Gotta love cold medicine....

Maybe it was because I was drugged up on Alleve Cold & Sinus last night, but I didn't laugh not once during Girlfriends or The Game. The only word that comes to mind with Girlfriends is...forced. Everything about that show seems so tedious and forced. Joan is forcing herself to be Monica's friend and it seems like such a stretch that Monica would choose Joan, of all people, to be her maid on honor? Why? Doesn't she have her own friends? She even admitted that her and Joan didn't get off to the best start, so why is she going to be your maid of honor. Yes, it all seems forced. Joan was even trying to force Monica on Lynn and Maya. And then the whole phone sex issue with Maya...once again, forced. You get the picture. Now it's very clear to me that Maya does not have a job. Hmm...a show about three Black women in their 30s and none of them have jobs...how realistic is that? You tell me. I was actually exhausted just from watching that episode. And still, they're talking about Toni. Damn you Jill Marie Jones! Couldn't you have come back for a guest-appearance to have one final blow-out with Joan to end the drama? I felt that Joan was OK and over it, but that Lynn and Maya were the ones who kept bringing up Toni and confronting Joan about her feelings. And I agree with Joan, why are they still all buddy buddy with Toni? Joan is the "glue" and the person who brought them all together. It's a bit disrespectful they way they're sneaking behind her back to hang out with Toni. I'm actually looking forward to Monica and William's wedding...I'm sure it's going to be real dramatic and over-the-top. And can we get Joan a new love interest this season...someone, anyone, please!

I usually get my laughs for the week from The Game, but last night's episode was actually sad. I felt bad for Kelly, but as Tasha said, Jason is not your "king" so she needs to stand up to him. I know a woman married to a very rich man and she works at The Gap. He refuses to give her money, so she's out there earning her own. Kelly needs to leave the Sunbeams along and get a job, since she can't seem to confront Jason about his money issues. I can understand his desire to be frugal and not splurge on the stereotypical "bling, bling" lifestyle, but at the same time, what father doesn't pull out the stops for his child's birthday, particularly his daughter. He tried to redeem himself with the (comp) trip to Disney, but it was too little, too late. And then he tossed Kelly a bone to tell Brittany about riding on the Cinderella float, but you could tell it was a struggle for her to put on the happy face. I'm predicting a divorce for this couple. That was pretty much the entire episode right there. What about Tasha and the coach? Who knows. It wasn't discussed or even mentioned. Melanie was ghost in this episode. I didn't appreciate Derwin letting Malik all up in the house at 3am with his hoochie when Melanie asked him to tell them to leave "our" house. Once again, he seems to have no respect for his girlfriend and her feelings, meanwhile, she turned down John's Hopkins med school for his non-playing rookie behind.

I have to promise myself to never watch these shows while on cold medicine again.

But on the bright side, Friday Night Lights was pretty darn good last night. I'm really warming up to this show. I was so touched when the entire team came to visit Jason before the game. Interesting how Voodoo stayed off to the side. I don't like his character. I know they're making him unlikeable on purpose to contrast with Matt, but come on, he was so rude and disrespectful. When he tore up the locker room during half-time, I though for sure he was going to hit Coach. Matt stepped up and did his thing. I was happy for him. I was confused about Tyra's storyline last night...what was the point, really? Is she going to follow him to LA? It's obvious that small-town life is not for her - maybe this is a step toward her self-discovery. Lyla needs to get it together. She's clearly just using Tim to fill her physical needs since her boyfriend can't. Interesting that she hasn't thought about college and what she wants to do with her life. She better hurry up and figure it out.

What happens in Vegas....

How great was Las Vegas Friday night? It was so campy and over-the-top, especially Sam's rendezvous down in Hawaii. Loved it! Josh Duhamel is so hot, but every time I look at him I can only shake my head...why Fergie?!? Mary was crushed to learn that Danny and DeLinda had been creeping behind her back. I felt bad, but look, she missed her chance. I like Danny and DeLinda together.

Secrets Revealed!

We learned two very key pieces of information last night on Ugly Betty: Wilhelmina has a daughter, who looks to be in her mid-20s, and Betty's father is an illegal immigrant. I kinda figured out the last part on my own, but I was completely caught off guard by the arrival of Nico, Willie's daughter. That sure put a damper on Willie's costume ball plans, given that he date and her daughter are probably around the same age. Vanessa Williams had the funniest lines last night - my favorite was her comment that her young, studly date made her look like Jane Pittman. Classic! There's a bit of a friendship growing between Betty and Amanda - I was almost, almost, this close to feeling sorry for Amanda, until she hit Betty with the "this never happened" line. Walter is getting on my nerves, but Betty is remaining loyal to him, for now. Henry is definitely a better catch. I loved Justin's Gene Kelly rendition and LOL at his mom telling him, "there's no twirling in the armed forces." This is such a great show, one of the most entertaining hours on TV. Two of my other guilty pleasures are coming back: Las Vegas premieres tonight (FINALLY!) and The O.C. returns next Thursday at 9, opposite Grey's Anatomy. Decisions, decisions, decisions!

Isaiah Washington Apologizes

It sure took him long enough...but I'm sure he didn't think things would spiral out of control as fast and far as they did. Here's the story from PEOPLE.

Grey's Anatomy actor Isaiah Washington has issued an apology in a statement exclusive to PEOPLE for his behavior during an on-set argument with costar Patrick Dempsey.

"I sincerely regret my actions and the unfortunate use of words during the recent incident on-set," Washington, 43, says in the statement. "Both are beneath my own personal standards. … I have nothing but respect for my coworkers … and have apologized personally to everyone involved."

After Washington and Dempsey, 40, clashed on Oct. 9, reports surfaced that Washington had used a homophobic slur during the fracas. Then on Oct. 19, their costar T.R. Knight disclosed to PEOPLE that he is gay. "I'd like to quiet any unnecessary rumors that may be out there," he said in a statement, adding, "I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most interesting part of me."

Fallout from the turmoil has sparked talk of everything from hasty script rewrites of an impending onscreen fight scene (not true, says show creator Shonda Rhimes) to rumors that Washington would be fired, possibly to be replaced by former ER star Eriq La Salle.

"I found (those rumors) not only ridiculous but offensive that we would consider replacing a member of our family," Rhimes tells PEOPLE. "And also the (idea) that one black man was interchangeable with another seemed disturbing to me."

Rhimes also dismisses speculation that the mood on the set has been unusually tense. "The mood's what the mood's always been," she says. "We have a group of people who are more of a family than anything else. We have our fun days, and we have our days when people are tired and the work is hard."

On Tuesday's episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Grey's costar Katherine Heigl played down the incident, calling it "some scuffle … There was a little burst of testosterone in the room, and then within five minutes ... they were totally fine."

Washington was scheduled to tape an interview with DeGeneres on Tuesday to air Wednesday, but canceled – citing a scheduling conflict – after Heigl jokingly warned DeGeneres to "step back" during Washington's appearance, USA Today reports.

So what actually happened between Washington and Dempsey? A set source says that when Knight, 33, was late to film a scene, a debate ensued between Dempsey and Washington, with Dempsey insisting on waiting for Knight before starting the scene. The argument quickly intensified, and the source says that yes, the alleged slur was used, but Knight was not present at the time.

