What a Wednesday Primetime TV!

I'm writing this up during commercials as I watch Life on Mars. Now, tonight was one darn good television night for me! First, there was American Idol (which I'll write a bit about here), then Lost (will write more about tomorrow), now Life on Mars (which I probably won't do much more than touch on in this entry). One quick time quibble with Life on Mars -- All in the Family started in 1971. This show is supposed to be 1973. In 1973 everybody knew who Archie and Meathead were! How did that get by the producers, editors, etc.?

I didn't write up anything on last night's American Idol and ended up hitting the sack not much after it ended as I had to get up extra early today. Had the Jacksonville auditions had anyone who really impressed me, I would have written a quick entry last night. But, blech for the most part. A few were okay, but they'd have a long way to go to win it all.

Tonight's auditions from Salt Lake City were different for me. First off, there was an Osmond -- the son of Alan Osmond, the eldest singing Osmond. I didn't realize Alan had been sick and he does really look like he's been through the wringer. But he has a son much cuter than Donny ever was! I thought the Osmond could sing, too. He made it to Hollywood.

As a sidenote, I saw Donny on The Bonnie Hunt Show recently. He will be doing Dancing With the Stars.

I also liked Megan (very pretty stay-at-home-mom with tattooed arm) and blond girl at the end whose parents passed away. Yeah, another sob story. There are a million sob stories on the show and she's but a one. However, I enjoyed her voice. She could be very interesting.

Did anyone catch your eye? And, how do you like the new graphic by rockin' Zoetawny?

Some TV, Some Off Topic, and Happy New Year!

This sign for Broadway.com is way off base -- "18 million people in NYC and only 70,000 Broadway seats." Um, NYC is more like 8 million, not 18. What's up with that? I apologize for the quality of the image. I took it out the train window.

In TV doings, my latest review of Cold Case and my latest Reality Clack column are both up over on CliqueClack TV.Tonight's Big Bang Theory is a repeat, so I won't be rewriting the review I posted a while back. At least Letterman is new this week. Phew!

Today marks the Year of the Ox. Happy New Year! The big parade in Chinatown is Sunday. I'm toying with the idea of going into the city for it. A lot will depend on the weather and, of course, how I feel.

I've got a bit of bad news for the regular readers ... well, for me, at least. It's nothing which will affect the blog or anything. But I've been having problems with my right knee (my original bad knee which was operated on ten years ago). I have a visit scheduled with the orthopedic surgeon this coming Friday. Right now I have to work longer before I can have any sort of operation as I have to build up my short term disability. I generally don't put too much stock in them, but I'm going to ask for a cortisone shot in the knee to buy me a few months. I'm probably going to end up with a second knee replacement. Thankfully, I only have two knees!

In better news, I saw Roofus the cat on Saturday morning and forgot to post the photos! (Clicking on them will make the image open larger in a new window.)



Today's musical non sequitur:
Workin' in a coal mine
Goin' down down down
Workin' in a coal mine
Whoop! About to slip down
-- "Working in a Coal Mine" by Lee Dorsey

SAG Awards Tonight

Yes, it's that time again. Tonight, on both TNT and TBS at 8 PM ET, we have the gala event of the Screen Actors Guild awards. I have to watch Cold Case so I can write up the review for CliqueClack TV, but I will hopefully be able watch some of the awards show or the rebroadcast at 11 PM ET. James Earl Jones will receive a SAG Lifetime Achievement Award, definitely deserved methinks. Here are the television-related nominees:

Primetime Television

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
RALPH FIENNES Bernard Lafferty BERNARD AND DORIS HBO
PAUL GIAMATTI John Adams JOHN ADAMS HBO
KEVIN SPACEY Ron Klain RECOUNT HBO
KIEFER SUTHERLAND Jack Bauer 24: REDEMPTION FOX
TOM WILKINSON Benjamin Franklin JOHN ADAMS HBO

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
LAURA DERN Katherine Harris RECOUNT HBO
LAURA LINNEY Abigail Adams JOHN ADAMS HBO
SHIRLEY MacLAINE Coco Chanel COCO CHANEL Lifetime
PHYLICIA RASHAD Lena Younger A RAISIN IN THE SUN ABC
SUSAN SARANDON Doris Duke BERNARD AND DORIS HBO

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
MICHAEL C. HALL Dexter Morgan DEXTER Showtime
JON HAMM Don Draper MAD MEN AMC
HUGH LAURIE Gregory House HOUSE FOX
WILLIAM SHATNER Denny Crane BOSTON LEGAL ABC
JAMES SPADER Alan Shore BOSTON LEGAL ABC

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
SALLY FIELD Nora Walker BROTHERS & SISTERS ABC
MARISKA HARGITAY Det. Olivia Benson LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT NBC
HOLLY HUNTER Grace Hanadarko SAVING GRACE TNT
ELISABETH MOSS Peggy Olson MAD MEN AMC
KYRA SEDGWICK Dep. Chief Brenda Johnson THE CLOSER TNT

