24 Days of "24": "TV Guide" Senior TV Critic Matt Roush on the "24" Legacy

Ever since I was a kid, “TV Guide Magazine” has been a major part of my life. And even now, with all of the resources I have at my disposal, “TV Guide Magazine” is still my roadmap to navigate the world of television.

An important part of that roadmap is Matt Roush, the magazine’s senior TV critic. For years, I’ve been turning to Matt to help me make decisions about what to watch. I don’t always agree with him, but I always respect his opinions.

So I figured who better to kick off my tribute to my beloved “24.” In part one of a two-part post, Matt shares his thoughts on the legacy of the show and his favorite moments…

“24” at its best reinvented the action show, with visual sophistication, narrative ambition and a willingness to take us to some very dark places while keeping us riveted and on the edge of our seats for hour after hour. Its real-time gimmick and its continuous storyline arcing over 24 consecutive hours of sustained suspense and mayhem was a very risky gambit that paid off in a show that pretty much defines the concept of “appointment TV.” You can't afford not to be there at every step. And in Jack Bauer, “24” created an iconic hero for the ages. He and the show will forever be reference points for any series—and possibly any movie—that presents a maverick hero facing impossible odds to save the country/world from forces of terror and evil. He's our James Bond, nowhere near as glamorous but every bit as effective. The show was conceived before 9/11, but didn't premiere until after the tragic attack, making it even more resonant—but also a lightning rod when it came to issues involving torture and using might for right in the name of the common good.

Yes, the show often became trapped by its formula, requiring superhuman suspension of disbelief, and some seasons were defeated by the need to keep piling on the conspiracy angles and taking detours like the misadventures of Kim Bauer and more recently anything involving Dana Walsh. But on balance, I think the show will be remembered with admiration for its propulsive and gripping storytelling. Watching “24” when it's firing on all cylinders is a visceral experience like few others. And the audience attachment to characters like Jack and Chloe—and even Tony (good then evil then good then evil, etc.) –ensures they'll linger long in our collective memory. When it comes time to make lists of all-time great TV heroes, Jack Bauer will rank high on that list.

My favorite “24” moments tend to be the very dark ones, because the show is so daring in how unsparing it is toward its characters. I still can't shake the bleak end of the first season, as Jack rebounds from saving the day only to have his wife Teri perish in his arms (murdered by Nina, who would pay in seasons to come). I think my favorite season was the one that opened with the sudden assassination of President Palmer, followed by the death of Michelle and culminating later in the season with the attack on CTU that led to the death of the beloved Edgar. The attack on CTU is probably my favorite, as in most harrowing, episode as well, because it wreaked havoc on the nerve center and sanctuary of CTU (not that it hadn't had its fair share of moles along the way). So many characters were threatened at that point, and the death of Edgar after so much carnage already that season just reminded us that no one (except probably Jack) was safe. (The recent death of Renee also brought that home.) As preposterous as it was, the two-hour episode last season in which the White House was invaded was thrilling action, again resulting in the death of a long-time fave (Bill Buchanan). Sacrifice and heroism have always gone hand in hand on this show. And I'm also reminded of the episode from way back when Jack is forced to execute his boss Ryan Chappelle (who'd often been a pain); all through that episode, I remember thinking, “how in the world is Jack going to get out of this?” only to realize he wasn't going to get out of this one. It was awful, but also terrific.

Tomorrow, I’ll share Matt’s thoughts about “24” and “Lost” ending so closely together and he addresses my concerns that FOX is not showing “24” as much love as ABC is showing “Lost.” Plus, he’ll tell us how he’d like to see “24” end…

You can read more from Matt on the “TV Guide Magazine” website or by following him on Twitter at @RoushTVGuideMag.

And remember you can now follow me on Twitter at @TVAngela…

Photo Credits: TVGuideMagazine.com and Kelsey McNeal/FOX

24 Days of "24" Starts Tomorrow

When you devote nine years of your life to something, it’s hard to say goodbye to it. But that’s exactly what I’ll be doing in exactly 24 days. I’ll be saying goodbye to my beloved “24.”

And it turns out, I’m not handling it all that well…

So to help me get through it, I’m doing something very special on this blog—24 Days of "24." Each day until the finale on May 24th, I’ll be doing a “24”-related post. And I’ve already got some pretty cool things lined up for it.

