possibly ignore the return of the most entertaining—and frustrating—mystery on television.

My Pick of the Week is the season premiere of “Lost.”

When I posted my preview of the premiere, I took some flack from one “Lost” fan who wanted to know why I even watched the show if I needed someone to explain it to me and I didn’t know who all the characters were. In other words, why watch something I don’t understand?

But isn’t that part of the magic of the show—that we don’t fully understand what’s going on? Isn’t that what makes us keep watching?

There is plenty to not understand in the season premiere as we learn the fate of the island. When last we saw it, the island disappeared to who knows where. But as we learn very quickly, the island has actually disappeared to who knows when…

In the meantime, we find out what’s happening with the Oceanic Six as some of them find their lives in danger. Plus, we get the return of Cheech Marin as Hurley’s father, which is always welcome…

But if there really are any “Lost” fans out there who completely understand what’s going on, please let me know. I would love to hear from you.

“Lost” premieres Wednesday, January 21st at 9 p.m. on ABC. A one-hour recap airs at 8 p.m…


Photo Credit: Mario Perez/ABC

The January Resetting Continues...

The January resetting of the network schedules continues this week with some more big events…

Monday, January 19th
The Powerpuff Girls Rule!—8 PM—Cartoon Network
**Cartoon Network celebrates the 10th anniversary of the girls with the first new episode since 2004.
Momma’s Boys—10 PM—Season Finale

Tuesday, January 20th
Inauguration Day Coverage
**I’ll have more details on this later.
The Real Housewives of Orange County—10 PM—Bravo
**So what actually happened between Gretchen and Ryan? Hopefully we’ll find out…

Wednesday, January 21st
Lost: Destiny Calls—8 PM—ABC
**Get caught up on the show with a recap of the first four seasons.
Lost—9 PM—ABC—Season Premiere
**Read my preview here.
Lie to Me—9 PM—Series Premiere
**I’ll have a review later.
Top Chef: New York—10 PM—Bravo
**Restaurant Wars is on, boys and girls! Woo-hoo!!

Thursday, January 22nd
Bones—8 PM—FOX
**Two-hour timeslot premiere

Friday, January 23rd
Don’t Forget the Lyrics!—9 PM—FOX
**Rick Springfield guests.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars—9 PM—Cartoon Network
**George Takei (“Star Trek”) lends his voice.

Saturday, January 24th
Gone Country—8 PM—CMT—Season Premiere
2009 Miss America Pageant—8 PM—TLC
Prayers for Bobby—9 PM—Lifetime
**Sigourney Weaver stars as a mom who struggles after her gay son’s suicide.

Sunday, January 25th
Screen Actors Guild Awards—8 PM—TBS & TNT
The Last Templar—9 PM—NBC
**This mini-series starring Mira Sorvino concludes Monday at 9 p.m. I’ll have a review later this week.

Photo Credits: Cartoon Network, Greg Gayne/FOX

The Big Red Machine Helps Ellen Land Her Man

If you’re a fan of “Ellen,” you know she’s been on a BIG campaign to get George Clooney on her show.

Here's a look at some of the thing she's done over the last few months. Not included are the Chippendales she sent to Clooney's office at the suggestion of Brad Pitt...



Well, her campaign has finally worked thanks to two Cincinnati Reds legends…

Clooney will appear on the show Monday. To get him there, Ellen took the advice of Clooney’s former “ER” co-star, Noah Wylie, and invited Joe Morgan and Johnny Bench to the show as well.

Check your local listings for the airtime in your area. “Ellen” airs in the Huntington-Charleston area Monday at 3 p.m...


Photo Credit: Michael Rozman/Warner Bros.

The Scoop on Amy Poehler’s TV Return

We now have more details on Amy Poehler’s return to TV…

In the still untitled sitcom, Poehler will play Leslie Knope, a “mid-level official” in a small town’s parks department. The show will be shot as a mockumentary like “The Office” (It comes from “Office” EP Greg Daniels.) following Leslie as she tries to move up in a man’s world…

The show will debut Thursday, April 9th at 8:30 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: Mary Ellen Matthews/NBC

Is there still some color in “Lipstick”?

Here’s a glimmer of hope for “Lipstick Jungle” fans…

During the Winter Press Tour, Angela Bromstad, the new NBC primetime programming guru, said the show has not officially been cancelled.

