Posts from — March 2008

If you’re an "In Treatment” fan, you’re probably in a state of withdrawal right now. As it happens, last week, when the show aired its final three episodes, I read a book that reminded me a lot of the HBO drama.

Pat Barker’s “Regeneration” (Plume), which came out in Britain in 1991, may be set during World War I, but its parallels to “In Treatment” were remarkable.

This graceful and affecting novel tells the story of Siegfried Sassoon, a decorated British Army officer and poet who, in 1917, said he would no longer fight because he had no faith in the way the war was being conducted.

The military authorities diagnosed shell shock and sent Sassoon to Craiglockhart, a psychiatric hospital in Scotland. At the heart of the book are the encounters between Sassoon and W.H.R. Rivers, the empathic and unconventional doctor treating him.

As depicted in the novel, Rivers himself appears to be heading for some kind of crackup. And that’s not surprising, considering what his work consists of – patching up emotionally devastated men so that they can go back to the front. Readers meet several of Rivers’ other patients, who have been through unimaginable horrors in the trenches of France and whose minds have been warped in sad and strange ways as a result. 

How Rivers manages to reach these men and help them despite their own reticence and the often bizarre psychiatric dogma of the time – it’s fascinating stuff. Spending time with Barker’s version of Rivers (who did really treat Sassoon at Craiglockhart), as well as his damaged, brave patients, is an intense and moving experience. Not least of the attractions is Barker’s depiction of the poets Sassoon and Wilfred Owen getting to know each other at the grim Scottish hospital.

And the main story line recalls Paul Weston’s sessions with the “In Treatment” fighter pilot, Alex. All in all, reading Barker’s novel reminded me of some of the most gripping episodes of “In Treatment.”

And weren’t there a lot of those? A few episodes stand out for me in particular: Glynn Turman was absolutely riveting as Alex’s father; Dianne Wiest was so great in her second-to-last session with Paul, in which she devastatingly put him in his place, that I watched the episode again; Sophie’s confrontation of her father (played by a pitch-perfect Peter Horton) was relentlessly fascinating; and any episode with Michelle Forbes as Paul’s conflicted wife was terrific.

Of course the sessions with Sophie (Mia Wasikowska) were the most consistently absorbing. I expect great things from this young actress; HBO, Showtime or FX would be smart to snap her up and construct a show around her. She’s extraordinary. 

By the way, here’s a Sophie montage that also features Wasikowska speaking in her native Australian accent. There’s also an article about her burgeoning career here.

Alan Sepinwall brought up a good question on his blog; if “In Treatment” comes back – and there’s no word yet on whether it will – should Paul see new patients?

As much as I loved the Sophie sessions, I think she was kind of done. Actually, for various reasons, all of Paul’s patients were through working with him.

And I hope he doesn’t see Laura again, in any context. It was clear from the final episode that the more Paul pursued her, the less interested she was in him. I think she enjoyed the idea of loving Paul more than the actual fact of being with him. Thank goodness Paul realized his mistake before it was too late. If there is a second season, I’d love to see whether he and his wife are able to make a go of their marriage.

There’s one thing I don’t want to change – I hope Gabriel Byrne remains the therapist on the show. In a recent L.A. Times piece, Byrne talked a bit about how he kept Paul’s reactions so interesting, which had to be one of the most formidable acting challenges any TV performer has ever faced.

I do want more "In Treatment" (almost as much as Matthew Gilbert does — for fans of the show, the Boston Globe critic’s two recent pieces are must-reads). But I don’t want more “In Treatment” without Paul Weston.

Your thoughts — on Weston, the series as a whole, favorite episodes and other things I can read that will make me think I’m watching "In Treatment"?

Heads will roll in the second season of The Tudors. Henry and Anne are king and queen, but this stops neither Henry’s roving eye nor his suspicion of those closest to him.

The English comedienne returns to cable television in a sketch-comedy series with Ullman impersonating famous political figures and celebrities.

PBS’s Masterpiece Theatre concludes its Jane Austen series with a new BBC adaptation of the Dashwood sisters’ views of love and marriage.

Not every historical drama has to be as deep and serious as HBO’s “John Adams,” which is admirable and engaging but not exactly escapist viewing.

Sometimes you  just want to escape into the world of frock coats and palaces and corsets, and there’s a great tradition of costume dramas that seek to entertain more than they educate.

“Sense and Sensibility,” a two-part PBS remake of the classic Jane Austen  novel (9 p.m. Sunday, WTTW-Ch. 11 ) does a credible job of telling the tale of the Dashwood sisters, despite some unnecessary melodramatic flourishes and an inconsistent tone. Yet by focusing on the characters within those Regency costumes, it manages to find the emotional truths that have kept Austen’s books in print for 200 years.

“The Tudors,” which returns for its second season Sunday (8 p.m., Showtime),  gets the pomp-and-circumstance part right, but is consistently disappointing in several other areas. Chief among its problems is a King Henry VIII (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) who seems more petulant than powerful.

It’s not that “The Tudors” is unwatchable; the series is, like its star, handsome to look at, and it features a few good supporting performances (though many smaller characters get barely a shred of shading). 

The main problem with this historical epic is that the performances of Rhys Meyers and of Natalie Dormer, who plays the king’s controversial consort,  Anne Boleyn, are flat, predictable and uninspired. The clunky dialogue doesn’t do them any favors either; some of it was so "Monty Python"-esque that I nearly laughed out loud.

Given that Henry and Anne aren’t that compelling, their relationship, which drove Henry to make his historic break with the Catholic Church, hardly comes off as a complicated and momentous love affair. All things considered, this is a “History for Dummies” costume epic.

“The Tudors” chugs along with hamhanded but energetic efficiently, but it is not remotely in the same league as HBO’s Helen Mirren vehicle, “Elizabeth,” or any number of feature films about famous English monarchs.

Yet for hard-core costume-drama fans, there are some pleasures to be enjoyed; the scenery and gowns are every bit as sumptuous as you’d expect them to be. James Frain, who plays Thomas Cromwell, and Jeremy Northam, who plays the pious Sir Thomas More, offer excellent and nuanced performances.

Peter O’Toole is particularly fun as the Pope whom Henry breaks with. O’Toole isn’t one to waste an opportunity to ham it up, and if anything, “The Tudors” could have used more of his sly, irreverent presence. This is one historical drama that takes itself far more seriously than it deserves to, given the quality of the writing and the flatness of many performances.

“Sense and Sensibility,” on the other hand, will most likely satisfy Austen fans, despite some wobbles here and there. Newcomer Hattie Morahan   gives an admirably restrained performance as the sensible Elinor Dashwood, whose stiff-upper-lip attitude stands in direct contrast to the more romantic, impulsive personality of her sister, Marianne (Charity Wakefield).

Andrew Davies, who has recently adapted several Austen works for Masterpiece Theatre, does a good job of hitting the main points of “Sense” without dumbing down her divinely refined language.

But the depiction of the relationship between Marianne and the dashing Mr. Willoughby is less than satisfying. Dominic Cooper, who was quite good in the film adaptation of Alan Bennett’s play “The History Boys,” was a poor choice for the role of Willoughby. He gives off a vibe that screams “I am untrustworthy,” when much of the story hinges on the fact that Marianne is supposed to taken in by Willoughby’s open, friendly and seemingly honest demeanor.

This “Sense” also lurches too often toward maddening melodrama; we get many shots of churning waves pounding the Devon coast and there’s even a swordfight, for heaven’s sake. Many of the supporting characters are tiresome Dickensian caricatures, not the nuanced if occasionally preposterous characters that Austen created.

Still, this well-intentioned “Sense” gets the job done. Elinor’s eventual fate still brings a tear to the eye, and David Morrissey (“State of Play,” “The Deal”) is suitably reticent yet magnetic as the handsome Colonel Brandon.

Note: Showtime is offering a full episode of "The Tudors" here for a limited time.

Parker Posey is a book editor who asks her estranged sister to carry her baby.

In April, dozens of scripted shows will return to the broadcast networks. Thank goodness! Though I’ve already posted details on the returns of "The Office" (here and here) "30 Rock," "Ugly Betty" and "House," I thought I’d collect all the information I have in one place.

First, here’s a chronological list of return dates (to see the return dates sorted by network, go here).

Second, for those who want more than just return dates, I’ve got details on what will happen on many shows, in addition to the ones mentioned above, on the second half of this item.