You’ll hear from the author of three of the “24” novels and the show’s music composer. I’ll share a “24”-Huntington connection; plus I’ll share what I think are the show’s 24 biggest moments.

And feel free to share right along with me either by posting a comment or by sending an e-mail to hdstaytuned@hotmail.com.

Tomorrow, we’ll kick things off with the thoughts of Matt Roush of “TV Guide Magazine.” And let me warn you, you might want some tissues handy…

Let the countdown begin…Tick-tock…Tick-tock…Tick-tock…

Photo Credit: Brian Bowen Smith/FOX

More on Conan's "60 Minutes" Interview...

Oh, kids, this is going to be good…

CBS has released excerpts from Conan O’Brien’s “60 Minutes” interview and yes, he does take some minor shots at Jay Leno. But only minor ones because he is not allowed to badmouth Jay or NBC according to the terms of his settlement.

He does reveal, however, that if NBC had let Jay go they would have owed him $150 million—three times what they paid Conan. YIKES!

You can read all about it from the late-night fiasco expert, Bill Carter of “The New York Times,” here.

“60 Minutes” airs Sunday, May 2nd at 7 p.m. on CBS…

This Week's May Sweeps Schedule

It’s that time of year once again, boys and girls. The magical time known as sweeps. And since it’s May, that means lots of cliffhangers and goodbyes in addition to guest stars and special events…

Here’s a look at some of what you’re scheduled to see this week…

Thursday, April 29th
Bones—8 PM—FOX
**As part of “FOX Rocks” week, Booth and Brennan will perform a duet.
Fringe—9 PM—FOX
**A special musical episode as part of “FOX Rocks”
The Mentalist—9 PM—CBS
**Malcolm McDowell guests.
CSI—10 PM—CBS
**Tim Conway guests.

Friday, April 30th
House—8 PM—FOX
**As part of “FOX Rocks,” it’s an encore of this season’s two-hour premiere, which features Hugh Laurie playing piano. Andre Braugher guests.
Smallville—8 PM—CW
**An episode written by Justin Hartley (Oliver Queen/Green Arrow).
Who Do You Think You Are?—8 PM—NBC—Season Finale
**Spike Lee traces his roots.

Saturday, May 1st
The Kentucky Derby—4 PM—NBC
NASCAR On FOX: Richmond 500—7 PM—FOX
**As part of “FOX Rocks,” there will be a special music video open.

Sunday, May 2nd
‘Til Death—7 PM—FOX
**Star Joely Fisher directs and Marin Mull and Kevin Nealon guests.
The Cleveland Show—8:30 PM—FOX
**Kanye West guests.
Cold Case—9 PM (2 hrs.)—CBS—Season Finale
**The music of The Rolling Stones is featured in the second hour.
Family Guy—9 PM—FOX
**The show celebrates its 150th episode with never-before-seen musical numbers.

Photo Credits: Liane Hentscher/FOX and FOX

Pick of the Week: Conan Speaks! UPDATED

Sometimes if you wait long enough, the answer reveals itself…

I’ve been trying to select a Pick for this week for days. Suddenly, this morning, it showed up in my Inbox…

My Pick of the Week is “60 Minutes.”

So why in the world would I pick a newsmagazine? Because it has snagged the first post-NBC interview with Conan O’Brien.

CBS announced yesterday that Steve Kroft interviewed Conan this week for the interview to air on Sunday. But if you’re expecting to see wall-to-wall promotion during CBS’s biggest shows this week, you’re going to be disappointed. According to the terms of his agreement with NBC, Conan is not allowed to appear on TV until May 1st. That includes promos.

So you best believe that CBS will be using every other avenue possible to promote the appearance. And I guess I just helped them, didn’t I?

You guys know that I am firmly on Team Leno, but I still like Conan. And I will absolutely be watching this one…

“60 Minutes” airs Sunday, May 2nd at 7 p.m. on CBS…

UPDATE: Here's an interesting blog post by the expert on late-night fiascos, Bill Carter of "The New York Times." It tells a little more about restrictions placed on the interview.

Checking In On "Lost"

Tonight there is no new episode of “Lost.” For die-hard fans, that’s a bummer, But for me, it’s a relief because I am still four episodes behind.

But I wanted to take a minute and say something about the last episode I’ve seen, the amazing “Ab Aeterno.”