“I think there are alternatives we may look into. It’s all a conversation for the fall." ("Hollywood Reporter")

Hmmm…

My guess is they’re looking for some kind of tie-in with Oxygen or Bravo…

Photo Credit: Andrew Eccles/NBC

Sorry, J-Lo, not buying it…

You guys know I normally don’t comment on non-TV stories, but I just had to say something about this one.

And since it happened on TV, I’m hoping you’ll forgive me…

In an interview with “In Touch Weekly,” Jennifer Lopez said the reason she was not wearing her wedding ring at the Golden Globes was because “It just didn’t go with the dress.”

Wow, they should add that to the wedding vows. I wear this ring as a symbol of our love…unless it doesn’t match my dress and then all bets are off…

But as you can clearly see from this picture, the dress is GOLD. Uh Jennifer, how does a gold wedding band not match a gold dress?

Sorry, not buying it...

Photo Credit: Paul Drinkwater/NBC

Letterman Pays Tribute to Bush

President George Bush gave his final address to the nation last night.

But the tribute we REALLY want to see will be tonight on the “Late Show With David Letterman”…

Letterman will be airing a special three-minute farewell, “Great Moments in Presidential Speeches.”

“Late Show” airs at 11:35 p.m. on CBS…

Here’s the teaser…

NBC’s Busy Spring

This week, the networks have been peddling their wares at the Winter Television Critics Association Tour.

And yes, I wish I was there…

But since I’m not, I have to settle for sifting through the network press releases and reports from people who are there.

And there was a lot to sift through from NBC’s session as the network is going to have a busy spring…

“The Philanthropist” about a rich man who helps the poor will still debut in the spring. It was delayed because the show’s star, James Purefoy, pulled a hamstring…

NBC has renewed “The Office,” “30 Rock” and “The Biggest Loser” for another season.

However, the futures of “Chuck” and “Life” are uncertain…

Conan O’Brien’s last edition of “Late Night” will air February 20th. Jimmy Fallon will take over March 2nd…

“Southland,” the new John Wells (“ER”) police drama, will take over the “ER” timeslot beginning April 9th. I’m excited about this one because it will mark the return of Ben McKenzie (“The O.C.”) to TV…

“ER” will now leave the air April 2nd with a retrospective at 8 p.m., followed by a two-hour series finale…

“Kings,” which had previously been given the “ER” time slot will now air on Sundays beginning in March…

Photo Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

Attention MarJohn Fans: The End Is Near

I’m sure that all of you John and Marlena fans out there already have the date circled on your calendars.

But in case you don’t, John and Marlena (Drake Hogestyn and Deidre Hall) exit Salem and “Days of Our Lives” Friday, January 23rd.

I’ve been taping “Days” this week so I can see how their story wraps up. But after reading what’s going to happen in “TV Guide” and “Soap Opera Digest,” I’m not sure why I’m bothering.

I won’t spoil the story for you, but I will tell you it’s so lame I want to cry…

I knew there was going to be a quantum leap ending, but a lame twist? It’s bad enough that the show is axing its most popular duo, but now we’re not even getting the ending we—and they—deserve.

It’s just wrong!

Maybe that’s why NBC’s only acknowledgement of the duo’s departure is a lame promo that mostly focuses on the show’s newest obsession, Daniel and Chloe (They couldn’t have axed one of them?).

There’s not even a tribute on the show’s website. Thankfully we’ve got YouTube for that…



The new issue of “Digest,” which hits shelves Friday also pays tribute to the couple.

Too bad “Days” couldn’t have done the same…

Photo Credit: Jeff Katz/NBC

Some Important Scheduling Changes...

Here are some important changes to my earlier post on the big happenings airing this week…

Tomorrow (Thursday), President Bush will deliver his farewell address to the nation at 8 p.m. ABC, CBS and NBC will show their entire schedule following the address. NBC will still wrap up at 11, but the others will run about 15 minutes behind, so tape accordingly…

FOX will show two episodes of “Kitchen Nightmares” following the address, including the season finale at 9 p.m. “Bones” will premiere on its new night and time next week with a two-hour episode…

Also, I inadvertently left off the NBC premiere of “Friday Night Lights” Friday at 9 p.m…

More Details on the End of "Break"...

Here’s some more information on the final episodes of “Prison Break”…

According to EW.com, there will be six episodes and fans will get “some closure.”

