Two Tivos To Paradise 3.14.08: You Want TV News? You've Got TV News

Posted by Al Norton on 03.14.2008

Is The CW reviving 90210?, Britney is in and Alicia is out of How I Met Your Mother, NBC's summer line up, VH-1's new set of reality shows, American Idol thoughts, raves for The Celebrity Apprentice, TONS of news and notes, the TV Pick of the Week, and more...all in Al Norton's Two Tivos To Paradise

Hello Friends. My week was made on Monday morning when I opened a package from the Sci-Fi network that included a VERY cool framed Battlestar Galactica print as well as the upcoming season premiere on DVD; it's good to be the king. Also got episodes of The Sarah Jane Adventures, a Doctor Who spin-off that I can already guarantee will be a Mrs. Tivo favorite. I am doing my best to not let Josh Beckett's back dampen my excitement for the Red Sox upcoming opener, although the time difference between Boston and Japan means the first pitch will be shortly after 6 am.

Well just look at the girl with the news comin' up in her eyes.

My Fashion Sense Is A Little Whack And My Friends Are Just As Screwy As Me
The CW is developing a spin-off/sequel to Beverly Hills, 90210 and has begun talks with Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas to run the show. While it is unclear which – if any – of the original cast members would participate, the network is moving fast to get a script written in order to make a decision on a pilot by the end of the month. What is certain is that 90210 creator Darren Starr is not involved in the project.

Wow. I have to say this news caught me off guard and really shows a lack of creative thinking over at The CW. Yes, getting Thomas on board would go a long way towards establishing any sort of hipster credibility, but then again I just used "credibility" in the same sentence as 90210, so who knows. Thomas could be quite busy this spring since ABC just ordered a pilot for Cupid, a remake of the short lived series he produced in the 90's; while Thomas is getting a second crack at Cupid, Jeremy Piven, who starred in the first version, will not return. No idea if the new 90210 show will feature all new characters and just use the same location – maybe have a new family move in to the Walsh's old house – or if they plan on using the same characters from the classic 80's teen drama in adult storylines. Perhaps the moderate ratings success of One Tree Hill's recent timeline jump made them think there would be interest in seeing the gang reunite at The Peach Pit as grown ups. Of course that would be predicated on the cast being free (oh, who am I kidding?) and wanting to reprise the roles that they have spent years trying to put behind them. Obviously if Luke Perry, Jason Priestley, Shannon Daugherty, and Jennie Garth came back there would be a lot of publicity but I am not so sure about a new 90210 that focuses on Steve, Donna, and Andrea. Did I really just write a whole paragraph about this? Bottom line – if Tiffani Thiessen is back as Valerie Malone, this gets season passed on day one.

My Loneliness Is Killing Me, I Must Confess I Still Believe
How I Met Your Mother casting choices were the major news in TV this week, with big names signing on – and dropping out – for guest spots. Last week word broke of Alicia Silverstone joining the cast for a multiple episode stint as a new interest for Ted, with the strong possibility that she could be the "mother" in the title. On Monday it was reported that Britney Spears would be doing a guest spot this spring, playing the receptionist of Silverstone's character, and shortly thereafter Silverstone dropped out of her role amid rumors that her PR people felt she would be overshadowed by the pop starlet. This caused the writers to revamp the part planned for Silverstone, paring it down to one episode and casting Scrubs star Sarah Chalke in the role.

What does it say about your acting career when you are worried about being overshadowed by Britney Spears? It's really too bad since I find Alicia to be quite adorable, plus the chemistry she and Josh Radnor have from their work on Broadway (The Graduate) would have gone a long way towards winning over the portion of the audience still rooting for Ted and Robin to be together. Apparently producers are still keeping her in mind for a future part, that is if the CBS execs come to their senses and actually give the show a future. As far as Ms Spears goes, she was funny enough in her Will and Grace appearance, and I have faith in the writing staff of HIMYM to make her look good.

