Tonight's TV Pick

Lost - 9:00pm ABC-TV

'The Variable' - The 100th episode of 'Lost' centers on Daniel Faraday. If you remember, he was seen emerging from the submarine at the end of the last new episode. Tonight, he discloses what he knows about the island.

NBC Renews 'Celebrity Apprentice'

NBC has renewed 'The Celebrity Apprentice' for a 3rd go-round.

There had been a rumor that the show would also return with the regular version next season, but so far only the celebrity version has been confirmed by the network.

The show has been doing well on Sunday nights for the peacock network, putting up solid numbers against stiff competition.

This will be the 9th edition overall for the series. But the 3rd featuring the B, C, and D list celebs.

'Apprentice' is produced my Mark Burnett and Donald Trump.

Scrubs may come back, but with who??

ABC is in talks to renew 'Scrubs" for a ninth season, but a huge stumbling block has been the availability of the original cast members.

Zach Braff and Judy Reyes have already said they will not return, though Braff has said he is open to some appearances.

Donald Faison, John C. McGinley and Neil Flynn this spring all booked pilots which, if picked up, get first priority. Their characters could also be recurring.

'Scrubs' could also focus, instead, on this years crop of new interns. Not a great idea in my opinion. 'Scrubs' was once a great show and is still very good. But it has run it's course. 'Scrubs' without JD and Turk just would not work.

'Golden Girl' Bea Arthur Dies

Emmy and Tony Award winning actress Bea Arthur died Saturday after a battle with cancer. She was 86.

Arthur first appeared in the landmark comedy series "All in the Family" as Edith Bunker's loudly outspoken, liberal cousin, Maude Finley. She proved a perfect foil for blue-collar bigot Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor), and their blistering exchanges were so entertaining that producer Norman Lear fashioned Arthur's own series, 'Maude.'

'Maude' scored with television viewers immediately on its CBS debut in September 1972, and Arthur won an Emmy Award for the role in 1977.

'Golden Girls' was another groundbreaking comedy, finding surprising success in a television market increasingly skewed toward a younger, product-buying audience. The series concerned three retirees — Arthur, Betty White and Rue McClanahan — and the mother of Arthur's character, Estelle Getty, who lived together in a Miami apartment. Arthur won an Emmy for her role in 1988.

Arthur is survived by her sons and two granddaughters. No funeral services are planned.

ABC renews 12 shows

ABC has announced an early pick up for 12 shows.

None of them really come as any surprise. The shows are:

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Desperate Housewives
Ugly Betty
Grey's Anatomy
Brothers & Sisters
Private Practice
Dancing with the Stars
Wife Swap
Supernanny
America's Funniest Home Videos
Lost
The Bachelor

The only one that is a mild surprise is Private Practice. The show was considered to be "on the bubble" and not a lock for renewal.

The Best and Worst of this TV Season, Part 3

In the third part of my series on the Best and Worst of this TV season, today I am talking about the worst dramas that TV had to offer this season. In Part 1, I discussed the best dramas, and in part 2 I discussed the best comedies.

Worst - Drama

My Own Worst Enemy - After seeing the previews for this show, I had high hopes. The action scenes looked great and Christian Slater is a likeable actor. Slater played two characters, Edward and Henry, two personalities living in the same body. Henry was a good family man, while Edward was a super-spy who could kill bad guys without even blinking an eye. Very similar to the double life that Arnold Schwarzenegger had in 'True Lies.' The show just never got it's act together. A great idea, but poor execution.

90210 - This remake of the '90's phenomenon was not an improvement over it's predecessor. The '90's version was something original, with flashy and stylish teens, and some breakout stars. This version seems like it's just the same old thing. Thing's we've seen before and done better. It's actually doing pretty well for the CW, but is that really saying much?

Knight Rider - You can't replace the Hoff, so why even try? Another remake, another failure. The original was good in its time. But the bar for TV Drama has been raised so significantly since that this show really pales in comparsion. It lacked the coolness of the original. Like with 90210, we've seen it before, and done better.

Dollhouse - Coming from Joss Whedon, who had created some quality TV in the past with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly, this was a big disappointment. The series stars Eliza Dushku as Echo, a member of a group of people known as "Actives" or "Dolls". The Dolls are people whose personalities and existence in the outside world have been wiped clean so they can be imprinted with any number of new personas - including memory, muscle memory, skills, and language - for different assignments. Interesting idea, but the show ultimately lacks the stuff that made Buffy such a quality show. Stuff like humor and vivid characters. Dushku is fine in the role but she seems wasted.

