A Desperate Housewife Gets Engaged

Congratulations are in order for Eva Longoria, the sassy star of Desperate Housewives, and her San Antiono Spur, Tony Parker. They're getting married! Longoria's publicist confirmed to PEOPLE that Parker popped the question yesterday after he flew to LA to surprise his boo after his game. Longoria told Ryan Seacrest that his proposal was "perfect, personal and sweet." PEOPLE reports that the couple plans to wed in France next summer in what they describe as a "big, happy ceremony with lots of family and friends."

Ummm...let's place bets, shall we. Who thinks this marriage will last days? weeks? months? or for those romantics out there, years? I don't think they'll even make it to that altar in France next summer, but hey, I'm a cynic. Isn't this the same couple that had a big break-up back in September and then Eva flew to Paris to kiss-and-make-up? And since then, hasn't she's been linked to everyone from George Clooney to Lance Armstrong (spotted just last week arm in arm). Oh well...good luck to them! Oh...and Eva is 31 and Parker is 24. You do the math. And for those keeping track, this would be her second marriage.

Ratings Woes for the CW

The CW Network is not doing well, particularly on Monday's Black Block. I hope that the CW doesn't decide to drop the lineup because no one is watching. What they need to do is promote the heck out of these shows the same way they do others, like Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, One Tree Hill and America's Next Top Model. If Everybody Hates Chris, All of Us, Girlfriends and The Game were gone, African-Americans would cease to exist on network TV, and that's a crying shame. At least if we can't be on the major networks, we still need a presence somewhere. I want to see some bus banners, billboards and more support given to our shows.

And speaking of America's Next Top Model...does anyone else think that this show is on it's last legs? Thank goodness the season finale is next week, because I'm not sure how much more I could take. It feels very stale and perhaps, Tyra needs to take a break for a while to regroup. The challenges aren't particularly interesting anymore and the girls are simply uninspired and boring. Either revamp the show's format and cast more interesting contestants, or leave it alone.

More on reality TV...I tried to watch The Real World: Denver. I was disappointed, once again. The two Black guys leave much to be desired. One is a ranting anti-gay Christian (yet has no problem droppin' it like it's hot at the club) and the other is a W.W.L. (you figure it out). I'm too through.

Breaking News

Nia Long is set to guest-star on the last three episodes of Boston Legal, according to a report on TVGuide.com, making a return to the small screen after starring on NBC's Third Watch back in 2003. She will play a micromanaging associate from the New York office of Crane, Poole & Schmidt who arrives in Boston to solicit help from Alan (James Spade). I used to watch Boston Legal back when it was called The Practice. Remember Steve Harris, the bald-headed dude? I don't know a thing about Boston Legal now except for the buffoonery I see in the commercials with William Shatner, but I will have to tune in to check out Ms. Long and scrutinize her hairstyle (do you think she'll be rocking it long as she has been recently or go back to the short cut?) and her wardrobe, which is sure to be fierce.

In other news, NBC announced today that starting January 10, 2007, Friday Night Lights will air on Wednesday nights at 8pm. Works for me, especially since America's Next Top Model will be a wrap by then. No other major changes made to TVnista's shows...Studio 60 is staying put on Mondays at 10pm.

Do you know Marlowe?

Last night had to be one of the funniest episodes of Nip/Tuck. Here are my favorite moments:

1. Sean "enhancing" a patient's G-spot while drunk. Christian passed on the procedure because of his new situation with Michelle, and told Sean to consider it an early Christmas present.

2. There is nothing funnier in life than a drunk Santa and Sean was the best one I've ever seen. When he asked the chubby little girl if she wanted diabetes for Christmas because she told him she wanted a chocolate covered gingerbread-house, or somesuch, I was LMAO.

3. I guess Sean thinks all "little people" know each other (the same way all Black people know each other, right?!?) when he asked a "little person" woman dressed as a Christmas elf: "Do you know Marlowe?" Uh oh. Then, her answer: "Which elf is he?" Sean: "He was my wife's elf. I thought maybe you all knew each other." Goodnight!

4. I had wondered if Michelle know that Christian's "son" was Black, but I guess he didn't, because the look on her face when she saw that precious little boy was telling. I guess since the kid looks like he could be a product of her relationship with Christian, she was suddenly all for it. Kudos to the twins playing Wilbur. Usually when you introduce a toddler on a TV show it's a mess. The child is staring into space, not engaged in the performance and is looking every which way (usually at mommy standing behind the camera man). This little guy was smiling, giving kisses, hanging ornaments, the whole nine.

5. James and her "little elf" Michelle, carrying a dead man's chopped up body out of the office, disguised as Christmas presents for patients at the Children's Hospital. At first, I thought James was kinda cool, but now, she's annoying and I want her to go fall off a cliff somewhere. And she better keep her hands off my Wilbur. In the preview for next week, she's heard calling to find out the street value for a child's kidneys. If Michelle doesn't swoop down on that, then I'll have to. Or better yet, Gina, Wilbur's mother. I can't wait to see her back next week. And you know what her first line will be to Christian: "Hey a--hole."

About last night...

How great was Studio 60 last night? Typically, by 10pm on any given night, my eyes are droopy, but I actually feel myself perk up in anticipation of watching this show - and that's no small feat for a Monday night. I love the seamless rhythm of the flashbacks to the present; Harriet didn't get on my nerves last night with her religion mumbo-jumbo and it was quite funny that she, of all people, doesn't know how to tell a joke; I heart Jordan and Danny, which begs me to ask the question, who's her baby daddy?