If you don’t spot a favorite show on either list, by the way, be aware that some programs aren’t returning until fall, and the fate of several others has not been officially announced yet. There’s more info on what’s returning in the fall here.

Here are the return dates of scripted shows set to return in the next few weeks:

• March 24: “CSI: Miami,” CBS.
• March 30: “Cold Case,” CBS.
• April 2: “CSI: New York,” “Criminal Minds,” CBS. 
• April 3: “My Name Is Earl,” NBC, “CSI,” “Without a Trace,” CBS.
• April 4: “Ghost Whisperer,” “Numbers,” CBS.
• April 7: “Samantha Who?,” ABC.
• April 8:  “Boston Legal,” ABC, “NCIS,” CBS.
• April 10: “The Office,” “30 Rock,” “Scrubs,” “ER,” NBC.
• April 11: “Moonlight,” CBS.
• April 13: “Desperate Housewives,” ABC.
• April 14: “Rules of Engagement,” CBS, “One Tree Hill,” CW, “Bones,” Fox.
• April 15: “Law & Order: SVU,” NBC.
• April 16: “Til Death” and “Back to You,” Fox.   
• April 17: “Smallville,” CW.
• April 20: “Brothers and Sisters,” ABC.
• April 21: “Gossip Girl,” CW.
• April 22: “Reaper,” CW.
• April 23: “Law & Order,” NBC, “The Game,” CW
• April 24: “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Ugly Betty,” ABC, “Supernatural,” CW.
• April 28: “House,” Fox.

The following list contains episodes summaries for shows returning in the next few weeks. Information within quotes comes from network press sites; other summaries come from sources at the shows in question. And obviously, what’s below is spoilery, so don’t look if you’re not into knowing what’s coming up.

Finally, I hope to update this list with more episode summaries as they become available.

March 24

“CSI: Miami,” “You May Now Kill the Bride.” “A wedding murder takes the team to a strip club.” [Glad to see this show's commitment to nuanced realism continues unabated.]

March 30

“Cold Case,” “Andy in C Minor.” “After a substantial splatter of the blood of a popular deaf teen who went missing in 2006 is discovered in a storage room at the high school for the deaf he attended, the team attempts to find the boy’s body and killer.”

April 2

“CSI: NY,” “DOA for a Day”: “Working with an anonymous tip, the CSIs travel to an abandoned warehouse and back into the virtual world where they hope to find one of the city’s most-wanted criminals. ([This] episode marks the conclusion to the ‘Second Life’ storyline previously introduced during “Down the Rabbit Hole,” originally broadcast 10/24/07.)”

“Criminal Minds,” “Damaged”: “When [David] Rossi decides to revisit an unsolved case from his past, the BAU team steps in to help him unravel the circumstances behind the mysterious murder of two young parents nearly 20 years before. Nicholas Brendon [pictured at left in 'Damaged'] (‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’), Nicholle Tom (‘Burn Notice’) and David Tom (‘Veronica Mars’) guest star.”

April 3

“My Name Is Earl,” “I Won’t Die With a Little Help from My Friends”: “NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker gives an insightful recap to viewers to catch them up on the show. Earl (Jason Lee) is still lying in the middle of the road next to Billie (Alyssa Milano), both of whom are unconscious after being hit by a car. The accident puts Earl in a coma and takes him to an alternate world in the form of a sitcom. Meanwhile, Randy (Ethan Suplee), Darnell (Eddie Steeples), Joy (Jaime Pressly) and Catalina (Nadine Velazquez) begin doing whatever they can to ensure Earl lives. After several attempts, Earl continues to be stuck in a fevered state and is visited by Paris Hilton in his dream. The group realizes they are all out ideas and turn to their last option, a little boy that can cure everything with his finger. The boy refuses to help because he thinks Joy has the devil on her side, so Darnell and Randy try to prove to him that she does not.”

“CSI,” “Grissom’s Divine Comedy”: “[Gil] Grissom and his team battle the flu when they are called upon by DDA Klein (Bonnie Bedelia) to investigate the deaths of several key witnesses for a grand jury case against a dangerous Las Vegas gang.”

“Without a Trace,” “Hard Reset”: “The team fears the worst when Jack goes missing after he tries to find a doctor who has performed illegal abortions on women forced to work as prostitutes in a human trafficking ring. Henry Thomas (‘Gangs of New York,’ ‘E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial’) guest stars in a multi-episode arc as Franklin Romar, the head of a human trafficking ring.”

April 4

“Ghost Whisperer,” “Home But Not Alone”: “Melinda helps Ned’s girlfriend, who believes she is being haunted by her dead father.”

“Numbers,” “Black Swan”: “Don and the team take down an inner-city meth lab, but it is Don’s FBI instinct that leads to the arrest of a bystander who is discovered to have a greater scheme in the works.”

April 7

“Samantha Who?”: “The Girlfriend”: “Samantha is forced to move back into the apartment when she discovers that she could be evicted for subletting it to Todd - who has just invited his new girlfriend, Chloe (Kiele Sanchez, ‘Lost’), to move in with him. Meanwhile, when Sam fails to show up for a makeover night with her mom, Regina and Dena end up bonding and having a girls’ night at the house.”

April 8

“Boston Legal,” “Tabloid Nation”: “Alan Shore and Jerry Espenson take on a tabloid talk show when a woman is murdered by her ex-boyfriend after declining his marriage proposal on television; and Shirley Schmidt defends a friend — an unstable war hero — for shooting seals for meals. Meanwhile, Denny Crane goes to extreme measures to win Shirley’s affections back when she invites him to dinner; and Lorraine Weller tells Alan that he should seek professional help after he confesses to her that he used to murder his toys as a child.”

“NCIS,” “Stakeout”: “When a high-tech naval radar goes missing, the NCIS team stakes out a warehouse to catch a suspected thief but witnesses a murder instead. Meanwhile, Ducky keeps a secret from the team.”

April 10

“The Office,” “Dinner Party: “Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Jim (John Krasinski) find they have run out of excuses and are forced to go to Jan (Melora Hardin)and Michael’s (Golden Globe winner Steve Carell) house for dinner. When Andy (Ed Helms) and Angela (Angela Kinsey) are also invited to dinner, Dwight’s (Rainn Wilson) jealousy gets the best of him.”

“30 Rock,” “MILF Island”: “The ‘TGS’ staff has been obsessing all season over the new reality hit ‘MILF Island.’ While watching the riveting finale, pitting Debra vs. Deborah as the final two MILFs, Jack (Baldwin) who is riding high on this programming feat is blindsided by a blind item that ran in the New York Post. The ‘Page Six’ column reveals a staffer referring to Jack as a ‘Class A Moron’ and saying, ‘That guy can eat my poo.’ This isn’t the best timing since Jack is in the running for chairman and had high hopes that the success of ‘MILF Island’ would help him seal the deal. In an effort to identify the disloyal employee he forces Jonathan  (Maulik Pancholy) to turn up the heat in the writers’ room until one of them breaks. Rob Huebel guest stars as the ‘MILF Island’ host.”

“Scrubs,” “My Bad Too”: “It is the anniversary for Carla (Judy Reyes) and Turk’s (Donald Faison) first date and both work on getting each other the perfect gift. When Turk decides to learn Spanish, he soon realizes that being bilingual can only work to his advantage. Meanwhile, J.D. is torn about whether he should allow one of his patients, a burn victim, to attend his graduation and turns to Elliot (Sarah Chalke) for advice. Elsewhere, Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) begins a game of thievery with Dr. Kelso’s (Ken Jenkins) breakfast.”

“ER,” “Owner of a Broken Heart”: “Dr. Pratt (Mekhi Phifer) and Dr. Brenner (guest star David Lyons) get off to a rocky start when Brenner refuses to teach the interns. Gates (John Stamos) treats a young transplant patient with major heart trouble. Abby (Maura Tierney) contemplates telling Kovac (Goran Visnjic) the truth about her affair as she heads for Croatia. Meanwhile, Sam (Linda Cardellini) finds out that Gates and Julia (guest star Reiko Aylesworth) have broken up.

April 11

“Moonlight”: No info available.

April 13

“Desperate Housewives,” “Sunday”: “Kathryn Mayfair is unable to keep some of her secrets from the women of Wisteria Lane, Susan’s hunky young male cousin reveals more than expected, and a surprise wedding ceremony has its share of secrets, when ‘Desperate Housewives’ returns to Sunday nights.”

