Breaking News...

Oh no! I was super excited to post last night that Las Vegas will return for a fifth season, but here's the catch. Two of the stars will not be coming back: James Caan (Ed Deline) and Nikki Cox (Mary). Here's what they have to say about their departure:

"I've had a wonderful four years, worked with great people and made friends for life working on Las Vegas, but I'm eager to return to where my heart is, which is film, and due to the show's schedule, I missed some great opportunities to do that," Caan says. "I wish the show and everyone involved with it continued success." Cox, meanwhile, says she is "very sad and shocked" to leave, but wishes her cast mates all the best. "I had a great time."

I suppose these two characters will be killed off within the next two episodes (the season finale airs next Friday, March 9). Well, last Friday we did see Mary buying a gun and the preview for this Friday's episode hints that someone is going out with a bang.

And in other Las Vegas news, Marsha Thomason, who starred on the series the first three seasons as Nessa, has landed herself a fabulous gig on ABC's powerhouse Lost.

According to TVGuide.com, she will be introduced later this season, but executive producer Carlton Cuse says "She does not appear in a flashback, she is not an Other, and she is not one of the survivors of Flight 815." What does that leave? I dunno, but whoever she is, it'll be nice to have a Black woman on the island. She'll first show up in late April/early May.

And yes, the news keeps breaking: PEOPLE is reporting that Katherine Heigl, the wayward Izzie Stephens on Grey's Anatomy, has bailed on her contract negotiations with ABC because they're not offering her as much money as she wants.

"Katie is disappointed and hurt that Touchstone doesn't value her as much as her other costars, especially Sandra Oh and Isaiah Washington," says a source. Honestly, after her recent antics, particularly when she screamed on George for "making the biggest mistake of his life" by marrying Callie, I really wouldn't miss her. I was only hoping she'd stick around to unveil the mystery about her secret daughter, but whatev...no loss.

Viva Las Vegas

NBC made a huge announcement today concerning one of TVnista's favorite shows,


renewing Las Vegas for a fifth season through 2007-08. "The cast and producers have consistently given us what we want from Las Vegas — pure entertainment — and we're looking forward to another fun ride next season with the show," says Kevin Reilly, president of NBC Entertainment.

Yay! This is wonderful news! Thank you NBC! I was just thinking to myself while watching last Friday's episode how much I would miss this bright spot at the end of my week. Las Vegas is so much fun, top to bottom, with beautiful actors, witty dialogue and lawless capers. I loves it!

Girlfriends & The Game 2.27.07

First up: Girlfriends

Joan has to be headed to the altar, because it's clear to me that Aaron really loves her. I'm not surprised that he forgave her. It certainly takes a certain type of man to accept what she did (in case you missed it: Joan had an affair with Aaron's married friend 6 years ago). I agree that what Joan did was wrong, but it was 6 years ago. Imagine where you were 6 years ago, and what you were doing? Speaking for myself, I was in college, and there are certainly many cringe-worthy moments I recall from those days.

In other couples news, there was no sign of Monica last night. William was still trying to get over the break-up of his very short marriage and taking his anger out on a harmless snake. I'm still not convinced that William and Monica will get back together, but if this is the last season of Girlfriends (and yes, I got that feeling last night), it would make sense for them to eventually find their way back to one another. But I'm sure Monica is going to make him sweat it out a little longer.

Speaking of William, the funniest moment from last night's episode was him squaring off shoulder-to-shoulder with Darnell in the living room! That is the classic move when you really don't want to fight someone but you want to make it seem like you're about to set it off. I like how William and Darnell are bonding - it makes sense since they are "honorary girlfriends."

Knowing that he was going to get jealous, why did Darnell insist that Maya spill the beans about the men she was with while they were separated and divorced? To his one name ("Lena. Just Lena."), Maya rattled off a list of about 5 or 6 guys, from the cute baseball player she "never had sex with but we did other things" to the stalkerish neighbor Jalen, who she had "whipped." I had to take a minute to recall all of them myself. Even though he knew he had to right to get mad, since he asked, it was still cute that he was upset. I love that couple.

Much props to Tracee Ellis Ross for acting her butt off last night, especially in the car with Aaron. And she had the funniest line of the night, after Aaron told her "I love you."
Joan: Can you repeat that? I tend to fantasize." LOL

Last night's episode of The Game falls into my top 5 so far of this series. A few people I know are outraged over this episode, and are even planning to write the CW and Mara Brock Akil, over what they deem racially insensitive comments uttered by Jason's character throughout the episode. I'm impartial. The Game certainly pushes the envelope when it comes to race relations, which is admittedly, not an easy or light subject to talk about.

Here are the comments causing the uproar:

Jason is upset with Tasha for interferring in his marriage and calls her a "choctaw" for having Indian hair in her weave. He later tells Kelly not to bring Tasha's "black sass" home from work, unless it's in the bedroom.

But leaving the controversy alone, I laughed so much and so hard last night. I noticed a new name flash across the screen as writer (Julie Bean). Her stuff was on point last night. Here are just five of the LOL moments that had me not only rolling off the bed with laughter, but flat out on the floor:

1. Jason to Derwin as his phone was blowin' up with text messages from Drew Sidora: "That is the sound of the fuse to the bomb that's going to blow up in your face."