I have nothing but good things to say about both Girlfriends and The Game. I laughed and was thoroughly entertained by both shows last night. The banter between Lynn and Big Boi was cute - though I have to agree - her music that was playing in the background didn't sound all that great, but hey, at least she's trying. Maya and Darnell are doing a good job of showing what a married couple looks like. Even though Darnell is whatever-many-miles-away, Maya still called him when her car broke down and yes, it was still his fault. I know I would do the same thing. Love it! I even choked up a bit at the end when he poured his heart out to her and confessed that yes, he wants a baby, and no, he hates his job. Then cut to Maya having a breakdown at Joan's house because her man "ain't got no job, ya'll." She's a supportive, ride-or-die, wife, so she couldn't have let Darnell know she was worried about him quitting, but at least she had to "safe place" to vent. How funny that Joan and Maya's mom were competing on who could better soothe Maya and help her through her crisis. But Maya's aunty or whomever that woman was (I didn't catch her name) had me literally rolling off the bed. When she told Joan that she didn't want none of that fancy tea she was offering, but instead to get her some "Liptons" but to "dip it and quit it because I don't want it to mess with my yak." Hilarious!

The Game continues to impress. That stripper pole was a new character introduced last night - pretty much everyone interacted with it and took a whirl around the pole. I hope we see more of it again. When Kelly demonstrated her moves I was just as awestruck as Tasha and Melanie, and yes, I'll say it, I wanted to take a whirl myself! But when Jason hopped up on there I couldn't stop laughing and then here comes Kelly with the dollar bills. Then the look on Malik's face when he saw Melanie naked on the pole. Priceless! I really love this show! Melanie went above and beyond to try to make up with Derwin and I felt her pain when he didn't celebrate his first touchdown with her. Despite the bad feelings between them, she was so excited and even called to leave him a message. He showed up hours later after drinking with his boys (but he doesn't drink, yet Melanie gets toasty on the regular with the Sunbeams). She was right - all her sacrifices had been working toward getting him to that point - and it hurt when he didn't even celebrate the moment with her. I couldn't believe that Kelly considered Melanie "dead" since she would no longer be a Sunbeam if she and Derwin broke up, but I guess being attached to a pro athlete is like a private sorority. (Did anyone catch the cast on The Tyra Banks Show? I saw a repeat last week and Wendy Raquel Robinson mentioned that even among the women there is a hierarchy. When she dated a football player, she was lower on the totem pole than the wives since she was merely a girlfriend. Interesting.) I had been holding out hope that Jackee would play Melanie's mom for old time sake, but alas, another actress portrayed her mom. She had her funny moments, ("I put 911 on speed dial on her phone.") and the resemblance was striking. Overall, it was another great episode. I can't wait to see more.

Will and Jada keeps the laughs rolling

Are these the only African-Americans who can get a show greenlit on TV nowadays? They definitely have the juice. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Will and Jada Pinkett Smith have two new comedy projects in the works at two different TV networks. For the CW, home of their current series All of Us, the power couple is creating a show that would look at divorced mothers who reside in a large apartment complex. This reminds me a little of 227.

And over at ABC, the premise revolves around a conservative, upper-class African-American man and his liberal, lower-middle-class Jewish wife. Don't we have enough interracial couples on TV as it is? Dr. Burke on Grey's Anatomy is dating an Asian, Cristina Yang, for now, and over on Day Break Taye Diggs' character is dating a Latina(?). Where are the African-American couplings?

There may be hope. I saw a preview over the weekend for a new ABC Family series called Lincoln Heights - an African-American cop brings his suburban family back to live the tough inner-city neighborhood that he grew up in. It premieres Janaury 8 at 7pm. Check out this teaser:

The Nine is put on hold.

After a sluggish start and poor ratings, ABC announced that The Nine will go on hiatus effective immediately. This week's episode will be replaced by a special edition of 20/20. For more on this story, read this.

I can't say that I'm surprised. For one, ABC has been quick on the trigger this season to pull shows that just aren't working, and The Nine is definitely one of those shows. My recommendation would be to speed up the pace of each episode so that we learn more and more about the robbery and can begin to put together the pieces of what happened during those 52 hours inside the bank. They need to pull back from delving too deeply into the personal lives of the characters beyond their connections to the bank robbery. For example, last week's episode was dominated by Franny's confrontation of her long-lost mother and the sudden reappearance of Nick's ex-wife - two storylines that were completely unnecessary and added nothing to the storyline. But they did a better job of finally revealing the mystery of discord between soon-to-be-parents Jeremy and Lizzie. Perhaps there will be some changes made when, and if, the show returns. I hear that when Six Degrees returns from it's hiatus in January, the show will focus on just two: Whitney (Bridget Moynahan) and Steven (Campbell Scott). Great...the two least interesting characters on the show. Stay tuned....

Finding Your Voice

This was the theme of last night's episodes of Girlfriends and The Game. But, before we get to all of that, let me take a brief moment to talk about Studio 60.

Even thought I'm not blogging about it here, I am a faithful viewer of this show, which I still consider one of the most entertaining hours on TV right now. I'm so grateful to NBC for keeping it around for a full season. While last night's episode was good, I had some issues, namely Simon and Tom desperately trying to talk Harriet out of posing in lingerie for a magazine. Frankly, who cares? Those scenes were much too wordy with the dialogue and totally unnecessary. I'd have much rather the three of them actually be at the wrap party (rather than just talking about going there) as a way to contrast what was happening with Matt and Danny back at the studio. That's it. Other than that, it was all good. Can I tell you much I really, really like Danny and Jordan together? I'm keeping my fingers crossed for an office romance!