"Isaiah was running his mouth off," says the source. "Isaiah verbally attacked Patrick – he tore into him. Patrick's voice escalated and he did tell Isaiah to 'f– off, (but) that was as heated as Patrick got."

Today, Rhimes tells PEOPLE, Dempsey and Washington "are fine" – as are Washington and Knight. "They've had conversations," says Rhimes. "They did a really great scene together the other day." The whole affair, she says, "was four and a half seconds of one day in three years. I feel like we've already moved on."

I don't believe Shonda when she says that the mood on the set has not been unusually tense. I've heard different. I'm sure no one wants to be near Washington, let alone do a scene with him. Sandra Oh better be showing up two hours early for her call time before she gets screamed on! At least they're not killing him off...YET! I couldn't bear it if Eric LaSalle or Boris Kodjoe replaced him. But, you know how fickle these networks are, especially of late...here today and gone tomorrow. If this affects the ratings negatively (which I'm sure it won't), ABC will yank Dr. Burke off Grey's faster than you can say McDreamy.

I'm a convert.

Friday Night Lights has a new fan...me! I admit, I was really on the fence about this show (I'm still on the fence about Heroes) but last night's episode really sealed the deal. I cried and I laughed, particularly when Coach Taylor told his wife: “I think I told that kid to get our daughter in the back seat of a car.” Even though Coach has a soft spot for Matt, we'll see how he really feels if Matt can take his foot out of his mouth long enough to ask her on a date. Matt showed such a range of emotions, from talking to his dad who's in Iraq, bashing the opposing team QB's car and taking care of his sick grandmother. I'm pulling for him both on and off the field. I love the marital relationship between Coach and Tami. No, marriage is not perfect, and finally, a TV show reflects the honest reality of that bond. I totally got it when she was under the table, half-pretending to clean up the mess, but really pissed off and unable to put on a good face. That's real. It's so predictable that the Lyla is falling for her boyfriend's best friend. I wonder if Jason will care if she eventually leaves him, and she will, as Jason's wise roommate told him. I think NBC is making a huge mistake moving the show to Monday at 10pm (it replaces Studio 60 next week). I think it's fine where it is now. But since the ratings for Studio 60 are picking up a bit, maybe it'll be a temporary switch-eroo to find a new audience. I hope so. I really like this show. But, I do have one complaint. The shaky camera makes me nauseus. Maybe that's why I was too sick to stay up to watch Nip/Tuck (sorry!), but I'm sure I'll get used to it.

About last night...

I skipped the first half of the Black Block on CW to watch Prison Break, which was very entertaining. My only complaint about PB is that the episodes are too short! Just when I'm really getting into it and stuff is happening, all of a sudden it's 8:55 pm. Darn it! My mouth was agape when the car rolled up and the woman (thankfully not Sara!) was shot up at the pay phone. I was totally into the code to decipher Michael's message. I hope he and Sara get back together soon. I was so proud, and in awe, of Michael's "Evel Knievel" motorcycle act to save Sucre from drowning. And Lincoln's plan to get to his son (paying a meth head to beat him up) was priceless. I had never seen PB before this season, but that's a testament to a strong show that I can pick up a season into it and be right there. Good stuff! But I have a bad feeling about things to come since the final exchange between Kellerman and Mahone (who knew they were connected?!?) goes something like this: “They all die?” – “They all die.” Please, no, Wentworth, um, I mean Michael, is too cute to die!

Did anyone else notice that Lynn dropped the "Valley girl" accent on Girlfriends and is now talking like a regular Black girl? I was so distracted every single time she opened her mouth because she didn't sound like the Lynn of past seasons - all way out and flightly - but instead she had some soul in her voice. So, I guess after being pushed to the side for the beginning of this season, it was Lynn's "special episode." She finally showed some initiative in getting herself a music deal - mailing and handing out her press packets and being persistent about getting her time on stage at the Open Mic showcase. That was encouraging to see, because Lynn has typically been so lazy. But now, Maya is the lazy one. Refresh my memory - does she have a job? I know she's not working at the law firm anymore, but is she still able to live off her residuals from her book? I was confused because she was everywhere - exercising with Joan, hanging out at Joan's house (guess they got over the beef from last week's fish fry), interrogating Joan's employees over the lost money - but at work. I thought for sure that Monica (who was missing from this episode) was the culprit. Turns out William just forgot to deposit the money. It was a cute moment when he walked into the J-Spot with the envelope and admitted he has planted it in Joan's laundry basket earlier. I wasn't really feeling Joan's hair last night, and that dark lipstick has got to go. Basically, this was a throwaway episode. Not much was advanced in any storyline - we didn't even get to see if Lynn was finally able to perform. Last night was the first time I saw the new and improved opening song/dance/credits and all I could think is, "Where's Toni?"

So, Tasha got her groove back last night on The Game. The coach seems like a really nice guy and it's apparent that he cares deeply for her, but at the same time, Tasha really needs to make a decision. I feel that the show is moving toward that climactic moment when Tasha has to either be Malik's mom or manager. I don't think he was being selfish in asking her to make a choice - it's very improper for her, as a manager, to have a romantic relationship with her client's coach. Even though she told Malik she's his manager, the way the episode ended left a lot of doubt that she'll be able to stick to her choice. The Game is the rare sitcom during which I actually laugh. My two LOL moments from last night: Kelly reciting the calories and fat in a single potato chip and the veggie dip, frustrating Melanie's effort to enjoy her food. She finally gives up and says, "I've lost my appetite." Kelly replies, "That's my girl." Then, when Tasha was explaining to Malik why she was coming in at 2 a.m, she said she had to give Melanie a ride home. When he asked why, she replied, "Because med school is hurd (hard)." That same (mis-)pronunciation of hard was repeated several times, only making it funnier. I'm really proud of the work being done on this show and even happier that it's been picked up for a full season!

Studio 60 had its moments last night. My top three:
1. Simon asking Matt to accompany him to the comedy club to check out a Black comedian because he feels that the show needs a Black writer. I sure hope Ms. Tina Fey was watching last night, because she clearly cannot write for the Black characters on 30 Rock. And no, it's not stereotypical to think that only Black writers can write for Black characters, but you need the diversity in the writer's room to bring different perspectives and approaches to the material. I'm glad Matt got it and wasn't offended. We'll see what this guy does on the show - how great that he was hired almost sight unseen, no resume, no writing samples, references, etc. If only it were that easy to become a TV writer...trust, it's not!

2. Tom's parents come for a visit, and he says that they really don't even know what he does. That's plausible...my parents have no idea what I do, really, and definitely can't explain it to other people. I've seen them try and fail. How cute was this little exchange: Simon asks Tom, "Are they alive?" Tom replies "They live in Columbus, Ohio, so hardly." Aww..shucks...I love Ohio. Go Browns! But it totally caught me off guard when his dad broke down and cried at the irony of how they're standing in the middle of a TV studio while his younger brother is facing death out in Afghanistan. Wow, that really brought it home!

3. Amanda Peet is showing! And I'm glad the writers will be including her real-life pregnancy into the show. I'm sure that will launch a "who's the baby daddy?" search, since as far as we know, she's divorced and single. But anyways, how cute was she when she barged in on Harriet & Co. and asked if they would be her friends. Too funny!

