12 posts tagged “pushing daisies”

• Gossip Girl was delicious this week.  But the promos, featuring Kaitlin "Oh crap!" Cooper just made me too giddy. And I thought I was excited to see Melinda Clarke on Chuck last week. I always thought that Willa Holland and Autumn Reeser (on Pushing Daisies the same week as Missy Pyle) revitalized The O.C. Although, for me, it also may have had something to do with killing off Marissa too.
  

• So Nicole Richie was heinous on Chuck. She wasn't completely unwatchable in the beginning, but got worse as the show progressed, although the catfight was badass. I found it cute in the beginning that the radio DJ was talking about a Heather Chandler, got a hearty chuckle from that, until I realized they named Richie's mean-girl character after her. Hell, why not call her Regina George instead? Not charming. Such tributes need to be subtle and better crafted. That was worse then Agents Angus and Young on Supernatural last week (one of these days I want someone to call the Winchesters out on that, or at least blink twice at it, they aren't the only ones who listen to classic hard rock). When writing such "tributes," I consider it a gift to those who pick up on it, who know the genre well enough to get the joke, not to be hammered over the head with it.

• I still have the same issues with Pushing Daisies but an Emerson Cod episode featuring Debra Mooney as his mother? Golly gee, just for me? I still miss Everwood (although not enough to ever watch Brothers and Sisters, unless they had maybe cast Gregory Smith or Chris Pratt as the new Walker). Emerson and Olive always have the best lines, and Chi McBride sells every "Hell no!" no matter how many times he says it. My favorite Emerson-ism this week, and possible new mantra: "I've chucked my chagrin overboard." That show always plays so well with language in the diaolgue, I am often awe by the beauty of how a phrase is turned, repeating lines with dorky glee. I hope it gets at least a partial script order if not the back nine.
  

I haven't caught up with Fringe yet. Or a few others I'm saving for a lazy Sunday. On Saturday, I am helping S make a Halloween costume for Foo, and that's not as wackadoo as it sounds. Prize: free doggy daycare. And that is still not wackadoo because (a) Foo is a happier, more chill puppy when she has a day or two of daycare training a week and (b) the prize is basically freaking cash-money (otherwise Foo could just go as her badass-self). In this economy, dressing up a dog for an hour or so in a rad costume that creatively uses materials already on hand, totally worth it. Plus, her costume is going to rock socks.

I have been in car repair hell for the past few weeks. Totally distracted by it and other crappiness of life which is why I haven't rambled lately, or finished and/or made a ramble public.

- Did you hear the WGA Strike ended? Yeah, I am so behind that I didn't even post a proper huzzah for the picketing scribes last week. Is a late huzzah better than no huzzah at all? If a huzzah falls in the blogosphere and nobody hollas a huzzah back, um, who cares. Word of the day: huzzzzzaaah. And, no, I am not committing am HUI, huzzah under the influence. Just like the word. Anyway, it's over and time will tell if the writers are truly happy with their deal, but I'm most stoked for all of those below-the-line crew members who can now step away from the Top Ramen with the production frenzy.

- With the strike over, a few of the networks were itching to announce happy news of the renewal-kind:
 
    CBS: Yeah, I don't really watch the eye network which is why I'm sadly not surprised shows like The Big Bang Theory or Ghost Whisperer were renewed. And that's why I don't watch. The cheestastic Moonlight was not picked up but is going back into production. Same for How I Met Your Mother, the only other show I sometimes catch. Scratch that, I also have been charmed by the underrated The New Adventures of Old Christine from time to time (such a great cast). Obviously, execs will wait to see if Jericho's fans really can bring the ratings to keep it from facing the chopping block again. Liked it, didn't love it, but I wish any show with a devoted fan base much luck. Always root for the underdog!

    NBC: Well, NBC decided to give newbies Life and Chuck another shot. Excuse me for a sec. Hell YEAH, Bartowski! And it will be lovely to see Damien Lewis get another chance too, ahem. Surprise, surprise they also picked up their only ratings hit, Heroes. As for Friday Night Lights, things look dim (never pardon my puns) for one of the best shows on the telly roster. But televisionaries Ben Silverman and Jeff Zucker know what they're doing, right? American Gladiators, Knight Rider, and Bionic Woman are the future of television. But those remakes, um, wouldn't that be, aren't they, is there such a thing as a re-future? Bionic Woman didn't work out so well, huh? Rewarmed 80s shows might not be the future after all. But then American Gladiators is a hit and gets another season (sigh). Way to uphold that shiny reputation, Silverman. Did we just update our spring wardrobe to the Sonny Crockett collection too?

    ABC: The alphabet network renewed the usual ratings grabbing suspects: siblings, housewives, slutty surgeons, and flight 815. Newcomers include Dirty Sexy Money, Samantha Who?, and Pushing Daisies. Not a surprise that the Piemaker and his merry band of darlings will return, but I am interested to see if the show can continue to be charming without being gimmicky.

    CW: Not to be outdone by the big boys, the CW announced when new episodes will air of its current shows. Wait, what? Did I miss the announcement? Other than the cancellation of CW Now, anything else, former-frog-now-just-green network? New episodes soon, alrighty.

