The Daily Beast: "Damages' Stylish Mind Game"

Quick bit of indulgent self-promotion this morning.

Please be sure to check out my first piece for The Daily Beast, entitled "Damages' Stylish Mind Game."

It's the first installment of an Emmy story package at The Daily Beast and features a Q&A with Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler, and Daniel Zelman, the creators/executive producers of FX's legal thriller Damages, which is up for seven nominations this year, including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series (Glenn Close), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (William Hurt), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Rose Byrne), Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Ted Danson), Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Todd A. Kessler), and Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series (Julie Tucker and Ross Meyerson).

You can read the piece in full here. Be sure to read the whole intro for Damages and then click on the gallery to read the Q&A.

Private Eyes (Are Watching You): An Advance Review of HBO's "Bored to Death"

"When in doubt, have a man come through the door with a gun in his hand." - Raymond Chandler

The twin specters of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett preside over the action on HBO's new comedy series Bored to Death. The series, which launches later this month, stars Jason Schwartzman as alcoholic novelist Jonathan Ames, a struggling writer who, after getting dumped by his girlfriend (Olivia Thirlby), takes out an ad on Craigslist as an unlicensed private detective.

As portrayed by the charismatic Schwartzman, Jonathan is a lovable loser of a 30-year-old man and he seems to drift through life in a state of arrested development, much like his boss George Christopher (Ted Danson) and comic-book illustrator best friend Ray (Zach Galifianakis) to varying degrees. The best word to describe him would be hapless: between his white wine and pot addictions and emotional adolescence, he's the portrait of 21st century malaise.

The series, created by real-life novelist Jonathan Ames, conflates the noir tropes of classic gumshoe drama with the painful comedy of modern neurosis. It's a comedy of errors by way of a self-absorbed Nick Charles. Or at least a version of him that can't hold his liquor or keep his job or his girl.

I had the opportunity to watch the first three episodes of Bored to Death a few months back and quickly fell under its mischievous charms. Or at least, those of the second and third episodes. Despite being the most straightforward of the first three installments in terms of plot, there's something a bit off about the pilot that makes it somewhat difficult to let yourself be sucked in right away. Consider it an overload of whimsy, perhaps. There's no real motivation for Jonathan to place that private detective ad other than stumbling on an old Chandler novel so it's a little bit of a narrative leap that he gets a client as quickly as he does.

Despite the slightly off-kilter quality of the pilot, the series' second and third episodes are superb and feature guest turns from Kristen Wiig, Oliver Platt, and Jim Jarmusch (here playing himself in the third episode) as Jonathan's life becomes more fleshed out. Part of that life involves an unnatural fixation on his now ex-girlfriend Suzanne (Thirlby) as well as a chronic need to transform himself from schlub to hero. Thus, the double life as a gumshoe. Despite being one of the laziest characters on television, Jonathan throws himself into his new line of work with glee, recalling detective techniques from his novels and meeting with clients (such as Wiig's pickled dame).

He also frequently moves into the orbit of Danson's George, a pompous magazine editor who has taken Jonathan under his wing and who calls him with all manner of emergencies (my favorite: Episode Two's herpes blister) or when he needs a supply of pot. Danson is absolutely fantastic as George and, coming off of his Emmy-nominated performance as Arthur Frobisher on FX's Damages, he makes George's arrogance and false poise a winning combination. Likewise, The Hangover's Galifianakis once again steals scenes, here portraying forlorn comic-book artist Ray, a man so under his own girlfriend's thumb that he dutifully reports for colonics and therapy just to please her.

The resulting world created by Ames and embodied by Schwartzman, and Co. is a winsome one, consisting as it does of jilted lovers, irrational psychotherapists, flirtatious colonic therapists, and a colorful assortment of bizarre individuals. Ultimately, despite some initial issues with the pilot, there's a offbeat and eccentric quality to Bored to Death that's hard to resist. Just be sure to bring a copy of "Farewell, My Lovely" and be prepared for a fun stakeout.



Bored to Death premieres Sunday, September 20th at 9:30 pm ET/PT on HBO.

Snail's Pace and Amuse Bouches: It's All En Francais on This Week's "Top Chef"

Classical French culinary training is painstakingly rigorous, but surely all of the chefs among the pack of remaining contestants on Top Chef should have been able to pull off this week's challenge without a hitch, right?

Not quite. I've already raved about this week's episode of Top Chef: Las Vegas (you can read my advance review here), which featured a veritable who's who among French chefs, including chef of the century Joel Robuchon, Daniel Boulud, Hubert Keller, Laurent Tourondel, and Jean Joho. Not exactly small fry.

This week's episode ("Vivre Las Vegas") challenged the cheftestants to work in the classical French style, using traditional ingredients such as escargot, rabbit, and frog legs and deliver dishes to the awe-inspiring master chefs assembled to sample their work. In other words: it was make it or break it time for these chefs.

So how did the contestants perform this week? Let's discuss.

The High-Stakes Quickfire Challenge this week was absolutely fantastic, challenging the chefs to prepare a dish of escargot in an inventive way for guest judge Daniel Boulud, who was clearly looking to be dazzled. Escargot is tricky at any time, much less under the pressure and scrutiny of a Quickfire, where most of the chefs hadn't ever worked with snails before. And there was the threat of elimination hanging over their heads as well.

Several of them rose to the challenge at hand, turning out remarkably well-executed and flavorful dishes that not only showcased the escargot itself but also their abilities and vision. Kevin's dish of escargot fricassee with mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, and candied bacon jam was the perfect encapulation of the challenge, fusing together the traditional and continental with the modern and down-home Southern. No surprise that he should walk away the winner, with immunity and the chance to have dinner with the aforementioned master French chefs.

Jennifer once again dazzled with her dish, escargot with brown butter sauce, grilled ramps, Brussels sprouts, chanterelles, and yuzu, cutting through the earthy headiness of snails and Brussels sprouts with the light acid of the yuzu. And Mike I. surprised with his well-executed dish, sauteed escargot over potato-garlic puree, spring onion and ouzo broth, topped with Meyer lemon and fava beans, an ode to Crete in a bowl.

But not everyone was as successful, with the bottom three comprised of Jesse, Robin, and Ashley who landed their for their "ELT," play on bagel and lox, and escargot mirepoix soup respectively. This being a high-stakes Quickfire Challenge, they were stunned to learn that one of them would be going home. But not quite yet... The trio would square off in a sudden death cook-off where they had twenty minutes to prepare an amuse bouche. In other words: their future in this competition came down to a single bite.

Jesse offered a tuna tartare with sorrel, gooseberries, and a fried quail egg atop a piece of fried bread. Robin served an avocado soup with yuzu, green apple, whole-grain mustard relish, and Peekytoe crab. Ashley composed a dish of foie gras with caramelized pineapple, tarragon, and ramps.

So who would go home? Ultimately, it was Jesse who packed her knives. I can't say that I'm surprised. She's had a hard time with the pressure and time constraints of the competition and she's frequently derailed her own dishes with one small misstep time and time again, whether it was too much cayenne in the soup or and underseasoning of the tartare here.

Elimination Challenge time. The chefs, other than Kevin who wouldn't be competing, drew knives to reveal the names of traditional French proteins and sauces. Pairing up, they'd present a six-course meal for the judges and the dream team of Robuchon, Boulud, Keller, Tourondel, and Joho.

So what did they prepare? Let's break it down by course and pair:

• Robin and Ron: frog legs meuniere with lemon confit, mache and arugula salad with fried capers
• Bryan and Mike I.: warm cured trout with deconstructed bernaise with pickled shallots, raw egg yolk, tarragon puree, and fennel pollen
• Eli and Laurine: lobster, sauce américaine, cauliflower puree, and raw cauliflower garnish
• Ashley and Mattin: seared poussin and ravioli with sauce velouté and green asparagus
• Michael V. and Jen: rabbit chasseur with mustard noodle and shiso
• Hector and Ash: chateaubriand, sauce au poivre with confit de pommes and spinach

All in all, I do say that I was impressed overall, considering most of the chefs are not classically trained but there were two dishes that towered over the rest. (I would have loved, meanwhile, to have seen what Kevin would have done with this challenge. Judging from his expression at the dining table, I dare say he would have as well.) Not surprisingly, Jen and the brothers fared well in this challenge, delivering the top two dishes, both of which majorly impressed the judges.

Bryan took the lead on his team, expertly filleting and then reconstructing the trout to create a boneless cylinder, and he came up with the notion of the deconstructed bernaise sauce, educating Mike I. (who once again took a back seat on a challenge) on how to pull off the complexity and depth of flavor necessary. It was a gorgeous dish as was the rabbit chasseur of Jen and Bryan, meticulously cooked and elegantly served, it showed vision and maturity, fusing together the spirit of the traditional dish with a modern, Eastern approach. I loved seeing the two of them working so closely together and thought that they were a fantastic team. But ultimately, the win went to Bryan, who also received the privilege of being able to stage at Robuchon's restaurant in Vegas, a rare accomplishment.

While some of the other dishes were less successful, two were actually disastrous. Hector and Ash's chateaubriand was undone by undercooked meat, inexpert carving, and a lack of au poivre sauce on the plate. Even if Ash had been able to to expertly master the sauce au poivre, it couldn't have masked the disappointing quality of the beef on the plate.

And then there were Ashley and Mattin. If anyone should have walked through this challenge blindfolded it was Mattin working within his metier, but the Frenchman failed to produce a quality velouté, rendering it more like gravy than a true velouté (which should be velvety, hence the name) and overwhelming the taste of the poussin with way too much bacon. Ashley's ravioli was too thick and dry, the asparagus disconnected from the rest of the dish. (Though I do remember her suggesting an asparagus velouté and getting shot down by Mattin.)