Now on to the Black shows. First up, Girlfriends. I'm finally feeling like this season is not lost after all. After last week, which was the best episode of the season so far, we followed up last night with another good one. As William observed to Lynn, she definitely "found her voice" by telling those "bossy heffers" - Joan and Maya - to mind their own business. Yes, it's obvious to everyone that Lynn is like a big rig truck meandering on the highway, full of product to deliver, but no destination in sight. She has a lot of potential to really succeed with her music, but she's just not motivated to get there just yet. And Joan and Maya yelling at her are certainly not going to help her get there any faster. Like she told them, "You need me to be the loser in this friendship so you can feel better about yourselves." There's some truth to that. Deep down, we all look at people not doing as well as us with some disdain, and a bit of superiority. As long as Lynn is "broken" that only serves to make Joan and Maya feel better about themselves, though we all know that their lives aren't perfect either. They'd rather focus on Lynn's shortcomings than turn an eye on their own issues. There's no single definition of success. I'm confident that Lynn is going to get it together soon.

Monica was really the star of the show last night. She put it all out there and showed such a great range. She allowed herself to look like a fool all in an effort to strengthen her relationship with her man. She's really shown a great deal of improvement from the old Monica just a few seasons ago. I've actually come to like her now - she's growing on me. I think that her and William are definitely meant for each other - they're both crazy in an offbeat and kooky way that complements one another. The Dirty Dancing rendition at the karaoke bar was one of the funniest and best acted moments in Girlfriend's history. I wish I had TiVo, so I could have rewound it and watched it over and over again.

Someone else found their voice last night - Melanie on The Game. But, before we get to all that, speak of the devil...Dionne's back! I had just asked about her in my recap last week and here she is, out of hiding, and all too happy to break the news to Derwin that she spotted Melanie having lunch at the taco stand with her rival, Trey. Oh Melanie...Melanie...Melanie. I was so angry at the beginning of the episode when Derwin was pissed at her for studying in the bed, but hey, I can be understanding about the light and the noise from the highlighter. But why did she have to put down her books to cuddle with him just so he could fall asleep? He was complaining about how tired he was and how much he needed to get to bed. Oh really! Well, if I recall, just a few episodes ago, Melanie was tired and really needed to get some sleep, and you refused to kick your friend Malik out the house. That's bogus. I hope she picked up her book and went into the living room to study after that, but I doubt it.

I love Trey...and he proved to be the perfect nemesis for Derwin. Well, for one, he seems really nice, confident and most important, appreciative of what Melanie has done for him. Have we ever even heard Derwin tell Melanie "thank you" for anything she's done for him? Derwin doesn't even realize how lucky he is to have Melanie. Trey's presence really opened her eyes to Derwin's inadequacies when she remarked, "Again, Melanie has to make all the sacrifices." Truer words have never been spoken on this show. Coming in a close second to Tasha and Kelly's showdown two weeks ago is the fight between Melanie and Derwin last night. So what if he fired Dionne? Sure, it was a gesture, but one he should have made months ago when Melanie told him that she didn't like her. Why now? Oh yeah, because another guy, with better credentials, is stepping to Melanie? I'm sure that no man wants to see his girlfriend out, having a good time with another guy, who may or may even not be interested in her. And I get it that you shouldn't really be fraternizing with your man's professional rivals. But still, Derwin made me angry. And then, at the end, when Melanie is pouring her heart out to him, and once again making a sacrifice by calling Dionne for help, he turns his back on her. Of course, we're supposed to feel like "poor Derwin." I'm not buying it. I'm anxious to see what happens next week. Do you think he'll still be mad or will they have made up? From my experience, most athletes are like that. Self-absorbent and selfish. It's usually the woman who makes the sacrifice. So in that respect, this show is right on the money. Maybe Derwin will tell her that he needs space and she has to get her own apartment! Sounds like someone might soon regret giving up Maryland and John's Hopkins for San Diego and the Sunbeams.

About last night....

I definitely picked the right time to join the Shark fan club. Did you see that beautiful, fine specimen of a man, Henry Simmons, on there last night? Whew...child! That made my day. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he'll return for more episodes and maybe get a little somethin' somethin' going with Raina. They'd make such a cute couple. My favorite scene from last night was when Madeline cornered Raina in the kitchen to ask if she was interested in Isaac. Of course, she denied it, and asked Madeline is she plans to sleep with everyone in the office by Christmas. Maddy's response: "Is that an offer?" Aside from starring at Henry Simmons, the storyline was interesting too. A Black prep school student from the other side of the freeway (Compton) gets run over outside the party of one of her rich White classmates. Could it be a love triangle gone sour? Nope...actually a lesbian affair gone south. Who saw that coming? I really felt the pain when Erica's mom (yes, Breanna Barksdale, Avon's sister, from The Wire) showed up at the murder scene and wailed after seeing her daughter's bloody dead body. This show is tight - I'm so glad I "found" it. Thanks to ABC and their failures in the 10pm timeslot.

Ugly Betty was pretty good last night. I like that Wilhelmina and Nico are forming some sort of mother-daughter relationship. When Willie called Martha Stewart, who instructed her to stick her hands inside where, yes, inside the turkey, the look on Willie's face was LOL. What were Marc and Amanda doing playing dress up in the fashion closet? I didn't get it really, but it was fun just the same. Marc and Justin have the funniest, most catty comments on this show. It's worth watching just for those two. Marc's line of the night, when Amanda worried that they would get caught by a security camera: "Trust me, if she had hidden cameras in here, I'd have been fired a long time ago." I'm sure Daniel will bail out Betty with her family's legal woes, though I'm sad that Debi Mazar had to be a shiesty runaway lawyer - I was looking forward to her as an addition to the Queens portion of the show. I think we're getting closer to the Faye mystery. My theory is that Faye has a twin. The real Faye was in the car accident and is recovering from her injuries in the hospital and it's her twin who appeared at the Meade family Thanksgiving dinner. Overall, it was a nicely themed holiday episode, not too sentimental and over the top. After all, as Daniel said, "Thanksgiving without family would be… Thursday."

