THE WEST WING ends, MALCOLM grows up and SURVIVOR crowns another winner--5/12/06

From the news reports I've read, recently bumped off LOST cast member Michelle Rodriguez didn't think her time in the clink was so bad. Maybe it was like speed-dating for her. Or maybe they compared shiv techniques. Whatever the case, nice to know she got along well with all the gals in the slammer.

There's WAY too much press about Chris Daughtry getting voted off IDOL. All I can think about when I see how many people vote for IDOL is that we have to find a way to get all those people to vote in national political elections. Nothing gets out the vote like IDOL. It's a social, as well as TV, phenomenon.

Sunday is Mother's Day so be sure to tell your mom that you love her. Gifts are nice but there's nothing like saying the words to make it real.

ABC picked up a bunch of shows today on both the comedy and drama sides but as they don't announce their schedule til next Tuesday, I'll go over that info in Monday's email.

Today it's looking like 7TH HEAVEN will be going to the CW for one more season; at least that's what MediaWeek is reporting.

NBC announces their fall schedule this Monday the 15th in New York. Here's a quick summary of the new shows that have been picked up to series, we'll find out the timeslots Monday. Note: I've only read the pilot scripts, I haven't seen any of the finished pilots yet.
On the drama side:
HEROES - New show from Tim Kring (CROSSING JORDAN), the show is about everyday people who discover they have superpowers. Adrian Pasdar, Greg Grunberg, Hayden Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia are just a portion of the huge cast. I didn't go nuts over this script but I love this cast so I'm eager to see the finished pilot.

RAINES - Jeff Goldblum stars as an eccentric detective who solves murders by talking to the victims. Hmm, a male MEDIUM perhaps? The best thing this has going for it is that Graham Yost (BOOMTOWN) wrote it.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS - the show is based on the book and movie of the same name. The hunkalicious Kyle Chandler stars in this drama about football in Dillon, Texas. I totally see the appeal of this show even though it wouldn't be appointment television for me. But I do love me some Kyle Chandler!

BLACK DONNELLYS - from Paul Haggis (CRASH, EZ STREETS) - a drama series that follows four young Irish brothers in New York's infamous Hell's Kitchen neighborhood and their involvement with organized crime. I love the crime shows and if the cast is good, I'd watch this.

STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP - the much-talked about new show from Aaron Sorkin, a behind-the-scenes look at an SNL-type show. Matthew Perry returns to primetime (at last!!!), Bradley Whitford, DL Hughley, Amanda Peet and Steven Weber also star in the show. I hear it has a SPORTS NIGHT feel to it which is all right by me because I loved that show too. I can't wait to see this show. I thought the script was talky but smart and I'm addicted to Sorkin's brand of smart. I've also been dying to see Matthew Perry on TV again.

KIDNAPPED - Dana Delany, Jeremy Sisto, Tim Hutton, Delroy Lindo and Myketi Williamson star in this show about a wealthy couple who's child is kidnapped. Jason Smilovic (KAREN SISCO) created the show. The script was solid and they assembled a great cast so unless the director really screwed up, this should be good.

On the comedy side:
ANDY BARKER P.I. got an order for six episodes. This is a single-camera comedy starring Andy Richter as a mild-mannered CPA who inadvertently becomes a private investigator. Tony Hale and Amy Farrington co-star. I applaud any network that will put Andy Richter on the air. I adore him. Jonathan Groff wrote the pilot and Conan O'Brien is one of the exec producers. Nice way to show support for his former sidekick! The script was quirky but I have to think any show that has both Richter AND Tony Hale (ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT's Buster) in it can't be bad!

UNTITLED TINA FEY - OK, OK, this isn't an official pickup yet but the word everywhere is that it's simply a matter of settling Alec Baldwin's deal which they expect to do. This is NBC's other behind-the-scenes at SNL show. Tina Fey, Rachel Dratch, Tracy Morgan and Alec Baldwin make up most of the cast. I can only think this script got even funnier during production and I think Rachel Dratch is terrific. Alec Baldwin, as I've said many many times before, is such an able actor in both comedy and drama that I know he'll score in this show.

20 GOOD YEARS - John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor (ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT's George Bluth Sr.) star in this show written by Michael Leeson. They play a pair of unlikely friends who decide to make the most of the time they have left in life. The script didn't make me laugh when I read it but that was before it got punched up. There's a fair amount of physical shtick in the script which should add to the show. But when I read it, what it really needed was jokes.