April 14

“Rules of Engagement”: No info available.

“One Tree Hill”: No info available.

“Bones”: No information available.

April 15

“Law & Order: SVU”: (Episode title not available): “When Detectives Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) discover a kidnapped girl in the trunk of a stolen rental car, they are led to her abductor, a violent, schizophrenic artist named Saul Picard (guest star Arye Gross). Picard’s rage seriously injures Elliot, and the trial drives A.D.A. Casey Novak (Diane Neal) to face not only a complicated case on temporary insanity, but her own dark past as well.”

April 16

“’Til Death”: No information available.

“Back to You”: No information available.

April 17

“Smallville”: No info available.

April 20

“Brothers and Sisters”: No info available.

April 21

“Gossip Girl”: No info available

April 22

“Reaper”: No info available.

April 23

“Law & Order”: No info available.

“The Game”: No info available.

April 24

“Ugly Betty,” “24 Candles”: “Ugly Betty’s” first episode back is called “24 Candles,” and it does hark back a bit to the classic John Hughes film “Sixteen Candles.” In the episode, Betty dreams of the perfect birthday party, complete with a horse and carriage and her boyfriend Henry (Christopher Gorham) as her knight in shining armor. But Henry’s very pregnant ex, Charlie (Jayma Mays), turns up and causes trouble, as usual. So Gio (Freddy Rodriguez) steps in and gives Betty a night to remember. As for Wilhemina (Vanessa Williams), the former Mode diva is trying to hide the fact that she’s got Christina (Ashley Jensen) at her house –a Christina who is, thanks to the miracle of science, carrying the dead Bradford Meade’s offspring. Wilhemina’s sister, Renee (Gabrielle Union) is dating Daniel Meade (Eric Mabius), which threatens Willy’s big plans to grab control of the Meade empire.

“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Where the Wild Things Are”: Meredith is more assertive and grows “very strong” in the first episode back. She’s taking steps to move forward with her life and dealing with the fact that she’s no longer with McDreamy. George and Izzie come to grips with the realization that they’re better off being friends (a realization that most of us came to about a year ago). Kate Walsh will be back in the second of “Grey’s” five post-strike episodes. Her character, Addison Montgomery, is needed at Seattle Grace to perform a special operation. Lauren Stamine, a.k.a. Nurse Plot Device, will still be around when “Grey’s” returns, and Elizabeth Reaser, who plays Dr. Karev’s former patient, Rebecca, will return as well.

“Supernatural”: No info available.

April 28

“House,” “No More Mr. Nice Guy”: If you’re a fan of Anne Dudek’s character, you’ll be happy when “House” returns, according to a “House” source. Dudek’s character, Dr. Amber Volakis, (she has another, more colorful nickname that we cannot print in a family newspaper), appears in several of the four episodes of “House” that will air in April and May.

You’ll recall that Gregory House was shocked and a little envious when he found out Amber and his friend James Wilson were dating, and there’s even rivalry on display in the April 28 episode.

In the May 5 episode, Jason Lewis (“Brothers & Sisters,” “Sex and the City”) will guest star as a soap actor. House is a big soap fan – he’s constantly watching them in various hospital rooms and lounges – and from watching one daytime drama, he becomes convinced that Lewis’ character has a medical malady.

The two-parter that was supposed to air after the Super Bowl will now close out the season. In those episodes, House loses his part of his memory due to an accident.

In April, dozens of scripted shows will return to the broadcast networks. Thank goodness! Though I’ve already posted details on the returns of "The Office" (here and here) "30 Rock," "Ugly Betty" and "House," I thought I’d collect all the information I have in one place.

First, here’s a chronological list of return dates (to see the return dates sorted by network, go here).

Second, for those who want more than just return dates, I’ve got details on what will happen on many shows, in addition to the ones mentioned above, on the second half of this item.

If you don’t spot a favorite show on either list, by the way, be aware that some programs aren’t returning until fall, and the fate of several others has not been officially announced yet. There’s more info on what’s returning in the fall here.

Here are the return dates of scripted shows set to return in the next few weeks:

• March 24: “CSI: Miami,” CBS.
• March 30: “Cold Case,” CBS.
• April 2: “CSI: New York,” “Criminal Minds,” CBS. 
• April 3: “My Name Is Earl,” NBC, “CSI,” “Without a Trace,” CBS.
• April 4: “Ghost Whisperer,” “Numbers,” CBS.
• April 7: “Samantha Who?,” ABC.
• April 8:  “Boston Legal,” ABC, “NCIS,” CBS.
• April 10: “The Office,” “30 Rock,” “Scrubs,” “ER,” NBC.
• April 11: “Moonlight,” CBS.
• April 13: “Desperate Housewives,” ABC.
• April 14: “Rules of Engagement,” CBS, “One Tree Hill,” CW, “Bones,” Fox.
• April 15: “Law & Order: SVU,” NBC.
• April 16: “Til Death” and “Back to You,” Fox.   
• April 17: “Smallville,” CW.
• April 20: “Brothers and Sisters,” ABC.
• April 21: “Gossip Girl,” CW.
• April 22: “Reaper,” CW.
• April 23: “Law & Order,” NBC, “The Game,” CW
• April 24: “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Ugly Betty,” ABC, “Supernatural,” CW.
• April 28: “House,” Fox.

The following list contains episodes summaries for shows returning in the next few weeks. Information within quotes comes from network press sites; other summaries come from sources at the shows in question. And obviously, what’s below is spoilery, so don’t look if you’re not into knowing what’s coming up.

Finally, I hope to update this list with more episode summaries as they become available.

March 24

“CSI: Miami,” “You May Now Kill the Bride.” “A wedding murder takes the team to a strip club.” [Glad to see this show's commitment to nuanced realism continues unabated.]

March 30

“Cold Case,” “Andy in C Minor.” “After a substantial splatter of the blood of a popular deaf teen who went missing in 2006 is discovered in a storage room at the high school for the deaf he attended, the team attempts to find the boy’s body and killer.”

April 2

“CSI: NY,” “DOA for a Day”: “Working with an anonymous tip, the CSIs travel to an abandoned warehouse and back into the virtual world where they hope to find one of the city’s most-wanted criminals. ([This] episode marks the conclusion to the ‘Second Life’ storyline previously introduced during “Down the Rabbit Hole,” originally broadcast 10/24/07.)”

“Criminal Minds,” “Damaged”: “When [David] Rossi decides to revisit an unsolved case from his past, the BAU team steps in to help him unravel the circumstances behind the mysterious murder of two young parents nearly 20 years before. Nicholas Brendon [pictured at left in 'Damaged'] (‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’), Nicholle Tom (‘Burn Notice’) and David Tom (‘Veronica Mars’) guest star.”

April 3

“My Name Is Earl,” “I Won’t Die With a Little Help from My Friends”: “NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker gives an insightful recap to viewers to catch them up on the show. Earl (Jason Lee) is still lying in the middle of the road next to Billie (Alyssa Milano), both of whom are unconscious after being hit by a car. The accident puts Earl in a coma and takes him to an alternate world in the form of a sitcom. Meanwhile, Randy (Ethan Suplee), Darnell (Eddie Steeples), Joy (Jaime Pressly) and Catalina (Nadine Velazquez) begin doing whatever they can to ensure Earl lives. After several attempts, Earl continues to be stuck in a fevered state and is visited by Paris Hilton in his dream. The group realizes they are all out ideas and turn to their last option, a little boy that can cure everything with his finger. The boy refuses to help because he thinks Joy has the devil on her side, so Darnell and Randy try to prove to him that she does not.”

“CSI,” “Grissom’s Divine Comedy”: “[Gil] Grissom and his team battle the flu when they are called upon by DDA Klein (Bonnie Bedelia) to investigate the deaths of several key witnesses for a grand jury case against a dangerous Las Vegas gang.”

“Without a Trace,” “Hard Reset”: “The team fears the worst when Jack goes missing after he tries to find a doctor who has performed illegal abortions on women forced to work as prostitutes in a human trafficking ring. Henry Thomas (‘Gangs of New York,’ ‘E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial’) guest stars in a multi-episode arc as Franklin Romar, the head of a human trafficking ring.”

April 4

“Ghost Whisperer,” “Home But Not Alone”: “Melinda helps Ned’s girlfriend, who believes she is being haunted by her dead father.”

