Two Tivos To Paradise 09.25.09: The # 1 Pick In Your Fantasy TV News Columns Draft

Posted by Al Norton on 09.25.2009

Will Simon Cowell be the $100 Million Dollar Man?, Heather Locklear returns to Melrose Place, Jennifer Morrison is leaving House, Flipping Out's Jenni Pulos stops by to chat, MTV to air DJ AM show, JJ Abrams' new show, a review of last Sunday's Emmy, a full breakdown of the week in Nielsens, raves for Weekend Update Thursday, TONS of news and notes, the TV Pick of the Week and more, all in the latest edition of Al Norton's Two Tivos To Paradise

Hello Friends. We've entered my favorite time of year here in Boston; the leaves are already changing, it's cool in the mornings and evenings, and still in the low-to-mid 70's during the day. Factor in the Red Sox playing some of their best baseball of the season, the twins standing on their own (walking can't be too far behind), and the return of many of my TV favorites and I am in heaven.

Use the links at the bottom of the page to pull up my interviews with Kathy Ireland and Modern Family's Jesse Tyler Ferguson from earlier in the week.

So I put my hands up, they're playing my news, and the butterflies fly away.

THIS JUST IN
Right as TTTP was going to press EW.com broke the story that Jennifer Morrison would be leaving House early this season. Morrison, who plays Cameron, reportedly filmed her last episode this week. The character is not being killed off so the door is open for her to return in guest spots. According to the piece, the decision was made by the writers/producers for storyline purposes and not because Morrison asked out of her contract.

All The Gold In California Is In A Bank In The Middle of Beverly Hills Under Somebody Else's Name
Mad Men, 30 Rock, and Neil Patrick Harris were the big winners on Sunday's Emmy telecast. Mad Men and 30 Rock were among several repeat winners during the show, which had an increase of 9% - over a million viewers - from last year and was the most watched Emmy broadcast since 2006. While NPH did not win the Best Supporting Actor award he was up for, he did receive unanimously rave reviews for his performance as host, with many suggesting that the Academy wrap him up now for next year.

Here is a list of the winners in the major categories…

*Best Drama Series: Mad Men (AMC)

*Best Comedy Series: 30 Rock (NBC)

*Best Actor, Drama: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad (AMC)

*Best Actress, Drama: Glenn Close, Damages (FX)

*Best Actor, Comedy: Alex Baldwin, 30 Rock (NBC)

*Best Actress, Comedy: Toni Collette, United States of Tara (Showtime)

*Best Supporting Actor, Drama: Michael Emerson, Lost (ABC)

*Best Supporting Actress, Drama: Cherry Jones, 24 (Fox)

*Best Supporting Actor, Comedy: Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men (CBS)

*Best Supporting Actress, Comedy: Kristen Chenoweth, Pushing Daises (ABC)

*Best Writing, Drama: Mad Men (AMC)

*Best Writing, Comedy: 30 Rock (NBC)

I went 6 for 10 with my predications, including being one of the few to pick Kristen Chenoweth for the win. I don't have an issue with repeat winners when they have earned it, as is the case with Mad Men, 30 Rock, and Bryan Cranston. I have ranted about Glenn Close on these pages enough but I will make sure to add that I don't think she is bad in the role at all, just that there are many more deserving performances. While I am not a huge Two and a Half Men guy, Jon Cryer is always funny and it was nice to see him so genuinely surprised to win.

NPH did a fantastic job hosting, keeping the show moving along at a decent pace and never getting too bogged down in any one thing so as to throw the show's rhythm off. It's an awards show so it's never going to be that great, plus how much you like it is frequently based on if the shows/performers you like win.

Oh Honey, How Could You Do It? We Swore Each Other Everlasting Love
Simon Cowell is negotiating with Fox on a new contract that would keep him with American Idol for two more seasons (through the 2012 cycle) and also bring his British reality hit The X-Factor to the network as well. While much has not been finalized, some reports have Cowell making $50 million per season of Idol and an additional $50 million per season of The X-Factor. It's not clear if Cowell would have any on-camera role on The X-Factor but there are rumors that Paula Abdul would be a serious candidate to take one of the three judging spots.

