Emmy frontrunners for the week of May 8-14

With the eligibility calender ending in a couple of weeks of the 2011 Emmys, it's becoming a little more clear which shows can consider themselves contenders and which can be pretenders.  For the week ending Saturday, May 14th, here are my picks for Outstanding Drama and Comedy Series.

Outstanding Comedy Series

30 Rock, The Big Bang Theory, Glee, Modern Family, Nurse Jackie, The Office

Outstanding Drama Series

Boardwalk Empire, Dexter, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife, The Killing, Mad Men

 

Upfronts: guessing NBC's fall schedule

Now that we're well into May, it's time to figure out as a TV fan, what we can expect from the networks in a few months when the 2011-2012 season starts.  Over the last few weeks, networks have started to announce whether they're renewing or canceling the shows currently in their possession.  Every day this week, I'll look at the possibilities of those shows on the bubble and try to forecast the network's fall schedule.  Rounding up my thoughts is the final network, NBC.


NBC's 2010-2011 in review:
The Peacock continued to try and find its way back from the mistakes of its past.  For the second straight year, NBC had to overcome the end of a long-tenured drama that had been a staple in its lineup.  In 2009, ER ended after fifteen seasons.  Last spring, Law and Order was cancelled after twenty seasons.  Therefore, it fell to a bevy of new shows to help ease the transition.

That said, NBC has struggled to launch any drama series that will become that staple for the next decade.  Even with the awards and acclaim that Law and Order: SVU has garnered, it has shown its age.  Chuck and Parenthood, the only other returning dramas in the fall schedule, had consistent years and fought off cancellation to get a chance to continue to grow.  Friday Night Lights, in its final season, will end its run as a terribly underrated network show.

In the wake of so few returning dramas, NBC put its eggs in the basket of shows like Law and Order: Los Angeles, Chase, Undercovers, The Event, Outlaw, and The Cape.  All failed.  None were renewed for the 2011-2012 season and most were considered "bombs".

Meanwhile, none of the new sitcoms that NBC tried seem to have much more success.  Outsourced was dismissed by critics before it aired, but held its own in the fall.  However, after moving to 10:30 on Thursday nights, its numbers began to spiral downward.  In general, NBC tried something unique with its comedies.  After the winter hiatus, NBC expanded their famed "Must See TV" comedy lineup to include six sitcoms for the first time.  But Outsourced, and the two shows that shared the 8:30 slot, Perfect Couples and The Paul Reiser Show, were DOA.  The Paul Reiser Show was canned after only two episodes.

NBC continues to utilize its variety of reality programming to gain decent ratings.  The Apprentice, The Biggest Loser, et al continue to provide not only numbers but also take up space with legitimate programming.  NBC has struggled so mightily to create fictional dramas that they've had to rely on the reality shows.

Established shows that will be back:
Despite their lack of strong rated dramas, NBC has demonstrated some sort of loyalty to a few of their fans.  Even after the debacle that was The Jay Leno Show, and cancelling Southland (which has since found life at TNT), they continue to renew so-so rated dramas such as Parenthood, Harry's Law and Chuck.  Chuck, in particular, remains the show that wouldn't die, often cited as one about to be cancelled.  But it'll get a fifth and final season in 2011-2012.

NBC is also bringing back the established portions of their comedy lineup.  Even though The Office has been labeled as past its prime, it continues to chug along.  It has to overcome Steve Carell's exit, and the initial ratings haven't been promising.  But it's still seen as an anchor.  The same can be said for 30 Rock.  Long since the critical darling of NBC's lineup, 30 Rock has been mentioned in wild rumors about ending in 2012.  However, NBC needs these shows, if only to allow whimsy of their younger siblings, Parks and Recreation and Community.  Together, the four are a mighty powerful creative force.  If they could garner the numbers that CBS gets, NBC might be back on its feet.

The network will also continue to replenish its supply of reality shows as The Biggest Loser, Who Do You Think You Are?, and The Sing-Off have been renewed for another season.  They could easily be joined by The Voice if that show pans out like NBC hopes.

New series that might make their way onto your TV:
There will be roughly five hours of broadcasting that NBC has to fill.  Earlier this week, NBC made the decision of which pilots its looking to bring onto the fall schedule.  And its a pretty big list.  Here is the list of shows that you should watch out for:

Awake- a drama about a detective who not only fights crimes and trouble when he is awake, but also has to deal with what happens in the depths of his dreams

Grimm- in what feels like it could be the next logical step in what the vampire series have started, this drama is based on what happens when our hero has to find the villains inspired by fairy tales; if Grimm can capture any of the frankness of the Fables comic series, it could be a breakthrough hit

The Playboy Club- like Pan-Am at ABC, The Playboy Club comes to us thanks to Mad Men's success; set in the seedy world of the Playboy club in the 1960s, Amber Heard will play a new bunny, who probably has to juggle her personal life with the skimpy outfits and surly clientele at her place of employment; oh, who am I kidding?  I'll watch it

Prime Suspect- an adaptation of the hit British series, Prime Suspect will star Maria Bello as a female detective, doing...female detective things?

Smash- touted as an adult alternative to FOX's Glee, Smash will be produced by Steven Spielberg and center on the production that goes into a Broadway musical; starring Anjelica Huston, Katharine McPhee, it will also bring back Emmy winner Debra Messing to the network where she had success at Will & Grace

NBC also picked up a number of sitcoms, with means they could be planning another six hour block of comedies for Thursday nights.  These include the Christina Applegate project Up All Night, an eponymous series for comedienne Whitney Cummings, Bent with Amanda Peet, Free Agents starring Hank Azaria, Are You There, Vodka?  It's Me, Chelsea with That '70s Show star Laura Prepon, and finally B.F.F. about two people that obviously hate each other.  So there is a lot turnover at the Peacock.

My guess at NBC's fall schedule (pure speculation):
Sundays
8:00-8:15 - Football Night in America
8:15-9:00 - NBC Sunday Night Football
9:10-10:00 - NBC Sunday Night Football
10:00-11:00 - NBC Sunday Night Football

Mondays
8:00-9:00 - Chuck
9:00-10:00 - Harry's Law
10:00-11:00 - The Playboy Club (N)

Tuesdays
8:00-9:00 - The Biggest Loser
9:00-10:00 - Prime Suspect (N)
10:00-11:00 - Parenthood

Wednesdays
8:00-9:00 - Smash (N)
9:00-10:00 - Grimm (N)
10:00-11:00 - Law and Order: Special Victims Unit

Thursdays
8:00-8:30 - Community
8:30-9:00 - Up All Night (N)
9:00-9:30 - The Office
9:30-10:00 - Parks and Recreation
10:00-10:30 - 30 Rock
10:30-11:00 - Are You There, Vodka?  It's Me, Chelsea (N)

Fridays
8:00-9:00 - Awake (N)
9:00-10:00 - Dateline NBC
10:00-11:00 - Dateline NBC 

2011 Daytime Emmy nominations released

Even though the recent news about soap operas have shown the future isn't very bright, the Daytime Emmy awards will continue on this summer.  The 38th Annual Daytime Emmys will be presented on Sunday, June 19th from Las Vegas.  The show will air on CBS and be hosted by Vegas legend Wayne Newton.

