Conan in Chicago & new Kathy Griffin special--5/9/06

How much can I gush about 24 without making you sick? While the show is often unbelievable and stretches my suspension of disbelief to the max, I forgive it all these lapses in logic and remain devoted to it because of episodes like last night's nailbiter with Jack on a nose-diving jet, the President sweating bullets and me wondering how Dr. Rocket Romano got to be the bad guy on the show. Does anyone know who he's supposed to be? Did I miss class that day? Write back if you know who he is. Thanks.

Conversely, last night's PRISON BREAK was the episode we waited ALL SEASON for and I was not thrilled. I'm not sure what next week's season finale has in store but if none of them actually escape, I'm gonna be mighty ticked off and feel like a real sucker for watching it for so long.

Next, I must apologize to NBC for my comment yesterday about them scrapping THE WEST WING retrospective. I thought they were being cheap but the real story, as revealed by Joe Adalian at Variety, is that the actors demanded large sums to participate in said retrospective which made doing the episode prohibitively expensive. So I will redirect my disappointment toward the show's cast; what a classless move to do that as this fine series comes to a close.

OK, it has to be said: did you watch the whole two hours of David Blaine's special, only to be disappointed by his mere 7 minute, 8 seconds of breath-holding? I will admit to clicking over to the special during commercial breaks and I was stunned at the mountain-out-of-a-molehill attitude of the special. Plus I kept waiting for Stuart Scott to yell "Booya!" Once again, this two-hour blowfish of a "special" proved that very few things are worth two hours of primetime.

EVERWOOD continues its streak as one of the finest primetime dramas on the air. I've been particularly caught up in Andy and Ephram's renewed relationship as Ephram has begun to understand his father more and Andy has learned to let Ephram be who he is. Special mention also has to go to Chris Pratt - he plays Bright Abbott and he continues to turn a character that began as a stupid, egotistical jock into a guy with a learning curve and a large amount of sensitivity. When his father Harold Abbott (played pitch-perfectly by the consistently brilliant Tom Amandes) told Bright that he admired Bright's social grace in last night's episode and then hugged Bright when he saw his son was still upset, I lost it. What EVERWOOD writers do so well is depict the beauty of simple moments of truth in life. They never feel the need to slam us over the head with the moments, they just let us quietly witness them. EVERWOOD feels like a home movie with better lighting, wardrobe and set dressing. I continue to keep a good thought for this show and pray that it makes The CW fall schedule. It would be a real loss if EVERWOOD weren't part of the TV landscape.

My fave commercial running right now has to be the one with John Hodgeman as the PC and Justin Long (you recognize him from the DODGEBALL movie and the TV show ED) as the Mac. Hodgeman has a virus and Long assures him he doesn't have to worry about the virus spreading to Macs. It's a simple, clever commercial that I admire for being smart and selling the product well.

Tonight's fresh TV includes a new Kathy Griffin special on Bravo (at 9pm and it repeats at 11pm) and Conan O'Brien starting a week's worth of shows from the legendary Chicago Theatre in my hometown of Chicago! The guest lineup includes Sean Hayes tonight, Dave Chappelle and rapper Common on Wednesday, actor John C. Reilly on Thursday and Sen. Barack Obama and musical guest Wilco on Friday. I'm sure Conan and Co. will also find a myriad of goofy things to do in the Windy City too.

And now for tonight's rundown:
ABC: Movie: Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America (2-Hr Special), Boston Legal
Sorry, I won't be watching the bird flu movie because 24 fulfills my scare quota for the week. My only thought when I read about the movie is a quote from the original film of THE PRODUCERS when the lady who claims to be "the conci-urge" tells Max and Leo that Franz Liebkind is on the roof with his "boids - dirty, stinkin' BOIDS".

Parker Posey guests on BOSTON LEGAL as an attorney who eats other attorneys for breakfast.

CBS: NCIS, The Unit, The Unit (Special, 10pm)

NBC: Most Outrageous Moments, Most Outrageous Moments (R), Scrubs, Scrubs (R), Law & Order: SVU

FOX: American Idol 5, House
It's a salute to Elvis tonight on IDOL as the final four travel to Graceland and sing songs made famous by Elvis.

HOUSE takes on a controversial case involving a mother and her baby.

WB: Gilmore Girls (Season Finale), Pepper Dennis
Stars Hollow gets a large influx of street musicians in tonight's season finale. Thanks to SK for reminding me that the multi-talented Mary-Lynn Rajskub (aka Chloe on 24) also makes an appearance in tonight's episode.

UPN: Top Model (R), Veronica Mars (Season Finale)

A&E: Dog the Bounty Hunter, King of Cars

Bravo: Kathy Griffin: Strong Black Woman (Special), Real Housewives of Orange County: Reunion (Special)

Discovery: Deadliest Catch, Going Tribal

History: Mega Disasters (Season Premiere)

MTV: The Real World XVI, 8th and Ocean (Season Finale)
Has anyone else been watching 8TH AND OCEAN? It's like stepping into a mental vacuum that requires no brain effort whatsoever. I just look at dreamy Teddy and it feels like I'm miles away from my humdrum life.

TLC: Wrecks To Riches, Overhaulin', Miami Ink

TNT: NBA Playoffs: Dallas Mavericks at San Antonio Spurs (Live, 6:30pm EST)
VH1: Love Monkey

Tonight's episode is "Mything Persons": Singer Gordon Decker cracked under the pressure of the music business years ago and never completed his long-awaited sophomore album. Tom now has the chance to buy Gordon's catalogue, but in order for it to be financially beneficial to True Vinyl, he must get Gordon to record the rest of the album. However, as Tom meets a beautiful doctor he has a real connection with, he must also hunt down the reclusive, yet still brilliant, singer and convince him to give the music business another try. Meanwhile, Bran struggles with the fact that she is dating her boss. Martin Luther ("Daily Bread') will perform in this episode.

Today's SURF REPORT written while listening to Everclear's "AM Radio".

It's May 9th: go buy, download, rip, burn, do whatever you kids do but get your hands on the Gnarls Barkey CD "St. Elsewhere" - it'll make you "CRAZY" in the best possible way!

That's a wrap for today.