-There are two online petitions to save Friday Night Lights. Click on the shiny light bulb at the bottom of my sidebar to head over to Best Week Ever's blog devoted to saving the show and sign their petition. They have tons of suggestions for showing your support as a member of the Dillon Panthers Booster Club (what will the assistants at NBC do with cases of light bulbs?). The folks at Save Friday Night Lights also have a petition and are raising funds for customized mini footballs to send to the network.

- Joel Surnow left 24. The show was its worst last season (hell, I can't even remember most of it) so maybe it's time for a little new life to creatively revitalize it. Probably the best for Surnow and the show. Wonder what it will be like without the ultra-conservative steering the wheel? Time will tell, dink dank, dink dank.

- Ausiello's strike chart is now being regularly updated as a post-strike chart for the RETURN of shows to the telly. Five new episodes of Gossip Girl.Oh, Little J, feel the wrath of B.

-Coming Soon: my Pro/Con list for watching Rock of Love II: Barbie Hair and Botoxxx Club for Middleaged Dirtbag and Women With Rock-Bottom Low Self-Esteem. Spoiler: much like the bimbos on this show, the Pros lose.

Back in October, I mentioned that Pushing Daisies' Emerson Cod and his amazing gun holster cozies had inspired me to break out my round looms and brainstorm for some unique Christmas presents. I just started knitting last summer and learned the  "easy" way with round looms, haven't moved on to needles and don't know if I will. Anyway, I had to share one of the gifts that I came up with for my friend S.

In June, she got a black lab mix puppy dog. Being the world's most awesome dog, nobody can resist Foo's happy face and perky puppy demeanor. She's also quite the flirt which can make her a dude magnet too (Foo's so good to her mama sometimes). So, I decided to make Foo something fun to wear rather than get her an "indestructable" toy she would lovingly annihilate in an hour. Since I'm still a totally tubular knitter (bags, pillows, hats, but some flat scarves), am not into canine couture, and Foo is a large dog, I took a little inspiration from the 80s. Foo's the proud owner of custom made pink and white leg warmers.

Foowarmers

Yes, they were a bitch to get on her (already tweaked my "design"), and lasted for a one-time afternoon photo op (now mostly a beloved chewie which is why I used discounted yarn). I know, Michael Kors would probably say the matching collar accoutrement (French for flower thingamapompom) looks "a little MoB" (mother of the bride) but it completed the ensemb, and since she didn't know it was even there, no gnawage.

Eventually Emerson Cod will run out of things to knit for himself and the office. Since he barely tolerates most humans, I say Digby needs some legwarmers. Or maybe a simple scarf. Foo has one of those too, and looks just as fab in it.

Egads, pickings are slim this week. On top of the very light schedule, I even missed Scrubs completely.

The Good

Morgan often grates on Chuck, but he rocked this week. There were several funny gems in the Black Friday segment, but this one scored points with me.
Morgan: Sorry, you look just like this guy who roomed with my best friend at Stanford
Bryce: Oh, yeah. Sorry. I went to Penn. I'll take it as a compliment.
Morgan: Don't. That guy Bryce was a real douche.
True Friend 1; Asshat 0

"Why is saving the world always your responsibility?" Ando to Hiro on Heroes

"An attractive man who makes pies for a living shouldn’t even spend a short amount of time in prison." Emerson on Pushing Daisies.

"Don't mess with the Pie Hos!!" Chuck and Olive after exacting their revenge on the candy store on Pushing Daisies.

"If you think about it, it makes total sense that your mom was a groupie. I mean only a woman that had completely satisfied her sexual appetite in her youth would ever marry your step-dads." Blair on Gossip Girl after finding out Lilly and rocker Rufus were an item back in the day.

"These things tend to happen, Liz. I had my no sex with Asians rule but then one day you walk into Sharper Image and there's Kwan." Because I usually don't laugh at Jenna, I'm giving her the 30 Rock quote o' the week.

"Is it still Cabo in your pants?" Matt Saracen on Friday Night Lights showing up to rescue Smash after his beers-n-women recruitment weekend went wrong.

The Bad(Ass)

Blair Waldorf is always badass. No, she doesn't literally kick butt like Elle on Heroes and she doesn't knit wicked gun cozies like Emerson on Pushing Daisies, but she proves week after week that she is one of the best characters on TV right now. Leighton Meester is devilishly awesome in the role and manages to make Blair a snotty bitch that we can still sympathize with. Even her bulimia storyline this week seemed fresh and interesting, so well done. Good writing is necessary, but it takes a good actress to make it work.

So this week Heroes blessed us with Sylar sans shirt instead of Peter. I love to see Sylar be truly evil, and Zachary Quinto is very easy on the eyes, but he just doesn't do it for me. Maybe because even before he was cast as Spock, he was Spock-ish to me. But at least the show is maintaining a strong sense of continuity by giving us a pretty, half-nekkid boy dripping wet. When will this happen for Adam "Kensai" Monroe? Ahem, as for the episode's actual events, HRG is alive and pissed! Claire is grieving and pissed! Elle stalks with sarcasm! Mohinder has a cure for Niki! Monica is in trouuuble! Adam is eeeevil! Peter is misguided! And most importantly, Alejandro is D-E-A-D! Farewell Tears-for-Fears Twins; now we just have Tears-for-Fears Maya in the wicked hands of her sweet Gabriel. Aw, Sylar, be gentle when you use her in your heinous plans. Awesome. At least it looks like Volume Two will end with a bang and not the whimper that fans once feared.

