Picks of the Week: The Funny Girls Take the Spotlight

This week, some of TV’s funniest women are taking the spotlight… My Picks of the Week are “The Women of SNL” and “Kathy Griffin: Whores on Crutches.”

For sweeps, “Saturday Night Live” is pulling together some of the funniest sketches from Tina Fey, Cheri Oteri, Molly Shannon, and more of the show’s female cast members from over the years. Plus, there’s at least one new sketch as the ladies take on “The Real Housewives” with the help of Andy Cohen.

“The Women of SNL” airs Monday, November 1st at 9 p.m. on NBC…

The title alone should make me stay away from Kathy Griffin’s newest special, But I am such a big fan of these things I can’t help myself. And they are always hilarious—even if their titles are bizarre…

“Kathy Griffin: Whores on Crutches” airs Tuesday, November 2nd at 10 p.m. on Bravo…

Photo Credits: Dana Edelson/NBC, Bravo

This Week's Sweeps Schedule

This week’s sweeps schedule is chock full of great guest stars with a small interruption from a major news event…

Here’s a sampling of what you can see this week on the broadcast networks, with my usual caveat that schedules are subject to change…

Monday, November 1st
How I Met Your Mother—8 PM—CBS
*Laura Bell Bundy and Jennifer Morrison continue their recurring roles as Becky and Zoe and Will Forte returns as Randy.
Chuck—8 PM—NBC
*Timothy Dalton begins his recurring role. Linda Hamilton and Ana Gasteyer also guest.
Dancing With the Stars—8 PM—ABC
*The show celebrates its 200th episode with the return of past dancers who will serve as guest judges and team captains.
Two and a Half Men—9 PM—CBS
*Melanie Lynskey returns as Rose.
The Women of SNL—9 PM—NBC
*This two-hour special shows some of the funniest sketches from “SNL” female cast members past and present, plus some new stuff.
Hawaii Five-O—10 PM—CBS
*Kelly Hu guests.

Tuesday, November 2nd
Dancing With the Stars—8 PM—ABC
*Rod Stewart and Taylor Swift will perform. Plus, the “Skating With the Stars” cast will be revealed.
FOX News Special—America’s Election Headquarters—9 PM—FOX
2010 Election Night—9 PM—NBC
*Please note that NBC will also provide election coverage from 11:35 p.m.-3:30 a.m., preempting “The Tonight Show” and “Live with Jimmy Fallon.”
Vote 2010—9:30 PM—ABC
CBS News: Election Coverage—10 PM—CBS

Wednesday, November 3rd
Criminal Minds—9 PM—CBS
*Robert Newman (“Guiding Light”) guests
Law & Order: SVU—9 PM—NBC
*Maria Bello and Alex Kingston guests
In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts: All Access Nashville—10 PM—ABC
*Robin goes behind the scenes with Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, LeAnn Rimes and Kellie Pickler.

Thursday, November 4th
The Big Bang Theory—8 PM—CBS
*Eliza Dushku guests
Community—8 PM—NBC
*Hilary Duff and Andy Dick guest
30 Rock—8:30 PM—NBC
*Elizabeth Banks guests

Friday, November 5th
Supernanny—8 PM—ABC—Season Premiere
CSI: NY—9 PM—CBS
*John Larroquette guests

Sunday, November 7th
The Simpsons—8 PM—FOX
*Treehouse of Horror XXI
The Cleveland Show—8:30 PM—FOX
*It’s the Great Pancake, Cleveland Brown
Family Guy—9 PM—FOX
*Halloween on Spooner Street
Desperate Housewives—9 PM—ABC
*John Schneider guests as Keith’s (Brian Austin Green) dad
American Dad—9:30 PM—FOX
*Best Little Horror House in Langley Falls

Photo Credits: Greg Gayne/CBS, Harper Smith/NBC

10 Must-See Sweeps Guest Stars

So who are 10 November sweeps guest stars you just can't miss?

You can find out in my H-D column here.

My Award Acceptance Speech

For the past four and a half years, I have been writing this blog and I have enjoyed every minute of it.

I honestly don’t do it to receive any kind of acclaim, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t nice to be recognized…

This weekend, I will be traveling to Columbus to receive my Ohio SPJ Award for Second Place, Best Weblog. It’s my second one in a row.