“Numbers,” “Black Swan”: “Don and the team take down an inner-city meth lab, but it is Don’s FBI instinct that leads to the arrest of a bystander who is discovered to have a greater scheme in the works.”

April 7

“Samantha Who?”: “The Girlfriend”: “Samantha is forced to move back into the apartment when she discovers that she could be evicted for subletting it to Todd - who has just invited his new girlfriend, Chloe (Kiele Sanchez, ‘Lost’), to move in with him. Meanwhile, when Sam fails to show up for a makeover night with her mom, Regina and Dena end up bonding and having a girls’ night at the house.”

April 8

“Boston Legal,” “Tabloid Nation”: “Alan Shore and Jerry Espenson take on a tabloid talk show when a woman is murdered by her ex-boyfriend after declining his marriage proposal on television; and Shirley Schmidt defends a friend — an unstable war hero — for shooting seals for meals. Meanwhile, Denny Crane goes to extreme measures to win Shirley’s affections back when she invites him to dinner; and Lorraine Weller tells Alan that he should seek professional help after he confesses to her that he used to murder his toys as a child.”

“NCIS,” “Stakeout”: “When a high-tech naval radar goes missing, the NCIS team stakes out a warehouse to catch a suspected thief but witnesses a murder instead. Meanwhile, Ducky keeps a secret from the team.”

April 10

“The Office,” “Dinner Party: “Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Jim (John Krasinski) find they have run out of excuses and are forced to go to Jan (Melora Hardin)and Michael’s (Golden Globe winner Steve Carell) house for dinner. When Andy (Ed Helms) and Angela (Angela Kinsey) are also invited to dinner, Dwight’s (Rainn Wilson) jealousy gets the best of him.”

“30 Rock,” “MILF Island”: “The ‘TGS’ staff has been obsessing all season over the new reality hit ‘MILF Island.’ While watching the riveting finale, pitting Debra vs. Deborah as the final two MILFs, Jack (Baldwin) who is riding high on this programming feat is blindsided by a blind item that ran in the New York Post. The ‘Page Six’ column reveals a staffer referring to Jack as a ‘Class A Moron’ and saying, ‘That guy can eat my poo.’ This isn’t the best timing since Jack is in the running for chairman and had high hopes that the success of ‘MILF Island’ would help him seal the deal. In an effort to identify the disloyal employee he forces Jonathan  (Maulik Pancholy) to turn up the heat in the writers’ room until one of them breaks. Rob Huebel guest stars as the ‘MILF Island’ host.”

“Scrubs,” “My Bad Too”: “It is the anniversary for Carla (Judy Reyes) and Turk’s (Donald Faison) first date and both work on getting each other the perfect gift. When Turk decides to learn Spanish, he soon realizes that being bilingual can only work to his advantage. Meanwhile, J.D. is torn about whether he should allow one of his patients, a burn victim, to attend his graduation and turns to Elliot (Sarah Chalke) for advice. Elsewhere, Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) begins a game of thievery with Dr. Kelso’s (Ken Jenkins) breakfast.”

“ER,” “Owner of a Broken Heart”: “Dr. Pratt (Mekhi Phifer) and Dr. Brenner (guest star David Lyons) get off to a rocky start when Brenner refuses to teach the interns. Gates (John Stamos) treats a young transplant patient with major heart trouble. Abby (Maura Tierney) contemplates telling Kovac (Goran Visnjic) the truth about her affair as she heads for Croatia. Meanwhile, Sam (Linda Cardellini) finds out that Gates and Julia (guest star Reiko Aylesworth) have broken up.

April 11

“Moonlight”: No info available.

April 13

“Desperate Housewives,” “Sunday”: “Kathryn Mayfair is unable to keep some of her secrets from the women of Wisteria Lane, Susan’s hunky young male cousin reveals more than expected, and a surprise wedding ceremony has its share of secrets, when ‘Desperate Housewives’ returns to Sunday nights.”

April 14

“Rules of Engagement”: No info available.

“One Tree Hill”: No info available.

“Bones”: No information available.

April 15

“Law & Order: SVU”: (Episode title not available): “When Detectives Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) discover a kidnapped girl in the trunk of a stolen rental car, they are led to her abductor, a violent, schizophrenic artist named Saul Picard (guest star Arye Gross). Picard’s rage seriously injures Elliot, and the trial drives A.D.A. Casey Novak (Diane Neal) to face not only a complicated case on temporary insanity, but her own dark past as well.”

April 16

“’Til Death”: No information available.

“Back to You”: No information available.

April 17

“Smallville”: No info available.

April 20

“Brothers and Sisters”: No info available.

April 21

“Gossip Girl”: No info available

April 22

“Reaper”: No info available.

April 23

“Law & Order”: No info available.

“The Game”: No info available.

April 24

“Ugly Betty,” “24 Candles”: “Ugly Betty’s” first episode back is called “24 Candles,” and it does hark back a bit to the classic John Hughes film “Sixteen Candles.” In the episode, Betty dreams of the perfect birthday party, complete with a horse and carriage and her boyfriend Henry (Christopher Gorham) as her knight in shining armor. But Henry’s very pregnant ex, Charlie (Jayma Mays), turns up and causes trouble, as usual. So Gio (Freddy Rodriguez) steps in and gives Betty a night to remember. As for Wilhemina (Vanessa Williams), the former Mode diva is trying to hide the fact that she’s got Christina (Ashley Jensen) at her house –a Christina who is, thanks to the miracle of science, carrying the dead Bradford Meade’s offspring. Wilhemina’s sister, Renee (Gabrielle Union) is dating Daniel Meade (Eric Mabius), which threatens Willy’s big plans to grab control of the Meade empire.

“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Where the Wild Things Are”: Meredith is more assertive and grows “very strong” in the first episode back. She’s taking steps to move forward with her life and dealing with the fact that she’s no longer with McDreamy. George and Izzie come to grips with the realization that they’re better off being friends (a realization that most of us came to about a year ago). Kate Walsh will be back in the second of “Grey’s” five post-strike episodes. Her character, Addison Montgomery, is needed at Seattle Grace to perform a special operation. Lauren Stamine, a.k.a. Nurse Plot Device, will still be around when “Grey’s” returns, and Elizabeth Reaser, who plays Dr. Karev’s former patient, Rebecca, will return as well.

“Supernatural”: No info available.

April 28

“House,” “No More Mr. Nice Guy”: If you’re a fan of Anne Dudek’s character, you’ll be happy when “House” returns, according to a “House” source. Dudek’s character, Dr. Amber Volakis, (she has another, more colorful nickname that we cannot print in a family newspaper), appears in several of the four episodes of “House” that will air in April and May.

You’ll recall that Gregory House was shocked and a little envious when he found out Amber and his friend James Wilson were dating, and there’s even rivalry on display in the April 28 episode.

In the May 5 episode, Jason Lewis (“Brothers & Sisters,” “Sex and the City”) will guest star as a soap actor. House is a big soap fan – he’s constantly watching them in various hospital rooms and lounges – and from watching one daytime drama, he becomes convinced that Lewis’ character has a medical malady.

The two-parter that was supposed to air after the Super Bowl will now close out the season. In those episodes, House loses his part of his memory due to an accident.

There won’t be any major stuntcasting when ABC’s “Ugly Betty” returns April 24. It’s been rumored that “Project Runway” winner Christian Siriano might make an appearance on the Thursday dramedy, but ABC is not confirming that cameo at present.

Anyway, the show will get back to basics and focus on the core characters when Betty Suarez and her family and co-workers return.

As for “Grey’s Anatomy,” its first episode back on April 24 is titled “Where the Wild Things Are.” Make of that what you will.

There are more details on the returns of “Grey’s” and “Ugly Betty” below.

[Spoilers below. Exit if you don't want to see them.]

“Ugly Betty’s” first episode back is called “24 Candles,” and it does hark back a bit to the classic John Hughes film “Sixteen Candles.”

In the episode, Betty dreams of the perfect birthday party, complete with a horse and carriage and her boyfriend Henry (Christopher Gorham) as her knight in shining armor.

But Henry’s very pregnant ex, Charlie (Jayma Mays), turns up and causes trouble, as usual. So Gio (Freddy Rodriguez) steps in and gives Betty a night to remember.