30 Rock. I will so miss this show; I've grown to really love it. I laughed so much at Jack and Tracy's Knuckle Beach Little League storyline that I think I burned off my pie from Pushing Daisies' night. I even laugh at almost all of Tracy Jordan's lines, and that astounds me. Tina Fey is badass. I want to be her when I grow up.

The Ugly

"Seven, did you lose that virginity yet?" Grrrrr, when is the Mini-Mart Murder storyline going to end on Friday Night Lights? I thought it might wrap this week, but I'm okay with that, actually, because it means less time focused next week on Saracen's sexxxy story. HATE. So when Tim Riggins asked Seven about his virtue at practice, I figured Chekhov's gun just went bang and Saracen would definitely bang Helllllo Nurse! I absolutely adore Matt Saracen. His cute little stammers, innocent bright-eyed outlook, and incredibly mature sense of responsibility, le sigh. Even when he made his speech to Carlotta about why he dumped the new cheerleader, I thought "I heart Saracen." But then lonely Carlotta jumped him and Saracen's virginity is predictably tossed out the window with his Hanes t-shirt. HATE. Come on, writers! Why the rehashed soap opera bull? This is the show about a football team that's not about football. It's about people handling realistic obstacles in their small town lives. Coach and Tami, real. Saracen bedding the "exotic" live-in, unreal. Eh, maybe Saracen can get advice from Riggins this time instead of Smash. Since he had an affair with an older woman. Last season. Remember? I wish I didn't.

I didn't really enjoy Pushing Daisies this week. It just left me feeling kind of meh. Maybe because I am not a fan of Molly Shannon, although I have enjoyed her sitcom guest spots on Will & Grace and Scrubs, and I did love the homage to The Birds this week. I also didn't like the Lars and the Real Girl mystery of the week, and still really don't feel the Ned-Chuck connection. But my real problem is what has happened to Chuck's wardrobe. Maybe she's in a seventies phase, but what was up with that hat and blue tinted John Lennon glasses? Although all of the clothes had a very 70s feel (I spied so much polyester in the MOTW) this episode. I'm just not digging it. And for some reason, when I don't like Chuck's wardrobe, I like Chuck even less.

Strike Links

So, LA Weekly's Nikki Finke got everyone's hopes up this week with rumors that things looked up with negotiations. It turns out she was off the mark. Well, she did say it was rumor even though the source is often reliable. And she is often more accurate than the trades, so I still consider her the best source of info. Things could get worse this week after the WGA responds to the new Partnership proposal that doesn't really sound all that new and calls for rollbacks. Way to go, AMPTP. At least they're talking, right?

In other news, Carson Daly is a tool; Conan O'Brien rocks socks. No, wait, that's not news. What I find interesting is that Carson claims that if he didn't go back to work, he would lose his show. Because of his contract, blah, blah, laughtrackcakes. Does anyone miss his show? Will a dip in ratings be noticeable? I've never, not once, laughed at a "joke" he has told, monologue or not. And his interviews suck worse than Leno's. So, maybe coming back is a good thing because it might mean his show is canceled. It hasn't been watchable since Bob Costas left anyway. 

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Mine was completely different this year. No cooking, no cleaning. The drama only took place on the big screen. American Gangster followed by No Country for Old Men, bucket of popcorn, Milk Duds, and a giant soda. Best. Thanksgiving. Ever.

Well, this will be short and sweet since sweeps even takes time off during Thanksgiving. It gives me more time to whip up my holiday post, but being Scrougie Grinchardson (no secret I hate winter, the holidays are like its perky cheerleaders), it won't be posted until December. Plus, I've got to catch new programming while I still can. January is going to be so bleak.

The Good

"I ain't your paps. Paps has a lady connotation." Emerson asking Olive on Pushing Daisies to puh-leeze stop referring to him as Paps, as in "what's the haps?" Thank you, E.

"Did you pack Mr. Muggles' doggie bath?" Heroes' Papa Bennet to Mama Bennet after he and West kidnapped Elle, and need to persuade Sparky to give up some info. That's right out of the Jack Bauer playbook, HRG.

This week Adam Baldwin delivered much snarky goodness on Chuck. One favorite:
Chuck: I'm in the bathroom! Is nothing sacred to you people?
Casey: Just the right to bear arms.