Now some people might actually be bummed with second place, but when you consider the talented journalists I’ve been losing to from much larger papers with much larger staffs, I’ll take it.

So since there are no acceptance speeches for second—or first for that matter—let me say a few words here…

Thanks to all the wonderful network publicists who make it possible for me to do this…

Thanks to my editor, the fabulous Andrea Copley-Smith, and to everyone in IT…

And most of all, thanks to you, my faithful readers, without whom there would be no “Stay Tuned”…

To take a look at my submissions for this year’s entry, just click on the links below…

“24” Review: It’s Back, Baby!

“Desperate Housewives”: I’ve Truly Outgrown These People

NASCAR Vs. Digger

“Prison Break: The Final Break”: We Deserve Better

"V" Review: An Idea Whose Time Has Come Again?

"The Office" Gets "Glee"-ful

If you can’t beat them, join them...

That’s apparently the tact that NBC’s “The Office” is taking…

The gang has a viewing party to watch “Glee” in the November 11th episode. NBC is even touting it as one of their sweeps events.

No word on what will happen in the episode and whether “Glee” will be treated as something cool or something to be mocked…

"Glee" Gets In the Christmas Spirit

Michael Ausiello is reporting that “Glee” will be releasing a Christmas album featuring songs from the show’s Christmas episode.

k.d. lang will also appear on the CD, which hits stores November 16th.

The Christmas episode of “Glee” is scheduled to air Tuesday, December 7th at 8 p.m. on FOX…

Do You Have a "Minute to Win It"?

Do you think you’d make a good contestant on NBC’s game show, “Minute to Win It”? Here’s your chance to prove it.

The show is doing an open casting call in Columbus at Polaris Fashion Place Saturday, October 30th from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

You can get more details here.

This Week's Sweeps Schedule

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, November sweeps is upon us. It actually starts Thursday, October 28th.

So here are all the goodies this week of sweeps has to offer, with the reminder that schedules are subject to change…

Thursday, October 28th
World Series Game 2—7:30 PM—FOX
Scared Shrekless—8 PM—NBC
*An all-new Halloween special starring Shrek and his friends
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown—8 PM—ABC
Community—8:30 PM—NBC
*A special Halloween-themed episode
The Office—9 PM—NBC
*A special Halloween-themed episode
CSI—9 PM—CBS
*Katee Sackhoff guests
Grey’s Anatomy—9 PM—ABC
*Mandy Moore returns as Mary, the patient who helped Dr. Bailey during the gunman’s rampage in the season finale.
Outsourced—9:30 PM—NBC
*A special Halloween-themed episode
The Apprentice—10 PM—NBC
*Guest star Kristin Chenoweth

Friday, October 29th
School Pride—8 PM—NBC
*Lady Antebellum guests
It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown—8 PM—ABC

Saturday, October 30th
World Series Game 3—6:30 PM—FOX

Sunday, October 31st
World Series Game 4—8 PM—FOX
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition—8 PM—ABC
*Rob Zombie guests.

Photo Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

ABC Cancels "The Whole Truth"

EW.com’s Michael Ausiello has confirmed what we pretty much already knew—ABC has cancelled “The Whole Truth.”

13 episodes will be completed, but there are no details on when or if those episodes will air.

I’m sad because this is the second time Jerry Bruckheimer tried this kind of show and failed and they were both good. Plus, I hate the thought of the awesome Eamonn Walker being a showkiller.

But in all honestly, given its ratings, ABC really had no choice…

Photo Credit: ABC

A Sneak Peek at "Glee"

Here's a sneak peek of tomorrow night's "Rocky Horror Glee Show" episode of Glee...

Here are Rachel (Lea Michele) and Finn (Cory Monteith) as Brad and Janet...

Here's Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) and Kurt (Chris Colfer) playing Riff-Raff...

The special episode of "Glee" airs Tuesday, October 26th at 8 p.m. on FOX. The soundtrack is available in stores now...

Photos Credit: Adam Rose/FOX

ABC Picks Up Two

“Variety” is reporting that ABC has given full-season orders to two of its new shows…

“No Ordinary Family” and “Better With You” were the lucky recipients. The network also ordered five additional episodes of “Detroit 1-8-7” and four more episodes of “Brothers & Sisters.”