One thing this story makes clear is that if these numbers are even close to right it means that Fox is making what is best described as "butt load" of cash on American Idol. I know, I know, of course they are – it's the # 1 show on TV seven years running – but if they are can pay Cowell $50 million alone and still turn a healthy profit…well, wow, that's just a lot of money.

Simon had made his support for Paula Abdul clear over the few months so hiring her for this new show would be both a move to give a friend a job and also a very smart business move for all the publicity that would go with it.

I Was Justified When I Was 5, Raising Cain, I Spit In Your Eye
The CW announced this week that Heather Locklear would reprise her role as Amanda Woodward on their new version of Melrose Place starting the third week of November. Locklear's name had been floated since the project was announced but nothing was finalized until now. It's not clear how many episodes she will be appearing on but EW.com reported it would be at least 7.

The CW was clearly not thrilled with the ratings for the new MP – better than Privileged last year but being better than a show that got cancelled due to low ratings is the definition of damning with faint praise – and my guess is that whatever terms Locklear was demanding became easier to meet each Wednesday morning when the Nielsen overnights arrived.

I Know You'll Think I'm Like The Others Before, Who Saw Your Name And Number On The Wall
Jenni Pulos is an actress and voice over performer who pays her bills by working as Jeff Lewis' executive assistant, a job that has been documented on camera for the last three seasons by Bravo's Flipping Out. We recently caught up with Jenni - who has official "Friend of TTTP" status – via email to discuss her life, the show, and the good and bad ways those two things intersect.

TTTP: Considering season two had a lot more reality for you than one normally finds in a reality series, was it difficult to convince you to do a third season?

Jenni: Obviously it was a difficult year for me going through a divorce in front of a television audience and have the hardest part of my life to date edited into an hour of entertainment, but the tremendous support of complete strangers actually helped me get through. The support I have received from people has been overwhelming and I am so grateful. I knew although it was extremely painful, I was where I was supposed to be. I am proud of Flipping Out, I am proud to be on the show and to be a consulting producer.

TTTP: At the opening of the new season we found out you've started dating again; how is it going? How different are things from the last time you were out there and how much does your celebrity add to the degree of difficulty?

Jenni: Ha-Ha. No comment at this time your honor. I have no moves. I had a pager when I met my ex-husband. So what does IWYIMB even mean? I thought that the "being on television" was not an issue until recently. A few weeks ago a date wanted to come home and watch me on TV. Then he proceeded to tell me he should be on the show. He's a natural. (Insert screeching tire sound here)

TTTP: You also mentioned in the premiere you were going out for auditions; has Flipping Out helped or hurt in that area? Does being yourself on TV make it harder for casting people to see you as someone else?

Jenni: It hasn't hurt. If I can get into rooms and receive chances because of the show, it is my responsibility to put in the work and respect and honor every opportunity that comes my way. There have been people who have appreciated our show in the industry. I have the utmost respect for them and their work in Hollywood. Something I am a part of is now enjoyed by people throughout the world...this is what I have always dreamed about. It just came in a different package then I had envisioned. When you embrace you that can't control life that is when you are freed to receive unexpected blessings.

TTTP: What changes have you seen in Jeff over the three seasons and how much - if any - of it is attributable to the show?

Jenni: I think Jeff has watched himself on the show and been ashamed of certain behavior. He tries to not "Flip Out" as easily or as much as he did in Season 1. Jeff Lewis is Jeff Lewis, show or no show. Like him or hate him that is who he is. There is always room for more growth. For us all.

TTTP: One of the things that I like about you so much is your unabashed love of television. What are you watching these days?

Jenni: Ooh thank you Al! Me too with you! The Mentalist is fantastic. Simon Baker is doing some incredible acting on that show! I would love to someday work with him, his layered complex performances are stunning. Obviously I am loving Entourage, the writing on that show never gets dull and those boys have a winning chemistry. I can't wait for Curb to come back. Genius show.

I have been watching some Jeeves and Wooster an old British series starring Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry who are great comic actors with spot on timing and technique. Yes Hugh Laurie from House! Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. A fast and fun late night treat! Last but not least Hoarders and the Housewives. I can't help myself.