The Bad(Ass)

HRG. Epitome of bad-ass. They could not eliminate such an awesome character from Heroes, yet. There's just so much more to do with Noah Bennet. Fulfilled the bang-bang destiny of the painting, check. Then fixed him up with his little girl's super-blood. Holy sh*t!  The epi. was so good I didn't have time to loathe West. It will be interesting to see how Volume Two wraps up with Claire thinking daddy-o is dead. Speaking of daddy issues, Hiro realized that sometimes he shouldn't change the past no matter how much it hurts to lose his father in the present, but he can use his power to his advantage. Busted, Kensai. Parkman can mold minds like dear old dad, but feels guilty about using his power to his advantage. I actually liked Elle this week. "Hey Fight Club, get a load of this." Heh. Maybe the previous episode was just overkill with the nympho imp. She's so much better being bad. Wicked + Crazzzy = Perfection. So, this week there was no shirtless Peter, but also no Maya and Alejandro. Coincidence? Maybe they're using one to distract us from the time suckage of the weepy other. Well, some of us, at least.

Why do I like Chuck more on Pushing Daisies when I like her wardrobe less? Her blossoming friendship with Olive. I know they both love the same man, who is eyes-only for Chuck, but I love their partnership for the good of the darling aunties. Although, I would appreciate if Chuck clued in Olive that cleavage isn't always a necessary daily accessory, but if it means bursting that BFF bubble, I'll deal with Chenowerth's twins as guest stars. Other awesomeness this week: scratch-n-sniff bomb, Emerson's love of pop-up books and Knit Wit magazine, Paul Reubens as Oscar, and the Darling Mermaid Darlings swim again.

The Ugly

It wasn't a wretched episode of Project Runway. Sarah Jessica Parker showed up and was actually pretty fabulous, but I'm not feeling any of the contestants yet. Yeah, yeah, only the second week, and last season it took me a while to find faves, so I'll give it time. Heidi and Tim said in every promotional interview that this is the best group of talent they've ever had. That may be true, but to me some of these supposed wannabes are already kind of established-ish designers looking for cash and publicity. Am I right? Producers already saved Elisa for the wakadoo drama factor during week one, so they better give me an underdog to root for to make up for it soon.

Strike Links

DeadlineHollywoodDaily.com exclusively hosted a series of online videos called Project Speechless over Thanksgiving weekend. Using new media to their advantage, WGA members conceived the videos featuring SAG members, a groundbreaking collaboration in the industry, including the cast of Ugly Betty. And Sean Penn, Harvey Keitel, and Holly Hunter, to name a few..

Visions of the future of Hollywood strike
AP Entertainment Writer Jake Coyle's humorous look into the crystal ball to see what the future will be like with no original TV programming and suck-ass movies at the box office. Pop-culture bedlam. My favorite is a January prediction: "Viewers discover that HBO's 'The Wire' is the best show on television." Well, it's a glass-quarter-full point of view, but at least The Wire might actually get the audience it deserves for the final season.

Monday the WGA and AMPTP return to the negotiating table. Because it seems to be about as logical and reasonable as the AMPTP, I decide to consult my Magic Eight Ball and ask if an agreement will be reached by 2008. Shake-shake-shake: Don't count on it. Oh well. Fingers and toes crossed it is then.

Holy crap. I haven't posted since last week's review. Suck-ass temp job. Sigh. Enough woe is leelee. Let's get to the telly.

The Good

To honor the casts suspended by the studios because of their support of the WGA strike, 30 Rock and The Office will get extra favie lines this week. I wonder how long it with take Tina Fey to whip up an episode titled "Force Majeure" when the strike ends. On with the show, first 30 Rock . . .

"That pita pocket could be a terrorist!" Liz referring to her neighbor, Raheem (the hilarious Fred Armisen), after swearing to Pete that she's not racist.

Jack: Wireless phones are just so popular, I accidentally grabbed one belonging to an acquaintance.
Liz: Well sure, cause that Verizon Wireless service is just unbeatable. If I saw a phone like that on TV I’d be like "where is my nearest retailer so I can get one?" (pauses to look directly into the camera) Can we have our money now?
Tina Fey didn't just tear down the fourth wall, she smashed it with her bare hands. And then stomped it into itty bitty pieces that should be sold on ebay with certificates of authenticity to benefit the striking writers.

A Dog Took My Face And Gave Me A Better Face To Change The World: The Celeste Cunningham Story. I bet that flick would steal the title of Best Lifetime Movie Ever from Mother May I Sleep with Danger. I'd trade the stellar Kristen Wiig for Tori Spelling any day.

Moving on to The Office and Kelly "Smack Talk" Kapoor . . .
"What has two skinny chicken legs and sucks at ping pong?"
"Were Jim's parents first cousins, who were also bad at ping pong?"
And my favorite, sung to Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend" with a little smack-talk dance. . .
"Hey, hey, you, you. I don't like your boyfriend. Cuz, cuz, cuz, cuz. Cuz he sucks at ping pong."

Yes, there were great lines during the deposition, including a "That's what she said" joke gone delightfully wrong and Michael's XOXO diary entries about Jan and Ryan (heeee), but it was painful to watch. And a lot to transcribe, heh.

"That’s the most tragic story I have ever heard—notwithstanding the big-ticket items like genocide and famine. But tragic nonetheless." Pushing Daisies' Olive after Chuck blames allergies for why she and Ned never to touch.