When I see Nestor Carbonell, I still think of Luis the photographer on “Suddenly Susan” or even his scene-stealing turn as Batmanuel on “The Tick”—both comedic roles. But those may be forgotten forever after his tour de force performance as the ageless Richard Alpert.

We finally got to see how Richard came to the island. And why he has never aged. Plus we got to see more of the struggle between Jacob and The Man in Black.

But mostly we got to see what a good actor Carbonell truly is. His heartbreak over the death of his wife. His horror when the priest would not absolve him of his sins. His confusion over whether to kill Jacob or side with him. All of it was conveyed beautifully in a well crafted episode.

Someone who hasn’t been watching “Lost” asked me this week if it’s living up to the hype. Based on this episode, I would say that it is. But I’ve still got four to go…

Remember that the “Lost” finale airs on Sunday, May 23rd at 9 p.m., after a two-hour clip show, on ABC…

Photo Credit: Mario Perez/ABC

How Did the "Revolution" End Ratings-Wise

“Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” wrapped up its season last night never able to recapture its post-“Oprah” ratings high.

According to “The Hollywood Reporter,” the show garnered 3.9 million viewers with a 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic.

In his “The Live Feed” blog, James Hibberd wrote, “Considering its time period and lead in, ‘Jamie Oliver’ performed decently, but one suspects ABC will aim higher with new reality projects rather than give this effort a second shot.”

Be sure to post your comments about the episode and let me know what you thought about how it all wrapped up…

Photo Credit: Holly Farrell/ABC

"Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" Finale Review: Is This How It Was Originally Supposed to End?

Normally, the season finale of a reality show provides a lot of answers. But for me the season finale of “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” actually produces one major question.

When Rascal Flatts came to town to perform a free concert as part of Jamie’s “Food Revolution Festival,” I was sure that the show would end with a sappy music montage set to their performance of “My Wish.” And—Spoiler Alert—I was sort of right. But in all honesty, the festival and the band are pretty much an afterthought as the band actually takes the stage about six minutes into the show. The episode is all about what happened after Jamie left town the first time.

Jamie returns to find that Rhonda is planning to reintroduce the processed food into the schools on Fridays in order to get rid of a surplus. Jamie also finds some troubling news at Central City Elementary as he discovers that many parents are choosing to pack their kids’ lunches with unhealthy choices.

Jamie sets out to not only stop Rhonda from reintroducing the processed food, but also to expand his menu to all the schools in Cabell County. And he realizes that in order to do that, he’ll need help from none other than Alice.

At one point, Jamie tells the camera after a lengthy rant that it will be at least five minutes before he rants again. And he’s not far off as he does a lot of ranting in the hour. But I have to say I agree with most of it. I was a little shocked to see some of the lunches that parents were packing for their kids—especially given the alternative that was being prepared for them.

But for me, the biggest moment of the episode is when Jamie asks Alice if she has heard from people after the show started airing. She tells him that it was more than what she ever expected. And you can tell from her eyes that she has been hurt by a lot of what people had to say about her. It truly made me want to cry because I know that some of those hurtful comments were posted to my own blog. And I got my share of hurtful comments as well. But I’ve learned to be thick skinned and I hope Alice has too because I still think she’s awesome and I completely stand by calling her my hero.

I don’t want to give away too much about what happens but I will say that you’ll end the hour with a good feeling and maybe more importantly, the country will leave the show feeling positive about Huntington. It’s a pretty solid hour and a huge improvement over last week’s.

The question I’m left with is whether or not this is how the show was originally supposed to end. The “Food Revolution Festival” was custom made to be the ending to the show with Huntington coming together to support Jamie and getting a special treat in return. So I can’t help but wonder if that was the original ending and then the producers decided Jamie dealing with the issues that developed after his departure would be better. If that is the case, the show does make the new ending work well and still gets in the sappy ending with a special twist.

ABC is calling tomorrow night’s episode a season finale as opposed to a series finale, making it sound like they may consider another round. The inconsistent ratings probably mean that won’t be the case, but I think it would be interesting to see what Jamie would do in another city.

I guess we’ll just Stay Tuned…

The season finale of “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” airs Friday, April 23rd at 9 p.m. on ABC…

Photo Credit: Holly Farrell

Pick of the Week: The End of the "Revolution"?