I like this show - it's a rare commodity on TV because it actually makes you think. The only other shows in that category would be shows like Lost, CSI and Cold Case. Please, NBC, don't cancel Studio 60!!

Is Isaiah Washington a terror behind-the-scenes?

I already reported that Isaiah "Dr. Burke" Washington got into it big time with Patrick "McDreamy" Dempsey on the set of Grey's Anatomy recently. But, it seems this was only another notch in his belt of causing problems behind-the-scenes of his TV shows, according to a repoort on TMZ.com. In 2000, Washington was shooting the Showtime spin-off of Soul Food. Washington and Nicole Ari Parker, who played his wife, were shooting a scene in which he was supposed to give her a casual kiss. Instead, Washington grabbed her and planted a "forceful, aggressive kiss." Nicole was angry, which then infuriated Washington who began screaming at her. At that point the director stepped in to correct him, and Washington went off on him. Executive producer Tracey Edmonds then took over and Washington went off on her. And the plot thickens even more, because I've heard that Boris Kodjoe, Nicole's husband, may be in talks to replace Washington on Grey's. In 1997 there was yet another incident on the set of the TV show High Incident. Washington was a guest star on the show, but we're told the gig ended abruptly after he had a physical altercation with a crew member, serious enough that police were called. If Washington has some issues or problems with his temper, I hope he gets the help he needs.

I think George is gay.

Since T.K. Knight formally announced his homosexuality to the public yesterday (I thought it was common knowledge that he's gay...it was obvious to me, and my gay-dar isn't even that great.) I would love for Shonda to incorporate that into the show because it would explain so much...his inability to "get it up" for Meredith and his lack of interest in Callie, even though she's throwing herself at him, while he'd rather hang out with the girls, Meredith and Izzie.

Grey's Anatomy was alright last night, not the best, but it can't be the best every week, I guess. My favorite line of the night, once again, was from Callie, telling McSteamy: "You were sexier when you weren’t talking." I'm totally over this whole Denny thing...is this season still going to be devoted to talking about this dead man? Are the writers dragging it out for lack of better material? The man is dead, people, let's move on. So annoying. Izzie was the worst, constantly bragging about her money. Cut the B.S., you know you're going to give the money to the hospital, partially out of guilt for what you did. Bailey handled herself so well, since she had to bear the brunt of responsibility for the Denny situation. She's the rare bright spot on the show, along with Callie and Christina (sometimes). The preview for the next episode shows Christina blowing up at Meredith, telling her, "It's not always about you all the time, Meredith." Thank you Christina! It's a bad move for her to step in and help Burke - if he can't do it, he shouldn't be doing it at all.

I was so happy to see Justina Machado as the breast cancer victim facing a mastectomy, but I wish there could have been more time devoted to her character. The breast cancer storyline seemed to just be thrown in for the heck of it, since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. What a waste of a guest-star talent there!

When does Las Vegas come back? Now, that's my show!

Ugly Betty was cool. Something's up with Betty's father using someone else's Social Security #. Could he been an illegal? I'm surprised Betty didn't question him about it right away, but she's clearly overwhelmed with disappointment. Wilhelmina showed a bit of a nicer side this week. But the shining star of this episode was Justin. LOL at him calling out Amanda for wearing Manolos from two seasons ago, and commenting that the Mode fashion shoot was like "Top Model without the crying." I loved the bonding moment he shared with Marc, who gave him some great advice: "Be yourself, wear what you want, and learn how to run really fast."

It's a wrap for Six Degrees. Sorry, kids!

Oh Uli!

Nope, Uli didn't win, but once I saw her complete collection, I thought she was a shoo-in. Nina and Heidi were right...I'd wear every single thing she walked down that runway. Where can I get those outfits, like, right now? I disagree with Michael Kors, though. I think her collection was very cohesive, the most pulled together of the four finalists. But I don't think future sale potential really dictates the winner of Project Runway anyway, given that some of the "losers" from previous seasons are actually doing all right, whereas the winners are well...whatever. Uli summed it up perfectly: "Number 2 is a good place to be." I'm happy for Jeffrey, but it was real touch-and-go for him with those missing receipts and budget scandal. I think Laura cast suspicions on him purposely since she was probably jealous of how great his designs were compared to her collection (given that Halloween is next week, her designs would sell well, since they were very "costume-y" with all those sequins and feathers). I had seen a picture slideshow of Michael's collection weeks ago, and it was even more disappointing on TV. His outfits looked like rejects from KLS's first Baby Phat collection. Michael's excuse is that he's young and inexperienced. That's no excuse, and since when is 28 considered "young," especially in the fashion industry. I see his rumored girlfriend, Brandy, was there supporting her "man." Good luck to them. I think Michael should link up with an urban contemporary clothing company, like a Baby Phat or work with Puffy to re-imagine the now defunct Sean John women's collection. Overall, Project Runway was the most entertaining reality TV program I've seen in years...probably since season 10, Back to New York, of The Real World. Now, Uli, hurry up and make some clothes and ship them to Saks. I'll be right there waiting, cash in hand. Thanks!

One word for Lost...snooze! It didn't get interesting until the last 30 seconds.

America's Next Top Model was OK. That was one of the most creative photo shoot challenges and I enjoyed watching the girls transform themselves into famous celebrity couples. Anchal's Oprah was better than the real deal and Jaeda's Bobby Brown was masterful (guess her masculine features finally came in handy!). Jaeda, Jaeda, Jaeda...isn't this the third (or fourth) week in a row that she's been in the bottom two? Step ya game up, sista! But I had a thought this morning on my way to work...wasn't Yoanna House also consistently ranked in the bottom two during her cycle and didn't turn it on until towards the end, resulting in her ultimate victory? I was disappointed that Jaeda just gave up on the TV commentary challenge. She could have done something, said something, rather than just standing there looking in booboo the fool. I was prepared for her to go last night. Oh well...we'll see how this all turns out. Stay tuned...

TV ALERT!

Tune in tonight at 10pm for the season finale of Project Runway on Bravo! Even though Michael disappointed me toward the end of the season, I still want him to win. Or will Jeffrey or Uli or Laura pull a come from behind victory? We'll break it down and discuss tomorrow!

Who would you give a kidney to?

Last night's episode of Nip/Tuck raised two very good questions. Who would you donate your kidney to, and who would donate their kidney to you? I was a bit surprised that Sean was so reluctant to come to Liz's aid, but since Conor's birth, he's become very focused on his disabled son and trying to make him better. I don't think he should have lied and told Liz that he was not a match. I'm sure if he explained to her that he couldn't afford to be laid up for 3 months after surgery because he has to perform surgery on his own son, I'm sure she would have understood. He just went about it in such a shady way. The other shocking moment (aside from Rosie O'Donnell's character Dawn's ear getting chopped off) was how harsh Christian was with Kimber. He had me going there for a minute, and it looked like I wasn't the only one. Kimber was practically floating on air after her romp in the sack with Christian and he treated her worse than a $2 dollar ho! I always felt like deep down Kimber and Christian would eventually get back together since it seems that they are made for each other, but the way he dissed her last night was brutal. And then what does she do...get revenge by sleeping with Matt? I wonder what Christian will do when he finds out, or if he will even care enough to do something.