TTTP: Can you give me a quick preview of the rest of the season of Flipping Out?

Jenni: Recently I took over in my "hooker heels" due to Zoila trying to poison Jeff.
There is some drama coming up. We introduce yet another assistant, Deb. We shall see if she lasts. There will be a big birthday party for Chloe in the finale that you won't want to miss. Funny stuff and a very exciting musical guest. You will also get to see some of Jeff's beautiful work completed. Great before and after! Only by Bravo!

Don't miss Flipping Out, Tuesdays at 10 pm on Bravo!

They Have Sweated Beneath The Same Sun, Looked Up In Wonder At The Same Moon
Multiple publications are reporting that MTV will air Gone Too Far, the drug intervention series that DJ AM (Adam Goldstein) was filming before his recent death. Eight episodes were completed and while MTV has not made an official announcement, the reports say they have talked with Goldstein's family and are planning to run the series some time before the end of the year.

I am torn on this one; if it's a well done show, why wouldn't they air it? I mean, if the point is to try and help get people off of drugs, what could be a more cautionary tale? On the other hand, it's hard for me to think that all the additional publicity the show will get now that DJ AM has died wasn't a huge factor into this decision.

Hey, it's a business, and if his family is ok with it why not run the series and see if maybe one or two more people get the message that drugs can screw up your life. If even the slightest bit of good can come out of this then it's worth it.

So Go On, Let It Be, If There's A Feeling Coming Over Me, Seems Like It's Always Understood This Time Of Year
The fall TV season is here! For the next few weeks we'll be using this section to let you know about the week's premieres. Shows with an "*" are series premieres.

TONIGHT
Brothers* (Fox), 8 pm
A new sitcom from Fox featuring former NFL all-pro Michael Strahan as a former NFL all-pro who has to move in with his family following some financial difficulty. This doesn't look all that funny to me but the fact that they have cast CCH Pounder and Carl Weathers as his parents mean I will be giving Brothers at least one viewing.

Ghost Whisperer (CBS), 8 pm
Jennifer Love Hewitt returns for another season – GW's FIFTH!!! - in the little show that just keeps chugging along. I wonder if reruns airing on Syfy will help the show gain an even larger audience.

Law and Order (NBC), 8 pm
I am tempted to say this new timeslot will help but I have a hard time imagining Law and Order winning any new viewers over at this point in its run. Last year saw a sharp upturn in the quality of the scripts so let's keep our fingers crossed that continues.

Dollhouse (Fox), 9 pm
After a first season that didn't quite meet expectations, Dollhouse is back with some great new cast additions/guest stars lined up, including BSG's Jamie Bamber in tonight's episode. Here is a quick trailer…



Medium (CBS), 9 pm
Why NBC let this show go is beyond me as it's not like they have a plethora of Emmy winning shows with established audiences, but their loss is CBS' gain as not only does Medium pair up very well with its GW lead-in but the network is giving the show some love instead of just throwing it in when a need occurs.

Numb3rs (CBS), 10 pm
I wish I had stronger feelings about this CBS crime drama but it really elicits no passion from me either way. FYI – that can't be a good sign.

SATURDAY
Saturday Night Live (NBC), 11:30 pm
Megan Fox and U2 are the host and musical guest for the season premiere, where I am sure we can expect some sort of Jon & Kate sketch as well as some fun at Glenn Beck's expense.

SUNDAY
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC), 7 pm
Ty and the crew are back for another year of making people's lives better – I dare you to say something bad about this show – and kick things off with a two hour special involving the family of a Wisconsin firefighter. BYOK (Bring Your Own Kleenex).

The Amazing Race (CBS), 8 pm
Coming off of yet another Emmy win, The Amazing Race may be the best show I have never watched. While that's not going to change this fall, I may try to finally commit to a cycle in the spring.

The Simpsons (Fox), 8 pm
Like anything I say about The Simpsons is going to play a role in your decision to watch or not. The still quite funny animated series is more than just a TV show, it's an American institution.

