Stay Tuned
Reviews, previews and much more on "The Real Housewives," "How I Met Your Mother," "NCIS" and many more of your favorite shows. This is the place to talk about all of the things that make us "Stay Tuned"…

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Playing Catch-Up: “Heroes,” “Lost” and “Prison Break”

I thought I would take this opportunity to play a little catch-up with some shows that I haven’t had the chance to talk about…

You guys know I’ve kissed “Heroes” goodbye, but I did read what happened in the finale and it made me want to cry. Warning: Stop reading now if you haven’t seen Monday’s episode. Sylar killed Nathan and then instead of killing Sylar, Matt turned Sylar into Nathan? HUH?! This show has gone so far downhill since that first season it’s not even funny. There are A LOT of critics out there who wish NBC would let this show go and keep “Chuck”…

You’ve probably noticed I haven’t said anything about “Lost” recently. That’s because I am five episodes behind, thanks to “American Idol.” However, I know who died because I read it on—of all places—my Facebook page, thanks to “TV Guide.” It’s called a spoiler alert, people! Use it…

You’ve probably also noticed that I haven’t said anything about “Prison Break” since it came back. That’s not because I haven’t been watching, it’s because I have no idea what’s going on. Like last week, when Michael and Sarah were able to track down Michael’s mother because of a series of numbers. I have no idea where those numbers even came from and I’m not sure the show does either, quite frankly.

The only good thing about the show right now is—as usual—T-Bag, as we’ve finally seen an actual heart since he’s trying to protect his mother from The Company. And it looks like he’ll throw anyone under the bus that he has to, which is cool—especially if it’s Self. I’m just worried that when this comes to an end, T-Bag is going to end up back in prison. I’d prefer he end up on some beach somewhere…

So what do you guys think? Feel free to leave your comments about any of these shows. And don’t worry about spoilers, I’m so behind on “Lost” I don’t think it matters anymore…

Photo Credits: Trae Patton/NBC and Michael Lavine/FOX

Monday, April 27, 2009

A Network Tells the President No

There are two things I try very hard to keep out of this blog—religion and politics. But when our President insists on messing with the TV schedule as often as he has during his first 100 days, it’s hard not to protest a little…

I mean, I understand that President Obama wants to insert his own voice into the dialogue about his first 100 days, but this is sweeps. It’s pretty ironic that he’ll be talking about fixing our economy when he’s costing the networks millions. There has to be another way to communicate his message.

That’s why I have to give props to the one network that has decided to refuse the President’s request—FOX. Now, some have already accused FOX of playing partisan politics, but I think it’s pretty obvious that this is all about dollars and cents. Yes, it’s true that this address would not preempt “American Idol,” but it could cause it to run over—and we already know what kind of chaos that causes. Plus, “Lie to Me” really shouldn’t have to endure another week off.

Now, I am not suggesting that TV is more important than our economy or other world issues. I just think that the President is making a few too many TV appearances. At some point, people are going to grow tired of them…

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Pick of the Week: A Goodbye to a Cult Fave?

Earlier this season, I said that I would add “Chuck” to my must-see list. But since it’s on against my two favorite comedies and I seem to never have enough time in the day to watch everything, I’ve let it slide.

But I’ll be making an exception this week for a few reasons…

So, my Pick of the Week is “Chuck.”

First of all, there’s a plethora of guest stars including Morgan Fairchild, Bruce Boxleitner, Scott Bakula, and Chevy Chase.

Second of all, it’s the season finale.

But the biggest reason to watch this week is because it could be the series finale if NBC doesn’t choose to renew it. And the fact that the season finale is airing in April to be replaced by “Deal or No Deal” is honestly not a good sign.

However, maybe I shouldn’t read too much into it since “Heroes” is also wrapping up in April and it’s already been renewed for next season.
Maybe NBC is just trying to keep these finales out of the finale maelstrom of “Dancing With the Stars,” “24” and the CBS comedies. Or maybe NBC just figures “Deal Or No Deal” will score better ratings.

Sadly, if the latter is the reason, they’re right. It most likely will score higher.

And no, that doesn’t bode well for “Chuck” either…

“Chuck” airs Monday, April 27th at 8 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: Chris Haston/NBC

May Sweeps 2009 Begins...

The magical time known as May sweeps actually started Thursday, but because I’ve completely lost track of April, I didn’t get anything posted about it last week. So, I hope you can all find it in your hearts to forgive me.

As a token of my appreciation for your forgiveness, allow me to share a few of the treats you can expect during the first full week of May sweeps, with the warning that all of these listings are subject to change…

Monday, April 27th
Chuck—8 PM—NBC—Season Finale
**Morgan Fairchild, Bruce Boxleitner, Scott Bakula and Chevy Chase guest star.
Heroes—9 PM—NBC—Season Finale

Tuesday, April 28th
NCIS—8 PM—CBS
**Part one of a two-parter designed to set up a spin-off starring LL Cool J and Chris O’Donnell.
Law & Order: SVU—10 PM—NBC
**Hilary Duff and Gail O’Grady guest.

Wednesday, April 29th
**Please note that President Obama may address the nation at 8 p.m. on this night.
Better Off Ted—8:30 PM—ABC—Season Finale
Lost—9 PM—ABC
**100th episode
CSI: NY—10 PM—CBS
**Ed Asner guests.
Criminal Minds—10 PM—CBS
**Fan fave Alex O’Loughlin (“Moonlight”) guests.

Thursday, April 30th
Ugly Betty—8 PM—ABC
**The show returns after a hiatus.
My Name Is Earl—8 PM—NBC
**Geraldo Rivera and Michael Waltrip guest.
Bones—8 PM—FOX
**Brendan Fehr returns as Booth’s brother.
30 Rock—9:30 PM—NBC
**Elaine Stritch returns as Jack’s mother.
Private Practice—10:02 PM—ABC—Season Finale

Friday, May 1st
Howie Do It—8 PM—NBC—Season Finale
Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Decoded—9 PM—Cartoon Network
**These encore episodes feature commentary, backstory and trivia.
Numb3rs—10 PM—CBS
**100th episode

Saturday, May 2nd
The Kentucky Derby—4 PM—NBC
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Richmond 500—7 PM—FOX
Living Out Loud—9 PM—Hallmark
**Gail O’Grady guest stars in this TV-movie as a teacher who decides to live life a little fuller when she’s diagnosed with breast cancer.
MADtv—Midnight (Time approximate after NASCAR)—FOX
**An encore of the tribute to former cast member Michael McDonald, hosted by Kathy Griffin

Sunday, May 3rd
Hannah Montana—8 PM—Disney Channel
**David Archuleta guests.
The Simpsons—8 PM—FOX
**Ellen Page (“Juno”) guests.
Cold Case—9 PM—CBS
**Part one of the season finale features the music of Pearl Jam.
Desperate Housewives—9 PM—ABC
**After his serious motorcycle accident, Gale Harold (Jackson) returns to the show.
Family Guy—9 PM—FOX
**Drew Barrymore, Lauren Conrad, Audrina Partridge, Jay Leno, Craig Ferguson, and Jimmy Fallon guest.
In Plain Sight—10 PM—USA Network-
**Cynthia Watros guests.
Tough Love—10 PM—VH1—Season Finale

Photo Credits: Cliff Lipson/CBS, Sonja Flemming/CBS, and Craig Sjodin/Disney Channel

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

"Iron Man: Armored Adventures" Review: A New Twist With Great Potential

It only makes sense that Marvel would want to capitalize on the success of “Iron Man” by returning the character to the world of animation.