You Act Just Like A Fool, People Think You're Cool, Just ‘Cause You're On TV
VH-1 revealed its plans for new reality series in 2008, including some reworked favorites as well as untested ideas. Comedian Margaret Cho will front The Cho Show as she goes through her day to day activities as a comedienne and activist. Luther Campbell of 2 Live Crew fame will be the focus of Parental Advisory, chronicling his duties as a Dad balanced with his work in the adult film industry. Hogan Knows Best becomes Brooke Hogan Knows Best, with the budding pop star getting the spotlight, and as previously reported here, I Love New York morphs into New York Goes To Hollywood, where the star and her new fiancé try to make it big in tinsletown.

I had a bunch of jokes set to make about where VH-1 had to go to find Luther Campbell and how he had any relevance to their audience and then two things happened; first, I remembered that Rev. Run didn't have a high Q rating and Run's House turned out to be one of the best reality shows on TV, and secondly, I reread the plot synopsis and realized that Luther is in the adult entertainment industry. Porn and parenthood has the potential to be a potent ratings combination, Fox's failure with Skin not withstanding. I love me some Margaret Cho and she has a very devoted following, so that pick up makes perfect sense. While I am not sure why Brooke Hogan needs/deserves the attention of a weekly series, VH-1 is seeing if they can hold on to some part of the original HKB audience instead of simply shelving the series. The less I say about New York, the better.

Summer's Here And The Time Is Right For Racing In The Streets
NBC is starting their summer reality line up early, debuting three shows during May sweeps and another four in June in order to have everything wrapped up by the time the Winter Olympics start in August. The network even has a name for the combined seasons – All American Summer. American Gladiators returns for season two in May with 90 minute episodes, which is the same plan for Last Comic Standing. The new series Fear Itself bows the last Thursday in May and Nashville Star, moving from USA to NBC, debuts on Monday June 9th. Celebrity Circus, another new show with a rather self explanatory title, hits the airwaves two days later on June 11th. America's Got Talent, the highest rated show the last two summers running, returns with two hour episodes in late June, this time with a talent search round similar to the opening weeks of American Idol. AGT will break for the Olympics before returning the last week in August for the final rounds.

So let's see, that's six reality series on NBC's airwaves this summer, many with 90 minute (or more) episodes. Wait, add in the much delayed The Baby Borrowers and you've got SEVEN reality shows in May, June, and July. Throw in Dateline and Law and Order reruns and we're talking about the prime time line up. One could argue that they have lots of bases covered, from comedy to music to action to celebrities to real life, but I am more than a bit scared by this trend. This is why the cable networks choose these months to roll out their scripted shows, like The Closer, Army Wives, and the entire USA line up (Monk, PSYCH, Burn Notice, Law and Order: CI, and several new shows as well). I can't be too upset at NBC since they seem to have found a way to keep Friday Night Lights alive, but other than Last Comic Standing I can't see myself tuning into any of the above shows for more than a perfunctory viewing.

It's So Hard To Believe But It's All Coming Back To Me Now
According to a story in the Hollywood Reporter The WB network is returning in the form of a web site that will offer free streaming episodes of the network's classic shows as well as new programming. During their 10 year run before the merger with UPN (to form The CW), The WB gave us pop culture touchstones like Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Dawson's Creek, The Gilmore Girls, 7th Heaven, as well as Everwood, the best family drama in recent TV history. While there was no confirmation from Warner Brothers, the site is expected to launch next month, with a major campaign in the fall.

Hey, free episodes of quality TV is never a bad thing. And yes, it gives me the chance to mention my beloved Everwood once again. Series that they both produced and aired, like GG, Everwood, and What I Like About You, are sure things to for the site but it's not clear if they will have episodes of shows that simply found a home on the network (Buffy, Angel, the Creek).

'Cause Love Cuts A Million Ways, Cuts The Devil When He Misbehaves
MTV confirmed it's much rumored new American Idol-like series Rock The Cradle, featuring the children of celebrities competing for musical stardom. The first season is set to include the off-spring of Olivia Newton-John, Kenny Loggins, Eddie Money, and M.C. Hammer. No word yet on a host of the show or a debut date. The network also picked up Celebrity Mentor Project, which finds singers taking up-and-comers under their wing who then do vocal battle with each other. Randy Jackson Presents: American's Best Dance Crew will return for a second season as well.