But I knew that despite their failings, it would be Hector who would be sent home. Which is a shame as I think Hector had some good ideas and could cook better than some of the contestants that are still in the competition.

What did you think of this week's episode? Would you have awarded the win to Bryan or to Jen and Michael? And would you have send Jesse and Hector packing? Discuss.

Next week on Top Chef: Las Vegas ("Camping"), the remaining contestants must cook with cactus, sleep under the stars, and prepare a menu for Las Vegas cowboys; chef Tim Love serves as a guest judge.

Talk Back: Season Premiere of FOX's "Glee"

Just curious to see how many of you tuned in last night to watch the series premiere of FOX's musical dramedy Glee.

While you read my advance review of the series premiere ("Showmance"), now that the episode has aired, I'm curious what you thought of the episode. Did it live up to the hype? Did you enjoy the mix of music, comedy, and soapy shenanigans? Was it tonally balanced with a good mix of light and dark or did you find it inconsistent?

What did you think of the three big musical numbers: "Gold Digger," "Push It," and "Take a Bow"? (Were you as amazed as I was that Matthew Morrison could pull off Kanye West's "Gold Digger" with such aplomb?) Did you find the show endearingly cheerful and optimistic or frustratingly peppy?

And, most importantly, will you be tuning in again next week?

Talk back here.

Next week on Glee ("Acafellas"), Will forms the Acafellas, an all-male acapella singing group and gets a visit from Josh Groban; the glee club decides to hire a well-known choreographer to help coach them to Nationals; Mercedes suffers the sting of unrequited love.

Channel Surfing: Ed Norton Drops By "Modern Family," Bryan Fuller and Bryan Singer Team Up at NBC, Anna Camp Heads to "The Office," and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Ed Norton will guest star on an upcoming episode of ABC's new comedy series Modern Family. Norton will play "the bassist of a famous band whom Claire (Julie Bowen) hires as an anniversary surprise for husband Phil (Ty Burrell)," writes Ausiello. His episode is slated to air in November. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Pushing Daisies' Bryan Fuller and Bryan Singer are teaming up to develop SelleVision, a comedic one-hour adaptation of Augusten Burrough's novel, which is set behind the scenes at a home shopping network. Fuller will write the pilot script while Singer is attached to direct; both will executive produce with Mark Bozek and Russell Nuce. Universal Media Studio is behind the adaptation. "We were all big fans of Augusten and the book, and we all got along great," Fuller told Variety. "So we decided to get into bed together... I love the world of home shopping -- it's such a rich world," he said. "There are those great metaphors of consumerism, buying happiness, all of that chasing material thing." Elsewhere at NBC, Fuller also has a half-hour workplace comedy pilot script called No Kill, which revolves around the employees of a no-kill animal shelter. Project, from Universal Media Studios and BermanBraun, will be executive produced by Fuller, Gail Berman, and Lloyd Braun. And there's still the Pushing Daisies comic book. "Fuller is still working on a comicbook adaptation of his late ABC series Pushing Daisies," writes Variety's Michael Schneider. "Fuller said he remains hopeful that the 12 issues of the comicbook will eventually serve as a blueprint for a Pushing Daisies movie.(Variety)

True Blood's Anna Camp has been cast as a guest star in an upcoming episode of NBC's The Office this season. Who's she playing? E! Online's Megan Masters has the scoop: Camp, who very memorably played Sarah Newlin on the HBO vampire drama this summer, will play Penny, the sister to Scranton's Pam Beesley (Jenna Fischer) on the October 8th episode that features the wedding of Pam and Jim (John Krasinski). (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Ellen DeGeneres has been named the fourth judge on FOX's American Idol, filling the seat left vacant by the departure of Paula Abdul. "I've been dealing with this for the last couple of weeks, and I've been dying to tell everyone," DeGeneres announced to the audience of her eponymous daytime talk show. "It's been so hard to keep it a secret." DeGeneres will join the judges in January and will continue to also host to her Warner Bros. Television-produced daytime series through 2014. (Variety)

Peggy Lipton (Twin Peaks) has been cast in a multiple-episode story arc on Starz's drama Crash, where she replaces Valerie Perrine, who has dropped out due to surgery. Lipton will play Suzy Fields, the ex-wife of record producer Ben Cendars (Dennis Hopper) who is now married to author Owen Fields (Keith Carradine). (Hollywood Reporter)

The BBC has teamed up with Ecosse Films to develop a mini-series adaptation of Kate Atkinson's 1999 novel "Behind the Scenes at the Museum." Written by Brian Fillis (The Curse of Steptoe) and executive produced by Lucy Bedford (Mistresses), the four-hour Behind The Scenes At The Museum is slated to air in 2010 on either BBC One or BBC Two. "I’ve loved the book for ages but was conscious that it is a very difficult adaptation," said executive producer Lucy Bedford. "It’s structurally complex because there are multiple timeframes and the sweep of the story is enormous." (Broadcast)

FOX has ordered a pilot script (with a penalty attached) for a comedy Texts From Last Night, based on the website of the same name, to be written by Steve Holland (The Big Bang Theory). Site invites users to submit embarrassing text messages they sent while drunk or tired. Project, from Sony Pictures Television and Happy Madison, will focus on "he whole idea of racy -- and sometimes embarrassing -- communication, particularly among the twentysomething set." (Variety)

Adam Rodriguez (CSI: Miami) will appear in at least five episodes of ABC's Ugly Betty this season. According to TVGuide.com, Rodriguez will play Bobby, a high school boyfriend of Betty's sister Hilda. "He's an old high school boyfriend, and [he comes] back into their lives," Rodriguez told TVGuide.com. "A little romance buds, and there's some drama to go along with it." (TVGuide.com)

CBS has renewed reality series Big Brother for a twelfth season, slated to air next summer. (Hollywood Reporter)

Season Two of Canadian soap Being Erica will air Stateside on SOAPNet beginning on January 20th. The cabler has also announced that it will repeat the entire first season beginning October 17th. (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

The Wrap's Josef Adalian takes a look at the "disappointing" premiere ratings for the CW's Melrose Place (about half of that of the series premiere of 90210) and investigates whether or not a further drop-off would spell doom for the nighttime soap. "It will be at least a month before CW programmers have a clear sense of just how well or poorly Melrose is actually doing," writes Adalian.
"The big mystery: Will Melrose suffer the same massive week two dropoff experienced by 90210 last fall? That show lost 30 percent of its premiere audience in week two, and was down to just over 2 million viewers by its finale. If Melrose slides another 30 percent next week, then it could very well be curtains for the show, since it's starting from a much smaller premiere base." Still, cautions Adalian, it's too soon to call the series dead. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

Stay tuned.

Vive La France: An Advance Review of Tonight's "Top Chef: Las Vegas"

Are you obsessed with Top Chef? Do you know your salpicon from your brunoise? Not freaked out by preparing velouté or escargot? You're in luck.

This season's chefs are as always a motley bunch but there have emerged several major contenders for the title of Top Chef this season and, despite it being only the fourth episode of the season, we're seeing some major culinary skills at play in the Top Chef kitchen in a fashion that's usually reserved for the final rounds.

I had the chance last week to watch tonight's outstanding episode of Top Chef: Las Vegas ("Vivre Las Vegas") and I have to say that not only is the best episode of the season so far but it will go down as one of my favorite episodes of the entire series to date.

Not only are many of the chefs working at the top of their game, delivering some inspired and inspiring dishes, but the master chefs who the producers have assembled to judge this particular challenge is awe-inspiring. In the past, such boldface culinary names such as Joel Robuchon, Daniel Boulud, Hubert Keller, Laurent Tourondel, and Jean Joho might have dropped by to guest judge the final round of the competition. But here, they're appearing in the fourth episode. Which should tell you something about the overall caliber of chefs competing this season.

It's not every day that you can see Joel Robuchon, Daniel Boulud, Hubert Keller, and Jean Joho sitting together at a table, much less weighing in on dishes prepared on the fly by Top Chef contestants, particularly when the chefs are tasked with preparing classical French dishes. While I can only imagine the honor experienced by the contestants, there's something gratifying and exhilarating about just being a fly on the wall for this challenge. The producers should be very proud about this installment, which not only entertains, but educates and inspires as well.

Are these French masters impressed with the performances of our cheftestants? Well, that would be telling. But suffice it to say that under some extraordinary pressure--and the opportunity of a lifetime--some of the chefs rise to the occasion and others... Well, others not so much. Just who falls into either category may surprise you, however.

And much will be made of the producers' decision to send not one but two chefs packing in this marvelous and memorable episode. One cheftestant will be cut before the Elimination Challenge and the determining factor will have many people shocked. Yes, the stakes are certainly high this season and the Vegas setting is enabling the producers to introduce an element of chance and surprise in a way that hasn't been done before. Yes, it was inevitable that an extra person would be cut (seasons with seventeen contestants usually cut two at the start) but the way in which it's handled is fantastic drama.

All in all, tonight's episode is custom-made for fans of Top Chef, francophiles, and lovers of classic gastronomy with a twist. As for the contestants competing under such scrutiny, you'll want to wish them bonne chance. It's one of the toughest challenges to date... and not everyone will make it through to the next round.

Top Chef: Las Vegas Sneek Peak -- Gotta Be Really Effin' Hungry:



Top Chef: Las Vegas Sneek Peak -- Joel Robuchon in the Flesh:



Top Chef: Las Vegas airs tonight at 10 pm ET/PT on Bravo.

Tune-in Reminder: FOX's "Glee" Starts Tonight!

Just a quick reminder to be sure to tune in to tonight's fantastic series premiere of Glee on FOX.

If you enjoyed the pilot episode when it aired back in May (or a few times last week as well), you'll fall head over heels in love with tonight's installment ("Showmance"), which features a fantastic rendition of "Gold Digger" by Matthew Morrison that had me in awe.