The jig is almost up for Cristina and Burke on Grey's Anatomy and rightly so. It's so dangerous for a surgeon to perform on patients when he is actually physically unable. Burke should know better, but he's so blinded by Cristina, and everyone else's, high expecations and praise, he's going through with it. Last night's episode was a chance to learn a bit more about George and why he is the way he is by observing his family dynamics. IMO, he and his brothers look nothing alike. And where was Mom? I hope she shows up next week. If Shonda is as smart as I think she is she'll have George "coming out of the closet" before the end of the year. By the way, the teaser for next week looks awesome. ABC claims the show is too big to fit into just one hour, so in case of the 'itis after Thanksgiving dinner, set the TiVo for an extra half-hour. I was about to throw in the towel on this episode, until Bailey busted out with her "God Bless the Child" over the phone to her son at the end. I don't know about you...but I had tears in my eyes. Someone, anyone, please give this woman an Emmy! Thank you and goodnight.

Reality TV Recap

Since the end of Project Runway, I've been anti-reality TV. I stopped watching Dancing with the Stars a long time ago and in recent weeks, America's Next Top Model has been dry. But, given that last night was the season finale of DWS, I tuned in to see football great Emmitt Smith salsa one last time and capture the crown. I knew from the very first episode that he was going to win and I was happy to know that I was right.

As far as Top Model, I neglected to comment on Anchal's departure last week (it was last week, right?). Of course, the most stunningly beautiful contestant in the history of Top Model has to mess up and get kicked off. I saw bits and pieces of her final episode where she was anxious about her weight. It didn't look to me like she had gained any weight or was as fat as she was making herself out to be, but that just goes to show that even the most beautiful women have their insecurities. Last night, Jaeda's insecurities finally got the best of her. Tyra was right...Jaeda's had 9 lives on this show...and rarely did she make good use of them. It's obvious that she has an extreme fear of public speaking and being in front of the camera. She should have been conscious of it and been working toward getting over it. And no, it was no excuse that the male model she was paired with told her that he doesn't like Black women. In the fashion/entertainment world, sometimes who just have to grin and bear it. Jaeda was just flat out a really bad actress and her pictures weren't even that great. She deserved to go home. I think the final two will come down to the best of these two pairs: CariDee and Melrose (only one blonde will make it to the final two) and one of the twins, though Amanda definitely has the advantage over her sis, Michelle. The Spanish...oops...I mean Catalan commercial was wack...until I saw the English version air right after the end of the episode. When did they film that?

Sorry kids...I was so wrapped up into starring at Taye Diggs' bare chest on Day Break I forgot to flip the channel to MTV for the season finale of Laguna Beach, though I hear I didn't miss much. I'm sure I'll catch it over the weekend. Oh...and the BET Hip-Hop Awards were on last night as well. No comment!

Deja Vu

Deja vu is the hot topic for the end of 2006. First we had Beyonce's song of the same name, then the Democrats reclaimed Congress last week, next up we have a new Denzel Washington movie, also of the same name coming out on Wednesday, and now Day Break, which could easily be renamed "Deja Vu." I was on the fence about this show for two reasons:

1. Disappointment that Lost had to go on a three-month hiatus; and
2. I'm not a fan of Taye Diggs

After last night's two-hour series premiere, I'm still not completely sold, but I'm willing to keep watching. It was very action-packed and I really felt like I was watching a motion picture film instead of a TV show. Of all the new shows this season that follow the serialized drama format with some type of mystery or hook to lure us in, I'm talking specifically about Heroes and The Nine, Day Break is the only one that did pull my interest. Heroes is just way too sci-fi for my taste and The Nine moves at a snails pace. However, in just two hours last night, we've already seen four versions of the same day. Memo to the producers of The Nine: I'd like to see you top that. How dare you still be on Hour 1 of the bank robbery six episodes deep into the season. What a disgrace!

But I digress...back to Day Break. Taye Diggs is very good as an action star - I wonder why no one else ever thought of casting him in this type of role before. I guess his pretty boy looks and charm would seem better suited to the world of romantic-comedies (The Best Man), musicals (Rent) and courtroom dramas (Kevin Hill). But his body is definitely built for action, not just love scenes, and it's obvious that Mr. Diggs has been hitting the gym. If he takes his shirt off at least once in every episode, I'll be right there, glued to my TV, every Wednesday at 9pm, for sure!

From the commercials and hype leading up to this show, I couldn't figure out how plausible it would be for a man to relive the same day over and over. Would we see the exact same things happening over and over? How dry and boring would that be? Instead, we see varied incarnations of the day, and the theme is "for every decision there is a consequence." For example, in Day #1 Hopper saves a woman (Bahar Soomekh from Crash) from being hit by a bus. But since he doesn't go to the coffee shop in Day #2, he sees her being wheeled into the emergency injuries with massive injuries from...you guessed it...being hit by a bus. I don't know how Hopper is going to juggle all these balls: keep Rita, his girlfriend/ex-wife of his evil ex-partner, from being killed; protect his sister (the beautiful Meta Golding who played Warrick's wife on CSI) from her abusive husband; find a key federal witness to a gang case; avoid being arrested for murdering an assistant D.A., and find out who is framing him for the murder. Oh right...and figure out why the day keeps repeating.