But if you’re expecting “Iron Man: Armored Adventures” to tell the same old Tony Stark story, you’re in for a big surprise. Notice I didn’t say that you’ll be disappointed because I can’t see anyone being disappointed with this fun, fresh animated series.

This Tony Stark is a teenager. Tony is living a privileged life as his dad is the wealthy owner of Stark International. Instead of going to school like normal kids, Tony spends his days in the lab working on amazing inventions. His latest invention is a suit of invincible armor.

But before Tony can show his dad his latest creation, tragedy strikes, taking Tony’s father’s life and nearly taking Tony’s life as well. Now, Tony’s life is turned upside down as he is forced to move in with his best friend, Rhodey, and go to school. But Tony is anything but a normal teenager since he is a genius who memorizes his textbooks and teaches his teachers how to teach.

And when Tony learns from Pepper, a classmate whose father is an FBI agent, that there may be more to his father’s death than what he thought, Tony decides to complicate his life even more by donning his suit to investigate. And when the media and public turn him into a hero, Tony decides to fully embrace the new persona of “Iron Man.”

However, being new to the hero game, Tony makes more than a few mistakes. Fortunately, he’s got Rhodey and Pepper to help him. And that help will come in handy when a mysterious and powerful villain rears his ugly head.

Although I’m not a fan of the animation style, I am a fan of the writing as the idea of a teenage Iron Man is pretty appealing. And even though the family tragedy story has been done MANY times before, it still works here. I’m a little unsure of the big bad guy, but having read what’s ahead for him, I think that will get worked out.

The show reminds me a little of “X-Men: Evolution” with its high school element, but I mean that as a compliment. It was when that show got out of high school that it lost its way. Hopefully, that won’t happen here, because I think “Iron Man” has got great potential.

“Iron Man: Armored Adventures” premieres Friday, April 24th at 7 p.m. with back-to-back episodes on NickToons Network. You can also see the first episode on TurboNick

Photos Credit: Marvel

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

"24": It's Getting Hard to Watch

Over the years, there have been a lot of things that have been difficult to watch on my beloved “24.” Its gritty realism is part of what makes the show great.

But those closing moments of last night’s episode had to be some of the hardest to watch in the history of the show…

After Tony (Carlos Bernard) switched sides last week and murdered Larry (Jeffrey Nordling), I was hoping that there was more to the story. That maybe Tony was really still a good guy and that Larry just had to be sacrificed for the greater good Tony was trying to do.

But after last night, I don’t see how that’s possible any more…

You could see that Tony was unhappy when the FBI helicopter landed and Jack (Kiefer Sutherland) got out, because he knew that even a debilitated Jack was still a smart one. And sure enough, little by little, Jack started to unravel Tony’s story. And little by little, Tony got shiftier and shiftier as watching Jack shoot up with his anti-seizure medication, he tried to convince him to get out of the field—even showing concern for him when he realized that Jack was dying.

But finally, Jack put all of the pieces together and went after Tony, pulling his gun on him, yelling at him to confess his role in everything. Tony tried to talk his way out of it, even trying to convince Jack that the toxin was making him question his judgment. But Jack wouldn’t budge, even as he began twitching and blinking even more violently. Finally, Jack collapsed to the ground in a full-blown seizure. As he lay on the ground reaching in his pocket for his medication, Tony calmly walked over and took Jack’s gun. As Jack looked at Tony with those bulging eyes (Kiefer Sutherland is WAY too convincing with those seizures.), Tony reached out his open hand to reveal Jack’s medication kit. “Is this what you were looking for?” he asked quietly, as I gasped out loud. “'I never wanted to hurt you, Jack. I told you to stay out of it. But you wouldn't listen, would you?”

Hearing the paramedics approach, Tony put the kit back in his pocket, asked the paramedics to help Jack and then just strolled away.

It physically hurt me to watch that scene. I think I’m still hurting a little bit today…

Tony has always been my second favorite character on the show. I hated the way he died, so I was thrilled when the show resurrected him—regardless of the circumstances. And when they revealed he was not a bad guy after all, I was positively giddy. Last week, when that changed, I was miffed, but I was willing to go with it. After all, I like bad guys, so why did Tony being a bad guy mean I had to hate him?

But after last night…

Heading into these last five episodes, there was only one thing I wanted to see—a cure for Jack. But now there are two things I want to see: A cure for Jack AND Jack taking Tony down—by any means necessary.

And yes, it physically hurt to even type that…

The final five episodes of season seven of “24” begin Monday, April 27th at 9 p.m. on FOX…

Photo Credit: Kelsey McNeal/FOX

What Happened to Yesterday's "Oprah"?

For those of you tuning in to yesterday’s “Oprah” to hear a new explanation of why the Columbine shootings occurred were sorely disappointed…

Oprah Winfrey herself pulled the already taped show because she thought it focused too much on the killers.

But wasn’t that the point? Wasn’t she wanting to get to the heart of why this terrible tragedy happened?

I completely understand that Oprah wanted to show respect to the families on yesterday’s 10th anniversary. But I believe the old saying that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. I believe it’s important we know why this terrible thing occurred so we can try to prevent it from happening again.

I would’ve thought Oprah would feel the same…

Monday, April 20, 2009

The Funniest "Bang" Moment Ever

Tonight’s “The Big Bang Theory” was a rerun, but it didn’t matter because it featured the most classic moment of the show thus far…

When Penny tells the guys that she bought them a Christmas present, Sheldon decides to be extra-prepared by having gift baskets of numerous prices on hand. Then, when he gets her present for him, he’ll just claim he’s having stomach troubles and then go get the basket equal in value to her gift. But Penny throws his plan completely out of whack with her present.