Even though All My Children and One Life to Live will end their runs in the upcoming months, they will be eligible for nominations next year as well.  Similarly, As the World Turns, which ended last September, was nominated for several acting awards.  Here are this year's nominees in the major awards:

Outstanding Drama Series:
- All My Children (ABC)
- The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)
- General Hospital (ABC)
- The Young and the Restless (CBS)

The skinny: All My Children garnered its thirty-first Outstanding Drama Series nomination in the thirty-eight year history of the awards (and forty-first of the series).  It won the award in 1992, 1994 and 1998.  The Bold and the Beautiful has a chance to win its third consecutive award, matching Santa Barbara (1988-1990) and General Hospital (1995-1997).  General Hospital picked up its twenty-third nomination and is hoping to add to its top-ranked ten wins.  It last won in 2008.  Finally, The Young and the Restless, the top rated soap in over two decades, is looking for its eighth win.  Y&R last won in 2007 when it tied with since cancelled Guiding Light.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:
- Maurie Benard as Sonny Corinthos, General Hospital
- Ricky Paull Goldin as Dr. Jake Martin, All My Children
- Christian LeBlanc as Michael Baldwin, The Young and the Restless
- Michael Park as Jack Snyder, As the World Turns
- James Scott as E.J. DiMera, Days of our Lives

The skinny: Three of this year's nominees have won it and all have been nominated in the past.  Maurie Benard won the statue in 2003, and was last nominated in 2006.  This is his fifth nomination in this category.  Ricky Paull Goldin picked up his third nomination in this category, and fourth overall.  He was nominated twice for his work as Gus Aitoro on Guiding Light, and last year, his work as Dr. Jake Martin earned him a spot in the Supporting Actor category.

Christian LeBlanc has been a force since earning a win in 2005.  Subsequently, he won in 2007 and 2009.  Coupled with his Supporting Actor nominations, he has been nominated nine times altogether.  Michael Park won the award last year and has a chance to repeat.  He is one of three actors from As the World Turns to earn a nomination in its final year of eligibility.  James Scott was nominated in this category last year as E.J. DiMera.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series:
- Susan Flannery as Stephanie Forrester, The Bold and the Beautiful
- Alicia Minshew as Kendall Hart Slater, All My Children
- Debbi Morgan as Dr. Angie Hubbard, All My Children
- Michelle Stafford as Phyllis Newman, The Young and the Restless
- Laura Wright as Carly Corinthos Jacks, General Hospital
- Colleen Zenk as Barbara Ryan, As the World Turns

The skinny: Half of the field is looking for their first ever Daytime Emmy award.  But the same can't be said for Susan Flannery, who has won four awards in this category (one with Days of our Lives, and three for The Bold and the Beautiful).  This is her ninth nomination in this category.  Alicia Minshew was nominated for Supporting Actress in 2009, but moves up to lead this year.  Debbi Morgan has won in the Supporting Actress category (tying in 1989 with Nancy Lee Grahn) and was nominated two years ago in this race.

Michelle Stafford, like Flannery, is no stranger to the statue, having won it in 2004.  She's been nominated seven times as Lead Actress and twice as Supporting Actress.  She won the latter in 1997.  Laura Wright earned her first ever nomination in any category despite her long tenure at Loving, The City, Guiding Light and now General Hospital.  Colleen Zenk picked up her third nomination overall, and second as Lead Actress (her other nomination was in 2002).

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:
- Doug Davidson as Paul Williams, The Young and the Restless
- Jonathan Jackson as Lucky Spencer, General Hospital
- Brian Kerwin as Charlie Banks, One Life to Live
- Billy J. Miller as Billy Abbott, The Young and the Restless
- Jason Thompson as Dr. Patrick Drake, General Hospital

The skinny: All but one of the candidates have been nominated before, but not all of those were in the Supporting Actor category.  Doug Davidson picked up his third nomination, but his previous two (2003 and 2010) were in the Lead Actor race.  Jonathan Jackson is an eight-time nominee for his work as Lucky Spencer, but all three of his wins were in the Younger Actor category (1995, 1998-1999).  His last two nominations were as Supporting Actor.  Brian Kerwin picked up his third nomination in four years on One Life to Live.

Billy J. Miller is looking to repeat as winner, although his feat might prove difficult as he won't have a reel where he comprises the whole episode this year.  Jason Thompson is a first-time nominee after several years on General Hospital.


Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:
- Tricia Cast as Nina Webster, The Young and the Restless
- Melissa Claire Egan as Annie Chandler, All My Children
- Nancy Lee Grahn as Alexis Davis, General Hospital
- Julie Pinson as Janet Ciccone, As the World Turns
- Heather Tom as Katie Logan Spencer, The Bold and the Beautiful
- Bree Williamson as Jessica Buchanan, One Life to Live

The skinny: One of the most decorated nominees in the history of the awards is in this category, but Heather Tom isn't the only past winner up for the statue.  Tricia Cast picked up her second nomination, with her previous being in 1992 for Younger Actress.  Melissa Claire Egan, who has since departed her role on All My Children, was nominated in 2009.  Nancy Lee Grahn, a former winner when she was on Santa Barbara, was nominated for a sixth time overall, and fifth since joining General Hospital.  She was a Lead Actress nominee in 2003, 2004 and 2005 as well as Supporting Actress nominee in 2000.

Julie Pinson, like Billy J. Miller, was last year's winner and has a chance to repeat.  It's also her third consecutive nomination, and her final in the role of Janet Ciccone.  As mentioned before, Heather Tom is a warhorse at the Emmys.  She's been nominated thirteen times: eight as Younger Actress on Y&R (1993-2000), one as Supporting Actress on Y&R (2004), two as Supporting Actress on One Life to Live (2005 and 2007) and now two as Supporting Actress on The Bold and the Beautiful (2008 and 2011).  She won in 1993 and 1999 at Y&R.  Bree Williamson was nominated for a third straight year as Jessica Buchanan as well as her alter-ego Tess.


Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series:
- Scott Clifton as Liam Cooper, The Bold and the Beautiful
- Chad Duell as Michael Corinthos, General Hospital
- Chandler Massey as Will Horton, Days of our Lives

The skinny: Only one of these actors have been nominated before, but last year's the other two characters were in the mix with their previous actor.  Scott Clifton was nominated three times as Dillon on General Hospital (2004-2006) as well as last year's work as Schulyer on One Life to Live.  Meanwhile, Chad Duell's Michael Corinthos and Chandler Massey's Will Horton were nominated last year when they were played by Drew Garrett and Dylan Patton, respectively.

Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series:
- Lexi Ainsworth as Kristina Corinthos Davis, General Hospital
- Brittany Allen as Marissa Chandler, All My Children
- Emily O'Brien as Jana Hawkes, The Young and the Restless

The skinny: Only one of these three has been nominated before; and, if that were not enough, this category has the distinction of only one nominee still on their show (and neither of these bits of trivia are about the same actress).  Lexi Ainsworth earned her first nomination as a teenaged girl in abusive relationship.  Meanwhile, Brittany Allen was nominated for her work on All My Children, but has since been replaced by Sarah Glendening.  Finally, Emily O'Brien was nominated in 2008 and 2009 and recently ended a five-year run on Y&R.

Upfronts: guessing FOX's fall schedule

Now that we're well into May, it's time to figure out as a TV fan, what we can expect from the networks in a few months when the 2011-2012 season starts.  Over the last few weeks, networks have started to announce whether they're renewing or canceling the shows currently in their possession.  Every day this week, I'll look at the possibilities of those shows on the bubble and try to forecast the network's fall schedule.  Going in alphabetical order, up next is FOX.


FOX's 2010-2011 in review:
After several seasons of established reign, 24 ended its run last year.  The longest established fictional drama on the network, 24 left House as the elder statesman.  House rewarded the network with slumping ratings.  It seems like a show that on its last legs, but its been renewed for another season, and one that could end up being its swan song.

Meanwhile, Glee's second season garnered fairly strong ratings and as a pop culture phenomenon, it continues to be a force to be reckon with.  With a steady diet of special guest stars and catalog of pop song renditions, Glee remains a water cooler show.  Whether that continues with its third season relies on the storylines and overall plots that Ryan Murphy concocts.

So it fell to a number of freshman series to help out some aging ones in garnering viewers for the network.  Unfortunately for FOX, most of these series failed.  Lone Star, with its critically praised pilot about a Texas playboy oilman leading a double life, was cancelled after two episodes.  Running Wilde, with its star leads in Will Arnett and Keri Russell, was cancelled after only eight episodes aired and the rest being broadcast on sister network FX.  Its spring replacements, Traffic Light and Breaking In, failed to capture much interest and while only Traffic Light has been axed, Breaking In doesn't have much chance in this world to see a second season.  And The Chicago Code, from The Shield's acclaimed Shawn Ryan, had his second series in less than a year canned despite some initial buzz.