The Cleveland Show (Fox), 8:30 pm
Most big Family Guy guys I know where thrilled when they heard there was going to be a spinoff and then less so when they found out it was going to be featuring Cleveland. To me that's actually the genius as expectations are lower plus there is a much bigger canvas to work with.

Desperate Housewives (ABC), 9 pm
I am sick of reading stories of how DH is back to form each and every season. The show is what it is, a mostly funny, sometimes genuinely moving series that usually takes things about 10% too far in their quest to make a joke. It will never recapture the magic (and novelty) of the first season but that doesn't mean its not a fun way to spend an hour on Sunday nights.

Dexter (Showtime), 9 pm
One of the best casts on TV just got better as John Lithgow will be a regular this season AND Keith Carradine returns as well. Fans of Dexter should stop caring about how much main stream love its not getting and simply bask in the glow of a really great TV show.

Family Guy (Fox), 9 pm
It is still amazing to me that a show that was cancelled was brought back years later thanks to DVD sales and now is so popular it is having new series spun off from it. While many friends and readers can watch hour and hours of Family Guy, I can only deal with an episode every so often; it's quite funny but there is almost something overwhelming about the barrage of pop culture tidal wave that hits you when you tune in.

American Dad (Fox), 9:30 pm
If you watched Family Guy at 9 pm, how are you not going to stay tuned for American Dad after? People don't actually turn their TV sets off, and everything else is half way through an episode. AD actually showed some very nice ratings improvement last season so Fox is hoping to build off of that and see if things can get even bigger.

Yes, that is indeed what she said.

Brothers & Sisters (ABC), 10 pm
The first season without Tommy as a regular begins this week, which means more of a focus goes on the other members of the Walker clan. I think the show does a good job of balancing the screen time, although clearly Kitty and Robert are always going to be front and center. For me, the more Justin and Rebecca, the better.

Californication (10 pm), Showtime
I know this show has its devoted fans but to me the dialogue has always sounded like something a talented writer came up with and not so much what someone would actually say. It's not a bad show, it's just not for me.

Cold Case (CBS), 10 pm
While not being a huge Cold Case fan I will acknowledge that as the show has become much more interesting as it has incorporated music into its stories. One of the more distinctive and original of CBS current crime dramas.

MONDAY
Lie To Me (Fox), 9 pm
One of last season's most interesting new dramas is back with a full slate of episodes and the high quality if not flash cast addition of Jericho's Lennie James as a foil for Tim Roth's human lie detector. The paring with House is perfect.

Trauma* (NBC), 9 pm
I am always more about characters than plot – I have said before that I'd rather watch interesting people go about an average day than people I could care less about go through crazy plot mechanisms – and Trauma seems like a show that was developed based on the workplace as opposed to the workers. It does have Two Tivos favorites Kevin Rankin, so I will give the pilot a shot.

TUESDAY
The Hills (MTV), 10 pm
I still can't think of reason – other than feeling better about yourself – why people watch The Hills but there are plenty of otherwise reasonable and rational folks who seem to enjoy it.

The City (MTV), 10:30 pm
If I find the source material to be lacking any redeeming value I am pretty sure you can figure out how I feel about the spin-off.

WEDNESDAY
Hank* (ABC), 8 pm
If ABC's Modern Family has the most positive buzz for a new comedy, Hank has far and away the worst. Sure, Kelsey Grammer is a talent, and they did some re-shooting from the pilot, but expectations for this will have to be pretty low in order to be met.

The Middle* (ABC), 8:30 pm
The other half of Back To You's couple returns in this Patricia Heaton comedy about a typical middle American family. Her role in this is somewhat reminiscent of the part that made her famous – Debra Barrone – and she's got the Janitor from Scrubs as her husband, so the two of them should be able to milk at least a few laughs no matter how mediocre the material.

THURSDAY
Private Practice (ABC), 10 pm
Moving to the post-Grey's time slot (where it really should have been all along) last season led to greater ratings success for PP. The cliffhanger season finale was over the top, even for my taste, but the pairing of Charlotte and Cooper was a highlight throughout and the top reason to be watching the show.