Have I mentioned lately how much I love this show?

If you didn’t get enough “Theory” tonight, you can catch the show on a special night tomorrow (Tuesday) at 8 p.m. on CBS…

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Happy Anniversary, Stay Tuned!

I told someone yesterday, as I was explaining how I’ve let so many things get away from me lately, that between the months of January and May, my life is no longer my own…

Which explains why I let an important anniversary slide. The third anniversary of this blog.

For the record it was March 22nd…

I hope you agree that the blog just keeps getting better, as you can now see more photos reviews and stories from all the major networks than ever before. And as always, you can read my opinion about all of it.

Let me take the opportunity to thank some people for helping me reach this milestone: Andrea, my editor; Jeramey in IT; and all the publicists that have helped me over these past three years.

Plus, I have to thank all of you for your support. This thing just doesn’t go without you.

But I have no plans to go anywhere anytime soon, so I hope you all will continue to Stay Tuned…

"Desperate Housewives": Edie Finally Gets Some Love

Finally, “Desperate Housewives” gave Edie a decent storyline.

Too bad she had to die to get it…

Tonight’s episode finally made Edie a character worth caring about as each Housewife told a sweet story about Edie as they prepared to tell her son, Travers, about her death. Each story defined her character beyond the neighborhood slut we had come to know over the last five years.
It was a wonderful way to say goodbye to the character, a character that Nicollette Sheridan claims in the new “TV Guide” was modeled after someone series creator Marc Cherry didn’t like.

That’s only one of the interesting revelations in this week’s cover story that details some of the difficulties Sheridan created on set and Cherry’s logic behind killing the character.

You can see a portion of it here
Photo Credits: Danny Feld/ABC and TVGuideMagazine.com

Pick of the Week: A Legendary Awards Show

This week’s Pick is going to be legend—wait for it—dary…

This week’s Pick of the Week is the Seventh Annual TV Land Awards hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.

In addition to Neil Patrick Harris in all of his hosting glory, the show will honor “M*A*S*H,” “Married With Children,” “Knots Landing,” “Home Improvement,” and “Magnum P.I.” among others.

It’ll be fun to see all of these casts reunited and I never miss an opportunity to see NPH work his magic. Maybe if this goes well, CBS will consider him to host the Emmys…

“The TV Land Awards” air Sunday, April 26th at 8 p.m. on TV Land...

Photo Credit: Eric McCandless/FOX

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Can Another Strike Be Averted?

Friday, the Screen Actors Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers announced in a joint statement that they have reached a tentative agreement on a new two-year feature-primetime contract.

The National Board is expected to approve it and then it will go to the membership for ratification. But SAG President Alan Rosenberg said he will encourage the members to vote against it.

The ratification process will take about three weeks, so Stay Tuned…

Thursday, April 16, 2009

"Prison Break" EP on the Ending: "Everything is paid off"

Tuesday, “Prison Break” executive producer, Matt Olmstead, talked to the media via conference call about what’s in store for the end of the show.

And to be honest, I’m still not sure whether we’re going to be happy about it or not, but I’m leaning toward not…

So what did Olmstead say about how the show will end? “In episode 22, the series finale, everything gets wrapped up. And then that last act jumps forward four years to show the characters where they are and some are lost and it’s bittersweet…We didn’t want to end on a cliffhanger… Everything is paid off. We did the best that we can do and there are absolutely no regrets.”

Hmmm…

Here’s a sample of what else Olmstead had to say…

On whether he was surprised when the word came down from FOX: “We kind of knew all along that this season would most likely be its last…We knew at the very beginning we weren’t going to hold back anything…It’s a benefit to us in that we were able to really set up things that were going to pay off at the end of the season and series. It was a bit of a luxury in a sense to kind of platform the ending.”

On what we can expect from the last episodes: “The mom character is obviously a big kind of revelation. She plays a big part of the last few episodes. A lot of secrets are revealed and Michael and Lincoln are certainly shook in terms of who they are and where they came from and at some point they’re wondering if this is the truth or if they’re being divided and conquered so to speak. And then we have a big surprise reveal of a returning character that comes in late in the game when the wheels are coming off everybody and he’s either there to save the day or hijack the whole thing for his or her own benefit. So there’s a big reveal of a returning character that having viewed it, obviously, pays off rather nicely.”

So who could Olmstead be referring to? He may have inadvertently given a clue later in the call when answering a reporter’s question about C-Note being the only character to get a happy ending. He said, “That’s not to say he couldn’t play a major part in the last few episodes.”

On whether the show could have gone a fifth season: “The ideas that were tossed around for what could be a season five were pretty thin. If it had went that way, [the show] would have limped out…There was a real feeling of accomplishment. It felt like the story played out…Everybody knew there was an expiration date on the show.”

So was the ending something the writers had in mind for a while? Olmstead says the writers made a quick list at the beginning of the season of where they wanted to see everyone four years in the future. He said it pretty much stayed the same all season.

Which leads to the question, where will Michael and Sara be? Olmstead said, “[Their story] is wrapped up unexpectedly.” Olmstead said they ran into some problems with the duo because they had to confront the issue of “What are we going to do with her once they’re together?” So the writers used Sara’s torture as a wall “that inhibits their intimacy. Finally at the end of the season, I can say that wall comes down but there are unexpected ramifications to that. There’s a bunch of curveballs thrown at them in the finale. So ultimately it’s bittersweet but very satisfying.”

Uh-oh…

And if you thought that sounded ominous, check out this answer to a reporter’s question about whether FOX had nixed the death of a character: “They came around. There was kind of a polarized viewpoint over at FOX in terms of killing or preserving a character and we made our pitch and turned in our script and they saw the merit in it and they were completely on board.”

Double uh-oh…

Here’s a few other interesting nuggets:

On the show’s legacy: “The show certainly had a graphic novel feel to it and not everything was perfect. I think that it will be looked back on as a pretty good piece.”

On the “Prison Break” spin-off centering on a female prisoner: “There’s no plan for a ‘Prison Break’ spin-off. There’s a host of reasons why that project cooled…I’m not counting on it.” Among the reasons he cited for it not working out were not being able to get the actress they wanted, the Writers’ Strike and the poor ratings of “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.”

On bringing back the show as a stand-alone movie: “For me, the show is done,” but Olmstead wouldn’t say never.

On whether we’ll find out what happened to L.J.: “His character is addressed.” Olmstead said that Marshall Allman (L.J.) was the only character they couldn’t get for the finale.

On the biggest leap of logic the show made: “Michael getting his tattoos removed overnight…It was a little bit of a wank…[F]or me [it] was a little tough to swallow.” Olmstead said it became necessary because Wentworth Miller (Michael) had developed a skin irritation.

On the popular T-Bag (Robert Knepper): “He’s been like a real cockroach. In this four-year jump cut ahead when you see T-Bag—when we screened it for the cast and crew at the wrap party, the crowd erupted, obviously a big fan favorite—but it’s a bit heartbreaking to see where he ends up but it makes perfect sense. All I can say is that when you see it, let me know because I think we did a good job with his ultimate fate.”

Triple uh-oh…

Olmstead shared that there is something for fans to look forward to beyond the series finale. “When we were breaking the episodes we had a storyline that didn’t really fit. And then we had a conversation with the studio that this is a really cool story that we want to tell. We did it for episodes 23 and 24 without knowing where it would fit.” Olmstead explained that those two hours are what goes in the middle between the wrap-up and the four-year jump in to the future. “It will be at some point viewed by the fans.” TVShowsonDVD.com is reporting that those two hours will be released on DVD July 21st as “Prison Break: The Final Break.”

“Prison Break” returns Friday, April 17th at 8 p.m. with an encore of the winter finale, followed by a new episode at 9 p.m. on FOX.

You can watch a great recap of the season so far on the “Prison Break”website

Photo Credit: Michael Lavine/FOX

Breaking News: John Madden Retires UPDATED

NBC Sports just sent out a statement less than two hours ago confirming that John Madden is retiring from broadcasting.

There is a conference call going on right now to discuss this, but since I didn't learn about it in time, I'm not on it. Hopefully, I'll have more details later.

Right now the speculation is that Cris Collinsworth is the favorite to take his place.

You guys know that I love Cris and I think he did a great job when he filled in for Madden last season and he is once again nominated for an Emmy for his color analyst work. But I would miss him on the studio show. If they're smart--and I believe they are--they'll find a way to keep him involved with "Football Night In America" from the game sites.

Stay tuned...

UPDATE: NBC has made it official that Cris Collinsworth will replace Madden in the booth. Official details weren't disclosed because the conference call was meant to discuss Madden. NBC Sports has promised more details in the coming weeks and I hope to be all over those.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

"The Big Bang Theory" Proves That I'm a Total Geek

Last night, it was finally confirmed. I am a total geek.

How do I know? Because on last night’s “The Big Bang Theory,” Sheldon and Penny’s date engaged in a long debate over who should be the rightful successor to Batman’s cowl. And I actually understood every word of it…

You can see a small clip here.



So for those of you who are not comic book geeks like me, you may have been totally confused by Leonard saying “if Batman’s death proves permanent,” which opens the door to something I’ve been wanting to discuss for a long time but had no reason to bring up the subject…

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, in the comics, Batman is dead. He was killed while trying to save Earth from the evil Darkseid. And now DC Comics has unleashed “Battle for the Cowl” a mini-series that will introduce the new Batman. As Sheldon and Penny’s date were debating, the top two candidates are Dick Grayson, the original Robin, and Jason Todd, the second Robin who for a long time was recently believed to have been murdered by The Joker.

Now perhaps the reason there wasn’t such a huge media outcry over this death like there was with Superman and Captain America is that it was pretty hard to understand. And the death didn’t even occur in a “Batman” book (It occurred in the limited series, “Final Crisis.”). Just this week I read writer Grant Morrison’s commentary for the “Batman R.I.P.” storyline and I still don’t get it.

Of course, what would I expect from the man who broke up my favorite comic book couple of all time and then killed my favorite comic book character of all time?

I’m pretty sure that Bruce Wayne is not actually dead because that would completely screw up the Batman mythos. But stranger things have happened…

So now, let me hear from the other comic book geeks out there. What do you think of the whole “Battle for the Cowl” thing? And is there anyone out there who can explain “Batman R.I.P.” to me?

And should Grant Morrison just stop messing with iconic comic characters?

Perhaps Sheldon will debate that topic next. I’ll look forward to his opinion…

“The Big Bang Theory” airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on CBS…

Monday, April 13, 2009

A Quick Word About Tonight's "24"...

I have some posting to do on my other blog, but I wanted to drop in for just a second and say a quick word about tonight's"24"...

WOO-HOO!

"USA Today" gave the episode four stars and I can see why. The roller coaster of emotions was pretty wild--even for "24." One minute I was crying (yes, actual tears) and the next I was celebrating a great twist...

WARNING: If you have not yet seen tonight's "24," stop reading NOW!

My Spidey sense was tingling all over the place when Tony got in the helicopter with Larry. We already knew that Larry was a dead man because he had finally seen the light and in a moment with Renee she said they "had a lot to talk about." That was a "24" goodbye if I've ever seen one.

But what my Spidey sense was telling me was that Tony was a bad guy after all--which he proved when he murdered Larry.

This is "24," however, so there may be more to Tony's flip-flop than meets the eye. But it looks like Jack is going to have to pull himself together long enough to take his friend down.

And won't that be fun...

I'll have more to say later...

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Pick of the Week: Bravo's Big Night

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time at all you know I love Bravo.

So when my favorite network gets all of its biggest stars together with the stars of food, fashion and pop culture, well, that makes it pretty hard to not make it my Pick. Throw in a new Kathy Griffin stand-up special and it’s absolutely impossible…

This week’s Pick of the Week is Bravo’s big night with the one-two punch of “Kathy Griffin: She’ll Cut a B---h” and “Bravo’s A-List Awards.”

I know that Griffin can be rude and crude, but I can’t help but love her. And she’s in fine form with her latest special as she spills some gossip about the Emmys and the Grammys, regales us with tales about her birthday with Cher and catches us up on her mother, Maggie.

Then Kathy hosts the second annual “A-List Awards.” The awards will include all of our favorite Bravo stars, a “Real Housewives” fashion show and…wait for it…the always welcome NPH, Neil Patrick Harris. And with Kathy at the microphone, anything can happen.

The big night actually kicks off with “Bravo’s A-List Awards Red Carpet Special” at 8:30 p.m. with my man Tim Gunn greeting the Bravolebrities on the red carpet. “Kathy Griffin: She’ll Cut a B---h” airs at 9 p.m., followed by “Bravo’s A-List Awards” at 10 p.m. only on Bravo.

Can’t wait to watch what happens…

Photo Credit: Paul Drinkwater/Bravo

Thursday, April 09, 2009

This Weekend: So let it be written, so let it be done...

It should be no surprise that since I’ve let most of April get away from me (I haven’t even done my taxes yet!) I forgot that this was Easter weekend when I made my Pick of the Week.

If I had remembered, I would have picked something else…

Because as much as I love Michael J. Fox, Easter weekend is all about one thing—“The Ten Commandments.”

So let it be written, so let it be done…

“Commandments” is one of my favorite movies of all time and is an Easter tradition for me. Yes, it’s cheesy in parts, but it’s an epic movie that Hollywood just can’t come close to anymore.

And Yul Brynner is the bomb…

Since I don’t say a lot of good things about ABC, let me give kudos to them for continuing this tradition.

“The Ten Commandments” airs Saturday, April 11th at 7 p.m. on ABC. Please note that the movie is not scheduled to conclude until 11:44 p.m…

Photo Credit: © Paramount. All rights reserved.

"Parks and Recreation" Review: Poehler Deserves Better

I had read all of the bad reviews of “Parks and Recreation,” but I was still hoping for the best since I’m a fan of Amy Poehler.

I’m still hoping…

If you missed it, Poehler is Leslie Knope, a mid-level bureaucrat in the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee, Indiana. Leslie finds a way to advance her career by taking on the cause of local nurse Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones) and turning an abandoned construction site into a park.

Helping her along the way is her colleague Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) and her intern, April (Aubrey Plaza). She also gets a helpful hand from city planner Mark Brendanawicz (Paul Schneider), who she once slept with, but who has no interest in her now. Her boss, Ron Swanson (Paul Offerman), however, doesn’t really show her much support.

The show is shot in a mockumentary style, a la “The Office,” so many critics argue that it’s just a rip-off of that show. Since I don’t watch “The Office,” I can’t agree or disagree with that statement. I can only hope that for the sake of “The Office” it’s not true, because “Parks” is so unfunny it hurts.

The concept of following a parks and recreation department is lame and Poehler is given very little chance to shine. Probably the funniest part of the premiere was when Leslie, trying to illustrate solidarity with Ann, starts singing “Lady Marmalade.” The show will need A LOT more moments like that if it plans on being funny anytime soon.

NBC has a real star in Poehler, but they’ve given her a show completely unworthy of her talents. And with the current state of sitcoms these days, Poehler may need to take the Tina Fey route and write her own show.

It couldn’t be any less funnier than this one…

“Parks and Recreation” airs Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

"Cupid": Show It Some Love

I was really disappointed to see the low ratings for ABC’s “Cupid” Tuesday night because I was seriously considering adding it to my must-see list.

Now, considering this is ABC, I’m not sure I should bother…

If you haven’t seen it, “Cupid” is the story of Trevor Pierce (Bobby Cannavale), who claims to be Cupid, the Roman god of love. He says if he helps 100 couples find love, he can return to Mount Olympus. But no one believes Trevor and he ends up in a mental institution.

After three months, he’s released and put in the care of self-help author Dr. Claire McCrae (Sarah Paulson). He has to attend her singles therapy sessions, which he uses to help people find love, much to her dismay. Trevor also uses his job as a bartender at a cantina owned by Felix Arroyo (Rick Gomez) and his sister Lila (Camille Guaty) to make matches.

The show is completely endearing for two reasons—the cast and the element of romance. Bobby Cannavale is so adorable it almost hurts. And Sarah Paulson is a perfect foil for him. Their chemistry—which is crucial to the success of the show—is fantastic. And Gomez and Guaty offer solid support.

And how can you resist seeing people find their soulmates? In the episode I watched, a PI played by cutie Erik Palladino found love with one of Claire’s friends. And Felix almost found love with the mother of Lila’s boyfriend (Mary Stuart Masterson). I love watching couples get together, so the thought of seeing it every week is extremely appealing.

If you’re looking for a fun, romantic show, I strongly encourage you to check out “Cupid”—especially if you’re a Nielsen family. Because I’d really hate to see this show get cancelled…again…

So show it some love, will ya?

“Cupid” airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC…

Photo Credit: Bob D'Amico/ABC

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

"Dirty Sexy Money" FINALLY Set to Return

When word reached my inbox that ABC had set its summer schedule, I opened it and quickly started scrolling, looking for those three magic words—“Dirty Sexy Money.”

And thankfully, I found them…

“Dirty Sexy Money” will air its final eight episodes beginning Saturday, July 18th at 10 p.m. with the finale airing August 8th.

Since “DSM” didn’t get the opportunity from the network, we won’t get any real closure, but we will find out who killed Dutch (if he was indeed killed). And that’s something, I guess…

“Pushing Daisies” and “Eli Stone” will also return in the same timeslot beginning May 30th and June 20th respectively in a sort of revolving door of cancelled shows…

Photo Credit: Randee St. Nicholas/ABC

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

You Can Now Follow Me On Twitter

Before I call it a night, just wanted to let you know that you can now follow me on Twitter.

I'm kind of new to the whole thing, so I hope you'll cut me a little slack...

"Southland" Review: I Want To Like It, But...

I want to like “Southland.” Really I do.

It stars Ben McKenzie, who I absolutely adore from his days on “The O.C.” and Regina King, who I still like no matter how stupid her character was on “24.” And it’s from John Wells, the executive producer of “ER.”

Honestly, there’s no reason not to—except for the fact that the pilot’s a total mess.

“Southland” follows the lives of cops, criminals, victims and their families in L.A. The premiere introduces us to Ben Sherman (McKenzie) a rookie cop on his first day on the job. He is, of course, being trained by a seasoned cop, John Cooper (Michael Cudlitz) who doesn’t miss an opportunity to give Sherman a hard time.

King is Detective Lydia Adams, a single woman who serves as her mother’s primary caregiver. Her partner, Detective Russell Clark (Tom Everett Scott), is, of course, unhappily married.

There’s also Detective Sal Salinger (Michael McGrady), Nate Moretta (Kevin Alejandro) and Sammy Bryant (Shawn Hatosy) from the gang unit and Chickie Brown (Arija Bareikis), a female patrol officer hoping to be the first woman accepted into SWAT.

But you honestly don’t learn much about any of them because the pilot is so jumbled, none of the stories make that much sense. Sherman’s story gets the most play, but it’s so clichéd you feel like you’ve already seen it. And when Cooper tells Sherman, “Once in a while you get to take a bad guy off the street for good. And that is God’s work,” I actually groaned out loud. I mean, seriously? Cudlitz deserves much better…

Honestly, the writers should have concentrated a little less on trying to insert curse words they could bleep and concentrate a little more on the words we actually hear…

The good news is that the last 15 minutes of the show actually show some promise as Cooper gets off his high horse a little and starts acting a bit like a human being.

The better news is that Ben McKenzie is fantastic. The show would do well to concentrate on him a little more.

As I’ve said many, many times, a TV pilot is a tricky thing to get right and “Southland” absolutely doesn’t. But I think there’s still promise there if it stops trying so hard to be gritty and just be good…

“Southland” premieres Thursday, April 9th at 10 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

"Harper's Island" Review: We're In For A Wild Ride

Call it “Twin Peaks” syndrome.

A show takes television by storm, driven by a mystery that has viewers captivated. But once that mystery is solved, the show loses its way as it struggles to figure out what to do in the second season.

It makes you wonder what would happen if the show just ended when the mystery was solved.

Leave it to CBS to give us the answer…

Thursday, CBS will premiere “Harper’s Island” a 13-episode murder mystery with a definitive ending date—July 2nd. And if that premiere is any indication, we’re in for a wild ride…

When “Island” opens, guests are gathering for the week-long celebration culminating in the wedding of Trish Wellington (Katie Cassidy) and Henry Dunn (Christopher Gorham), or as their friends call them “the princess and the pauper.” Among the guests is Henry’s best friend, Abby Mills (Elaine Cassidy), who lived on Harper’s Island until seven years ago when her mother and five other people were murdered by John Wakefield. She hasn’t returned since which has made for a strained relationship with her father, Charlie (Jim Beaver), the island’s sheriff. Being back on the island brings back a lot of bad memories for Abby—especially when strange things start happening.

Meanwhile, Trish has problems of her own when a wedding crasher (Victor Webster) threatens to ruin the wedding and it’s clear that her father (the always solid Richard Burgi) is not real thrilled with his daughter marrying the guy who used to wash his cars.

And Henry’s brother, C.J. (Dean Chekvala), also threatens to ruin the festivities with his unpredictable and worrisome behavior.

But the real theme here is murder as each week another one will take place. By the 13th episode, all of our questions will be answered and we’ll know the identity of the killer. And because we all know that’s the show’s premise, the writers milk it for all its worth. I jumped at least three times in anticipation of the first murder on the island. And there are plenty of whispers and secret meetings to throw suspicion on everyone.

And did I mention the creepy little girl (Cassandra Sawtell)?

I love a good soap opera and this one has all of the components of one. And the added element of murder just spices it up even more. Plus, we’ve been promised an actual solution, which makes it a little easier to take the chance.

But I’ll probably tape the show so I can watch it in the daylight. I don’t mind jumping as much when I can see what’s going on…

“Harper’s Island” premieres Thursday, April 9th at 10 p.m. on CBS…

Photo Credit: Chris Helcermanas-Benge/CBS

NBC Dethrones "Kings" From Sundays

Remember how I'm always saying schedules are subject to change?

Just two days after I put in a plea for people to watch it, NBC has yanked "Kings" from Sunday nights to move it to the purgatory of Saturday nights at 8 beginning April 18th.

"Dateline NBC" will expand to two hours beginning this Sunday.

Considering the ratings, I'm actually surprised NBC didn't make the move sooner, and I actually applaud them for letting us see the rest of the completed episodes--even if it is on Saturdays.
Photo Credit: Eric Liebowitz/NBC

Billy Ray Cyrus CD Review: Just What You Would Expect

“Back to Tennessee” is a fitting title for Billy Ray Cyrus’ new CD as the theme of home and family resonates throughout the album.

And when Cyrus sticks to those themes and the sound he knows, the album works. It’s when he tries to be someone else that it starts to falter…

The album kicks off with the title track and current single, which can also be found on the soundtrack for “Hannah Montana: The Movie.” Cyrus co-wrote the song when he realized the movie would be filmed in Tennessee and the soaring chorus works well with the longing for home theme of the song.

“Thrillbilly” is a more nitty-gritty country song that works well for Cyrus’ voice, as is “He’s Mine,” if we actually heard his voice. With his pronunciations of words like “holler” and “beer bottle,” he sounds like he’s trying to impersonate Trace Adkins or someone like him when he really should just be himself.

The CD gets back on track, though, with the CD’s first single, “Somebody Said a Prayer,” which really should have been a bigger hit than it was. The song, with its “Jesus Take the Wheel” storytelling, is perfect for Cyrus and it fits his voice well.

“A Good Day” and “I Could Be the One” are two uptempo songs that fit Cyrus like a glove, even though part of you wishes he would stretch it just a little.

Thankfully he does that with “Like Nothing Else” which has a nice adult contemporary feel to it.

But he gets right back to the country with “Country As Country Can Be.” However, unlike “He’s Mine,” Cyrus chooses to use his voice as opposed to trying to put on someone else’s, so it’s a little more successful, although I’ve never been a big fan of slow honkytonk songs.

Lucky for me, Cyrus doesn’t stay slow long as he rocks it out on “Love Is the Lesson.” The song’s verses are great, but the chorus falls apart just a little.

But after some serious rockin’, it’s back to the ballads with “Give It To Somebody,” co-written by Jeffrey Steele (“What Hurts the Most”), who was a judge on the last season of “Nashville Star,” which Cyrus hosted. The lyrics, “What good is all the good you’re gettin ‘til you give it to somebody” lend themselves to a super catchy chorus.

Then it’s “Real Gone,” the remake of the Sheryl Crow song from “Cars,” which Cyrus recorded for “Country Sings Disney.” I still say his version is better than the original, so I’m glad it’s included here.

The album concludes on a really high note with “Butterfly Fly Away,” Cyrus’ duet with his daughter Miley from the “Hannah” movie soundtrack. The song is gorgeous and the duo sound great together. It’s a perfect way to conclude the CD.

In all honesty, there really aren’t that many surprises here as Cyrus pretty much delivers what you would expect. But in this case, I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

Especially when what you would expect is a pretty good country CD. Granted, it could use a few tweaks here and there, but overall it’s another solid effort that his fans will be proud to add to their collections.

“Back to Tennessee” is available now…

Photo Credit: Lyric Street Records

Monday, April 06, 2009

NBC Keeps the "Lights" On

That huge cheer you heard last Monday was TV critics everywhere celebrating the renewal of one of their favorites…

NBC and DirecTV renewed “Friday Night Lights” for two more seasons of 13 episodes each. Just like this season, the episodes will premiere first on DirecTV and then air on NBC.

I don’t watch “Lights,” but I’m happy for its fans that NBC has found a way for the show to continue…

Photo Credit: Michael Muller/NBC

Lifetime Finally Gets to Hit the "Runway"

The battle is over and the sixth season of “Project Runway” will finally see the light…

According to “Variety,” The Weinstein Company will pay NBC Universal an “undisclosed” amount to release its “Runway” interests.

“Runway” will premiere on Lifetime this summer.

The settlement came the same day that Bravo announced the premiere date for “The Fashion Show,” its new fashion competition series. Coincidence? I think not…

By the way, that date is May 7th at 10 p.m…

I am happy that this all finally got settled, but I am still unhappy for my beloved Bravo. I really hope “The Fashion Show” is a worthy replacement…
Photo Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/Bravo

Mekhi Phifer Returns to TV

For those of you missing your weekly dose of Mekhi Phifer, you’ll be happy to hear he’s headed back to TV…

Phifer will guest star on “Lie to Me” for two episodes beginning May 6th. He’s playing an FBI agent who teams with The Lightman Group to track down a serial rapist.

“Lie to Me,” which I would list as one of the best new shows on TV, airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on FOX…

Photo Credit: James Sorenson/NBC

April Showers Bring Kathy Griffin

April showers bring…a major dose of Kathy Griffin…

Kathy’s sixth comedy special for Bravo, “Kathy Griffin: She’ll Cut a B---h,” premieres Wednesday, April 15th at 9 p.m. (I’ll have more on it next week, since I’ve seen it and can tell you it’s hilarious.).

That will be followed by Kathy hosting the second annual “The A-List Awards,” at 10 p.m. which celebrates the best in food, fashion, beauty, design and pop culture.

Then, April 20th, it’s the premiere of “Kathy Griffin: The Footage You Weren't Meant To See,” an all-new special featuring never-before-seen footage from the first four seasons of “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.” It airs at 10 p.m. on Bravo…

That should almost hold us over until the fifth season of the two-time Emmy winning show premieres June 8th…

Photo Credit: Paul Drinkwater/Bravo

"Unleash Your Yellow" With Your Very Own Couch Gag

Ever wanted to have your own “Simpsons” couch moment? Now you can and win a trip to Los Angeles to attend the 21st season premiere party in the process.

As part of “The Simpsons” 20th anniversary celebration, FOX and MySpace is sponsoring the “Best. Couch. Gag. Ever” contest. You can upload your couch gag videos here. The deadline is May 18th at 11:59 p.m.

The grand prize winner will be chosen by a judging panel, which will include “Simpsons” producers. A favorite will also be chosen by the fans and will win a “Simpsons” prize package…

Photo Credit: FOX

Get Ready to Go "Green" in July

For those of you excited about the next DC Universe original animated movie, mark this date on your calendar--July 21, 2009.

That's when "Green Lantern: First Flight" will hit stores. The movie will follow Hal Jordan as he is recruited by the Green Lantern Corps, only to discover a conspiracy within its ranks. Christopher Meloni ("Law & Order: SVU") provides the voice of Hal Jordan. He's joined in the cast by the always fabulous Victor Garber, Tricia Helfer ("Battlestar Galactica") and Michael Madsen.



Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Animation. GREEN LANTERN and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © DC Comics. (s09)

Sunday, April 05, 2009

Will Jay Ever Catch a Break?

As if there hasn’t been enough negative press about NBC’s decision to eliminate five hours a week of scripted programming to make room for a new show for Jay Leno…

WHDH in Boston—Leno’s hometown—has said it will not air the show in the fall. Instead, it plans to air a local newscast out of concern that the Leno show will hurt the ratings of its 11 o’clock newscast (which it will run as well).

But NBC says that if WHDH persists with its plans it will be in violation of its affiliate contract. NBC’s TV President John Eck told a number of publications that if necessary it will strip WHDH of its NBC affiliation and go with other options in Boston.

This is going to get ugly…

I totally understand WHDH’s concerns about the new Leno show hurting the ratings of their nightly newscast, but could it really do that much worse than what NBC is airing now? And do they really think that a newscast is going to do that much better? And isn’t airing a 10 p.m. newscast going to hurt the 11 p.m. newscast even more?

And is all of this really worth the cost of their NBC affiliation?

Plus, how can WHDH not show a little more love to one of Beantown’s own? Jay does the right thing for his staff and the network that doesn’t deserve such loyalty and he still gets slammed.

It’s just wrong, isn’t it?...

Photo Credit: NBC

Pick of the Week: A Welcome Return and a Bonus Plea for a Troubled Fave

There are a few actors that I would watch no matter what they’re doing. And one of those is making his return to TV this week…

My Pick of the Week is the season premiere of “Rescue Me.”

I have never seen a single episode of “Rescue,” but since Michael J. Fox will be guesting, I really have no choice.

Fox will be playing the new boyfriend of Tommy’s (Denis Leary) ex, Janet (Andrea Roth). He’s scheduled to appear in four episodes.

Since this is FX, there’s no doubt this role will be much more crass than we’re used to seeing Fox, but since he’s a guy I’d watch read the phonebook, I’m willing to take the chance…

“Rescue Me” premieres Tuesday, April 7th at 10 p.m. on FX…

But while I’m pointing out shows to watch, let me make a plea for a show that could really use a few more viewers—“Kings.”

Yes, it can be wordy and the drama can be a little overblown. But Ian McShane is just so good, you can’t help but be mesmerized. And Dylan Baker (William) and Eamonn Walker (Reverend Samuels) are truly awesome.

And this week, Macaulay Culkin joins the drama as William’s son, Andrew. And you can just tell form the previews that he’s going to be just as fabulously slimy as his dad.

“Kings” airs Sunday, April 12th at 8 p.m. on NBC…

Photo Credits: Craig Blankenhorn/FX and Nicole Revelli/NBC

Thursday, April 02, 2009

"ER" Finale: Was It One to Cherish?

There are several different ways that a series can conclude.

It can choose to go the “very special” route with tons of goodbyes and special moments. It can go the flashback route with a look back at the show’s history or through the return of familiar characters. Or it can go the life goes on route and let you know that these people will keep doing their thing, even if we aren’t watching.

“ER” combined all three of those in its finale tonight by allowing us to say goodbye to familiar characters, and by showing us that even though the faces may change, County General will continue to save lives.

But if I’m being completely honest, I was a little disappointed…

“ER” has always been a show about special episodes—you know the ones that the promos tell us “to cherish.” But tonight, when it should have been more special than ever, I thought it came up short.

The problem was that the episode couldn’t make up its mind whether it was paying tribute to the past or saluting the present. Although I think it’s great that so many actors came back for the show’s final season, in this particular episode, they were a distraction. It was great seeing Lewis, Benton, Corday and Weaver again, but we had already said our goodbyes to them, so doing it again while saying goodbye to the show seemed like overkill. Plus, Benton had already had his moment in the episode where he helped save Carter’s life. It would have been better to have just let that end there.

But there was one familiar face that was a welcome return for the finale—Hallee Hirsh as Rachel Greene, Mark Greene’s daughter. Rachel was interviewing to be a med student in the ER at County and step into her father’s shoes. It was a nice way to bring the show full circle as Carter taught her, just as her dad helped teach him.

And it was nice to see Carter’s story come full circle, since much of the early part of the show was through his eyes. But I didn’t like that his relationship with Kim was still sort of left up in the air. I would’ve preferred they give it some closure. Not having the former regulars around for Carter to entertain may have made that happen.

And speaking of regulars, some of them got short changed tonight—not by the returning characters, but by a brand new one who actually made her debut in this episode. I think Alexis Bledel is a talented actress and she was perfectly cast in the role. I just don’t think it was fair that she got more time than some of the regulars when we just met her. I know it’s that full circle thing again, but I just didn’t like it.

What I did like was seeing John Stamos and Linda Cardellini taking over the George Clooney and Julianna Marguiles’ roles. Stamos’ Gates even played basketball with Carter as an homage to the basketball action of years past with Clooney and Anthony Edwards. It’s a shame Stamos didn’t get more time on this show, because he was made for it.

Honestly, I think maybe the most disappointing thing about the episode is that I didn’t cry. It’s not that I was looking forward to crying, it’s just that I was so sure that I would. But the show didn’t leave us any time for tears as the doctors and nurses gathered outside the ER to tend to the victims of the latest major trauma. And Carter urged Rachel to join in just as her dad would have done with Carter.

Maybe after 15 years of hit-us-over-the-head dramatic moments, the writers felt that a subtle moment like that was the best way to say goodbye. And maybe they were right. I guess I was just a little surprised…

What did you think? Was the final episode everything you were hoping for or were you disappointed? Be sure to post your thoughts…

Photos Credit: James Stenson/NBC

"Life On Mars" Finale: Didn't See That One Coming

I’ve been pretty hard on ABC over the years, so when it does something right, I guess it would only be fair to give it some props.

And last night, it did something right by allowing “Life On Mars” to actually complete its story. In all honesty, it was the network itself that made cancelling “Mars” necessary by moving it all over the schedule. But they did the right thing and gave the writers enough warning to allow them to script an actual ending. And they actually allowed it to be aired in its regular timeslot.

That having been said, I’m not sure the right thing in this case constitutes a good thing because the ending was one of the most surreal things I think I have ever seen on television…

Warning: If you have not seen the series finale of “Life On Mars,” stop reading now…

In a huge rewrite of the ending of the British show it was based on, it was revealed that Sam (Jason O’Mara) was actually on the planet Mars in the year 2025. Sam and all of the other people in his 70s past were actually traveling to Mars for a mission and he was just experiencing the life created for him by a simulation program during his travels. He had chosen the life of a 2008 homicide detective but some kind of glitch in the program changed it to a cop in the 70s.

I can’t believe anyone saw that one coming…

There were some fun moments of closure in the 70s for the fans including Annie getting promoted to detective and loosing her “no nuts” nickname and Sam realizing she was the woman for him, which left Lisa Bonet completely out in the cold (She did not appear in the episode.). And when we saw Sam and Annie (who was a colonel) on Mars, we got the impression that he planned on making the same realization in the present.

But, Mars? Really?

Well, you’ve got to give them points for creativity…

And hey, at least “Mars” fans can say they know how it ended. “Dirty Sexy Money” fans still can’t say that…
Photo Credit: Eric Liebowitz/ABC

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Was "Osbournes" The End of Television As We Know It?

There is no doubt that Mike Darnell is the dark prince of reality television.

Over the years, he has come up with some of the most depraved reality show ideas ever—“When Animals Attack,” “Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire?” “Mr. Personality,” “Joe Millionaire.” You name it, Darnell has done it.

So it only figures that eventually the dark prince of reality TV would team up with the prince of darkness, Ozzy Osbourne, and his raucous family to produce something so crude that dozens of FOX stations wouldn’t even carry it or moved it to the late-night hours.

I was all prepared to unleash a scathing attack on FOX for allowing Darnell to continue to hijack their network for such classless and tasteless drivel.

But then something weird happened. As I was watching “Osbournes: Reloaded” last night, I actually heard myself laughing. Not once. Not twice. But several times.

I have to tell you. I felt a little dirty…

Now, before you guys start taking shots at me, let me say that the whole show wasn’t funny, just parts of it. Much of it was disgusting, like the blindfolded guy making out with the stranger, who turned out to be an elderly woman. But there were some funny moments like the “Little Osbournes” at the movie theater and Ozzy and Kelly working a drive thru.

And the woman who gave her boyfriend an ultimatum to marry her that night or they were through? I guess part of me can relate…
In other words, I don’t think the show was the end of television as we know it, like so many critics suggested. I think it could be the end of the variety show, just not television.

Of course, in the critics’ defense, they were basing their opinion on footage they saw from the show of a stripping granny. I probably would feel differently if I had seen that. And since I probably wouldn’t be the only one, I’m guessing that’s why FOX cut the show to 35 minutes…

I do completely agree that the show was inappropriate to air after “American Idol.” “Idol” is a family show and since many of those families were probably still tuned to FOX for at least the first five minutes of “Reloaded” as they voted for their favorite Idol, they didn’t deserve to have a string of bleeped f-words and blurred hand gestures thrown at them. Yes, there was a strong Viewer Discretion Advised warning before the show started, but since many people were still discussing “Idol,” they probably missed it. I’m sure there were many parents diving for their remotes to quickly turn to “Dancing With the Stars” last night.

And even though I am usually opposed to that sort of thing, I fully support the decision of those FOX affiliates who moved the show to a more appropriate hour. This wasn’t “NYPD Blue” at 10 p.m. This was a variety show following the biggest family show in America. We all know why FOX did it that way, but that doesn’t mean it was the right thing to do.

FOX has not released any plans for the five remaining episodes of the show, but believe it or not, I think there is a place on television for “Osbournes: Reloaded.” It’s just not after a family show.

Because even though “Reloaded” is about a family, it’s definitely not suitable for one to watch…

You can see the show for yourself at Hulu.com…

Photo Credit: Ray Mickshaw/FOX

Breaking News: CBS Turns Out the "Light"

CBS announced today that they are cancelling "Guiding Light."

The show's final episode will air September 18th.

Though I have never been a regular viewer of "GL," I am still saddened by this news. It just shows that daytime TV is becoming a bit of a lost art. I also feel bad for Procter and Gamble Productions, who is forced to say goodbye to another show (They produced my beloved "Another World.").

I'll have much more on this later...