Despite these failures, shows like Bob's Burgers and especially Raising Hope have continue to build interest and will be given another chance to grow.  So with two successes out of the seven new series, FOX will continue to rely on its established shows to challenge CBS.

Established shows that will be back:
Besides the aforementioned shows like House and Glee that will return, FOX continues to put a lot of its money in the success of its Sunday night animation block.  Family Guy, American Dad, The Cleveland Show, and obviously The Simpsons have been a huge part of FOX's comedy lineup.  Now seemingly in the hands of Seth MacFarlane, the "animation domination" has its work cut out for it as critical and popular acclaim for the block has faded in each successive year.  While The Simpsons seems to be a show that will live forever, the truth is that its quality in its twenty-second season is nowhere near its peak in the mid to late 90s.  The same can be said for Family Guy, now finishing up its ninth season despite its three year cancellation.  But as long as those shows are garnering any buzz, FOX will probably keep them around.

Earlier this week, FOX cancelled several of its dramas, including Lie to Me and Human Target.  This leaves the network in the hands of Bones and Fringe as much as it does with House and Glee.  Bones, having already hit syndication, remains a consistent success and will breed a spin-off in the fall.  Meanwhile, Fringe overcame some initial deflated expectations and has established itself on Friday nights.

Of course, FOX's biggest success every year is when American Idol returns after the new year.  Even with people saying that American Idol's quality has faded in the absence of Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul, it doesn't show many signs of falling from its perch as one of the most watched shows of the television season.  Again, like the animated shows on Sundays, if American Idol continues to do anywhere close to the business it has in the past, it'll remain a viable product.

New series that might make their way onto your TV:
As a result of my feelings and thoughts, I have roughly four and a half hours of broadcasting that FOX has to fill.  Earlier this week, FOX made the decision of which pilots its looking to bring onto the fall schedule.  Here is the list of shows that you should watch out for:

Alcatraz- from acclaimed producer J.J. Abrams, this is a psychological thriller set around the history of the infamous San Francisco prison; years after their disappearance, twenty wardens and prisoners of Alcatraz's history will return; sounds like The 4400

The Finder- a spinoff of Bones, The Finder was given a backdoor pilot in the final weeks of Bones' current season; starring Geoff Stults, Michael Clark Duncan and Saffron Burrows, it should take Bones' spot in the fall lineup as star Emily Deschanel will be on maternity leave

The New Girl- speaking of the Deschanel sisters, FOX is also invested itself in Zooey; this offbeat sorta rom-com sees her star as a young, quirky teacher who moves in with three equally eccentric guys; sounds like Zooey won't be acting too much

Terra Nova- probably the most anticipated new series on FOX and one of the most across all networks, Steven Spielberg's prehistoric epic will be given every chance to succeed; one of the things that will be interesting to watch out for is lead actor Jason O'Mara's track record (two of his other shows, In Justice and Life on Mars, didn't last long)

The X Factor- he's back; after a year missing from American Idol, Simon Cowell returns with an expanded version of AI; think of it as a musical talent show, complete with bands instead of just solo acts, and divided into age groups to allow similar competition; Paula Abdul also returns to FOX with this

FOX also picked up orders on animated shows Napoleon Dynamite and Allen Gregory.  I don't think they will air until the winter, but don't put it past FOX to make another night full of animated comedies now that seven in series production.  FOX also picked up I Hate My Teenage Daughter, a Mean Girls take about the adulthood of those mischievous high school princesses.

My guess at FOX's fall schedule (pure speculation):
Sunday
8:00-8:30 - The Simpsons
8:30-9:00 - The Cleveland Show
9:00-9:30 - Family Guy
9:30-10:00 - American Dad
*Note: Bob's Burgers was renewed and will probably serve as a half season replacement for American Dad or The Cleveland Show*

Monday
8:00-9:00 - House
9:00-10:00 - The X Factor (N)

Tuesday
8:00-9:00 - Glee
9:00-9:30 - Raising Hope
9:30-10:00 - The New Girl (N)

Wednesday
8:00-9:00 - Alcatraz (N)
9:00-10:00 – Terra Nova (N)

Thursday
8:00-9:00 - Hell's Kitchen
9:00-10:00 - The Finder (N)
*Note: Bones was renewed and will probably return in the winter after star Emily Deschanel's maternity leave ends*

Friday
8:00-9:00 - Kitchen Nightmares
9:00-10:00 - Fringe

Upfronts: guessing The CW's fall schedule

Now that we're well into May, it's time to figure out as a TV fan, what we can expect from the networks in a few months when the 2011-2012 season starts.  Over the last few weeks, networks have started to announce whether they're renewing or canceling the shows currently in their possession.  Every day this week, I'll look at the possibilities of those shows on the bubble and try to forecast the network's fall schedule.  Going in alphabetical order, up next is The CW.

The CW's 2010-2011 in review:
It's hard to argue that The CW doesn't believe in continuity for its viewers.  They only brought in three new shows this past year, Hellcats, Shedding for the Wedding (with served as a temporarily winter replacement), and Nikita.  The other seven spots (The CW doesn't have Sunday scheduling anymore and doesn't have a 10 p.m. slot) of the week went to network veterans.  The network may be fairly stagnant compared to the others, but it doesn't tend to do irrational things like cancel half of its shows and hope the audience stays with it.  The only in-season casualty this year was Life Unexpected, which didn't get its back half order picked up and ended after two seasons of thirteen episodes each.

Unfortunately, a bit of that continuity will be tested this fall when Smallville is no longer on the schedule.  Easily the eldest statesman on the network, but also among those across the others, Smallville had reigned for ten years as a highly successful comic book TV show.  But it's going out on its terms this week and when it does, it'll leave an opening for something to be paired with Supernatural.  From the latter part of its first season in 2006 through 2009, and then again this year, the two had been strong partners.

In regards their new dramas, Hellcats and Nikita, only one of those is expected to be brought back for 2011-2012.  Nikita, the latest in the franchise of the same name, seemed to hold its own in what is an impossible spot to garner much support (Thursdays at 9 p.m.).  It can also be considered a decent partner for The Vampire Diaries, and in the mold of continuity, that something that could be appealing to the network.

Meanwhile, Hellcats started off with some promise but moved from Wednesday to Tuesday to replace Life Unexpected.  It fell in ratings after that, and is considered a long shot to be renewed.  If the show had come on air a few years ago, it would probably have become a cult hit.  But cheerleading isn't as popular as it was during Bring It On's theatrical release.

Established shows that will be back:
One of the best things that The CW has going for it is its ability to create tiny yet very vocal fanbases on the shows it chooses.  Aside from CBS, I don't think any network knows its audience better than The CW.  With Gossip Girl and The Vampire Diaries, they know what to expect and are committed to that.  While at some point, the dam will burst on the vampire genre, as its been a few years going now, I don't think The Vampire Diaries is worried about that.  They've built their own response to True Blood's success and given that their target demo is teenage girls, they should be fine for another year or so.

One Tree Hill becomes the long running drama on the network in the wake of Smallville's end.  A show that has been "on the bubble" since at least its third season (2005-2006) way back when it was on The WB, One Tree Hill continues to defy odds and has moved from teen drama to just drama.  The cast has said it wants to return for a final ninth season.

90210 continues to chug along, being renewed for a fourth season this fall.  Its numbers are far from where they were at the start of the series in 2008, but its held itself well enough as a partner for Gossip Girls.  Those two shows seem to fit The CW's motif of "pretty young people with pretty big problems".  90210 will continue to have to overcome cast defections, but so did its predecessor.  Gossip Girl is going through the same thing as Taylor Momsen and Jessica Szohr, original cast members, aren't returning for the fifth season.

They also were pleasantly surprised by the success that their other cult hit, Supernatural, generated after moving from Thursday to Friday.  It's a show that felt like it should come to an end after five seasons (due to storyline purposes) but has continued to push the envelopes of what it's trying to do.

