Point of Impact: "Collision" Fails to Hit Its Mark on PBS' "Masterpiece Contemporary"

Not every single British limited series can hit it out of the park, unfortunately.

Following closely on the heels of the superlative and gripping thriller Place of Execution, the ambitious Collision--which launches Sunday evening as part of PBS' Masterpiece Contemporary strand and is currently airing across the week in the UK on ITV1--doesn't reach the dizzying heights or emotional sucker punch of Place of Execution.

Written by Anthony Horowitz and Michael A. Walker, the five-part Collision (which will air in two installments in the States) circles the aftermath of a fatal highway road accident, which leaves several parties dead or injured but which manages to derail the lives of everyone even tangentially involved, from the police detective investigating the cause of the crash to a Happy Chef waitress whose workplace was just down the road from the site of the fatal accident.

As its narrative unfolds in a series of shifting perspectives, Collision seeks to bring to life each of the characters who were on the scene the day of the accident, flashing backwards to reveal just what they were doing before the fateful crash that unexpectedly intertwined their lives. It's an ambitious conceit but one that the writers aren't quite able to bring to fruition, unfortunately.

Not helping matters is that we really don't get a sense of each of these people despite spending five hours with them reliving the crash and the moral and ethical boundaries they opt to cross both before and after the accident. While the plot meanders between household tragedy to corporate espionage, the characters remain rather one-dimensional and it's difficult to care much for any of them. The series seeks to peel back the layers of these characters and give us some hidden depth as well as shocking twists but several of these can be seen a mile down the road. (In particular, one such twist will come as no surprise to anyone who watched The Wire.)

Anchoring the piece is Douglas Henshall (Primeval), who plays Detective Inspector John Tolin, who is himself recovering from a personal tragedy nine months earlier which should make him the absolute wrong person to be investigating a series of collision fatalities. His dogged persistence to get to the bottom of the crash, as well as uncovering a host of other non-related mysteries related to the victims, is meant to be Collision's throughline but it gets muddled in a storyline about forgiveness, both personal and otherwise, as well as romantic subplot with traffic cop Ann Stallwood (Kate Ashfield).

As the investigation gets underway, it kicks up a number of crimes and misdemeanors along the way and ensnares dozens of characters, some of whom are played by such notables as Dean Lennox Kelly, David Bamber, Lenoard Crichlow, Lucy Griffiths, Clair Rushbrook, Paul McGann, Phil Davis, and many, many others. Some of these plots lead somewhere bleak, while others seem to cul-de-sac along the way.

While I applaud the filmmaker's ambition and drive to tell a story this large and complex, Collision doesn't seem to quite add up to the sum of its parts, leading to an overall feeling of vertigo, ennui, and, if I'm being honest, a bit of road rage as well.

Collision airs its first part Sunday night at 9 pm ET/PT as part of PBS' Masterpiece Contemporary. Check your local listings for details.

Channel Surfing: Minnie Driver to "Modern Family," Jeffrey Tambor Opposite David Tennant in "Rex," ABC Circling "Charlie's Angels," and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Minnie Driver (The Riches) has landed a plum guest role on ABC comedy Modern Family, where she will play "a friend and former co-worker of Claire’s (Julie Bowen). The two reconnect after years of being out of touch and things are not exactly how they remembered." Driver's episode is slated to air in January. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development) will star opposite David Tennant in NBC's legal dramedy Rex is Not Your Lawyer, where he will play the psychiatrist of the panic attack-prone titular lawyer (Tennant) who is described as "a specialist in anxiety disorders who himself suffers from them and who also becomes romantically involved with Rex's mother." David Semel will direct the pilot, written by Andrew Leeds and David Lampson. (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC is said to be close to handing out a pilot order to a contemporary remake of Charlie's Angels, with Josh Friedman (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) attached to write and executive produce the new project, which hails from Sony Pictures Television. Also attached to executive produce: Leonard Goldberg, Drew Barrymore, and Nancy Juvonen. (Variety)

Syfy has quietly cut back the episodic order of Battlestar Galactica prequel series Caprica by one episode, bringing the total to 19 installments. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

ABC has given a script order to a comedy pilot based on Howard J. Morris and Jenny Lee's book "Women Are Crazy, Men Are Stupid," which will focus on a couple with the failed marriage behind them who are looking to make it work the second time around. Morris and Lee will adapt their own book, with Morris and Elliot Webb attached as executive producers. (Variety)

Maggie Friedman, the executive producer of the newly cancelled supernatural drama Eastwick, has clarified remarks that she made to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello about being "furious" about the axe falling on her series. "The other day, when we were discussing the cancellation of Eastwick, I misspoke in the worst possible way," wrote Friedman. "The word 'furious' was poorly chosen by me. You had said to me that 'the fans are understandably furious' and so I agreed that I was too, but the truth is, I’m not. I see that word now in print attributed to me and it’s very painful, because it seems to imply I am angry with ABC and nothing could be further from the truth. They treated me really well. I am not the least bit furious, with anyone. That’s simply not the kind of person I am. Yes, I’m sad about the show being cancelled, because it was creatively fulfilling and tons of fun to make and an amazing group of people, but I’m not angry." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

SPOILER! E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos and Megan Masters are reporting that there's going to be a rather revealing love scene between outbound Melrose Place stars Colin Egglesfield and Ashlee Simpson-Wentz coming on the nighttime soap before the duo depart the series. "Things get pretty violent and kind of crazy," Egglesfield told E! Online. "Auggie ends up hitting the bottle and falls off the deep end a little bit." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

The CW is developing medical drama series HMS, about a group of promising medical students at Harvard Medical School which is being described as a younger Grey's Anatomy. Project, from Warner Bros. Television is written and executive produced by Amy Holden Jones (Mystic Pizza) and co-executive produced by Heroes star Hayden Panettiere. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Casino Royale: Breakfast in Bed on "Top Chef"

I have to give the producers of Bravo's addictive culinary competition series Top Chef some major credit: they know how to apply just the right pressure on the contestants to have some of them take risks and succeed while others crack under the strain.

This week's episode of Top Chef: Las Vegas ("Strip Around the World") was no exception and, at this point in the competition, I would expect nothing less from the reality series' challenge organizers than some seriously arduous challenges that put these chefs through their paces. After all, the point of a reality competition isn't to create an easy environment for success but to force contestants to succeed beautifully in spite of the many obstacles being thrown at them.

This week found the chefs preparing breakfast in bed for Padma and the always lovely Nigella Lawson... and they would have to do so under a tight deadline and in a remarkably cramped kitchen that only allowed two of them to cook at a time. Later, they had to use specific casinos as inspirations for a dish served to 175 people at a party. These were some pretty damn tough challenges, I have to say, and some of them came through with flying colors while others... Well, let's just say that they didn't quite hit the jackpot.

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

No discussion of this week's episode can start without me saying how incredibly, profusely, and ecstatically happy I am that Robin was sent packing this week. Every now and then there is a contestant who is so woefully underqualified to compete with the rest of the pack but who, through sheer luck or just not being quite as bad as someone else that week, manages to stick around way past their sell-by date. This season that was Robin.

I have nothing against Robin personally though her on-screen persona left a lot to be desired; she came across as an abrasively verbose person who couldn't articulate her concepts or follow through on their execution and she managed to rub just about every single person the wrong way during her stay in the competition.

I've been outspoken about my distaste for certain contestants but never has a Top Chef participant proven him- or herself so unworthy of being there as Robin. She should have been eliminated any number of times but managed to make it to the Final Six. Yes, the Final Six. I honestly think that if she had managed to squeeze past elimination again this week (which would have resulted in either Jennifer or Eli going home), I would have followed through on an earlier threat and thrown my television out of the window.

But I am getting ahead of myself with respect to this episode, which had the chefs creating a take on breakfast in bed for Padma and Nigella Lawson, who arrived in Vegas jetlagged after a flight from London. In matching robes and nestled under the blankets in two double beds at the Venetian, Padma and Nigella were looking for something inventive, restorative, and delicious. Did the chefs deliver?

Let's take a look at what they made:

• Bryan: four-minute egg with vanilla beurre fondue, crab, asparagus, and soft corn polenta
• Eli: fried egg reuben benedict with thousand island hollandaise sauce
• Jennifer: "S.O.S." creamed chipped beef with toast and potatoes
• Kevin: steak and soft-scrambled eggs with creme fraiche, aged cheddar, and green onions
• Michael: huevos Cubana with banana puree, rice, bacon, and arugula salad
• Robin: blintz with goat cheese, caramelized pineapple and blueberries

I think Bryan would have probably won this challenge... if he hadn't sabotaged himself with that vanilla beurre fondue; I have to admit that I would have been put off that as well, given that it was juxtaposed with the savory crab. I thought that Eli and Kevin both pulled off superlative dishes here with both of them offering a new take on American classics. Ultimately, Nigella awarded Eli the win for his inventive take on a reuben, translated for breakfast.