I had the opportunity to watch tonight's episode a few months back (you can read my spoiler-light advance review here) and I don't think any of you rabid Gleeks out there will be disappointed.

Here's how FOX is describing tonight's series premiere: the Glee Club has their first performance in front of the whole school; Quinn realizes Rachel has feelings for Finn; Will's wife reveals some unexpected news that forces him to make some changes in his life; Will learns he must recruit more people for New Directions in order to qualify to compete at Regionals.

Glee premieres tonight at 9 pm ET/PT on FOX.

Spilled Coffee and Bad Mojo: Scandal on "Flipping Out"

Oh, Jeff. You never learn, do you?

This week's episode of Flipping Out ("Bad Mojo") had Jeff Lewis attempting to find a replacement for Rachel after she quit unexpectedly in last week's installment. But rather than stick to his guns and interview multiple candidates, check out references, and, you know, actually look at people's resumes, Jeff ends up hiring a random guy, Shawn.

Which would be fine if the duo hadn't hit it off over Shawn's story about his stint in prison for drag racing in a high-speed car chase with highway patrolmen and the police.

Could it be that Jeff's hiring ethos isn't quite all that it's cracked up to be and that he has a tendency to act on emotion and impulse rather than logic? You think?

And yet when faced with the same dilemma of having to replace an employee, Jeff does the unthinkable yet again and hires Carrie's sister as his newest assistant, thus again creating an uncomfortable situation in which he's mixing business with pleasure (and soon to be family as well) and hiring not the right person for the job, but the person who's right there at the moment. Oh, Jeffrey...

I knew right away that Shawn would be trouble for Jeff Lewis' office. He seemed almost too eager to please, was way too flirty with everyone from Jenni and Zoila to celebrity hairstylist/client Chaz. Which made me think that he had an angle of some kind. I don't think it was quite what Jeff thought (that Shawn was out to get some sort of job from Chaz) but something less concrete and defined. He appeared to be looking to leverage his employment with Jeff Lewis into a new life and move into the orbit of some powerful and moneyed individuals. Why else go into the salon and try to get invited to Chaz's house for some yoga? A bit odd, no?

It's a shame as Shawn did seem genuinely surprised when Jeff sacked him for his scandalous offense, despite protesting that his conversation with Chaz was absolutely innocuous. (It's slightly unclear to me why he would say he was talking about getting his hair done there--still an odd conversation to have with a client--rather than what Jenni overheard him saying.) I thought it was extremely generous of Jeff not only to cut a check for the hours that Shawn had worked but to also throw in an extra $500 to tide him over for the next week or so.

What motivated Shawn to refuse to accept the money that Jeff gave him? Was it, as Shawn said, pride? Or was it motivated by guilt? Should we give people the benefit of the doubt? Or do we need to be more suspicious and check people out before we hire them?

I hope it's a lesson that Jeff has learned now. Given the specter of Chris Elwood still hovers over his office, one would have thought that Jeff would have become a more stringent employer in terms of hiring, requiring a detailed CV, multiple references, and experience. After all, there's more to being a project manager than just checking things off of a list and Jeff had discussed with Jenni ahead of time that he wanted to interview several people for the position.

Jenni is a saint at the end of the day. How she's put up with Jeff, as funny as he is, for seven and a half years is a mystery to me. The fact that he so casually whacked her in the face with his headset in the car was shocking to me. He did eventually apologize but it took five minutes of him needling her about why the cord was tangled before he realized that he owed her one. I do hope that his experiences with Shawn now show Jeff just how loyal and patient Jenni is and that she deserves some sort of promotion or at least recognition for the role she's played in his business.

Whether the business will thrive under the (not-so) watchful eye of newest assistant Sarah Berkman remains to be seen.

But from Sarah's hysterical introduction--and her spilling the entire contents of a large cappuccino all over Jeff's car and Jeff himself, it doesn't bode well. I get that Jeff is altruistic when it comes to his friends and enjoys helping people out when they can't find work but he also needs to learn that he needs to be as smart and strict with his hiring policies as he with everything else in his life.

At least she remembered the two Splendas...

Next week on Flipping Out ("Jenni 911"), a big deal in Bel Air is complicated by a lack of funds; Jeff falls ill and accuses Zoila of poisoning him; Jenni is put in charge of the Buena Park project.

Flipping Out Preview: Zoila Poisons Jeff

Talk Back: Series Premiere of CW's "Melrose Place"

Just curious how many of you tuned in to watch the series premiere of the CW's updated version of nighttime soap Melrose Place.

I reviewed the pilot episode of Melrose back in early June (you can read my advance review here) but now that the first installment has aired, I'm curious to see what you thought of the new take on that famous Angeleno address.

Did you love seeing Laura Leighton back in the apartment complex as Sydney? Or were you too weirded out about the whole she-faked-her-own-death-only-to-return-to-her-former-home-and-take-over-as-apartment-manager scenario? Did you think that the new characters were engaging or one-dimensional? Did it offer just the right amount of suds or was it trying way too hard to please?

And, most importantly, will you tune in again next week?

Talk back here.

Melrose Place airs Tuesday nights at 9 pm ET/PT on the CW.

Channel Surfing: NBC Chases Bruckheimer Fugitive Drama, "Chuck" Writer/Producer Guns for Western at FOX, "Inbetweeners" Heads for Big Screen, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

NBC has given a put pilot order to an untitled drama that follows the employees of a unit whose task is to apprehend fugitives. Project, from Warner Bros. Television and Bruckheimer Television, will be written/executive produced by Jennifer Johnson (Cold Case) and executive produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman. Deal marks first sale for Bruckheimer at NBC since 2005's E-Ring. (Variety)

FOX has given a script commitment with a penalty to an untitled western from Chuck writer/executive producer Scott Rosenbaum and executive producers McG and Peter Johnson. Project, from Warner Bros. Television and Wonderland Sound and Vision, is said to have a sci-fi twist that is a tip of the hat to Planet of the Apes and will focus on a "a gunslinger caught between worlds," according to Rosenbaum. "What I'm really interested in is the revamping of the Western genre where you still have all of the iconic Western themes and iconic Western tropes," he told Hollywood Reporter, "but the idea is that it will feel incredibly contemporary and will introduce the Western to a whole new generation." (Hollywood Reporter)

The Inbetweeners creators Iain Morris and Damon Beesley are working on a script for a feature film version of their E4 comedy after receiving a commission from Film 4. Feature would likely revolve around an overseas vacation taken by the four friends who are set to return with a third season of Inbetweeners next year. "We always try to make the show as real as we can, and we think the boys of that age tend to go on holiday abroad - we think a film could do justice to that," Morris told The Sun. "Most films I understand never get made, but that’s what we’re doing." The series will air Stateside later this year on BBC America. (Broadcast)

Gavin Rossdale (How to Rob a Bank) has been cast as a guest star in an upcoming episode of Criminal Minds slated to air in November. According to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, Rossdale will play a Goth rock star who could also be a vicious serial killer. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Peter Gallagher (The OC) has been cast in USA's espionage drama pilot Covert Affairs where he will co-star as CIA director Arthur Campbell, described as "a regal man and former Naval officer who loves a good fight, great scotch and a filthy joke." (Hollywood Reporter)

Los Angeles Times' Maria Elena Fernandez has a fantastic profile of one of the breakout stars of FOX's Glee, Chris Colfer. (Los Angeles Times's Show Tracker)

Former Brat Packer Judd Nelson will guest star on USA's Psych this winter, where he will play "a CDC researcher who specializes in a made-up Ebola-like ailment called Thornburg’s disease," according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

HDNet will offer a sneak preview of Charlize Theron's upcoming feature film The Burning Plain ahead of its theatrical release on September 16th at 8 pm ET/PT. (via Twitter)

TV Guide Network has acquired exclusive cable rights to the entire run of MTV's Punk'd, which contains 100 half-hour episodes. The cabler will air the series back-to-back as a one hour strip beginning later this month. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

What I'm Watching This Fall

Ah, autumn. With it comes the end of horrific LA heatwaves, comfy sweaters, and the advent of the fall season, with its new series and returning favorites? Is there really any better time of year?

It's with that thought that I take a look at what I'll be watching this fall season, which begins in earnest today. While I can't guarantee that I'll stick around for more than a few (or even one additional) episode of many of these series, below are the new and returning shows that have at least piqued my interest, based on their pilots.