There are a lot of surprises here that keep the show interesting. What's really fascinating is that while people who die in one day live in another, like Rita, Hopper is shot in one day and wakes up the next morning bleeding from the gunshot wound. I was really impressed with Hopper's partner Andrea, who is going through her own drama, but has enough faith in Hopper to risk her life to save his. Who are those people at the mine who inject the needle into Hopper neck? Is that drug a hallucinogenic that is causing the day to repeat only in his mind? If 11 weeks later, Taye Diggs wakes up and this has all been a dream, I will be highly upset!

There's much to like here on Day Break. As long as they avoid getting too gimmicky with the deja vu stuff, I'll definitely be watching.

Back to the Future

I have mixed feelings about last night's "back to the future" episode of Nip/Tuck. While it was interesting to see what happens to the characters 20 years later, the reality was actually very sad and disappointing:

*Conor's second hand was never fixed
* Sean and Julia divorced, and not only still hate each other, but they haven't even been in the same room in 15 years (sidenote: Who did Sean remarry? Julia asked about his wife and he told her that he doesn't want to talk about his private life. Hmmm...)
*Matt is a plastic surgeon, though there was no mention of Scientology, Kimber or the baby. Hmmm...again.
*Annie is screwed up and caught stealing painkillers from the hospital (funny moment: once again, Annie is a second thought in her family's drama so she announces: "I had an abortion last week." and true to form, no one cares.)
*Marlowe is still around as Conor's godfather (and has a son only a year younger than Conor who scored the winning shot in a college championship basketball game)
*Christian is still up to his old tricks

So much for happy endings. I kept hoping that Sean would wake up and that this whole sequence was simply a dream. And who was the shrink? I was waiting for the big reveal since his identity was so purposefully concealed, but it never happened.

Overall, the writing and direction felt a bit uneven. As far as the real time events, despite the coming onslaught of the category 5 Hurricane Lenore (hello: Hurricane Katrina!), the characters themselves showed no urgency, except for the poignant scene where Matt told Sean "I'll never leave you." Apparently Julia and Marlowe planned to run off to live in Florence. Thank goodness she came to her senses in time to realize that while she and Marlowe share a love for Conor, she is not in love with him. Sean showed a lot of heart to tell Marlowe that he was welcome to keep in touch and stay in Conor's life. That definitely worked out in Conor's favor 20 years later since his real family fell apart, at least he had someone to turn to.

It's somewhat of a big letdown to know what eventually happens to the characters on the show...like, why even keep watching since we know what happens? It's going to be difficult to create any concern for what's going on with them now since we already know what the future looks like.The writers left a few questions unanswered (who Sean marries, what happens to Kimber) but that's very trivial, secondary information). Watching Nip/Tuck last night for some reason brought memories of The Cosby Show to mind and how disappointed I was with their "reunion" special a few years after the series ended. I had wanted to see what the characters were doing 5, 10 or 20 years later, rather than watch interviews with the cast and a clip reel of funny moments. Now, I'm glad they didn't. It would have spoiled it for me. I'd rather use my imagination to figure out what happens, than have it dictated to me. I wish Nip/Tuck hadn't gone this route.

This just in...

Friday Night Lights was picked up for a full season. Yaay! And it may be moving to Sunday nights. Be sure to tune in tonight for the Homecoming episode at 8pm on NBC.


The only two TVnista shows left on the block without a confirmation of full season pickups are The Nine which should be a go, and Six Degrees, which I think is dead in the water. We'll find out by the week's end.



And in breaking couples news, Meredith Grey is getting married. No, not to McDreamy! Actress Ellen Pompeo got engaged over the weekend to her own McDreamy, record producer boyfriend, Chris Ivery. His weekend proposal was a birthday gift for Pompeo, who turned 37 on Friday. Good luck to them!

Girlfriends & The Game

Last night was definitely the best episode of Girlfriends so far this season. Even though Maya claims that she is still "young," she gave Joan some very wise advice about finding happiness within herself first before seeking out a mate. As women, we have to focus on our personal growth and emotional stability and know the man will come in due time. I was LOL when Joan rolled out her "wedding chest" of paraphernalia. Maya was so on target that she told Joan that she's wearing this "hope chest" around her neck and it affects how she dates and interacts with men, and that's why they run away scared. Though I would like for Joan to have her "Carrie/SATC" ending and settle down with a guy who really loves and cares about her, it's an important lesson for all women to learn. But, I have a feeling of deja vu - hasn't Joan been down this road before, taking a "break" from men to work on herself? I hope she sticks to it this time around. The last scene was very telling that Joan is dedicated to making a change. The old Joan would have leapt at the phone to pick up Darnell's call, but the new "just Joan" let it go to voicemail while she enjoyed her dinner. (And guys, please don't call the day of to make a date for that night - not a good look!). What's the big deal about Monica finding out that William was once (briefly) married to Lynn? And since when did he have a change of heart and decide that he actually does love Monica and wants to get married after all? I like how Monica's character has evolved. She's showing some vulnerability but she's still maintaining her hard edge.