As for Wilhemina (Vanessa Williams), the former Mode diva is trying to hide the fact that she’s got Christina (Ashley Jensen) at her house –and Christina is, thanks to the miracle of science, carrying the dead Bradford Meade’s offspring.

Wilhemina’s sister, Renee (Gabrielle Union) is dating Daniel Meade (Eric Mabius), which threatens Wilhemina’s plans to grab control of the Meade empire. And in a drunken moment, her assistant Marc (Michael Urie) nearly ruins everything by spilling the beans to Renee about the baby Christina’s carrying.

By the way, in the third of “Ugly Betty’s” five post-strike episodes, Betty tries to patch things up with Charlie by throwing her a baby shower, during which Charlie goes into labor. Not surprisingly, Betty and Henry’s relationship is put to the test again.
 
As for “Grey’s Anatomy,” which returns April 24, Meredith is more assertive and grows “very strong” in the first episode back. She’s taking steps to move forward with her life and dealing with the fact that she’s no longer with McDreamy.

George and Izzie come to grips with the realization that they’re better off being friends (a realization that most of us came to about a year ago).

Kate Walsh will be back in the second of “Grey’s” five post-strike episodes. Her character, Addison Montgomery, is needed at Seattle Grace to perform a special operation.

Lauren Stamile, a.k.a. Nurse Plot Device, will still be around when “Grey’s” returns. And Elizabeth Reaser, who plays Dr. Karev’s former patient, Rebecca, will return as well.

And here’s the most major “Grey’s” news (this is a big spoiler):

For those still invested in the whole Meredith-Derek relationship (and I can’t say I’d put myself in that group), the couple does get back together “for good” before the end of the season. Dun-dun-dun!

Something very strange is going on with "American Idol" this year. It’s way too normal.

As the  top 10 contestants take the stage Tuesday (7 p.m., WFLD-Ch. 32 ), there’s barely a ripple of controversy, compared with past seasons. Sure, there was the blip caused by the emergence of former contestant David Hernandez’s past as a stripper. And the talent contest endured a fair amount  of criticism for showcasing singers who’ve had record deals in the past. But even those “controversies” didn’t  have  much  staying power.

Where did it all go wrong? Isn’t “American Idol” supposed to be a long festival of outrageousness and scandals? Plus a little singing?

But this is an especially sedate, possibly sedated, “Idol” season. There’s no Sanjaya Malakar – a contestant who compensates for his relative lack of talent by purposely riling up viewers and judges with bizarre song choices and hairstyles. There isn’t a big battle between two or three front runners – even the judges appear to believe that the contest is David Archuleta’s to lose.

Strangest of all, the judges themselves have been remarkably honest and cogent in their comments, for the most part – even Paula. I’m telling you, the normality and even blandness of this seventh “Idol” season, which is once again slipping in the ratings compared to last year but is still the No. 1 show every week, is just weirding me out.

As for the singers, there is a lot of middling competence on display this year, but there have been very few “wow” performances. Here’s a highly subjective look at who could be going home soon, and who might win this year’s “Idol”:

David Archuleta

This baby-faced, 17-year-old singer is cuter than a basket of puppies — puppies made of rainbows! Whether or not he wins, he could be the next Clay Aiken — a talented belter with a rabid fan base. But as the judges have said, he needs to take a few risks and venture outside his sweet-and-safe comfort zone.  How about trying something just a little more rock ’n’ roll?

Can he win? Yes.

Jason Castro

Castro really erred with his most recent song choice — “Michelle” by the Beatles. His performance was sing-songy and utterly blah. He needs to stick with tunes that showcase his clear-as-a-bell voice, as his cover of “Hallelujah” did.

Can he win? Yes.

Chikezie

The most talented stage performer of them all, Chikezie has presence and charisma to spare. He’s fun to watch, but it’s hard to say whether he has staying power in the competition.  His song choices and arrangements have been on the wacky side at times, and he’ll need to step it up and really wow the judges with his vocal skills, not just his friendly, energetic demeanor. Sticking with upbeat R&B and pop might be his best bet.

Can he win? Yes, but it’s a long shot.

David Cook

The best thing that ever happened to Chris Daughtry was getting kicked off “American Idol.” Daughtry went on to sell millions of records, but winning “Idol” would have destroyed his credibility in the rock world. And though the cocky Cook’s got a pretty good voice, “Idol” voters don’t really go for rockers.

Can he win? No. And he shouldn’t want to.

Kristy Lee Cook

Like Carly Smithson, Cook can belt out songs with the best of them, but do you remember her performances the next day? Me neither. She needs to really step up her game in the next few weeks and do her best to avoid sounding like “musical wallpaper,” as Simon put it.

Can she win? Maybe.

Michael Johns

He’s got the hunky, tousled looks of a pop star, but can he sing? Yes, but he has to be much more consistently good from now on. His version of “A Day in the Life” was, as the judges said, a mess, and he needs to pick uptempo, slightly rocking songs if he wants to stay in the game.

Can he win? Maybe, but I wouldn’t count on it.

Ramiele Malubay

A bad karaoke singer. She should pack her bags.

Can she win? No.

Syesha Mercado

One pretty good performance, which judges overpraised during the second Beatles week, does not an “American Idol” champion make. Syesha’s been mostly forgettable all season, and I don’t see that changing.

Can she win? No.

Carly Smithson

This Irish singer has powerful pipes, but is that all she has going for her?  She can’t resist steamrolling her way through each performance, grabbing each and every song by the jugular in her quest to subdue it. She roars through power ballads like Godzilla raged through Tokyo: It’s more a rampage than a rendition. There’s no doubt that Smithson can deliver the difficult notes, but can she sing with emotion, subtlety and deftness? That remains to be seen.

Can she win? Maybe.

Brooke White

White is my  favorite — she’s got a warm, earthy voice with a pleasing, throaty catch to it.  But her performance of “Here Comes the Sun” last week proves that “less is more” should be her guiding principle. She’s not the most assured presence on stage (and she should avoid dancing like the plague), but when she uses a spare arrangement and emotionally connects to a song, as she did with “Let It Be,” she creates magic.

Can she win? Yes.

24 (January 2009, 24 episodes planned)Keifer and gang pretty much suffered the biggest blow thanks to the writers’ strike and won’t be returning until next year. However, there is some good news for fans to hold onto: producers are planning a two-hour special movie to air in the fall that will apparently bridge the gap between Day 6 and Day 7.

30 Rock (April 10, five episodes planned)

Tina Fey’s comedy returns with the episode “Subway Hero,” and on April 17th the much anticipated “Milf Island” episode will air, featuring 25 mother’s I’d like to … you get the idea. And by “I’d” I don’t necessarily mean me.

Back to You (April 16, five episodes planned)

The show will follow Brad Garrett’s Til Death when it returns, replacing Moment of Truth. You can be sure Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton will keep up their intense rivalry and power struggles.

Bones (April 14, six more episodes)

The cop show moves to Monday nights in what could potentially be the last season. In the first returning episode, “The Baby in the Bough,” Booth and Brennan try to find out who killed a mother by running her off the road.

Boston Legal (April 8, six episodes planned)

Despite health problems William Shatner will reprise his role as Denny Crane in the longtime David E. Kelley legal drama along with the rest of the gang.

Brothers & Sisters (April 20, four episodes planned)

Thankfully we haven’t been without Brothers & Sisters for too long, but those of you aching for a Sally Field/Calista Flockhart fix shall be pleased to know the show still has four more episodes to go.

Cold Case (March 30, five episodes planned)

“Andy in C Minor” is the title of the first episode back. The gang travels to a high school for deaf kids when blood linked back to a missing teen is found.

CSI (April 3, six episodes planned)

Grissom returns full-force in the episode “Grissom’s Divine Comedy” When the crew investigates the deaths of several witnesses in a big case.
CSI: Miami (March 24, eight episodes planned)

For those of you who do like David Caruso, he’s back sooner rather than later in the episode “You May Now Kill the Bride.” Look for a wedding to lead the team to a strip club.

CSI: NY(April 2, seven episodes planned)

Mac is back April 2nd with a doozy of a case. In “DOA for a Day,” the team follows an anonymous tip that leads them to an old warehouse in search of one of New York’s most-wanted criminals.