Next week, i'll give my picks for the worst in TV comedies this year.

It's Finale time!

May is approaching, and all of your favorite TV shows will soon be airing their season and sometimes series finales. Here is a list of the dates that some notable finales will air.

April 27th
-------------
Chuck
Heroes

April 30th
-------------
Private Practice

May 6th
-------------
Scrubs

May 10th
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Brothers and Sisters
The Celebrity Apprentice

May 11th
-------------
House

May 12th
-------------
Fringe
The Biggest Loser

May 13th
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Lost
America's Next Top Model
Lie to Me
New Adventures of Old Christine

May 14th
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The Office
CSI
Grey's Anatomy
Smallville
Bones
30 Rock
My Name is Earl
Hell's Kitchen

May 15th
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Prison Break
Ghost Whisperer
Numbers

May 17th
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Desperate Housewives
Survivor: Tocantins

May 18th
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Gossip Girl

May 19th
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NCIS
Dancing with the Stars

May 20th
-------------
American Idol

Tonight's TV Pick

Rescue Me - 10:00pm FX

After learning of Colleen's relationship with Bart, Tommy decides that it's time for a talk with his daughter about the birds and the bees. Tommy also decides to meet with the French reporter who's writing a book about 9/11.

News & Notes

Some news from the world of TV......

• William Petersen told a british newspaper that a CSI big screen movie is in the works.
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus talks about the 'Seinfeld' reunion on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'
• American Idol tackles disco this week
• SAG has averted a strike, reaching a deal with the studios.

Survivor's Coach: Most annoying castaway ever? Or is he a genius?

Love him or hate him, one thing you can't say about Ben Wade (Coach on 'Survivor:Tocantins'), is that he's boring. Any one who saw last night's episode knows that this guy is out there. From the weird clothes to the Steven Seagal hairdo, Coach is one true character. By the way, he calls himself "The DragonSlayer". Yeah I know.

Last night he regaled the rest of the castaways with his campfire stories. Before he started he said, "I want you guys to know there are three people in the world that know this story." Jeff Probst says that's a lie because he told the entire production crew during casting. He continues with his story, telling them about the time he "pulled some strings" to get an Army helicopter to drop him in the Amazon, then he was pulled out of his kayak by a tribe of short pygmies, who tied him to a stake and beat him until he lost consciousness. As to how he escaped, he was pretty vague. He then says that National Geographic wanted to tag along on his Amazon trip to document his adventures, but he turned them down. He said he told them, "I'm doing this alone."

But perhaps the best line in the story was, "If you do a Google search you won't find it; it's only passed down verbally."

Later during a challenge that involved throwing stones underhanded to break ceramic tiles, Brendan said that none of them had ever done anything like this before. Coach said "I have." Of course you have, Coach. When exactly would he have done something like that?

He told Jeff at tribal council that he has been in no fewer than 8 life or death situations including surviving a hurricane, and being attacked by a shark and a crocodile.

My question is this... Is he intentionally being annoying or is he a genius who is setting himself up for life after Survivor. Let's face it, if these stories are even slightly true, can't you see Coach having his own show on the Discovery Channel or the National Geographic Channel with dramatizations of his stories?

I can't wait for finale night when Jeff brings up these stories. Time will tell if this is all a setup or if he actually believes what he is saying.

CBS renews 'Amazing Race'

CBS has renewed 'The Amazing Race' for a 15th edition. It really doesn't come as any surprise since 'Race' is a solid performer for the network. The latest edition has been averaging 10.5 million viewers weekly, and the show has won the Emmy award for 'Best Reality Competition Series' for 6 consecutive years.

'Race' host Phil Keoghan broke the news of the renewal on his 'Phil Keoghan Rides Across America' Twitter page. Keoghan, who's been raising awareness for MS via his cross-country bike trip, is riding through Nebraska.

The Best and Worst of this TV Season, Part 2

In the second part of my series on the Best and Worst of this TV season, today I am talking about the best comedies that TV had to offer this season. In Part 1, I discussed the best dramas.