Tasha should have kept the condo on The Game last night. She needs space away from Malik to live her own life and do her own thing. What if Malik didn't relent to her dating his coach? Would Tasha then have to keep sneaking around with Coach behind her son's back. Coach T is very patient. He must really care about Tasha because any other man would have dropped her with the quickness. He trying to move forward with their relationship, yet she keeps putting up roadblocks. We'll see how long the happy ending will last. I don't feel that Malik objects to his mom dating Coach because he personally doesn't like him, it's just that he's jealous of another man spending quality time with his mom. Even though I think Tasha should have kept the condo, it's obvious Malik needs a tight leash with the parties and groupies. From the drama of last week's episode, it seems like the guys are back being friends and the ladies are back to doing what they love to do - getting drunk. LMAO at Tasha's comment that "Chardonnay is white folks Kool-Aide." I've mentioned this several times already, but as hard as I try, I just don't like Melanie's relationship with Derwin. When he arrived at Malik's house for the party, his excuse for being late was that he had to drop Melanie off at the bus stop so she could get to class. They only have one car, and obviously, Derwin driving to Malik's house to hang out with the boys was a priority over his girl getting to class. What's up with that? I don't like how he continually puts himself ahead of her needs - remember when he refused to throw Malik out the house when Melanie asked him to because it was late and she had to get up early the next morning? I can't wait for her parents to swoop down on this situation. And I wonder when Joan will make a guest-appearance on the show since she's supposed to be Melanie's cousin? Oh...and where's the "image consultant" Dionne been hiding? We haven't seen her since the first episode. Stay tuned....

How U Doin'?

I've been remiss in discussing my favorite radio DJ's new VH1 show, eponymously titled, The Wendy Williams Experience. Honestly, I haven't been keeping up with it. 11:30pm on a Friday night? Two words...good night! I saw the first episode and I'll make an effort to watch it tonight. Hopefully VH1 will run a marathon so I can catch up on the couple of episode I've missed. Now, I love Wendy. I'm probably her #1 fan. We go waaaay back, even beyond Shot 97 to Kiss FM back in the early 90's, and we're both Jersey girls done good, but she doesn't translate that well onto the TV screen. Or maybe I'm just so used to listening, rather than seeing her? Are there any other Wendy fans out there? Heeeyyyy! Awwwright!

This just in...

The new issue of People magazine reports that Sanaa Lathan has signed on for 12 more episode of Nip/Tuck. So she'll be around for another season. That's great news. She's one of my favorite actresses and she's truly a gem on this show. I guess the producers needed a female character to replace the departing Joely Richardson (Julia). For more on that read this.

And be sure to tune in Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 10pm on FX for a new episode of Nip/Tuck where we will see what the characters are up to 20 years into the future. And I hear that Gina will return before the end of the season. Remember her? Christian's sexaholic former lover who gave birth to Wilbur, who Christian thought was his son until he was born half-Black? I hear that Wilbur's father dies and Christian steps in to try to regain custody. Stay tuned...

TVnista's found a new show!

Since there was no Six Degrees on last night, I flipped the dial to CBS and watched Shark for the first time. It stars James Woods as Sebastian Stark, a former high-powered defense attorney who now represents the people as an L.A. District Attorney. Plus, he drives a fly car - an Aston Martin, I think. Oh, and he's a single father, since we found out last night that he ex-wife cheated on him with another lawyer. Shark is like a "lighter" version of CSI - not as dark and a bit more fun! The theme song for last night's episode was "Shake Your Moneymaker" by Ludacris. Too funny! If there are any other fans of the show out there, can you tell me if they usually include popular music like that? I really like the pacing on Shark - very sharp and witty. It actually reminds me a bit of Cold Case, especially since last night's episode tied together a current murder with one that happened 15 years ago. It's less procedural than other crime drama out there, particularly Law & Order where you often get bogged down in the little details of warrants, etc. Here, we go from saying we need a warrant to searching the house in the very next scene, cutting out the middle stuff. I was actually so impressed by this show that I was inspired to actually grab a pen and paper and record a few of my favorite lines:

1. Stark: "I'll ask for your advice when I stop ice-skating in hell."

2. Stark: "You would think I'd get tired of always being right, yet it never gets old."

3. Stark: "Never get married." Martin: "I thought you were divorced." Stark: "I rest my case."

I find that veteran movie actors bring something different to network TV. James Woods is at his dynamic best here. And the cast is somewhat diverse - there's the beautiful Sophina Brown as Raina and Alexis Cruz as Martin - starring as Stark's protégés. Since Six Degrees is a wrap and I can't bring myself to watch ER ever again, Shark may have to be added to the rotation. Actually, I just remembered something. Spike Lee directed the pilot episode. If CBS ever runs the repeats, I definitely need to check that out. Stay tuned...

Breaking News

Studio 60 fans rejoice...it's been picked up for a full season!!!! Thank you NBC! But, sadly Six Degrees has been given the boot, to be replaced by Anne Heche's Men in Trees (which I have not seen but I will check it out since it'll now air after Grey's Anatomy starting Nov. 30). ABC says that Six Degrees will return in January, but don't hold your breath. Like I've always said, that show had so much potential, and I'm sorry to see such a diverse TV cast, including Jay Hernandez, Zoe Saldana and Dorian Missick, put out of work. I'm still waiting to hear if Friday Nights Lights will be around for a full season, but I don't see why not. The show is amazing and the ratings are good. Stay tuned....

It's been a minute....

since I've blogged, so I'm just going to sound off on some general thoughts at random.