And for more on my thoughts about returning series, check out the September 20th issue of USA Weekend, where I'm interviewed by TJ Walter about my top picks for returning series this fall.

sunday

8 pm: The Amazing Race (CBS)

It's hard to believe that the granddaddy of all reality series, The Amazing Race, is entering its fifteenth season this fall. While the success or failure of each individual season comes down to the strength of its casting, the series' innate strength lies in its clever challenges, the interpersonal dynamics of the couples competing for the million dollar cash prize, and the charm of its cool-as-a-cucumber host Phil Keoghan. Eye-opening travel experiences, constant bickering, and stressful roadblocks all play into its intelligent design. (Launches September 27th with a two-hour season opener)

9 pm: Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)

It's been nearly two years since we caught up with the misanthropic Larry David and Season Seven finds the neurotic Angeleno dating Loretta Black (Vivica A. Fox), attempting to reconnect with his ex-wife Cheryl (Cheryl Hines), writing a Seinfeld reunion for NBC, and generally making a nuisance of himself to everyone around him. (You can read my advance review of the first three episodes here.) (Launches September 20th)

9 pm: Masterpiece Mystery and Masterpiece Contemporary (PBS)

PBS' newly reinvigorated Masterpiece offers two cycles this fall, with its Mystery season currently on the air and bringing us Seasons Two and Three of the delightful and intelligent Inspector Morse spin-off Inspector Lewis. Then it's on to contemporary drama such as apartheid drama Endgame, starring Johnny Lee Miller and Chiwetel Ejifor, Place of Execution, starring Juliet Stevenson and Greg Wise, and Collision, starring Phil David and Paul McGann. Masterpiece Contemporary also welcomes new host David Tennant this autumn. (On Air; check local listings for details)

9:30 pm: Bored to Death (HBO)

Created by novelist Jonathan Ames, the whimsical and fun Bored to Death stars Jason Schwartzman... as a novelist named Jonathan Ames. Listless after a painful breakup with his girlfriend (Olivia Thirlby), Ames stumbles onto a copy of an old Raymond Chandler novel and resolves to become a private detective. Taking on a series of hapless cases, Ames is a mostly inept gumshoe as he attempts to navigate the bars and seedy motels of Manhattan while indulging in his duo of vices: white wine and pot. Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis also star as Ames' magazine editor boss and his neurotic comic-book creator best friend, who frequently end up entangled in Jonathan's schemes, whether it involves a missing girl, one-hitters, colonics, or burglary. (Launches September 20th)

10 pm: Mad Men (AMC)

AMC's savagely intelligent period drama Mad Men has me staying up late on Sunday evenings to ponder the delicious subtext of each and every encounter. In the deft hands of Matthew Weiner and crack team of writers, Mad Men's delightfully complex characters--played by one of the very best ensemble casts on television--have been wanting to stay in the 1960s long after the closing credits have rolled. (On Air)

monday

Chuck (NBC)

What's that you say? Chuck isn't on the fall schedule? You'd be right as I'm still scratching my head over NBC's decision to delay Chuck until next year. But every season there's one night of the week where there's absolutely nothing on that I want to watch and this year that night just happens to be Monday. But rather than stare sullenly at the television until Chuck returns in March, I'm taking matters into my own hands and catching up with the Buy More gang by rewatching the first two seasons of Chuck from the very beginning every Monday night. Think of it as me biding time until one of my favorite series returns from its way-too-long-hiatus. (Chuck returns in March 2010.)

tuesday

8 pm: V (ABC)

ABC has wisely opted to launch the new incarnation of cult classic 1980s mini-series V this fall instead of holding it for next year. Starring Lost's Elizabeth Mitchell, The 4400's Joel Grestch, Firefly's Morena Baccarin, The Nine's Scott Wolf, and a slew of other familiar faces, this V is invigorated by a post-9/11 consciousness and asks questions about terrorism, faith, justice, law, and blind trust. Just what do the Visitors want? Can FBI Counter-Terrorism Agent Erica Evans (Mitchell), Father Jack (Gretsch), and a ragtag resistance force prevent a full-on invasion... especially when the human race seems to be inviting the Visitors with open arms? Find out this fall. (You can read my advance review of the pilot for V here.) (Launches November 3rd)

9:30 pm: Better Off Ted (ABC)

The delightfully off-kilter workplace comedy series returns for a second season this fall. If you're at all like me, you've fallen for Better Off Ted's loopy charms, its insightful wit, and its scathing satire. Think of it as The Office on crystal meth. (Launches November TBA)

10 pm: Flipping Out (Bravo)

I can't get enough of the antics (and some would say madness) of OCD-afflicted real estate investor Jeff Lewis and his madcap band of employees. Despite it being a docusoap about house flipping (initially anyway), Flipping Out has blossomed into one of the most hysterical and enjoyable comedies on television. (On Air)

10 pm: The Good Wife (CBS)

I'm intrigued by CBS's legal drama The Good Wife, a winning cross between Ally McBeal and The Politician's Wife. Julianna Margulies plays Alicia, the dutiful wife of a politician (Chris Noth), who after weathering a sex scandal involving her husband, opts to return to the law and takes a job at a high-powered law firm where she has to content with a young whippersnapper (Matt Czuchry) out to gut her and the firm's ice queen partner (Christine Baranski). It's Margulies' most sympathetic and compelling role in quite some time and the pilot episode offers some nice banter, an engaging case, and colorful characters. (Launches September 22nd)

wednesday

9 pm: Modern Family (ABC)

If there's one series that I'm anxiously awaiting above all others, it would be ABC's single-camera comedy Modern Family, a witty and biting examination at what makes our families tick: the humor, the pathos, and the, well, insanity. Boasting a cast that includes Ed O'Neill, Julie Bowen, Ty Burrell, Sofia Vergara, Eric Stonestreet, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (and appearances from Shelley Long and Elizabeth Banks in the cards), this is one family comedy that I'm going to race home to watch every Wednesday. You'd be well advised to do the same. (You can read my advance review of the pilot episode here.) (Launches September 23rd)

9 pm: Glee (FOX)

While I wasn't the biggest fan of the pilot episode of Glee, I fell head over heels in love with the subsequent installments which kick off later this week. Created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan, Glee is a look at the soaring highs and depressing lows of teengerhood (and how we never escape these high school years even as an adults) and is chock full of stunning musical numbers, dark comedy, and more vendettas and plots than you can throw a Cheerio at. (You can read my advance review of the first few episodes of Glee's first season here.) (Launches September 9th)

9:30 pm: Cougar Town (ABC)

I wasn't quite sure what to make of Bill Lawrence and Kevin Biegel's new single-camera comedy Cougar Town, starring Courteney Cox, Christa Miller, Busy Phillips, Dan Byrd, Brian Van Holt, Ian Gomez, and Josh Hopkins. It's a raunchy look at a woman reentering the dating scene after her divorce and discovering that men her own age are dating women half of hers. I was pleasantly surprised by the pilot and I usually like Lawrence's witty spin on comedy, but I will have to check out the second episode before committing to this relationship. (Launches September 23rd)

10 pm: Top Chef: Las Vegas (Bravo)

I'm completely addicted to Bravo's culinary competition series Top Chef, which is hands-down the best food-oriented series on television today. Between the skill and vision of its competitors, the cutthroat competition, and the stunning results, Top Chef is compelling, gripping, and hunger-inducing television at its very best. (On Air)

thursday

8 pm: FlashForward (ABC)

What did you see? It might be the Alphabet's best shot at landing the next Lost... Or it could be The Nine redux. But whatever eventually happens to ABC's big budget ensemble drama about the mystery behind a worldwide phenomenon that had everyone on the planet glimpsing a vision of their fate six months in the future (those that didn't die during the two-minute mass unconsciousness, that is). There's a lot of potential at work in the series, which will be overseen by David S. Goyer and Marc Guggenheim and boasts a cast that includes Joseph Fiennes, Sonya Walger, John Cho, Jack Davenport, Zachary Knighton, Peyton List, Dominic Monaghan, Brían F. O'Byrne, Courtney B. Vance, and Christine Woods. Can we escape our fate? Are our lives predetermined? Can free will play a role in diverting our paths through life? And just who or what caused this strange catastrophic event? (Launches September 24th)

8 pm: Bones (FOX)

After a season finale that divided its fans with its cliffhanger ending, Bones returns with a fifth season that will deal with the not-quite-a-romantic-relationship going on between its two leads, Seely Booth (David Boreanaz) and Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel), head on while also forcing the duo to solve some of the twistiest murder mysteries on television. Smart, sly, and sexy, Bones remains a slick and fun diversion. (You can read what series creator Hart Hanson told me exclusively about Season Five of Bones here.) (Launches September 17th)

8 pm: Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday (NBC)

Looking for some news commentary in your Thursday night television lineup? You're in luck as NBC brings back Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday for a limited run this fall. And, even better, Amy Poehler is set to co-anchor the satirical news magazine in its first outing. (Launches September 17th)

8:30 pm: Parks and Recreation (NBC)

NBC's Amy Poehler vehicle Parks and Recreation started out wobbly (to say it kindly) but gradually found its footing and its humanity as the first season's six episodes wore on. I'm curious to see just what Greg Daniels and Mike Schur do with the Pawnee, Indiana-set workplace comedy this fall. Would I be wise to stop holding my breath that they'll ditch the clunky hidden camera format and just let the characters breathe? (Launches September 17th)

9 pm: Fringe (FOX)

The Abrams/Kurtzman/Orci sci-fi procedural returns this fall after getting kick-started in the second half of the freshman season with revelations about past sins and parallel dimensions. I'm still not crazy about the largely episodic nature of the series but there are enough intriguing threads of its overarching mythology to keep me watching and entertained, not to mention a little terrified at times. (You can read my advance review of Fringe's second season opener here.) (Launches September 17th)

9 pm: Skins (BBC America)

The imported British teen series is finding its way in its third season, which introduced a whole new group of Bristol teens to its devoted audience and shipped off its graduating class after two sex and drug-filled seasons. Skins is alternately controversial, shocking, hilarious, and emotionally gutting, offering a look at teens without a modicum of nostalgia or preciousness. (On Air)

9 pm: The Office (NBC)

I'm teetering on the edge of giving up on The Office altogether after failing to fall for the last few seasons. That is, whenever Amy Ryan's hysterical Holly Flax wasn't on screen. Sadly, Ryan won't be back but the employees of Scranton's Dunder Mifflin Paper Company continue to soldier on, despite a lack of focus and an over-reliance on familiar sitcom tropes. Here's hoping the new season will bring the (painfully) funny and (endearing) pathos back into balance. (Launches September 17th)

9:30 pm: Community (NBC)

Hands down one of the fall's most promising new series, Community is a witty and wicked single-camera comedy that revolves around the disparate students of Greendale Community College and the small community they form together. With a winning cast that includes Joel McHale, Chevy Chase, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Donald Glover, and Ken Jeong, Community is mordantly funny, deeply layered, and has an unexpectedly sweet emotional core. In other words: watch it. (You can read my advance review of the pilot episode here.) (Launches September 17th, then moves to 8 pm on October 8th)