Best - Comedy

1. 30 Rock - This Emmy-winning comedy hasn't been quite as good this season as it was last year, but even at 75% this show is the funniest on the air. Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin are fantastic together. Great writing and a great supporting cast make this show worthy of the many awards that it has won.

2. The Office - Sometimes uncomfortable, but always hilarious, NBC's remake of the British series has truly become its own. The show is so quick witted and has such great comedic acting that it makes NBC's Thursday 9-10 block, along with 30 Rock, hearken back to the network's glory days of Must See TV.

3. Chuck - As readers of this blog already know, I have a soft spot for this show. NBC's action-comedy about an unlikely computer geek becoming a superspy never fails to entertain. A much underappreciated show that really should be getting more attention. For those who haven't seen it, think of a show that combines the action-adventure of 'Alias' and the quirkiness and humor of 'Ed.'

4. How I Met Your Mother - This era's version of 'Friends' is narrated by the future version of the character of Ted, with the voice of Bob Saget, supposedly from the year 2030. Telling his children the stories of how he came to meet their Mom and fall in love with her. Over the 4 seasons this show has been on, the cast has become one of TV's best ensembles. Neil Patrick Harris' character Barney could be the funniest character on television right now.

5. Entourage - Executive produced by Mark Wahlberg, this HBO series follows the day to day life of actor Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier), and his entourage in modern day Hollywood. Kevin Dillon as Vincent's brother Johnny is hilarious, but Emmy winner Jeremy Piven's superagent Ari Gold steals every scene he is in.

Next week we'll cover my picks for the worst in TV Drama this year.

Jack Bauer is heading to NY

Entertainment Weekly is reporting that Season 8 of '24' will take place in New York City.

Production will begin in just a few weeks, with some scenes being filmed in the Big Apple. The majority of the show will still be filmed in Los Angeles soundstages filling in for NY streets.

In addition to the move to NYC, the other big news is that CTU will be back in Day 8 as well.

Season 8 of '24' premieres in January on Fox.

News & Notes

Some tidbits from around the TV world.....

• Showtime has announced that 'The Tudors' next season will be it's last.
• TV Squad has a good interview with 24's Carlos Bernard.
• Greg Grunberg talks to TV Guide about this season's final episodes of 'Heroes'
• 'Southland' got off to a great start for NBC.
• Simon Cowell is talking about leaving 'American Idol'
• Forbes has released it's list of the TV Shows that generate the most advertising revenue

'Grey's Anatomy' Ready to Kill Off Major Character?

On its May 14th season finale, 'Grey's Anatomy' is reportedly getting ready to leave the fate of a major character in doubt until next season.

This is potentially a big time spoiler for you 'Grey's' fans so you can find out who we're talking about after the jump.

In an upcoming storyline, T.R. Knight's character George will be sent off to war as an Army medic. However when the season finale arrives George will be critically injured in the line of duty. Reportedly his fate will not be decided until the show returns next season.

Knight has asked in the past to be released from his contract because he was frustrated by his lack of airtime. The producers have until mid-June to decide whether to bring Knight back or not.

TNT Cancels 'Trust Me'

'Trust Me' was cancelled today by TNT after just one season.

It “achieved creative success,” said Michael Wright, executive vice president and head of programming for TNT, TBS and TCM in Atlanta. “It just didn’t find an audience.”

'Trust Me' drew only about 1.4 million viewers for each episode during its 13-episode season, which started in January and ended on Tuesday.

The series starred Tom Cavanagh and Eric McCormack as advertising executives at a Chicago ad agency.

The Best and Worst of this TV Season, Part 1

So with the 2008-09 season winding down, I will be offering my picks for the best and worst TV had to offer this season. Today we will do the best in drama.

Best - Drama

1. Lost - No other show consistently makes you think as much as Lost does. As soon as each episode is over, I can't wait for the next one. By far, the best acting on TV is on this show.

2. 24 - 24 rebounded this year with a (so far) great season. New characters and a great new story have revitalized the show. I'm not so crazy about the President, but it's a small price to pay. The Jack Bauer Power Hour is back in full force.

3. The Shield - After 7 seasons this iconic show said farewell this season, and TV will not be the same without it. This show, since it's shocking debut in 2002, always pushed the envelope. From the moment Vic Mackey killed a fellow cop in the pilot episode, you couldn't turn away. This one will be missed.