Obviously having kids old enough to compete on a show like this means that you have to be of a certain age, but this isn't going to do anything to get MTV a great demo; I know why myself and fellow 30 somethings might watch, but why would teenagers tune in? I know that the show being produced by the folks from American Idol gives it a trace of credibility for the genre but it's not going to win the network any new fans, which is what they should be focusing on, although maybe they think the round of Insider/ET/Access Hollywood stories that will accompany the premiere will get them that much closer to a return to pop culture relevancy.

Every time I Think Of You, I Always Catch My Breath
With the writers' strike now firmly in the rearview window, your favorites are finally ready to return with new episodes. Over the next few weeks most of the shows that you know and love will be back and this section will serve as a guide to when and where you can find them. Also mixed in are season/series premiers, finales, and other noteworthy programming for the upcoming week.

Tonight
The Return of Jezebel James, Fox, 8 & 8:30 pm
I reviewed this two weeks ago but thought I would remind you how disappointing this "comedy" is, a waste of the talents of all involved. Lauren Ambrose going from Six Feet Under to this is one of the biggest quality drops in recent memory.

Sunday
John Adams, HBO 8 pm

Even if historical drama isn't your thing, the acting trio of Paul Giamatti, David Morse, and Tom Wilkinson should be enough to get your attention. And Laura Linney is amazing as Abigail Adams, too. Did I mention lots of wigs?

Monday
America's Prom Queen, ABC Family
The Bachelor, 9:30 pm ABC
The Big Bang Theory, 8 pm CBS
Dancing With The Stars (male celebs), 8 pm ABC
How I Met Your Mother, 8:30 pm CBS
KyleXY (season finale), ABC Family
Two and a Half Men, 9 pm CBS

Ok, so there is clearly a lot going on on Monday night. The CBS comedies are back, with Bang and Your Mother switching spots. Hey, did I just say "bang" and "your Mother" in the same sentence? Moving on, DWTS kicks off a new season with another interesting set of participants; I actually am interested to see how Adam Carolla does. America's Prom Queen is a new reality show on ABC Family that as you might surmise is about a bunch of prom queens living together. Sadly, it's not porn.

Tuesday
Dancing With The Stars (female celebs), 8 pm ABC
Miss/Guided, 10:30 pm ABC
The Riches, 10 pm FX
Truth Behind Sitcom Scandals, 10 pm BIO

The Riches had a well deserved spot in my 2007 Top 10 Dramas list so I am very exicted to see what they do for an encore, even if the writer's strike cut them short. Miss/Guided is a new comedy about a girl who returns to her hometown to work as a guidance counselor, only to find out that her high school nemisis has also started working there as a teacher. The ad's make it look cute. Bio's new documentary shows looks for the truth behind years of rumors, with tonight's premiere checking out both Mash and Love Boat.

Wednesday
Law And Order: CI, 9 pm NBC

Tonight's CI is a worth watching rerun that features a pretty fantastic performance by Vincent D'Onofrio as his character goes undercover in the hospital ward of a prison. Pretty intense stuff here, and there aren't many who do that better than D'Onofrio. I love the stuff with the brick.

Thursday
I Know My Kid's A Star, VH-1 10 pm
Lost, 9 pm ABC
Miss/Guided, 8 & 8:30 pm, ABC

This is the last Lost until the end of next month and the one where we find out who Ben's spy on the boat is, although I think most people have already figured it out. Miss Guided gets two more episodes tonight. IKMKAS is a new reality series about parents who are pushing their kids to be in show business, hosted by none other than Danny Bonaduce; hey, I get it!

THIS JUST IN - Ok, so they showed us who was on the boat last night on Lost, but now we know that someone is going to die this week. Any guesses?