Executive producer Matt Olmstead told EW.com that he has also filmed some extra segments that could be turned into a standalone movie.

No matter how ridiculous this show may have gotten over the years, it still deserves a good ending. It sounds like it’s going to get it…

Photo Credit: Michael Lavine/FOX

FOX Pulls the Plug on "Prison Break"

It is indeed time to stop running…

FOX announced today that “Prison Break” will come to an end this season.

The final episodes will begin airing Friday, April 17th at 8 pm…

The official FOX announcement did not mention how many episodes will be shown, but EW.com reports that FOX is contemplating “a couple more” on top of the remaining four already in the can.

EW.com quoted FOX President Kevin Reilly as saying, “The show is played out.”

I couldn’t agree more but it still hurts a little. I mean, remember when I begged FOX to schedule “Break” and “24” back-to-back? That was almost more adrenaline than I could handle.

It’s sad to see the show couldn’t sustain it…

Photo Credit: FOX

"24": Am I Too Blinded to See the Truth?

WARNING: If you have not seen the four-hour premiere of “24,” stop reading now…

So now that all of you have seen the entire premiere of “24,” let’s talk about it…

First, let’s address some continuity issues between the premiere and “24: Redemption”…

Yes, that is the same Col. Dubaku that appeared to get blown up by a land mine in “Redemption.” But in the director’s cut, it was revealed that he did indeed survive (The scene actually looked a little cheesy to me, so I’m glad they cut it for broadcast.). You may have noticed during his “Let’s punish the Americans speech” that he said the American government killed his brother. But from “Redemption,” we know it was Jack who killed his brother. However, I’m willing to let this one go since a maniac like Dubaku probably wouldn’t differentiate between Jack and the government. And he’s really just looking for an excuse…

And yes, the President’s son, Roger, who allegedly committed suicide, is the same son we saw a lot of in “Redemption.” As you may remember from the movie, Roger got involved in this whole thing thanks to a friend who found something he shouldn’t have and then sent it to Roger. But in the premiere, Roger’s girlfriend made it sound like Roger had found all of that stuff. That kind of lessens the impact of what happened to Roger’s friend, but it does keep the show from having to do a lot of explaining.

Remember, that “Redemption” was written quite a while after the first seven episodes were completed so it’s not surprising the transition is not completely seamless…

Now to the moment everyone was waiting for—the explanation of how Tony is still alive. Yes, I know it was very short and sweet, but I thought it was totally plausible. The drug that Tony was injected with was some type of torture drug so it’s totally possible that it only stopped his heart as opposed to killing him. And it’s totally possible with all of the secrets running around CTU that someone would come and steal Tony away hoping to recruit him for some secret mission. And remember, Tony couldn’t have gotten in touch with Jack to let him know he was alive, because Jack was in China. And then after 24 hours of coming back and saving the world, Jack disappeared…

See? Totally plausible!

And maybe it’s totally plausible that I was just so blinded by the reunion of Jack and Tony that I am willing to believe anything this show tells me…

I mean, how awesome was that interrogation scene? When Tony pushed Jack’s biggest button—Teri—I actually gasped out loud…

But I have to say that I saw the next scene coming. Back forever ago when I first heard about Chloe and Bill involved in a shadowy independent organization, I speculated that Tony was actually working with them, so Bill being on the other end of the phone was no big surprise. But it was still great to see.

And it finally gave us our Chloe back in all of her glory. “I can’t believe what they said to you,” she told Jack about the Senate hearing. “You look good though.”

And how can you argue with that?

There were plenty of other great moments like Jack and Tony apologizing to each other for the interrogation, Jack driving out of that parking garage (I have to believe Kiefer Sutherland ad-libbed, “This is gonna hurt.”), and Jack frustratingly yelling at Tony, “And why the h—l are you not dead?” When the four of them gathered at Bill’s, it was like the gang was finally back together again…

But I’m going to restrain myself from throwing a party just yet, because the writers have left a huge door open for the possibility that Tony is not a good guy after all. When Jack noticed that Tony admires the guy he’s working for, Tony said he would do what needed to be done. But will he? I’m not so sure…

And I’m not so sure how I’ll react if I’m right…

As for the B story of the President’s son, I would agree with some critics that it has a little touch of soap opera to it; but when does the “24” b-story not have a touch of soap opera (Okay, season five’s b-story was totally awesome, but you get my point.)? And at least this story ties into the main one.