The fate of “The Whole Truth” is still up in the air, although it’s likely to just fade away after airing its first 13, if not before…

Photo Credit: Bob D'Amico/ABC

Pick of the Week: A Halloween Tradition and a Bravo Bonus

This is Halloween week, so of course, my Pick is a Halloween tradition. But no surprise, there’s also a Bravo bonus…

My Pick of the Week is “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”

Though it’s not as classic as “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” “Pumpkin” is a special you just can’t celebrate Halloween without. Charlie Brown is in the title, but it’s Linus who’s the star of this one as he waits in the pumpkin patch for the appearance of the Great Pumpkin.

“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” airs Thursday, October 28th and Friday, October 29th at 8 p.m. on ABC…

Now for a Bravo bonus…

Jeff Lewis did not remodel Kathy Griffin’s home, which I think would have been an excellent crossover event. But Patti Stanger is fixing up the Manzo boys. And fortunately for us, Mama Caroline has plenty to say about it.

Caroline Manzo (“The Real Housewives of New Jersey”), the best housewife of them all in my opinion, is bringing her adorable sons, Albie and Christopher, to "The Millionaire Matchmaker" to find the perfect women for them. Whether or not Patti succeeds, we’ll just have to wait and see…

“The Millionaire Matchmaker” airs Tuesday, October 26th at 9 p.m. on Bravo…

Photo Credits: United Feature Syndicate and Heidi Gutman/Bravo

The CW Goes Two for Two

CBS went five for five, now The CW is going two for two…

The network announced today that it has given full season orders to both of its new shows, “Hellcats” and “Nikita.”

The CW also gave a full season order to “One Tree Hill,” now in its 8th season…

Photo Credit: Ben Mark Holzberg/The CW

Is ABC Doing It To Me Again?

I don’t like this…

Deadline.com reported this week that ABC has trimmed its order for the second season of “V” from 13 to 10 episodes.

According to the article, the change was made so the show could fit in the window between the fall and spring editions of “Dancing With the Stars.” But I’m concerned that we’re looking at another case of ABC ruining a show I love.

Stay Tuned…

“V” premieres Tuesday, January 4th at 9 p.m. on ABC…

Photo Credit: Bob D'Amico/ABC

Conan Is Getting Ready...

The premiere of “Conan” is getting closer…

Today, TBS announced Conan’s guests for his first week:

Monday, November 8th: First Guest Poll winner, Seth Rogen and musical guest Jack White

Tuesday, November 9th: Tom Hanks, Jack McBrayer and musical guest Soundgarden

Wednesday, November 10th: Jon Hamm, Charlyne Yi and musical guest Fistful of Mercy

Thursday, November 11th: Michael Cera, Julie Bowen and comedian Jon Dore

Earlier this week, TBS announced that Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band will be the house band for the show. Vivino steps in for Max Weinberg, who elected not to return to LA after heart surgery. The band members are the usual suspects: Scott Healy (keyboards); Mike Merritt (bass); Mark Pender (trumpet); Richie “LaBamba” Rosenberg (trombone); Jerry Vivino (saxophone, woodwinds and vocals); and James Wormworth (drums).

It was announced earlier that Andy Richter will rejoin Conan for the show.

“Conan” premieres Monday, November 8th at 11 p.m. on TBS…

Photo Credit: Art Streiber/TBS

CBS Shows Why It's #1

The press release headline says it all…

“CBS Goes 5 for 5.”

CBS announced today that it’s given full season pick-ups to all five of its new shows: “Hawaii Five-O,” “Blue Bloods,” “Mike & Molly” and “$#! My Dad Says.”

That’s why they’re number one, folks…

Photo Credit: Art Streiber/CBS

NBC Picks Up Five Shows For Full Seasons

NBC has given full-season orders to new shows, “The Event,” “Outsourced,” “Law & Order: Los Angeles,” “Chase” and the ever resilient veteran, “Chuck”…

Meanwhile, “Outlaw” has been officially cancelled, and “Undercovers” is in a lot of danger.