9:30 pm: 30 Rock (NBC)

I want to go to there. NBC's gleefully subversive and TiVo-friendly comedy 30 Rock returns for a fourth season this fall and I'm already lining up at its famous address to enter its topsy-turvy world. Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) and Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) remain one of the best comedic duos and their odd couple--dare I say it?--friendship provides a strong throughline while the series' hilarious supporting cast keeps the madcap plots moving at a brisk pace. New adventures at TGS can't come quickly enough. (Launches October 15th)

10 pm: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)

The laughs keep on coming on Thursdays. Bizarre, surreal, and absurd, FX's off-kilter comedy It's Always Sunny returns with a new batch of out-there plots, selfish characters, and side-splitting misadventures. Who knew that a low-budget comedy about a group of bar owners in Philadelphia would become one of my favorite television comedies? (Launches September 17th)

10 pm: Project Runway (Lifetime)

Sew what? Rounding out the night on Thursdays is sartorial competition series Project Runway, which is proving that its winning formula is at home anywhere, even on a totally different network altogether. As long as Tim Gunn, Heidi Klum, Michael Kors, and Nina Garcia stick around, I'll keep watching these designers make it work. (On Air)

friday

9 pm: Dollhouse (FOX)

I thought that Joss Whedon's divisive metaphysical action/adventure series Dollhouse was rather hit or miss last season: a few strokes of genius, some head-scratching plotholes, and irritatingly episodic storytelling. But the unaired thirteenth episode, "Epitaph One," brought the series closer to its potential. I still think that had the exquisite Dichen Lachman been the series lead, Dollhouse would be a hell of a lot more compelling but that's a rather moot point. Still, I'll stick around to see if things improve at all in the sophomore season. (Launches September 25th)

9 pm: Southland (NBC)

What could be a run-of-the-mill cop drama is elevated by some fantastic performances, most notably from Benjamin McKenzie, Regina King, and Michael Cudlitz. Audiences seemed to be fleeing in droves as the series' first season wore on but there were some fantastic character studies going on amid the shootings, murders, and gangland violence. Plus, the series boasts one of the most cinematic and memorable opening credit sequences ever. It might be exiled to Friday nights (and now delayed until the end of October), but I'm curious to see just what new plots develop for these LAPD officers. (Launches October 23rd)

9 pm: Stargate Universe (Syfy)

Admittedly, I didn't get around this weekend to watching the three-hour series opener for Stargate Universe (this week, I promise!) but I am keeping an open mind about the series, the latest in the long line of Stargate franchise series, despite never having watched any of its predecessors. There's something darkly compelling about what I've seen so far and the struggle to survive is a timeline and universal one, adding an immediacy and vibrancy to the overarching plot. (Launches October 2nd)

9 pm: Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (BBC America)

I'll be winding down my week with Wossy as British talk show host welcomes such disparate guests as Dame Vivienne Westwood, Bono, Ricky Gervais, and James May every Friday night. (On Air)

10 pm: White Collar (USA)

Sometimes being bad is good. Neal Caffrey (Chuck's Matthew Bomer) is a slick and stylish career criminal with a penchant for forgeries and fine vintage suits. He's given an ankle monitor and teamed up with Peter Stokes (Carnivale's Tim DeKay), the gruffly intelligent FBI agent assigned to the white collar crime division who caught him twice before as they tackle some of the most crafty criminals in the business. Thanks to the winning chemistry between the two leads, White Collar is fun, fashionable, and clever. (You can read my advance review of the pilot episode here.) (Launches October 23rd)

TBA

Doctor Who Specials (BBC America)

David Tennant's swan song on Doctor Who begins this fall with the final three Doctor Who specials, which BBC America will air as close as possible to the original UK airdates. First up is "Waters of Mars," which finds the Doctor teaming up with Lindsay Duncan's Adelaide on Mars as they battle a water-based creature that infects its victims with a liquid compound. Then it's the final two-parter that brings the Doctor face to face with his ancient enemy The Master (John Simm) and his former companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate). Something tells me that things won't end too well for the Tenth Doctor, sadly... (November and December TBA)

The Inbetweeners (BBC America)

I've been waxing enthusiastically about this British comedy series, which airs on E4 in the UK, for the last few months and I cannot wait for American audiences to fall in love with this hilarious and raucous series about four suburban teenage boys. You'll laugh, you'll squirm, you'll groan with painful recognition. Yet despite the gross-out humor, the casual nudity, and the humiliation of it all, there's an innate sweetness to the series that keeps you coming back for more. (You can read my review of the first three episodes here and my review of the entire first two seasons here.) (Launches TBA)

The Prisoner (AMC)

Hello, Number Six. The cult classic series The Prisoner is reimagined for a contemporary audience in this international co-production starring Jim Caviezel, Ian McKellan, Lennie James, Will Kemp, Hayley Atwell, and Jamie Campbell Bower. From the nine-minute clip package I saw, it looks to be a stylish mindgame of a puzzle that will keep us guessing over the course of its six hours. (Launches November TBA)

And there you have it: what I'll be watching this fall. What did I leave off and what will you be watching this fall? Discuss.

Dead Man's Hat: Life, Death, and the Holy Father on "Mad Men"

"That's a dead man's hat, Bobby."

The specter of death hovered over this week's episode of Mad Men ("The Arrangements") in a major way, from the aforementioned Prussian helmet to Mrs. Olson's distress over the death of the holy father, Gene's discussion with Betty about his funereal arrangements, the burning monk on the evening news, the ant farm, and, well, just about everything.

This week's episode of Mad Men, written by Andrew Colville and Matthew Weiner and directed by Michael Uppendahl, dealt head on with the transience of life and just how fragile we truly are in a poignant and heartbreaking way. Just as Peggy took a firm step into independent adulthood, Betty railed against the responsibility her ailing father Gene wanted to place on her, to include her within the circle of trust and make sure she knew of his final arrangements. Betty not only found this distasteful but attempted to position herself as a child once again, telling Gene that she is his "little girl," even as Gene attempted to replace Betty with his granddaughter Sally, looking to right some of the wrongs done to her by shielding her from the world.

This situation is echoed sharply in two storylines, both involving fathers and sons. Having been to war and seen its horrors, Don wants to protect Bobby from that searing reality, bristling when Gene gives Bobby a war trophy. To Gene, war made him a man; to Don, it's a staggering reminder of unspeakable horror and atrocity. It's symbolized by the Prussian helmet, which Gene sees as a trophy and Don as a painful reminder of death (he even says so, telling Bobby it's a dead man's hat). The two couldn't be more different in their handling of war.

Likewise, Sterling Cooper's latest client Horace Cook (a.k.a. "Ho Ho"), obsessed with jai alai, is shielded from the reality of his pitch by his well-intentioned but ultimately misguided father, who wants to teach his son a lesson about the world, even if it destroys him in the process. Yes, his father's wealth protected him from any truth about the harshness of the world, but it was also his father's duty to give his charmed son some semblance of perspective. From our vantage point in the future, we know that Ho Ho's business plan is built on clouds and gossamer and won't amount to anything. But he needs to face this fact head on in the most brutal way if he intends to step out of his father's shadow.

The price? A million dollars, which Sterling Cooper is only too happy to take from him. One can only imagine that the shock of his ultimate failure will feel much like the shattering of glass of Burt Cooper's ant farm. And likewise, the trail of death that follows will have to be cleaned up by someone else, much as Joan sprays Raid on the survivors of the ant farm. Life is, after all, brutish and short.

So when Betty learns this harsh truth via Gene's death at the end of the episode, she's in total shock, unable to process her feelings in any rational way, a numb mess of cigarette smoke and alcohol. It deeply rankles little Sally, who had gotten to know her grandfather and wants the adults to react accordingly to his death. Her teary rant towards her parents and aunt and uncle in the kitchen is apropos. The others have accepted death as a part of life but for Sally it's theft of her innocence. Gene isn't coming back, he's as dead as that Prussian soldier he shot to death. And her effort to escape--via television--brings only another reminder of the impermanence of our lives, the sight of a monk setting himself aflame. With JFK's assassination just around the corner and more images of death to come, Sally is having her eyes opened about the world in a way that Don and Betty did not and could not.

And yet Don is affected by all of this as well, in his own way. He digs out an old photograph of his parents and solemnly cleans out Gene's bedroom, folding up the old cot and shifting it into the corner. In the end, we leave behind those we love and the things we touched. And it's love--such as Sally's for Gene--that keeps us alive in the minds of those around us. Given the rift between the two in last week's episode, it was touching to see the two interact in such a tender way this week, between the driving scene (um, hello!) and the ice cream scene, in which Gene tells Sally in no uncertain terms that she can accomplish anything she sets her mind to and not to let Betty stand in her way.

Hard truths were learned in other arenas as well. Peggy saw her mother refuse to let her go or make her own way in the world, even going so far as to nearly disown her daughter after she announced her intentions to move to Manhattan. "You'll get raped," said Mrs. Olson hysterically, before sending her daughter to Coventry. Peggy knows, meanwhile, that the client doesn't always know what they want and her astute belief (clearly learned from her mentor Don) proves true as the Patio execs are disappointed by the Bye Bye Birdie rip-off commercial that Sal directs.

It's this commercial which also lifts the scales from Kitty's eyes as she sees her husband so perfectly reenact the commercial he intends to shoot, right down to sultry glances, girlish poses, and coquettishness. No, something's not right here, Kitty realizes, just as the Patio execs say of Sal's commercial. The sad fear in her eyes as the truth of her situation begins to dawn on her was absolutely heartbreaking.