There’s no doubt that my experience blogging about “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” has been one of the more interesting in the four years I’ve been doing this.

And now it all comes to an end Friday. So of course it’s this week’s Pick…

My Pick of the Week is the season finale of “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.”

Here’s the description of the episode straight from ABC:

Jamie's revolutionary efforts have borne fruit, but now what? In the final episode of "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution," everything Jamie has accomplished unravels when he leaves Huntington. Rhonda is planning to reintroduce processed food into the schools to get rid of the mountain of surplus processed food she ordered, the kids' parents are pulling their children from Jamie's lunch program and a majority of the school cooks across the city remain untrained and unwilling to learn. With the media hounding him at every step and a city that's revolting against his message, Jamie returns to pull off his greatest, most powerful demonstration yet, including a surprise free performance by Rascal Flatts. But is he too late?

Sounds dramatic doesn’t it?

“Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” airs Friday, April 23rd at 9 p.m. on ABC…

And you can read more of my thoughts about the show in my “Stay Tuned” column in Thursday’s “Entertainment Tri-State” section of “The Herald-Dispatch.”

Photo Credit: Holly Farrell/ABC

Pick Up the Best of Bravo at Target

Target has finally heard my pleas and joined with Bravo to release some of my favorite shows on DVD.

And this week, they’re all on sale for $14.99 each…

You can pick up Season 1 or 2 of “Flipping Out,” Season 2 of “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List,” Season 2 of “Million Dollar Listing,” Season 1 or 2 of “The Rachel Zoe Project,” Season 1 of “The Millionaire Matchmaker,” Season 1 of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” Season 1 of “The Real Housewives of New York City,” Season 1 of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” and my all-time favorite season of my all-time Bravo fave, “Top Chef: Chicago.”
But you can only get them at Target…

Photo Credit: Bravo

"Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" Busts Itself Out

I thought I was just becoming too much of a cynic. That I was being too hard on “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” because I was just too cynical about reality shows.

And then “Revolution” busted itself out Friday night…

Watch this clip from last week’s episode of Jamie making his bet with Rod Willis. Take note of what everyone is wearing. Also, you’ll see the date on the electronic sign behind Rod and Jamie when they make the bet says 10/15/09.



Now watch the opening scene of Friday’s episode here. Does everyone’s outfits look familiar? Also, notice the date on the electronic sign—10/13/09. This means the bet was actually taped after the scene where Rod defends Jamie to Doug Sheils.

The lesson to be learned here kids? When you’re filming a reality show don’t put anything in the shot with a date…

Now do I think this distracts at all from Jamie’s mission? Absolutely not. But it does hurt the quality of the show. I’ll have more to say about that later this week…

The "Revolution" Ratings Continue to Slide

It was another rough night for “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” in the ratings. “The Hollywood Reporter” reports “Revolution” garnered 4.1 million viewers, a 13% drop from last week.

However, it did get a 1.4 rating in the 18-49 demographic which was good enough for a first-place tie in the demo with the top rated program of the evening, NBC’s “Secrets of the Mountain.”

I’ll have my thoughts on Friday’s episode tomorrow. But in the meantime, you can read a review from one of my favorite TV critics, Ken Tucker of “Entertainment Weekly.” It’s nice to see that I’m not the only one growing cynical about the way the show is produced…

Photo Credit: Holly Farrell/ABC

What Happened With Conan

So now that all the trade magazines have had a chance to delve into it, let me ask the question, what happened with Conan O’Brien? Why did he end up at TBS instead of FOX?

Ironically, the reason Conan is not at FOX is the same reason he is no longer at NBC—the affiliates.

FOX affiliates—the local stations that carry the FOX network (WVAH FOX 11 in Huntington/Charleston) make good money by showing syndicated programming like “Seinfeld” and “Family Guy.” And, they also score good ratings with those reruns too. So they weren’t all that anxious to give them up. Even for Conan.

Plus, many of them had signed contracts to air certain programming between 11 p.m. and midnight that would’ve cost them a pretty penny to break. For example, several of the FOX owned and operated stations (O & Os) were obligated to carry “30 Rock” reruns. If they had been forced to abandon that for a Conan show, “Variety” estimates it could have cost the stations $40 million to $50 million.