But if you’re looking for the next official cancellation, I would still look at ABC and “The Whole Truth.” It will be interesting to see if the show makes ABC’s November sweeps schedule when it comes out in the next several days…

Photo Credit: Patrick Ecclesine/NBC

Pick of the Week: My Latest Obsession Finally Comes to An End

I hadn’t posted this week’s Pick because I was really giving it a lot of thought. It’s not that I didn’t know what to pick, I just didn’t know if you guys could stand me picking it. But since it’s my last chance…

My Pick of the Week is “The Real Housewives of D.C. Reunion Part 2.”

I admit it. I have become completely obsessed with the Salahis. And last week’s part one of the reunion only fueled that. Without Tareq next to her, Michaele spoke for herself and the claws came out. Her attack on Cat was especially cutting as she said that if Cat had love in her heart, her husband would come back to her. That elicited a gasp from Mary.

It was nice to see Andy Cohen stand his ground with Michaele, even catching her up in a lie about being a Washington Redskins cheerleader (She wasn’t one.).

But the biggest moment came at the end when Andy said they were going to bring out Tareq. Linda and Mary said they would leave if their husband and boyfriend didn’t get to come out too. Andy protested that he was big and strong and could protect them, but clearly they had all seen Teresa shove him around because they weren’t having any of it.

And as messed up as Tareq can be, I can’t really blame them. Plus, it gives us a chance to spend time with Stacie’s husband, Jason, who was always my favorite cast member anyway.

The previews show the wives and Andy really getting after the Salahis for the alleged party crashing and for “hijacking the show,” as Linda puts it.

I honestly can’t wait—except for the fact that I have no idea what I’m going to do without the crazy Salahis each week. I smell spin-off…

“The Real Housewives of D.C. Reunion Part 2” airs Thursday, October 21st at 9 p.m. on Bravo…

Photo Credit: William B. Plowman/Bravo

"Gunn's Golden Rules" Review: Physician Heal Thyself

I have always been a Tim Gunn fan. So when I heard about his new book, “Gunn’s Golden Rules,” I was pretty psyched. Especially when I read a pretty dishy excerpt.

Gunn’s blunt honesty is one of the things I like most about him. But there may be such a thing as too much honesty…

The book starts out good, as Gunn gives his true opinions on designer Isaac Mizrahi, editor Anna Wintour, and even “Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi, using rude things they did to illustrate his rules. But after a while, it just gets old and honestly, a little catty. I’m sure there are many in the fashion world who aren’t too happy about it.

I have to say that I’m not too happy about it either…

I completely understand the need for examples, but it all just gets to be too much. And I really thought Gunn was better than that.

I think one of his “Golden Rules” should be not to criticize so much. It may come back to bite you…

“Gunn’s Golden Rules: Life’s Little Lessons for Making It Work” (Gallery, SRP $23.99) is available now, wherever books are sold.

Photo Credit: Simon & Schuster

"Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It" Review: Rock On!

Ten years ago, if you had told me to describe Bret Michaels, I would have used words like rocker, wild, reckless. But now, I use words like father, caring, compassionate. But I would also add the word adorable…

And now Bret is showing us all of those traits on his new reality show, “Bret Michaels” Life As I Know It.”

Gone is watching Bret make out with dozens of women. Now the only women he’s putting his arms around are his daughters, Raine and Jorja, and their mother, Kristi. And as entertaining as I thought the “Rock of Love” shows were, I think I like seeing Bret in this environment more. Even among all of the insanity and catfighting on “Rock,” Bret always came off as a sweet and caring guy. Now we get to see that in full force with his adorable family. And maybe after 16 years, we’ll finally get to see Bret settle down with Kristi.

In the opening episode, we get a quick recap of all of Bret’s health issues. Then, the focus turns to him wanting to get back on the road—something his daughters are not all that crazy about. But Bret is first and foremost a rocker. And he’s not going to let a little thing like appendicitis, or an aneurysm, or a stroke, or a hole in his heart stop him.

And even though you know he’s risking his life, you can’t help but root for him…

Bret’s life as he knows it is pretty awesome. And we’ll all enjoy watching it.

“Bret Michaels: Life As I know It” premieres Monday, October 18th at 10 p.m. on VH1…

Photo Credit: VH1

Get Ready To Go "Back to the Future"

Wanna see something cool?

Check out this promo for the “Back to the Future” 25th anniversary reunion that will take place during the Scream 2010 Awards, which honors the best in scifi, fantasy, comics and horror, as voted on by the fans.