But You Were Up To Your Old Tricks In Chapters Four Five And Six
All you need to know about the Nielsen's for the past week or so…So much ratings news this week I am breaking it up by day…

Thursday
The season premiere of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia was up 22% overall and 57% in the key adult demos…Bones (10.1 million) and Fringe (7.8 million) were each down 9% from last season's kick offs, although neither took place on a Thursday night last time…Parks and Recreation season two premiere dropped 30% from the series debut last April…The Office was down 18% from last season but was the night's top rated show in the demos…Community held on to an impressive % of its Office lead-in and was # 2 for the night in demos…Thursday was the first time The Jay Leno show didn't win its timeslot outright, losing to a rerun of The Mentalist in total audience and squeaking out a win in the demos…Survivor's premiere put up some of the worst totals in the series' premiere history…

Friday
Friday's edition of The Jay Leno Show was a low for the week but still easily won the night in totals and demos…

Sunday
Sunday's Cowboys – Giants game gave NBC its highest ever ratings for their Sunday Night Football telecasts and was the most watched primetime regular season NFL game in 11 years…Curb Your Enthusiasm returned to 1.1 million (about average for the show's last season), with Bored To Death following it with one million. While Bored held on to an impressive % of its lead-in, one has to wonder why HBO would schedule the premiere up against The Emmys…

Monday
House was Monday's big winner, with its 16.5 million representing an increase of 18% from last year's premiere. It was also the evenings top demo winner…CSI: Miami was down 17% but still topped the 10:00 hour…Two and a Half Men was down 14% but lead-out The Big Bang Theory enjoyed its new time slot to the tune of a series high 12.8 million…New series Accidently On Purpose held on to 90% of the lead-in audience provided by How I Met Your Mother, a very solid number considering the high level of competition…Good news, bad news for Dancing with the Stars; the two hour premiere totaled a very solid 17.5 million but that number was down 24% from last fall and 33% from the spring premiere…Castle returned to 9.4 million…Heroes two hour premiere was down a startling 46% from last fall…Showing that its core audience is a loyal one, One Tree Hill matched its numbers from last week despite the significantly stronger competition…President Barack Obama's appearance on Monday gave The Late Show its highest ratings in 4 years, with an audience that was 195% larger than The Tonight Show's…14.7 million watched the Colts-Dolphins game on ESPN's Monday Night Football, making it the most watched cable telecast of the year…

Tuesday
NCIS dominated Tuesday night with a total audience of 20 million, which helped new spinoff NCIS: Los Angeles get 18.3 million (23% more than the premiere of The Mentalist in the same time slot last year)…The Good Wife premiered in front of 13.7 million pairs of eyes, double digit improvements in total audience and demos from last year's opening Without A Trace in the same slot…Back-to-back episodes of Hell's Kitchen pulled in 6.7 million and 7.0 million respectively…The second night of Dancing with the Stars got 15.2 million, a large drop from the same outing last season…The Forgotten debuted to 9.5 million, a decent uptick from last year's timeslot occupant Eli Stone…Melrose Place declined for the second week in a row while 90210 held last week's numbers despite all the new competition…The Biggest Loser was down from last week but up from week two last season…Tuesday's Jay Leno Show was up from Monday and tied for the demo lead for that hour…

Wednesday
ABC was thrilled with the opening night performances of Modern Family (12.7 million) and Cougar Town (11.4 million), both of which won their time slots for demos…So You Think You Can Dance? was up a bit from last week and Glee dropped 5%, solid numbers considering they were facing a full schedule of new programming…Criminal Minds topped Wednesday with 15.4 million viewers, and lead-out CSI: NY brought in 14.6 million…The series premiere of Mercy did not impress and Law and Order: SVU finished fourth in the demos for 9:00…The Beautiful Life dropped from it's poor first week and is the leading the "first show to get cancelled" pack…