A brief aside: I'm extremely worried about Jennifer. Her performance this week once again followed her late trend and she once again managed to sink to the bottom of the pack after performing so strongly in the first half of the competition. I don't know if it's nerves, exhaustion, or stress but I haven't been impressed by any of her dishes these last few weeks and I find that utterly heartbreaking. I keep hoping that she'll turn it around the following week but she's consistently now performed rather poorly the last three or so installments. If she has any reserves of energy, inspiration, and strength, I'm hoping she can tap into them ASAP.

Sigh.

For their elimination challenge, the chefs were assigned a specific casino on the Vegas Strip and told to explore their location for an inspiration for a dish they would have to prepare for 175 hungry diners at a rooftop party at the World Market Center. Interestingly, this was the first time I believe that we didn't see the chefs head to Whole Foods to pick out produce and protein for their dishes, instead cutting straight to them at the Top Chef kitchen beginning their prepwork. Odd, that.

Some of the chefs took to the task and created dazzling sophisticated and intriguing dishes while others weren't quite able to get a handle on what was being asked of them. And there was a lot going on after all: preparing 175 dishes and serving them is no small feat into itself, much less when said dish has to be inspired by a casino's motifs, mood, and theme.

Thus, the six remaining chefs offered up the following dishes:

• Bryan (Mandalay Bay): escabeche of halibut with bouillabaisse consomme, parsley coulis, and garlic chips
• Eli (Circus Circus): caramel apple peanut soup with popcorn raspberry froth
• Jennifer (Excalibur): New York strip steak with red wine reduction, beets, truffles, and herbs
• Kevin (Mirage): sugar-and-salt-cured wild Alaskan sockeye salmon with compressed napa cabbage and cucumber and tomato water
• Michael (New York, New York): boneless chicken wing confit with curry and blue cheese disc
• Robin (Bellagio): panna cotta

It was no surprise that Kevin and the Voltaggio brothers ended up placing in the top half. Each of their dishes was a masterpiece of concept and execution, thoughtful, playful, and sublime. I selected Kevin as one of my two players to watch in the very first round of this season and I'm glad I did; his dishes are refined without being ascetic, comforting without being messy. (Despite what disparaging comments the seemingly jealous Michael would make about them.) Likewise, Bryan seems to excel at the elimination challenges while never quite being able to pull off successful performances in the Quickfires; here his dish is controlled and elegant but also exuberant and self-assured. I'm not quite sure what the hell judge Toby Young was trying to say about Michael's food (was it just me or did he call his dishes "effeminate"?) but the judges did award Michael the top prize this round for his deconstructed take on Buffalo wings, done in true Michael Voltaggio style. Well done.

As for the three chefs landing in the bottom, that wasn't a surprise either. Eli's dish was a mess in terms of concept and execution and he didn't do himself any favors by adding caramelized white chocolate to the soup, which only served to make even MORE grainy than it already was. I don't disagree with Nigella who said that she was terrified to take a bite as it sounded absolutely revolting. Additionally, Eli seemed to not quite get a bead on any inspiration from Circus Circus in the first place; rather than throw together traditional circus fare, this was his opportunity to create something spectacular and raucous. But, alas... Jennifer didn't fare any better with the Excalibur; granted, medieval cuisine is a specialty than few can pull off these days but she did miss a trick by not using spices like mace to create an ornate and astounding carnivorous dish.

And then there was Robin... While the other chefs attempted to use innovative techniques and high-end ingredients, Robin created... a panna cotta. A rubbery one at that which used far too much gelatin and rendered itself about as sumptuous as a hockey puck. Even if she had been able to pull off the stained glass-effect sugar glass (and that was a rather huge IF), it wouldn't have elevated the dish at all.

Ultimately, it was well past due that Robin should be the one to pack her knives and go and I'm glad that the judges finally saw fit to cull her from the pack. Only five chefs remain going into the final elimination challenge. Which four will make it to the finals and who will be the next to get cut? Discuss.

Next week on Top Chef ("Culinary Olympics"), the five remaining chefs participate in an elite cooking competition established by notable French chef Paul Bocuse and are tasked with creating a ballotine in an extreme tight time frame; Thomas Keller of French Laundry and Bouchon stops by as this week's guest judge.

Channel Surfing: FOX Sends "Dollhouse" to the Attic, ABC Axes "Hank," Syfy Blasts into "Outer Space," and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

It's official: FOX has canceled Joss Whedon's metaphysical drama series Dollhouse. The series, which is currently in production on this season's eleventh episode, will finish production and the network is currently expected to air all thirteen installments of the low-rated Friday night drama beginning December 4th. Whedon himself posted on Whedonesque about the cancellation news (which didn't come as a surprise to anyone tracking the ratings) and said, ""I don't have a lot to say. I'm extremely proud of the people I've worked with: my star, my staff, my cast, my crew. I feel the show is getting better pretty much every week, and I think you'll agree in the coming months. I'm grateful that we got to put it on, and then come back and put it on again. I'm off to pursue internet ventures/binge drinking," he wrote. "Possibly that relaxation thing I've read so much about. By the time the last episode airs, you'll know what my next project is. But for now there's a lot of work still to be done, and disappointment to bear. Thank you all for your support, your patience, your excellent adverts. See you again." (Hollywood Reporter, Whedonesque)

ABC has canceled struggling Kelsey Grammer comedy series Hank and has yanked it off of the schedule, effective immediately. The network will instead use the Wednesdays at 8 pm timeslot to air a mix of comedy specials and holiday specials. There are five unaired episodes of the Warner Bros. Television-produced Hank on the shelves and it's not clear whether any of these installments will air. News comes after the network opted not to pick up supernatural drama Eastwick for its back nine, while the rest of ABC's Wednesday lineup--Modern Family, The Middle, and Cougar Town--have all been picked up for full seasons. (Variety)

Syfy has ordered five half-hour episodes of hybrid animated comedy Outer Space Astronauts. Series, from executive producers Russell Barret, David O. Russell, and Scott Puckett, will follow "eight military misfits who journey to the far reaches of the galaxy on board the O.S.S. Oklahoma" in a style that will blend both live-action as well as 2D and 3D animation techniques. It's slated to launch on December 8th. "Syfy fans have never seen animation quite like this before," Syfy EVP of original content Mark Stern told the Hollywood Reporter. "Out of the basement and mind of show creator, Russell Barrett, he's delivered a funny and fresh take on the future of underground and homegrown animation today." (Hollywood Reporter)

Martha Plimpton, Lucas Neff, and Olesya Rulin have been cast in FOX single-camera comedy pilot Keep Hope Alive, from writer/executive producer Greg Garcia. Project, from 20th Century Fox Television, follows Jimmy, a 25-year-old man (Neff) who is forced to raise his infant child with the help of his quirky family after the mother, with whom he had a one-night stand, ends up on death row. Plimpton will play Jimmy's no-nonsense mother. Michael Fresco is attached to direct. (Hollywood Reporter)

Author Ray Bradbury has signed a deal with indie producers White Oak Films to develop The Bradbury Chronicles, a six-hour miniseries based on six of his short stories. No network is currently attached to the project, which will be executive produced by Bradbury, John Dayton, Merrill Capps, Todd Klick, Cory Travalena, and Dale Olson, with Bradbury himself adapting his own work. (Variety)

Scott Cohen (Gilmore Girls) and Stephanie Childers (Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip) have been cast in ABC Family's untitled Michael Jacobs single-camera comedy pilot, where Cohen will play an unemployed architect who "begins to mentor his underdog middle daughter, while his veterinarian wife (Childers) shares a closer bond with their Type-A older daughter." Elsewhere at ABC Family, Troian Bellisario and Ian Harding will star opposite Lucy Hale in drama pilot Pretty Little Liars. (Hollywood Reporter)

FOX has given a series order to Mark Burnett-produced game show Our Little Genius, in which child geniuses, ranging from six to twelve years old, are given the chance to put their knowledge to the test and earn cash prizes. "In television, we often showcase kids who are incredible singers, actors or dancers, so it's high time we give the spotlight to kids with incredible brains," said Mike Darnell, President of Alternative Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company, in a statement. "The kids on this show are ridiculously smart, and with its unique appeal to both parents and children alike, I think Our Little Genius is one of Mark Burnett's most compelling creations yet." (via press release)