"I succumbed to inebriation, performed in a speakeasy, and surrendered my virtue to a self-absorbed ass." Blair on Gossip Girl confessing her sins, even though she's not Catholic. Love her and her confession ensemble.

"I just pulled from different blogs on the internet. Mixed and matched. Presto manifesto." Dexter's voiceover explaining how he created the Bay Harbor Butcher's crackpot manifesto to lead the investigation astray.

"If I had a blog, this would be a really big day for me." Chuck after taking the deadly truth serum.

The Bad(Ass)

I love sweeps. And during sweeps one thing is certain: stunt casting!

Mercedes McNab as Lucy, a newly turned vampire, on Supernatural was gold. When I first saw her, I thought, "Harmony? Nah, they wouldn't." But then tied up in a chair, blood stained mouth, pleading with the boys to help her detox from what she thinks is a potent drug, definitely Harmony (of Buffy and Angel for those not Whedon-inclined). An entire episode of her vamping it up, too much. Five minutes to intro. the mystery, nice stunt casting, Kripke. Actually, the whole episode was an excellent return to form for the demon-hunting duo. Gordon became the monster he once hunted, even ripping out his sidekick's heart, and then was slowly decapitated with razor wire by Sam, his head popping off like a grape. Gross, gruesome, and very cool. And then a heart-to-heart ending with Dean being a big brother and teaching Sam how to keep the Impala in shape after he goes to Hell. Aw, you guys.

Joel McHale on Pushing Daisies. The Piemaker and The Soupmaker, two of my favorite shows collide. This week he made me laugh in two timeslots, even as a murdered dog breeding polygamist. My heart goes pitter patter for this show.

Kevin Weisman and Rachel Bilson on Chuck. Weisman must have had so much fun playing the spy for once. Marshall did a wicked backflip before Sarah shot him in the knee. Beats following Sophia Myles around with a camera on Moonlight. And I've missed Summer's fast-talking rambles. Bilson's quirky and cute deli-owner Lou has a shameless love of sandwiches, which I totally understand (thirty variations of the turkey sandwich and pie, best part of Thanksgiving) and a thing for Chuck, which I also totally understand. Mr. Schwartz, can we have some O.C. stunt casting on Gossip Girl? Wouldn't Autumn Reeser be the perfect van der Woodsen cousin? Any other suggestions? .

The Ugly

There was so much good on Friday Night Lights: Tyra and Lyla teaming up for Pantherama, Matt Saracen all adorable even in a sucky storyline, Buddy Garity giving shelter to Santiago (that kid, oh those puppydog eyes break my heart). And even though Julie seems to be out of her obnoxious phase, I am not thrilled with her latest storyline. A crush on the cute, young journalism teacher (Austin Nichols of John from Cincinnati). Wait, didn't they do that on 90210? Yeah, Andrea Zuckerman and Gil Meyers. No. Not on top of the Mini-Mart Murder and Saracen kissing Grandma's nurse. FNL better put a fresh, new spin on this tired tale. If not, the end could be near. Butchie says rehashed daytime drama sucks.

Moonlight was so ridiculously bad. No Coraline, no Josef, no words. One step forward, twelve steps back.

The Good, Bad(Ass), and Ugly

Few shows can pull off all three in one week. But Heroes really does go for the gold. First, the Good:

"I've lived in this building for sixteen years, ever since the shrinks diagnosed me a sociopath with paranoid delusions. But they’re just out to get me cause I threatened to kill them." Elle on Heroes. Kristen Bell nailed that monologue.

I really enjoyed this flashback-esque episode of Heroes. I appreciate when questions are answered, mysteries solved (lookin at you, Lindelof and Cuse). I adored that about Rob Thomas—all was resolved and within a reasonable amount of time. So much crammed into one tiny hour, so many answers and details dished out. It was pretty bad-ass.

So my problem? Elle grated my last nerve. I think KB is doing the best she can with the little sociopath. I know that Elle doesn't understand boundaries, and Milo is quite a tasty treat. But, sparky, quit petting Peter. He's not a Jack Russell terrier. That tiny blonde one actually did annoy me with the touching. I hope she dials down the nympho imp and turns up the wicked wacko. Although, I must thank her for cutting the emo bangs. (I did lurve how they worked Milo out of his shirt this week. All to explain how he ended up in that shipping container, so not exactly a new shirtless scene, heh.) Also, although I understand the life lesson of DL being killed by a random skeezoid, and not dying as the result of heroic act using his powers, he deserved a better death scene then that.

Strike links

Saturday Night Live staged amid strike
Members of the cast put on a  two-hour show at the Upright Citizens Brigade theater in NYC, complete with Yo La Tengo as musical guest and Michael Cera taking on hosting duties. Wow, I am Kermit-green with envy (and anyone who can catch an ASSSSCAT show in L.A. or NYC, go!). All proceeds go to staffers out of work by the strike. On Monday, the cast of 30 Rock will stage a performance too.

Pencils2MediaMoguls campaign
United Hollywood has details about a new fan support campaign to send pencils to the powers-that-be. I'm not a huge fan of these campaigns, but it is a symbolic sign of support, so if you want to learn more, follow the link.