I soo wished Burt would have died on the operating table. Looks like Michelle and Christian wanted that too...they certainly took a long pause before putting the paddles on his chest. But alas, Burt is still alive and now Michelle has to be by his bedside 24/7. I don't think Michelle really wants to get away from her husband, and especially not to leave him to go be with Christian. She has way to much at stake. I'm sensing an Anna Nicole Smith scenario coming...do we know if Burt was married before and if he has any children? If he were to finally kick the bucket, I bet those kids would rush right in to make sure that Michelle get's nothing. Who knows? I'm kinda bored with the whole Christian/Michelle/Burt love triangle anyway. I already told you that I am no fan of Rosie O'Donnell (yes, I still haven't seen The View yet), but she is so bad she's good as Dawn Budge. I heard that she's getting her own spin-off. In the meantime, I hope she keeps popping up on Nip/Tuck. She's hilarious and adds relief to a show where everyone takes themselves entirely too seriously. Once again, Nip/Tuck knows how to entice you with the sneak previews of next week's episode. Actually, last week's previews were certainly more exciting that the whole product last night. But the previews for next week's episode look wacky. And wacky is what Nip/Tuck does best!

New York Undercover Part Deux

TVnista just learned that ashy Malik Yoba has joined the cast of NBC's mid-season drama series Raines, starring Jeff Goldblum as an eccentric cop who talks to his dead victims to help him solve his crimes. Yoba will play his ex-partner and best friend. Hmmm....I still miss New York Undercover. Wasn't that the tightest Thursday night lineup in TV history (back-to-back episodes of Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy are close) with Martin, followed by Living Single and then New York Undercover? That was the crime drama to launch all crime dramas. How hot was the relationship between Eddie (Michael DeLorenzo) and Moreno (Lauren Velez)? Remember when Naomi Campbell guest-starred as J.C.'s girlfriend? And all the musical artists, like Mary J. Blige and Xscape, who showed up to perform at Natalie's? Those were the days! I hear that reruns air on TV One. TVnista does not get TV One...thank you very much Comcast of New Jersey!

Is Monday "blacker" than Sunday?

Yes, Monday is now the "Black" night. Most of the shows were better last night, excluding All of Us, which remains the weak spot. I'm considering starting a petition to bring Half & Half back...I miss those girls, and the two moms bickering...soooo much more entertaining that LisaRaye, Duane Martin and the midget. But, back to the business at hand. Taking it from the top, that was one of the best episodes of Everybody Hates Chris that I've seen. Lots of funny moments. How great to see Rog from What's Happening? He hasn't aged a bit! My two favorite LOL scenes from last night: Chris was running for class president and the white teacher asked him: "Are you going to need an organ player for your speech? In case you catch the holy ghost?" Then, Drew found $10 on the steps and immediately sets out to spend his new windfall. In his eagerness, he's easily conned by the local hustler, who sells him a $10 wallet so he can put his $10 in it. Classic.

I'll skip over All of Us, but I will say this...they're taking themselves to seriously. There's a way to make a social statement without being preachy and heavy-handed. Last night was too much of both. Makes me wonder when this show was actually funny, if it ever was? Was there another reason to bring it back other than its attachment to Will and Jada?

I still feel the void left by Toni, but I see how Maya is slowly stepping into her role as the loud-mouth, opinionated voice on Girlfriends (true, she's always been that way, but without Toni, it's full-force now). Her tongue-lashing of Joan was painful. I was literally wincing as she laid Joan out in front of everyone. But, of course, Joan deserved it. I think Maya was a little too sensitive to think that Joan was jealous of her new home as the hang-out spot, but I can understand where she's coming from. Joan has always been self-centered and wants to be in control of everything, but she lost her role as group leader and is scrambling to re-gain her position. I admire how the writers are portraying the realness of friendships between women. Yes, it's not always pretty, and we do have arguments and falling outs from which we don't speak for a while (or ever again). What is Lynn's purpose here? She has no storyline, no nothing. What a waste! Part of me thinks that William really doesn't want to get rid of Monica. Monica is slowly starting to grow on me. She showed a bit of vulnerability last night, in contrast to the brave, hard-edged front she usually puts up. Who knows, maybe her and William are meant to be together? I don't see Monica going anywhere in the near future. The jury is still out on Christina Vidal becoming the fourth girlfriend. That's the rumor, but I'm not sure if that's evident so far. There was an interesting exchange between her and Joan. She suggested that since Joan is having so many issues with her friends, why not go and get some new ones. Joan's reply is that she's too old to make new friends. Or, what I think, not that's she too old, but she knows that given her neurotic behavior and personality, it would be hard to find people who could deal with her. She already lost Toni and they had been ace-boon-coons since third grade. Plus, it's not easy making friends, especially when you're crazy and not a very likable person.

I really liked The Game last night. It's still very superficial and barely scratching the surface, but it has its moments. It was obvious that Melanie's lab partner played her for a fool. She was itching to get up in the game so she could snag herself a player. It's sad that Melanie didn't see the betrayal coming, but that's sometimes how it goes. Tasha was right - the other wives may be crazy, but at least they're loyal. At the end of the day, only other women in her position can understand the life of being attached to a professional football player. The gift-giving scenario was a bit odd, but it gave the characters an opportunity to develop. As much as I love Tia, the real star of this show is Brittany Daniel. She has a natural comedic timing - even the little things she does and says garner big laughs. Searching the floors and sofa for a missing rhinestone, telling her daughter she'll "microwave" dinner and saying it's a "good thing" that she feels hungry. It was all funny to me. And as much as I hate the "Becky" syndrome, I like her relationship with Jason. You can really tell that they care for each other and have both committed to making sacrifices to make it work. I wish I could see a bit more complexity in Melanie's relationship with Derwin. She always seems to be dropping everything to make him happy, but I just don't see it being reciprocated. Sure, they're "cute" together, but what else is going on? For the first time, I feel like a got a real NFL wife perspective when Kelly fielded phone calls from the other wives voicing their anger with Melanie. On one hand we had the gold-digging wife, commenting that she'd spent the entire day shopping and didn't get the chance to get anything for herself and being forced to "baby-sit" her own kids (LOL) and then another wife, who says that on top of her mother, sister, brother, cousin, etc. calling her for money (LOL), now she has to turn around and get gifts for the team. In those split-second scenes, we learned a lot about the NFL wife experience. Wendy Raquel Robinson is such a strong actress. It's a shame I never realized it before. When she's on screen, she commands my attention and delivers her lines cleanly and with meaning. I like her attitude. And next week we'll get to see another side of Tasha...I can't wait! Stay tuned....

Don't forget to tune in to the CW Network tonight at 8pm for Everybody Hates Chris, All of Us, Girlfriends and The Game. Check out a Q&A with The Game's Malik Wright (Hosea Chanchez) on TVGuide.com. And great news for us fans of Ugly Betty...it's been picked up for a full season. Congrats to them!

T.G.I.F.