Desperate Housewives (April 13, six episodes planned including a two-hour finale)

There has been lots of talk about DH since we last saw the ladies of Wisteria Lane. Watch for lots of guest stars, including former Family Ties star Justine Bateman and

ER (April 10, six episodes planned)

The doctors page “Owner of a Broken Heart” on April 10th amidst wild rumours of a George Clooney return next season. In the meantime, if you’re feeling sentimental, check out Julianna Margulies’ new show, Canterbury’s Law.

Ghost Whisperer (April 4, six episodes planned)

There are plenty more ghosts to talk to, and you can be sure Melinda Gordon will find them. First up is Ned’s girlfriend’s father in “Home But Not Alone.”

Gossip Girl (April 21, five episodes planned)

Blair will have to keep a firm grip on whatever rungs of the social ladder she can manage to snap come the end of April. Watch for her to target Jenny Humphrey as retribution.

Grey’s Anatomy (April 24, five episodes planned)

Even though the Joshua Jackson (a.k.a. Cristina’s new love interest) storyline has been dropped, things will heat up when we return to Seattle Grace. Creator Shonda Rhimes has hinted that the ultimate goal is to see Meredith and Derek reunited, but a certain nurse may prove to be a wrinkle in that plan. For the first few episodes anyhow.

House (April 28, four new episodes planned)

Have you heard that Jason Lewis will be guest starring? Oh, sorry let me rephrase that so you know who I’m talking about… Have you heard that Smith, Samantha’s gorgeous boyfriend from Sex and the City will be guest starring? Cause he will be. And I’ll be watching!

Law & Order: SVU (April 15, five episodes planned)

Nine seasons and Special Victims Unit is still going strong. Te first returning episode is called “Undercover,” a simple titled that’s bound to have the usual titillating case to solve.

Moonlight (April 11, four episodes planned)

The People’s Choice for best new drama comes back full force on Apr. 11, although whether or not the show will come back for a second season is still unknown.

My Name is Earl (April 3, nine episodes planned)

Watch for Earl to have a dream about a rich hotel mogul’s daughter in the remaining nine episodes. I won’t give it away, but her first name rhymes with heiress and her last name rhymes with Milton. Ahem. Anyhow, she’ll be doing a special guest appearance as… well, herself, naturally.

NCIS (April 8, seven episodes planned)

The NCIS team goes on a “Stakeout” Apr. 8th when they accidentally witness a murder instead.

Numb3rs (April 4, six episodes planned)

“Black Swan” is the name of the first returning episode of the left-cranium drama. Don’s team busts a meth lab, but Don knows that there’s meaning behind the cliché more than meets the eye…

Rules of Engagement (April 14, six episodes planned)

Although some raised an eyebrow over the news that this series would be returning for a second season, it was generally decided that David Spade had to do something. Look for him and the rest of the gang to return for some more crazy adventures mid-April.

Samantha Who? (April 7, six episodes planned)

Christina Applegate reprises her role as the amnesic you-know-what-it-rhymes-with-twitch at the beginning of April, but it’s unknown whether or not she will return for a second season, so watch while you can, just in case.

Scrubs (April 10, five episodes left)

Many, many Scrubs fans were disappointed that this could be the comedy’s last season, but talk of an ABC pickup has given new life to the show. Watch for the Apr. 10th episode, “My Bad Too” in which Turk takes up Spanish.

Smallville (April 17, five episodes planned)

It’s about high time Clark Kent returned to television, and with another season secured by the CW, there are lots of storylines left to explore.

Supernatural (April 24, four episodes planned)

Details of the show’s return have been slightly sketchy, but the imminent return of a fourth season are not. The CW believes the show has enough of a following to maintain interest, despite being pitted against Grey’s Anatomy, and now Lost.

The Office (April 10, six episodes planned)

Word around the watercooler is that Dwight may be a daddy when the show returns after a very, very long hiatus. But the first thing we have to look forward to is a dinner party at Michael’s house. Bets are on a Jim/Pam appearance.

Ugly Betty (April 24, five episodes planned)

Although nothing is official, Ugly Betty is reportedly still in talks to acquire Lindsay Lohan to do a guest spot. Gabrielle Union will also make another appearance as Wilhelmina’s baby sis.

Without a Trace (April 3, six episodes planned)

Going out with a lackluster finish thanks to the strike has left us with little buzz on the return of Without a Trace. But watch for Jack, Samantha and the rest of the crew to return early April with plenty of more mysteries to solve.

TV Guide, By Amber Dowling 2008-03-18

The residents of Jericho will not live on to fight another day. CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler said the show would not return after its March 25 finale.

Fan fervor bought the show seven additional episodes after it was canceled last spring. But since the drama’s return in February, its ratings have not been stellar, hence the (second) demise of the show.

Two endings were shot for "Jericho’s" Season 2 finale; now it’s clear that the more definitive ending will air on Tuesday. The images on this post are from "Patriots and Tyrants," the series finale of the show.

"The March 25th episode of Jericho will be the series finale," Tassler said in a statement on Friday. "Without question, there are passionate viewers watching this program; we simply wish there were more. We thank an engaged and spirited fan base for keeping the show alive this long, and an outstanding team of producers, cast and crew that went through creative hoops to deliver a compelling, high quality second season.

"We have no regrets bringing the show back for a second try. We listened to our viewers, gave the series an opportunity to grow, and the producers put a great story on the screen.  We’re proud of everyone’s efforts."

Laura Linney said she enjoyed the six months it took to make the ambitious miniseries “John Adams,” which is airing on HBO Sunday nights.

Linney, who plays Abigail Adams, traveled to Hungary for the seven-part miniseries (scenes set in both Holland and France were filmed outside Budapest). The cast, including Paul Giamatti as founding father John Adams, also filmed in Richmond, Va., and in Virginia’s Colonial Williamsburg, both of which have a wealth of historic buildings.

“I’m not a history buff, but I understand why people can become addicted to it,” Linney said in a phone interview before “John Adams” debuted March 16 (my review of the miniseries is here, several other reviews are here). “We all read a lot” as preparation for filming.

But there was one aspect of the filming that she couldn’t prepare for and which she didn’t enjoy: The corsets she wore were a real pain, she said.

“They’re so uncomfortable. They hurt,” Linney said. “What you hear every actress say is true. There’s a reason they don’t exist any more.”

Still, the corsets helped Linney, in a small way, find the character of Abigail, a formidable woman who kept the Adams family together during John’s frequent absences and who had a deep love for her sometimes unpopular husband.

“They change everything,” she said of the corsets. “They change the line of the body, the way you sit.”

Linney said she likes to know as much as she can about historical figures before she plays them. It was helpful to have extensive documentation of the life of Clara Kinsey, whom she played in the 2004 film “Kinsey.” But as she pointed out, despite the many letters that John and Abigail sent each other, there were few pictures of them.

“So you hunt for little stuff — I found out Abigail was pigeon-toed. That changed” the performance, she said.

And the character’s semi-British accent, she said, is similar to the one that Giamatti used for John, but Abigail’s reflects her higher social standing. “Nobody knows for certain what they sounded like … [but] we knew her status was higher, her family was wealthier,” Linney said.

The couples’ letters offered a great deal of insight into their relationship, and author David McCullough used them extensively in his 2001 Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Adams. He also talked about the couple in a recent conference call with reporters.

Other Founding Fathers such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were more “aloof. Also it’s hard to reach them because so many of their private letters and diaries are likely destroyed,” McCullough said, “whereas there are over a thousand letters between John and Abigail. … So we don’t have to speculate on what they think or what he was afraid of or what he was proud of or who did he dislike. It’s all there. And very often he tells us more than he should for his own good.”

The Adams’ eventful lives were filled with illness, revolution, years spent apart, and even their mode of living had its share of radical changes. They occupied a fancy mansion in Paris but both John and Abigail appear most comfortable rambling near or working on their modest Massachusetts farm.

“They were going to cut the scene where I’m …making [son] John smell [some manure] and I said, ‘No.’ I love his sort of obsession” with the details of farm life, Giamatti said in the same conference call. 

Adams’ approachability was one of the things that attracted him to the role, Giamatti said.

“It’s an enormous character, a Shakespearean character,” Giamatti said. “I get to run the gamut of emotions and highs and lows, [he is] depressive, he is exultant and enormously intelligent and earthy. … He’s in love with his wonderful wife but he fights with her. I get to do everything in this part.”

But Adams would have a tough time of it in the current political landscape, the actor added.

“I can’t imagine him having much luck. I can’t imagine him faring too well [given] his unfailing ability to just say what is on his mind constantly,” Giamatti said.