Peggy herself learns a valuable lesson from Joan: she too is a product that has to be sold in an appropriate way. After her notice looking for a roommate results in the wolf pack's humiliating mockery of her (that prank call was hysterical and upsetting at the same time), Joan tells her that she needs to sell herself as a fun-loving girl in the city. And so Peggy ends up with a roommate, Karen (played with perfect poise by Carla Gallo), who's vastly different than her but, we can't help but feel, will open her eyes to ways of big city living.

We all need to grow up sometime, one imagines.

Next week on Mad Men ("Guy Walks Into an Advertising Agency"), Betty and Don deal with Sally's erratic behavior, Pete pursues a new angle in business, and Betty has a strange dream.

TV on DVD: "Fringe: The Complete First Season"

Despite my gentle (and constant) criticism of FOX's procedural sci-fi drama Fringe, I have to say that it does make for some fun marathon viewing on DVD.

Warner Home Video today releases Fringe: The Complete First Season, a seven-disc box set that contains all twenty episodes of Fringe's first season and over six hours of bonus material that will keep any fan of the series occupied for quite some time.

Throughout its first season, Fringe--created by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci, and Alex Kurtzman--struggled to find its pacing and storytelling hook, with many (myself included) somewhat frustrated by the lack of momentum in the earlier episodes, the constant re-explanation of the series' plot and characters on a weekly basis, and its episodic nature.

For those who haven't tuned in, here's a precis of the action: FBI Agent Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) is assigned to the mysterious and shadowy Fringe Division following a bizarre and shocking incident involving her partner and secret lover John Scott (Mark Valley). Teaming up with a mad scientist named Walter Bishop (John Noble), sprung from a mental hospital with the help of his maverick son Peter (Joshua Jackson), the trio soon investigate all manner of unexplained phenomena: teleportation, mind control, invisibility, astral projection, mutation, reanimation. The widespread nature of these man-made occurrences--nicknamed the Pattern--is the result of a rogue group of scientists using the planet as their own personal laboratory. And these scientists may or may not be tied up with a multi-national corporation called Massive Dynamic, whose enigmatic founder William Bell, just happened to be the former lab partner of Walter Bishop himself.

Still with me? In watching the twenty episodes of Fringe's first season in a short time, their strengths and weaknesses both become more clear. The suspense and terror that the series conjures up are palpable and I have to tip my hat to Fringe's writers that they accomplish such fantastic openers in nearly every episode. But the main flaw of the series--something more or less addressed as the season wore on--was that the characters themselves were often backdrops to the action itself, with many of them (Astrid, Broyles, Charlie) remaining painfully one-dimensional and unexplored. While the three core characters--Olivia Dunham, Peter Bishop, and Walter Bishop--often treaded water in terms of character development as well.

Over the course of the first season of Fringe, this does change as we move towards the latter episodes and it soon becomes clear that the overarching mythology isn't quite as tenuous as it seems, even if it's not as apparent as that of, say, The X-Files. The later episodes, while still being episodic in nature, manage to better balance the demands of the characters and the mythology with the need to wrap up most of the storylines at the end of the hour. And, thanks to some eerie subplots, the characters of Olivia, Peter, and Walter do deepen as we begin to catch glimpses of their life before Fringe Division, the choices they made, and the cost of their line of work.

But to succeed, Fringe will need to break out of its own pattern. I understand the need for the network to include new viewers each week but for those who have stuck with the series since the beginning (or those who are marathoning through the entire season) the constant repetition of characters, mission, and overall purpose rankles. There needs to be a clearer throughline and progression of plot, something that Abrams' own Alias wasn't afraid or unwilling to do.

Still, there's a crisp energy to Fringe's slightly uneven first season and, despite its flaws, it's still a fun and lively series that offers more than a few heartpounding scares along the way. The last few episodes in particular are the season's best as the mythology overtakes the episodic in a remarkable and organic way, setting up new directions for the series and paying off some of the series' most enduring mysteries in intriguing and personal ways.

Fringe's fantastic actors should be commended: Torv makes a sympathetic and engaging lead; Noble is pitch-perfect as the addled but brilliant Walter; Jackson is roguishly charming. As mentioned before, the supporting actors (all of them wonderful performers) need something more to do than act as exposition dumps or props. The supremely talented Lance Reddick (The Wire) is mostly wasted in his role as Broyles, whose job consists mainly of telling Olivia that the latest phenomenon they're investigating is similar to one they looked at years ago. Likewise, Jasika Nicole needs more to do as Astrid than run errands for Walter and look askew when he forgets her name.

Bonus materials on the seven-disc set, which features a hologram cover, run the gamut from gag reels, docupods, making of videos, audio commentary, and deleted scenes to production diaries from writer/executive producer Roberto Orci, episodic sidebars, and featurettes on the series' genesis, casting, visual effects, and science. And a montage featuring Fringe's unsung hero, Gene the Cow.

Ultimately, Fringe: The Complete First Season is a must-have DVD for fans of the FOX drama series, which kicks off its second season later this month (an advance review of the season opener can be read here), fans of spooky sci-fi, or those looking to explore the things that go bump in the night.



Fringe: The Complete First Season is available today for a suggested retail price of $59.98. Or buy it today in the Televisionary store for just $38.99.

Channel Surfing: Angie Harmon Targets "Chuck," Natalie Morales Tries On "White Collar," Richard Curtis to Pen "Doctor Who" Script, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing, on this the first day back to work after the Labor Day three-day weekend.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Angie Harmon (Women's Murder Club) has been cast as a guest star on NBC's Chuck. She'll appear in the third season's fourth episode--slated to air sometime around late March/early April--where she will play Sydney, a covert agent for the enigmatic organization The Ring who wants to eliminate Captain Awesome (Ryan McPartlin). (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Former Middleman star Natalie Morales has been promoted to a series regular on USA's upcoming crime dramedy White Collar, where she will play Lauren Cruz, described as "a smart junior FBI agent in the white-collar division who holds her own with her superiors and the master thieves she's investigating." Morales was originally meant to guest star in two episodes. Elsewhere at USA, Eric Lively (24: Redemption), Kari Matchett (Heartland), and Eion Bailey (ER) have been cast in USA's drama pilot Covert Affairs, with Lively and Matchett signed on as series regulars and Bailey as recurring. (Hollywood Reporter)

Richard Curtis (best known for Notting Hill, Love Actually, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Blackadder, and Vicar of Dibley) will reportedly write one of the upcoming scripts for Season Five of Doctor Who, which is expected to air next year on BBC One and BBC America. Season Five of the British sci-fi series stars Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor and will be overseen by new head writer/executive producer Steven Moffat. There will be a monster. And a famous historical figure will battle the monster," said Curtis of his script. ""It's tremendously good fun and a treat for my children," Curtis told today's Sun. "These days the things you can watch together as a family are much fewer so when you get something like Doctor Who or The X Factor it is such a pleasure to sit down as a family. I am very interested in time travel for some reason or other. I am writing a film about it but on a low budget with no spectacular special effects. Maybe it's a desire to get out of being old. Sometimes you do just love the idea that you could go back in time and change things." (Guardian)

Desperate Housewives creator Mark Cherry has produced eight 35-second commercials for ABC and Sprint that will offer viewers a glimpse into a "murderous love triangle" starring Rebecca Staab and David Chisum, who who will also appear on Desperate Housewives as "background extras." The ads, which will run over eight weeks during the Desperate timeslot, essentially work as pod-busters, forcing the viewer to stop rewinding and tune in to short-form content that's actually a cleverly disguised advertisement. The first segment will launch during the September 27th season premiere of Desperate Housewives. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

New York Magazine's Adam Sternberg profiles Jonathan Ames, author and creator of the new HBO comedy series Bored to Death. (New York Magazine)

Rami Malek (Night at the Museum), Julian Morris (ER), and Hrach Titizian (24) have been cast in multiple-episode story arcs on Day Eight of FOX's 24. Malek will play Marcos, an Arab-American wannabe suicide bomber; Morris will play a CTU SWAT agent; Titizian will play President Hassan's second-in-command. (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC has given a script order for multi-camera workplace comedy Family Business, about a highly dysfunctional family in the Midwest who attempt to keep their grocery store open after the family is shattered by divorce. Project, from ABC Studios, will be written by Sonny Lee and Patrick Walsh of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and executive produced by Mark Gordon. (Variety)

HBO has pacted with author Richard Russo to write the pilot script for an untitled drama series about the Catskills Gas Rush and its resulting class conflicts in upstate New York. Russo will write the script, based on a 2008 New York Magazine article, executive produce with Mark Johnson and Will Gluck. (Hollywood Reporter)

NBC has confirmed that Michaela Watkins and Casey Wilson will not be returning for the thirty-fifth season of Saturday Night Live, following the hiring of Jenny Slate and Nasim Pedrad, who have joined the cast. The move is surprising as Watkins had received favorable reviews for her many performances. (Variety)

Etienne de Villiers will step down from his post as chairman of BBC Worldwide at the end of the month. He's served in the role since January of 2006. (Variety)

Lifetime has ordered telepic Pregnancy Pact, inspired by a real life situation where seventeen teenage girls allegedly formed a pact to all get pregnant at the same time and did. Script will be written by Pam Davis and Teena Booth, with Frank Von Zerneck and Robert Sertner executive producing. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Out of Office: Televisionary On Vacation

Hi there, faithful readers. As it's Labor Day, I'm taking today off from my normal daily posting schedule to catch up with family (and get some work done).

But rest assured, Televisionary will be back tomorrow (Tuesday) with some fresh content, including an in-depth look at what I'll be watching this fall (organized by night), discussion of this week's episode of Mad Men, my daily Channel Surfing television news roundup, and more.

In the meantime, feel free to catch up on some of my recent and interesting reviews and interviews, which I've linked to below.

Happy Labor Day to those in the US and catch you tomorrow!