Ugly Betty is holding strong. I like how the complexities of the characters are starting to develop. We learned more about Daniel's sibling rivalry with his dead brother Alex, Wilhelmina's surprising insecurities when faced with a visit from her demanding senatorial father and Betty's relationship with her sister and father. My favorite line of the night was from Betty's dad: "They didn't fire you, did they? Because I'll go down there." That sounds just like my dad. I was so touched when Betty gave Hildi props for the "glamorous" makeover as a way to win her brownie points with their dad. I couldn't stop laughing at the power lunch debacle of Amanda posing as Betty. I appreciate the way the producers handled Betty's "makeover." Unlike in The Devil Wears Prada (which FOX announced yesterday they are developing into a half-hour sitcom), where the protagonist is made over to the point of un-recognition to fit in with the fashionistas, Betty is still staying true to herself. She's even standing strong against her deadbeat boyfriend, who of course, wants her back. As an excuse for his dumping her, he says: "It was for just two days, it takes longer than that to digest corn." I'm glad Betty didn't fall for that. But, she's starting to show some moxie at work. When Marc tries to steal the proposal so he can deliver it to Madison Six himself, Betty's gives it to him straight: "I can't hit your boss, but I can hit you and everybody knows I'm from Queens so I will do it." Go 'head girl!

FINALLY....Grey's Anatomy is back to being the wonderful show it was in previous seasons. There was the precise balance of hospital drama and character drama to propel the story last night. McSteamy is hot (and coming from me, that says a lot). Alex is definitely going to regret linking up with Sloan, as Addison wisely told him, "You'll miss me." There were so many surprising moments last night. How about Miss Callie propositioning McSteamy. Mark: "Can I buy you a drink?" Callie: "Only if you have it delivered to my hotel room." Pause. Callie: "You comin'?" Alright now! Callie was wise enough to while she should be #1 in his life, George would always choose Izzie or Meredith over her.

So, what would you do with $8.7 million? I know what I would do (St. Barth's here I come!), but we'll have to wait and see what Izzie will do with the money Denny left her. I sensed some financial reward was coming, since his dad was so interested to know if she had already paid off her student loan debt. I wonder if he would have given her the money if she hadn't. I have a feeling Izzie is going to donate it to the hospital to create a cardiac wing in Denny's name. Have we forgotten that Izzie is a mother? I'm anxious to see if she's going to look for the daughter she gave up for adoption. Who knew that morphine could be a truth serum? At least in her drug-induced state, Meredith got over herself and just said what was on her mind. How sweet when she told Bailey, "You're pretty."

Chandra Wilson is amazing - robbed, I tell ya of that Emmy - and I loved her speech to Addison that "No man defines who you are." Who else was shocked that Meredith and McVet hadn't had sex yet? McVet was the perfect, good guy, but come on ladies, we never want the good guys. We want to troubled, conflicted, messed up men with issues. Derek took the easy road out to "walk away" from Meredith, but that will only make her more determined to get him. We always want what we can't have. So, McSteamy is now a cast regular, sure to shake things up at Seattle Grace. Despite the chemistry between him and Addison, I really want Alex and Addison to hook up. There seems to be some sexual tension there I hope the writers will be exploring further this season.

Burke is finished. Given the behind-the-scenes drama (see below), do you think they'll kick him off the show? It seems like it could be setting up that way. He can't perform surgery and as much as Christina may want him to, she can't be there to "hold the vessel" every time. I admired him for wanting to keep it from her, but at the same time, he has to be honest with himself and his capabilities. But if Burke can't perform surgery, what else is he going to do around the hospital? I hope Isaiah's fight with Patrick won't get him tossed, but I won't be surprised to see him go.

I finally figured out what was bugging me about Six Degrees. It's like a badly acted, poorly written soap opera. It's like when Days of Our Lives was going through their rough patch a few years back. So, Whitney finally figured out that her fiance is a slimeball. I'm glad that Laura didn't spill the beans. She tried to warn her without being specific. In those situations, the person wronged has to find out on her own, or else they won't believe it. As New Yorkers, are we so starved for friendship that we consider someone we just met briefly our new BFF? Whitney barely even knows Laura, but she says that she would be so distraught if Laura wasn't at her wedding. When did Carlos and Damian meet again? I don't even remember. Must not have been memorable, but now, they're hanging out at the karaoke bar. This show had so much potential to be better than it is, so it's disappointing that the acting and writing are lacking. Since the networks seem to be so trigger-happy this season, I predict that Six Degrees will be next on the chopping block.

It's getting there...

Lost was well...Lost. I don't know about you, but I don't watch TV to read. It felt like 95% of last night's episode was narrated by subtitles. They definitely lost me there, because I didn't care enough to sit there and read them all to figure out what was going on. A few subtitles here and there are fine, but for entire lengths of the episode...dead! I guess the major plot point from last night is that "The Others" have contact with the outside world. So Jack isn't the only one who had trouble believing that the Boston Red Sox were capable of winning the World Series. And then Benjamin reveals that he has lived on the island his entire life - I don't believe that just yet.

The pacing on The Nine was much better last night and I'm starting to get into it. Why does Felicia keep visiting Lucas in jail? Is she suffering from Stockholm syndrome? Not much was revealed about what happened inside the bank. They need to do better about clueing us in more and more in each episode to hold our interest. I knew Randall wouldn't last long alive in the hospital, though instead of the frazzled Lizzie doing the deed, it was the seemingly calm and unaffected Jeremy who literally pulled the plug. The fall-out from that will be interesting. Also of note: Franny was carrying drugs on her at the time of the robbery. I wonder why?

Drama on the Grey's Anatomy set

I'm too shocked to even comment, but here's the report from the New York Daily News Rush & Malloy gossip column. Shonda, please, say it ain't so...

They almost needed some real doctors on the set of Grey's Anatomy this week, according to sources who say stars Isaiah Washington and Patrick Dempsey got into a violent brawl. Our spy at the production corroborated a National Enquirer report that a long-simmering feud boiled over on Monday when Washington (Dr. Preston) attacked Dempsey (Dr. Shepherd). The donnybrook is said to have erupted at L.A.'s Prospect Studios when Washington, 43, and Dempsey, 40, started arguing over cast members being late for a scene.

According to The Enquirer's source, the unscripted drama played out like this: "What are we waiting on?" said Isaiah. "Not me," said Patrick. "I'm always ready." "At that point," said the source, "Isaiah said something mean to T.R. Knight (who plays mild-mannered Dr. George O'Malley). "That's when Patrick told Isaiah, 'Pick on somebody your own size.' "Well, that did it. Isaiah became enraged and grabbed Patrick by the throat and shoved him back a few feet. "Dr. McDreamy [Dempsey's nickname] almost landed in McDreamland."

When Knight demanded that the pair break it up, the source says, "Isaiah called him a bitch. Isaiah stormed off to his trailer to cool off, while Patrick and T.R. stood there in disbelief. "The director and producers got involved, and a meeting was organized with the network execs." Washington came back to the set, and the actors finished their scene, but feelings are still said to be raw, with neither actor offering an apology. "Isaiah is a theater-trained actor who can't stand the whole McDreamy magazine-cover-boy furor over Patrick," says the source.

Our source denied Washington choked Dempsey, but confirmed, "Isaiah said some disgusting things. He was in Patrick's face. I think Isaiah has issues. There's an underlying jealousy. But it's not Patrick's fault. They've put a lot of pressure on him by making him the face of the show. Patrick never asked for it, but he promotes the show whole-heartedly."