Film, TV writers set negotiations date
They're going back to the negotiating table! On Nov. 26, the WGA and AMPTP will sit down and start talks again. Negotiations are going to be rough and an agreement won't be reached over night, but at least they're back at the bargaining table.

Writers are winning over the public
Variety reports about the support writers have received. IATSE president, Thomas Short, has an interesting perspective on negotiations, and what it will do to the thousands of below-the-line crew members who belong to his union..

Oh, issues aplenty this week, and among them, computer issues of the corrupt hard drive variety. Bad hard drive, bad. I get to personally replace said hard drive and rebuild my system this week (small print on my tech. assistance service warranty is so tiny that it's invisible). So, this is going to be quick just because.

The Good

You know the drill. The Good = Giggles Galore.

"Who's crazier: me or Ann Curry?" Tracy on 30 Rock when introduced to the network therapist. Tracy Jordan can be diagnosed as "off his rocker," but my vote's for Ann (every time she interviews a member of the human race, I cringe). If you can find the scene of Jack role playing with Tracy online, Alec Baldwin's hilarious and mesmerizing.

"All right, I killed him, okay? What is the big deal?" Elle on Heroes. Heh.

"I was born into a life of windmillery." Elsita telling Lefty Lem her life story on Pushing Daisies. I also loved Emerson's "Hand up!" when he found Lefty, and the entire scene with darling auntie darlings helping Olive repair Pidge's wing with a bedazzler or "bejeweler." 

The Bad(Ass)

Ever tripped through my blog before? Well, then Kristen Bell on Heroes being tops on my bad-ass list is a given. Eeeevil Veronica Mars with taserific jazz-hands is beyond awesome. Twisted, ruthless, snarky, and no need for Mr. Sparky because she is Mr. Sparky. The writers were very clever with how they deployed those sparks. I'm glad Peter is finally leaving Ireland; no West, yay; no Claire, a first?; Micah and Monica bonding over powers. Loved Parkman and Nathan working together, and the dueling nightmares were pretty cool. If things pick up, then it might not be a sophomore slump but a sophomore slow start.

I was a little horrified by the image of that hijacked crop duster crashing into a tall building on Pushing Daisies. Oh, dear writers, insensitive much? Then they soothed my soul with the Darling Mermaid Darlings on a roadtrip with Olive. As soon as Olive told Vivian to build a little birdhouse in her soul, I started humming. Kristin Chenowerth and Ellen Greene belting They Might Be Giants, perfection. Swoosie Kurtz's annoyance, brilliant. Jayma Mays and Dash Mihok made the windmill story so enjoyable. Bring them back when Lefty gets parole.

Dexter's voiceovers during the dinner with Rita's mother were hysterical. Actually, all of the DMVOs this week were particularly pithy and witty. Lilah grates but I like the contrast to Rita so I think she will be a nice twist in Dexter's twisted life. Her fascination with the butcher's handiwork instead of the expected revulsion was an interesting event for Dexter.

How I have missed half-hourlies of The Office. Darryl and The Dunder Miffilintones; Dwight's second Second Life; I want a Philly Jim; stalking Sue Grafton; Operation Fallen Angel; and the dawesomely bad yet endearing director's cut of Michael's commercial. He may be an idiot, but he's a loyal idiot.

The Ugly

I wasn't sure if I was going to watch Moonlight again, but I needed entertaining while I folded laundry today, so I hit play. It was fun, not as boring as last week, an actual improvement. Still feels like it should be sandwiched between Silk Stalkings and La Femme Nikita, but CBS thinks it's a keeper for now. Alex O'Laughlin was quite charming, and much more at ease, as was Sophia Myles. He even made me laugh with a line. Who knew?

Introducing a kink like Vanessa into the Dan and Serena relationship at this stage was a tad daytime for Gossip Girl. But if they were going to do it, might as well happen during a masquerade ball episode that reeked of rehashed daytime drama. And add a dash of The O.C. too. It's guilty pleasure time so I shouldn't dwell, but it was too predictable. I did love Jenny's revenge on Chuck. Actually, Little J reminds me of Caitlin Cooper a bit and I hope that continues. And Lily and Rufus are gold together.

Supernatural was such a snooze that I actually fell asleep. Yes, it was late at night when I eventually watched it but the boys have got to step up their game if they want to make it to season four. Can't afford to lose viewers. This is The CW after all.

Just a few things found on my trip through some newsies today.

• CBS ordered four more Moonlight scripts [Zap2It]. Not a complete surprise even though it is getting trounced by Women's Murder Club (really? really!) because CBS also ordered scripts for Cane and Big Bang Theory (really? really! really). It's still not a full-season pickup and it won't mean jack if scripts can't be completed before the looming WGA strike happens. Thankfully, CBS put us out of our misery and put Viva Laughlin down. Guess whatever Hugh Jackman must have had on Les Moonves to get a greenlight wasn't that bad after all.
  