The biggest surprise so far for me is that I actually find myself liking Renee. After all, it’s obvious that the show is looking to set off some sparks between her and Jack and I HATE that…

My policy is that if Jack wants to sleep with every woman in the world on his own time, that’s fine. But during the 24 hours he’s on my time, I just want him to kick butt and save the world…

And I’m probably a little jealous…

But Renee is one tough cookie, regardless of what her boss seems to think. I love how Larry feels like he has to protect her even though he clearly doesn’t. There is obviously something going on there. When she told Jack that she just lied to her boss, I couldn’t help but think him being her boss was not the problem. And Jack knew that too from the sly smile he gave her when she said she trusted Larry completely.

Or maybe he was just smiling because she probably just identified the mole…

The previews show the undercover sting continuing another week as Jack is forced to turn on Renee. But where it’s going after that, who knows?

And isn’t that just the way we like it…

So what did you think of the premiere? Feel free to leave your thoughts…

Photos Credit: Kelsey McNeal/FOX

"CSI" Preview: Grissom Says Goodbye

As I’ve said before, I’ve never been a “CSI” fan.

But when a character walks out the door after nine years, it’s hard not to get a little misty-eyed—fan or not.

And that’s what happens on Thursday as Gil Grissom (William Peterson) leaves the CSI lab for good…

But before that happens, there’s a serial killer’s accomplice to catch as the creepy DJK (Dick and Jane Killer) case continues from the show’s last new episode.

Laurence Fishburne’s Dr. Langston is there to help as he tries to absolve himself of the guilt he feels for bringing DJK into his class. Langston shows some real CSI chops in the episode, so it’s not a complete shock when Grissom asks him to join the team.

No, the big shock is to the team’s system at the thought of losing their leader. But if you’re expecting sappy goodbye hugs, you’ll be disappointed because there are none (Peterson nixed them.). But Grissom does get a touching goodbye nonetheless. And maybe even a happy ending.

The question is whether “CSI” will have a happy new beginning…

“CSI” airs Thursday, January 15th at 9 p.m. on CBS…

Photo Credit: Sonja Flemming/CBS

How Awesome Can NPH Get?

I once called “How I Met Your Mother” the most frustrating show on TV because we were forced to root for Ted to get together with a woman we knew was not the mother of the title.

But now it’s frustrating for a completely different reason. And quite frankly, do any of us even care who the mother is?

On the heels of his legendary “Saturday Night Live” appearance, Neil Patrick Harris turned in a beautiful, heartbreaking performance on “Mother” as Barney actually tried to tell Robin (Cobie Smulders) that he loved her.

NPH was funny, sweet and romantic all at the same time. It makes you wonder just how awesome this guy can get.

It also makes you wonder what in the world Robin’s problem is, but I digress…

I know that shows have to keep couples apart for as long as possible to continue the story, but this is just so sad. The only upside is that it could provide more material for NPH’s Emmy reel.

Surely Jeremy Piven can’t beat him again…

“How I Met Your Mother” airs Mondays at 8:30 p.m. on CBS. You can watch full episodes at CBS.com…

Photo Credit: Ron P. Jaffe/FOX

Last Night's Winner Was...

The ratings are in from last night and the winner was…

The Golden Globes, which just barely outpaced “Desperate Housewives.”

The Globes averaged 14.6 million viewers, while “DH” averaged 13.8 million.

“24” brought in 12.5 million viewers, down 31 percent from the season six debut. But considering the competition, I think that’s still pretty darn good…

By the way, I’ll be posting my thoughts on the entire four hours of the “24” premiere immediately after the final seconds tick by on the fourth episode so be sure to join me then and share your thoughts…

"'Til Death" Lives On

As everyone basks in the afterglow of the Golden Globes, here’s a VERY interesting story...

“Variety” reports that FOX has renewed “’Til Death” for a fourth season.

Now, I know what you’re asking. Is that show still on the air?

Yes and no. FOX pulled it from the schedule in October and many thought the remaining 15 episodes would never be seen. But according to “Variety,” Sony, which produces the show, made FOX a VERY sweet deal to get the network to order another 22 episodes. That pushes the total to 80, which is close enough for the show to go into syndication—a very important move for Sony since there are so few half-hour comedies that make it to that mark these days.