Enquirer editor David Perel told us "the sourcing on this story is rock-solid." Dempsey's spokeswoman said, "There was an argument on set. In any close-knit family, sometimes people argue. But everybody made up and went back to work." Our calls to an ABC spokesman and publicist for Washington weren't returned.

Let's be glad there weren't any scalpels lying around.

My bad...

TVnista apologies for not updating the blog recently. I've been away, with no access to email or the Internet, and limited TV viewing abilities. But we're back in business and will resume TV commentary ASAP. I missed a couple of shows, including my favorite, The Wire, so if anyone has the scoop on what happened, please let me know. I also missed the Black Block on CW, but I did hear that all those shows will be moving to Monday night, effective immediately. Can anyone fill me in on what happened on Girlfriends and The Game?

Hump Day

I'll be somewhat brief in my rundowns of last night's TV programming.

America's Next Top Model: Thanks goodness Monique is gone. She is a despicable person. She wasn't even that sick (great editing to show Danielle, the winner from last cycle, who was in a hospital bed, hooked up to an IV, yet still able to climb on top of an elephant for her photo shoot). I think Monique was looking for sympathy to detract from her poor performance in the previous challenges. Jaeda impresses me more and more each week - she's actually shown some improvement. I'm rooting for her to win!

Though I didn't watch Dancing with the Stars, I heard that Vivica got the boot. Too bad, since there are definitely worse dancers on that show - Jerry Springer, anyone. But it seems that Viv got a bit cocky and too sure of her "solid" fan base. That's a turnoff, so I'm not surprised she didn't get the votes.

Lost was back to doing what it always does...making me confused and feel, well...lost. This show always raises 20 questions for every one question it only partially answers. The opening scene in the suburban subdivision make me double and triple check to make sure I had the TV on the right station and wasn't watching NBC instead. It was such a dramatic switch from the beach and jungle backdrop we've come to associate with the show. It was shocking to see the plane crash from the perspective of the Others. Had they been expecting that to happen, because "Ben" was all to eager and ready with instructions to dispense infiltrators to pose as plane crash victims. It's almost as if he was plotting and waiting for the plane to come down. Juliet is an enigma - she's an Other for sure, but is she good or bad, or with the Others, is there no good or bad, only bad? I was LOL when Ben locked the door on her when Jack opened the floodgates. Juliet and Ben don't seem to get along, and I'm wondering what happened to cause the rift. I don't know how I feel about Kate and Sawyer - I guess opposites do attract because they're an unlikely pair. I know Kate would prefer to be with Jack, but he's emotionally unavailable. Sigh...why is it always the cute ones? I can't wait to see what the other "planies" have been up to and how they're dealing with the kidnapping of Jack, Kate and Sawyer.

I hope Spike Lee got a check since The Nine is a blatant rip-off of Inside Man. The similarities are too clear-cut to ignore. I need to watch this pilot episode again because I felt like I was falling behind at every turn. As far as what happened inside that bank, I can't wrap my head around it yet. Though I'm sure it must have been horrible. What would make Franny turn into a slut? Why is Lizzie all of a sudden unsure about telling her boyfriend that she's pregnant? Why was Felicia visiting one of the bank robbers in jail? The 60 second introductions of the characters before they head to the bank were too brief to establish more than a name and occupation. You can tell that they've changed from when they entered the bank, but since I didn't really know them before, I don't know to what extent they've changed. I would have liked more setup, seeing more of the characters in action in the hours leading up to going to the bank, as well as watching the robbers plan their heist. I can already tell that if you miss even one episode, you'll be so out of the loop. I'm going to make an effort, because I'm definitely intrigued about what happened during those 52 hours inside the bank.

I didn't watch the reunion episode of Project Runway. I saw bits and pieces of Kidnapped. I can't believe the parents were having a party while their son is still missing, but finally we saw some emotion from Ellie. Was that the first time she cried since Leo went missing?

Tuesday Night Football

Is it me, or would it make more sense for Friday Night Lights to air...on Friday night? Regardless of where it falls on the schedule, this show is must-see-TV. The pilot was deeply intense and immediately draws you into the frenzy of the small Texas town obsessed with football. I'm sure that folks watching who don't even like football will be pulling up to the front of the TV on Sunday. Though I've never read the book or seen the movie (which I will definitely do now), the cinematic quality of Friday Night Lights was a refreshing change. At times I felt like I was watching a documentary, particularly during the flashes of the town we see from the moving car. This gritty, slice-of-life drama is not polished. For the first time in perhaps ever, I felt like I was watching a show about real Americans, not prefabricated Hollywood prototypes. The climatic football game was the most emotional football game I've ever seen, and as a football fan already, will forever change the way I look at the game. Stripped of the glitz of divafied National Anthems and breast-baring halftime shows, and at a time when overpaid, mediocre professional players intentionally stomp on the face of their opponents (shame on you Albert Haynesworth!) Friday Night Lights depicts the pure essence of the game of football. As the little pee-wee player asked the star QB Jason Street, "Do you think God loves football?" Kid, I sure hope so. There's a lot to love about Friday Night Lights.

I have a confession. While I'm a huge fan of the Law & Order franchise, Criminal Intent has always been my least favorite. I've never been able to sit though an entire episode because the weird machinations of lead detective Goren, played by Vincent D'Onofrio, have always been a turn-off. I don't know what it was about last night's episode, perhaps the blatant rip-off of Christie Brinkley's personal crisis (and how perfect to get another has-been model to play her character, go-head Brooke Shields with your bad self!), but I was glued to the TV from start to finish. I'll try again next week to see if it'll continue to hold my interest. Plus, I can't wait to see Theresa Randle, one of the finest, yet poorly misused Black actresses in Hollywood.

Nip/Tuck strikes again. Didn't I tell you last week that the kidney stealing incident would come back to haunt us? Now, who thinks Michelle personally orchestrated the removal of Liz's kidney as payback for her blabbermouth? I guess that in addition to her good looks, Michelle's med school training is another valuable asset to James. I wonder if Christian is really in love, in love with Michelle, or once again, his savior complex is coming out to save her from her old husband and disgruntled pimp. I'd have to be damn near head over heels before I even considered spending money on my significant other's behalf, let along dropping $500,000. Rosie O'Donnell's Dawn Budge was a convenient way for Christian to get the money. She had some of the funniest lines in Nip/Tuck history, particularly when she was having sex with Christian: "Your ass is really brown-what is that, Mystic spray-on tan? Are you all the way in? I am so worried about Britney and K-Fed-he's just like [her husband] Dwight-overwhelmed by the sudden glamour and wealth." And then Christian chimes in that he'll charge her extra if she doesn't shut up. Even though I'm not a fan of Rosie O'Donnell (I have yet been able to bring myself to watch The View), I hope her character comes back (and I'm sure she will). Tom Cruise...oh, I mean Kimber, isn't as fun as she used to be. Bring the old Kimber back, because the old Kimber would have definitely put a hurtin' on little Matt in the sauna - and obviously, Matt wanted to her to do so as well. Matt's Porsche, and Julia's ring, were so fly. The excessiveness of last night's episode was both enjoyable and somewhat disheartening for those of us with less funds to toss around. I LOL when Julia questioned Sean on his phone-sex addiction, a $500 addiction at that. Good thing he was able to whip out that ring to save the day. Overall, this episode was tighter and more focused than the previous ones this season. If there was an Emmy for best previews, the winner hands-down would be Nip/Tuck. The scenes for next week's episode are sometimes even better than the entire episode you just watched, leaving you totally breathless and asking yourself, is it next Tuesday yet?