"TV Guide" reports that Michael J. Fox, Lea Thompson and Elisabeth Shue will be part of the reunion. And yes, I'm well aware that Shue was not in the first movie, but who cares! Michael J. Fox will be there. That's the important thing...

The show will air Tuesday, October 19th at 9 p.m.

The General Lee Rides Again

"The Dukes of Hazzard"? Seriously?! You bet!

You can read this week's "Stay Tuned" column here.

And don't forget to catch tonight's encore of "Petty Blue" at 8 p.m. on CMT...

Photo Credit: CMT

Pick of the Week: A Potential Disaster in the Making?

This week’s Pick is a little different than usual because I’m not picking based on how good it could be, I’m picking it based on how bad it could be.

But in this case, that’s a good thing…

My Pick of the Week is a special live episode of “30 Rock.”

Usually, this kind of stunt is reserved for November sweeps, but “Rock” is rolling it out for this month. The cast is made up of veterans who are used to live TV, but any of them could still make a big mistake at any moment. And that’s why we’ll be watching…

The cast will be doing the episode in Studio 8H—the home of “Saturday Night Live.” And they’ll be doing it twice—once for each coast. Both versions will be available later on NBC.com.

“30 Rock” airs Thursday, October 14th at 8:30 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: Mary Ellen Matthews/NBC

"Petty Blue": A Can't Miss for NASCAR Fans

I’ve been a NASCAR fan most of my life, so I know about the legends who made the sport what it is.

But many new fans only know Richard Petty as the man in the cowboy hat. They don’t know anything about his racing career and how he came to be known as the King. And they certainly don’t know how important the Petty family was to the creation of the sport.

Thankfully, CMT Films and NASCAR Media Group have teamed up to show us the history of racing’s first family in an excellent new film so that new fans can catch up and longtime fans can learn new aspects of the story.

“Petty Blue” starts out with NASCAR’s first king, Lee Petty, the family patriarch, and then takes us through the generations—Richard, Kyle and Adam. Obviously, Richard is the focus, but each generation gets its turn in the spotlight, as we hear from family members, NASCAR officials and other racing legends.

Probably the best thing about the film is that it doesn’t shy away from the bad stuff. This is the story of the Pettys—warts and all. I don’t think I’ve ever heard such frank talk from Richard and Kyle about what went wrong with Kyle’s career. And although the demise of Petty Enterprises is glossed over fairly quickly, it is discussed.

The star of the film, however, is not any of the racers. It’s Lynda, Richard’s wife. She probably gets more camera time than anyone else and she makes the most of it. She’s as blunt as they come about her family and racing, which makes for some pretty entertaining soundbites. But it also keeps the film grounded in realism.

And speaking of realism, make sure you have some tissues ready for the segment on Adam (Kyle’s son) because it’s a little difficult to watch. But you’ll come out of it having the utmost respect for Kyle and his wife, Pattie. I’ve always been a fan of Kyle’s, but I have to admit that I’m an even bigger one now.

If you’re a NASCAR fan, you can’t miss “Petty Blue.” It’s a wonderful look at the family that helped make it the sport you love in the first place…

“Petty Blue” premieres Friday, October 8th at 8 p.m. with encores Saturday, October 9th at 8 p.m. and Sunday, October 10th at 8 p.m. on CMT. It’s also available now on DVD…

Photo Credit: Ed Rode/CMT

A Labor Day Tradition Gets a Big-Time Makeover

Here’s an interesting story that hit the wires today…

The annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon is getting a huge makeover…

According to the AP, the 20+ hour telethon will be reduced to a six-hour program beginning in 2011.

“TV Week” reported today that the telethon is scheduled for Sunday, September 4th from 6 p.m.-Midnight. An MDA spokesman told the AP that organizers are hoping the shortened format will allow them to get more viewers and donations, as well as bigger performers.

The change also comes on the heels of this year’s telethon receiving a scathing review from “Washington Post” critic Tom Shales…

Say It Isn't So, Caitlin!

Here’s a story that completely surprised me…

Caitlin Sanchez, the 14-year-old girl who has voiced “Dora the Explorer” since 2007 is suing Nickelodeon, saying she was cheated out of millions.

When Nickelodeon responded today, the network said that Caitlin’s voice had changed and she was no longer able to play Dora.