Finally, The CW's biggest reality hit continues to be America's Next Top Model, which was renewed for an "all-star" season of previous contestants this fall.  ANTM, like others, has long been a strong product since it joined the network after UPN was merged into The WB in 2006.  With the promise of strong personalities that populated previous seasons/cycles, ANTM will probably continue to hold its weight.

New series that might make their way onto your TV:
As a result of my feelings and thoughts, I have roughly three hours of broadcasting that The CW has to fill.  I will assume that they will renew One Tree Hill and Nikita, and cancel Hellcats.  So what will be the shows to watch out for in the fall?  The CW picked up four pilots for potential series purchases, and given its format of ten timeslots but trimesters (fall, winter and spring), it's not impossible to think all four will be given a shot at some point.  Here is the list of shows that you should watch out for:

Awakening- another mythical creature premise, this time two sisters will have to face off as a zombie uprising begins around them; presumably one of those girls will be a zombie; sounds a bit like Supernatural's overarching thread of sibling against sibling; also sounds like a good lead-in to Supernatural on Friday's but I think it'll move to Wednesday given Heavenly's status

Cooper and Stone- a somewhat surprisingly departure from The CW's usual format, with its police procedural premise; based around two female BFF detectives in Chicago that rotate their time from fashion and music to solving homicides; that sounds...original

Hart of Dixie- Josh Schwartz, who created Gossip Girl and is still doing his thing at NBC with Chuck, brings a show that sounds like Everwood; centers around Schwartz's former O.C. star Rachel Bilson as a young doctor from New York City who moves to a small southern town to work at the medical practice left to her in an inheritance; Friday Night Lights' star quarterback Scott Porter will co-star

Heavenly- brought to you by one of the producers of Supernatural, this sounds like what would happen if one of the Winchesters decided to permanently team with Castiel to solve cases of their clients' legal woes as well as souls; I have to say it sounds like something that could be a failure or a surprise hit, and will be given a chance to benefit from working with Supernatural; stars Lauren Cohan, who had a recurring role as Bela Talbot on Supernatural

My guess at The CW's fall schedule (pure speculation):
Mondays
8:00-9:00 - 90210
9:00-10:00 - Gossip Girl

Tuesdays
8:00-9:00 - One Tree Hill
9:00-10:00 - Hart of Dixie (N)

Wednesdays
8:00-9:00 - America's Next Top Model
9:00-10:00 - Awakening (N)

Thursdays
8:00-9:00 - The Vampire Diaries
9:00-10:00 - Nikita

Fridays
8:00-9:00 - Heavenly (N)
9:00-10:00 - Supernatural

Upfronts: guessing ABC's fall schedule

 
Now that we're well into May, it's time to figure out as a TV fan, what we can expect from the networks in a few months when the 2011-2012 season starts.  Over the last few weeks, networks have started to announce whether they're renewing or canceling the shows currently in their possession.  Every day this week, I'll look at the possibilities of those shows on the bubble and try to forecast the network's fall schedule.  Going in alphabetical order, let's start with the alphabet network itself, ABC.


ABC's 2010-2011 in review:
After losing its signature drama, Lost, there was a bit of a limbo from the new dramas that debuted in the fall.  The first casualty was My Generation, who's premise was solid but never caught on.  Weeks later, it was joined on the scrap heap by The Whole Truth, who's big named leads (ER's Maura Tierney and Northern Exposure's Rob Morrow) didn't help its cause.  No Ordinary Family struggled to capture the lore of superhero movies, while Detroit 1-8-7 is a police procedural that came in the aftermath of police procedural's heyday.  Even though the casts for both are solid, neither wowed in viewership numbers.  Rumors have circulated in the last day about No Ordinary Family's official cancellation, but that feels like only a matter of crossing t's and dotting i's.

Likewise, the results of ABC's newest medical drama Off the Map, the third medical soap from Grey's Anatomy's Shonda Rhimes, were more negative than even mixed.  It has failed to capture any of the momentum of its predecessors Grey's and Private Practice.  Those three dramas have hardly a shot to see a second season and I expect them to be sent to cancellation land.

That does leave the fourth freshman drama for ABC to decide the fate upon: Body of Proof.  After it's initial drop between the first and second episodes, it has quickly rebounded.  Six of its seven aired episodes have scored in the double digits in millions of voters, and it has a cast led by fan favorite Dana Delany, who has made her bones on ABC with China Beach (1988-1991) and Desperate Housewives (2007-2010).  It seems like a safe bet to return for a second season.

ABC, for the first time in quite a while, has developed a couple of signature sitcoms that they can base their schedule around.  Modern Family became an immediate hit and was renewed for a third season in early 2011.  Its syndication rights have already been sold to USA and some FOX affiliates for 2013.  By all rights, ABC should be proud of its newest hit.  In Modern Family's shadow, Cougar Town finally started to break into some of the mold that its predecessor Scrubs left behind.  Bill Lawrence continues to populate his shows with quirky, tight-knit "families".  And despite being taken off the schedule for about three months for Mr. Sunshine, it didn't really lose any of its previous numbers.

Moving on to the new sitcoms, Mr. Sunshine was full of hype with Matthew Perry and Allison Janney heading the cast.  However, creatively and production-wise, it never captured most of that hype.  It's a longshot to be brought back for a second season.  Elsewhere, Better With You felt like the odd man out on ABC's emerging Wednesday night comedy lineup.  Its numbers were solid for most of the year, but have tailed off, possibly just due to the feeling of doom that its fans have come to expect.  The third new sitcom, Happy Endings, got a late start, coming on in April.  They're trying a new unique format, putting it at 10 p.m. and running consecutive episodes weekly.  So far, it hasn't exploded, but it hasn't imploded either.  Of the three, it seems the most likely to take the spot along with the already renewed Modern Family, Cougar Town and The Middle on Wednesdays.

The network's two reality shows that debuted weren't anything to write home to Mom about.  Skating with the Stars felt like a mere placeholder between the fall and spring seasons of sister show Dancing with the Stars.  Secret Millionaire was given a chance to shine in Extreme Makeover's spot, and did alright, but it feels like a show that works best as a seasonal replacement.

Established shows that will be back:
To this point, ABC has renewed the following shows: Modern Family, Grey's Anatomy, Castle, Private Practice, Cougar Town and The Middle.  Castle, holding down the 10 p.m. Tuesday spot, is a show that jumps up and down in ratings, but is consistent enough to serve as a good third drama for the network behind Grey's and Housewives.

Housewives, which hasn't been renewed yet, should be back for an eighth season.  While certainly not a top ten hit like it was in its early years, it still does quite well for a one hour drama.  In this day and age of TV, a serial drama that isn't a cult hit like 24 or Lost seems to struggle long-term.  The fact that it's still routinely a top 20 show should mean it has a bit more life to it.

That leaves question marks to the show that follows it: Brothers & Sisters.  Since the beginning of the season, B&S treated this year as if it was the end.  Despite its convoluted plots and jammed top-flight cast, B&S continued to fight strong to avoid going out after five years.  It's among the biggest tossups of any network, and certainly the most uncertain on ABC.  I have to feel it comes down to the reception the network has for Good Christian Bitches, a pilot that could fill some of the holes that B&S would leave.