And With Your Hair Combed Right And Your Pants Fit Tight, It's Gonna Be All Right
Season 7 of American Idol is actually season one when it comes to my watching. All season long I will be providing a weekly diary of the action as well as covering any AI related news items. Last Thursday's cut down to 12 was watched by 26.2 million, up 300K from last week. Tuesday's two hour co-ed performance episode averaged 29.33 million, up 1.1 million from last week and even with this episode from 2007. Wednesday's elimination episode dominated the night with 27.11 million.

TUESDAY
It's the first wee of American Idol's final 12, and the last week for one of our contestants. Some technical difficulties lead to me joining the show in progress, having missed two performances...It's Lennon-McCartney night; let the sacrilege begin!

-As much as I love In My Life, Remiele's pretty voice isn't doing anything for the song's poignant lyrics. I don't think that she feels it - it seems like the lyrics are simply words on a page for her...And the judges seem to agree with me.

-Ryan is rockin' a sort of mohawk tonight. He and Simon seem pretty testy.

-Jason Castro's hair is pretty nasty to me. Can someone with dreds - can a GUY with dreds - win AI?...The arrangement of If I Fell grew on me, especially at the chorus. Not bad at all.

-Hey, it's the Kardashians!

-The "be careful" Simon just threw Ryan's way was a reference to the InTouch Weekly story that Ryan is dating one of the girls from Sunset Tan. I expected more from you, Dawg, I really did. Joel better blast you this Friday night!

-Carly is doing Come Together and her voice is really kicking in for the second verse. Wow, the audience, and judges, loved it.

-David Cook has chosen Eleanor Rigby, which has been covered brilliantly by both Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin. I am not like this arrangement at all...The version on the LOVE soundtrack, with the extended string intro, is amazing...Ok, the violins bailed him out a bit but I was not so into this...Which apparently puts me in the minority.

-Brooke's Let It Be was not bad but not great. Randy's comments were dead on, praising her for doing a simple, heartfelt version instead of over singing - she made a good choice.

-David Hernandez took a big step back this week with his awful version of I Saw Her Standing There, complete with goofy dance steps. Was he watching the It's Still Rock And Roll To Me video before going on stage? His worst performance in weeks.

-Amanda looks much younger tonight...AGAIN Fox shows her riding a motorcycle without a helmet. Am I the only one bothered by this? She smartly takes a lesser known Beatles song and plays around with it. Same style as every other week but a good job.

-Hey, it's Taye Diggs!

-Michael Johns needs a song tonight to match the promise of the audition rounds. Across The Universe could be it...Very, very solid

-Kristy is doing Eight Days A Week, country style. I have always thought a bluesy version of this song could be a hit but one thing that;s clear is this should never see the light of day again. The band is too busy in the background and the ripped jeans are a bit too in character. Even Paula is hatin' on this - shocking!

-David Archuletta looks about 10 years old in the video intro...Not familiar with the Beatles?!!? Does anyone look good singing on the stairs? Wow, a chink in the armor as he seemed really nervous, forgot the lyrics, and just plain stunk.

-What's with the massive cleavage over Simon's left shoulder?

-I missed Syesha doing Got To Get You Into My Life?!?!? The 30 second clip of Chikeze made it seem like he brought the house tonight. Clearly Kristy is going home tomorrow night.

WEDNESDAY
Elimination episodes are always hard to recap since they usually contain very little new material. Let's give it a shot though...

-Dr Seuss is rolling over in his grave at this cross promotion...Hey look, it's Jim Carrey dressed as an elephant. FYI - acknowledging your being shameless does not make it ok. Only 30 Rock can get away with that.

-Wow, this medley is Kids Incorporated bad. How did they not do Golden Slumbers, a song that might have actually sounded good in a group.

-Speaking of bad, the Ford commercial/video is painful.

-And this taking live calls bit isn't much better.

-Kathryn McPhee was ok at best, and I was creeped out and how "close" she and David Foster seemed to be.

-Did Jim Carrey used to famous? Or Cool?