All The Young Dudes, Carry The News
Industry News, Notes, and Hot Rumors…Fox made Glee the first series to get a full season order this week when they picked up an additional 9 episodes for the year, bringing the total to the traditional 22…Later in the week The CW picked up a full season of One Tree Hill while ordering 9 more scripts for The Vampire Diaries (as close to a full pick up as you can get without actually getting the pick up. The network also ordered six more scripts for Melrose Place…JJ Abrams is developing a half hour comedy set in the world of medicine for Fox…The two day, 25th Anniversary Concert at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that is taking place next month at Madison Square Garden will be filmed and turned into a four hour special that HBO will air Thanksgiving weekend. Those scheduled to perform include Bruce Springsteen, U2, Paul Simon, Metallica, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Crosby Stills and Nash, Chuck Berry, Van Morrison, Jackson Browne, Sting, and James Taylor…The Style Network will debut Dallas Divas And Daughters next month, a reality series where five socialite Moms and their female offspring try to master the local social scene…Chef Tyler Florence will host Lifetime's Search for the Greatest America Recipe…Thora Birch and Nancy Travis will star in Lifetime's Pregnancy Pact, an original movie based on the spate of high school pregnancies in Gloucester, MA last year…Look for Vinnie Jones to guest on an episode of Chuck's upcoming season…Penn And Teller are developing a one hour comedic series for ABC based on their lives, sort of; they will play versions of themselves who are magicians and somehow wind up working as detectives as well…FX's new comedy The League will premiere on Thursday October 29th, paired with It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia…Look for Aida Turturro on a Halloween-themed episode of Medium…Shelly Long will play Ed O'Neill's ex-wife on Modern Family…Oscar winner Bill Condon (Gods and Monsters, Chicago, Dreamgirls) will direct the pilot for Showtime's The C Word, which stars Laura Linney…Steven Spielberg is developing a scripted drama for Showtime about the making of a musical, following the production from writing to casting to stage. The idea would be that in the ultimate cross-marketing, the play itself would eventually run on Broadway. Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, whose Can Me If You Can opens on Broadway shortly, are in talks to join the production/writing team…Martin Short joins the previously announced Campbell Scott as a regular on the new season of Damages. Keith Carradine and Lily Tomlin will guest star…While it may seem like I am taking another shot at CBS' pension for crime dramas with this news item, I assure you it's legit; the network is developing a series about a female NY cop who remembers everything she sees and hears. The title? The Rememberer…The upcoming season of Celebrity Fit Club will include Bobby Brown, Kevin Federline, Nicole Eggert, and Shar Jackson…The CW will have Fly Girls as a mid-season replacement, a reality show about flight attendants for Virgin America…Jim Breuer is developing a sitcom with NBC that is based on his experience as a stay-at-home Dad, taking care of 3 kids as well as watching after his elderly parents…Discovery Channel is getting in the ghost business with Ghost Lab, which follows two brothers – the co-founders of Everyday Paranormal – as they take their high tech ghost hunting mobile home around the country in search of things that go bump in the night…Two Tivos favorite Stephen Root will do multiple episodes of 24 this January…

Turns Out Not Where But Who You're With That Really Matters
The top thing I watched since the last column went to press AKA The Best Of What's Around…SNL's Weekend Update Thursday got off to a very strong start with a great sketch about Congressman Joe Wilson and kept getting better from there, including a great James Carville impression ("you ain't tall, you clever") and an appearance by one of my favorite segments, "Really, with Seth and Amy." Heck, don't just take my word for it – watch for yourselves…







My only worry is that they use their best stuff for Thursday nights, leaving us with a weaker news segment on Saturday. I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

People Say I'm Crazy Doing What I'm Doing. Well, They Give Me All Kinds Of Warnings To Save Me From Ruin
What's flashed before my eyes the last seven days…What follows is my usual take on what I've been watching but as we are in the throws of a new season, I'd love to here from you in the comments section below about new shows you've seen, and which ones you want to see again…Great guest spot by Michael Hogan – BSG's Col Tigh – on Warehouse 13 last week, although I must admit it was odd to see him in regular clothes. Roger Rees has been doing a great job chewing up the scenery as well…I've watched a lot more late night TV than usual these past few months and feel comfortable officially declaring Craig Ferguson the best of the current hosts, by quite a wide margin. His monologues are so good – and actually monologues -that I have a hard time not fast forwarding through the other hosts' straight line - punch line, straight line – punch line versions. At this point I am Tivo'ing The Late Late Show at least two nights a week, depending on the guests…I can't urge you enough to check out Sons of Anarchy, which is among the best cast shows on television. Dayton Callie's Chief Wayne has been a particular stand out so far, a text book case of high quality supporting acting…Episode three of Glee was the weakest of the bunch, still entertaining but also a bit muddled; how much time were we supposed to think went by during the hour? It seemed like at least a few weeks but not sure if the rest of the show's plot lines also kept up at that pace. That criticism aside, the scene at the end where Kurt admits to Mercedes that he is gay was a keeper, a rare quiet moment for a show that celebrates all things loud…Rachael Harris segment on last Friday's Jay Leno Show was easily the funniest thing they did all week. Actually, the entire episode was the best of the bunch, including some surprisingly funny TV spoofs when Jay went knocking on random apartment doors…In case you were curious, my love affair with Mad Men has not waned in any way; this season has had some up's and downs but overall it's still the best written show on TV, and Elisabeth Moss might want to start writing her Norty acceptance speech…I've complained on these pages about some of Entourage's pointless plotlines and the whole Vince's Stalker story was the latest example; I mean, why even bother if there is no payoff and no other stories/characters are advanced along the way? I keep hoping that the TV executive who is out to get Drama has them turn his Five Towns character gay as it would be funny to watch Kevin Dillon play Johnny's stress about his own masculinity being questioned, plus they could do a story where he develops a big gay following. Update – After watching this past Sunday I am holding out hope that Lloyd leaving Ari leads to good things…How much you enjoyed last Sunday's Curb Your Enthusiasm was most likely based on how funny you thought Jeff having sex with a crazed Catherine O'Hara was. Didn't do a ton for me but the rest of the episode was a great way to ease into the new season. This Sunday is an instant classic…One of the things I liked about Bored To Death is the way it started in stride; no huge build up or time for back story, it just goes and hopes that you come along for the ride (which I did, in a big way)…Joel McHale's opening segment on The Soup, calling the media on their Kanya-Taylor obsession, was brilliant and a great reminder that the show is more than just a collection of clips. One wonders if those who host/make production decisions on The Insider, ET, Access Hollywood et al ever watch The Soup, and what they think when they do…I wrote the above Mad Men comments before watching last Sunday's episode, which was far and away the best of the season. I was truly shocked when the lawnmower accident happened yet didn't feel it was forced at all. I think it's safe to say John Slattery has his Emmy nomination episode for next spring…Ok, two weeks in and I don't think One Tree Hill has lost anything with the departure of Lucas and Peyton. And I now feel Dan's new personality is legit – can't wait to see flashbacks of how he got to this point. Rachel as his wife was a great twist although clearly she is in this for the money…Gossip Girl's first two episodes of the season have returned it to the "guilty pleasure" category for me, as opposed to the "annoying" label I gave it last spring…I found myself wondering if all writers are given a book of mental hospital clichés to dip into while I was watching the season premiere of House. Overall it was a quality episode, with Andre Braugher reminding folks why he is as worshipped as he is at addresses like this one, but the second hour was MUCH better than the first, and I could have done without many of the very stereotypical patients they introduced us to. That being said, the whole "music box gives the woman her voice back" thing didn't annoy me as much as it did other people, probably because both Hugh Laurie and Braugher did a fantastic job acting with speaking during that scene. While I do wonder how much of what House accomplished during his hospital stay will stay with him when he returns to work, Laurie's work in this episode was as good as he has been in series history…Modern Family more than lived up to the hype, making me chuckle as well as laugh out loud. A great cast delivering a great script; what else could you want?...I had mixed feelings about Cougar Town; it did make me laugh out loud a few timesbut I found myself thinking things were getting old by the end of the first episode, which is never a good sign. Casting an Aliens In America alum is always a smart way to get on my good side so I will watch for at least another week…I'll preface my comments by saying I am going to keep watching (for now) but I liked the idea of Flash Forward WAY more than I did the actual hour of television. Joseph Fiennes gave one of the worst leading man performance in recent memory; there's a blank expression because you are so overwhelmed by what' going on and there's a blank expression because it seems you have nothing going on in your head, and he had way more of the latter than the former. Seriously, he was so bad that if the "coming up this season on Flash Forward" wasn't as good as it was, I would have given up after last night. As it stands, Mrs. Tivo really liked it and that combined with my infatuation with the concept will make me come back next Thursday. It also made me realize just how underrated Matthew Fox's work on Lost is...