I was so confused by Laguna Beach last night. How did Rocky and Alex end up back together? It was a cute moment when he asked her to go to the prom with him, but still, just last week he was dissing her and calling her a slut. Suddenly, he's had a change of heart and is back head-over-heels in love. Right?!? I think something may have jumped off with him and Lexie or someone else from that crew, and it didn't work out, so he figured, why not get back with Rocky? I do think she was over-reacting to his behavior during prom. He didn't really abandon her...he had to go to the bathroom. Chill out Rocky! She was just being needy and wanted to draw some attention to herself, that's all. But the most shocking events were with Tessa. Whoa...she was all over Derrick, yes, the same guy who last week said he just wanted to "be friends," and refused to acknowledge or speak to her in front of his friends. Oh, and let's not forget, he "hooked up" with Breanna while in Cabo for Spring Break. Tessa was tonguing him down heavy last night. My mouth was agape! Where was the sweet and innocent Tessa I'd grown to love? I guess Cami had a point when she mentioned in her recent L.A. Times profile that Tessa may come across as a goody-too-shoes, but she does dirt, too. Did you notice how low-key Cami and Kyndra were in both of the episodes last night. No drama with Kyndra and Cameron and Tyler. For once, there were no fights and everyone seemed to be getting along just fine. That's what I like to see. Well, next week is the season finale, but most of the cast, since they're only juniors, will be back for next season.

We'll be without Lost for the next three months. Last night's episode was OK. I wish they had gone out with more of a bang, though there were some jaw-dropping moments last night. Could you feel the sexual tension between Kate and Jack when they first laid eyes on each other? I much prefer them together, but it looks like Kate really "loves" Sawyer (or so she said a few weeks back) since they did the deed. Do you think they forgot that there were surveillance cameras on the cages before they decided to have sex? I guess it's a good thing Jack didn't walk in any earlier because he would have definitely got an eyeful. I'm going to miss this show, but let's give Taye Diggs and Day Break a chance, starting with the two-hour series premiere next Wednesday at 9pm on ABC.

The Nine is still moving too slow for my taste, making it even more difficult for me to keep up with it.

I only half paid attention to America's Next Top Model last night. I basically looked up long enough to see that Jaeda and Eugenia are still in play.

Friday Night Lights, Studio 60 and Nip/Tuck get a thumbs up for the week.

Girlfriends & The Game

For a change of pace, I'll start with The Game. I was surprised, yet glad, to see how far they pushed the racial slurs and stereotypes. Those were very honest confrontations and the characters were allowed to voice out loud what most of us only say in the privacy of our heads. For example, the part where Jason and Malik see each other in the kitchen at Melanie's dinner party. Jason (bowing and lifting his drink): "Mr. Bojangles." Malik: "O.J. Simpson." Come on, admit it, when most people see a Black athlete, in particular a football player, with a White wife, isn't that a natural association? Right! And then the kicker that had me gasping right along with Melanie was when Kelly called out Tasha for her Korean hair. Ouch! I'm not sure how realistic it is though (outside of the sports arena) where folks can have those type of discussions and still remain friends, but for the sake of TV, at least they made us sweat a little before the kiss-and-makeup that eventually came at the end. The acting was great last night, with the exception of Tia, whom I was happy to see more involved in the show. Not to say she was bad or anything, but she could have been a bit less earnest - just take it down a few notches, honey. I literally rolled my eyes when she and Derwin were having their postmortem of the dinner party (too cute with the parfaits) and she said that she and Derwin are not that type of people to use others for personal gain and how they would have to answer to God. Whatever! I'll let that slide since I know that was a nod to Tia's personal beliefs and morals. I'm really impressed with this show overall. The writing is on point, the actors are working it out, and the topics are on target. Other than Sex and the City, I don't recall such a raw discussion of inter-racial dating/marriage than what I saw last night. I know the viewers aren't there (the show is averaging only about 2 million), but it's in the top 10 among African-Americans ages 18-34. I guess that's what counts, huh?

Well...well...well...the first new episode of Girlfriends where there was no mention of Toni. Praises! Though I have to say, since Jabari played such a big part in the show last night, I did miss Toni's hilarious mispronunciations of his name. Ju-ju-beans, anyone? But I digress. I'm still getting used to the new Jabari. He seems like a good young actor, but I was so used to the previous one. I admired Maya's parenting skills. She's tough, but fair. And I liked how she told Jabari that since Darnell is off living his dreams, we need to hold it down, and she can't be running up her anytime minutes every time he acts up. I quickly figured out that Jabari was homesick for his friends and familiar surroundings, but like Maya said, she didn't have to ask him if he wanted to move. She's the parent and it's her duty to make a better like for her child, which she did by moving out to the boonies - better schools and I'm sure, less temptation to get into trouble. I was LMBAO when Maya said to Jabari: "We haven't had our meet-and-greet down at the police station yet, so they don't know that you live in this neighborhood." Spoken like a mama of the young Black boy who is well aware of the dangers of racial profiling, though I have to give it to Maya, Jabari's profile shouldn't have been out there in the first place to be profiled. OK! I have confidence that they'll work it out, but it was a nice change of pace from the usual drama these women find themselves in. And way to go Lynn with the political dig. Lynn told Joan and Maya about one of her acting out episodes as a teen, when she freed her "rat brothers" from her school's lab but they ended up drowning in the pool. Well, what happened? Lynn: "Like Bush, I didn't have an exit strategy." Good stuff! That totally redeems Lynn for her previous missteps so far this season. Just allow me one more digression....is Swiffer a sponsor of Girlfriends or what? What is up with Joan and that damn Swiffer? Every single episode she's pushing that thing around like she's a school janitor or something.

Desperate Housewives

Why couldn't I not stop laughing when Carolyn shot Nora? It was so shocking...I was literally stunned...into laughter! And then she hit Lynette with: "I think what you're looking for is 'Thank you.'" Yes indeed...thank you and goodnight to Nora. She was annoying anyway, so there's no love lost there, and it was inevitable that Kayla was going to join the Scavo brood.

Desperate Housewives is so touch-and-go. You can get a great episode like this one, or the first two of this season, and then have a run of very bad episodes. I wish it were more consistent, then I'd tune in every Sunday, rather than relying on sweeps buzz to draw me back in.