-Ok, color me stunned. David Hernandez was not good last night but he is clearly a better singer than Kristy Lee Cook, yet he is going home. America is not showing gay strippers the love. A major upset for the second week in a row, and both times it allows Kristy to stay, which tells me perhaps the folks at Vote For The Worst have been up to no good.

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 last week…The season four finale of Bravo's Project Runway was down ever-so-slightly from season three's last episode but was up enough in the demos to set a record for the network for 18-49 viewers. Overall the season was up 10% in demos and 4% in total viewers…Last Thursday's Survivor showed a small bump, up to 12.6 million…Lost was also up a bit, with 12.9 million tuning in…New Amsterdam's second episode drew 10.6 million, down from the Tuesday premiere and also lost quite a few viewers during the last half hour…The Celebrity Apprentice showed some life, up to 8.8 million…Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was Sunday's most watched show with 12.35 million…Oprah's Big Give had a 24% drop from it's premiere, with only 11.83 tuning in – good numbers in general but not the juggernaut ABC was hoping for…Unhitched also has a week two drop, with it's 5.2 million representing a 27% drop…Not good news for Canterbury's Law, which gave Fox it's lowest Monday at 8 premiere numbers ever with 7.6 million. It was followed by a New Amsterdam that pulled in 8.8 million…The first of Monday's two Christines took in 7.5 million, a large improvement over last week's Welcome To The Captain in the same time slot…October Road's two hour season (and probably series) finale averaged 4.7 million…The Beauty and the Geek season premiere was watched by just 1.88 million, a stunning 44% dip from last year's season debut. The weak lead-in caused One Tree Hill to post season low numbers in the following hour…Wednesday's Law And Order surged to 11.85 million, the best numbers since the season premiere in January...Moment Of Truth had 10.85 million watching Wednesday at 8, down 30% without an AI lead-in but still good enough to win the hour...

All The Young Dudes Carry The News
Industry News, Notes, and Hot Rumors…The Hollywood Reporter had a piece on Wednesday where they ran down the odds of "bubble" shows returning next season. The article will make fans of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles happy while disappointing those who enjoy Reaper…Michael Ausiello of TV Guide is reporting that the cast and crew of Scrubs will start work later this month on an 18 episode final season that ABC will air in the fall…It's been a busy week for HBO, picking up 13 episodes of The # 1 Ladies Detective Agency as well as green lighting a pilot from Will and Grace executive producer Jhoni Marchinko about a 40 something widow finding her place in the world. Detective Agency is adapted from a popular book series and set in Botswana, where it will be filmed. Grammy winning singer Jill Scott stars as the lead, and the show is produced by Oscar winner Anthony Minghella, who will direct the pilot he co-wrote with Richard Curtis (Love Actually)…Showtime renewed The L Word for a fifth – and final – season. The eight episode run will hit the airwaves in 2009. There are rumors producers will invite fans to email/vote on how they want ongoing storylines resolved…Jerry Seinfeld and NBC were very quick to deny a New York Post report that he would be starring in a new, Curb Your Enthusiasm-esque show for the network…Shelley Ross, hired away from Good Morning America just six months ago, was fired by CBS from her post as senior executive producer of The Early Show…Justin Timberlake is executive producing an adaptation of a big comedy series from Peru. My Problem With Women was given a script commitment from NBC and follows a man who seeks therapy to explain his relationship issues…TNT is making a third Librarian movie. The action flicks star Noah Wyle and rank among the networks highest rated movies of all time…Rosanna Arquette will become the fourth member of the family to take part in Medium when she guest stars in the spring. Patricia stars as the lead in the series and previously brothers David (directed) and Richmond (acting) have contributed…Hollywood Reporter has a story saying ABC won't have any new dramas on their fall schedule, instead spending their efforts re-branding this year new shows like Pushing Daisies, Dirty Sexy Money, and Private Practice. This means the much anticipated Life On Mars adaptation will wait until at least the middle of the 2008-2009 season…Nick Lachey is executive producing a new reality show for MTV set at the performing arts high school he graduated from in Cincinnati. The show will include musical performances…MSNBC has added Race To The White House to their nightly line-up. Starting March 17th, the David Gregory hosted news show will air at 6 pm, replacing Tucker Carlson's show…John Rich of Big And Rich fame will be a judge on Nashville Star this summer as well as writing the single for the winner…It's looking more and more like ER will return in the fall for a 15th season…Lisa Kudrow's production company is working with NBC on an adaptation of the BBC series Who Do You Think You Are, a reality show that traces the genealogy of celebrities…Barry Levinson is directing a two hour pilot for a remake of The Saint, although it is not yet attached to a network…Ashton Kutcher is producing Pop Fiction for E!, a prank show that finds celebrities trying to punk the media. The only trouble is that Howard K Stern and claims he and Anna Nicole Smith came up with this idea – and filed it with the WGA – in 2004, even pitching Celebrities Strike Back to the network…You read about the deal that NBC made with the producers of The Deadliest Catch on this page a few months back and now they have their first potential show; I Can Do That would have men and women competing in strength and endurance contests while making their way across the country. There has been no official order but they have already started looking for contestants…E! ordered 150 more episodes of Chelsea Lately, which is up 30% since it debuted in July and overall has increased the time slot numbers by 40%...ABC is bringing back Duel for 10 episodes in April with some new rules and a plan to make the episodes more self-contained…