• Boy, CBS is a busy network. Today, their lack of a contract with news writers for the past two years inspired them to check yes on a separate WGA strike authorization [The Hollywood Reporter]. Guess CBS will be the home of reality TV. The last writer's strike made way for a plethora of news magazine shows, and we already have the blight of reality TV, so what non-scripted studio innovation will we get this time? Hope it's something that can help out below-the-line crew and staffers. Studios and writers won't be the only ones hit in the wallet by a strike.

• Pushing Daisies got the back nine from ABC [Variety]. Well, that deserves a squeeeeee! The darling critical darling has held it's own with viewers and proven to be worthy of a full-season. Private Practice is the only other newbie to get a pick-up from ABC so far.
  

• So, David Chase says that the end of the Sopranos [Yahoo!/AP] really was just a family bonding over onion rings and Journey. And why did he tell us Tony wasn't whacked by Mr. Members' Only now? His book The Sopranos: The Complete Book hits bookstores this week. Eh, I never thought Tony got two to the back of the head anyway.

• This is an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about the season finale of Damages on F/X. I actually caught up on Damages this Saturday with some of the F/X marathon. Honestly, I had forgotten all about it, but now I'm interested to learn Ellen's fate.
  

The Good

Funny or snarky, as long as they make me chuckle, these are a few of my favorite lines.

Gossip Girl's Blair providing a distraction at the Ostroff Center: "Caffeine, Nicotine, Ketamine, GHB, PCP, LSD, Diazepam, Flurazepam. All the pams really, you know I don't discriminate. "

Dean on Supernatural: "I'm Batman." Heh.

Olive's cry for help on Pushing Daisies: "SOS . . .OS . . .OS!"

Because they are my favorite Pushing Daisies peeps:
Olive: "Someone should set you on fire for throwing my heart under the bus when you told me he didn't want me."
Emerson: "That was the truth bus."
Olive: "That wasn't the truth bus, that was the bitchy cross town express!"

Andy on The Office: "I have moonwalked past accounting, like, ten times." (So it wasn't a part of the stellar storyline that took Jim and Pam to the Irrigation Room at Dwight's beetastic non-B&B, but there are too many goodies there. Plus, I heart Ed Helms.)

True, this isn't a line, but it's a YouTuber of Crabman's "Please, Respect the Meat" song (sorry, being lazy with only a link) from My Name Is Earl. I don't always catch Earl, but the past two weeks have been excellent, and this is hilarious.

The Bad(Ass)

Mad Men, my heart breaks that we must say farewell till the summer. So, Preggers Peggy was a plot twist, until I realized she was giving birth. Holy crap, that's a plot twist and a half! If there is the rumored two-year jump between seasons (unconfirmed somewhere on Ausiello), it will be interesting to see Peggy's story fast-forwarded. I'd like to say it's obvious she will put the baby up for adoption (because of her reaction, her career, her "status," and, well, that jackwad, Pete), but the show often surprises the hell out of me. As for the rest of the episode: Pete's still smarmy, Duck's cracking the whip, Don's conflicted and all alone, Betty's growing a backbone. Jon Hamm better receive a nomination or two for his subtle and powerful performance. The scene when Don presented the carousel campaign to Kodak was gorgeous.

"I wanted to be a Jedi." How faboo was Lee Pace in the sword fight on Pushing Daisies? Totally understand why Chuck was all about the swoon. Loved the wack-ass story of Wilford Woodruff (even though he did have a Col. Sanders accent that made my skin crawl with rage) and his ancestors. And then there was Alfredo, the herbal antidepressant salesman, and another appearance of the Darling Mermaid Darlings (Swoosie Kurtz's eyepatch lift and their customized mermaid luggage were such nice touches). Lonely Tourist Charlotte Charles is growing on me bit by bit by distracting me with her amazing wardrobe. I want that red dress—it even had pockets! I do have a personal issue with the Pie Hole being a central locale, though. See, I turn into Homer Simpson every week—Mmmm, pie. I have a sweet tooth and pies rank very high on my craving scale. I also like to bake, so I can be zero to (yummy, low-fat) peach cobbler in under an hour. It's not good for the girlish figure, you know. Twin Peaks was a bad influence too. This week I'll jump on the elliptical while I watch to distract my craving.

Jenny Humphrey on Gossip Girl. "Lunch on the steps?" Aw, Little J, you deserve that stolen jacket. I think Josh Schwartz's dramas burrow under your skin. No matter how much you resist, the over-the-top soapy fun draws you back. It's my cheesy-soapy-goodness indulgence for now.

Supernatural was fun, and Jared Padelecki was hilarious once he lost his luck. "I lost my shoe" still makes me giggle.

The slap heard 'round Dillon. When I saw the promo of Tammi slapping Julie on Friday Night Lights, I thought the show was going mini-mart murder over-the-top again. But, um, Jules totally deserved a little reality smack. Connie Britton is so fabulous, and although I loathe the turn Julie has taken this season, Aimee Teegarden is doing an excellent job.

The Ugly

So this week, I actually laughed out loud at Moonlight. At it, not with it. I realized as I watched last night that you really can't get sleepy when rolling the eyes and laughing that much. And now that I've seen a Dohring-free episode, it's confirmed why fast-forward is my favorite remote button.