New series that might make their way onto your TV
As a result of my feelings and thoughts, I have roughly three hours of broadcasting that ABC has to fill with new shows (four if they do away with Brothers & Sisters).  For now, I will assume that they will renew Brothers & Sisters for at least a 13 episode run.  So what will be the three shows to watch out for in the fall?  Here is a list of five that could make it for dramas:

Charlie's Angels - a remake of the classic 70s ABC series, Charlie's was a show that could've been a replacement this past spring; starring Minka Kelly (Friday Night Lights) and Rachael Taylor (Transformers), it's going to be given every chance to succeed; it's also a show that I think will fail...kind of miserably, but I could be wrong

Good Christian Bitches! - this has been making some noise due to its title since it was put on ABC's pilot radar; based on a book series, Leslie Bibb will attempt to return to her hometown of Dallas and prove she is no longer the mean girl she was in high school; a hint of Desperate Housewives here and there, and you have a show that could be its new young sibling

Hallelujah - Desperate Housewives' Marc Cherry brings this mystical drama about a small town (it feels like we've seen this a lot lately) to life; good vs. evil, light vs. darkness; basically, it's another stab at what Happy Town tried and failed at; but it's Cherry so it might have a clever cynicism about it

Pan-Am - Mad Men has paved the way for several shows with the same motif: the sexy 60s; set in the skies of that time frame, it stars Christina Ricci although most of the rest of its cast is relatively unknown; it could fill your "hot, young people bed hopping" primetime soap quota

Poe - due to the popularity in supernatural storytelling in the last few years, Poe is a show that could easily break out; featuring author Edgar Allen Poe as a detective seemingly ahead of his time in investigating, it has a cult classic label written all over it

Shonda Rhimes has a new show in development but after the failure of Off the Map, I don't think they'll go to that well so fast.  The other possibility is fairy tale based Once Upon a Time....  None of the sitcom pilots sound like something to expect until late winter.

My guess at ABC's fall schedule (pure speculation):

Sundays
8:00-9:00 - Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
9:00-10:00 - Desperate Housewives
10:00-11:00 - Brothers & Sisters

Note: If Brothers & Sisters isn't renewed, I expect Pan-Am to go at 10 p.m.

Mondays
8:00-9:00 - Dancing with the Stars
9:00-10:00 - Dancing with the Stars
10:00-11:00 - Castle

Tuesdays
8:00-9:00 - Dancing with the Stars
9:00-10:00 - Charlie's Angels (N)
10:00-11:00 - Body of Proof

Wednesdays
8:00-8:30 - The Middle
8:30-9:00 - Happy Endings
9:00-9:30 - Modern Family
9:30-10:00 - Cougar Town
10:00-11:00 - Poe (N)

Thursdays
8:00-9:00 - Good Christian Bitches! (N)
9:00-10:00 - Grey's Anatomy
10:00-11:00 - Private Practice

Fridays
8:00-9:00 - Secret Millionaire/Wipe Out/Shark Tank *reality show placeholder*
9:00-10:00 - What Would You Do?
10:00-11:00 - 20/20

Who will replace Michael as branch manager?

As the latest season of The Office comes to its conclusion in the next week and a half, the answer to the biggest mystery of the TV season will come into focus: who replaces Michael Scott as branch manager?  Since Steve Carell announced months ago that he would not return for an eighth season, it's been a storyline that fans have kept in the back of their minds going forward.

At some point, we knew that Michael would leave, especially when his true love Holly (Amy Ryan) returned on a temporary assignment as the head of HR.  From there, it was only a matter of time before Michael finally took those long awaited steps in his personal life.  But even though the fans have known from the start of the season that Michael would eventually leave, the show didn't address the situation in the series until only recently.  That hasn't stopped them from offering up several famous faces as possible replacements.  Just recently, Carell's Anchorman co-star Will Ferrell, returning to the network that he broke out on during his time on Saturday Night Live, joined the cast for a special four episode arc as Deangelo Vickers, Michael's immediate (and ultimately, temporary) replacement.

Deangelo was never meant to be a permanent character, most likely used for stunt casting given Carell's departure before the end of the season.  And that temporary status played out rather quickly, with Deangelo's inability to manage, even more than Michael's worst decisions, coming to the surface in no time.  Deangelo, like Michael, was full of some hot air, and Jim (John Krasinski) called him out on it.  So...where does that leave Dunder Mifflin-Sabre Scranton going forward?

Dwight
This week, in the penultimate episode of the year, long-time assistant (to the) regional manager Dwight (Rainn Wilson) will take over as "acting" manager.  The fact that the title of the episode uses the term acting in parenthesis isn't the only clue that Dwight's tenure at the top is probably short-lived.

He's twice been on the cusp of the branch, and both times they were destroyed rather quickly.  In "The Coup" (Episode 3.03), Dwight went around Michael's back but never officially won the job.  He paid for the treason by being forced to do Michael's laundry for a year.  Not long after that, Dwight was handed the keys to the kingdom when Michael thought he was going to be promoted to a corporate position in "The Job" (Episodes 3.24-25).  This was short-lived as Michael was passed over, return to the branch, and Dwight was demoted back to his normal position.

Neither of those temporary ascensions inspired much confidence in his co-workers as his "Schrute bucks" and lectures about the history of paper were dismissed.  Not that Dwight wouldn't love another chance to be in charge.  He made it clear that he wanted to be recommended by Michael, and was upset when he wasn't.

Jim
Jim also has branch manager experience, and it's real experience, unlike Dwight.  He was promoted to co-manager in "The Meeting" (Episode 6.02) and held it for a few months, ultimately moving back to his position as salesman in "The Manager and the Salesman" (Episode 6.16).  It wasn't the first time that Jim was in charge, often serving as the authority when Michael was out of the office.  However, in his stints as branch manager, it became clear that Jim didn't care for the power or headaches of the office.  He grew weary of the staff complaints in "Survivor Man" (Episode 4.11).  Even serving as co-head of the Party Planning Committee with Dwight was too much for him to care about.

So would Jim put his name in the hat again?  Maybe, but it's doubtful.  Even more doubtful is that Sabre would promote him after he demoted himself to make more money on commission than as branch manager.  The return of Jim to sales, marked with him dunking Dwight's tie into a coffee mug, served as a message that the show wants what the fans want, a fun-loving Jim.  This is something that he would not be able to do as head of the branch.

Andy
Certainly Andy (Ed Helms) has been making overtures as executive material since being introduced in "Gay Witch Hunt" (Episode 3.01), proclaiming that he would move up the ladder when Stamford was merged into Scranton in "The Merger" (Episode 3.08).  But in the years since, Andy's shortcomings have taken precedent over any strengths he would bring.  He effectively lost the claim to any maneuvering up the corporate ladder when he went to the press about the printer explosions at the end of last season.

Andy can often be seen as "Michael-lite", trying to be everyone's friend first and foremost.  His sales skills are also a lot to be desired, routinely at the bottom of the sales chart.  It feels like Andy's future will be him moving forward as a salesman, as Michael gave him the parting gift of the top ten clients of the branch, those held by Michael himself.  Although Andy's initial fears seemed to coming to fruition, as he lost one of the ten in mere seconds, he secured the rights to another onscreen.

Andy's journey isn't about him within the company.  It's about him within himself.  He has to get past the fear that he will fail to become a better salesman.  His friendship with Darryl has been a strength as he evolved past his initial "inflated alpha male" personality.

Stanley or Phyllis
It's doubtful that either of these people are major candidates to take over.  Stanley, like Dwight and Andy, has made it clear that he would like to be branch manager.  In "Beach Games" (Episode 3.23), Stanley took a proactive stance in Michael's unique way of figuring out his recommendation.   However, Stanley's inability to care about anything other than his personal sales record (and that itself can be questioned) would mean a poor managerial stint.

Phyllis has never approached management, but her short-term time as the head of the Party Planning Committee could be an interesting barometer.  She gained the job by blackmailing Angela (Angela Kinsey) in "Weight Loss (Episodes 5.01-02), but ultimately couldn't kill off Angela's vindictive personality, losing her edge in "Moroccan Christmas" (Episode 5.12).  I don't think she has the guts to be political.

Kelly
She's a darkhorse candidate for sure, but Kelly has been making waves in the last year or so.  She joined the Sabre minority executive training program in "Body Language" (Episode 6.23), and perhaps have an inside track by being Indian.  This past year, she has taken her executive approach slightly more serious and has been a bit more assertive.  However, she can still be manipulated by Ryan, and lacks sales experience.

Ryan
After his stint as an Executive Vice President in New York, during the fourth season, Ryan's experience seems to trump any of the in-house candidates.  However, his failure to launch Dunder Mifflin Infinity in the way he had envisioned shoved him into limbo.  He had to join the Michael Scott Paper Company and then tagged along when that was merged back into Dunder Mifflin during the latter half of the fifth season.