As you guys know, I talked to Caitlin just a few months ago and believe me, I never saw this coming. She did seem a little vague when I asked her about future Dora projects, but I just chalked that up to a young girl not knowing what was ahead for her. And the people from Nickelodeon were so happy to set up the interview I would never have dreamed they were considering replacing her as Dora.

You can read the People.com account of the whole sordid mess here.

Photo Credit: Nickelodeon

"Top Chef: Just Desserts": Are They All Coming Unwound?

When people apply/audition to be part of a reality show, they fill out lots of paperwork so that the producers can make sure they’re getting stable people.

Apparently the producers of “Top Chef: Just Desserts” lost all of the paperwork for its contestants because this is the most messed up group of people I have ever seen on a reality show…

WARNING: If you have not seen last night’s episode of “Top Chef: Just Desserts” stop reading now.

You may remember that in my review of the premiere, I said that Seth was “the slightly strange one with the mega talent.” I thought that his quirks could actually become entertaining. I couldn’t have been more wrong, because his quirks made the show painful to watch. First there was his breakdown when he couldn’t finish a dish that he was making in honor of his mother. Then there was his breakdown when he couldn’t make the cocktail he wanted for the cocktail challenge.

But none of that came anywhere close to the breakdown he had last night…

Host Gail Simmons announced that the Quickfire Challenge would be an ice cream challenge, as was obvious by the numerous containers of Breyer’s ice cream. Seth wanted to know if they were making their own ice cream and when Gail told him no, he responded with an almost creepy, “weak sauce,” which I took as a bit of a slam toward the sponsor, Breyer’s. Then he started acting very strangely, scaring his competitors.

Then, in a rare move, we saw the cheftestants in the Stew Room getting an explanation of the challenge from a producer (I’ve always wondered how that works.). Seth continued his odd behavior complaining his paper cups had been thrown away (Don’t worry. I didn’t understand it either.). After calling the producer a liar and saying a few more bizarre things, Seth disappeared. Cut to the other cheftestants discussing his behavior and then hearing sirens in the background. Apparently Seth had a major anxiety attack and an ambulance was called.

In his confessional segment, Seth very calmly said the producers had decided he was unable to continue competing. In all honesty, the show had no choice. Seth was becoming alarmingly unbalanced. I’m actually surprised something like this has never happened before.

But if you think that getting rid of Seth restored the sanity to the show, you are sorely mistaken. To replace him, the show brought back Heather C., who nearly had a breakdown before she was eliminated last week. And she came close to having another one as she seemed headed toward another elimination this week.

But instead, Malika, who toyed with the idea of quitting last week, stepped forward and asked to be eliminated, after it seemed like she was finally at peace with the show.

Huh?

Not to mention Heather H., who said Morgan wasn’t a team player, because he didn’t help her with the showpiece—which she volunteered to do on her own.

What in the world?

I still think that “Just Desserts” is a great concept and I stand by my initial review that the cheftestants have personality.

I just wish the personality wasn’t so unstable because it’s ruining the stability of the show as well…

“Top Chef: Just Desserts” airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on Bravo…

Photo Credit: Kelsey McNeal/Bravo

Another New Show In Trouble...

The “Hollywood Reporter” reported yesterday that NBC has suspended production on the Jimmy Smits drama, “Outlaw.”

The report says that the network will run the remaining five episodes.

If the ratings should improve, it’s possible that production could resume. But I think it’s a safe bet that won’t happen…

By the way, “Outlaw” comes from Conaco, Conan O’Brien’s production company…

Photo Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

What's the First Show to Get a Full-Season Pick-Up?

The best news for a new fall show during these early stages of the season is a full-season pickup. Getting a full season is usually the first step to a second season—not always, but most of the time.

So what is the first new show to get a full-season pick-up? FOX’s “Raising Hope.”

Yes, that’s the same “Raising Hope” that I said was the season’s worst new show. Oh well…

According to FOX, the show is “the No. 1 new comedy among Teens and Young Women, the No. 2 new comedy among Adults 18-34 and one of the Top 5 new comedies among Adults 18-49.”

Photo Credit: Matthias Clamer/FOX

Today's Column: A Tribute to Stephen J. Cannell

If you missed it, today's column in "The Herald-Dispatch" is about the impact that Stephen J. Cannell had on my life.