This season on Heroes, so far, really not so good. Reminds me why it took so long to regularly watch last season. Too much going on and yet not enough, especially when it comes to making me care about the characters. It feels like the show is spinning its wheels. Maybe it will get better with sweeps around the bend. I was stoked Sylar hitched with the annoying Tears-for-Fears Twins because maybe he will try to take their powers, pronto. West gets on my nerves. Parkman and Mohinder bickering does too. I like Monica but the Big Easy accents are driving me crazy (I'm touchy on southern accents). The best part of last week was Kristen Bell in the previews. "I'm looking for a guy." Heh, that's how you get the attention of VM fans, NBC! (Note to CW promo monkeys: that, right there, is how it's done.) I'm so incredibly excited to see her on my telly again. KB's showing up just in time.

I caught part of the second episode of Viva Laughlin because I just had to see that hot mess for myself. How the hell did it (a) get greenlit and (b) make it past the pilot? Does Hugh Jackman have blackmail on Les Moonves? It is, as many have said, like bad kareoke without the benefit of being drunk to make it fun. Melanie Griffith scares me. She's only 50, but looks like someone at least ten years older trying desperately to look 45 and failing miserably. Leave your face alone!

I am letting Reaper go, I think, but keeping Chuck. I've completely given up on Bionic Woman and Dirty Sexy Secrets. Private Practice only got me for a five-minute Chris Lowell and Paul Adelstein fix before I tuned into Gossip Girl. I recorded Samantha Who? but still haven't watched, whoops. I'm this close to ditching Life because the episodes are forgettable. Damien Lewis, never, but the MotW, always.

Let's just cut to the chase and see what Wednesday and Thursday have on their TV-trays for Fall 2007 Again, check out Futon Critic's guide for scheduling details.

Wednesday

The New Kids

ABC's Pushing Daisies is the show that seems to be on everyone's must-see list. Critics either like it or love it. Those who only like it say it may be too quirky and stylized. Promos remind me of Dead Like Me meets Edward Scissorhands. Or even Big Fish. All have a special place in my heart, so consider me prepared to be fully twitterpated next week.

An hour after Daisies, following the Shondafication of Hump Day (why isn't Grey's on Wednesdays too then?), is Dirty Sexy Money. Originally, I was only interested in this show because my favorite VM scribe Diane Ruggiero got a gig with it, but she's since jumped over to Big Shots. Well, here's hoping Peter Krause can make me forget my Six Feet Nate-Hate and remember my Sports Night Casey-Love. This may be my cheesy-soapy-goodness show for the season. 

Bionic Woman. Sigh, NBC, I'm still not sold on it enough to watch it live, although it sounds like Michelle Ryan gives one hell of a performance. Following is Life. I will admit, Damien Lewis on my TV every week is quite the effing draw, but it will be recorded for the weekend.

Gossip Girl also repeats on Sundays. It's not on my A-list by any means, but I will probably catch the soap again.

The Old Gang

The second episode of ABC's Grey's spawn, Private Practice, is supposedly worse than the pilot that aired last Spring. Wow. Marti Noxon as showrunner makes it tough to say no; Kate Walsh's hypnotic auburn locks that turn me red with envy could trick me into catching a few minutes; but for the love of Paul Adelstein, Taye Diggs, Tim Daly, and Chris Lowell (I adore this kid and think he got the shaft on VM, shoehorned into a tragically awful love triangle mooning over Miss Mars instead of getting to be a real, live boy), it's probably just-say-no time for me. Sorry, Amy Brenneman.

Thursday

The New Kids

ABC brings Michael Vartan back to the telly with Big Shots. Vartan, people.  But reviews of the pilot are so bad that TV Guide's Michael Aussiello even invoked the word "abysmal" for it in this week's spoiler chat. I will probably give it a whirl once the season progresses because many of the VM peeps are working on it, including Rob Thomas as a consulting producer and, as previously mentioned, Diane Ruggiero. Also, Charisma Carpenter just signed on for a recurring stint. Here's to her stealing scenes from the boys as the delightfully devilish bitch she portrays so damn well.

The Old Gang

Old habits are hard to break and NBC's Thursday night comedy lineup is one of mine. Once they all became single-camera shows with no laugh tracks, this sitcom snob couldn't resist. I needed more chuckles in my diet. This week, there are one-hour episodes of My Name is Earl and The Office. 30 Rock slowly grew on me, although I still rarely watch an entire episode and find Tracy Morgan annoyingly unfunny. Scrubs will be back in a few weeks for its final season, which, although I do love it, wish had happened last season.

Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy return in the same time slots to battle NBC's lineup. Ugly Betty is fun, but I really don't get the hype. America Ferrera, hell yes. The show, not so much.

Smallville returns for season seven with Clark and Lex as enemies, no more of that frenemy bullshit, bitches. And thanks to promos, we know that Super Girl stops by for a visit. Yeah, I never watch it, but I know people who do.

And then we have Supernatural. I'm no fangirl, and I don't always catch this show, but I do love it and will probably try to regularly watch it. The Winchester Boys, Demons, and Metallicar, outstanding combination.

VM Count: Only 3!