"Get ta steppin!"

Remember that catchphrase, made famous by the ridiculously rude Martin Payne on the 1990's hit FOX comedy, Martin. What about Pam aka "Beady Bead" or ghetto fabulous Sheneneh Jenkins? Well, get ready to relive those classic moments we still chuckle over with the DVD release of the first season of Martin on January 2, 2007. And while they're at it, can we can some DVD's of Living Single and New York Undercover? Thanks!

The ratings are in...

Here's how the "Black Block" performed last night: Girlfriends (2.7 million), The Game (2.6 million), Everybody Hates Chris (2.4 million) and All of Us (2.27 million). Wow...I'm really impressed. The Game pulled more viewers than Everybody Hates Chris!

Despite a lack of promotion, Girlfriends was the CW winner last night. Here's an interesting article from The Los Angeles Times in which Girlfriends/The Game executive producter Mara Brock Akil comments on the lack of advertising support from CW, as well as what happened to Toni on Girlfriends:

'Girlfriends' feels left out of the clique
The long-running show has a new time slot and a new network. But its creator wishes the CW would tout it more.
By Greg Braxton
Times Staff Writer
September 30, 2006

When it comes to on- and off-screen drama, it's hard to beat the comedy "Girlfriends."

As "Girlfriends" launches its seventh season at 8 p.m. on Sunday, its creator is biting the hand that programs the show — the new CW network — saying she's not feeling the love. The network denies the charge, saying it has much love. One of its core stars dropped out unexpectedly at the end of last season and has turned down pleas to make a farewell appearance. And the first episode of the season begins not with a joke but with one of the girlfriends jogging through the ruin and recovery of Hurricane Katrina-torn New Orleans.

The furor helps mark a milestone season for "Girlfriends," whose producers include Kelsey Grammer. The comedy is one of the longest-running series featuring a predominantly black cast since "The Cosby Show," surpassing the runs of ABC's "My Wife and Kids," Fox's "The Bernie Mac Show," and even NBC's "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." "Girlfriends" is also the most veteran UPN series to survive the WB and UPN merger that led to the CW.

Moving from the 9 p.m. Monday time slot it previously occupied, "Girlfriends" is the anchor of the CW's Sunday lineup of African American shows that includes "Everybody Hates Chris" and "All of Us," while also serving as the springboard lead-in for its spinoff, "The Game," which premieres Sunday.

On the eve of the new era, Mara Brock Akil, the key creative force behind "Girlfriends" and "The Game," calls this season "an exciting challenge."

But she is troubled that "Girlfriends" was not included in the CW's "Free to Be …" billboard and bus-placard campaign hyping its programming. The push focused on "America's Next Top Model," "Gilmore Girls" and "Veronica Mars," while also giving a boost to "Smallville," "Everybody Hates Chris" and "Supernatural," which have not been on the air as long as "Girlfriends."

Akil said she was concerned when she first heard that the show "was moving from the Monday night slot where we've worked so hard to build an audience…. I know [CW Entertainment President Dawn Ostroff's] financial purse is tight, but to move us without a billboard around town when we're going into our seventh season doesn't make me happy. Will our fans know we're on, or when?"

She said that "Girlfriends" "has never had a billboard, even though more times than not we've been the No. 1 show in black households." She continued: "That's not right. If I meet this challenge, even though our numbers may be small, I will consider them double what they are, because we would have done it without marketing support. I know it's the reality of the business, but I don't like it."

Responding to Akil's comments, a network spokesman said, "When you're launching a new network, there are countless marketing priorities, including an overall branding campaign, which featured every show on the CW. 'Girlfriends' is one of those shows, and we are very proud that it's anchoring our new Sunday night as the most-watched program on television by African Americans since it premiered in 2000."

And in an interview earlier this week, Ostroff called the series an integral part of the CW's strategy to attract female viewers. "When 'Girlfriends' was on UPN, it was still going strong," she said. "It's very important for us — it helps to bring in women. The show is so smart, and shows women in a realistic vein."

Making the transition even tougher for Akil is the unexpected departure of one of the series' main cast members, Jill Marie Jones, which caught Akil and the rest of the cast off-guard.

Jones' character, real estate agent Toni, was embroiled in several heavy-duty story arcs last season, which included a bitter divorce and custody battle, and a falling out with her best friend, restaurant owner Joan (Tracee Ellis Ross).

The departure of Jones and her refusal to make a farewell appearance still has Akil shaken. She said: "I would love for her to come back, but Jill doesn't want to return. I don't know 100% why she made this decision. She didn't tell me. All she said when we talked was that she felt it was time for her to move on. The door is not closed. We've asked her to come back and have offered different ways for her to return. But I completely wish her well. There's no drama involved."

Jones declined to comment. "There really is nothing to say," said the actress' publicist, Nicole Nassar.

"Girlfriends" will now deal with Toni's loss through Joan's struggles, said Akil. "We're going to show what it's like to lose a best friend and not have that last conversation to say goodbye."

That loss will be linked thematically to Joan's visit to New Orleans, where she went after her falling out with Toni and her other friends. The season opens with Joan jogging from the French Quarter to the 9th Ward, and was filmed guerrilla-style with a local crew.

Ross said: "The scene really opens the devastation that has been in Joan's life. We've always straddled the line between comedy and drama, and showing real life is what keeps our show fresh."

Akil said she knew it was risky to start the new beginning of "Girlfriends" with the sequence: "It's a little out of character with the show — it's not the conventional thing to do, especially when the story is not about New Orleans. This was our way to reach outside the box, and pay tribute to New Orleans at the same time. It's our way of saying we don't want people to forget what happened there. We can't delve into it like an hour drama. But I'm proud of the way we did it."

New show for Nick Cannon

MTV has given a green light to Short Circuitz, a new sketch-comedy series from Nick Cannon, set to debut in early 2007. Hmm...is that all he can do now, sketch-comedy?

Sunday Night Rundown

Last night was the season premiere of what I affectionately call the “Black Block” of sitcoms airing on the new CW Network.

Everybody Hates Chris was solid, though I fear that the show may be getting a bit too big for its britches. The main nuclear family is being marginalized in favor of a host of new characters, including new neighbor, Lousie, played by Whoopi Goldberg. We hardly saw Julius and little sis Tanya was also barely in the episode. Even Chris’ boss at the corner store had more lines and on-air presence that his dad. And, while girls are a big deal for boys at Chris’ age, it’s getting old. Last season he was chasing girls, and he’s still hung up on them again this season. I suppose that juxtaposed with the similarly aged boys on The Wire (more on that below), Chris’ problems with the ladies seems so minor and insignificant. I’d just like to see some growth in his personal development and dealing with some issues other than girls standing him up for movie dates to see Footloose.