The one thing that works in Ryan's favor isn't that he would be promoted.  It's that Kelly might be promoted.  His chances are better with her as the voice in her ear, making decisions.  Kelly has already put him behind the curtain, turning down Dwight's own aspirations.

Mr. Outside Hire
There are a load of famous faces coming to Scranton next week to interview for the job.  Former Arrested Development star Will Arnett will play Fred Henry; Ray Romano will play Merv Bronte; Emmy winner James Spader will play Robert California, Emmy winner Ricky Gervais will reprise his role from the original British series as David Brent (Gervais cameoed in Episode 7.14 "The Seminar); Catherine Tate will play Nellie Bertrum; and Jim Carrey will appear in a still unnamed role.  That's a load of big names coming in, and though it feels like stunt casting, it's almost necessary.

The Office lost double digit percentage in ratings from "Goodbye, Michael" (Episode 7.22) and "The Inner Circle (Episode 7.23).  Names and faces are going to be a necessity to keep people tuned in.  That doesn't mean one of these will end up in the permanent position, but for a short-term benefit, it isn't the worst thing in the world.  Arnett was handpicked by Gervais to replace Carell, but he took a job as part of a pilot for NBC starring Christina Applegate and Maya Rudolph.  That casts a serious doubt in him taking over.

Fringe candidates
There are a few names that could be tossed into the mix, but their chances of being brought back are slim to none.  Todd Packer (David Koechner) returned to the branch this season in the self-title episode (Episode 7.18), but then quickly left to pursue a rumor about a corporate job with Sabre.  Maybe he will have become friends with Sabre CEO Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates), but Todd inspires even less respect than Dwight.

Scranton's other traveling salesman Danny Cordray (Timothy Olyphant) has been conspicuous by his absence he joined the staff in "The Sting" (Episode 7.05) and the follow up, "Costume Contest" (Episode 7.06).  He was recently named "the hottest in the office" during the Dundie awards (Episode 7.21), so he still works for Dunder Mifflin.  But his ability to sell on the road would make him coming into the office a step backwards for the company.  Olyphant's stint as Raylan Givens on FX's Justified, which recently was renewed for a third season to be broadcast in 2012, also puts a hamper on any long-term return.

We have no idea what Karen Filippelli (Rashida Jones) has been up to since Sabre bought the company.  The last time we saw her, Lecture Circuit Part 1 (Episode 5.16), she was still manager of the Utica branch.  She certainly had enough qualifications to be considered for Jan's replacement in "The Job".  Jones' role on sister show Parks & Recreation should cancel her out from returning to The Office.

David Wallace (Andy Buckley) and Jan Levinson (Melora Hardin) served as executives within Dunder Mifflin for several seasons.  However, both were ousted in tremendous fashion and have since moved on with their own projects.  Wallace runs a vacuum brand called Suck It, while Jan has become a Director of Purchasing for an area hospital.

Darryl
This is the most wild of wildcard candidates as Darryl (Craig Robinson) has stealthy moved into a prominent position within the hierarchy of the branch.  Darryl's role in the early season was strictly relegated to the warehouse.  But he always been someone that felt "too good" to be held down, down to Earth and friendly enough to win over respect from others.

However, it wasn't until he moved into Jim's old office in "St. Patrick's Day" (Episode 6.19) and came up with an idea to streamline printer sales, that it felt like Darryl could be more than just a person that delivered one-liners from time to time.  He could contribute to the story with realism.

Darryl became a source of venting for Michael during the last couple of years, as well as a reluctant ally to Andy when the printer explosion storyline started.  He is friendly to everyone from Jim to Angela, so he wouldn't have problems with respect or authority.  One of the things that would work against him is not taking part of the same executive training program that Kelly underwent.  But his sharp ideas have already won over Jo, so Darryl very well could be the next in line to succeed Michael.

Bottom line
There is no telling if the position will even be filled by the end of "Search Committee Part 2" next Thursday.  This is a storyline that could be coffee machine talk all summer, going into the seventh season.  Obviously the show has its work cut out for it, judging by the ratings drop from two weeks to ago to last week.  But the show has been around long enough that the brand can somewhat manage the damage and stabilize.  The show doesn't need a name to replace Carell.  It needs something consistent.

Season Retrospective 30 Rock Season 5

"Those ice-cream saps will rue the day they ever tangled with the Best Friends Gang."

I have to admit something: I've never been a HUGE fan of 30 Rock.  It's always been one of those shows that I watch because of the shows that lead up to it, and occasionally, I enjoy it.  It's never been a show that makes or breaks a night of NBC's comedies for me though.  If anything, it can be a chore to get through, especially when it moved to 10 p.m. in 2011.

That said, I appreciate things about 30 Rock and from time to time, I find it to be comical.  It can depend on what the episode is focused on, but in general, I never spend time on a show that I find to be completely not worth it.  30 Rock has been replaced as the sitcom critical darling by Modern Family (a show who's sophomore season I will profile soon in this blog).  It doesn't seem to bother Tina Fey.  She continues to write the show as if it's in the top 5 in Nielsen, not near the bottom of the top 100.  She takes chances, such as pulling off a live episode that featured a cavalcade of guest stars and bits that might've been lost in the bulk of the original broadcast.

Since it's inception, the battle for the fictional show within the show, TGS with Tracy Jordan, has been uphill, same for its eccentric cast and crew.  Head writer Liz Lemon (Fey) seems like she should have the perfect life, but continues to struggle with the direction her life is heading.  Her show's stars, Tracy (Tracy Morgan) and Jenna (Jane Krakowski) are just as insane as ever.  And NBC executive Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) faces the possibility of his corporate career having peaked.

The fifth season of 30 Rock featured the fifth season of TGS, and the future of the show is still well in doubt.  NBC has been bought by Pittsburgh based Kabletown.  No longer can Liz bury her fledgling late night sketch comedy under the pile of rubble that NBC has created (both in reality, and within the series).  The future of TGS comprises an overarching storyline for the season, but it isn't the only one.  The personal lives of the characters also take sharp turns in the fifth season.

Jack starts his life with news commentator Avery Jessup (Elizabeth Banks) after the couple found they were pregnant in the fourth season finale.  But with the Kabletown purchase, Jack slowly realizes that his rising star might be flat, somewhat due to his mentoring of Liz.

Tracy becomes a bonafide star with his Oscar-winning performance in Hard to Watch: Based on the Novel "Stone Cold Bummer" by Manipulate.  This, coupled with his wife's latest pregnancy, sets in panic for the risque comedian.  Tracy's presence proves to be the catalyst, because when he goes AWOL following these events, the future of TGS is further cast in doubt.

But really, as it has always been, a huge part of the series centers around Liz's insecurity in life and love.  She only one thing that makes her content in her life, and that's work.  All of her relationships, whether she knows it or not, are doomed by her insecurity in herself.  Until she learns that she can be happy at work AND away from it, no man will be able to measure up.  Not that they didn't give it a valiant effort with her latest beau, pilot Carol (Matt Damon).  But in the end, their relationship couldn't withstand their personal differences.  Liz's only positive relationship with a man remains with Jack.

Where this show thrives, as it always has, was with its guest stars and the whacky characters they play.  The producers of 30 Rock have a habit of taking stars and stripping them of anything that makes them "normal" and setting them into 30 Rock's already-zany universe.  John Slattery, Alan Alda, Matt Damon, Jon Hamm, Will Forte, Ken Howard, etc., are all characters who's sense of logic is bent, twisted and reshaped into caricatures.  And that goes for stars portraying themselves.  30 Rock has never shied away from showing fame as "eccentric", rather than "crazy".

All in all, it was the greatest season of comedy in television history.  It wasn't the greatest season of comedy on NBC this past year.  It wasn't the greatest season of comedy for the show.  But the continuing evolution of relationships, both personal and professional, helped shape it as more of a success than a failure.