Warner Bros. Television has signed a new three-year overall deal with Old Christine creator Kari Lizer, under which she will develop projects for the studio as well as remain on board Old Christine as executive producer, should the series be picked up by CBS for a sixth season. (Hollywood Reporter)

NBC has confirmed its plans for its musical competition series The Sing-Off and will strip the series across a single week beginning Monday, December 14th. Series, from Tenth Planet Prods., Outlaw Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Television, will launch with a two-hour installment and air double-length episodes on Tuesday, December 15th and Wednesday, December 16th before wrapping up with a two-hour finale on Monday, December 21st. It will take a breather on Thursday, December 17th, when NBC airs a two-hour primetime Saturday Night Live Christmas special. (Variety)

BBC Two has acquired UK rights to Showtime's dark comedy series Nurse Jackie, which it plans to launch early next year. (Variety)

Elsewhere at the British terrestrial network, Mad Men's Vincent Kartheiser will star opposite Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz), Emma Pierson (Little Dorrit), and Jerry Hall (Calendar Girls) in a BBC Two adaptation of Martin Amis' novel Money, a "comedic tale of excess, greed and flawed ambition set at the beginnings of Eighties capitalism." Production begins this month on the two one-hour installments, written by Tom Butterworth and Chris Hurford and directed by Jeremy Lovering. (BBC)

Broadcast's Robin Parker takes a look at the new production models emerging as American and British comedy writers join forces, with several Atlantic-crossing series such as David Cross' The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret and Matt LeBlanc-led Episodes becoming a reality. (Broadcast)

CurrentTV pinkslipped 80 full-time staffers yesterday in the company's Los Angeles, London, New York, and San Francisco offices as the cabler moves from a shortform content strand to a more traditional television network model, with its schedule likely to be filled mostly by acquisitions. (Hollywood Reporter)

TruTV has ordered reality series NFL Full Contact, which will offers viewers a behind-the-scenes-look into the inner workings of the football league and focus on key personalities within the sport. Series, from executive producers Steve Sabol and Anthony Horn, will launch on February 8th. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Tripping the Rift: "Torchwood" Season Four In the Works

Good news for fans of Doctor Who spinoff Torchwood! (I count myself among their oh-so devoted number.)

TV Guide Magazine is reporting that development of the series' fourth season may begin as early as January, according to a report by TV Guide's Ileane Rudolf, who speaks with Torchwood creator Russell T. Davies.

“The recession has hit British television, but fingers crossed, it will be a go," Davies told Rudolph. "We expect things to start to move in January. We’ve got great ideas for the show. I think there’s a further lease on life for many years to come, but certainly for a [fourth season]."

Fans should also rest assured that John Barrowman's Captain Jack Harkness will be back for a fourth go-around, even if no airdate or episode count have been reported.

Los Angeles Times: "V: Upsetting the Apple Cart"

Looking to discuss last night's episode of ABC's alien invasion drama V? Head over to the Los Angeles Times/Show Tracker site to read my take on the series' second episode ("There Is No Normal Anymore") in a piece entitled "V: Upsetting the Apple Cart."

Lots to discuss including some very intention shout-outs to creator Scott Peters' last series, The 4400, new reveals involving several of the characters, and a rather interesting ending, to boot.

Did you enjoy the second episode? Was it as good as the pilot? Are you sticking around for the ride? Or waiting to watch the first four episodes after the Olympics (when V returns with new episodes)? Head to the comments section to discuss.

Next week on V ("A Bright New Day"), Chad reports from the Peace Ambassador Center as 100 diplomatic visas are being issued to the first wave of American Visitors, with Anna getting the first, but not everyone agrees with the decision; Erica tracks a death threat while paired with a V officer; Ryan begins reaching out to his old friends to build up opposition forces and help fight off the Visitor invasion.

Channel Surfing: Robert Patrick Targets "Chuck," Love "Pentagon" for "Glee," "Lost" Finds Former "L.A. Law" Star, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing. Given that it's Veteran's Day, there are but a few headlines to get through this morning.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Robert Patrick (The Unit) has been cast in an upcoming episode of NBC's Chuck, where he will play Col. Keller, described as "a mysterious figure from Casey's past." He's slated to appear about halfway through the series' third season in a Casey-centric episode entitled "Chuck Versus the Tic Tac." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams talks to Glee star Chris Colfer about tonight's episode of Glee ("Wheels") and the romantic permutations coming up on the FOX musical dramedy series. "It's very incestual," Colfer told Abrams about the glee club's romantic entanglements. "There's love triangles right now, but there's soon to be love pentagons and hexagons. I get added on to the [Puck-Quinn-Finn-Rachel] quadrangle. We go full force: When Kurt fell in love with Finn [Cory Monteith], why he's in love and what he plans on doing. There's a flashback and it's pretty funny." (TVGuide.com)

Former L.A. Law star Shiela Kelley has been cast in the sixth and final season of ABC's Lost, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. Kelley is set to recur as Kendall, described as "an intellectual beauty with a sharp edge to her wit who is caught committing corporate espionage and has to lie her way out." Hmmm... (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Jennifer Morrison confirmed her departure from FOX's House on an episode of the syndicated talk show The Bonnie Hunt Show, which is slated to air today. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Winona Ryder and Barry Pepper have been cast in CBS' latest Hallmark Hall of Fame telepic When Love is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story, which is slated to air later this season. Ryder will play Lois Wilson, the wife of alcoholic Bill Wilson, one of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, who went on to co-found Al-Anon. Project, produced by E1 Entertainment, is written by Camille Thomasson and William Borchert (based on the latter's book) and directed by John Kent Harrison. (Variety)

Bravo has ordered a sixth episode of unscripted series Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List. The ten-episode season, in which "Kathy will continue traipsing around the globe with Team Griffin, her mother, a box of wine and maybe even Levi Johnston," will begin production in January. (People)

Food Network has ordered five episodes of reality competition series Worst Cooks in America, in which two teams of would-be chefs prepare a meal for a group of food critics, with one contestant going home each week. Series, hosted by Anne Burrell and Beau MacMillan, will launch on January 3rd. (Variety)

Mitch Ryan (HBO's The Pacific) has been cast in a recurring role on the CW's One Tree Hill, where he will play Alexander, "a handsome pro surfer-turned-young mogul." (Hollywood Reporter)

FearNet has commissioned a series of five-minute webisodes entitled Post Mortem with Mick Garris as the multihypenate sits down with horror writers, directors, and actors. Series will be available online, on demand, and on mobile platforms beginning in December. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

The Daily Beast: "Mad Men, Laid Bare"

Curious to hear what the creator of Mad Men has to say about Sunday night's season finale? You're in the right place.

I was extremely lucky to have the opportunity to conduct an exclusive interview with Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner about the third season finale of the AMC period drama and take a look at the third season as a whole.

You can read my extremely illuminating interview with Matt Weiner, entitled "Mad Men, Laid Bare," over at The Daily Beast, where he discusses the end of the Drapers’ marriage and Sterling Cooper, new beginnings for Don and Betty, the Kennedy assassination, and real-life figure Conrad Hilton, among other topics.

(There was a lot of fascinating information that unfortunately didn't make it into the final Q&A due to length, so apologies if some topics of interest didn't get touched upon.)

Let me know what you think and head over to the comments section to discuss.

Spoil-Sport: Why Talking About an Episode That's Already Aired Isn't a "Spoiler"

I'm personally against spoilers.

I can't stand them and I think they detract from the audience's appreciation of the care and effort that series' writers take to deploy the plots that they have carefully developed. I don't read the end of mystery novels for the same reason. I don't want to know whodunit before the killer has even struck. The journey is what interests me most more than the ultimate destination. I want to see how characters develop, how they change and grow, how the plot twists and turns.

In other words: I want to be surprised.

That said, a comment I received on a story (elsewhere, not on Televisionary) rankled me this morning. The reader took umbrage at the fact that I didn't include a "spoiler warning" at the start of an interview for an episode that had already aired.

Here's where my views depart from the devout spoiler-phobe. I firmly believe that, once an episode has aired across the country, all bets are off. It's a free-for-all, as far as I am concerned. Writers, critics, bloggers, whoever, should be free to discuss the episode's intricacies and plot developments with abandon. There's no need to label a post, an interview, or anything as a "spoiler" because it's not spoiling anything.

The details about the latest episode's plots, reality series eliminations, character deaths, etc. are out there in the public consciousness. Consider them public domain, if you will. And the onus to avoid them isn't on the part of the writer but on the reader.

If by some bizarre occurrence (say, I was trapped on a Martian base being chased by a water-based homicidal creature), I was to miss an episode of Doctor Who or Lost, I would firmly expect to have plot points revealed in every single piece written about Doctor Who or Lost the following day.

The burden, therefore, is on me to avoid all sites, forums, blogs, and print publications that might make mention of plot developments of which I am unaware. Likewise, BBC One will air Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars a month before BBC America does here in the States. If I want to avoid knowing just what happens, I'm going to avoid visiting any British publications and websites for several days after the special airs. I wouldn't expect those journalists to label their stories with a "spoiler" warning and I don't believe that they should.

The person in question who said that I should have labeled my story with a spoiler warning was seven episodes behind on the series in question. Now, that's not my fault. That's a choice that the reader in question made on their own. Perhaps they're catching up, perhaps they fell behind. But the day after a season finale airs, you can bet that the elements of that episode that are going to get discussed will be placed prominently and in full view of everyone.

I'd hate to think that I'd derailed anyone's enjoyment of a television series but I also think we need to revisit our definition of "spoilers" and understand that in an age of DVRs and internet viewing, it's up to the viewers and readers to be canny and aware and not reporters or critics to police themselves from inadvertently upsetting the few who might not be up to date.

What do you think? What's your take on spoilers and episode-specific reporting/criticism/interviews? Do you think journalists need to tread more lightly? Or it is up to viewers to choose their steps more carefully? Discuss.

TV on DVD: "Black Adder Remastered: The Ultimate Edition" and "Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Remastered"

Just a few quick words on two Britcom TV on DVD releases today that brought a smile to this jaded writer's face.

BBC Video today releases new editions of British comedy classics Blackadder and Fawlty Towers, both in deluxe remastered versions that not only include all episodes produced but a healthy dose of extras and bonus features. (Just don't mention the war.)

It's a testament to the creative forces behind both Black Adder and Fawlty Towers that both series have stood up extremely well, even after all of these years; both series remain as sharp, incisive, and hilarious as they were when they aired.

The sumptuous six-disc Black Adder Remastered: The Ultimate Edition contains all four seasons of BBC's Black Adder as well as Blackadder's Christmas Carol, Blackadder's The Cavalier Years, Blackadder: Back and Forth, new commentaries, documentaries (including the 25th anniversary doc "Blackadder Rides Again"), behind-the-scenes featurettes, video diaries, and much more. It's a treasure trove of Blackadder-related goodies that not only celebrates the original comedy series but its enduring legacy.

Likewise, there's a hell of a lot of love put into Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Remastered, which contains all twelve episodes of the entire series run (all masterful gems, each and every one), new commentary from John Cleese, extended 2009 interviews (and an exclusive interview with Connie Booth), interviews, commentary, outtakes, and a documentary about Torquay. It's the perfect 30th anniversary present for Fawlty Towers and just looking at the box set artwork (which features the cast) makes me wistfully nostalgic...

Fawlty Towers


Blackadder


Black Adder Remastered: The Ultimate Edition retails for $79.98. Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Remastered is available at a suggested retail price of $49.98.

Channel Surfing: More "Forgotten," Less "Eastwick" at ABC, "Ugly Betty," Sean Faris Bites into "Vampire Diaries," and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

ABC hasn't forgotten The Forgotten after all. The network ordered five additional episodes of the Christian Slater-led procedural drama from Warner Bros. Television but also dropped the axe on the WBTV-produced supernatural drama series Eastwick, which won't continue past its initial thirteen-episode order. There's still no word on the fate of WBTV's Hank, which still hasn't received a full season order from ABC. (Hitfix, Variety)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos is reporting that the soon-to-be-vacated Eastwick timeslot on Wednesdays won't necessarily go to Lost, as many believed, but could in fact be given to--shock horror--Ugly Betty. "According to sources, ABC higher-ups are considering moving Ugly Betty to Wednesdays at 10 in January as part of a flashy relaunch of the show in an effort to save it," writes Dos Santos. "The thinking is that Betty would complement new hits Modern Family and Cougar Town nicely, and make ABC a solid destination for comedy on Wednesday night. Nothing has been decided, but I'm told this is one option on the table." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Sean Faris (Reunion) has signed on the CW's Vampire Diaries in a multiple-episode story arc. Faris is set to play Ben, a former high school football star who now tends bar. "He’s Matt’s buddy," a Vampire Diaries insider told Ausiello. "He gets entangled in the group when a broke Matt takes a job at the Mystic Grill." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Elsewhere at the CW, the netlet is expected to give new drama series Life Unexpected the Monday 9 pm timeslot that's currently home to Gossip Girl beginning January 18th. Gossip Girl is expected to vacate the timeslot for a few weeks but it's unclear where Life Unexpected will eventually be slotted once Gossip Girl returns with new episodes. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Melissa George (Grey's Anatomy) has been cast in a recurring role on FOX's Lie to Me, where she will play Clara Martin, "the sassy wife of an older billionaire who has been murdered." "After being exonerated in a high-profile murder trial, she assumes control of her husband’s empire," writes Ausiello. "Lightman sees himself in her — naughty, fearless, strategic, and always game for the next adventure. In other words, she’s kinda nuts." George is first slated to appear in the eleventh episode of this season. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan interviews Mad Men's Chelcie Ross, who played real-life figure Conrad "Connie" Hilton on the AMC drama series this season. "It’s a great character. You know the saying about people living lives of quiet desperation? That’s really the essence of almost all drama, the desperation in people’s lives," Ross told Ryan. "I think that Connie sees in Don the kind of active desperation, not quiet desperation, that (Connie) had in him when he was a young man. That same sort of drive. That’s why they complemented each other so well. Connie is a bigger-than-life character to begin with, and Matt and the writers sharpened that." (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Pam Grier has signed on to appear in a multiple-episode story arc on the CW's Smallville, where she will play Agent Amanda Waller. Her first appearance is slated to air during the two-part "Legends" storyline, featuring the Justice Society, in January. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

File this under wow. The Wrap's Josef Adalian is reporting that ABC has scrapped its launch of reality competition series Let's Dance, which was set to air right after Thanksgiving. According to Adalian, citing industry insiders, the reason for the axe was that "producers couldn't find a cast acceptable to ABC." The network has instead scheduled RDF's Find My Family in the now-vacated Let's Dance timeslot. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

CBS has ordered an untitled multi-camera pilot based on Twitter account Sh-t My Dad Says from Warner Bros. Television. Will & Grace creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick will executive produce and oversee the writing the pilot script, which Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker will write. (Hollywood Reporter)

TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams has an interview with V's Morena Baccarin, who plays Anna, the Visitor's sultry high commander. "It's going to get really interesting because he's very ambitious, and he really wants to succeed at what he does," said Baccarin about her relationship with Scott Wolf's Chad Decker. "By the end of the four episodes, he's going to find himself in a real decision spot of not knowing which way to go, and maybe their relationship will progress into something else. The power shifts back and forth a bit, so he doesn't just fold like a cheap suit [again]." (TVGuide.com)

FOX has rescinded its production order for the untitled Mark Brazil multi-camera comedy (formerly known as The Rednecks & Romeos) after its cast failed to win over executives' approvals following both live in-person auditions and taped auditions. (The project had only received a cast-contingent pickup.) Warner Bros. Television, the studio behind the project, is said to be shopping it elsewhere. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV One has ordered eight episodes of Omarosa's Ultimate Merger, a reality dating series featuring former Apprentice contestant Omarosa as she looks for a mate from a bevy of eligible bachelors. Project, from Juma Entertainment and Trump Prods, will be executive produced by Robert Horowitz, Andy Litinsky, Lewis Fenton, and Donald Trump. (Variety)

Gabrielle Anwar and Craig Sheffer have been cast in Hallmark Channel telepic Murder Among Friends, about a bridal shower that turns into a murder mystery. Telepic, slated to air next year, is written and directed by Walter Klenhard. (via press release)

Evolution Media is developing a male-skewing take on its Real Housewives franchise entitled Boys Club: ATL. Project, which is currently casting, has yet to be pitched to any networks. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

The End is the Beginning: The New Frontier on the Season Finale of "Mad Men"

"For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

After a season of betrayal, corporate takeovers, and presidential assassination, last night's brilliantly evocative season finale of Mad Men ("Shut the Door. Have a Seat"), written by Matthew Weiner and Erin Levy and directed by Matthew Weiner, offered not an ending for the staffers of Sterling Cooper but a brave new beginning.

Poised on the cusp between 1963 and 1964, there's a power grab going on at the venerable advertising agency, one that leads not to stability and fortune but to risk... and potentially the chance to grab a piece of the American dream once more.

It's a dream that's been not only tarnished by the death of a beloved president but also by the disintegration of the family unit as Don is stunned to learn that Betty wants a divorce and intends to go through with her plans to tear their family asunder. While Don has been a lone wolf through the three seasons of Mad Men thus far, the thing that anchored him, that acted as his constant, was his family. Yet, one can't help shake the sense that the scene at the very end, in the hotel room offices of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, that a new family is being born before our very eyes.

It was inevitable that things would change within the world of Sterling Cooper after their merger with the Brits and this season saw the departure of some of the series' most beloved characters (such as Christina Hendrick's Joan and Bryan Batt's Sal) from the corridors of Sterling Cooper. Just as America was about to undergo an upheaval of the highest order, so too would this little microcosm. But rather than be traded about as one might a commodity or a product, Don refuses to be swept up as a pawn in someone else's game. After all, he's the master of reinvention. So why not reinvent the company while he's at it?

I audibly cheered at the television set as Don's plan slowly came to fruition as he managed to convince both Bert Cooper and Roger Sterling to come aboard his new agency... and rather surprisingly was able to talk Lane Pryce into falling in with their lot as well by firing the trio and thus releasing them from their contracts. It's a brilliant gambit that underpins Don's strength as a strategist as well as a charismatic pitchman as even Lane isn't immune to Don's trademark brand of seduction.

But an agency is nothing without worker bees and the quartet know that they've got to not only take clients but staffers as well. Coming so soon on the heels of JFK's death, each of the staffers is forced to make a life-altering decision: they can jump ship or be pushed overboard. They can succumb to fear of the unknown or they can wait around to be pinkslipped once the deal to sell Sterling Cooper (and parent company PPL) closes. Just what will happen to those left out in the cold (Ken Cosgrove, Sal, and Paul Kinsey most notably) remains to be seen but I was glad that Roger had the foresight to bring Joan Holloway back into the fold (and more firmly into the central focus of the series) as they need her special skills and her unerring discretion.

But this past year has seen some bad blood developed between Don and several staffers, most notably Peggy and Pete, both of whom had been approached by Duck Phillips about leaving Sterling Cooper for better and brighter opportunities. That Don believes that both Pete and Peggy will follow him without question shows a decided lack of perception on his part. Pete is far more clever and crafty than Don gives him credit for; he uses their invitation as an opportunity to secure a partnership for himself, despite the fact that he was already interviewing at other companies. Pete forces Don to praise his abilities, to provide him with the paternal acknowledgment and support that he's so desperate for.

That he doesn't so much as phrase the offer as a question to Peggy but a direct order displays how warped his understanding of her truly is. I had to give Peggy credit for standing up to her mentor ("I'm not sticking around so you can kick me when you fail.") and proving herself an independent woman capable of making her own decisions, of finding her own way in the world.

Don's worldview has always been colored by the belief that it's always been Draper against the rest of the world but this episode, which showcased his efforts to build something real for himself and his children even as his marriage shattered around him, forced Don to come to terms with a hard truth: we might come into this world alone and leave it the same way but it's the time in between that truly matters. The scene which Jon Hamm shared with Elisabeth Moss' Peggy, in which Don visits Peggy at home and pleads with her to follow him, showed a very different side of Don than we've seen so far. He knows that he can't go it alone; he needs Peggy and the others in order to succeed.

It's a lesson which Don's father Archie never learned. Facing hard times and plummeting bushel prices, Archie decides to disband the farming co-operative and take his chances on his own. It's a decision which leads directly to his death (a swift kick to the head from one of their horses), witnessed first hand by Don. Does he want to bleed out into the hay as his father did? Or can he finally admit that he's not omnipotent, that he needs partners to enact his vision?

Fortunately, he does come to his senses. He tearfully tells Peggy that he needs her in order to be better and says that if she turns down his offer (and, really, now it is an offer rather than an edict), he'll spend the rest of his life trying to hire her. While much of Mad Men's plots have circled around Don and Betty's marriage, the true central relationship of the series is that between Don and Peggy. Don admits that he thought of Peggy as "an extension" of himself rather than as her own individual.

Their shared secrets have bound them together for so long that it's hard for Don to separate himself from Peggy, to see that she might not be deserving of the punishment he inflicts upon himself. They've seen and done terrible things but they've come out the other side stronger for it. I wondered for a split second if perhaps Peggy would turn him down, even when he appeared hat in hand, tears in his eyes, to plead with her. But I was happy that she saw what Don was admitting in that instant: that he values her and needs her in his life.

It's clear too from the scene with Peggy that Don is reeling from the breakdown of his marriage and from Betty's demand for a divorce. It's not the first time that Betty has sought an escape route from Don's lies and indiscretions but she's never had a "life raft" before; this time around she does in the honorable if aloof Henry Francis, a man who proposes to Betty before she had even mentioned the word divorce to Don and who promises to take care of her and her three children. (It almost seems too good to be true, in fact.)

Don's discovery of Betty's relationship with Henry Francis is accidental, stemming as it does from a slip from Roger Sterling over drinks. But Don's wrath is swift and vengeful; he drags Betty out of bed, pushes her around, and calls her a whore. It's a terrifying glimpse at a Don who has lost everything he's ever worked for, a Don who perhaps is closer to Archie Whitman than he ever thought possible. There's no forgiveness, no sadness, just a seething anger at what's been lost and what's been broken perhaps forever.

Despite the attempts to keep their separation civil, cracks are forming everywhere within the Draper family. As Bobby pleads with Don to stay and Sally angrily storms off (blaming Betty), it's apparent that Betty is breaking inside even as she knows she cannot stay with Don. Yet she is resolute in her decision. Their marriage is over, their relationship irrevocably severed in the instant that he confronts her in the darkness of the bedroom they shared. Kudos to both Jon Hamm and January Jones for gracefully pulling off an extremely difficult sequence here and allowing their characters to go to some very dark places. Their love has been one of the linchpins of the series; in that climactic scene we see the extinguishing of any romance between them.

The dissolution of the Draper family is seen before our eyes with a starkness that was shattering: Betty on a plane with Henry Francis bound for Reno for a quickie divorce (with shades of The Women, of course); Sally and Bobby in front of the television with Carla and the family's dog; Don alone in a Greenwich Village street, suitcases in hand, ready to take the next step in his life, whatever that may be.

But there's also the promise of renewal, of new connections formed, and new families being built, at least in the corporate world. As Don comes out of the hotel bedroom after phoning Betty, he sees not a loose collective of ambitious loners but a true co-operative of spirit, a new family that encircles not just his partners but also Joan, Peggy, Pete, and Harry. It's a moment, amid the chaos and destruction, of pure happiness as Don surveys the cramped hotel room that is the heart of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce and sees the family he's built for himself. It's the beginning rather than the end.

Likewise, the aforementioned shot of Don walking in the darkened street by himself isn't one of solemness but one that's rife with possibility. He's a man about to take one step firmly into whatever future might hold for him... and, perhaps for the first time in his life, Don realizes that he's not alone in the world.

Mad Men will return for a fourth season in 2010.

Channel Surfing: Michael Trucco "Facing Kate," "Desperate Housewives" Gets FlashForward, Showtime Announces Series Returns, and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

Former Battlestar Galactica star Michael Trucco has been cast in USA drama pilot Facing Kate, where he will play the charismatic ex-husband to Kate, a former lawyer (Sarah Shahi) who leaves her job to become a mediator after the death of her father. Also cast: Virginia Williams (Lie to Me), who will play Kate's younger stepmother, a domineering woman who is desperate to hold onto her late husband's law firm. Bronwen Hughes will direct the pilot, which hails from Universal Cable Prods. (Hollywood Reporter)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Desperate Housewives will offer a flashforward of sorts in their first episode after the December 6th cliffhanger that will explore several "what if" scenarios. "Two Wisterians featured prominently in the alternate reality sequences will be Gaby and Carlos’ youngest daughter, Celia, and Mike and Susan’s son, MJ," writes Ausiello. "I know this because DH is currently casting thirtysomething versions of both characters." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Showtime has announced return dates for several of its series, including a January 25th bow for Secret Diary of a Call Girl and Tracey Ullman's State of the Union, which will air back-to-back at 10 pm ET/PT. The night will also see the premiere of Marc Wootton's new comedy series La La Land, in which the British comedian will play three different characters interacting with real-life Los Angeles inhabitants. Looking ahead, Nurse Jackie and United States of Tara return for their respective sophomore seasons on March 22nd and The Tudors returns for its fourth and final season on April 11th. (via press release)

BBC One will launch the third and final season of comedy Gavin & Stacey on November 26th at 9 pm GMT. The network described this season: "As Gavin starts his new job, the move to Barry Island means big changes for the whole family. Pam and Mick have to adjust to an empty nest while Gwen's got a full house again. Stacey is in her element, but will this finally be the solution to the couple's long-distance problem? And how will Gavin take to living in Wales? Smithy questions their friendship along with his own role as father – and with Dave Coaches on the scene and now engaged to Nessa, will Smithy find himself pushed out of the frame? How will life in a caravan work out for Nessa and her soon-to-be husband Dave?" Pam Ferris will join the cast as Smithy's mother. (via press release)

Variety's Cynthia Littleton checks in with the producers of NBC's Parenthood, which has faced some very trying obstacles in its path to the small screen, including the health-related departure of star Maura Tierney and the character's recasting by Lauren Graham. "We’re looking forward to bringing some of her comedy to the show," said executive producer Jason Katims of Graham, "but our show has a very different tone and different voice for her. She’s looking forward to doing something different." (Variety)

NUMB3RS fans shouldn't worry that CBS will end the crime procedural without giving producers an opportunity to wrap up storylines, according to Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello. "We will be doing a 16th episode that wraps up storylines and answers questions," co-creator Cheryl Heuton told Ausiello. "It will be designed to stand as a finale, but it won’t create story situations that would hamper us if the network should decide to order more episodes... [and] will give fans what they’ve been waiting for... We’re looking to feature all our characters and give good moments to every member of the cast." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

TV Land and TV Guide Network have sealed a joint deal under which they will share basic cable rerun rights to HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm. TV Guide Network will get the first crack at the series, launching its window in February while TV Land gets their run beginning as early as February 2013. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

A&E Television Networks pinkslipped 100 employees on Friday, roughly 10 percent of their overall workforce, in light of the cabler's recent merger with Lifetime. The majority of the cuts occurred at the female-centric network, with several executives let go, including head of casting Rick Jacobs, unscripted executive Jessica Samet, and several high-level publicists. (Hollywood Reporter)

Disney Channel has ordered a second season of comedy series Jonas, which will launch sometime in mid-2010. The cabler has named showrunner Lester Lewis and director Paul Hoen executive producers. (Hollywood Reporter)

Elsewhere at the cabler, Jennifer Stone (Wizards of Waverly Place) will topline Disney Channel telepic Harriet the Spy, loosely based on Louise Fitzhugh's novel. Plot will be updated with Harriet now a movie producer's daughter whose aim is to become her class blogger. Pic, set to air next year, is written by Heather Conkie and Alexandra Clarke and directed by Ron Oliver. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

The Great Comedy Debate: The Five Best Comedies on Television (Right Now)

Over on Twitter, there's been a great debate waged over the last few days about what the best comedies currently on television are, a subjective discussion if there ever was one. Titles have been thrown about, opinions bandied, and worthiness dissected and then dissected again.

The Great Comedy Debate led Time critic James Poniewozik to yesterday publish his list of the top television comedies at the moment (he included just those that are currently on the air right now) and I thought I do this same, limiting my list to just five US series that are airing new episodes as we speak.

So, in no particular order, here are my picks for The Five Best Comedies on Television:

Modern Family (ABC)

No other series has come close to balancing the sweet with the tart than Christopher Lloyd and Steve Levitan's brilliant mockumentary Modern Family, which each week dazzles its enraptured audience with a winning combination of heart and humor. It's the rare comedy that can make you roar with laughter and tear up with melancholy and it's anchored by one of the most talented ensemble casts on television today, who bring their characters to life honestly and without vanity or pretension.

Parks and Recreation (NBC)

I've remarked on it before but even the opening chords of the series' theme song makes me giddy with excitement. After a shaky start last season, the mockumentary comedy created by Greg Daniels and Mike Schur has developed into one of the season's best series, one rife with one-off jokes, deadpan expressions, and an assortment of some of the kookiest small town individuals you'll ever meet. The Pit was a fantastic MacGuffin to kick off an investigation of small town politics, optimistic do-gooders, jaded politicos, and jilted lovers. It's a joy to visit Pawnee each week and Parks and Recreation has quickly become one of the highlights of my television viewing week.

Community (NBC)

A few years ago, Community could have been a multi-camera sitcom with a laugh track that would have faded into obscurity after a brief run between Friends and ER. But creator Dan Harmon has subverted the sitcom format, infusing it with a nostalgic John Hughes-esque tone as well as a razor-sharp wit that stings even as it wraps you up in a warm embrace. By placing the series' focus not on the situation but the characters themselves, Harmon and his talented ensemble have crafted a deftly layered comedy that's about relationships without being a relationship comedy.

30 Rock (NBC)

While the quality has slipped a little this season (though last night's hysterical installment renewed my faith), 30 Rock remains the linchpin in the Thursday night comedy lineup for me, offering a smart, sly, and savage satire of workplace mores, celebrity vanity, and the general insanity of life in the writers room/isle of Manhattan/Sheinhardt Wig Company. It's not afraid to bite the hand that feeds it and we love it all the more when it does just that.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)

FX's subversive comedy series continues to mine the seedy underbelly of Philadelphia for comedy with gleefully depraved results. Whether it's kitten mittens, cannibalism, or Green Men, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia brings the shockingly absurd and twisted to life via its motley crew of selfish and shallow bar owners. I should be horrified but I can't help myself from laughing until it hurts so good.

Honorable mention goes to HBO's current Sunday night crop of comedies: Curb Your Enthusiasm and Bored to Death, the latter of which has proven a scintillating and wacky end of weekend treat.

What comedies would make your top five list? Do you agree with the above? Any series wrongfully left out in the cold? Discuss.

The Shadow Knows: Ashes to Ashes on "Fringe"

Now that's what I call a fantastic episode of Fringe.

While I've been pushing the series' producers to shift towards a sleeker serialized format for the series since its inception, last night's episode of Fringe ("Earthling"), written by J.H. Wyman and Jeff Vlaming and directed by Jon Cassar, was the perfect compromise: a self-contained mystery of the week that also served to deepen the characters.

Or one character in particular, the enigmatic head of Fringe Division, Phillip Broyles (The Wire's Lance Reddick). I've been on a tirade since the very first episode of the first season that we still know next to nothing about both Broyles and lab assistant Astrid Farnsworth (Jasika Nicole) so I'm glad that the writers are finally giving some layering to both of them, who have served more or less the thankless roles of exposition dumps until now.

Last night's mystery had the Fringe Division attempting to capture a shadowy organism that may or may not be extraterrestrial in origin but which managed, during a space walk, to attach itself to the body of a Russian cosmonaut, who brought it back to Earth where it began killing people in an effort to obtain their radiation while its host body was trapped in a comatose state. Weird? Youbetcha. Scary? Hells yeah.

But while the central mystery may have been quite the perfect sci-fi thriller (loved the opening scene and the ash effect the creature's victims exhibited), it was the fact that it was such a personal case for Broyles that made the episode truly sing. We haven't known much about Broyles until this point. We know that he has or had some sort of romantic entanglement with Blair Brown's Nina Sharp in the past and that he wasn't a fan of military investigator Olivia Dunham, after she went on a crusade against his best friend following charges of rape. There have been shadowy instances of Broyles knowing more than he has let on and he's clearly passionate about the Fringe Division and its purpose.

And that's really been it. Until fairly recently, Broyles' main purpose within the series was to tell Olivia that the strange and bizarre phenomena they are witnessing has happened before and is part and parcel of a larger Pattern, yada, yada. But last night's installment took a huge step towards adding some much needed layering to Broyle's character. After all, when you have an actor as amazing and awe-inspiring as Lance Reddick, you better use him to full effect, no?

The shadow killer case is one that's close to Broyles' heart, not only because it wasn't ever solved but because it also played a huge role in the disintegration (heh) of his marriage. I'm glad that the writers didn't pull a cliche and have Broyles' wife one of the last victims of the unknown killer; instead Broyles' dogged determination to catch the killer and end his murder spree result in his wife leaving him and taking his kids.

Four years later, he's still haunted by the case and still saddened by what he lost in pursuit of justice. The scene in which Broyles finally tells his wife that he closed the case was both triumphant and bittersweet. He knows that he did what his conscience told him he had to but at the same time he feeling a keening sense of loss for what it cost him. The effect not only deepens our appreciation of Broyles but fleshes him out into a three-dimensional character, one with a tragic backstory that speaks volumes about the commitment he has to the Fringe Division. He's willing to put everything--his family, his career, his reputation--on the line in order to do some good in the world.

It's a path that puts him at opposition with the CIA, as seen in that final scene between Broyles and the shadowy agent who warns him against filing a report about the case. Could it be that the Fringe Division is about to become even more embattled from all sides? And why did the Senator disobey orders and send Broyles that file? Hmmm...

All in all, a fantastic installment in a series that proves once again that it's hitting its stride with flair and creativity and wisely focusing its efforts on exploring the relationships between our leads while also delivering some first-rate thrills and chills. Now if only we could get some development for Astrid...

Next week on Fringe ("Of Human Action"), a kidnapping quickly escalates into a hostage situation in New York at the hands of a mysterious man with mind control abilities; the Fringe Division connects a link between the kidnapping and Massive Dynamic.

Channel Surfing: J.J. Abrams to Direct "Undercovers," Eric Dane and Kate Walsh Up for "Grey's" Crossover, Comedy Central Peels "Onion," and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

J.J. Abrams is in talks to direct his NBC espionage drama pilot Undercovers for Warner Bros. Television, marking the first time that he has directed a pilot since the series premiere of ABC's Lost. Details of Undercovers, said to be about a husband-and-wife team of spies, have been kept tightly under wraps but several have described it as a cross between Mr. and Mrs. Smith and The Bourne Identity. Project is written by Josh Reims (Felicity, Dirty Sexy Money), who will executive produce with Abrams and Bryan Burk. (Hollywood Reporter)

SPOILER! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Shonda Rhimes' next Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice crossover will revolve around Eric Dane and Kate Walsh. "Mark summons Addison to Seattle Grace to perform a surgery on [a patient] (a.k.a. Leven Rambin)," writes Ausiello. "The storyline spills over into Private when, according exec producer Shonda Rhimes, 'complications arise and Mark ends up taking [her] back down to Los Angeles to get more surgery.'" (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Comedy Central is producing a half-hour pilot based on The Onion's Onion Sports Network website. The potential series "is designed to appeal to both casual and hardcore fans of sports as well as the Onion's well-defined style of humor," according to Variety's Jon Weisman. Project will be executive produced by Julie Smith and Will Graham. (Variety)

HBO is developing half-hour drama series T, about a woman who is transitioning into a man via gender resassignment. Project will be written and executive produced by husband-and-wife team Dan Futterman and Anya Epstein, who have just been made executive producers on HBO's In Treatment. Ira Glass and Alissa Shipp will also executive produce. (Variety)

ABC is developing six projects with David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman's Mandeville, the shingle behind USA's Monk, including: workplace comedy Kegs, about a family that runs a beer distribution company from writers Jason Filardi and Mark Perez; drama Tarrytown, about a single mom who moves in with her brother and his daughter when they inherit their father's rundown house in Tarrytown, Texas, from writer R. Lee Fleming; crime drama 1-8-7 Detroit from writer Jason Richman; drama Dorchester Heights, about five friends in Boston whose friendship is put to the test when secrets spill out following the death of one of their close friends, from writer Nikki Toscano; and an untitled drama about a man in his forties who begins to live the life of a twenty-something after suffering a head injury, from writer Joy Gregory. Mandeville has a first-look deal with ABC. (Variety)

Cartoon Network has ordered its first two live-action scripted drama series, with action mystery Unnatural History and thriller Tower Prep getting the greenlight for thirteen episodes apiece. The first project revolves around a high schooler who, along with his charismatic cousin, finds himself caught up in mysteries surrounding the national museum; project was created by Mike Werb and will be produced by Warner Horizon. The latter, Tower Prep, follows a rebellious teen who awakens to find himself trapped at a mysterious prep school for students with "unique potential." Project is written and executive produced by Paul Dini for Cartoon Network Studios and Dolphin Entertainment. (Hollywood Reporter)

A&E has given a pilot order to crime drama Sugarloaf, about a former Chicago cop who is "kicked off the force after being shot by his ex-captain, who wrongfully accused him in having an affair with his wife. After receiving a payout, Longworth, an observant detective with a sly sense of humor, moves to a small Florida town and joins the state police." The titular cop will be played by Aussie actor Matt Passmore. Project, from Fox Television Studios, is written by Clifton Campbell, who will executive produce with Gary Randall, and will be directed by Peter O'Fallon. Elsewhere at the cabler, Jeffrey Nordling (24), John Heard (Southland), and Michael Arden (Kings) have been cast opposite Radha Mitchell in drama pilot The Quickening. (Hollywood Reporter)

Syndication news: CBS' crime procedural The Mentalist, produced by Warner Bros. Television, has been sold its off-network rights to TNT, who will begin airing the series weekly beginning in fall 2011 and then increase to a full syndication run the following year; price tag was said to be in the region of $2.2-2.3 million per episode. Elsewhere, USA locked up off-network rights to CBS' new series NCIS: LA for roughly the same price; the cabler will begin airing the series weekly in September 2011 and then in a daily strip in 2013. (Hollywood Reporter, Hollywood Reporter)

Former CBS Television Distribution executive Kathy Samuels has been hired as executive producer at Hasbro Studios, the TV production division of the toy manufacturer. (Variety)

Joe Schlosser has been promoted to SVP of NBC Entertainment Television Publicity. He'll report to Rebecca Marks. (The Wrap's TVMoJoe)

Former NBC Entertainment topper Warren Littlefield has signed a deal with Doubleday for a memoir about his time at the Peacock, during which he had a hand in overseeing the development of "Must See TV" Thursdays. (Variety)

Scripps Networks Interactive have reached a deal with Cox Communication acquire a 65 percent stake in the Travel Channel, with the companies forming a joint venture that will act as an umbrella for Travel. Deal is expected to close by January. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Confrontation and Cuisine: Another Look at the "Top Chef Reunion Dinner"

Where there's Marcel, there's drama.

Last night's Top Chef Reunion Dinner, a nice twist on the culinary series retrospective, offered both Marcel and drama in equal measure. After all, there's been maybe one other Top Chef contestant (cough, Tiffany, cough) who has stirred up as much conflict and confrontation as Marcel has.

From the head-shaving almost-incident to the post-series bottle-throwing, Marcel has been at the heart of some memorably tense moments, including one from the Season Five finale that had never before been aired in which he suddenly becomes involved in a verbal battle with supercilious judge Toby Young.

While I already hinted at my thoughts about the Top Chef reunion special (you can read my advance review here), now that the episode has aired we can discuss some specific details from last night's special.

Personally, I really enjoyed watching the reunion. While it was a break from the competition itself (as well as the current series), it offered not only a breather but also a look back... and I'd have much rather had some new Top Chef content this week than face an evening of repeats, as we often have to during the course of the series' run.

Given that there have already been five iterations of the series to date, Top Chef has produced some memorable contestants, including some that are known for more than just combative personalities; I was glad to see that the producers brought back not only the most dramatic cheftestants (and thank goodness Spike wasn't there!) but also some extremely talented competitors.

It was interesting to see what all of the previous contestants were up to, how they had changed, and whether their time on the series had shaped them. Marcel, of course, hasn't changed all that much. He's still cocky, combustive, and has an innate way of rubbing people the wrong way. I was beyond confused why he would agree to return for this reunion if he had no intention of discussing his past. Isn't that the very point of a reunion? Did he honestly believe that no one, not the producers, not host Fabio Viviani, would bring up any controversy?

I'm glad Fabio did say something to Marcel at the table. No one forced any of them to sign up for this reunion or rehash things on camera. Marcel could have politely refused the invitation and gone on his way. But he chose to participate. And choosing to participate means having to discuss unpleasant or uncomfortable things. With the others. On camera. Of course, the head-shaving thing is going to come up, especially as Ilan is there. Of course, Fabio is going to ask about the guy who threw a bottle at Marcel's head. It's all on the record and it has to be asked.

Likewise, I'm glad that Casey and Carla were able to talk about what went wrong in the season finale that cost Carla her shot at the grand prize. But Carla being Carla, she's not harping on it or even blaming Casey, who clearly feels some guilt over what happened in that final challenge. They were able to bring their feelings into the air and move on. And that's really what a reunion should be all about, in the end.

Of course, it wasn't all accusations and haughty glares across the table as the chefs prepared a beautiful five-course menu for themselves to enjoy... without the stress of elimination, immunity, or wacky restrictions about only using food from the vending machine or a particular aisle of the grocery store. It was all about the food.

So what did the chefs prepare? Let's take a look course-by-course:

• First Course (Season Three's Casey, Dale, and Hung): Fanny Bay oyster puree, puffed forbidden rice, cilantro, pickled watermelon, cucumber, green bean, and red onion; crab pierogi with mushroom and asparagus ragout and curry hollandaise; sardines with a black pepper- caramelized sugar pork broth and scallions
• Second Course (Season One's Harold and Tiffany): seared scallop with scallop sashimi noodles and tom yum broth
• Third Course (Season Two's Marcel and Ilan): sea salt-encrusted Thai snapper (stuffed with basil, lemongrass and lemons) served with ratatouille
• Fourth Course (Season Four's Richard and Lisa): corn-fed beef, duck pate, and corn puree with Captain Crunch air, spicy pickled radish salad, and savory root beer caramel
• Fifth Course (Season Five's Stefan and Carla): raspberry panna cotta, rhubarb sauce, chocolate mousse, and almond crisp

Other than Dale's disastrous crab pierogies (dubbed a "trainwreck" by Tiffany), I have to say that I was impressed by the other dishes and how well the chefs worked together after all of this time apart. Loved that Marcel cooked the Thai snapper in a salt crust; besides for being ideal for family style serving it's also a dramatic showcase and allowed him to fillet and bone the fish tableside. Likewise, Hung's sardines sounded incredible and bowed the chefs into a shared silence. Harold and Tiffany's scallops were simple but focused the attention on the flavors... and they spend the majority of their $500 budget on wine and champagne.

All in all, a fun look back before the competition on the current season really heats up. Reunion episodes can be overly formatted and at times snidely shocking. This was one dinner that I wished I was at and which played an equal amount of weight on the confrontation as it did the cuisine.

Next week it's back to the competition on Top Chef: Las Vegas ("Strip Around the World"), as the day begins with a Quickfire Challenge that tasks the chefs to create the perfect breakfast in bed for guest judge Nigella Lawson and Padma in their hotel suite; the chefs visit casinos to gain inspiration for their Elimination Challenge.

Top Chef Preview: Breakfast in Bed:



Top Chef Preview: Casino Inspiration:

Channel Surfing: Sarah Wynter Gets "Damages," "Life on Mars" Creators Developing at ABC, "Party Down" in April, CBS Counts Down "Numb3rs," and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

Sarah Wynter (24) has joined the cast of FX's Damages in a recurring role on the series' third season, set to launch in early 2010. She joins the previously reported Reiko Aylesworth, Martin Short, Lily Tomlin, and Campbell Scott. Wynter will play a mysterious "'security specialist' helping a high-level assistant district attorney unravel" a financial scheme; Aylesworth will play the wife of Campbell Scott's character. [Editor: I've also just been informed that "Short's character is a high-powered attorney (family friend) who defends a prominent NY family accused of the financial scheme. Lily Tomlin plays the matriarch of the family."] (Hollywood Reporter)

Life on Mars creators Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham have been commissioned by BBC Worldwide new drama czar Jane Tranter to write the script for an ABC drama pilot described as a "California cop show with a British twist." Should the project--executive produced by Julie Gardner--go to pilot, it would be produced by BBC Worldwide's Los Angeles production team and Pharoah and Gardner would remain heavily involved, unlike their limited creative involvement with the US version of Life on Mars. (Broadcast)

The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan is reporting that Starz comedy series Party Down will return for its second season in April. Ken Marino, Adam Scott, Martin Starr, Ryan Hansen, and Lizzy Caplan are set to return for Season Two and will be joined by new series regular Megan Mullally. Kristen Bell, Jane Lynch, J.K. Simmons, Joey Lauren Adams, Steve Guttenberg (playing himself), and Christopher Mintz-Plasse are all set to guest star this time around. (Chicago Tribune's The Watcher)

CBS has cut back the episodic order this season for procedural drama Numb3rs from a full 22 episodes to just 16. Many, including Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello, are viewing the decision as a sign that it might be the final season for Numb3rs and that Canadian co-pro Flashpoint might take over the Friday night timeslot. Elsewhere at the network, CBS increased the episodic orders for How I Met Your Mother, NCIS, NCIS: LA, CSI: Miami, and Two and a Half Men to 24 installments, while Criminal Minds, CSI: NY, The Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife, CSI, and The Mentalist, have all been bumped to 23 installments. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files, Variety)

FX is developing period Western Reconstruction, about a wealthy East Coaster shaken by war who takes refuge in a Missouri town during the post-Civil War reconstruction. Project hails from executive producers Joshua Brand and Peter Horton; Brand will write the script while Horton is attached to direct. (Hollywood Reporter)

HBO is developing a telepic based on Mark Bowden's nonfiction book "Guests of the Ayatollah: The Iran Hostage Crisis, The First Battle in America's War with Militant Islam" about the 444-day hostage crisis involving 66 Americans seized and held hostage for over a year. Andrea Berloff (World Trade Center) has been attached to adapt the book and William Horberg will executive produce. (Variety)

Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice is reporting that ABC, Mark Gordon, and Roland Emmerich are developing a series-based sequel to their upcoming disaster film 2012. “The plan is that it is 2013 and it’s about what happens after the disaster,” Emmerich told Entertainment Weekly. "It is about the resettling of Earth. That is very, very fascinating. (2012 writer/producer) Harald Kloser and I came up with the idea and we have the luxury of having a producer on the film who is a big TV producer, Mark Gordon. We said to Mark, 'Why don’t you do a TV show that picks up where the movie leaves off and call it 2013?' I think it will focus on a group of people who survived but not on the boats... maybe they were on a piece of land that was spared or one that became an island in the process of the crust moving. There are so many possibilities of what they could do and I’d be excited to watch it." (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

NBC has signed a first look deal with Don Cheadle's production company Crescendo, which has several projects already set up at NBC, ABC, TNT, and FX, including an ABC drama based on feature film The Star Chamber with writer Zack Estrin attached and an NBC cop drama from The Shield's John Hlavin. (Variety)

TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams talks to Arielle Kebbel, who guest stars in Thursday's episode of the CW's Vampire Diaries as vampire Lexi. "She is about as much fun as anyone who's 300-and-something years old," said Kebbel about Lexi, an ancient friend of Stefan's. "She's this burst of energy, a complete life force. It's safe to say she's pretty much been everywhere, seen everything, lived every moment and that makes her even stronger, even more confident, even more sarcastic because she has all of this life experience behind her." (TVGuide.com)

Grace Gummer has been cast opposite Gia Mantegna in TeenNick drama series Gigantic, where she will play the 17-year-old daughter of a celebrity couple. Project is set to debut in early 2010. (Hollywood Reporter)

TLC is continuing to make a push into wedding-themed programming, ordering several new projects including November 13th special Battle of the Wedding Planners, six-episode docudrama Happily Ever Faster, about Las Vegas' Chapel of the Flowers, ten-episode reality series Four Weddings, in which four brides attend and score each others nuptials, and Manhattan Marriage Project, which follows wedding planner Gino Filippone. (Variety)

More changes afoot at OWN as Oprah Winfrey Show co-executive producer Lisa Erspamer has been named chief creative officer; she'll assume the position beginning in January and will report to Christina Norman. (Variety)

Jennifer Beals (Lie to Me) has been cast in Hallmark Channel telepic The Night Before the Night Before Christmas, about a family whose home is the crash site for a very early Santa Claus. Pic is set to air next year. (via press release)

Stay tuned.

Trailer Park: Syfy's "Caprica" (New Promo)

"You are what you choose."

Syfy has released a new 90-second promo for its upcoming drama series Caprica, the prequel to Battlestar Galactica launching in January.

Featuring all-new footage of the series, the promo depicts some of the storylines and imagery slated to appear on the series, which is being overseen by showrunner Jane Espenson.

And, yes, it just happens to also feature a brief shot of James Marsters as terrorist leader Barnabus Greeley. (He's slated to appear in at least three episodes this season.)



Caprica is slated to launch January 22nd at 9 pm ET/PT.

"Chuck": What Are Your Hopes for Season Three?

I've gotten some lovely emails, tweets, messages, and comments from Chuck-starved viewers who were overjoyed to see the lovely Yvonne Strahovski turn up on their computer monitors yesterday via the video interview I did with her on set a few weeks back.

While Season Three is still a ways off (who knows when for sure), I thought I'd take this opportunity not to rehash rumors or spin some spoilers but find out what you, the viewers, want to see in Season Three of Chuck.

So take this opportunity to offer up some predictions (no spoilers!) or creative suggestions for the upcoming storylines, romantic permutations, and diabolical scenarios facing our favorite spies next year.

Any and all thoughts encouraged as we keep up our vigil for new episodes of Chuck...