It also paints me as somewhat of a weird kid, but oh well...

You can read it here.

"Harry Loves Lisa" Review: One Reality Show Too Many?

When my husband heard about the new TV Land reality show, “Harry Loves Lisa,” he said the same thing he always says when a new reality show premieres…

“There are too many reality shows.”

I usually just laugh and ignore him. After all, watching these shows is part of my job. But in this case, I think he might be right…

Harry is Harry Hamlin. Lisa is his wife, Lisa Rinna. The show follows their lives as they both attempt to get back into Hollywood’s good graces.

In the first episode, Harry is told he gave a bizarre reading at an audition, so he decides to do stand-up comedy to shake things up—which isn’t bizarre at all…

Meanwhile, Lisa makes headlines with her comments about Heidi Montag’s plastic surgeries. Then she refuses to take Harry’s advice to shut up about it and continues to dig a deeper hole for herself.

Sound boring? That’s because it is. The whole stand-up comedy thing is so staged it’s painful. And then when it finally happens, we don’t even really see it. And no matter how hard Lisa tries to come off as not being a hypocrite, she completely comes off like one.

“Harry Loves Lisa” could actually be fun if we saw more than just staged silliness. But it’s going to need to step up considerably from the premiere.

And Harry is going to have to do a lot less stand-up…

“Harry Loves Lisa” premieres Wednesday, October 6th at 10 p.m. on TV Land…

Photo Credit: TV Land

My Five Favorite Stephen J. Cannell Shows

I spent the entire weekend just trying to wrap my head around what I wanted to say about Stephen J. Cannell, who died Thursday at the age of 69.

In the past four days, I’ve read a lot of things about Cannell and his shows. One article I read called the over 40 shows Cannell helped create “meat and potatoes” shows. In other worlds, there were no complicated backstories or high concepts. I think the writer meant that as a bit of a slam, but I think that’s what made them appealing. They were pure escapist entertainment with characters that were not your normal heroes.

I’m saving my most personal thoughts for my Thursday column, but I had to say something here too. Here are my top five favorite Stephen J. Cannell shows…

5) “The Rockford Files”
This show, which reinvigorated the career of James Garner, premiered five days before I was born. But thanks to syndicated reruns, I was able to enjoy it every night at the dinner table when I got home from school. Private Detective Jim Rockford (Garner) was a classic character, but my favorite episodes were the ones with Angel (Stuart Margolin), his former cellmate, who always found a way to get Rockford in trouble.

4) “Stingray”
This one is probably known more for the car than the premise as the mysterious Ray (Nick Mancuso) traveled around Southern California in his 1965 Corvette Stingray, helping those who answered his mysterious ad. I can still hum the show’s classic Mike Post and Pete Carpenter theme song.

3) “The Greatest American Hero”
Having just recently seen the premiere episode again, I can tell you this one still stands the test of time. Ralph Hinkley (William Katt) was just a normal schoolteacher until aliens gave him a suit that gave him super powers. The only problem was that Ralph lost the instructions and didn’t really know how to make the suit work. Robert Culp was Bill Maxwell, the FBI agent who partnered with Ralph.

2) “Hunter”
This one went a little astray in its later years—somewhere around the time star Fred Dryer signed on as an executive producer—but in its early years, it was classic TV. Detective Rick Hunter (Dryer) was like a small screen Dirty Harry, doing whatever it took to get the bad guys. Stefanie Kramer was his partner, Dee Dee McCall, who was supposed to help keep him in line, but ended up supporting his methods.

1) “The A-Team”
Ah, yes. My beloved “A-Team.” For the record, I did not go see the movie this summer, partly because I was afraid it would destroy my happy childhood memories. “The A-Team” was my first real TV obsession—the “24” of its day, if you will. And Dirk Benedict (Face) was my first celebrity crush. In fact, I still think he’s pretty cool.

So what about you guys? What are your favorite Stephen J. Cannell shows? With over 40 to choose from, you can come up with a lot of combinations.

Post a few in the comments or send an e-mail to hdstaytuned@hotmail.com...

Photo Credit: Michael Desmond/ABC

"The Real Housewives of D.C." Finale: What Did Michaele Know and When Did She Know It?