TV Pick Of The Week
Regular readers know how much I value a show with genuine heart, which is why I am so looking forward to Rescue Ink Unleashed, National Geographic's new series about a group of volunteers who help abused and abandoned animals. This group of guys, which include a retired cop, a bouncer, and a security guard, all very good sized men, work out of an HQ in Long Island where they receive an average of 100 calls a week about animals in need of assistance. They don't just show up, grab an animal, and leave; frequently their work involves confronting an abusive pet owner about ways in which they need to change. Some of these confrontations go better than others. These guys may look (and even act at times) like a motorcycle gang but their doing there part to make the world a better place. Did I mention the show is entertaining as hell?!?!?

Don't miss the series premiere of Rescue Ink Unleashed, tonight at 10 pm on National Geographic.

Hope You Need My Love, Babe, Just Like I Need You
Here is some other noteworthy programming of the next seven days (although most of it can be found in the season/series premiere section above)…

*Coverage of the PGA Tour Championship can be found today at 1:00 pm on the Golf Channel followed on Saturday at 2 pm and Sunday at 1:30 pm on NBC.

*Syfy has remade Children of the Corn (Saturday, 9 pm), keeping all the fun cheesiness and giving it a cast upgrade, with David Anders (Heroes) and Kandyse McClure (BSG) as the leads.

*Joan gets ready to ship out on what promises to be a very emotional episode of Army Wives (Sunday, 10 pm, Lifetime).

*The NHL regular season begins Thursday night, with Versus coverage beginning at 7 pm.

Two Tivos To Paradise
30 Rock, The Academy, American Idol, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, Antiques Roadshow, Being Human, Best Week Ever, Better Off Ted, Big Love, Bones, Bored To Death, Breaking Bad, Brothers & Sisters, Burn Notice, Celebrity Apprentice, Cake Boss, Chopped, The Chris Isaak Hour, Chuck, The Closer, Community, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Daddy's Girls, Damages, The Deadliest Catch, Desperate Housewives, Destination Truth, The Dish, Entourage, Eureka, Flipping Out, Gary Unmarried, Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International, Glee, Gossip Girl, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, The Hills, House, How I Met Your Mother, Hung, Iron Chef America, Jon & Kate + 8, Last Restaurant Standing, Law And Order, Law And Order: Criminal Intent, Law And Order: Special Victims Unit, Lost, Mad Men, Make Me A Supermodel, Man v. Food, Medium, The New Adventures Of Old Christine, Next Food Network Star, Nip/Tuck, The Office, One Tree Hill, Paranormal State, Party Down, Private Practice, Project Runway, Psych, Real Time With Bill Maher, Rescue Me, Royal Pains, Rules Of Engagement, Run's House, Sanctuary, Saturday Night Live, Scrubs, Shark Tank, Shear Genius, Skins, So You Think You Can Dance?, Sons of Anarchy, The Soup, Southland, Sports Soup, Supernatural, Table For 12, Top Chef, Top Design, Torchwood, True Blood, Ugly Betty, The Vampire Diaries, Warehouse 13, Web Soup, Will Work for Food

People Love You When They Know You're Leaving Soon
Here ends another edition of Two Tivos To Paradise. We'll be back next week with all the latest news from the world of television plus an update on upcoming interviews. By the time we next meet I will have celebrated a birthday, so try not to make any comments about how much older I look next Friday, ok?

Don't forget to come back next Friday for all the news, and while you're at it, why not just bookmark the movies/TV page here at 411mania.com and make it that much easier for you to find your entertainment industry hook up! You can also follow us on Twitter!

Feedback is encouraged at [e-mail] as well via the comments section below.

Sources for this week's column include Daily Variety, Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, and Hollywood Reporter (plus the web sites for those publications) as well as Aintit.cool.com.