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…Was there greater television joy in the past week than seeing Omarosa getting fired from The Celebrity Apprentice? I will give her at least a little credit for never losing her cool, and even until the very end she was still looking for an angle (trying to make it seem like Piers was doubting The Donald's judgment by putting her on the show in the first place), but it was all for naught as she finished up one of the worst performances in reality TV history. She didn't win a single dollar for her charity, and unlike when Tito Ortiz got the ax and Trump kicked in $25K, she left without having raised a penny for her group, or really even talked about them on the air to give them exposure. I got to interview Piers for my Boston Now gig and he was highly entertaining as well as exceedingly polite, make me root for him even more than I was before. What was up with Omarosa calling Piers gay? As someone who doesn't think of that as a pejorative label I still found it curious because I didn't understand her point, although it was made all worthwhile by Piers coming in and giving a shocked Trace Adkins a kiss on the cheek. There are much better shows on TV but sometimes one needs to take pleasure from the misfortune of others and Omarosa's ousting from The Celebrity Apprentice met that need in a big way.

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…Ok, clearly the best thing I watched this week was the season finale of Breaking Bad, but I known I have already put that show in the spotlight two different times, which is why I went with the enjoyable for different reasons Celebrity Apprentice above. That being said, BB signed off with another high quality hour; even the missteps, like the break in to get the chemicals, had the payoff off of a hysterical visual of Walter and Jesse carrying the drum while the security guard banged on the port-a-john, Deserving of special praise are Raymond Cruz (best known for his role on The Closer), who accomplished the difficult task of taking the stock character of the drug lord and making it something fresh, and Anna Gunn, whose Skylar might be a shrill bitch on a different show but here has carved out a sympathetic, interesting person. LOVED the argument about why Walter picked the junkyard for the meeting followed by Tuco asking, "What, was the mall closed?" Breaking Bad is easily among the top five shows on TV during the 2007-2008 season…I was taken aback by the end of last week's Jericho, and that was even knowing that "something" happened in the last five minutes. While killing characters off may be a cheap stunt for some shows, it actually makes sense for a show with this kind of tension level. I thought it was a mis-step when they killed the reporter a few weeks back because he seemed like an interesting character and also it was just way too obvious, but Bonnie's death made my eyes well up more than a little…Last Restaurant Standing continues to impress as one of the top reality competition shows on TV right now. Each time a couple gets eliminated it gives more time for them to focus on the remaining contestants the next week…A very funny Aliens In America this week, one of their better balancings of comedy and warm family moments…No new comic ground was broken on The New Adventures of Old Christine – the dating someone much younger thing has been done before – but that didn't stop the cast from making it laugh out loud funny. I am starting to wonder if Hamish Linklater isn't a dark horse for a best supporting actor Norty nomination…One Tree Hill continues to improve but is there anyone who doesn't think Owen and Rachel have a past?...A bit of an old school Law and Order this past week, with guest star Moira Kelly realizing her tragic mistake on the witness stand. I do question the logic of having John Shea guest star if you're going to kill him off before the opening credit, but I didn't see the twist coming, so it worked in my book…I haven't mentioned Eli Stone lately but that doesn't mean I haven't been enjoying the show greatly. Last week's revelation (pun intended) of Eli's condition to the rest of the characters produced some genuinely surprising responses, some of which opened up some interesting plot doors. One big improvement to the episodes as of late is a B story, another case for the firm that keeps things from being too much about Eli. The supporting cast has been uniformly excellent, and those B stories are giving those characters some much needed depth…I have been raving about Medium the last few weeks but it's because it has been so good. There are shows that are darker and more disturbing (Criminal Minds, in particular) but none do a better job of mixing creepy with warmer, more emotional moments. I also like the more open ended storytelling they have been using lately…My friends who watch The Wire tell me the finale was amazing…Not that Dirt was any great shakes last year but at least it had some outrageous moments going for it. This season so far has been pretty bland, and there is only so much heavy lifting Ian Hart can do…