FOX has not announced when it plans to return the show to its schedule, but I’ve got the perfect place for it to go. Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. We can only take those hour-long “American Idol” results shows for so long…

Photo Credit: George Holz/FOX

The Golden Globes Get "Rock"ed

Since I know all of you were watching the premiere of “24” last night, here’s the list of TV winners from the Golden Globes…

BEST TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA
Mad Men

BEST TELEVISION SERIES - COMEDY OR MUSICAL
30 Rock

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA
Anna Paquin, True Blood

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES - MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES - MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Tina Fey, 30 Rock

BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
John Adams

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Paul Giamatti, John Adams

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Laura Linney, John Adams

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Tom Wilkinson, John Adams

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Laura Dern, Recount

As far as acceptance speeches go, I thought this one from Tracy Morgan was pretty good. Boy, that Tina Fey is one brave chick for letting him talk…

More "SNL" Awesomeness

Here, thanks to one of my loyal readers, is the "Saturday Night Live" digital short featuring Neil Patrick Harris "performing" the theme to "Doogie Howser, M.D."

I'm sure NBC will be taking this down soon, so enjoy it while you can...

Pick of the Week: The Return of a Cultural Phenomenon

It’s just too easy to pick it—especially since everyone else did. And for me, it smacks a little of shameless promotion.

But it’s just too hard to ignore a cultural phenomenon…

My Pick of the Week is the premiere of “American Idol.”

Personally, I hate the early audition episodes because so many of the people are painful to watch. But this year’s will be a little more interesting as we wait to see how new addition Kara DioGuardi will be as a judge.

If you read my other blog, “Idol Chit-Chat,” you know that I believe Kara is going to be a great addition and that this season of “Idol” is going to be a good one. But I guess only time will tell if I’m right…

“American Idol” premieres Tuesday, January 13th at 8 p.m. on FOX…

Photo Credit: Michael Becker/FOX

An AWESOME "SNL"

How AWESOME was Neil Patrick Harris on “Saturday Night Live” last night?

Taylor Swift…not so much (What in the world was that second song? Who is she trying to be anyway?)…

Even the sketches that didn’t make much sense (like that whole two first names show) were funny thanks to NPH.

And the digital short with the tribute to the “Doogie Howser M.D.” theme? Genius. I hope Mike Post got a nice royalty check for that one…

Plus, Liza Minelli? Are you kidding me? And that BCS song was pretty funny too…

Here NPH is with Kristen Wiig as Fran and Freba.

If anyone finds video of that digital short, let me know…

BIG Happenings This Week...

BIG things are happening this week as the time of year where my life is no longer my own finally arrives…

Monday, January 12th
24—8 PM—FOX
**If you are a “24” fan you CANNOT miss this continuation of the season premiere—especially that awesome first hour.
Rita Rocks—8:30 PM—Lifetime
**Deborah Gibson guest stars as a member of Rita’s old Bangles cover band.
Kyle XY—9 PM—ABC Family—Season Premiere
Samantha Who?—9:31 PM—ABC
**The yummy John Taylor of Duran Duran guests as Sam’s rocker beau.

Tuesday, January 13th
American Idol—8 PM—FOX—Season Premiere
**The season premiere continues Wednesday at 8 PM.

Wednesday, January 14th
Make ‘Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America—PBS
**Check your local listings for the time in your area for this three-part look at the funniest people in show business.
Lost—8 PM—ABC
**Catch this encore of last season’s finale before the season premiere next week.

Thursday, January 15th
Smallville—8 PM—CW
**The Legion of Superheroes comes to town.
Bones—8 PM—FOX
**New timeslot
CSI—9 PM—CBS
**William Peterson’s final episode. I’ll have a preview of this one tomorrow.
Grey’s Anatomy—9 PM—ABC
**Tyne Daly guest stars as Derek’s mother
The Beast—10 PM—A&E—Series Premiere
**Patrick Swayze stars as an unconventional FBI agent.