Reunions, Rapprochements, and Ridiculous Behavior: An Advance Review of Season Seven of "Curb Your Enthusiasm"

The Shape of Things to Come: An Advance Review of the Season Two Premiere of FOX's "Fringe"

Knife's Edge: Televisionary Talks to "Top Chef: Las Vegas" Contestant Jennifer Carroll

Honor (and Style) Among Thieves: An Advance Review of USA's "White Collar"

Blonde Ambition: Televisionary Talks to Anna Camp of HBO's "True Blood"

Follies of Youth: An Advance Review of Seasons One and Two of "The Inbetweeners"

Fantasy Life: Televisionary Talks to Hart Hanson About "Bones" Season Five

Song's End: Televisionary Talks to "Doctor Who" and "Torchwood" Duo Russell T. Davies and Euros Lyn

The Inevitable and The Inescapable: Televisionary Talks to David Tennant About "Doctor Who" Legacy, Sartorial Choices, and "End of Time"

Beware Visitors Bearing Gifts: In the Press Room with "V" Executive Producers Scott Peters and Jace Hall

Link Tank: TV Blog Coalition Roundup for September 4-6

Televisionary is proud to be a member of the TV Blog Coalition. At the end of each week, we'll feature a roundup of content from our sister sites for your delectation.

This week, I offered an advance review of the first three episodes of Season Seven of HBO's painfully hilarious Curb Your Enthusiasm and the Season Two premiere of FOX's Fringe.

Elsewhere in the sophisticated TV-obsessed section of the blogosphere, members of the TV Blog Coalition were discussing the following items...

• This week, we checked back in with your favorite doctors at Seattle Grace and have a early review of the GREY'S ANATOMY season premiere to share with you (The TV Addict)
• Which reality will Fringe take place in when season two premieres? The TV Fanatic can't wait to find out. (TV Fanatic)
• We got yet another amazing Weeds finale this week. Buzz wonders: of all the seasons, which finale has been your favorite? (BuzzSugar)
• This week, Eric shared some pictures from the season 6 premiere of The Office. (Daemon's TV)
• After absurdly great first season, could Tool Academy 2 possible be as good as the original? In a word: yes. But Scooter was able to conjure up more than 700 more to explain why. (Scooter McGavin’s 9th Green)
• Nigel picked his Top 15. Vance picked his Top 25 dance routines EVER from So You Think You Can Dance . (Tapeworthy)

Reunions, Rapprochements, and Ridiculous Behavior: An Advance Review of Season Seven of "Curb Your Enthusiasm"

There's a lot of anticipation for Season Seven of Larry David's absurdly entertaining Curb Your Enthusiasm, which returns to the HBO lineup on September 20th after a hiatus of nearly two years.

For one, there's a meta plot in there about the reunion of the main castmembers of NBC's Seinfeld, which David co-created with Jerry Seinfeld. Acting as a throughline for the season, the Seinfeld reunion not only allowed David to rope in his former Seinfeld actors for one last time but also serves to fulfill the audience's desire to see the quartet reunite. Sort of, anyway.

Rather than actually write a Seinfeld reunion, David has given us a about him writing a Seinfeld reunion. And this being Larry David, there's a pretty selfish reason behind his desire to give the audience what they want. (Just what that is, you'll have to wait and see.)

I had the opportunity the other day to watch the first three hysterical episodes of Curb's seventh season and was instantly sucked into Larry David's topsy-turvy world as though I had never left. The series is just as sharp as it always was and David has found new targets for his needling humor: impenetrable plastic packaging, the mentally disturbed, nosebleed stadium seats, Lyme disease, and even network executives.

David has excelled at creating metatheatrical plots in the past. Just look at the Seinfeld storyline where Jerry and George pitched a series about nothing to NBC, a plot which uncannily imitated life in fact. Here too, the meta piles up quickly as David decides to meet with NBC about a Seinfeld reunion, ropes in Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards, and then pitches them plotlines... all of which happened to Larry throughout the six season run so far on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Still with me?

The Seinfeld cast doesn't appear on-screen until the season's aptly named third episode ("The Reunion") but there's so much going on in Larry David's life (and inside his curmudgeonly head) that it's almost a relief that there's a bit of delayed gratification going on. It's been so long since we've seen David that I was glad to catch up with the self-absorbed misanthrope before we tackle this overarching plotline.

Season Seven of Curb Your Enthusiasm is set roughly a year since we last saw Larry and his situation hasn't changed all that much. The Black family is still living with him in his palatial Brentwood home and he's still dating the outspoken Loretta (Vivica A. Fox), though things aren't exactly blissful as possible cancer victim Loretta awaits biopsy results. So can we expect to see a kinder, softer side of Larry David then? Hardly. This is, after all, the man who stuffed a doll's head down his pants. Larry David isn't growing up any time soon, rest assured.

The hijinx quickly mount early on. When Bam-Bam (Catherine O'Hara), the sister of Marty Funkhouser (Bob Einstein), is released from a mental hospital, Larry and Jeff (Jeff Garlin) are roped into spending time with the mightily eccentric woman and things quickly descend from bad to worse, culminating in what might just be the worst dinner party of all time at Jeff and Susie's house. O'Hara is perfectly cast as the loopy Bam-Bam and blends in perfectly with the off-kilter atmosphere that the series engenders.

But it's not all new faces. Besides for David and Garlin, Susie Essman returns as Jeff's hilariously foul-mouthed martinet wife Susie, Jeff Lewis turns up as Larry's neurotic friend, and, yes, Cheryl Hines is back as Larry's now ex-wife. In regard to her return to the series, there's an unexpected (and genuine) sweetness and poignancy to the scenes that David shares with Hines. We get the sense that these two were meant to be together in spite of David's obvious and numerous faults. Their tenuous new relationship as exes attempting to reconnect as friends is so deftly and beautifully handled that it's hard not to root for these two to find a way back to one another.

Ultimately, if these first three episodes are any indication, we are in for such a hilarious treat this season on Curb Your Enthusiasm, that the title itself feels vaguely misleading. If anything, we should expect to see our enthusiasm rewarded as Larry David takes us to some soaring heights and the darkest depths of the inner struggle of all humans to do good... at no expense to ourselves.

Season Seven of Curb Your Enthusiasm launches Sunday, September 20th at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

Channel Surfing: Idris Elba Tackles Brit Mystery, ABC Encodes "FlashForward," Vincent Kartheiser Dances Around "Mad Men," and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

The Wire's Idris Elba (last seen on the small screen in a multiple-episode story arc on NBC's The Office) has landed the lead in new BBC One crime thriller Luther, where he will play John Luther, a "near-genius murder detective whose brilliant mind can’t always save him from the dangerous violence of his passions." Series, which has been commissioned for six episodes, is written by Neil Cross (Spooks) and each episode will invert the familiar tropes of crime drama on its head: the murderer will be revealed at the beginning of each episode and the focus will be the dynamic between Luther and his perpetrator, who aren't quite so different from one another. "Luther is a challenging and exciting character because he’s so complex," said Elba. "While he’s capable of great kindness and loyalty, sometimes he steps over the edge of madness – simmering with anger and rage." Luther will air in autumn of 2010 on BBC One. (Broadcast)

Taking a page out of its Lost handbook, ABC is turning to some rather unique marketing opportunities for its upcoming ensemble drama series FlashForward. The network has begun including codes in its most recent print ads for the ABC Studios-produced series. According to Variety's Michael Schneider, "When users hold the black-and-white codes up to a webcam, the picture on their computer screen turns into a 3-D ad for FlashForward, featuring photos from the show. And if clicked, the pics turn into minute-plus clips from the show." Those ads will be placed in niche publications that, er, shall we say cross over with the series' intended audience, such as Wired, Popular Mechanics, and several gaming publications. And if you're not a subscriber to one of those magazines, fret not: you can download the ad here. (Variety)

Vanity Fair has a fantastic interview with Mad Men's Vincent Kartheiser, who plays the petulant Pete Campbell on the AMC period drama series. "I think one of the things Matt [Weiner, the show’s creator] really wanted with Pete was someone who didn’t villainize him from the inside out," Kartheiser tells Vanity Fair's Bruce Handy. "Take the pilot, that scene with Peggy, where Pete’s kind of dressing her down—he really thinks he’s being helpful and actually we had to do that scene quite a few times just to get that tone right for me. It was something that Matt and [director] Alan Taylor kept trying to finesse with me, to get to that point where it is rude but it’s really said from this helpful place. But I’m constantly reminding myself with Pete Campbell that the words kind of do the work for me. I don’t have to add any sort of emphasis to it—it’s there... the characters are written with such humanism. So even though, like you say, Pete comes from this place of being a villain, that’s something Matt carefully writes away from." (Vanity Fair)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan waxes enthusiastically about the fun and loopy charms of HBO's vampire drama series True Blood, which she says isn't "a carefully assembled feast," but rather an "enjoyable jambalaya packed with every thing the chef had close at hand. It's a jam-packed, all-you-can-eat buffet served with a side of crazy." You know you want to sink your teeth into this piece. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

FOX has given a script order to multi-camera comedy Extended Family, about a blue-collar woman who raises foster children. Project, from Sony Pictures Television and Apostle, is written and executive produced by According to Jim's John Beck and Ron Hart. The duo have also sold a pilot script for multi-camera comedy Many Wives of Jon to TV Land; that project is about a young couple whose lives change when the wife's family moves in. (Hollywood Reporter)

Recasting alert! Bella Thorne (My Own Worst Enemy) will replace Jolean Wejbe on HBO's Big Love, where she will recur as Tancy (a.k.a. Teeny) Henrickson. Thorne was originally cast as Christie, the anger-prone daughter of Barb's sister Cindy (Judith Hoag). It's not immediately clear whether that part has been scrapped or will be recast as well. (Hollywood Reporter)

BBC Two has ordered two spin-off series from its culinary competition series The Restaurant, which airs Stateside under the title Last Restaurant Standing. The first, Plate Expectations, will follow Season Two contestants James Knight-Pacheco and Alasdair Hooper as they launch their own catering company. The second, Step By Step, will show Raymond Blanc demonstrating his own recipes. Both are set to launch on the UK channel in October to coincide with the launch of the third season of The Restaurant. (Broadcast)

Food Network has renewed daytime cooking series Ten Dollar Dinners, which features The Next Food Network Star's fifth season winner Melissa d'Arabian, for a second season. The series will tape thirteen additional episodes in December and the network will launch the series' second season in early 2010. (via press release)

Documentary shingle Ten Alps, owned by Bob Geldolf, has signed a three-year distribution deal with BBC Worldwide. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Simon Says: First Look at Dominic Monaghan on "FlashForward"

There's been an aura of mystery surrounding Dominic Monaghan's role in ABC's ensemble drama series FlashForward, which kicks off later this month.