But the FOX upper brass really wanted Conan, so they kept trying. Just Monday morning, “The Hollywood Reporter” ran a story that significant progress was being made. No one in the media saw the TBS train coming. Why? Because TBS already had a successful late night show with “Lopez Tonight.” No one ever dreamed they’d want to add another show. No one but TBS…

But according to reports, Conan wouldn’t even talk to TBS without assurances that George Lopez himself was okay with his show moving to midnight (Gee. I wonder why?). So Lopez called Conan and told him how great TBS was. That got Conan to the table and a deal was made.

So why did Conan do it? According to reports, TBS made him a very sweet deal. Good money and ownership of his show. But I know from personal experience how good the PR people at TBS really are. Maybe Conan saw some of that and just wanted to be a part of it.

TBS doesn’t reach every home, but it comes pretty close as a major basic cable network. And in all honesty, TBS will probably put Conan in more homes than FOX could have at the beginning due to the affiliate agreements. Plus, Conan would have been forced to go on the road and convince each FOX affiliate to pick up his show. Now he can just sit back and let the TBS PR machine do the work for him. And as I’ve said they’re very good at it.

Conan’s show will air Monday through Thursday at 11 p.m. beginning in November…

My Apology to "Lost" Fans

So let me extend a quick apology to “Lost” fans who may be wondering why I have said nothing about the show in weeks…

That would be because of the two-hour “American Idol” performance shows, I am now officially six episodes behind.

I have every intention of catching up. In the meantime, feel free to post your thoughts and I’ll get back to you when I know what you’re talking about…

Pick of the Week: Enjoy It While You Can

I hate it when I fall in love with a show and it gets cancelled. Unfortunately, that’s happened more often than not to me lately.

So I will enjoy my new favorite show as long as I can. I hope you will too…

My Pick of the Week is the season finale of “Human Target.”

All season long, the show has been hinting at Chance’s former boss and the woman he loved. Tomorrow night we’ll finally get some answers as we see how the coolest team on TV got together.

And then we’ll await FOX’s decision on whether the show will return next year. I personally think it’s performed well enough to return, but if FOX has something else in mind, they might pull the plug.

So if you’re a Nielsen family, please tune in tomorrow night…

“Human Target” airs Wednesday, April 14th at 8 p.m. on FOX…

Photo Credit: Justin Stephens/FOX

Breaking News: Conan Chooses a Home

Allow me to interrupt your day with some late breaking—and surprising news…

Less than 10 minutes ago, the official announcement was made concerning Conan O’Brien’s new home…And it’s…

TBS!?

I have to admit. I didn’t see that one coming.

“The Hollywood Reporter” ran a story just this morning that said significant progress had been made between Conan and FOX, although affiliate concerns were still considered a potential roadblock.

The new Conan show will air for an hour at 11 p.m., followed by “Lopez Tonight.” No doubt there will be MUCH more about this in the days to come as the details on how this went down are released…

I now return you to your regular scheduled day…

Tonight's "24": Get Ready For The Drop of the Hammer

The thing that I love most about my beloved “24”—besides Kiefer Sutherland, of course—is that when it’s at its best you never know what’s coming around the corner.

If you have not yet seen last week’s two-hour episode—and judging by the ratings, many of you haven’t—stop reading now.

I should have seen it coming. After all these years, I should know that “24” kills indiscriminately. It doesn’t matter who the actor is or how important his or her character is. The show is not afraid to do the unthinkable. Yet somehow there I was. Clutching my throw pillow as the tension continued to build. Until that heartbreaking moment when Jack realized the broadcast from the terrorists had already been taped and he turned around to see President Hassan (the excellent Anil Kapoor) already dead.

It was a great moment and one more time to see just how truly incredible Kiefer Sutherland really is.

But if you think that the show is done putting you through the wringer, you are sadly mistaken. If you’ve seen the promos—and since FOX is infuriatingly hardly showing them at all, my guess is you haven’t—you know that tonight is promised to be “the most shocking moment of the season.”

However, if you follow the show as closely as I do—both on and off-screen—it won’t be a shock at all as you’ll see it coming from a mile away. In fact, I saw it coming from so far away I was sure that it was going to happen last week because things were set up that way so we’d be lulled into a false sense of security before they drop the hammer.

I am not going to give you one single hint as to what I believe will happen tonight because I don’t want to spoil it for any of you who don’t have an inkling about it. But when you find yourself emotionally wrecked at the end of the hour, don’t say I didn’t warn you…

“24” airs tonight at 9 on FOX…

And I’ll be back after the episode for a full discussion of tonight’s events…

Photo Credit: Greg Gayne/FOX

"Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" Episode 4 Review: The Villain Gets His Comeuppance

Every hero has a villain. And in the case of “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution,” if Jamie is the hero, then his villain is Rod Willis of 93.7 The Dawg.

And in any good hero-villain story, at some point the villain gets his comeuppance. And that point comes this week for Rod…

It all starts when Jamie makes a bet with Rod that he can get 1000 people to come through his kitchen in a week. Rod is confident it won’t happen and when the week starts out it looks like he’ll be right. But then Jamie starts a unique campaign to win his bet, including finding a way to get Rod himself on his side.

The most interesting part of Jamie’s campaign is the flash mob he decides to do at the Memorial Student Center at Marshall. It’s a very elaborately choreographed cooking sequence that looks very cool on camera and makes Marshall look great.

In fact, Huntington looks great throughout this episode as we see Marshall’s campus, the downtown streets, and the crew at Huntington Steel, who get a cooking lesson themselves.

I don’t want to give too much away, but I don’t think it will surprise anyone to know that by the end of the episode, Rod is singing a much different tune as Jamie introduces him to some of the friends he’s made in Huntington and takes him to a Huntington business to give him a different perspective on his mission.

I think the entire hour is the most positive portrayal yet of Huntington…

That having been said, as a compelling hour of TV, it just doesn’t quite work for me. And I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because Rod’s transformation seems to happen so quickly. Or maybe I’m such a cynic I don’t really believe he was ever that opposed to Jamie to begin with. Whatever the reason, I found myself disappointed. And when I should have been cheering at the end, I wasn’t. I really think the show wasted a real opportunity by moving through the story too quickly and not taking the necessary dramatic pauses to increase the impact. It’s even more disappointing coming on the heels of last week’s emotional hour.

Speaking of which, if you missed last week’s episode, ABC will be re-airing it tomorrow (Friday) at 8 p.m. before the new episode at 9. The network is trying to give the new episode a boost after last week’s second episode fell significantly from the week before.

And after you see tomorrow night’s episode, be sure to come back here and post a comment…

Photo Credit: Holly Farrell/ABC

"Blood Ties" DVD Review: It's All About the Chemistry

There’s no doubt about it. Vampires are hot right now.

If only they’d been this hot in 2006…

Then maybe “Blood Ties” would have had a fighting chance of surviving on the air. Because it certainly would make it now—if it wasn’t once again banished to late night on Lifetime.

Thankfully, we’re able to relive this underrated show with the release of “Blood Ties: The Complete Series” on DVD.

In order to have a good vampire story, you have to have a compelling lead vampire who’s sexy and scary all at the same time. And “Ties,” which is based on the best-selling novels by Tanya Huff, definitely has it in Kyle Schmid. His Henry Fitzroy oozes charm and sexiness at every turn, while never losing his mysterious edge.

A good vampire story also needs a good central mortal. If it’s a woman, she’s usually a damsel in distress, but that is not the case with Vicki Nelson (the awesome Christina Cox). Vicki is a former cop turned private investigator, who is not afraid to take on the bad guys despite her degenerative eye condition. She teams up with Henry when the supernatural starts running loose in Toronto.

The spice to this vampire story is a love triangle involving Henry, Vicki and Vicki’s former partner/boyfriend Mike Celluci (Dylan Neal). Mike is totally skeptical of Henry’s motives, not to mention a little jealous of the obvious sparks between Henry and Vicki.

The supernatural stories can get really out there and often wrap up in a “Quantum Leap” fashion. But the love triangle and the chemistry between the three leads never fail and really make the show work.

The DVD set contains all 22 episodes of the first and second seasons. Plus, there’s a behind-the-scenes documentary that displays even more the chemistry that made the show special…and very much missed.

“Blood Ties: The Complete Series” (SRP $39.99) is available now…

Photo Credit: Eagle Rock Entertainment

"Southland" Wraps Its Season

The show that NBC cast aside will air its season finale tomorrow night and await word on its future…

“Southland” has enjoyed a good run on TNT and I feel pretty confident that it will get another season. As I’ve said before, I’m not a fan of the show but it fits perfectly on TNT’s schedule.

Tomorrow before the premiere, stars Ben McKenzie and Michael Cudlitz will be answering questions via Twitter. Fans can tweet questions to @tntweknowdrama from 4-6 p.m. They’ll answer the questions from 5-6 p.m…

The season finale of “Southland” airs Tuesday, April 6th at 10 p.m. on TNT…

Photo Credit: Chris Haston/TNT

A "Bosom Buddies" Reunion

Nostalgia will definitely be in the air when the “TV Land Awards” air later this month…

The cast of “Everybody Loves Raymond” will reunite for the first time since the death of Peter Boyle to receive the Impact Award. Stars of “Charlie’s Angels” will also reunite to pay tribute to Farrah Fawcett and receive the Pop Culture Award.

But for us children of the 80s, here’s the big one. According to “Access Hollywood,” the cast of “Bosom Buddies” will reunite for the first time publicly since the show went off the air. For those of you who’ve forgotten, that’s Tom Hanks, Peter Scolari, Donna Dixon, Thelma Hopkins and Holland Taylor (Sadly, Wendi Jo Sperber died in 2005.). They’ll reunite to receive the Anniversary Award (It’s 30 for those of you who are counting.).

The “TV Land Awards” will tape April 17th and air Sunday, April 25th at 9 p.m. on TV Land…

"America's Next Top Model" Comes to the Tri-State

“America’s Next Top Model” is coming to the Tri-State to look for contestants…

“Top Model” will have an open casting call for its 15th cycle Friday, April 9th from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth.

The audition is sponsored by the Tri-State’s CW. For all of the rules and regulations and a copy of the application, visit the station’s website.

According to the press release, the auditions will take between 5-10 minutes and will include posing for the television camera, runway walks and a 3-minute on-camera interview. All video, photos and application materials will then be forwarded to Los Angeles for review by the “America’s Next Top Model” judges. 10-14 women will be chosen to appear as contestants in Cycle 15. The auditions are open to the public.

Even if you are not interested in auditioning, I encourage you to check out the application. It’s very interesting with its questions about family, relationships, and religion…

Photo Credit: Mike Ruiz/The CW

Pick of the Week: The Beginning of the End

You may recall that a few weeks ago, I said I was happy about the end of “24.” I felt it was the right time for the show to end, so I said I was okay with it.

But it turns out I’m not really handling it all that well…

Last week, when the words “24: The Final Hours” flashed on the screen, it hit me. My favorite show is coming to an end.

So my pick this week couldn’t have been more obvious…

My Pick of the Week is a special two-hour episode of “24.”

Each year in order for the season to end on time, FOX gives us one week with two “24” episodes. But since this is the last season, this will be the last two-hour episode before the finale ever.

I’m going to need a minute…

After a rough start, this season of “24” is finally back on track, and based on everything I’ve read, these two hours will be doozies. So you won’t want to miss them.

The special two-hour episode of “24” airs Monday, April 5th at 8 p.m. on FOX…

Photo Credit: Brian Bowen Smith/FOX

"Good Luck Charlie" Review: You're In Luck

In case you haven’t heard, the upcoming season of “Hannah Montana” will be its last. So Disney Channel needs to find its newest family hit.

And with a little bit of “Luck,” they may have just found it…

Sunday, Disney Channel will debut “Good Luck Charlie,” a show about a family adjusting to a new baby in the house. In the premiere, mom Amy (Leigh-Allyn Baker) goes back to work leaving dad Bob (Eric Allan Kramer) and the older kids to fend for themselves.

Teddy (Bridgit Mendler) is trying to have a study date with a cute guy, but when Dad screws up, she’s forced to juggle taking care of baby Charlie (Mia Talerico) and dealing with underappreciated younger brother Gabe (Bradley Steven Perry). While slacker brother PJ (Jason Dolley) tries to help his dad keep his screw-up from Mom.

The show is cute and Mendler is incredibly appealing. But the real reason to watch is Dolley, who plays the goofy brother perfectly. He’s matured a great deal since his “Cory in the House” days, and it shows as he is perfectly cast for this role.