Dying for a few clues about what will happen when “House” returns? Join the club.

I found out a bit about what will transpire when the Fox medical drama comes back April 28. The details are below.

If you’re a fan of Anne Dudek, you’ll be happy when “House”
returns, according to a “House” source. The Northwestern alum’s character, Dr. Amber
Volakis, (she has another, more colorful nickname that we cannot print
in a family newspaper), appears in several of the four episodes of
“House” that will air in April and May.

You’ll recall that Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) was shocked and a little envious when
he found out Amber and his friend James Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard) were dating. There’s
even more rivalry on display in the April 28 episode, “No More Mr. Nice
Guy.”

In the May 5 episode, Jason Lewis (“Brothers & Sisters,” “Sex and
the City”) will guest star as a soap actor. House is a big soap fan –
he’s constantly watching them in various hospital rooms and lounges –
and from watching one daytime drama, he becomes convinced that Lewis’
character has a medical malady.

The two-parter that was supposed to air after the Super Bowl will now
close out the season. In those episodes, House loses his part of his
memory due to…  dun-dun-dun… an accident.

OK, here are the two of the wackiest celebrity cameos we’ll probably see during the next couple of months.

Britney Spears appearing on "How I Met Your Mother" is a little bit kooky. (There’s more on her appearance on this fine comedy here.)

Here are a couple scenes of Britney on the March 24 episode of the show:

But I’d have to argue that Warren Buffet on "All My Children" is more out there. Though his upcoming May appearance apparently marks the famous financier’s second "AMC" visit. This time around he’s helping Erica Kane wangle her way out of an insider trading scandal.

Bizarre.

As was mentioned in a recent post, the next episode of "The Office," which airs April 10, provides a glimpse of certain characters’ home life. NBC has put up some pictures from that episode and I’ve grabbed a few. If you’re inclined, take a peek at the neon art that hangs on the wall of one stylin’ condo in Scranton.

In the next "Office" episode, "Dinner Party," Jim and Pam head to Michael and Jan’s condo for a sure-to-be-awkward dinner party. Dwight’s there too; he appears to be the life of the party, judging by one of the pictures below.

At least if they get bored they can distract themselves with pictures of Michael’s St. Pauli Girl neon sign.

Jim and Pam look like they’re having a super time.

Jan, the hostest with the mostest.

UPDATE: There is a photo from the April 17 "30 Rock" episode on the second half of this item. That episode will feature the return of a memorable character from Season 1.

If you don’t want to know the details of the "30 Rock" episode that will air April 10, when the show finally returns from its strike-induced break, then stop reading this item now.

If you do want to know — and just reading the following episode summary from NBC made me chortle — then keep going. It references a fake NBC show that we’ve seen mentioned on "30 Rock" before (and the faux show may well be in development at the real NBC, who knows).

By the way, information on other returning NBC comedies is here.

NBC’s summary of "MILF Island," the April 10 episode of "30 Rock":

MILF ISLAND

SOMEONE CALLS JACK DONAGHY (ALEC BALDWIN) A `CLASS A MORON’ AND THE NEW YORK POST’S `PAGE SIX’ COLUMN PICKS IT UP, CAUSING JACK AGITA.  GUEST STAR ROB HUEBEL (“HUMAN GIANT”).

The TGS staff has been obsessing all season over the new reality hit MILF Island. While watching the riveting finale, pitting Debra vs. Deborah as the final two MILFs, Jack (Baldwin) who is riding high on this programming feat is blindsided by a blind item that ran in the New York Post. 

The “Page Six” column reveals a staffer referring to Jack as a “Class A Moron” and saying, “That guy can eat my poo.” This isn’t the best timing since Jack is in the running for Chairman and had high hopes that the success of MILF Island would help him seal the deal. 

In an effort to identify the disloyal employee he forces Jonathan  (Maulik Pancholy) to turn up the heat in the writers’ room until one of them breaks.  Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Scott Adsit, Judah Friedlander, Lonny Ross, Katrina Bowden and Maulik Pancholy also star.  Rob Huebel guest stars as the MILF Island host.

The April 17 episode is called "Subway Hero," and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has a cameo. Dean Winters (left) returns as Liz’s ex-boyfriend, beeper salesman Dennis Duffy, and Tim Conway has a guest role as someone named Bucky Bright.

Below is the Top 10 list that the cast of "Battlestar Galactica" will read on "The Late Show with David Letterman" tonight. The topic: Top 10 reasons to watch the new season of the show, which starts April 4.

Gotta love reason No. 5!

By the way, there should be a video clip of the Top 10 list at this Letterman site on Thursday.

UPDATE: Here’s the Top 10 list:

From the home office in Wahoo, Nebraska…

                                                   THE "LATE SHOW" TOP TEN

                                "Reasons to Watch the New Season of ‘Battlestar Galactica’"

[As presented on the Wednesday, March 19 broadcast of the LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN, seen weeknights (11:35 PM-12:37 AM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.]

10.       Chief Petty Officer Tyrol (Aaron Douglas):  In the dramatic season opening episode, we save 15% by switching our insurance to Geico.

9.         D’Anna Biers (Lucy Lawless):  You’ll find out what’s in the hatch and who gets off the island - crap, wrong show.

8.         Dr. Baltar (James Callis):  My character creates his own line of "honey roasted space nuts."

7.         Lieutenant Sharon Valerii (Grace Park):  What else are you going to do, read a book?

6.         Number Six (Tricia Helfer):  There’s a good chance you’ll see me naked.

5.         Colonel Saul Tigh (Michael Hogan):  There’s a good chance you’ll see me naked.

4.         Captain Lee Adama (Jamie Bamber):  New FTL drives will allow the colonial fleet to better adjust to gravitational variations and achieve maximum superluminal travel to outrun the pursuing cylon basestars - I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about.

3.         Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff):  We engage in a life-and-death battle against evil robots.you know, same **** as last year.

2.         President Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell):  I take on the most challenging task of my political career - doing a lame top ten list on a third-rate talk show.

1.         Admiral William Adama (Edward James Olmos):  Watch me lead us into war against the Cylons without an exit strategy.

Sci Fi Channel has given the green light to the "Battlestar Galactica" prequel "Caprica." A 2-hour film will be shot this spring, and will serve as the pilot for a potential series.

And yes, you know I’ve been waiting to write this sentence: The "Battlestar Galactica" spinoff has a "Friday Night Lights" connection.

Head. Exploding.

Jeffrey Reiner, a director and executive producer for "FNL," will direct the "Caprica" movie, which was written by "Battlestar’s" Ron Moore and also by "24" writer Remi Aubuchon. A 2007 interview with Reiner, one of the main creative minds behind "FNL’s" intimate and immediate shooting style, is here.

Here’s more about "Caprica," from Sci Fi’s press release on the show: "Set 50 years before ‘Battlestar Galactica,’ ‘Caprica’ follows two rival families – the Greystones and the Adamas – as they grow, compete, and thrive in the vibrant world of the 12 Colonies. Enmeshed in the burgeoning technology of artificial intelligence and robotics that will eventually lead to the creation of the Cylons, the two houses go toe-to-toe."

By the power of Greystone! It does sound like Dallas in space, as Moore reportedly described it.

I wonder if Sci Fi will decide to debut "Caprica" well before "Battlestar Galactica" signs off for good? Or would they rather unveil the new series around the time "Battlestar" goes bye-bye? My guess leans toward the former option, not the latter, but I certainly could be wrong about that. Anyway, I’d bet no firm decisions have been made about scheduling. After all, we don’t even know yet when "Battletar’s" final 10 episodes will air.

A few snippets from my recent interview with Ron Moore are here (I’ll have a complete transcript of that chat up in about 10 days). Also, Galactica Sitrep has many links to news stories about "Caprica," as well as pictures and news bits about the cast’s visit to "The Late Show With David Letterman," where they’ll read Wednesday’s Top 10 list.

An interesting note: Sitrep also reports that the first episode of Season 4 will be available via streaming at noon Eastern Time on April 4, the day the fourth season debuts on the air. But Wired’s Undewire blog, in a long post on the "Battlestar" upfront presentation in New York on Tuesday, notes that the season premiere will only stream from noon to 1 p.m. that day.

One final note: Episodic pictures from the Season 4 premiere, "He That Believeth in Me" have been posted on the NBCU press site. I’ve grabbed a few and put them on this post, here and below. Cast portraits for Season 4 are here. Season 4 clues and spoilers are here.