THE SINGLES TABLE - Five single people sit at the singles table at a wedding and remain friends after the occasion.
Bill Martin and Mike Schiff wrote the pilot. Again, not a terribly funny script but I read it before punch-up which makes a huge difference. John Cho, Jarrad Paul, Conor Dubin, Rhea Seehorn and Pascale Hutton are the five friends. John Cho is a good actor (did you catch his heartbreaking role on GREY'S last week as the med student who fell asleep at the wheel and hit a pregnant woman's car?) and I'm curious to see the finished pilot just to see him.

Also Monday, President Bush has decided to interrupt primetime so he can give an Oval Office address about immigration. The season finales of PRISON BREAK, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER and OPRAH'S LEGENDS BALL special on ABC will probably be affected. The Oprah special leads into GREY'S ANATOMY season finale. Leave it to Bushie to mess around with May sweeps but he should know better than to screw with Oprah. He may be the most powerful man in the free world but he's nothin' next to Oprah.

OK, I'm running long so let's get to the weekend rundown. For me, the end of THE WEST WING is the Sunday night highlight but there are also new episodes of the ABC Sunday night shows, the MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE finale on FOX and a whole night of SURVIVOR festivities on CBS. A special hurrah also goes to KING OF THE HILL for making it to episode 200!

Tonight Friday 5/12
ABC: America's Funniest Home Videos (R), 20/20 (9pm), 20/20

CBS: Keith Barry Extraordinary (Special), Close To Home, Numb3rs

NBC: Deal or No Deal, Las Vegas (Season Finale), Conviction

FOX: Movie: Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde

WB: Movie: How to Deal (Special)

UPN: WWE Smackdown!

CMT: Ultimate Coyote Ugly Search

Court TV: L.A. Forensics
Discovery: I Shouldn't Be Alive
E!: Chelsea Handler Show
ESPN: NBA Playoffs: Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Clippers (Live, 7:30pmEST)

HBO: Real Time with Bill Maher
Bill's guests tonight are musician John Legend, national security expert Richard Clarke, and academic Cornel West. Plus, via satellite, former Sec. of State Madeleine Albright, and TV news show host John Gibson.

MTV2: Andy Milonakis Show, Wondershowzen
Sci Fi: Doctor Who
Style Network: Modern Girl's Guide to Life, Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?
TLC: What Not To Wear, Honey We're Killing the Kids!

Saturday 5/13
ABC: NBA Playoffs: San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks (Live, 8pmEST)
CBS: CSI: Miami (R), CSI: New York (R), 48 Hours Mystery
NBC: Dateline, Law & Order: SVU (R), Law & Order: Criminal Intent (R), Saturday Night Live

SNL: Julia Louis-Dreyfus returns to the show as host, Paul Simon is the musical guest.

FOX: NASCAR Racing: Darlington 500 (Live, 8pm EST)

Sunday 5/14
ABC: America's Funniest Home Videos, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy (Part 1 of season finale - Part 2 is Monday night 5/15 with two more hours)

CBS: 60 Minutes, Survivor: Panama (2-Hour Season Finale), Survivor:Panama Reunion (Special)

NBC: The West Wing: Pilot Episode (R), The West Wing (Series Finale, 8pm), Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Special, Season Finale)

FOX: The Simpsons (R), King of the Hill (200th Episode, Season Finale), The Simpsons, Malcolm In the Middle (Special, Series Finale), Family Guy, American Dad (Season Finale)

WB: Reba (R), Reba (R) Charmed, Charmed (R)
A&E: Intervention
E!: True Hollywood Story
Bravo: Inside the Actors Studio
Discovery: Conspiracy Files (Special), Da Vinci's Lost Code (Special)
Food Network: Iron Chief America

HBO: The Sopranos, Big Love

Sci-Fi: Ghost Hunters

Showtime: Huff
HUFF has been wildly uneven but Anjelica Huston is a sight to behold. Not only does she look amazing but she has such incredible onscreen presence. It's almost like she's too much for the small screen. Her scenes with Hank Azaria have been the highlight of the past few episodes.

VH1: Surreal Life (Season Finale), Hogan Knows Best, So NoTORIous

Today's Surf Report written while listening to Jeff Buckley.

That's a wrap for today.