If you’re looking for a show with cute stories, an appealing cast and something you can watch with the whole family, then you are definitely in luck…

“Good Luck Charlie” premieres Sunday, April 4th at 8:30 p.m. after the network premiere of “High School Musical 3” at 6:30 p.m. on Disney Channel…

Photo Credit: Craig Sjodin/Disney Channel

Are More People Joining the "Revolution"?

The commercial I just saw for “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” said that more people each week are joining the revolution.

Maybe on the show, but certainly not in the ratings…

“The Hollywood Reporter” reports that Friday’s emotional episode garnered 4.3 million viewers and a 1.5 rating in the 18-49 demographic—a pretty steep decline from last week’s 7.5 million viewers.

However, the report also says that Friday viewing levels were down 9 percent overall due to the holiday.

"Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" Episode 3: Not a Dry Eye in the House

If you didn’t have tears in your eyes, or at least a lump in your throat at the end of tonight’s “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” then I think you might need your heart examined…

On tonight’s “Revolution,” Jamie and “his gang” from Huntington High School cooked dinner for a group of Huntington dignitaries. After dinner, the students told their personal stories and there was not a dry eye in the house—or at least in my house. Kudos to these kids for their hard work and bravery.

I’ll have more to say, including a review of the next episode, in the next few days…

Photo Credit: Holly Farrell

Getting Some Advice on Handling the Haters

If you’ve been reading the comments on my review of the first episode of “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution,” you know I’ve been taking a beating. For my opinions, my eating habits, my looks and even my weight. All based on one little harmless crack about liking breakfast pizza…

I’ve been doing this now for four years, and these comments are the nastiest and most personal ones I’ve ever gotten. So I admit that the first stab at my weight—which I have no idea how you can judge from a picture that only shows my face—hit me kind of hard. But after about the fourth one, I got over it.

However, I wouldn’t be human if it didn’t still bug me a little. So when I got the chance to talk to one of my favorite writers, Michael Slezak of “Entertainment Weekly,” I asked him how he deals with the negative comments.

“I’m used to it now. After a while you just say I’m okay with it. You want them to feel engaged. I’d rather have negative comments than no comments at all.”

When I told Slezak what the Jamie Oliver fans had said about me, he told me that one reader commented that he looked like a potato. “They do go for the jugular,” he said.

But Slezak says no matter how negative the comments, he won’t back down. “I would never change my style and tone just because readers don’t like it.”

And then he gave me a great piece of advice. He told me that the key is to be “genuine.” If I was being completely genuine about how I felt at the time about something then I was doing my job. Then he added, “If people are reacting then you’re doing your job as a blogger.”

So as “Stay Tuned” celebrates its fourth birthday, I have no intention of changing my ways. I will continue to give you guys my honest opinions—even if they’re unpopular. If you disagree with me then feel free to let me know it.

And if you want to attack me personally? Bring it on. I can handle it…

You can read Michael Slezak’s latest “American Idol” recap here. You can read more of my conversation with Slezak in Tuesday’s “Herald-Dispatch.”

Is Charlie Sheen Leaving "Two and a Half Men"?

Just as I was about to turn over to the two syndicated episodes of “Two and a Half Men” I watch each night, I got this disturbing piece of news from my second favorite Canadian…

People.com is reporting that Charlie Sheen is leaving “Two and a Half Men.”

The magazine’s sources say that Charlie refused to sign a new deal and is ready to leave the show. Charlie’s rep would only say that his deal is only good through this season. CBS would not comment.

There have been a lot of boneheaded decisions in the world of TV—David Caruso leaving “NYPD Blue” after one season for a movie career, the whole NBC late-night fiasco—but I have to say this could be the most boneheaded move ever.

“Two and a Half Men” is the #1 comedy on TV and Sheen is the highest paid actor on TV. Yes, he’s having a lot of personal issues, but this is just messed up. And honestly I don’t know how the show could survive without him.

And after I had just rediscovered it…

There’s a good chance that this could just be a negotiating ploy and that Charlie has no intentions of walking away, but it annoys me either way. I adore Charlie but I have to say this is a pretty selfish move. Piled on top of his decision to not make a plea deal, thereby forcing the show to shut down production early, it makes it a lot harder to be on his side.

I REALLY hope this is not true…

Stay Tuned…

Photo Credit: Copyright 2009 Warner Bros. Television. All Rights Reserved