Friday, January 16th
The Suite Life on Deck—8 PM—Disney Channel
**Ashley Tisdale reunites with the cast for a guest spot as Maddie.
Battlestar Galactica—10 PM—SciFi--Season Premiere

Sunday, January 17th
Another Cinderella Story—8 PM—ABC Family
**Selena Gomez and Drew Seeley star in this modern day fairytale as Cinderella loses an MP3 player instead of a shoe.
Big Love---9 PM—HBO—Season Premiere
Desperate Housewives—9 PM—ABC
**The 100th episode is celebrated with a flashback guest starring Beau Bridges as a handyman that had dealings with all of the housewives.
The L Word—9 PM—Showtime—Season Premiere
Flight of the Conchords—10 PM—HBO—Season Premiere
The United States of Tara—10 PM—Showtime—Series Premiere
**Toni Collette stars in this series created by Diablo Cody (“Juno”) about a woman with multiple personality disorder.

Photo Credits: Karen Neal/ABC, Michael Courtney/The CW, Lacey Terrell/HBO

A Legendary "SNL"

Be sure to check out “Saturday Night Live” this weekend because it’s going to be legen—wait for it—dary…

Neil Patrick Harris will be the host Saturday night for the first new episode of 2009.

“SNL” has been incredibly weak this season when it’s not being political, but if anyone can get it off to a great start for the new year it’s NPH.

“Saturday Night Live” airs Saturday, January 10th at 11:30 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: Eric McCandless/FOX

The New "Celebrity Apprentice" Cast: Ooh Boy...

Yesterday, NBC announced the cast for the upcoming season of “Celebrity Apprentice”…

Competing for the “coveted” title and their various charities will be Clint Black, Andrew Dice Clay, poker star Annie Duke, Tom Green, pro golfer Natalie Gulbis, Scott Hamilton, Jesse James, “Deal or No Deal” model Claudia Jordan, Khloe Kardashian, Brian McKnight, Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, FinanciallyHung.com creator Brande Roderick, Dennis Rodman, Herschel Walker and TLC’s Tionne Watkins.

Ooh boy…

“Celebrity Apprentice” premieres Sunday, March 1st at 9 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

"24" Review: It's Back, Baby!

Tonight, Oklahoma and Florida played for the BCS National Championship.

But the cheers that could be heard in my living room tonight were not for the Sooners or the Gators. They were for a guy by the name of Jack Bauer as I watched the four-hour premiere of “24.”

Oh yeah. I love this job…

The first two hours are a bit of a slow build as new characters are introduced and the stage is set. But then the third hour came…

I gasped, I cheered, I even laughed as I saw some of the best TV I’ve seen in a while, including one scene “24” fans are sure to save on their DVRs and watch again and again all season long. Plus, Jack does one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen him do.

At the end of the third hour, I was really sorry I didn’t have anyone to hug.

“24” is back, baby, and it’s about daggone time…

As the season opens, Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) is defending himself not against bullets, but against the tough questions of a Senator (Kurtwood Smith showing off his dramatic acting chops). Jack has been subpoenaed by a Senate committee to defend his use of torture at the now defunct Counter Terrorist Unit.

But Jack’s testimony doesn’t last long as FBI Agent Renee Walker (Annie Wersching) swoops in to steal him away to once again help his country. Several thefts and a kidnapping have exposed a serious domestic terrorist plot. Agent Walker believes that Jack can be of help because one of the men involved in the plot is none other than Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard), Jack’s best friend, who died in his arms in season five.

Jack, of course, doesn’t believe that Tony is a terrorist and he agrees to help—mostly to figure out what’s going on with Tony. But the FBI has rules and guidelines that don’t fit with Jack’s style. And once again, Jack is forced to defend his actions—actions that saved the very country that now wants to persecute him…

Meanwhile at the White House, President Allison Taylor (Cherry Jones) is facing a serious international crisis as she prepares to send U.S. troops into Sangala to stop the genocide occurring there. And her husband (Colm Feore) is still trying to deal with the suicide of their son, which he believes was not a suicide…

With so many new characters and the absence of CTU, it really seems like we’re watching a totally new show. And even though it may seem like in the beginning that the show is trying to give us Chloe 2.0 in the FBI with Janis Gold (Janeane Garofalo), Garofalo actually brings a totally new—and entertaining—perspective to things.

And don’t worry. The original Chloe (Mary Lynn Rajskub) is still around. It’s just a little while before you see her.

Wersching’s Agent Walker is probably the most well-rounded female character the show has had since Michelle Dessler as she struggles to walk the line between her boss’ (Jeffrey Nordling) straight-laced ways and Jack’s more radical approach. And let’s face it. She’s one bad you-know-what…

However, if you want to talk strong females, then that discussion begins and ends with Cherry Jones, who is phenomenal as the new president and who will no doubt add an Emmy nod to her already impressive resume.