Episode to watch: Live Show (Episode 5.04)

Episode to avoid: ¡Qué Sorpresa! (Episode 5.13)

Season MVP: Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy

Season Grade: B- (there are some really good episodes in this season, most of them in the final stretch run, but as usual for me, not a whole lot of them stand out in the lexicon of comedy television)

Season Retrospective Justified Season 2

"You know 'tornado weather'?  Sky turns green.  And you KNOW something's comin'"

Raylan Givens gave Tommy Bucks a warning.  Why does no one believe him?  Reputations precede us, and Raylan's has been that of an impulsive man who shoots first and asks questions second.  In two seasons of Justified, Givens (Timothy Olyphant) has done what he can to mend his previous ways.  But with people like Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins) and the Bennett clan running around the hills of Kentucky and shooting each other, can one really blame Raylan for wanting to clean up things for the greater good?

When FX canceled Terriers and then Lights Out after only one season, they needed a big bang from Justified's second season.  They got that (and then some).  What had been a show of a semi-episodic format during its first year, turned into a multi-layered drama of blood and bloodshed.  After finishing in the low 2's in ratings in the first season, the show routinely challenged the 3 mark this year.  A lot of that seems to be because of the inclusion of the sadistic Bennett family, led by matriarch Mags (Margo Martindale) as well as the starring status of previous antagonist Boyd.

At the end of the first season, Raylan had reluctantly worked with Boyd to take down Boyd's father Bo (M.C. Gainey) as well as fight off assassins from Miami that are aiming their guns for Raylan.  The show did a smart thing by picking right up where the finale ended, with Raylan going back to Miami where he stood down the drug cartel that had been hunting him.  The story of the season isn't that Raylan has to fear for his life because of the cartel.  It isn't that Raylan goes on random U.S. Marshal missions that show him for what kind of lawman he is.

Instead, the second season is about the drama in the hills of Harlan, between the chaotic Bennett family, Black Pike mining and how everyone else fits into it.  It carves out a tight community of eccentric civilians, many of whom have their own agenda, and then sets up against Raylan's life at the Marshal service (with the two intersecting at various times).  Greed becomes the theme: how much money can the Bennett's get out of Black Pike, how can Raylan's father Arlo (Raymond J. Berry) prove that he is still a force to be reckoned with, and how long can Boyd avoid going down the familiar dark path?

The feud between the Bennett family and Boyd's own interests drives the story, and catches Raylan in the middle.  For his part, Boyd attempts to go down a different path after his exploits in the first season.  He agrees to help former sister-in-law, and Raylan's scorned ex-lover, Ava (Joelle Carter) with paying her mortgage and returns to his life as the mine's demolition expert.  But greed always comes calling.  He is recruited back into his old life, which in turns put him right in the crosshairs in the war for land between Black Pike and the Bennett's.

For his own part, Raylan attempts to find some semblance of a normal life with his ex-wife Winona (Natalie Zea), but her own greed puts him in the doghouse of the Marshal service.  Winona comes to the realization that her life hasn't quite worked out in the way she hoped.  She's going through a second divorce, and Raylan is still running around with his hat and gun like he hasn't a care in the world for her and their future.  But Raylan has a soft side that plays out in the season, as he helps Loretta McCready (Kaitlyn Dever), a fourteen year old girl who's father is murdered by Mags in the season premiere, despite her initial reluctance.  He knows what it is like to grow up in Harlan and knows the end game for Loretta if she doesn't have someone looking out for her.  His friendship with her, while not particularly empathic, is a clear sign that he knows that his lifestyle and career choices are risky.

Justified's second season is filled with quirky and unique secondary characters, making the canvas come alive with realism.  It isn't just Raylan vs. Boyd vs. Mags.  It isn't just Winona, Ava and the Marshal service.  There are the Bennett sons, causing their own path of terror by their greed and stupidity.  There is Arlo with his water and oil relationship with Raylan, buoyed by Raylan's aunt Helen.  There is Winona's estranged second husband Gary and his financial woes that began in the first season.  There's dangerous loanshark Wynn Duffy.  There's sexy Black Pike executive Carol Johnson, smoldering passion on-screen with Raylan while she hires Boyd as a bodyguard.

Season 2 becomes a story of the past drawing us back in, despite our better judgment.  Raylan tries to move forward with his life, both as a Marshal and as a man.  Boyd tries to prove himself as a man to himself and Ava.  Mags wants to prove her family is the force of the mountain, despite her sons' impulsive decisions.  These all come together where the decisions that are made may end up effecting everyone else for a long time to come.

Episode to watch: Bloody Harlan (Episode 2.13)

Episode to avoid: For Blood or Money (Episode 2.04)

Season MVP: Margo Martindale as Mags Bennett

Season Grade: A- (plenty of high end quality episodes and acting performances, easily moving the series from the semi-episodic format of Season 1 into a serialized "must see" drama)

teaser to The Office's latest webseries

Starting on Thursday, May 5th (Cinco de Mayo), the latest webseries from The Office begins airing on NBC.com.  After their debut in late 2009 with "Male Prime Madonna", Subtle Sexuality (Kelly Kapoor and Erin Hannon) are back with "The Girl Next Door".  Star Mindy Kaling directed the webseries, written by Jonathan Hughes, Kelly Hannon (I guess we know the inspiration for Erin's alter ego) and Mary Wall.

The above video is a sneak peak.  Check back on nbc.com or Hulu to find latest online offering from Dunder Mifflin-Sabre's best and brightest.

Hell on Wheels trailer comes online

While its longetivity can't match HBO, AMC's talents in creating original dramas has been nothing less than staggering.  Even though their first two series, The Lot and Remember WENN, are long since forgotten, the recent success of Mad Men, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead has made AMC one of the top cable channels.  Now, on the heels of The Killing, comes the next original series from the network: Hell on Wheels.

It's been a few years since Deadwood ended its three year run on HBO and for the most part, American TV has been void of the good ole fashioned western since then.  Before the year is out, that void will be filled.  Hell on Wheels is about the construction of the Trainscontinental railroad as well as the reconstruction of the United States after the Civil War.  Anson Mount, perhaps best known as Britney Spear's love interest in Crossroads, will play Cullen Bohannon, a Confederate soldier who's wife was raped and murdered by Union soldiers.  So we got that hanging over our heads.  And guess what?  Common is on this show, no doubt to portray the flames of racial hatred that would still exist in the aftermath of the War Between Brothers.

Hell on Wheels is on schedule for a ten episode season sometime later this year.  It has a tremendous pedigree to live up to, given the critical success of the network's other dramas.  But judging from the trailer, it has the potential to live up to it.

DVD Season Retrospective - Sports Night Season 2

Back in the late 1990s, the popularity of the Internet and cable TV was making vast changes in how many areas of pop culture were viewed.  One of the major benefactors of this boom was sports, as ESPN rose to become the leader in coverage and analysis.  Because of the popularity of its signature series, SportsCenter, it seemed only natural that a fictional television show profiling the same circumstances would come on air.  Aaron Sorkin, who, until 1998, was known for writing the stage and screenplays of A Few Good Men and then The American President, was given a chance to create a watercooler sitcom for ABC called Sports Night.

Sports Night was about a cable sports network, CSC, still in its infancy, but more about its signature highlight show, one with the eponymous title.  It featured two well known anchors on the desk, Casey McCall (Peter Krause) and Dan Rydell (Josh Charles).  In the control room, the show was run by Executive Producer Dana Whitaker (Felicity Huffman), who had her top assistants Natalie Hurley (Sabrina Lloyd) and Jeremy Goodwin (Joshua Malina).  The show was presided over by Managing Editor Isaac Jaffe (Emmy winner Robert Guillaume).  The rest of the cast was filled with quirky crew members as well as outside personalities that contended with the stars' professional lives.

It's been a show that has been described as one "ahead of its time".  Or one that "couldn't find its place".  This seems to be the case.  In the first season, there is the presence of a laugh track but the show isn't that funny.  Its humor lies in the personalities of its characters, their tendencies and motives.  There aren't too many comical bits of dialogue, and premises designed to create laughs seem too contrived.  But the fact that this show was labeled a sitcom didn't stop Sorkin from gradually moving its heart into the everyday hopes and fears of its characters.