There were some very funny moments in last night's big "bang" episode. Here are my top 3:

1. All the neighbors came over to Bree's house to watch the live TV coverage. One woman says to another: "I knew she'd have food."

2. Lynette tells Tom that he should take Nora to court for full custody of Kayla. Tom: "I never thought you'd want a fifth kid." Lynette: "I don't. But I didn't want the first four, and they're starting to grow on me."

3. The fact that Susan had no idea Carolyn was the woman holding people hostage. Susan: "There's a crazy woman in there." Carolyn (as she showed Susan her gun): "Yeah, I know."

I really could have done without Carlos and Gabby calling a truce to their bickering. I like them better when they're fighting.

Is Mr. Ecko the new Dr. Burke?

It's been a rough time to be a Black man on primetime TV recently. First, Isaiah Washington went off behind-the-scenes at Grey's Anatomy, and now comes word that Mr. Ecko on Lost was killed off because his portrayer, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, was difficult to work with.

"I've heard speculation that I left Lost because I wasn't happy. Straight up, it was probably one of the best relationships I've ever had, in terms of developing a character," the actor tells the New York Post. Akinnuoye-Agbaje, a Buddhist, says that his acting methods — staying in character and not talking to anyone while on the set, instead passing downtime by reading scripture — could have been misread. "That's just the way I work," he explains.

I'm not so sure, 'Wale. Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia Watros, who were both arrested for drunk driving while filming Lost in Hawaii, saw their characters killed off at the end of last season. Coinkidink? I think not!

Laguna Beach

I caught up on Laguna Beach this weekend. First of all, Cami. Her weave is atrocious. She needs to remove those clip in Barbie hairpieces, drive up to LA and hit up the Dominican spot for a wash, set and doobie. She was recently quoted in an LA Times article that she is "1/4 percent Black." That is no excuse for why your (obviously) Black hair is looking so raggedy. I think Cami is really the smartest of the bunch on this show. She can see through some of the BS and she tells Kyndra like it is, even though Kyndra chooses to ignore her. If only she could get her hair together, Cami would be straight. Tessa is my fav on the show, but how dumb or naive can you be to claim a man that is 1. not claiming you, 2. won't acknowledge you in public and 3. won't speak to you in front of his friends. Raquel and Alex are a hot mess. He breaks up with her and then less than 2 seconds later is up in some other chick's face asking for her phone number...while Raquel is standing RIGHT THERE! Oh...I miss high school. NOT! I can't wait to see the prom episode this week. That's must see TV right there. The Nine will have to fall back on Wednesday to make room for Laguna.

P.S. The previews for The Real World: Denver are looking kinda hot. That show will definitely be added to TVnista's rotation. The season premiere is Wednesday, November 22, but I'm sure there will be a casting special coming up soon. There are two Black guys on the new season...Stephen and Tyrie. Let the drama begin!

About last night...

I can't say I'm sad to see Mr. Ecko die last night on Lost. Of a cast of unlikeables, he was my least favorite character. I'm glad the show finally integrated what's happening on both sides of the island, rather than just focusing on one group. I think it was way too much of a coincidence that Jack, a spinal surgeon, miraculously fell out of the sky, two days after Ben was diagnosed with a tumor on his spine. This further proves my theory that these people were chosen to be on that plane and there is a connection deeper than just being the victims of a plane crash. Juliet's videotape scheme was brilliant. I'm starting to like her more and more, and her flashback is the one I'm most interested in. And wow...Juliet looks strikingly similar to Jack's wife? Who knows? They say that everyone has a twin! Next week is the last episode of Lost before a "winter hiatus" to make room for Taye Diggs' new show, Daybreak. I'm not a Taye Diggs fan, but the show does look interesting. I'm willing to give it a shot.

The Nine was one big snooze. I literally grunted at the TV when "Hour 1" flashed on the screen during the bank robbery scenes. Are you kidding me? We're like 6 episodes deep into the season and we're still on the first hour of a 52 hour ordeal. Not impressed.

I skipped the filler-montage show on America's Next Top Model to watch the season premiere of The O.C. on MySpace. Since it's up against Grey's Anatomy tonight, I wanted to see the episode in it's entirety, rather than flipping back and forth during commercial breaks. I like where The O.C. is going. The characters are growing in very real, tangible ways. This ain't 90210: The College Years. I was a bit creeped out when Ryan met Julie at that seedy hotel - I figured they were carrying on some illicit affair, but thankfully, that wasn't the case. I could have done without Ryan's "Fight Club" moments, but he's moving back to the pool house and is out for revenge on Volchek. I was surprised to hear that Ryan didn't attend Marissa's funeral. Summer has really changed, and as much as I love her and Seth together, I think that relationship is doomed, but Che...come on, he looks like he hasn't bathed since he stepped foot on Brown's campus. It's cute how the circle continues with Kaitlin being stalked by Luke's twin younger brothers. I noticed it a bit last season, but of all sister pairs on TV, Mischa and Willa actually do look like real sisters.

Everybody Loves Gabby!

Eurweb.com reports that Gabrielle Union has signed a mid-six-figure casting and development deal with ABC and Touchstone to take another stab at television (she was last seen on the short-lived drama Night Stalker). According to Variety, the deal calls for the network and studio to seek out and develop new starring vehicles for Union. The actress is already meeting with writers to find a project, the trade reports. If Union isn’t feeling any of those projects, she’ll be available to star in one of the network’s pilots, reports Variety. I hope this is a step in the right direction for network TV to start including more African-American characters. But in the meantime, look out for Gabby in the new Tyler Perry film Daddy’s Little Girls, coming out right in time for Valentine's Day 2007.