Monaghan (Lost), of course, doesn't appear in the pilot episode of FlashForward so it's been rather tricky to glean intel about just what role his character, Simon, will play in the grand scheme of things within the world of the series.

But a newly released clip would seem to indicate that Simon is somehow connected to Jack Davenport's Lloyd Simcoe. In fact, Simon even goes so far as to refer to Lloyd as his partner. Hmmm...

But don't take my word for it. The brief clip from FlashForward featuring Dominic Monaghan, Jack Davenport, and Joseph Fiennes (Brits unite!) can be seen below.



FlashForward launches Thursday, September 24th at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC.

Stars, Stripes, and Pasta Salad: Separating the Wheat from the Chaff on "Top Chef"

The opening episodes of each season of Top Chef are notable for the fact that there are typically a few stand-out contenders right from the start (to wit: Jennifer Carroll, whom I interview here) and there are some, er, less than likely winners in the bunch. The first few challenges then seem clearly designed to cull some of the chefs who are wilting under the mounting pressure.

This week's episode of Top Chef: Las Vegas ("Thunderbirds") seemed planned to do just that, with several chefs stumbling over some rather large speed bumps: they'd be cooking as a single team for roughly 300 airmen and their families on an Air Force Base. But the kicker was that they didn't know what their ingredients would be in advance, nor the fact that there were not pots or burners in the military kitchen.

So who soared like an eagle and who landed with a deafening thud? Let's discuss.

There are several chefs who seem destined to bow out of this competition pretty quickly unless they can step up their game and fast. I'm still not sure how Preeti, Jessie, Laurine, and Ron have made it this far as the judges seem particularly displeased with what's being presented to them on a weekly basis so far. The Quickfire Challenge, this week judged by Campanile's Mark Peel, tested how well the chefs thought outside of the box when confronted with one of the most basic ingredients: potatoes. They had 45 minutes and choice of just about every type of potato on the planet (or, well, dozens of them anyway) to create a potato-based dish that wowed Peel.

Proving why she's the current front-runner to win this competition, Jennifer offered a dish of steamed mussels with Yukon Gold and blue potatoes and a lemongrass-potato sauce which she poured from a small accompanying pitcher. It was a gorgeous and focused dish that spoke volumes about her creative temperament, her vision, and her ability to squeeze complexity out of some seemingly innocuous flavor profiles. (And you have to admire the tenacity of a chef who uses duck fat, butter, and creme fraiche in her sauce.) A stunning dish that once again makes everyone in the competition take notice of Jennifer, especially the obnoxiously arrogant Mike I., whose skills so far have yet to match his ego.

I also thought that Ashley did a superb job with the Quickfire, creating potato gnocchi with hen of the woods mushrooms and homemade ricotta, no small feat considering the brevity of the challenge time. That Ashley pulled it off--even with Preeti blanching her vegetables in the water reserved to cook her gnocchi--was very impressive. The judges were also quite impressed with Ash's sweet potato custard with toasted pecans, which was especially amusing as he intended it to be ice cream but ran out of time during the freezing process. (Lemonade from lemons, Ash.)

I'd also give high marks to the brothers Voltaggio once again. Bryan turned out a gorgeous sunchoke and Yukon Gold vichyssoise with applewood smoked salmon caviar while Michael offered up an inventive dish of confit tuna and potato sandwich, a well-balanced dish that once again reimagined something pedestrian as something wildly creative and unexpected.

Moving onto the Elimination Challenge, then. I can't say that I was surprised that Mike I. would put Jennifer up for the role of executive chef given her Quickfire win (and subsequent immunity) as I really do believe he was thinking less about her safety from elimination and more about the fact that she could look a right fool in front of the judges if things went pear-shaped on the day. The sheer jealousy that Mike I. seems to have towards Jennifer (in just three episodes there have been no end of misogynistic comments directed at, toward, or about her from Mike) is palpable and I think he was making a calculated move to try and knock her down a peg or three. But Jennifer, who after all is a chef de cuisine in her real life, rose to the challenge and kept the team on time and under control, deftly managing the troops beneath her with the skill of a martinet.

So how did the chefs do working under some rather undesirable conditions? Pretty well overall. There were several standout dishes that wowed both the judges and the military personnel. Several chefs thought about comfort food and elevated it to a new level, resulting in some surprising combinations, flavors, and techniques that displayed their culinary skills and their ability to execute complex dishes in some pretty adverse situations.

It was no surprise that Michael V.'s braised "pork belly" with soy mustard and peanuts was a favorite and Michael walked away the winner. That he managed to pull this off using slab bacon was staggering, a true marvel of creativity and ingenuity that used what was on offer and transformed it into something beautiful and complex. The sweet spiciness of the pork belly was nicely contrasted with the crispness of the romaine heart which he used as a sort of taco shell-like conveyance. Well done. Also earning raves were Eli and Kevin's Georgia-style braised pork shoulder and potato salad, two dishes that spoke a great deal about their partnership on this challenge and their roots. It offered familiar flavors but took them to a different level, never losing sight that this was a culinary competition to both feed the troops and impress the judges. (More on that in a bit.)

I do wish that the judges had singled out Mattin and Bryan for praise; their roasted beef strip loin with mushroom demi-glace and cauliflower gratin was rather impressive given the lack of burners or pots. That they pulled off perfectly cooked beef and bechamel sauce like that should have earned them a spot at the top, which instead went to Mike I. Or did it?

In one of the very best Top Chef twists to date, Mike I. was booted from his spot at the top of the pack when the judges learned that he had absolutely nothing to do with the winning dish, which was strictly the work of Michael Voltaggio. Mike I. put his foot right in it when he described how he and Michael went their separate ways on this challenge, with Michael preparing the pork belly while he worked on his own dish, the ghastly Greek salad with cucumbers, chickpeas, olives and olive oil-poached shrimp. Underseasoned, unbalanced, and undercooked, the dish was universally reviled by the judges. The look on Gail's face when she realized that Mike had solely been responsible for this travesty made me realize that something was afoot. And I'm glad that they put Mike in his place. He's been beyond cocky throughout these three episodes but his dishes have left a lot to be desired. And he couldn't stand behind his dish at all. It was a "throwaway" dish, a salad that was there because there wasn't another one, that he seemed to throw together without much care. Poorly done, really.

But it was Laurine and Preeti who earned the judges' harshest reprobation. I personally found it staggering why the two of them would choose to make pasta salad for this challenge. Did they have a ton of ingredients to work with? Hell no, but neither did the other chefs and they still turned out fantastic and flavorful food. But to make a farfalle pasta salad with roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, broccoli, red onion, and red wine vinaigrette was just foolhardy, especially as they had FOUR HOURS of cooking time. Laurine got under my skin last week when she made a comment about the men's team's food being "contrived" while the women's team were offering food that was "more familiar." Those sentiments were echoed again this week as Laurine once again said that she wanted to make something "familiar" for the diners. There's a huge difference between something that's familiar but elevated or reinvented or something that's just woefully average. "Familiar" doesn't mean better, it just means familiar.

The pasta salad that they prepared was a dish that anyone in that hanger could have made in a half an hour. It showed no skill, no foresight, no sense that the judges would skin them alive for daring to do something so boring and bland. That Preeti was so delusional about the weakness and laziness of the dish was shocking; that Laurine claimed to have forgotten she was even in a competition was blatantly stupid. This is a culinary challenge; you have to feed the diners but even more than pleasing them is pleasing the judges who, unlike the diners, stick with you week after week.

Did they really think that airmen either returning from war or about to be deployed wanted to sit and eat pasta salad? And that to say it was a "vegetarian offering" was a cop-out of the lowest level that showed zero creativity or innovation? That Preeti would then have the temerity to compare their dish to Jesse and Ron's New England clam chowder was mind-blowing to me; I'm glad Tom threw it right back in her face.

If it were up to me, all three of them would have packed their knives. I've yet to be impressed with any of the bottom three this week but Preeti's delusions rankled me in a way that no one else has so far. There was such a disconnect between her perceptions and reality that it was shocking to see her rationalizations in the face of the judges' criticism. If only one had to go home, I'm glad it was her. She's overstayed her welcome and I think the competition will be the better for her absence.

What did you think of this week's episode? Do you agree with the judges' decision to send Preeti packing? Or would you have sent home one of the other two candidates for elimination? Discuss.

Next week on another super-sized edition of Top Chef: Las Vegas ("Vivre Las Vegas"), the remaining cheftestants are paired up and tasked with creating classical French dishes for such culinary masters as Joel Robuchon, Daniel Boulud, Hubert Keller, and Jean Joho. But first: a Quickfire Challenge featuring escargot.

Top Chef: Las Vegas Sneek Peak -- Gotta Be Really Effin' Hungry:



Top Chef: Las Vegas Sneek Peak -- Joel Robuchon in the Flesh: