Representing Your Constituency: Sink or Swim on the Season Premiere of Top Chef

I already spoke in general terms about the season premiere of Top Chef over in my advance review of the episode, but now that the episode has aired, we can get down to the details of the food that the cheftestants prepared this week.

First episodes are always tricky as there are a lot of new contestants and it's often hard to keep track of all of them, particularly when there are seventeen of them being introduced all at once. But this is Top Chef, after all, so it's only typical that the strongest performers would stand out in the first week... along with some of those who might be destined to be packing their knives sooner rather than later.

This week's episode of Top Chef ("What's Your Constituency?") found the new crop of contenders heading to Washington D.C., where they were immediately put through their paces in a round-robin Quickfire Challenge--with only four chefs actually getting to create a dish--before heading into their first Elimination Challenge, where they would have to create a dish that reflected where each of them was from and serve it to about 150 guests at a cocktail party.

So how did they do and what did they make? Let's discuss.

I thought it was interesting--and telling--that the producers would opt to begin the season with a mise-en-place tournament that would test their knife skills, their speed, and their ability to execute efficiently under intense pressure. Each round would force them to prep a different ingredient: in the first round they would have to peel ten potatoes; in the second, brunoise 10 cups of onions; in the third, break down four chickens into eight parts; and then, in the final leg, they would have to use those ingredients to prepare a dish. And, oh, there was also $20K on the line for the winner as it was a high-stakes challenge. (I discussed the oddness of having Vegas-style high-stakes in Washington in my review.)

The four remaining chefs still standing at the end--Timothy, Kevin, Kenny, and Angelo--then had a half an hour to prepare a dish using the onions, chicken, and potatoes that would wow Padma and Tom... and demonstrate to the other contestants just how strong they are.

Here's what they made:

• Angelo: roasted chicken wing and thigh; curried onion jam; potato noodles
• Kevin: boneless chicken wing with hot and sour broth, tomatoes, fennel, potato, and mushroom
• Tim: garlic-roasted chicken, potato galette, oyster mushrooms
• Kenny: duo of chicken with Moroccan spice, potato puree, and onion confit

I knew instantly that it would be between Angelo and Kenny. Just looking at how well executed and presented their dishes were, it was blatantly obvious that one of these two would be walking away with the $20,000. Tim's dish had way too much cream and just looked messy and less sophisticated. (There's nothing wrong with simplicity in a dish but then it needs to be presented immaculately.) Kevin's broth was criticized for having way too much salt.

Which, yes, left it to Kenny and Angelo. I thought Kenny pulled off an amazingly complex dish in just under 30 minutes; that beautiful plate could have come out of any four-star kitchen. Plus, he really showcased a variety of flavors and spices. Meanwhile, I was extremely impressed by Angelo's use of the starch here as he transformed the spuds into gorgeous potato noodles, no small feat given the time crunch they had.

Not surprisingly, Angelo was named the winner of the Quickfire... and a rivalry between him and Kenny was born right there.

For the Elimination Challenge, the chefs would have to take the flavors of their own constituencies and transform them into dishes that represented where they came from. The chefs would be split into teams of four, with them competing head to head within the group, with one chef from each team up for the win... and one up for elimination.

So what did they make? Let's discuss.

Team 1:

• Amanda (California): red snapper carpaccio with cucumber, clementines, sencha oil, daikon, and caraway gelee
• Arnold (Thailand and Tennessee): kaffir lime and basil cake with palm sugar anglaise and "Myint" julep
• Kevin (Mid-Atlantic): Pennsylvania lamb, Meyer lemon and pistachio marmalade, and spring onions
• Jacqueline (New York): duo of Hudson Valley chicken liver and port wine mousse

Amanda's dish, meant to evoke early Wolfgang Puck California cuisine was criticized for being messy and underseasoned. I'd have to agree with the messiness of the presentation; that gelee looked really loose and unappetizing and it didn't so much evoke Puck as it did almost parody him. Hmmm... Kevin's dish was universally praised as being tender and well seasoned, and he introduced some nice notes of ginger there as well. I knew straightaway that Jacqueline would be up for elimination for her coarse and grainy chicken liver mousse, which she made without any fat. Not only should the terrine have been sieved but there was no reason to make this a non-fat liver mousse. Just odd.

Team 2:

• Stephen (Ohio): potato-crushed ribeye, celery root puree, scarlet stadium mustard vinaigrette
• Ed (New England): sauteed cod cakes with Boston baked beans and shaved fennel salad
• Lynne (Hudson Valley): corn-camembert ice cream on waffles, with bacon praline and caramel sauce
• Tracey (The South): stone-ground grits, maple cheddar, Port Royal Rock shrimp
• Kenny (Colorado): coffee-rubbed trout, black bean mole, goat cheese polenta, and quinoa

Tracey's shrimp were criticized for being bland; Ed's beans and beans were said to be too heavy, with Tom feeling that the fish cakes were all filler and very little cod itself. Stephen destroyed the integrity and flavor of the rib-eye by deep frying it... and turning it into little more that fried shoe leather. Kenny's dish was universally praised for its depth of flavor and lovely presentation.

Team 3:

• Alex (Russia and California): deconstructed short rib borscht with cabbage, red beet puree, creme fraiche
• Tamesha (Caribbean): jerk chicken sphere, soft polenta, tamarind, mango, papaya, jicama, and cilantro
• Andrea (South Florida and Italy): pork with chorizo potato gnocchi, calabaza, and orange gremolata
• Tim (Maryland): pan searched Maryland rockfish with pickled leek, dill, and grilled crostini with ginger and sesame seeds

The judges thought that Andrea's gnocchi was well seasoned, though it didn't exactly scream South Florida/Miami. Tim's fish dish didn't go over too well, with the judges criticizing the homogeneous quality of the two sauces; likewise, I didn't feel like it captured Maryland at all. Yes, the rockfish was from there but there were so many other things that Tim could have done that would better summed up the Chesapeake Bay area. However, I would applaud Alex for taking a calculated risk with his deconstructed borscht, which was very well done indeed: each of the ingredients was expertly prepared and they added up to a sum that captured the essence of borscht.

Team 4:

• Tiffany (The South): Cajun shrimp and crawfish salad, chicken-fried tomatillos, and bacon-sherry vinaigrette
• Kelly (Rocky Mountains): spice-crusted New York strip steak with fiddlehead fern, asparagus, and wild mushroom saute
• Angelo (Rural Connecticut): smoked arctic char with pickled shallots, chili tapioca, and smoked bacon broth
• John (Michigan): maple mousse napoleon with crisp macadamia nuts and vanilla sauce

Angelo once again ranked high; his arctic char was universally loved by the judges, though Gail questioned whether there was too much dill (Tom disagreed). It was a confident and accomplished dish that once again demonstrated his skill and poise. Kelly's New York strip steak was praised for her deft seasoning and execution. But the dreadlocked and awkward John didn't fare so well. His dish wasn't a favorite as the judges tasted sugar but not maple in the allegedly maple napoleon, which was also messy and not well executed at all. It was likely that he'd be sent home for this poor showing.

The top chefs ended up, not surprisingly, being Angelo, Kenny, Alex, and Kevin, with all of them receiving some well-earned praise. It fell to new judge Eric Ripert to announce the winner who was... Angelo. Again! Look for this extremely ambitious chef to fight to keep his lead week after week. There's a huge target on this guy's back...

At the bottom of the pack: Stephen, John, Jacqueline, and Tim. Most of these came as no surprise but I think that Tim was shocked to find himself up for elimination after he performed so well during the Quickfire (though didn't win that challenge). His speed and skill might be there but he has to work on his presentation and conceptualization skills. As for the others, I would have sent all three home, to be honest. Jacqueline made so many errors in her dish that it was shocking she even made it into the competition; every step she made was a huge and glaring misstep. Stephen showed very little skill or ability with his dish and a woeful appreciation of ingredients. And then there was John, whose maple napoleon was one of the worst dishes of the evening... and he didn't even make the pastry himself! No surprise that the Michigan chef was sent packing.

Do you agree with the judges' decision last night? Should Angelo have won? Did John deserve to be sent home? Head to the comments section to discuss.

Next week on Top Chef ("Outside the Lunch Box"), the chefs create healthy kid fare at a middle school in support of First Lady Michelle Obama's national initiative to end childhood obesity.

Top Chef Preview: Who Got High and Came Up with This?


Top Chef Preview: Going Back to School

Channel Surfing: Eddie Cibrian Cut from CSI: Miami, Dexter Lands Hernandez, Woods Bumped to Regular on The Office, Community, and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

SPOILER! E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos is reporting that Eddie Cibrian is leaving CSI: Miami. "With original castmember—-and fan fave!—-Adam Rodriguez (Delko) returning this fall, a source close to the series confirms Eddie's departure, and tells me the Powers That Be are more interested in focusing on the core cast next season," writes Dos Santos, "which eliminates the need for the poor Cardoza character." Meanwhile, Dos Santos has the dirt on just how Cirbian's Cardoza will be written out of the crime procedural, but--beware!--it's highly spoilery. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

April Lee Hernandez (ER) has been cast in a recurring role on Season Five of Showtime's serial killer drama Dexter. She'll play a police officer in the homicide department of Miami Metro. Hernandez's casting comes on the heels of news that Julia Stiles, Shawn Hatosy, and Maria Doyle Kennedy have joined the cast, each on a recurring basis. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Zach Woods has been bumped to series regular on Season Seven of NBC's The Office. Woods plays Sabre executive Gabe on the Universal Media Studios-produced comedy. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Critics are coming around to something that many of us already know: namely that NBC's Community is one of the very best comedies on television right now. The criminally under-rated comedy, produced by Sony Pictures Television, has seen a resurgence of critical support in the back half of its freshman season, which not only helped it get renewed for a second season and may help its chances at securing Emmy Award nominations. But even creator Dan Harmon understands why some critics were wary of the series at first. "Community definitely has elements that would have cynical viewers file away as a pop-culture-reference fest," said Harmon. "The actors are more comfortable with one another, and the writers are syncing up with the actors' voices. So the show is getting better, and people are more accustomed to its sensibility." [Editor: I'm actually hoping that Community, Parks and Recreation, and Modern Family wind up in the comedy category... and can push out Glee.] (Variety's Emmy Central)

Thomas Dekker (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) has been cast opposite Tim Robbins, Diane Lane, and James Gandolfini in HBO Films' telepic Cinema Verite, which takes a look at the real-life family who was the focus for the groundbreaking 1970s reality series An American Family. Dekker will play Lance Loud, "who became the center of scrutiny when he came out as a gay man on the show." Robbins and Lane will play his parents, while Gandolfini will portray Craig Gilbert, the documentary series' producer. (Hollywood Reporter)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Syfy has ordered six episodes of reality series Hunting Hollywood, which will be hosted by Profiles in History's Joe Maddalena as he goes hunting for authentic Hollywood and pop culture props and memorabilia, which will be auctioned off at the end of each episode. Project, from Shevick*Zupon Entertainment, is expected to launch in November. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Susan Young has an interesting article at Variety's Emmy Central about the role of social networking conversations on interactions between showrunners and television critics and how services like Twitter are changing the dialogue. "I generally make networks nervous because I act first and think later," Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter told Young. "I've learned to be more cautious about what I tweet. A showrunner isn't just representing himself, but a studio and network, and I think it's legitimate for them to get a little nervous about what we say online." (Variety's Emmy Central)

ITV Studios and Debmar-Mercury have teamed up to produce talk show format The Chefs, with the distributor signing a deal that will see it acquire worldwide rights to the series, which will feature four chefs discussing various culinary topics. It's expected that the series would get a "multiweek on-air test of the strip" in the US later this year or in 2011 before it segues into national distribution. (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC has ordered eight additional episodes of Primetime: What Would You Do?. (Variety)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that Fred Goss (Sons & Daughters) is close to signing a deal to topline CMT comedy pilot 30 Percent (with Sarah Rafferty also joining the cast), while Debra Mooney (Everwood) has signed on to the cabler's untitled David Litt comedy pilot. (Deadline)

Style has ordered another ten episodes of reality series Jerseylicious, bumping the total of installments for Season Two from ten to twenty. Series returns to the lineup this fall. (Hollywood Reporter)

Former Bravo executive Cori Abraham has been hired as SVP of development at Oxygen Media and will oversee development on both the West and East Coasts. She'll be based in Los Angeles and will report to Amy Introcaso-Davis. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Backstabbing and Brunoise: An Advance Review of Top Chef D.C.

Before we can even catch our collective breath after the end of Top Chef Masters, Bravo has brought back the original Top Chef to the lineup, beginning with tonight's season premiere ("What's Your Constituency?").

While I've loved seeing master chefs hone their craft even further on Top Chef Masters, I have to say that I'm really excited by the return of Top Chef itself. There's an even fiercer air of competition from these chefs, many of whom are just beginning their culinary careers... and are therefore less likely to play nice and be as helpful as the masters. Which means more drama, inevitably.

Heading to Washington D.C., this season of Top Chef finds the seventeen new contestants attempting to outdo their competitors in the nation's capital, which means that the setting is only too apt for the backstabbing and manipulation likely to unfold as this season's episodes get underway. In the first installment alone, we're treated to one of the most hyper-ambitious contestants that the entire series has yet produced. (That would be Angelo Sosa, of course.)

Tonight's episode finds the chefs competing in a round robin Quickfire Challenge with an emphasis on prep work and mis-en-place before the four last chefs standing get an opportunity to use the ingredients to dazzle the judges, which this time around includes the silver-haired Frenchman Eric Ripert, thankfully replacing former judge Toby Young. (I'm hungrily anticipating Ripert's criticisms and think he'll be more honest than pithy, whereas Young seemed more determined to drop some bon mots than offer some real culinary critiques.)

The judges on the whole seem more unified this season; there's something intoxicating about seeing Ripert at the judges table alongside such icons as Gail Simmons and Tom Colicchio and knowing that he'll be sticking around all season long. He adds a certain gravitas and knowledge that Young lacked in abundance.

Likewise, the contestants seem eager and hungry, in the best possible sense of the word. Through the opening Quickfire, some rather fierce contenders emerge for the throne, including the aforementioned Angelo and Kenny Gilbert, both of whom manage to turn out incredibly polished dishes in a severe time crunch. Keep your eyes on these two as they are likely to go very far indeed during the competition.

But there are also some duds among the group, which becomes crystal clear during the first Elimination Challenge, in which the chefs are tasked with creating dishes that reflect where they came from, in essence, a symbolic display of their own constituencies, which makes sense with the nation's political leaders gathering in Washington from their own enclaves.

There are quite a few missteps here, including one contestant who opts to make a fat-free rendition of chicken liver terrine... which is traditionally made with fat, as that's what makes it a terrine or mousse in the first place. And then there's John Somerville, with his huge dreadlocks and off-putting manner and a dish called O-High-O that's, well, impossible to describe if you haven't seen it. There's a lot of chaff to be cut from the wheat if these chefs don't step up to the plate.

Which is fine and good, in theory. Last season, it was too obvious that the Voltaggio Brothers were two of the strongest contenders (while this year we might call it for Angelo and Kenny), but I want to be surprised. I'm hoping that nerves played a huge role in some of the missteps witnessed here and that there might still be some dark horse players emerge over the next few weeks.

My only complaint, in fact, is that the so-called "High Stakes" Quickfire is in effect again this season. This gimmick worked during the Las Vegas season but it's more than a little head-scratching here. Just what does the term "high stakes" have to do with Washington, D.C.? I'd at least have hoped that the producers would have found something more apt for the political scene. (Any suggestions?)

All in all, tonight's season premiere is a nice taste of the nation and the perfect beginning for another cutthroat edition of Top Chef. Just make sure you've eaten beforehand.

Top Chef D.C. Preview: Welcome to D.C.


Top Chef D.C. Preview: Trying to Represent


Top Chef D.C. premieres tonight at 9 pm ET/PT on Bravo.

Channel Surfing: Kevin Spacey Pitching Series, HBO Delves into Hemingway & Gellhorn, Ricky Gervais on His New Project, and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing.

Vulture's Josef Adalian is reporting that Kevin Spacey is in attached to star in Rod Lurie's drama pilot The Crux, about a charismatic cult leader, which is currently being pitched to various networks. (Should the project go forward, Spacey would executive produce with Lurie, Dana Brunetti, and Marc Frydman.) While Adalian reports that talks have begun between Spacey's camp and Showtime (as well as possibly HBO), Deadline's Nellie Adreeva adds that the project is currently being pitched to Showtime, HBO, FX, and Starz, with all four said to be in the running to land the much buzzed project from Lurie (Commander In Chief), who will write the script. Timing, however, may be a key factor. "One stumbling block could be Spacey's schedule," writes Adalian. "In addition to various film roles, a big chunk of Spacey's day planner is filled fulfilling (and tweeting about) his obligations as artistic director for London's Old Vic Theatre." (Vulture, Deadline)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that HBO has given an order to telepic Hemingway & Gellhorn, which will star Clive Owen and Nicole Kidman as literary couple Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn. Project, executive produced by James Gandolfini (along with Alex Ryan, Barbara Turner, Philip Kaufman, and Peter Kaufman), will be written by Barbara Turner and Jerry Stahl and directed by Philip Kaufman. Production on the telepic, which will follow the romance between Hemingway and Gellhorn as they meet in 1936 and later wed before traveling to report on the Spanish Civil War, is expected to get underway next year. (Deadline)

Ricky Gervais has offered some new details about his new BBC One pilot (co-created with Stephen Merchant) Life's Too Short, which will--hopefully!--be headed Stateside and appear on HBO. “It’s the funniest thing we’ve done,” Gervais said at the Banff World Television Festival of the series, which will star Warwick Davis as a show business dwarf and is based around many of the actor's own real-life experiences, although they transformed Warwick into a manipulative and seething character. "He runs this company called Dwarves For Hire but he’s stealing all the other dwarves’ jobs,” said Gervais. (The Globe & Mail)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Brian Benben will be promoted to series regular on ABC medical drama Private Practice. Benben has recurred on the series as resident psychiatrist Sheldon Wallace at Pacific Wellcare, the rival clinic to Oceanside. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

SPOILER! TVGuide.com's Natalie Abrams talks to True Blood's James Frain about his upcoming turn as vampire Franklin Mott on the HBO drama series. "Franklin Mott is a private eye," said Frain. "We learn later in the season that he works for Russell [Denis O'Hare], who is the King. He's been sent on a mission to dig up information on Bill. His attention is completely distracted by the charms of Tara [Rutina Wesley]." (TVGuide.com)

Bravo's The Real Housewives of D.C. will launch on August 5th... and will include notorious White House gate-crashers Michaele and Tareq Salahi among the cast. Bravo's Andy Cohen, meanwhile, defended the inclusion of the Sahalis in a post at The Huffington Post. "It is the job of the legal system to decide if and how the Salahis may have broken the law," wrote Cohen. "But our decision to include them in the series speaks to a very basic programming mandate, which is to present real people as they exist within their universe. Meaning, we do not editorialize on their actions, how they raise their kids, live their lives, spend their money or treat their friends. We show them as they are, with awareness but without judgment. We let them be themselves, and let the audience draw their own conclusions, and -- like with real relationships -- sometimes the way people feel about a Housewife changes throughout the season. Whatever the feeling, we leave it to the viewer to decide." (Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post)

Randall Einhorn (The Office) will direct his first pilot, FX comedy Wilfred, which is based on the Aussie comedy of the same name. (Deadline)

SPOILER! TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm will head to New York City for roughly half of its upcoming eighth season. Keck goes on to recount some of the colorful characters that Larry will be encountering over the course of his Manhattan-based misadventures. (TV Guide Magazine)

FOX has ordered a pilot for game show The Money Drop, based on British format The Million Pound Drop. Project, from Endemol USA, will revolve around a group of contestants who are "given a wad of cash and then asked a series of multiple-choice trivia questions. They then place their bets on a trap door that represents their choice. If their answer turns out to be wrong, the trap door opens -- and their money is gone. Contestants keep playing until all their money has fallen down the "drop." Contestants play through eight questions -- and get to keep whatever's left of their cash if they answer that final question right." No executive producer or host has been named; production is slated to get underway in August. (Variety)

Lawrence O'Donnell is set to host his own primetime weeknight show on MSNBC. The analyst and former West Wing writer had subbed in for Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann,, and Rachel Maddow in the past. No launch date was announced for his upcoming series. (Hollywood Reporter)

More details on the cast changes afoot at CBS' Criminal Minds. Deadline's Nellie Andreeva, who broke the story, is now reporting that the network made the decision to axe several female cast members because of creative, rather than financial, reasons, as an effort to "refresh a veteran drama." A new female series regular will be brought on the crime procedural. (Deadline)

Warner Bros. Television has promoted two key communications executives, Tammy Golihew and Scott Rowe. Golihew will move into SVP of publicity, reporting to Scott Rowe and Peter Roth. Rowe, meanwhile, will step into the newly created role of SVP of worldwide communications and report to Lisa Gregorian. [Editor: congratulations, Tammy!] (Hollywood Reporter, Variety)

Craig Ferguson will host Discovery Channel's programming pod, Shark Week, which launches on August 1st. (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that John Miller, the 28-year NBC marketing veteran, will step down from his post as chief marketing officer for NBC Universal Television Group at the end of the year. (Deadline)

The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd has an interview with Tony Robbins about his upcoming NBC primetime series, Breakthrough with Tony Robbins, which is set to launch on the Peacock on July 27th. "The reason I wanted to do something was all hell was breaking loose in the world, there was such enormous levels of stress. And when you go to reality shows, the majority of them are about humiliation," said Robbins. "I thought people need inspiration, but not fake inspiration. Watching real people in extremely stressful real life experiences and watching them over a period of time, 30 days, really transforming their life." (Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Meredith Ahr has been promoted to SVP of alternative programming and development at NBC/Universal Media Studios. She will report to Paul Telegdy. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

First Look: Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes on AMC's The Walking Dead

AMC today released the first photo of Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes from the set of the cabler's upcoming supernatural drama The Walking Dead, set to premiere this October.

Robert Kirkman, creator/writer of the comic and executive producer on the series says:
"Writing this book for the past seven years I've gotten very close to the character of Rick," said Robert Kirkman, who wrote the comic on which The Walking Dead is based, and who will serve as an executive producer on the AMC drama. "Andrew Lincoln embodies every aspect of the character that fans know and love. After seeing this photo I don't think that there will be a doubt in anyone's mind that he's perfect for the role."

A larger version of the photo can be found below.



Here's how AMC is positioning the series: "The Walking Dead tells the story of the months and years that follow after a zombie apocalypse. It follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes, who travel in search of a safe and secure home. The comic goes on to explore the challenges of life in a world overrun by zombies who take a toll on the survivors, and sometimes the interpersonal conflicts present a greater danger to their continuing survival than the zombies that roam the country. Over time, the characters are changed by the constant exposure to death and some grow willing to do anything to survive."

The Walking Dead is expected to launch in October on AMC.

When Bad Things Happen to Good Pilots: ABC's Edgar Floats

It was inevitable, really.

One of the quirkier pilots this season, ABC's Edgar Floats is getting reconceived. It's a shame as the pilot, from creator Rand Ravich (Life) was one of the few beacons of hope (and creativity) in a season that's otherwise overflowing with formulaic procedurals and tired professional-based genres (doctor, lawyer, cop) rather than genuine originality.

Other than Robert Patrick, the entire cast--including the perfectly cast Tom Cavanagh and Alicia Witt--will be replaced and the potential series--which received an order for six additional scripts--will likely be refashioned to be less edgy, less quirky, less smart.

In other words, all of the very things that made it stand out from the pack in the first place.

I had the chance to watch the original pilot for Edgar Floats a few weeks back (after loving the pilot script) and instantly fell head over heels in love with it, raving about the shot pilot on Twitter and to anyone I happened to be talking to about pilots at the time.

Egdar's pilot was the standout of the broadcast bunch, an intelligent and quirky drama that pushes Cavanagh's titular character, a police psychologist, into the dangerous world of bail bonds, pitting him against his kick-ass ex-wife Sandra (Witt) and her tough-as-nails father (Patrick) as Edgar learns that his skills might not extend to bare-knuckle brawling but might serve their team of bounty hunters quite well indeed.

Cavanagh's Edgar was a mild-mannered police psychologist, the sort who wears Clark Kent-style heavy-framed glasses and a short-sleeved shirt with a tie but he's perhaps even more wimpy than Superman's alter ego. He's also haunted by the ghost of a dead cop, one who blew his brains out, though it's unclear in the pilot whether what Edgar is seeing is a ghost or something more akin to a full-blown hallucination... or a manifestation of his own guilty conscious.

Yin to Edgar's yang was Alicia Witt's Sandra, a sexy and deadly bounty hunter who just happened to be his opposites attract ex-wife. That it was hard to imagine Edgar and Sandra together is part of the fun of the pilot; these two are so diametrically opposed that it's not hard to see why their marriage crumbled around them. Sandra's a completely physical person--all curves and roundhouse punches--while Edgar lives inside his head. It was a match that was doomed to fail, really.

I will say that all three of the series leads--Cavanagh, Witt, and Patrick--were all fantastic in their roles. Patrick seems born to play this role, a gruff but caring paternal figure to both Sandra and Edgar, whom he seems to genuinely care about, even if he's in way over his head.

Direction by Jace Alexander (Burn Notice) kept the whole thing moving along at a brisk pace (and with a nicely stylized palette), with the actors seeming to relish the quick-witted banter and well-crafted dialogue that Ravich brought to the table. (It's a shame, really, that people won't get to see this shot pilot as it was absolute perfection to me.)

It's the rare series that can juggle humor, violence, quirky characters, and heart, but Edgar Floats's pilot did just that, creating a world that's at once heightened and accessible, beautiful and deadly, all at the same time.

Edgar Floats may still make it to the airwaves but it will be a very different beast than this pilot. Which is where my depression starts to set in again. It's rare to see a pilot and need to see the second episode straightaway but Edgar Floats had me wanting to see the third, fourth, fifth episodes right now.

In a season that's going to be filled with more run-of-the-mill procedurals than you can shake a psychology degree at, it's all the more heartbreaking that ABC would have to tamper with a good thing.

Stay tuned.

Trailer Park: Season Two Teasers for HBO's Bored to Death and Eastbound and Down

"I will not have a three-way cuddle with a struggling comedian!"

I think it's fairly safe to say that those words could only have emanated from the twisted mind of author Jonathan Ames, creator of HBO's deliciously loopy private investigator comedy Bored to Death, which returns for a second season in September.

But Bored to Death's Jason Schwartzman, Ted Danson, and Zach Galifianakis aren't the only ones headed back to HBO this fall as the pay cabler also brings back Danny McBride's Kenny Powers to the lineup as Eastbound and Down returns for a second season in September.

The teaser promos for the second seasons of Bored to Death and Eastbound and Down, as well as the image campaign for HBO's Summer/Fall 2010 series, can be found below.

Bored to Death Season Two:



Eastbound and Down Season Two:



HBO Original Series Summer/Fall 2010 Image Campaign:



Season Two of Bored to Death and Eastbound and Down return to HBO in September.

Channel Surfing: ABC to Revamp Edgar Floats, Undercovers Recasts, Weatherly to Return to NCIS, Criminal Minds Cuts Female Cast, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Rand Ravich's ABC drama pilot Edgar Floats, which recently received an order for six additional scripts, will be completely reconceived, with nearly all of the original cast--including series leads Tom Cavanagh and Alicia Witt and supporting players Derek Webster, Alex Solowitz, and Raoul Trujillo--getting the axe. (Only Robert Patrick will remain.) Deadline's Nellie Andreeva, meanwhile, has some further insight into the decision made by ABC. "People have been divided on Cavanagh's performance, while Patrick has been almost universally hailed as the pilot's scene stealer," she writes. "I hear ABC brass like the idea of Edgar Floats and the central character but the project is being re-conceived, with the six additional scripts still being written." [Editor: seeing as Edgar Floats was my favorite broadcast pilot of the development cycle, I'm gutted by this news.] (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files, Deadline)

Mekia Cox (90210) has been cast in JJ Abrams and Josh Reims' upcoming NBC drama series Undercovers, where she will play Lizzy, the sister of Gugu Mbatha-Raw's Samantha, who is unaware of her sister's professional capacity as a CIA agent. Cox replaces Jessica Parker Kennedy, who appeared in the role in the pilot. [Editor: while I have nothing against Kennedy, per se, I did think that Lizzy and the catering company was the weakest and most labored part of Undercovers pilot.] (Hollywood Reporter)

It's official: Michael Weatherly has closed his deal to return to CBS' NCIS next season, following a successful renegotiation for Season Eight of the crime procedural. Of the four actors who went into the summer without a deal in place--Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Michael Weatherly, and Sean Murray--only Murray has yet to finish renegotiating, however, Deadline's Nellie Andreeva said that the two sides are "optimistic" that a deal can be reached. (Deadline, Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that CBS' Criminal Minds is gutting most of its female cast for financial reasons, opting not to pick up the option of series regular A.J. Cook, while Paget Brewster will be appearing in a "reduced number of episodes next season." Cook may reprise her role as Jennifer Jereau next season so that the writers can wrap up her storyline, though no deal has been made. Move means that Kristen Vangsness will be the only female cast member to appear in all episodes next season. (Deadline)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Adrianne Palicki and Taylor Kitsch have signed on to appear in multiple episodes of Season Five of Friday Night Lights. Ausiello, citing unnamed sources, writes that Palicki will guest star in the final two episodes of the season (likely the series' end), while Kitsch will appear in the final four. (Also set to return, at least for one episode: Scott Porter, Zach Gilford--who will be in four installments--and likely Jesse Plemons.) (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Brian Kirk (Dexter) will direct two episodes of HBO's upcoming fantasy drama Game of Thrones. Production is slated to begin July 26th in Northern Ireland. (Hollywood Reporter)

Christopher Eccleston has broken his silence about why he left Doctor Who after just one season in a new interview with Radio Times. "I was open-minded but I decided after my experience on the first series that I didn't want to do any more," said Eccleston. "I didn't enjoy the environment and the culture that we, the cast and crew, had to work in. I thought if I stay in this job, I'm going to have to blind myself to certain things that I thought were wrong." (BBC News)

SPOILER! TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck is reporting that Fringe producers are looking to cast the role of the mother of Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv), who would appear in a story arc that would last roughly three or four episodes next season. "The character is described as loving, stable and sweet," writes Keck. "She dotes on Olivia since her other daughter died at birth." [Editor: I would assume that this role would be taking place "over there," in the other dimension, since Olivia's sister Rachel is, uh, alive and well in "our" world.] (TV Guide Magazine)

Faran Tahir (Star Trek) is set to guest star in two episodes of Syfy's Warehouse 13 this summer, as the series returns for its second season. Tahir will play Regent Adwin Kosan, described as "one of the mysterious and powerful Regents, the shadowy governing body charged with keeping the Warehouse safe," who turns up at the Warehouse in the midst of a crisis. (via press release)

In other Warehouse 13-related news, TV Guide Magazine's Will Keck has more details about the role that former Bionic Woman Lindsay Wagner will be playing when she guest stars on the Syfy dramedy as Dr. Vanessa Calder. "She's the official doctor for Warehouse agents. She is quite worldly and knows lots of secrets," Wagner told Keck. (TV Guide Magazine)

Stay tuned.

Wolfsbane: Howling at the Moon on the True Blood Season Premiere

The best laid plans, as they say...

Last night's season premiere of True Blood ("Bad Blood"), written by Brian Buckner and directed by Daniel Minahan, kicked off the third season in style, with a riveting installment that was sexy, sultry, and dangerous all at once and which found several of the characters having to make, uh, alternate arrangements as their strategies didn't exactly pay off the way that they had intended.

That went for Sookie (Anna Paquin), who decided to accept Bill's marriage proposal, only to learn that he'd been kidnapped, to baby vamp Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) and conscience-suffering Jason (Ryan Kwanten), as well as conspirators Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) and Sophie-Anne (Evan Rachel Wood).

Taking place just a few seconds after the events of the Season Two finale, "Bad Blood" found the characters reeling from those life-altering collisions of sex and violence. Sookie discovered that Bill had disappeared and was convinced that he had been taken, just as Tara (Rutina Wesley) had to contend with the death of her one true love Eggs, shot down at the hands of Jason at the end of last season.

The season opener then shows how both women attempt to cope with the loss of their lovers, as Tara turns towards the warm embrace of darkness, choosing death over life, while Sookie strives to pursue all possible leads, vowing not to rest until Bill is located again. In life and death, the cycle just keeps on turning.

So what did I think of the season opener? Sidle up to the bar, pop open a warm Tru Blood, and let's discuss "Bad Blood."

[Note: while I've seen the first three episodes of the season, my comments will be limited just to the season opener. So, no spoilers here!]

Continuing the set-up established at the start of last season, the writers--led by creator/executive producer Alan Ball--have wisely opted to begin this season in the moments following the cliffhanger, immediately pushing the audience into the action. The effect is rather like a fierce undertow, dragging the viewer right into the current, in both senses of the word. Rather than quietly ramp up the action, the viewer is plunged right into it, resulting in a terrifically charged beginning for the season.

Bill. The biggest mystery, of course, is who plucked Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) from the French restaurant where he had, just minutes earlier, proposed to Sookie. Was it Eric and Sophie-Anne? Lorena? Hmmm...

We're given an answer of sorts to that right at the very beginning, in the form of the savage F--- You Crew, who not only have poor Bill at their mercy thanks to a sterling silver chain, but who begin to drain him in the car as they head off to... Well, we're not immediately sure where they're taking Bill.

Defenseless though he might seem, Bill isn't out for the count and he takes the touring gloves cast off by Coot (Grant Bowler) and uses them to remove the silver chain binding him in place (which also acted as a nice callback to the pilot episode as well)... and then attacked his captors, managing to crash the car and escape into the night.

I thought that the sequence where Bill happens upon an old woman with an oxygen tank in the woods was absolutely lyrical and tender. While he's in need of sustenance if he hopes to survive, Bill doesn't kill Olivia but rather feeds off of her and then does something both unexpected and entirely true to his character: he leaves her happier than when he found her. In this case, he glamours her and makes her believe that her estranged son has visited her and given her a wad of cash.

It's an important moment because it underlies just how much of his humanity Bill still has. Most other vampires would have killed Olivia and walked out without a second thought. She invited him, with her crochet-covered oxygen tank, and offered him food, figuratively and literally. But after feeding on her, Bill didn't cast her into death; instead, he granted her a taste of happiness, of life.

He also learned just where he had come to: Mississippi. Which doesn't seem to make Bill too pleased to learn (he's out of Sophie-Anne's jurisdiction) and he's especially made uneasy by the howls in the distance. Bidding farewell to Olivia, he races through the forest before he's surrounded by a pack of snarling wolves.

Those wolves, of course, aren't any ordinary pack animals. They're men in wolf's clothing, werewolves... and they seem to be bound together by another mystery, one unearthed by Sookie and Jessica when they discover the remains of one of their member in the wreckage of Bill's car: Operation Werewolf. Just what does that mean? And why was one of the men branded on his neck? Hmmm...

Sookie. Sookie, of course, is looking at every possible explanation for Bill's disappearance, but she doesn't buy Kenya's suggestion that Bill stormed off after being rejected. She knows in her heart of hearts that Bill has been seized by force and her prime suspects are Eric and Lorena... even if Sheriff Bud Dearborne (William Sanderson) doesn't want to get involved. (Granted, he's right when he says that he has dead human bodies piling up at the morgue and doesn't really have the budget to go after dangerous vampires.)

After all, vampires have their own laws and their own law-enforcement. Despite the fact that she suspects he's possibly behind Bill's kidnapping, Sookie goes to see Eric and Fangtasia--and discovers him in flagrante delicto with new dancer Yvetta. But, given his role as area sheriff, Eric is duty-bound to investigate Bill's disappearance and pledges to Sookie to find him, even if it was human or vampire that took him.

An appearance from Pam the following night--to deliver the $10,000 that Eric owed Sookie (plus a little bonus)--reveals that vampires can be "called" by their makers... and Sookie realizes that Jessica might have been summoned by Bill if he was in danger. While Jessica has her own issues, she agrees to help her find Bill and together, they make their way to the scene of the car accident, where the duo discover a peculiar branding on the driver's body.

Eric. Eric, meanwhile, is in a bit of a bind. He doesn't quite know what to make of Bill's kidnapping, especially as he had given orders to an operative to seize Mr. Compton... but they were too late as they arrived at the restaurant after Bill had already been taken by someone else. Eric's concerned as Bill knows the truth about the arrangement between Eric and Queen Sophie-Anne about the V-trade in Louisiana and their complicity. If Bill shares that connection with someone, they're both in trouble, especially as the magister (Zeljko Ivanek) is already suspicious that all is not right in this little corner of the kingdom.

Sophie-Anne, however, doesn't care: She wants Eric to continue moving the V as quickly as possible as she needs to generate some quick cash to get the IRS off her back, but she's also willing to do a dash-and-run as well and sell their assets and get the hell out of the area. Something tells me that the magister won't be too thrilled with that...

The Queen sees Bill's disappearance as an opportunity. If he's the only one that knew she was supplying the vampire blood, then he should remain missing at all costs. (Or as she put it, "Let him rot.") After all, it would serve Eric's purposes as well if Bill stayed away, leaving Sookie open for the taking. But he did give his word to the telepathic waitress that he'd find her missing would-be fiance. What is a vampire to do?

(Aside: I have to say that, while I was critical of Wood's performance last year as Sophie-Anne, I found her turn in last night's season premiere to be top-notch. She was every inch the dangerously unpredictable Vampire Queen and I found myself falling in love with the fiery vampire royal, even if she is a few teacups short of a full set.)

Tara. Poor Tara struggled to come to terms with what happened to Eggs, unaware of what really occurred. Eggs wasn't, of course, shot by Andy Bellefleur (Chris Bauer) in an act of self-defense, but rather by Jason Stackhouse, who misunderstood the scene playing out (in which Eggs confessed to Andy) and shot him in the back of his head. I thought there was something terrible and beautiful about the blood pooling on the sheet placed over Eggs' corpse. For a series that revolves around blood as vital life source, as substance and substance, it was a sad tragedy to see all that Eggs was leaking out of his lifeless body.

It's no surprise that Tara would be so distraught after discovering his body, nor that she would pick a fight with Arlene (Carrie Preston), though I did love Arlene's line about how everyone there had fallen in love with a serial killer at one time or another. (Also, I wasn't surprised at all about the fact that the cinnamon-sniffing Arlene would be pregnant again. I've been waiting for this for a while now.) Retreating with Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) and a bottle of tequila to Sookie's house, Tara is numb and distant... until Sookie comes home and confesses that she unlocked Eggs' memories and made him remember what he had done to the women whose hearts he cut out for Maryann.

Does Tara blame Sookie for Eggs' death? In that moment, perhaps, but she's also a convenient scapegoat right then, a symbol of what went wrong with Eggs. The truth might set you free, but it can also get you killed... and Eggs' self-awareness led directly to his death at the hands of Jason. Is there any hope of reconciliation between Tara and Sookie? Stay tuned.

Sadly, Lafayette can't keep vigil over Tara 24/7 (he's working two legal jobs and selling V), so he has to turn--reluctantly--to Tara's Jesus-praising mother Lettie Mae, the scariest character on True Blood in my estimation. Lettie Mae brings a local preacher over to help Tara and ends up coming on to him... while Tara takes the opportunity to lock herself in the bathroom in an effort to commit suicide.

Lafayette's arrival saves Tara's life but it's clear that she doesn't want to be saved. The darkness within her looks to consume her body and soul; the loss of Eggs--of the chance at happiness--has plunged her into a state of utter despair. And it might take more than Lafayette to save her in the end... Especially as Lafayette has been tasked by Eric and Pam to sell off his entire supply of V that very night.

Jessica. Everyone's favorite baby vamp, meanwhile, had to deal with the consequences of her recent midnight snack. Discovering flowers from Hoyt waiting for her outside the Old Compton Place, Jessica drags the body of the trucker inside the house, but he's quickly dying from blood loss and Jessica doesn't know what to do and, after hiding his body in the secret compartment, she learns that he's quietly died. An effort to turn him is futile. He's already dead and she is stuck with his corpse in her resting place.

I feel for poor Jessica. She wants nothing more than to be with the man she loves but there is no such thing as normalcy for Jessica. She might not have been a willing recruit but she has to live (heh) with the fact that she is not a mortal and therefore is prone to cravings and impulses that Hoyt (Jim Parrack) can only guess at. She has a maker who has abandoned her time and time again, rather than instruct her in the ways of their kind and has attempted to bring her into his "vegetarian" lifestyle.

It was only a matter of time before she slipped, before she gave into the hunger and attacked a human in order to drink from them. That she would agree with her victim when he calls her a "filthy whore" with his last breath is a sad indication of the psychological state right now. She wants desperately to be with Hoyt, to be a normal girl with a normal boyfriend, but she knows that that isn't the truth. She's crossed a line, taken a life, and she's not worthy of Hoyt's love, nor of his purity of spirit.

I worry about what will happen to these two this season...

Sam. Sam's journey of self-discovery, a quest to find his family roots, took him to Arkansas in search of his biological family, the Mickens. But before he reached his destination, Sam (Sam Trammell) had a potent homo-erotic dream about Bill Compton, one that was foisted on him by the fact that he tasted Bill's blood at the end of last season (in order to defeat Maryann). The scene--which took the flirtation nearly to a kiss between the two--served two purposes. One was to show the connection that now exists between the two men, forged in blood, and that it would be only natural that Sam would begin to, uh, have these subconscious feelings towards Bill now that his blood is in his system. (It echoes Sookie's erotic dreams of Eric Northman last season after she tasted his blood.) And also, it was a heightened bait-and-switch that tricked the audience (for a split-second) that Bill had ended up in Arkansas and crossed paths with Sam, given that in both reality and the dream, Bill was shirtless.

It was, however, a dream, one that Sam was all too happy to be awakened from... and he caught his first lead to tracking down the Mickens clan in the form of Tommy (Marshall Allman), who claimed not to be Tommy Mickens. Of course, the mechanic wasn't exactly a very good liar, so Sam followed him home, where he discovered a mailbox full of past-due bills addressed to his biological mother, Melinda Mickens.

Just who are the Mickenses? Will they prove to be the thing that Sam's been looking for? Or the thing he's been running from? Hmmm...

Jason. Jason, meanwhile, is haunted by what he did to Eggs, despite the fact that Andy quickly concocts a hare-brained story that shields him from criminal charges and takes the blame for Eggs' death. But while Jason might not be in any legal trouble, it's clear that he can't get the image of Eggs dying out of his head, seeing that mocking bullet hole everywhere he goes, including on the faces of the two vet students he beds. No, it seems that Jason can't quite turn his conscience off, as much as he and Andy might want him to.

Wolves. We end the episode as we began, with Bill encircled by the deadly werewolves of Operation Werewolf. While he was weakened before (thanks to the silver and blood-letting), he's fed now and is strong. But is he strong enough to take on an entire pack of wolves on his own? We'll have to wait until next week to find out...

All in all, a fantastic season opener that breathlessly set the tone and scale of the third season, delivering a series of staggering plot twists, brutal emotion, and haunting sexuality. If "Bad Blood" is any indication, we're in for a simply amazing Season Three of True Blood and the wait between episodes has not gotten any easier....

What did you think of the episode? Where do you think this season is heading? (Remember: no spoilers!) Head to the comments section to discuss.

Next week on True Blood ("Beautifully Broken"), Russell Edgington (Denis O'Hare), the Vampire King of Mississippi, concocts a plan to consolidate his power; Eric remembers his past; Sam tests the strength of his family bonds; Tara finds an ally in shady vampire Franklin Mott (James Frain).

Ep. 26: Beautifully Broken - Preview

The Awakening: The Water's Edge on Treme

"Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful." - Lao Tzu

Water has been at the heart of HBO's criminally under-appreciated series Treme since the beginning. After all, it's a series that recounts the lives and passions--both physical and intellectual--of New Orleans inhabitants several months after Hurricane Katrina. Everywhere one turns there is evidence of the power of water, from the stained and mildewed walls of the homes to the changed waterfront, dramatically altered after centuries due to failing levees and now-missing structures.

However, water was never so front and center on Treme as it was with last night's episode ("Wish Someone Would Care"), written by David Simon and George Pelecanos and directed by Dan Attias, the season's penultimate installment, which began with a lover's quarrel between musicians Sonny (Michael Huisman) and Annie (Lucia Micarelli) at the water's edge and ended with a fateful ferry ride into the Gulf of Mexico for one character.

In between was another storm, one not as savage as Katrina but one which also erased the foundations of life for another character, signifying the very end of their life in New Orleans, washing away the ties that bound them there, the never-ending war between life and one's city.

Water might be about permanence but it's also a quixotic substance. It can't be contained, nor can it be counted on. It, like Life itself, has a mind and a method all its own.

When I was writing a feature about Treme for The Daily Beast before its launch, I interviewed HBO's Michael Lombardo and told him that I believed that if you're at all interested in human beings, you will be interested in Treme, that the series delved into the universal human concerns we all have. While the characters' situation may be far removed from our own (unless, of course, you live in post-Katrina New Orleans and lived through the storm), their needs are the ones that we all have: food, shelter, companionship, love. Their lives are inextricably intertwined with the culture and cuisine of New Orleans: music is the oxygen they breathe.

I stand by that description, as the first season of Treme is about to come to an end next week, that it's pleasure that keeps us going in the face of unspeakable adversity, that music and culture are the things that make us--and keep us--human, and that to lose that intangible thing is to lose one's grasp on what essentially makes us human.

John Goodman's Creighton Bernette seemed to offer a prophecy for this episode while sitting at his keyboard, typing a line of his never-ending, in-progress novel, writing that the rains came and continued into the next day. Sure enough, an unexpected storm does arrive, on the same night as a party hosted by Davis (Steve Zahn) at his house, one that brings together "musicians and hot women" (and his gay neighbors, with whom he has buried the hatchet)... even as Janette (Kim Dickens), uninvited to this soiree, loses everything, from her new business (one borne from the ashes of her failed restaurant) to her home. Yes, the water takes it all once more, washing away what had one stood so strong.

It's fitting that Janette would want to throw in the towel now. Yes, she survived the storm, kept her restaurant going as long as she could, but there's only so long that one can fight. And the fight has gone out of Janette now. Seeing her in the torrential downpour, tripping and landing in the muck, I knew that she had had enough of New Orleans, had lost her battle with the city. She'd lost the music. It's what she admits to Davis the following morning in bed, that she wants to try her hand in New York, to see if she can make it there.

Davis chides her for the moments she'll be missing, the impromptu second line, dancing with her neighbors, the infusion of culture at every corner of New Orleans life. But Janette's right: those moments are just that, they're moments, rather than a whole life. For her, they don't make up for the rest.

But it's the moments, meanwhile, that Creighton is struggling to hold onto. To a goodbye kiss with his wife Toni (Melissa Leo), a compliment to his daughter, a gracious tip to street fiddler Annie ("for the pleasure"), one last great meal at his favorite establishment. I've been worried about Creighton all season, with his godlike wrath, his anger towards everyone who had failed New Orleans and its inhabitants, his unendurable writer's block.

Creighton's righteous indignation seemed to be a reaction to the blaseness of everyone's reactions to Katrina. The nation had moved on but New Orleans had not. He made polemical YouTube videos, he ranted to a documentary crew and to NPR, yet his own freshman lit class was just as entrenched in apathy. Unable to reach them with his lesson on Kate Chopin's groundbreaking work, "The Awakening," Creighton is shocked to see that his class just doesn't care. They're lazy, unimaginative, and disconnected from both their own histories and that of the written word.

To them, "The Awakening" is "a really old book" that just happens to be "short." They don't see Edna's experiences as a cautionary tale, nor do they see the work as a naturalistic representation of the ebbs and flows of every day life, just as Treme itself is. Is it the final straw for Creighton? Has the storm taken everything from him, stolen his creativity and his identity? Even though his wife and daughter might represent something to cling to?

Creighton follows in Chopin's heroine's footsteps. After embarking on a personal tour of New Orleans, to eat the food, hear the music, to say his goodbyes to all of the pleasure it has afforded him, he stares into the deep blueness of the Gulf of Mexico, a borrowed cigarette at his lips.

And then, like Edna Pontellier, he leaps into its dark embrace.

Despite the fact that I've been waiting for several weeks for Creighton Bernette to end his life, the fact that he did so--off-screen--with nary a splash or a suicide note cut me to the core. But it was the final shots of the episode, the scene of domesticity played out by Toni and Sofia (India Ennenga) at their home, unaware of Creighton's death, and the haunting shot of the lone car at the ferry terminal, unclaimed and empty, that stuck with me.

Will they ever know or understand why Creighton chose death over them? Toni sought to bring closure to LaDonna (Khandi Alexander) by investigating the particulars of David's death in lock-up, but it doesn't matter in the end to LaDonna; her brother is dead and nothing will bring him back. But for Toni and Sofia, the questions are just beginning. Why did Creighton kill himself? Why weren't they enough to keep him going? How could he abandon him in that way?

Unlike LaDonna's David, Creighton wasn't bludgeoned to death. There are no villains, only victims here... and likely no answers that will remove the ache and hurt that follows in the wake of his suicide.

Next week on the season finale of Treme ("I'll Fly Away"), Toni’s concerns about Creighton turn to anger; Albert and the Indians suit up for St. Joseph’s night; Antoine gambles away a big payday; Davis tries to convince Janette to stay put; Annie weighs her future options. A funeral procession offers its mourners a chance to reflect on the events of the last year in New Orleans.

Crystal Clear: AMC Officially Renews Breaking Bad

It's now super-duper-official: AMC has announced that it has renewed drama series Breaking Bad for a fourth season.

The cable network today issued a press release that confirmed earlier reports that the Sony Pictures Television-produced drama series, which stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, had been renewed for Season Four. News comes on the heels of the series wrapping its third season last evening.

“AMC’s Breaking Bad is one of the most layered and intense dramas on television today,” said Joel Stillerman, Senior Vice President of original programming, production and digital content, in a statement. “The critical acclaim and strong audience growth we’ve seen in season three reinforce that this is the kind of exceptional original storytelling AMC has become known for providing to audiences. Vince Gilligan and his team deliver bold storylines that truly push the psychic envelope and create a mesmerizing, exhilarating television experience. We look forward to an incredible fourth season.”

"Through its captivating storytelling, inspired performances and breathtaking visuals, Breaking Bad delivers on all levels and it's a show we're v ery proud to have in our portfolio," said Sony Pictures Television's president of programming, Zack Van Amburg.

The full press release, jointly released by AMC and Sony Pictures Television, can be found below.

AMC RENEWS EMMY® AWARD-WINNING AND CRITICAL HIT
“BREAKING BAD” FOR FOURTH SEASON

New York – NY, June 14, 2010 – AMC announced today the renewal of its Emmy® Award-winning and critically acclaimed drama series “Breaking Bad” for a fourth season, continuing the network's momentum in delivering the best original storytelling on television. From acclaimed writer/producer/director Vince Gilligan (“The X-Files”), the series follows the story of a desperate man who turns to a life of crime to secure his family’s financial security. “Breaking Bad’s” first two seasons awarded Bryan Cranston the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, which marked the only time an actor from basic cable has ever been recognized with back-to-back Emmy Awards.

Last night, AMC premiered the final episode from season three. Household ratings are 20% stronger than season two and season three is delivering 18% more total viewers and over 30% more adults 18-34 than last season. “Breaking Bad” is filmed on location in Albuquerque, NM.

“AMC’s ‘Breaking Bad’ is one of the most layered and intense dramas on television today,” said Joel Stillerman, Senior Vice President of original programming, production and digital content. “The critical acclaim and strong audience growth we’ve seen in season three reinforce that this is the kind of exceptional original storytelling AMC has become known for providing to audiences. Vince Gilligan and his team deliver bold storylines that truly push the psychic envelope and create a mesmerizing, exhilarating television experience. We look forward to an incredible fourth season.”

"Through its captivating storytelling, inspired performances and breathtaking visuals, 'Breaking Bad' delivers on all levels and it's a show we're v ery proud to have in our portfolio," said Zack Van Amburg, President, programming for Sony Pictures Television.

“Breaking Bad’s” third second season premiered on Sunday, March 21 to the highest ratings ever for the series. Variety “qualified ‘Bad’ as one of TV’s best dramas.” Newsday said, “this show - still TV's best - remains utterly true to itself.” TV Squad heralded, “all things considered, AMC has a lot to be celebrating. Both ‘Mad Men’ and ‘Breaking Bad’ are two of the best -- no, they are the best -- shows on television.” “The writing is among the very elite in television,” according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

“Breaking Bad” stars 2008 and 2009 Emmy Award-winner Bryan Cranston (“Malcolm in the Middle”) as Walter White; Emmy nominated Aaron Paul (“Big Love”) as Jesse Pinkman; Anna Gunn (“Deadwood”) as Skyler White; Dean Norris (“Little Miss Sunshine”) as Hank Schrader; Betsy Brandt (“CSI”) as Marie Schrader; RJ Mitte (“Hannah Montana,” “Weeds”) as Walter, Jr; Bob Odenkirk (“Mr. Show with Bob and David”) as Saul Goodman; Giancarlo Esposito (“Gospel Hill”) as Gus Fring; and Jonathan Banks (“Wiseguy”) as Mike.

“Breaking Bad” follows protagonist Walter White, a milquetoast high school chemistry teacher who lives in New Mexico with his wife and teenage son who has cerebral palsy. White is diagnosed with Stage III cancer and given a prognosis of two years left to live. With a new sense of fearlessness based on his medical prognosis, and a desire to gain financial security for his family, White chooses to enter a dangerous world of drugs and crime and ascends to power in this world. The series explores how a fatal diagnosis such as White’s releases a typical man from the daily concerns and constraints of normal society and follows his transformation from mild-mannered family man to a kingpin of the drug trade.

“Breaking Bad” is produced by High Bridge Productions, Inc. and Gran Via Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television for AMC. Executive producers are Vince Gilligan and Mark Johnson; co-executive producer Michelle MacLaren; line producer/UPM Stewart A. Lyons; producer Melissa Bernstein; supervising producer Sam Catlin; consulting producer John Shiban; producers Peter Gould, George Mastras and Thomas Schnauz; Co-Producer Moria Walley-Beckett; and director of photography Michael Slovis.

About AMC
AMC reigns as the only network to ever win the Golden Globe® Award for Best Television Series - Drama three years in a row and the only basic cable network to win back-to-back Primetime Emmy® Awards for Outstanding Drama Series. Whether commemorating favorite films from every genre and decade from the most comprehensive library or creating acclaimed original productions, the AMC experience is an uncompromising celebration of great stories. AMC's original stories include the Emmy® Award-winning dramas Mad Men and Breaking Bad, and insightful non-scripted programming such as AMC News. AMC further demonstrates its commitment to the art of storytelling with curated movie franchises like AMC Hollywood Icon and AMC Complete Collection. Available in more than 95 million homes (Source: Nielsen Media Research), AMC is a subsidiary of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, which includes sister networks IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv and Wedding Central. AMC is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand and mobile. AMC: Story Matters HereSM.

About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Rainbow Media owns and operates some of the world’s most popular and award-winning entertainment brands, including AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv, Wedding Central and IFC Entertainment (IFC Center, IFC Festival Direct, IFC Films, IFC In Theaters and IFC Productions). Additional information about Rainbow Media’s multiplatform brands is available at www.rainbow-media.com.

About Sony Pictures Television
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Winter is Coming: HBO Unveils New Teaser Trailer for Game of Thrones

HBO last evening unveiled a new teaser trailer for its upcoming fantasy series Game of Thrones, based on the novels of George R.R. Martin.

The series, which is expected to debut in 2011, stars Sean Bean, Lena Headey, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Peter Dinklage, Mark Addy, and Kit Harington, among many, many others. Production is slated to begin next month on the series, with reshoots expected on the original pilot after two roles were recast.

The Hollywood Reporter, meanwhile, is reporting that the series now may not debut until spring or early summer of 2011. However, as HBO has not commented on a launch date (other than just "2011"), I'd advise that fans sit tight until the pay cabler officially announces a firm start date for the David Benioff and D.B. Weiss-executive produced series.

[UPDATE: The Hollywood Reporter is now back-pedaling a bit, stating that "it's unclear if the new start date on the series will impact its premiere plans." In other words: I was right to advise caution.]

The teaser trailer for Game of Thrones, which aired prior to the Season Three premiere of True Blood, can be viewed in full below.

Winter Is Coming

Game of Thrones will premiere in 2011 on HBO.

Channel Surfing: Breaking Bad Renewed, Ricky Gervais Kicked to Curb, Maura Tierney Lands Whole Truth, and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing.

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that AMC and Sony Pictures Television have reached a deal to order a fourth season of drama series Breaking Bad, which would air on the cabler next year. A formal announcement from the network is expected to come later today and the deal was reached after both sides were able to compromise on the production budget after there was an impasse over $.2 million. (Deadline)

Ricky Gervais has signed on to appear on the next season of HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm, in which he'll play himself in the eighth episode of the season. No other details were immediately available. Production is set to get underway later this summer. Elsewhere, HBO would seem to be the frontrunner to become the US home of Gervais and Stephen Merchant's latest BBC comedy pilot, Life's Too Short, which stars Warwick Davis (Harry Potter). (Variety)

It's official! Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Maura Tierney (Rescue Me) has officially signed on to topline ABC's upcoming legal drama The Whole Truth, replacing lead Joely Richardson, who bowed out of the project last month. Tierney will play Kathryn Peale, "a deputy bureau chief in the Manhattan District Attorney's office," opposite Rob Morrow, who plays her criminal attorney counterpart, Jimmy Brogan. Move marks the first series regular gig for Tierney since she was forced to drop out of NBC's Parenthood to focus on her medical treatment for breast cancer. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Gabrielle Union (FlashForward) has been cast opposite Brigid Brannagh in Lifetime's untitled Army Wives spinoff pilot, which will air as an episode of the series. Union will play Detective Gina Holt, an Atlanta cop who is paired with Brannagh's Pamela as her new partner. The untitled new series will be written by Bruce Zimmerman and T.D. Mitchell. (Hollywood Reporter)

Deadline's Nellie Andreeva is reporting that five actors are said to be in talks to join the cast of HBO's Broadway-set John Logan/Kathryn Bigelow drama pilot Miraculous Year, including Norbert Leo Butz, Hope Davis, Frank Langella, Eddie Redmayne, and Patti LuPone. [Editor: interestingly, the fact that Davis--who will next be seen on HBO in Mildred Pierce--is in talks jibes with what she and I discussed when I sat down with her last month as she told me her agents were discussing an ongoing series with HBO.] Butz would play "self-destructive" Broadway composer/lyricist Terry; Langella would play his artist father Alex; Davis would play Terry's laywer sister Mandy; Redmayne would play a singer/dancer in Terry's new production; and LuPone would play a Great White Way diva. (Deadline)

Stephen Collins (7th Heaven) has been promoted to series regular on ABC's superhero drama No Ordinary Family. Collins plays the boss of Julie Benz's character, a research scientist. He appeared in the pilot of the ABC Studios-produced project, which revolves around a family given extraordinary abilities after their plane crashes into a remote section of the Amazon. (Hollywood Reporter)

Balthazar Getty (Brothers & Sisters) is set to guest star on TNT's upcoming drama series Rizzoli & Isles, where he will play Boston Marathon organizer Ron Garvey, who becomes enmeshed in an investigation when a killer begins targeting marathon runners. (TVGuide.com)

Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice is reporting that former American Idol contestant Jason Castro will play himself on an upcoming episode of CBS soap The Bold and the Beautiful, during which he will sing a track off of his debut album. (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

HBO has optioned the rights to Mara Altman's nonfiction book "Thank You for Coming: One Woman's Quest for an Orgasm," and will develop as an ongoing series for the pay cabler, with Mark Steven Johnson (Grumpy Old Men) attached to write and Howard Deutsch (Pretty in Pink) to direct. (Deadline)

NBC has signed a one-year development deal with director Marc Buckland (Love Bites), under which he will remain aboard the romance anthology as an executive producer and write a pilot script for Universal Media Studios, as well as "take part in the development of pilots that he might direct." "Everything he touches he elevates to the next level," NBC Entertainment/Universal Media Studios primetime president Angela Bromstad told Variety. "Marc is a highly sought-after director/producer and we feel so lucky to have him." (Variety)

Bravo's reality series The Rachel Zoe Project is set to return to the lineup on August 3rd. Guest stars this season will reportedly include Gwen Stefani, Demi Moore, Johnny Weir, and Molly Sims. (Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch)

Ed Asner (Up) and Liza Snyder (Pay It Forward) have been cast opposite Tom Arnold in CMT comedy pilot Regular Joe, from executive producers David Litt, Nina Wass, and Eugene Stein. Anser will play the father of Arnold's titular Joe. (Hollywood Reporter)

TLC has renewed reality series Little People, Big World for a sixth season, which is set to launch on the cabler on September 6th. (Variety)

Syfy has renewed Ghost Hunters for a seventh season, which will launch on the cabler next year. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Trailer Park: HBO's Period Drama Boardwalk Empire

While fall will bring us a whole slew of new network dramas and comedies, one of the series I'm most looking forward to is HBO's period drama Boardwalk Empire, from creator Terence Winter and executive producer Martin Scorsese.

Here's how HBO describes the series: "From Terence Winter, the Emmy Award-winning writer of “The Sopranos,” and Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese, Boardwalk Empire is set in Atlantic City at the dawn of Prohibition. Wall Street was about to boom, everything was for sale and it was a time of change when women got the vote, broadcast radio began and young people ruled the world."

While you can catch the Boardwalk Empire trailer this Sunday during the pre-show for the Season Three premiere of True Blood (airing Sunday from 8:45-9:00 pm ET/PT), you can watch the full trailer from HBO, released today, below.

Preview Trailer #3

Boardwalk Empire launches this fall on HBO.

Channel Surfing: Dexter News Round-Up, FOX Locks Up Cleveland for Third Season, Whalley and Cox to The Big C, Borgias, and More

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing.

SPOILER! E! Online's Megan Masters and Kristin Dos Santos talk to Dexter's Julie Benz and Jennifer Carpenter about what's coming up on the Showtime serial killer drama. "Rita is not going to be a ghost!" Benz revealed about her planned appearance on Season Five of Dexter. "The writers would never do something so cheesy. I am not going to confirm or deny anything, but if she does come back, it would be to move things along." Meanwhile, viewers shouldn't expect that Dexter will lose its humor, even in the face of unspeakable horror. "What's funny is that even in the face of tragedy [of Rita's death], there's still room to laugh with our show," Carpenter told E! Online. "That's why people can stomach it, because as bloody as it gets, they make you laugh two seconds later." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Southland's Shawn Hatosy has been cast in a multiple-episode story arc next season on Showtime's Dexter. While the pay cabler wasn't forthcoming on details about who Hatosy would be playing, Ausiello cites an unnamed source who tells him that Hatosy will be appearing in Miami as "a bad guy." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Elsewhere, Deadline's Nellie Andreeva reports that Maria Doyle Kennedy (The Tudors) will join the cast of Dexter in a recurring capacity next season, where she will play the Irish nanny that Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) hires to look after his child. (Deadline)

It looks like Glee isn't the only show FOX has locked up for the 2011-12 season. The network has renewed animated comedy The Cleveland Show for a third season ahead of the fall launch for Season Two of the Family Guy spinoff. Move gives the series' animators time to get a jump on the time-consuming process. (Variety)

Brian Cox (Kings) has been cast in a multiple-episode story arc on Showtime's upcoming Laura Linney comedy series The Big C, which will premiere on August 16th. It wasn't immediately clear just who Cox would be playing on the series, which follows a terminally ill suburban woman (Linney) following her cancer diagnosis. In other Showtime casting news, Joanna Whalley (Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis) has joined the cast of Showtime's period drama The Borgias, opposite Jeremy Irons. She'll play Vanossa, described as the "mother of the Borgia children who were fathered by Rodrigo Borgia (Irons) before he became one of history's most infamous popes," and who was "once was a courtesan with a disreputable past." (Hollywood Reporter)

NBC has ordered a pilot for D.L. Hughley-hosted game show Who's Bluffing Who?, which will be produced by ITV Studios with the network co-producing the skein. Series, which is created by Jeff Apploff, will see contestants attempt to bluff their way into walking away with a half a million dollar cash prize. (Hollywood Reporter)

The Futon Critic's Brian Ford Sullivan is reporting that USA has extended the current seasons of Burn Notice and Royal Pains to eighteen episodes apiece, while it will end the current season of In Plain Sight after just thirteen episodes, citing the medical leave of showrunner/executive producer John McNamara as the reason behind the curtailed season. (Futon Critic)

Aya Cash (Mercy) has been cast in FOX's upcoming midseason comedy series Mixed Signals, where she will replace Alexandra Breckinridge in the role of Callie. (Hollywood Reporter)

E! has ordered eight episodes of reality series The Spin Crowd, which will follow the clients and employees of publicity firm Command PR. Project, which is executive produced by Kim Kardashian, Jon Murray, Jeff Jenkins, and Gil Goldschein, is slated to launch in August. (Variety)

Barry Watson (Samantha Who) has been cast as a guest star in an upcoming episode of Lifetime's Drop Dead Diva, where he will play "a grieving man fired from his job [who is] represented by Jane (Brooke Elliott) and Grayson (Jackson Hurst) in his wrongful termination case." (Hollywood Reporter)

Celebrity chef Curtis Stone, Chipotle founder Steve Ellis, and restaurateur Lorena Garcia will join Bobby Flay as investors and judges to NBC's upcoming culinary competition series America's Next Great Restaurant, which is set to premiere next season. Project, from executive producers Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz, sees contestants compete for the opportunity to turn their idea into a national restaurant chain. (via press release)

Sony Pictures Television has opted not to renew several overall deals, leading producers Eric and Kim Tannenbaum--as well as Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly--to move from Sony to CBS Television Studios. As part of the move, the Tannenbaums have parted ways with their Tantamount partner Mitch Hurwitz, though all three will continue to executive produce their FOX comedy Running Wilde. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

The Daily Beast: "True Blood's Return: Secrets From Season 3"

Hungry for more True Blood?

Head over to The Daily Beast, where you can read my latest feature, "True Blood's Return: Secrets From Season 3," where I talk about my late-night visit to the set of HBO's vampire drama and interview series creator/executive producer Alan Ball and stars Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, and Alexander Skarsgard, and new cast member Denis O'Hare about what's coming up on the third season of the deliciously addictive drama.

If that weren't enough True Blood goodness, be sure to also check out the in-depth character-based gallery, where I break down what's coming up for your favorite characters--Sookie, Bill, Eric, Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis), Tara (Rutina Wesley), Jason (Ryan Kwanten), Sam (Sam Trammell), Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll), Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten), Sophie-Anne (Evan Rachel Wood), and newbie Russell, plus the werewolves--thanks to some insight from Ball, Paquin, Moyer, Skarsgard, and O'Hare.

(You can also read my advance review of the first three episodes of Season Three of True Blood here.)

What are you most looking forward to this season on True Blood? And is the anticipation driving you insane? Head to the comments section to discuss.

Season Three of True Blood launches this Sunday evening at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO.

History on the Plate: The Top Chef Masters Season Finale

I really enjoyed this season of Top Chef Masters, which came to a close last night with a heart-stopping final showdown between three of the strongest chefs in the competition.

It was only fitting that the season finale ("Top Chef Master") would ask each of these master chefs to reflect back on their lives and their careers and pull together a final three-course meal for the critics that reflected where they had been and where they were going.

Happy childhoods, struggles, and painful memories--as well as creative awakening--were all demonstrated on the plate as Marcus Samuelsson, Susur Lee, and Rick Moonen faced off for the title of Top Chef Master and a substantial donation to the charity they were playing for.

So how did they do? And who walked out of the Top Chef Masters kitchen as the ultimate winner? Let's discuss.

At this point in the competition, I'm glad that we didn't see a final Quickfire Challenge and instead the time that would have been used focusing on that challenge was spent getting to know the backstories of the final three competitors.

Hearing about Samuelsson's adoption to Sweden as a child, Moonen's childhood spent clamming with his dad, the death of Lee's first wife, all of these things brought me closer to knowing--and therefore understanding--each of these chefs, their creative inspirations, and the source of their culinary passions.

For their final challenge, each of them would have to prepare a three-course meal that reflected three pivotal moments in their lives: where they came from, when they realized that they wanted to be a chef, and where they're going, their culinary journey displayed in three dishes that encapsulated their collective experiences.

So what did they prepare? Let's take a look.

SAMUELSSON:

• First Course: lightly smoked char with sweet horseradish-shellfish broth and mashed root vegetables
• Second Course: Salt cured duck with foie gras ganache, sour tomato jam, and aged balsamic
• Third Course: Berberre-flavored hamachi meat balls with sea urchin broth and wild mushroom couscous

I thought that Samuelsson offered a real variety of tastes, flavors, and textures as well as a global perspective that captured both his African heritage and his Swedish childhood.

The most successful dish of the three had to be his second course of duck as the critics were blown away by the foie gras ganache (really a masterful presentation) and the the salt cured duck. Just a beautiful plate that was well conceptualized and well executed and which didn't fall into one of the traps that Samuelsson has all season long: he didn't overload the plate or gild the lily. Instead, he presented an accomplished dish that showed great skill and creativity.

His least successful dish did seem to be that final dish, a traditional African presentation of tartare that didn't quite win the critics over, thanks to its dry texture. I commend Samuelsson to sticking to his guns and not catering to Western appetites but I also think that sometimes there do need to be baby steps involved with introducing a culinary tradition into a new area. There isn't a lot of exposure to African cuisines within the Western world and there are certain preconceptions about taste and texture that have to be overcome. Could he have cheated it a little and still get his point across? Sure, especially as I keep coming back to Gail Simmons' critique about the texture of the tartare.

MOONEN:

• First Course: glazed kushi oyster with American sustainable caviar, hamachi, and live sea scallop crudo
• Second Course: "Bacon and Eggs," with braised pork belly, poached egg, truffles, Sardinian gnocchi, and turnips
• Third Course: New Zealand venison with matsutake mushrooms, pear butter, stuffed cippolini onions, Brussels sprout leaves, and natural jus

I have to give Moonen credit for trying something different here, veering away from fish to only present one seafood-focused dish of the three and absolutely nailing his final course, a succulent and perfectly cooked loin of venison that had me salivating on the television screen. Pairing the venison with matsutakes and that amazing pear butter was inspired, picking up the subtle flavors of both to create a dish that captured the essence of the forest and the magic of those wild, woodsy, and fresh flavors. It's a dish I'd gladly eat every day.

Likewise, his oyster was stunning. I'm not an oyster fan but I would have devoured that kushi oyster in a heartbeat. Exquisite presentation, amazing flavor profiles, and a plate that could only have come from a chef's chefs, a true master in every sense of the word. Less successful, however, was Rick's second course, with some critics taking exception to the firmness of the gnocchi, while some criticized him for using pork belly and not allowing it to crisp enough to impart the bacony flavor the dish promised. Still, Simmons praised the perfection of the poached egg on the dish, which lusciously oozed out its yolk to create a silky sauce for the gnocchi, turnips, and truffles...

LEE:

• First Course: royal of steamed scallop with Cantonese black bean sauce, dim sum shrimp and crab croquette
• Second Course: tuna with wasabi mousse, picked cucumber and artichoke with charred sea bream
• Third Course: Lamb Thailandaise with Chiang Mai sausage, peanut and green curry sauces, mint chutney and polenta

I fully expected to be wowed by whatever Susur Lee would be preparing for this final battle and he didn't disappoint, though I was confused--as were the critics by that mount of tuna, inexpertly cut and studded with pickled cucumbers. It resembled nothing less than an alien creature and did not exactly look particularly inviting, especially as it stole the eye away from the true star of the plat: that charred sea bream, which had all of the critics raving. Sometimes less is more and sometimes you have to be able to step back, edit, and look at a plate with a critical eye. Could he have done better by thinly slicing the tuna into a sashimi? Likely yes.

However, it was a rare misstep in a three-course meal that was otherwise absolutely stellar. That scallop in black bean sauce looked amazing as did that crispy croquette of shrimp and crab with its web of fried tendrils. But the true star was that Thai lamb and Chiang Mai sausage, a stunning display of Thai cuisine infused with modern, pan-Asian asthetics and flavors. Some questioned the polenta, but I bought his explanation of lightness there. A masterful dish that offered multiple sauces, multiple flavors, and a true understanding of Asian cuisine.

Who would win? Which of these three extremely talented chefs would take home the title and bragging rights to the title of Top Chef Master? I actually believed that it would come down to a showdown between Lee and Moonen, as Samuelsson had nailed the second course but his other two dishes didn't seem to be as strong as Moonen's or Lee's in the first and third course categories.

So I was extremely puzzled and a little confused when Jay Rayner gave Samuelsson five stars, the highest of any of the chefs, when the editing hadn't exactly showed the critics to be that bowled over by all three of Samuelsson's dishes... to the point where I actually thought that he was the least likely to walk away the victor. Did I miss something? Were the judges that much more pleased and blown away by Samuelsson's three dishes than it initially appeared?

But despite having few criticisms for either Lee or Moonen--both of whom looked shocked--it was Samuelsson who walked away the victor, entirely on the strength of that five-star rating from Rayner. Odd, no? While I think Samuelsson is a super-talented chef, I didn't think his performance this season had him tipped for the winner, nor did I think his overall meal this week quite matched up to Lee or Moonen.

What did you think? Did the right chef win? Who would you have given the title to? Head to the comments section to discuss.

Top Chef Masters may have ended, but a brand-new season of Top Chef begins next week on Bravo.

Channel Surfing: Glee Finale Secrets, USA Gets Common Law, Sarah Drew Promoted on Grey's Anatomy, and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos caught up with Glee's Jane Lynch, co-creator Brad Falchuk, and executive producer Dante Di Loreto to discuss five secrets from the Glee season finale, including the fact that the smooch between Will (Matthew Morrison) and Emma (Jayma Mays) wasn't scripted ("Her reaction is totally real," he said), no tear enhancers were used, Jonathan Groff and Idina Menzel may return next season, the writers deserve an Emmy (according to Lynch), and Sue Sylvester won't be turning all mushy next season. [Editor: personally, I thought the Glee season finale was pretty weak, coasting by on sentimentality rather than genuine--or earned--emotion. But I've found that to be true throughout the first season.] (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

USA has given a cast-contingent pilot order to buddy/cop comedy Common Law, which revolves around two LAPD officers--Wes and Travis--whose once-strong friendship has fractured, leading their captain to send them to couples therapy. Project, from CBS Television Studios and Junction Entertainment, is written/executive produced by Cormac and Marianne Wibberley (National Treasure), and executive produced by Jon Turteltaub. "If you're going to do a cop show, it better be something special, and we believe this one is," said Jeff Wachtel, USA's EVP of original programming. (Variety, Hollywood Reporter's The Live Feed)

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello is reporting that Sarah Drew has now been bumped to series regular on ABC's Grey's Anatomy next season, following the successful closing of her deal. Move comes after fellow rookie Jesse Williams was upgraded earlier this week. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

E! Online's Kristin Dos Santos talks with John Stamos about his upcoming role on Season Two of Glee, catching up with him while he was at the gym. "I'm singing and dancing every day. All day," Stamos told Dos Santos. "So I hope they let me sing and dance a little. I started watching the show when they goofed on me and fell in love with Glee. I find it to be a celebration of diversity and I'm proud to be joining that whole extremely talented team." (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

AMC's upcoming zombie drama The Walking Dead is headed for the international marketplace, following a deal between the cabler at Fox International Channels, which secured the rights to distribute the series outside of the US and Canada as well as home video rights. "We look at The Walking Dead as an amazing opportunity to serve as both the network and the studio," AMC president Charlie Collier told Variety. "We think there's a universality to this type of story, plus the genre travels well and has a longevity to it that makes it a really good business opportunity." (Variety)

Director Leslie Linka Glatter (Mad Men) has joined the staff of FOX's midseason cop drama Ride-Along as a co-executive producer/director. Elsewhere, Deadline's Nellie Andreeva reports that Brad Turner (24) has joined the staff of CBS' Hawaii Five-O as co-executive producer/director and David Amann (Without a Trace) has joined returning ABC drama Castle as an executive producer. (Variety, Deadline)

Oprah Winfrey's nascent cable network OWN is said to be developing projects revolving around celebrity chef Cat Cora and fashion expert Carson Kressley and a reality series that focuses on a mediation program from executive producer Tom Forman. (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC Studios has singed a two-script deal with 100 Questions creator Christopher Moynihan (who also starred on NBC's ill-fated US adaptation of Coupling years ago), under which the projects will be co-produced by Tagline Pictures. (Deadline)

CBS has hired Louis Boyd as VP, alternative programming. He will report to Jennifer Bresnan. (Hollywood Reporter)

Oxygen Media has promoted Jason Klarman to President, effective immediately. He will report to Lauren Zalanick, President of NBC Universal Women & Lifestyle Entertainment Networks. (Deadline)

Style has ordered a third season of reality series Giuliana & Bill, which will launch either later this year or at the beginning of 2011. (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

The Secret of Life is in Art: An Advance Review of Bravo's Work of Art

“Art is never finished, only abandoned.” - Leonardo Da Vinci

I'll admit that my expectations for Bravo's newest reality competition series Work of Art were painfully low. After all, this seems just just the sort of series for which you can easily make a snide remark about it being less exciting than watching paint dry.

But I have to say that I was extremely pleasantly surprised by Work of Art, which premieres tonight. Not only was it fast-paced and exciting, but it was slickly produced, thanks in part to the crack team at Magical Elves, which has once again worked its reality magic on this format.

Art isn't the most accessible of topics, yet the show--which is hosted by China Chow--is just that: tearing away the sort of potential pretentiousness of its subject by allowing the audience to enter the minds of some gifted artists--each coming from different media--and participate in the artistic process.

The result is a fun and engaging hour that's overflowing with quirky and memorable contestants, several of whom seem to have forgotten that they're on camera and shouldn't be making biting remarks that will come back to haunt them later on when the judges turn up and harshly criticize their own work.

But while there's definitely enough drama here to pique the attention of Project Runway or Top Chef fans, there's also something exciting about the format as well, which sees the artists get a different assignment each week. In the series premiere, it's to compose a portrait of a randomly-assigned fellow contestant, in which they must not only capture the exterior likeness of their subject but also the ethereal internal elements of what make them unique.

While other series may have had all of the contestants compose realistic portraiture paintings, Work of Art revels in the individuality of the artists in its midst, allowing them to use what ever medium they deem to be fitting. Which means that the audience gets to see examples of abstract painting, three-dimensional installation, silkscreening, photography, and more.

Ultimately, I'm on board for the season, if the premiere episode is any indication of just where the competition is heading. There are some supremely talented individuals in the mix (and a few that left me scratching my head) whose progress I'm excited to follow over the course of the season. It's the rare series that can take us inside the artist's mind but Work of Art manages to do just that... and makes it a thrilling place to be, to boot.

Work of Art premieres tonight at 11 pm ET/PT on Bravo.

Trailer Park: AMC's Rubicon

"Not every conspiracy is a theory."

AMC will offer a sneak peek of its new conspiracy drama Rubicon this Sunday evening, immediately following the season finale of Breaking Bad, before officially launching the Warner Horizon Television-produced series in August.

The series, which is executive produced by Henry Bromell, stars James Badge Dale, Miranda Richardson, Dallas Roberts, Jessica Collins, Christopher Evan Welch, Lauren Hodges, and Arliss Howard as follows an intelligence analyst who finds himself caught up in a dangerous conspiracy that uses a four-leaf clover as a calling card.

Just what is the shadowy fourth arm of the government? Who are these men and what is their purpose? And will Will Travers (James Badge Dale) be able to uncover proof to expose them before he finds himself in mortal danger? Find out when Rubicon launches...

The trailer for Rubicon can be viewed in full below.



Following Sunday's sneak peek, the official series premiere of Rubicon will air on Sunday, August 1st at 9 pm ET/PT on AMC.