4. House - Hugh Laurie's Greg House is, in my opinion, one of TV's all time great characters. House continues to deliver top notch medical mysteries and great writing week after week.

5. Mad Men - Set in the 1960's advertising world, AMC's drama really hit it's stride this year. Jon Hamm's Don Draper and his struggles to stay ahead of the the much younger competition have become must see TV.

Next week I will cover my best comedies of the TV season.

NBC Sends 'Kings" to Saturday to die

NBC's ratings challenged drama 'Kings" has been moved to the graveyard of television... Saturday nights.

The network had been waiting to see if the show would find an audience on Sunday nights, but the show posted it's lowest ratings yet last week with a 1.1 rating and 3 share. That equals about 3.6 million viewers.

The show is moving to Saturday's at 8pm, a time slot mostly occupied by repeats of other NBC drama series.

The SciFi channel, however, will be running a 'Kings' marathon on Thursday night, so possibly that will get the show noticed a bit more.

Tonight's TV Pick

House - 8:00pm FOX-TV

Mos Def last week and now Meat Loaf — unusually named pop stars are just dying to get into Princeton Plainsboro these days. Expect House to have his hands full tonight: Meat Loaf's character, a guy named Eddie, is already on death's door when his wife (Colleen Camp) collapses while taking care of him — and she gets worse once she's in the hospital.

Questions About TV?

Any questions about your favorite TV show? Is it cancelled or is it coming back? Want some scoop? Email us at tvnewsandnotes@gmail.com and ask away. We will answer your questions in an upcoming Mailbag post.

NBC renews 'SVU' but.......

NBC has renewed 'Law and Order: SVU' for an 11th season. The network sealed the deal with Dick Wolf, the show's producer.

However, the deal does not include the two leads, Chris Meloni and Mariska Hargitay. Their contracts expire in May, and NBC has only recently begun negotiating with them. If past history is any indication, the negotiations could be a long, drawn out affair.

After the last negotiations in 2007, Meloni posted a message on his personal website saying that the talks were "unpleasant to say the least." He also said, "I'll have much more to say about that when my responsibilities to the show are done."

Hargitay, on the other hand has always said she looks forward to life after 'SVU.' She has also recently had some health problems that may factor into these negotiations.

As always, stay tuned!

Tonight's TV Pick

ER - 9:00pm NBC-TV

'And In The End'

ER's 15-season run comes to an end tonight with a two-hour episode filled with familiar faces.

In the series finale, old friends from County show up to support Carter as he opens a new medical facility for Chicago's less fortunate. Meanwhile, Gates treats a teen suffering from alcohol poisoning as a result of a drinking game; and an intern turns to Carter for help with a woman who has gone into labor with twins. Alexis Bledel and Ernest Borgnine guest star.

'Breaking Bad' Gets Early Renewal

Four episodes into the second season of 'Breaking Bad,' AMC has picked up Vince Gilligan's drama series for a third cycle.

Following a well-received first season that earned the series a Peabody Award and an Emmy for star Bryan Cranston. 'Breaking' second season has garnered even more critical acclaim and commercial success.

The second-season opener of the Sony TV-produced series drew 1.7 million viewers, up 21% from the first-season premiere.

Created by Gilligan, 'Breaking' stars Cranston as a high-school chemistry teacher-turned-meth manufacturer after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.

'Project Runway' Changing Networks

Nearly a year of litigation between NBC Universal and Weinstein Co. over 'Project Runway' ended Wednesday with an agreement that allows Weinstein to move its popular reality-TV show to Lifetime Networks.

'Runway' recently wrapped shooting on its sixth season, despite the uncertainty about where or when it would air. The producers even went ahead with the traditional finale, which centers on a runway show with the competition's finalists at New York's Fashion Week. But unlike in past seasons, when previous episodes had aired and the season's finalists were known, this finale was shrouded in secrecy to keep the outcome under wraps.

The 6th season will air on Lifetime this summer.

CBS Cancels 'Guiding Light'

CBS announced today that 'Guiding Light' has been cancelled. The show will air it's final episode on Friday September 18, 2009.

'Guiding Light' was the longest running show currently on television. The show has been running in one form or another on radio and television for 72 years! The prevailing thought was that CBS would keep it around long enough to celebrate it's 75th anniversary in 2012, however today's announcement brought that hope to an end.