Somewhere near the end of the first season, the laugh track was phased out.  It becomes a dramedy, a word that has been given plenty of meaning in television in the last few years.  Shows like Weeds have lived on that fine line between drama and comedy.  Sports Night did so as well in its second season.  It plays for drama in a way that makes me believe it could've been better off as an hour long show.

In the first season, the major threads of the show were the romantic relationships between several characters.  The long-standing feelings between Casey and Dana dominate their interactions.  Casey has recently been divorced.  And just when he might have a chance with his friend of several years, Dana begins dating lawyer Gordon (Ted McGinley).  So Casey has a physical relationship with Dana's work rival Sally (Brenda Strong).  However, this comes to a head when Casey discovers that Gordon and Sally have also had a fling behind Dana's back.  In a way, this relationship was at the core of 1990s sitcoms.  Shows like Friends lived with Ross & Rachel, the back and forth drama, within this tight knit group of colleagues.

In the second season, there is a major shift in the context of this relationship.  After an initial passionate kiss between the two in "Special Powers" (Episode 2.01), Dana puts a caveate that they should date others in six months so as not to use this as a rebound.  Casey protests for several episodes, lamenting that he wants to be with her until he meets the self-titled woman (Meagan Ward) in "A Girl Named Pixley" (Episode 2.09).  Casey & Dana's relationship becomes one of lost opportunity.  Casey gives up on Dana, maybe in someway realizing that Dana likes being chased more than being caught.  Their friendship remains intact, but it's never the way it was in Season 1.  I have to believe Sorkin's strong motivation was to take the tried and true "boy chases girl" sitcom formula and saying "Fuck it".  He would do the same thing in Studio 60 with Matt and Harriet until giving them a proper reunion in the final episode.

The other major romance in Season 1 was between spunky Natalie and nerdy Jeremy.  And Jeremy was always nerdy in that way that guys ARE nerdy.  I have never liked the "Seth Cohen nerdy" where they make a relatively good-looking guy with no real faults and tell us he is an outcast, and therefore, he is.  Jeremy knows a lot about a lot of things, but Natalie often keeps him guessing.  After a season and a half, their relationship takes a stunning turn when Jeremy tires of her need "to be cool".  She wants to have fun at clubs and in public and he's content with going home and watching Conan O'Brien every night after work.

They break up in "Dana Get Your Gun" (Episode 2.13), and for a time, Jeremy gets his own storyline.  He meets adult film star Jenny (Paula Marshall) in "Celebrities" (Episode 2.15) and after a delay due to the fact that she has sex on camera, they begin a relationship.  It isn't meant to last.  You see, Jeremy is human and as much as people say that they aren't ashamed of someone, talk is cheap.  When Jenny wants to visit the set on the day of the NFL Draft in "Draft Day" Parts 1 & 2 (Episodes 2.17-18), Jeremy panics about telling others (including Natalie) what she does for a living.  She goes along with the plan, but Jeremy ultimately relents.  He promises her that he can get over it eventually.  But "eventually" can seem like a long time off when you want acceptance now.  Jenny ends things there, knowing that Jeremy just can't handle that her life plan got off-track and put her in her present spot, but it's not something she is ashamed of.

It seems like that I've spent a large amount of time on aspects of a show that I said were phased out in Season 2.  The reality of the situation is that the entire season has a mentality of "what does the future hold" for the show within the show.  It's made clear from the beginning of the series that CSC and Sports Night are a distant third behind ESPN and FOX.  Things aren't helped when patriarch Isaac has a stroke offscreen (to accomodate Guillaume's own stroke in real life) near the end of Season 1.  Guillaume and Isaac returns at the end of the season but for most of Season 2, he's in a limited role.  Dana is forced to take the brunt of the lagging ratings.

One of the other major storylines in Season 2 is the introspection of Dan.  For the first seaon, he was seen as a lovable, goofy ladies man.  He briefly dates market analyst Rebecca (Teri Polo) until she returns to her estranged husband in hopes of rebuilding her marriage.  However the building blocks of Dan's personality are seen even as early as "The Apology" (Episode 1.02), where he tells the story of his younger brother's drug-related death on air.  Dan's relationship with his father, strained, becomes a source of torment.  He begins to see a psychiatrist named Abby (Jayne Brook), even while stating he doesn't need therapy and constantly intent on ending their work relationship.  The truth is he does.  In a way, we all do.  He buries things deep within him, until they have to come rushing to the surface.

After Casey is named the 92nd most powerful person in sports, and Dan is absent from the list, it festers within him until he snaps and sets up Casey to look bad on-air in "Draft Day Part 2" (Episode 2.18).  Dan and Casey's relationship, long since the strongest on the show, becomes incredibly weak.  Friends fight because they are still responsible for their own feelings and personalities.  It's a matter of putting it behind you and moving on as to whether or not the friendship can survive.  Dan's attempt to immediately make amends struggles to get off the ground, but Casey eventually forgives him.  They've been through too much in their years together not to.

Season 2 marks the appearance of ratings analyst Sam Donovan (Huffman's real life husband, William H. Macy).  Sam is brash, unapologetic and good at what he does.  He ruffles Dana's feathers, often changing the format of the show moments before air, and causing her to fear that she isn't in charge.  But he also stands down network executives who wish to replace Isaac, and does what he says he would: help the show gain ratings.  Eventually, Dana realizes she has feelings for Sam, an oil and water relationship in some ways, just as he leaving to start his next assignment.  It's this storyline that shows how much Dana fights for the show, as she refuses to back down from the network brass or take other job offers that would let her flee a sinking ship.

Because the ship is sinking.  CSC's financial woes becomes the story in the final episodes.  The future is unclear and though things are saved at the last moment, the theme that this is a third ranked show that is leaps and bounds behind its two major competitors but continues to defy odds, was in some ways, what Sorkin must have been feeling off camera.  There is a line near the end of the final episode that is said by CSC's new owner: "Anybody who can't make money off Sports Night should get out of the money-making business".  Perhaps that was Sorkin's final statement to ABC as he rode off to start The West Wing.

Things I liked:
~ concise storylines: I am a fan of sitcoms that choose to follow storylines as opposed to randomly moving from event to event, week to week (Seinfeld is a big exception); life can be filled with storylines if we choose to look at it that way, so why not sitcoms?

~ moving Dan beyond his personality: he started out as one thing and ended up having to examine his own flaws in order to keep his relationships intact; between his relationship with his father and Casey, Dan has to find a balance between real life and whimsy

~ the end of Casey & Dana: I never bought into their relationship as something romantic; it worked better as a strong friendship because the hoops that Casey is forced to jump through are ridiculous

~ background characters: Sorkin has an ability to populate his shows with background characters who can be more appealing than some of his featured players; I'll be honest, some of my favorite buried moments are the sexual tension between Dan and associate producer Kim (Kayla Blake), just as it was in Studio 60 between Matt and Jeannie as well as The West Wing between Sam and Ginger

Things I didn't like:
~ the six month rule storyline: this just made me want to ram my head into a wall; I don't get how people come up with these things but they happen; I just don't get how if you like someone and they like you, why wait?; I get that the end game is that Casey finally "gets over" Dana, but the constant wait for that moment felt like torture

~ Natalie's personality: she's spunky, yes, but annoying even more so; when Jeremy finally ends things with her, it's a chance for both characters to move forward in their lives; Jeremy has to examine how his decisions affect others while Natalie tries to decide whether to stay at CSC or move her career forward in other avenues; however, they end up like they had been for so long, in each other's arms

Episode to watch: The Local Weather (Episode 2.16)
Episode to avoid: Louise Revisited (Episode 2.04)
Season MVP: Josh Charles as Dan

Season Grade: B (a lot of promise but some of the storyline gaps, such as Jeremy & Jenny, Dana having feelings for Sam, aren't fleshed out in a way I would've liked)