Thursday on “The Real Housewives of D.C.” we saw the lead-up to the infamous alleged White House party crashing incident and boy, was it ugly…

I think the number one revelation that came out of what we saw is that Bravo was onto the Salahis from the beginning. But just like a car wreck you can’t keep from looking at, they just kept filming…

If you missed it, Tareq took Michaele to a salon to get ready for the big event—the State Dinner at The White House. Michaele yammered away to her makeup artist about how she had called a White House social secretary to determine if her sari was appropriate to wear. But the chatter cooled considerably when Michaele moved to her stylist. Maybe that was because it was pretty obvious the stylist was asking prepared questions—no doubt from the suspicious Bravo producers.

Finally the stylist flat out asked if she could see the invitation and Michaele went out to the limo—presumably to find it. But after fumbling around the vehicle, she came up empty. When a producer confronted her about telling the stylist she’d go get it, Michaele didn’t seem to remember saying she would. The producer continued to press, but to no avail. Finally, Michaele asked Tareq about the invitation and he told her that they didn’t need it. He then repeated that statement to the camera during a taped confessional moment, saying the invitation was just a formality. Later, in her own confessional, Michaele said she was sure the invitation was safe at home. She also said she knew that one of the girls at the salon would love to see the invitation, but that just wasn’t going to happen—even though earlier she had said it was in the car and went to get it.

Hmm…

This Thursday, on the “Housewives” season finale, we’ll see more of what happened and then experience the aftermath through the eyes of the other Housewives. Then, the Salahis will join Andy Cohen on “Watch What Happens Live,” following the finale.

But my mind is already made up. I believe the Salahis did crash the party. The only question is whether Michaele knew they were crashing. I believe it’s quite possible Tareq told her they were invited when they weren’t. And she just went along with him because she goes along with everything he does—like a good Stepford Wife should.

Either way, I’ll definitely be watching Thursday night. And I think there will probably be some White House people watching as well…

“The Real Housewives of D.C.” airs a special extended season finale Thursday, October 7th at 9 p.m., followed by “Watch What Happens Live” at 10:15 p.m. on Bravo…

Photo Credit: Adam Olszweski/Bravo

Pick of the Week: I'm Seeing Red

You guys know that I generally stay away from sporting events as my Pick, but since this is what I’m absolutely obsessed with, I have no choice…

My Pick of the Week is the National League Division Series between the Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Cincinnati Reds are in the playoffs, so you’re not going to want to miss it. Game 1 is Wednesday, October 6th at 5:07 p.m., while Game 2 is Friday, October 8th at 6:07 p.m., both on TBS. Game 3 is Sunday, October 10th on TBS, but the time has not yet been set.

Go Redlegs!

ABC Cancels "My Generation"

To no one’s surprise, ABC cancelled “My Generation” Friday. No word yet on what will replace it.

I liked “Generation,” but there was just no way its high concept of a documentary crew following around a group of people 10 years after they followed them around for a previous documentary was going to click with audiences.

Next on the chopping block will most likely be ABC’s “The Whole Truth” or NBC’s “Outlaw,” which is getting trounced on Friday nights by CBS’ “Blue Bloods”…

Photo Credit: Bob D'Amico/ABC

Is Wonder Woman Going to Become a Legal Eagle?

Friday, “The Hollywood Reporter” reported that Warner Brothers Television is developing a TV show about Wonder Woman.

That’s honestly no big surprise with “Smallville” coming to an end and a big screen “Wonder Woman” never getting off the ground. The big surprise is who WBTV has tapped to develop the show—David E. Kelley of “Ally McBeal” and “Boston Legal” fame.

So is Diana Prince going to be a lawyer now?

Kelley is very talented, but he is known for serious dramas with quirky edges. I can’t really see him doing a super hero show.

Now, it’s important to note that a development deal does not a series make. So hopefully someone at WBTV will realize their mistake and get McG on this thing ASAP…

"Wonder Woman" (c) Warner Bros. Ent Inc. "Wonder Woman" and all related characters and elements are trademarks of (c) DC Comics.All Rights Reserved.

A TV Legend Passes

Some very sad news to pass along...

Stephen J. Cannell, the creator of "The A-Team," "Hunter," and so much
more died today at the age of 69.

Because his shows were such a huge part of my life, I will absolutely
have more on this later...