TV Pick Of The Week
March Madness, baby!!!! The next 10 days are perhaps the most exciting in all of sports, and they are TV heaven for college hoops fans. This weekend finds most of the big conferences declaring a champion via tournaments, many of the finals of which will air on ESPN and CBS. Don't try calling any basketball fans on Sunday night because at 6 pm they will be watching the NCCA Basketball Championship Selection Show on CBS, followed by Bracketology on ESPN at 7 pm. Tuesday night is the play-in game at 7 pm on ESPN, and then Thursday is the first day of the first round of the big dance, with basketball all on all day (sorry Young and the Restless fans). It is true sports nirvana, and even those without a school to root for will find themselves drawn in to the drama of it all. Don't miss March Madness this week!

A secondary TV Pick of the Week goes to Wednesday's Late Show with David Letterman as TVGuide.com is reporting that night's Top 10 will be delivered by the cast of Battlestar Galactica.

Two Tivos To Paradise, Weekly Update
30 Days, 30 Rock, Aliens In America, American Idol, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, Antique Roadshow, The Apprentice, Battlestar Galactica, Best Week Ever, Big Love, Bones, Boston Legal, Breaking Bad, Brothers And Sisters, Burn Notice, Chuck, The Closer, Criss Angel Mindfreak, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Deadliest Catch, Desperate Housewives, Destination Truth, Dirty Sexy Money, Entourage, Eureka, Everybody Hates Chris, Flipping Out, Ghost Hunters, Gossip Girl, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, The Hills, House, How I Met Your Mother, Jericho, Kid Nation, King Of Cars, Last Comic Standing, Law And Order, Law And Order: Criminal Intent, Law And Order: Special Victims Unit, Lost, Mad Men, Make Me A Supermodel, Medium, Moonlight, My Name Is Earl, The New Adventures Of Old Christine, Next Food Network Star, Nip/Tuck, The Office, One Tree Hill. Project Runway, Pushing Daisies, Psych, Real Time With Bill Maher, The Real Hustle, Reaper, Rescue Me, The Riches, Rules Of Engagement, Run's House, Samantha Who?, Saturday Night Live, Scrubs, Shark, Shear Genius, The Soup, Supernatural, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Top Chef, Top Design, Top This Party, Ugly Betty, Welcome To The Parker

Additions :None
Deletions : None

People Love You When They Know You're Leaving Soon
Here ends another edition of Two Tivos To Paradise. I'll be back next week with the news and views you have come to love; it's hard to believe but our two year anniversary is not that far off, and our 100th column is even closer!

Have a great week, see you next Friday!

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