Sci Fi’s press release follows.

Sci Fi’s press release on "Caprica":

SCI FI GIVES ‘CAPRICA’ THE GREENLIGHT

Two-Hour Backdoor Pilot for ‘Battlestar Galactica’ Prequel Series To Begin Production this Spring

New York, NY – March 18, 2008 — As the Peabody and Emmy-winning original series Battlestar Galactica heads into its fourth and final season, SCI FI Channel has greenlit production on Caprica, a two-hour Battlestar backdoor pilot prequel from executive producers Ronald D. Moore and David Eick.  Production on Caprica is slated to begin in Vancouver this spring.

“We couldn’t be more excited to see this long-anticipated project get off the ground. It’s an amazing script, and, though clearly inspired by the Battlestar mythology, it is not just a pale spin-off. This is a smart, thought-provoking, emotional, and compelling character drama in its own right,” said Mark Stern, Executive Vice President of Original Programming.

Set 50 years before Battlestar Galactica, Caprica follows two rival families – the Greystones and the Adamas – as they grow, compete, and thrive in the vibrant world of the 12 Colonies.  Enmeshed in the burgeoning technology of artificial intelligence and robotics that will eventually lead to the creation of the Cylons, the two houses go toe-to-toe. Caprica will deliver all of the passion, intrigue, political backbiting, family conflict and hardcore action that always leaves Galactica fans begging for more.

“I’m thrilled with the chance to expand on the Galactica world and get deeper into the origins of the story we’ve been telling,” said Moore.  “It’s also great to have a chance at doing a completely different kind of science fiction series, one that’s even more character-oriented and doesn’t rely on pyrotechnics to carry the story."

“While Caprica will have its own personality, it will carry on Battlestar’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of the genre, and we’re thrilled that SCI FI has seen fit to giving us another opportunity to tell character-driven stories in challenging ways,” added Eick.

“We’ve assembled a true dream team to produce this exciting project," said Universal Media Studios president Katherine Pope.  “Building on the brilliance of SCI FI’s Battlestar Galactica, we all know Caprica will be a critical and commercial success."

Executive produced by Ronald D. Moore and David Eick (Battlestar Galactica), Caprica is co-written by Moore and Remi Aubuchon (24), and will be directed by Jeff Reiner (Friday Night Lights).  Universal Media Studios will produce.

"Lost" is back.

Well, to be specific, “Lost” is leaving — temporarily. It has one more outing 8 p.m. Thursday on WLS-Ch. 7, then the ABC drama takes a break until it returns with five additional episodes starting April 24.

What I mean is, “Lost” is back. It’s back to being a fascinating, meaningful, surprising, clever, infuriating and utterly unmissable drama. It’s back to being a show that keeps you up past your bedtime talking to your fellow couch potatoes, deciphering clues and scanning message boards for insightful comments or ranting about your least favorite plot twist.

[A heads up: The rest of this review discusses the first 7 episodes of "Lost's" Season 4. If you don't want to know plot details of those episodes, which have already aired, exit here. There are no spoilers for future episodes.]

I’ve even been noodling a theory about “Lost,” for goodness’ sake, a wild guess about what the island is and what all the strange hints and occurrences mean (The short version of my vague theory: The island is both a time portal and a midpoint between life and death). But who had the energy to think up a theory during the muddled middle of Season 3? Yes, there were some high points, but most of us had to work hard just to stay awake.

Though I think the last two outings of the show were on the weak side, there’s no doubt that “Lost” has more than delivered the goods this season.

That phone call between Desmond and Penny in the Feb. 28 episode — what a classic “Lost” moment. It was full of heartbreak, hope and confusion (if you can pinpoint exactly where and when both characters were, you deserve a PhD in something). In that episode, Henry Ian Cusick gave an especially spine-tingling performance as the time-traveling Desmond, who only wanted to be reunited with his one true love.

We not only got that for-the-ages episode, this season we also saw Sayid as a brooding, Jason Bourne-style assassin, and we met a bunch of deliciously intriguing new characters, including the twitchy Daniel Faraday (Jeremy Davies) and the aggressive Miles (the terrifically intense Ken Leung).

We mourned Charlie while getting a memorable last visit from him. Hurley unleashed not just some great quips, but he also played an unexpected trick on the hapless Kate. And for a while anyway, we saw the return of the Col. Kurtz-style John Locke.

Frankly, I had almost given up on “Lost.” Former Seattle Post-Intelligencer critic Melanie McFarland once wrote that she was in a “loveless marriage” with “Lost,” and that’s where the show and I were heading. I yearned for the magical spark that went missing as the show mired itself in useless flashbacks and ominous portents that went nowhere.

But then with the Season 3 finale, which featured a flashforward instead of the usual flashback, “Lost” got its mojo back, in a big way.

The show is back to doing what it does best — messing with our heads and our expectations (in ways that usually work) and brilliantly fleshing out intriguing characters. Thanks to the mostly ingenious time games Season 4 has played, “Lost” has kept us guessing, and the off-island scenes are now often the most exciting parts of the drama.

The result:

“Lost,” we’re not in a loveless marriage anymore. Even when you tick me
off, I know it’s worth sticking around. And if I get on your case (as I’m about to do), it’s
only because I care.

It’s important to point out that the show has always been at its best when it has married clever or downright audacious plots to deeply resonant, character-based storytelling. That’s why the Sun and Jin episode was such a disappointment last week.

Daniel Dae Kim and Yunjin Kim did fine work in their emotionally fraught scenes together, but they were stuck inside a plot that played a flashy yet empty trick on viewers. Unlike the Desmond-Penny episode, which ping-ponged around in time and then delivered a wonderfully romantic climax, the ending of the Sun-Jin episode left me feeling like I’d been not just manipulated but made a fool of. 

Sun was seen giving birth in what turned out to be a flash-forward, while we found out at the end of the episode that the off-island scenes of Jin came from a flashback. Far too much mechanical trickery was employed to construct this jerry-rigged plot (i.e., Sun calling for Jin as she gave birth), and that detracted from the final revelation that Jin had died. (But hey, this is “Lost.” Maybe he’s still alive — in which case, the heavy-handed plot manipulation feels even more icky).

The March 6 episode, “The Other Woman,” also seemed somewhat pallid and predictable. I quite like Juliet, but several elements from that episode had a “been there, done that” quality: They felt like they’d been recycled from previous seasons and story arcs.

Still, there are bound to be a few misfires on such a complicated, ambitious show. And since it returned Jan. 31, “Lost” has demonstrated a surprising amount of vigor and originality. I regard it as very good news that “Lost” has settled on an end date – we’ll get only 35 more episodes after this season wraps up in May. That development has freed “Lost’s” writers to be even bolder and go for broke. 

The writers may have gotten a bit too wrapped up in the possibilities of the past-and-future games they can play, but who can blame them for acting like kids in a candy store? The ability to play around with time is a pretty nifty storytelling toy.

What’s gratifying about the show’s time fixation is that it fits right in to “Lost’s” overarching themes, which don’t have much to do with polar bears or ghosts or fertility experiments, as captivating as those bells and whistles can be.

“Lost” tells us on a weekly basis that you can’t escape your past and that the future rarely works out the way you think it will.

You can try to freeze time and avoid taking risks – as Locke’s group is trying to do by hunkering down on the island and attempting to stay there. Or you can take a chance, i.e., try to get off the island, as Jack’s beach contingent is attempting to do via the mysterious freighter folk.

As viewers, we’re in the same position as the people on the island. Sure, we have more information than they do — it’s fascinating to see how the characters’ choices play out in the future and how their past actions got them to where they are.

But we don’t know how anything is going to work out over the course of the next few dozen episodes, not really - just as the islanders have no firm idea of what their futures hold. All they can do is take stock of the relationships and ideals that matter to them, then take a leap of faith.

“Lost” viewers have taken that leap this season. And look how well that worked out.

A note or two: For a couple of video clips from Thursday’s "Lost" episode, go here. And by the way, to feed my "Lost" fixation, I usually check out the episodic essays and discussions on James Poniewozik’s and Alan Sepinwall’s sites.

UPDATE: I just came across this cool "Lost" bracket, via Pop Candy.

Pop Candy also supplied the link to this great "Lost" vs. "Battlestar Galactica" comparison.