But the real reason to get excited here is the return of Tony (Carlos Bernard)—no matter what side he’s on. Bernard gives the performance of his career in these four episodes and seeing him and Sutherland back together again is well worth the wait. The chemistry between the two is amazing…

Which leads to an important question. How is Tony back?

I wouldn’t dream of spoiling that for you here. I’ll just tell you that the story does make sense. But in all honesty, does that really matter?

Because of the Writers’ Strike, the “24” writers had much more time to map out the entire season and I think it shows in these first four episodes as all of the storylines are truly connected.

However, right now, I couldn’t even guess where the show is going. But I know it’s not going without me…

Let me say it again, folks. “24” is back! Maybe you can tell that I’m a little excited about it.

But I still don’t have anyone to hug…

“24” premieres with a four-hour two-night event Sunday, January 11th and Monday, January 12th at 8 p.m. on FOX…

Photos Credit: Kelsey McNeal/FOX

"Monk" and "Psych" Reviews: A Great One-Two Punch

So since I’ll be writing a review of my favorite show in just a few days, I figured it was only fair that I review the premieres of my fiance’s favorite shows.

In fact, they’re the only two shows he watches on TV at all—USA’s one-two punch of “Monk” and “Psych.”

And if he’s only going to watch two shows, then at least he’s picked two good ones. I know he’ll be watching when they resume their seventh and third seasons respectively this week…

“Monk” introduces us to someone new in the life of Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub)—his half-brother, Jack Monk Jr. (Steve Zahn). He’s just escaped from prison and he’s looking for Monk’s help in clearing him of the murder of a social worker outside the prison.

Monk is none too happy to see him mainly because he’s a criminal. But the fact that he crawled through the sewer to escape doesn’t really help matters—especially for someone as OCD as Monk.

It takes a little convincing, but eventually Monk does agree to help his half-brother out—even though he soon discovers Jack has a little problem with telling the truth.

I’ve always liked Zahn and he’s adorable in this role. The way the episode is structured he gets a lot of one-on-one scenes with Shalhoub and the two are quite good together.

I wouldn’t be too surprised if we saw Zahn again…

On “Psych,” Shawn and Gus investigate the murder of a famous sea lion.

I was a little concerned to see the biggest showkiller of them all, Ted McGinley, playing a wildlife show host. But he’s so good in the role and I think this show is strong enough to withstand his showkilling ways.

That is as long as the show has the wonderful James Roday playing Shawn. He is so charming it’s almost sickening and Dule Hill as Gus is a perfect foil.

This case—as always—gets Shawn and Gus into a few jams, but fortunately the dynamic duo has Detectives Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) and O’Hara (Maggie Lawson), as well as Shawn’s dad, Henry (Corbin Bernsen) to help them out.

And in fact, for those of you out there who have been waiting for O’Hara and Shawn to be more than just colleagues, there’s a small ray of hope for you in this episode…

“Monk” and “Psych” return Friday, January 9th at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. on USA…

Photos Credit: USA

"Lost" Review: Don't Get Left Behind...Or Ahead

It’s days like this that make me love this job…

I can proudly tell you that today I saw the first two hours of the new season of “Lost.”

But that’s about all I can tell you…

And not just because I’m sworn to secrecy by ABC, but also because I’m really not sure what happened. I guess that’s the disadvantage of watching it before it airs. No Doc Jensen recap.

But even with his help, there would still be SO many unanswered questions...

Basically the premiere picks up where the finale left off with Ben turning the wheel to move the island. And as you’ve probably already guessed, the key to the location of the island is not where, but when…

Now everything I know about time travel I learned from “Back to the Future,” so Daniel Faraday’s (Jeremy Davies) string explanations are WAY over my head. But what I can tell you is that bad things are happening on the island and if Jack (Matthew Fox) and the rest of the Oceanic Six don’t get back there soon, then Sawyer, Juliet and the others are going to have REALLY bad things happen to them.

And I have never been able to figure out the deal with Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick), so I didn’t even try to understand that part (Yes, Desmond is back.)…

Amidst the confusion of the island, there are some pretty cool moments. Sayid (Naveen Andrews) goes Jack Bauer on some bad guys. Ben (Michael Emerson) is, well, Ben, which is always cool in a creepy way. And even though his life is in danger, Hurley (Jorge Garcia) manages to bring a little humor to the situation. The best moment is in part two of the premiere when he confesses to his mother the lie the Oceanic Six have been telling for the past three years. As he recaps the story for her, he confesses that he “never really understood” the whole button thing with the hatch—an obvious wink to viewers who complained about never getting it either.