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
ALEC BALDWIN Jack Donaghy 30 ROCK NBC
STEVE CARELL Michael Scott THE OFFICE NBC
DAVID DUCHOVNY Hank Moody CALIFORNICATION Showtime
JEREMY PIVEN Ari Gold ENTOURAGE HBO
TONY SHALHOUB Adrian Monk MONK USA

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE Samantha Newly SAMANTHA WHO? ABC
AMERICA FERRERA Betty Suarez UGLY BETTY ABC
TINA FEY Liz Lemon 30 ROCK NBC
MARY-LOUISE PARKER Nancy Botwin WEEDS Showtime
TRACEY ULLMAN Various Characters TRACEY ULLMAN’S STATE OF THE UNION Showtime

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
BOSTON LEGAL ABC
CANDICE BERGEN Shirley Schmidt
SAFFRON BURROWS Lorraine Weller
CHRISTIAN CLEMENSON Jerry Espenson
TARAJI P. HENSON Whitney Rome
JOHN LARROQUETTE Carl Sack
WILLIAM SHATNER Denny Crane
JAMES SPADER Alan Shore
TARA SUMMERS Katie Lloyd
GARY ANTHONY WILLIAMS Clarence Bell
THE CLOSER TNT
G.W. BAILEY Lt. Provenza
MICHAEL PAUL CHAN Lt. Mike Tao
RAYMOND CRUZ Det. Julio Sanchez
TONY DENISON Lt. Andy Flynn
ROBERT GOSSETT Commander Taylor
PHILLIP P. KEENE Buzz Watson
GINA RAVERA Det. Irene Daniels
COREY REYNOLDS Sgt. David Gabriel
KYRA SEDGWICK Dep. Chief Brenda Johnson
J.K. SIMMONS Asst. Police Chief Will Pope
JON TENNEY FBI Agent Fritz Howard
DEXTER Showtime
PRESTON BAILEY Cody
JULIE BENZ Rita Bennett
JENNIFER CARPENTER Debra Morgan
VALERIE CRUZ Syl Prado
KRISTIN DATTILO Det. Barbara Gianna
MICHAEL C. HALL Dexter Morgan
DESMOND HARRINGTON Joey Quinn
C.S. LEE Vince Masuka
JASON MANUEL OLAZABAL Ramon Prado
DAVID RAMSEY Anton
JAMES REMAR Harry Morgan
CHRISTINA ROBINSON Astor
JIMMY SMITS Miguel Prado
LAUREN VÉLEZ Lt. Maria Laguerta
DAVID ZAYAS Angel Batista
HOUSE FOX
LISA EDELSTEIN Dr. Lisa Cuddy
OMAR EPPS Dr. Eric Foreman
PETER JACOBSON Dr. Chris Taub
HUGH LAURIE Dr. Gregory House
ROBERT SEAN LEONARD Dr. James Wilson
JENNIFER MORRISON Dr. Allison Cameron
KAL PENN Dr. Lawrence Kutner
JESSE SPENCER Dr. Robert Chase
OLIVIA WILDE Dr. Remy Hadley/Thirteen
MAD MEN AMC
BRYAN BATT Salvatore Romano
ALISON BRIE Trudy Campbell
MICHAEL GLADIS Paul Kinsey
JON HAMM Don Draper
CHRISTINA HENDRICKS Joan Holloway
JANUARY JONES Betty Draper
VINCENT KARTHEISER Pete Campbell
MARK MOSES Herman “Duck” Phillips
ELISABETH MOSS Peggy Olson
JOHN SLATTERY Roger Sterling
RICH SOMMER Harry Crane
AARON STATON Ken Cosgrove