All of Us was boring. It had never been one of my favorite shows on the old UPN – and I would have preferred that the CW picked up Half & Half instead. But, I was willing to hang in there because I like LisaRaye and Duane Martin, just not together. I don’t even see any chemistry between them to understand why they were married in the first place. Bobby is annoying and he still seems to be the same age as when the show started. Whereas we’ve noticed some physical transformation on Everybody Hates Chris, Bobby seems stuck in a time warp. Finding his first pubic hair seems like a relic from The Cosby Show – remember the hilarious episode when Rudy got her first period – but this coming-of-age fell flat. Why don’t Neesy and Robert just hurry up, jump in the sack, and get back together already? The one bright spot on the show used to be Dirk, played by Chris Rock’s funny younger brother Tony Rock. But, with the cancellation of One on One, it’s like the producers are incorporating that show into All of Us. Now, Dirk has a smart-mouthed teenaged daughter who’s blocking his love life. Sound familiar?

I had been eagerly anticipating and dreading the season premiere of Girlfriends. Without Toni, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen to the cast of characters I’ve grown to love over the years. It’s unfortunate that Jill Marie Jones refused to return to wrap up her story line, but the show must go on. I appreciate the fact that rather than pretend that Toni never existed, the rest of the girls are dealing with her absence. I was confused, however, by the final scene when Maya and Lynn left for Toni’s going-away tea and Joan stripped down to her party dress. Had she been planning to crash the party? It was a sentimental touch for Joan to journey to New Orleans to help with the Hurricane Katrina recovery, but it was too obvious in trying to liken her crumbling life and relationships with the destruction of the beloved city. But, I didn’t like the “It Girl” character Joan turned into last season, so perhaps she’s coming back and finding herself again. What’s up with the guy waiting until the last day to make his move, though? If he’d been working on the roof, where he says you can see everything, why’d it take him so long to approach Joan? Given her bad luck with men last year, I’d like to see Joan take a break from the men and refocus on herself. I can tell that Maya will be moving to the forefront this season and I hope she gets good material to work with. I hear that there may or may not be a baby in her future. Lynn, on the other hand, needs to get some brand-new material. Her mooching off of everyone is tired and stale. Lynn should be moving to NYC to launch her music career, but her character is definitely stuck in a rut. I don’t think William and Monica’s engagement will last very long. And I pray that Joan doesn’t get jealous and realize she wants William back. In my opinion, that was the worst moment in Girlfriend’s history, putting those two together. This could very possibly be the last season of Girlfriends, so we should enjoy it while it lasts (or be forced to watch the ubiquitous repeats on BET).

Finally, the highlight of my Fall 2006 TV season…The Game. I have to say that I liked what I saw very much. I’ve been a fan of Tia Mowry (and her twin sister Tamera) for a very long time, so I’m happy to see her working with adult material. The Game is realistic and unrealistic in many ways. I’ll start with the realism. I’m glad Melanie is not trying to pretend that she’s not jealous of Dionne. It takes a strong woman to admit her insecurities, and I don’t see that as a sign of weakness on her part. I think Derwin appreciates her honesty. The conversation between Melanie and Kelly was a bit too real actually. We all talk with our friends about our men and how diligent we have to be to keep tabs on them (i.e. snooping) but like Melanie asked, what would you do if you found something, like evidence of cheating. Kelly responded with a very real answer, “I don’t know.” I’ve never dated a professional athlete, but from the women I know who do, there were a lot of unbelievable aspects to last night’s show. For example, there is no way in hell Dionne would be able to walk up and through the locker room to talk to Derwin. No visitors allowed! Also, wives and girlfriends are not allowed on the hotel floor, let alone in the rooms, of the players during a road game. Plus, as much of a bad wrap athletes get for their philandering, most players have to adhere to such a strict schedule when on the road, it leaves very little time, space, or opportunity for any extracurricular activities. But, I know that this would take away from the dramatics and comedy of the show, so I’m willing to suspend reality. Kelly running through the hall in her cheerleading uniform was LOL funny. There’s a lot of potential here. I can’t wait for Melanie and Dionne to have a face-to-face confrontation. Will Tasha really support her son’s dream of becoming a rapper? While Derwin seems so supportive of Melanie now pursuing her own career, will he have any issues when she won’t have time to run behind him anymore? Is Melanie going to make any friends beyond the circle of Sunbeams and how will they deal with her dating an athlete? I’d love to see Melanie’s parents come by for a visit – I wonder if Jackee Harry and Tim Reid could guest-star as her parents? I have high hopes for The Game, I just hope the audience and ratings are there to keep it going.

Desperate Housewives was definitely back on track last night. It was an entertaining hour well spent. My only question is, what’s going to happen to the Black baby the Chinese surrogate delivered? Since Gabby was pretty much non-existent in last week’s episode, I was happy to see more of her this time around. Her antics at the wedding were priceless, and always seem to backfire. After giving the gay waiter $100 to pretend to hit on her, she goes postal in the middle of the reception with Doug’s baby mama hits on Carlos. Susan has turned a new leaf in my book – I actually like her. She cracked me up trying to pretend to be a “brain specialist.” Of course, that couldn’t be further from the truth, but she carried it with panache. Lynnette’s attempt to hook up her husband’s baby mama with a man to distract her was so on point. Bree definitely has her hands full with Orson. I think that he not only killed his wife, but perhaps other women as well. The nosy bank-teller/ex-neighbor better watch out because she could be next. So, I’m assuming that Julie and Austin are going to hook up at some point – that could only mean more fights between Susan and Edie. I can’t wait!

Last night’s episode of The Wire was very eye-opening. The schools system requires that students attend only one day every month of guarantee full-funding. I agree with Cutty: “Naw, man. School is school.” Watching Michael take of his younger brother literally brought back home what the problem is. We shouldn’t blame the police and the schools for doing too much damage in our communities, when the parents are the ones who should be held responsible. While to Snoop and Chris, Michael’s family looks like “The Cosby Show,” little do they know what’s going on inside those walls. Also, I wonder if the debt Michael was working to pay off had anything to do with this parents obvious drug habit. I question why Michael quickly jumped out of Cutty’s car –and I don’t think it’s because he was ashamed for Cutty to see where he lives. I hope he maybe turns to Cutty as an ally to help him. As much as I like Marlo, I need subtitles when he talks. I had to keep turning up the volume during his scenes. Does he mumble on purpose or is it because of the scar on his face? Kima’s hazing was cute, especially calling the zoo to ask to speak to a Mr. Lion, and provided a bit of humor on this otherwise heavy-hearted show. I too was calling out for “Jimmy!” like Bunk. I want to see more McNulty and learn more about this change of heart. Freamon is getting closer to figuring out what’s happening to Marlo’s bodies. My heart hurt when Sydnor and Massey shut down the wire. It felt like a beloved character died since “the wire” has always been such an integral part of the show (heck, it’s the title of the show). The most fascinating scenes are with Snoop and Chris. When Snoop asks what the rent-a-cop from the grocery store did to cause his impending death at their hands, Chris replies: “Talked back.” Then, in another funny moment, when Bodie agrees to join Marlo’s team, Chris starts asking about Michael. "Why you asking?" Bodie inquires. "Never mind why," says Chris. "Why ain't in your repetoire no more." I’m slightly confused about this whole witness protection case, as well as Prop Joe’s insistence that Marlo stop being an independent market, but you always have to file away these bits and pieces of information because you know they’ll come in hand later. The Wire is a masterpiece that slowly unveils itself, keeping you on the edge of your seat anxiously waiting for another corner or snippet to be revealed. It’s certainly got me hooked.