Plus, we see more than one person come back from the dead (sort of) including someone I never dreamed we’d see on “Lost” again. And Richard (Nestor Carbonell), the ageless Other, is back to confuse us even more…

And there’s someone else that I’m sure I was supposed to recognize but didn’t (since I only recently became a Lostie) that will play a key role in Ben’s plans to get the Six back to the island. Hopefully, Doc Jensen will clear that one up for me when the episode airs.

For the record, I thought the episodes were solid even though they’re nothing like we’ve seen from “Lost” before.

Just make sure you’re paying attention or you might get left behind…or is it ahead?...

“Lost” premieres with a two-hour episode Wednesday, January 22nd at 9 p.m. on ABC…

Photo Credit: Florian Schneider & Bob D'Amico/ABC

"Scrubs" Review: Off to a Great Start

So “Scrubs” is finally ready to soak in some love from a network that actually cares about it.

And what’s the first thing that new network does? Schedules "Scrubs" opposite the #1 new show on TV.

Can’t you just feel the love?

But hopefully, “Scrubs” won’t get completely crushed in its new timeslot, because it gets off to a pretty good start tonight…

J.D. (Zach Braff) is dealing with a new group of interns that, in his words, “Suu-uuck.” Elliott (Sarah Chalke) is dealing with the fallout of cancelling her wedding at the last second. And everyone must deal with Dr. Kelso’s replacement, Dr. Taylor Maddox (Courteney Cox).

Dr. Maddox gets off on the right foot with everyone, except for Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley), who is positive she’s just another jerk, and The Janitor (Neil Flynn), who runs afoul of her when she catches him playing one of his pranks on J.D.

But probably the star of this episode (and most episodes) is Ted (Sam Lloyd), the hospital’s attorney, who somehow manages to be the one to show Elliott how self-involved she’s become.

As usual, the show strikes just the right note between serious and funny. And Cox was tailor made for this show, so it’s kind of sad she won’t be staying long.

In a letter to members of the press before the screener of the premiere, creator Bill Lawrence said that last season felt like the show was “a little long in the tooth,” but this season is a return
to form.

I’d say he’s off to a great start…

“Scrubs” premieres tonight (Tuesday) at 9 p.m. on ABC…

Photos Credit: Scott Garfield/ABC

"13: Fear Is Real" Review: Lame, Lame, Lame

I have to admit that sometimes networks send me shows to watch that I’m really not all that anxious to see.

And I would absolutely put “13: Fear Is Real” in that category. After all, I don’t like horror movies. So combining them with a reality show didn’t really seem like my kind of thing.

But I needn’t have worried since “13” is too lame to be scary.

Now there are a few creepy moments, but those are mostly generated by the “Blair Witch” style direction and editing that make it hard to even know what’s happening most of the time…

“13,” which boasts Sam Raimi (“Spider-Man” movies) as one of its executive producers, takes 13 contestants and drops them in the woods of the Louisiana bayou. They’re competing to stay alive as each week a player is “killed” by The Mastermind—an unseen Jigsaw-like person that communicates with the players through the phone, recorded messages and through speakers placed in the woods.

The last person standing will win $66,666 (Clever, huh?).

But in all honesty, the contestants are so lame you probably won’t care who wins. Leah tells us from the very beginning that she hates the dark. So she would want to do this to herself, why? She says she wanted to conquer her fears, but considering the numerous breakdowns she has in the premiere, she’s failing miserably.

And the contestants seem to keep forgetting this is a game. Yes, some of the things that happen to them would be pretty scary whether they’re a game or not, but they seem surprised that anything is happening to them at all. Did they not know what they were getting into when they signed on? It’s like they actually think their lives are in danger…

Which makes me think there’s a whole lot of acting going on here to try and ratchet up the drama. But instead it only makes the show more lame.

I think that’s the most times I’ve ever used the word lame in one post.

But I’m afraid that with “13,” there’s no better word…

“13: Fear Is Real” premieres Wednesday, January 7th at 8 p.m. on The CW…

Photo Credit: Patrick Wymore/CW