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
30 ROCK NBC
SCOTT ADSIT Pete Hornberger
ALEC BALDWIN Jack Donaghy
KATRINA BOWDEN Cerie
TINA FEY Liz Lemon
JUDAH FRIEDLANDER Frank Rossitano
JANE KRAKOWSKI Jenna Maroney
JACK McBRAYER Kenneth Parcell
TRACY MORGAN Tracy Jordan
MAULIK PANCHOLY Jonathan
KEITH POWELL Toofer
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES ABC
KENDALL APPLEGATE Penny Scavo
ANDREA BOWEN Julie Mayer
CHARLIE CARVER Porter Scavo
MAX CARVER Preston Scavo
RICARDO ANTONIO CHAVIRA Carlos Solis
MARCIA CROSS Bree Van De Kamp Hodge
DANA DELANY Katherine Mayfair
JAMES DENTON Mike Delfino
LYNDSY FONSECA Dylan Mayfair
RACHEL FOX Kayla Huntington
TERI HATCHER Susan Mayer
ZANE HUETT Parker Scavo
FELICITY HUFFMAN Lynette Scavo
BRENT KINSMAN Younger Porter Scavo
SHANE KINSMAN Younger Preston Scavo
JOY LAUREN Danielle Van De Kamp
EVA LONGORIA-PARKER Gabrielle Solis
KYLE MacLACHLAN Orson Hodge
NEAL McDONOUGH Dave Williams
JOSHUA MOORE Parker Scavo
SHAWN PYFROM Andrew Van De Kamp
DOUG SAVANT Tom Scavo
NICOLLETTE SHERIDAN Edie Britt
BRENDA STRONG Mary Alice Young
ENTOURAGE HBO
KEVIN CONNOLLY Eric Murphy
KEVIN DILLON Johnny Drama
JERRY FERRARA Turtle
ADRIAN GRENIER Vincent Chase
REX LEE Lloyd
JEREMY PIVEN Ari Gold
PERREY REEVES Mrs. Ari
THE OFFICE NBC
LESLIE DAVID BAKER Stanley Hudson
BRIAN BAUMGARTNER Kevin Malone
CREED BRATTON Creed Bratton
STEVE CARELL Michael Scott
JENNA FISCHER Pam Beesly
KATE FLANNERY Meredith Palmer
MELORA HARDIN Jan Levenson
ED HELMS Andrew Bernard
MINDY KALING Kelly Kapoor
ANGELA KINSEY Angela Martin
JOHN KRASINSKI Jim Halpert
PAUL LIEBERSTEIN Toby Flenderson
B.J. NOVAK Ryan Howard
OSCAR NUÑEZ Oscar Martinez
CRAIG ROBINSON Darryl Philbin
PHYLLIS SMITH Phyllis Lapin
RAINN WILSON Dwight Schrute
WEEDS Showtime
DEMIÁN BICHIR Esteban Reyes
JULIE BOWEN Lisa
ENRIQUE CASTILL Cesar
GUILLERMO DIAZ Guillermo
ALEXANDER GOULD Shane Botwin
ALLIE GRANT Isabelle Hodes
JUSTIN KIRK Andy Botwin
HEMKY MADERA Ignacio
ANDY MILDER Dean Hodes
KEVIN NEALON Doug Wilson
MARY-LOUISE PARKER Nancy Botwin
HUNTER PARRISH Silas Botwin
ELIZABETH PERKINS Celia Hodes
JACK STEHLIN Roy Till

Me? I'd be tickled pink if Michael C. Hall won for Dexter! How about you?

Survivor Tocantins Just Around the Corner

We'll have a new season with new castaways to love or hate starting Thursday, February 12 at 8 PM ET/PT. Unlike previous years when everything was hush-hush, they have the two tribes laid out for us on the show's website. Apparently they figured out that keeping secrets from us doesn't always work too well, eh?



Two people,one from each tribe, will be voted off before making it to camp. Yikes!



In the days between now and the season premiere, I'll be taking a closer look at the castaways. I just can't believe Jeff Probst when he claims there are so many likable folks! I'm sure I can gripe about some!

A LOST Night

Much like Zoetawny's graphic above, I've found myself pulled right into Lost once again. That said, I'm glad I've decided not to do lengthy recap-type posts on the show this season. Man, it is so darned complicated! And, not only would I have to write the equivalent of a novella on each episode, you know the Lost purists would surely arrive to let me know what I got wrong or forgot to mention. So, the short report is best, methinks. Plus, you can flesh more out in comments. Because, you guys -- the Seekers of Kale Sisterhood -- rock.

It's a good thing that I watched the "questions answered" hour before the two-hour premiere. I had forgotten or not tied together a lot of things. But I'm still a bit confused. Aren't you?

Okay, the folks from Flight 815 are time-shifting, yet the island is remaining in its proper time and place? (Here's a situation for Hiro from Heroes!) The Orchid Station apparently has the key to the time shifting. Hmmm. And, Ben is turning the wheel, yet the show jumps all around in time, thus adding to the confusion.

Both Desmond and Daniel Farraday seem like they're going to be key characters in this new season. They are the constants -- while they know they've previously (or future-ly) met, they carry reminders of the meeting and don't recall the details.

Ben is determined to gather the Oceanic Six for a return to the island but is given a timeframe of 70 hours by Mrs. Hawkings (Daniel's mother). Sayid has turned against Ben and Hurley has his George Washington thing going on -- he just can't tell a lie and can't live a lie either. I loved his line about how Sayid should eat more comfort food and he'd be less likely to go around killing people.

What's up with Sun? She tells Widmore she wants Ben dead, but I'm not so sure she isn't playing him. I think she might realize there's a chance Jin is alive. She blames Kate for his death, yet knows Kate saved her and Aaron. Oh, I'm so confused!

Is Hurley the key to everything? Is it Hurley himself which is so important to return to the island? Or, does it have to be the entire six in time and space? I don't know.

And what's with Locke? I used to say Locke was the key to the series. In a way, he still is. His death will be the force (besides Ben) to bring them back to the island. Plus, he was traveling alone in his own time stream on the island. Could he have a future or past alter-ego thing going on? The Others didn't travel with him through time, yet Richard said he had already told him of the gunshot wound. So Richard had to know the future John Locke even though it wasn't shown. He gave Locke a constant, the compass, so if they meet in time, they'll know there's a connection. It was the same compass young John Locke was previously given.

That leads me to another cute line. Alpert: "Here's a compass, just show it to me when we meet again." Locke: "What does it do?" Alpert: "It points north."

I'm still quite confused with the goings-on, but you know I'll be watching. Did you watch? Your thoughts?