2. When the obviously gay real estate agent told Tasha and Kelly that the dog he's holding belongs to his "wife." Yes, there was a long pause after that!

3. When Tasha asked Kelly what she wants out of life, Kelly responds: "Calorie-free Chardonnay."

4. Malik calling Jason a "bobblehead."

5. Tasha telling Jason that Kelly doesn't want to have anymore of his "Mardi Gras puppet-headed babies."

I'm not sure how long Jason is going to put up with Kelly working. He seems somewhat cool with it now, but for how long? I get a sense that Jason wants to turn over a new leaf and loosen up on the rules and restrictions, but he's finding it hard to do so. People certainly don't change overnight, so this is a process.

I love the idea of Tasha and Kelly working together. Seeing them together in the office brought back memories of the funny banter Joan and Maya used to have when they both worked at the law firm on Girlfriends (in fact, the set looked almost the same!).

Derwin is headed for trouble, plain and simple. He's already emotionally-cheating on Melanie by entertaining Drew's phone calls and text messages, yet he still hasn't mentioned a word about having a fiance. Yes, Trouble with a capital T. And why is he bored? See...this is the very reason why I don't condone athletes leaving high school and college to enter the professional ranks. They have no skills outside of the sport they play. He could pick up a book, watch a movie, cook, take a class, anything. Why does he need Melanie to play with him? Boy, get a hobby!

And for all the Girlfriends' fans out there, who aren't sick of the repeats on BET, season one came out on DVD today. Enjoy!

Grey's Spin-off Update!

Wow! ABC and Shonda Rhimes are not playin'. The Grey's Anatomy spin-off is full steam ahead. Here's the latest: ABC is giving Taye Diggs another chance (why, I don't know) to co-star with Grey's Dr. Montgomery (Kate Walsh) in the proposed spin-off. The former star of Kevin Hill and Day Break will appear in a two-hour Grey's airing in May as a back-door pilot. In the episode, Addison will be considering leaving Seattle Grace, just as I predicted yesterday. So much for my hope that Alex and Addison would hook up and live happily ever after.

News & Notes...

Here's a random smattering of what's going on in TV Land:

The new Dancing With the Stars cast was just revelead. Here's the lineup for the popular reality series when it returns to ABC on March 19:

• Laila Ali, the daughter of the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali
• Country music star Billy Ray Cyrus
• Paul McCartney's soon-to-be ex, Heather Mills
• Former NBA star Clyde Drexler
• 'N Sync alum Joey Fatone
• Miss USA-turned-GSN hostess Shandi Finnessey
• Entertainment reporter Leeza Gibbons
• Former supermodel Paulina Porizkova
• 90210 alum Ian Ziering
• Sopranos alum/Sirius Satellite Radio host Vincent Pastore
• Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno

My early money is on Clyde Drexler...given the past two seasons, professional athletes seem to (surprisingly!) do well with the dancing stuff! And isn't his nickname Clyde "The Glide" Drexler?!?!

And for all my fellow Grey's Anatomy fans, here's something extra special just for you...the Wall Street Journal is reporting that ABC is pursuing a spin-off of the hit show, with a two-hour pilot to likely air in May, fronted by Kate Walsh's Addison.

Could it be that Addison leaves Seattle Grace and returns to her former life in NYC. Stay tuned...

And in more pilot casting:


Soon-to-be O.C. alum Melinda Clarke has scored a gig on CBS' The Man, playing a tough and sexy policewoman who has worked with LL Cool J's undercover cop over the years. This show is looking more and more promising. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you James Todd Smith!


Dreamgirls cutie Keith Robinson has joined the Fox crime drama The Apostles.


And the beautiful Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon has joined The Cure, a Fox pilot about a group that cuts through bureaucratic red tape to get care to those who need it most.

Girlfriends & The Game 2.19.07

I have only one thing to say about Girlfriends last night: why did Monica let Joan and her "sister-circle" get into her head and cause her to leave William? I am so disappointed with Mon-Mon (as Joan calls her). Where is that strong-willed woman who never cared about what other people said or thought about her?

A part of me believes that Monica and William are kaput forever, but that remains to be seen. They are made for each other (I loved their breakdancing during the first dance) and it was definitely not the time or place for William to talk about his cold feet, but he was drunk, he apologized, and vowed to make it up to his wife. But then came the old hags messing things up; William had every right to scream on them. Karma is no joke, so Joan, Maya and Lynn, ya'll better watch out!

I liked how The Game tackled an issue pretty common to professional athletes. There's no doubt in my mind that Derwin loves and cares about Melanie, but as Jason explained, he's only 22 and a rising star in the NFL, so this would be the time for him to sow his proverbial oats. Add to that the fact that he's feeling discouraged about his engagement to Melanie (she doesn't want to get married), and you have a recipe for disaster. (Notice how he commented that Melanie only wants to be his fiance when it's convenient for her, i.e. when there's another woman involved).

Derwin had many opportunities to tell Drew about Melanie, but he didn't, and yes, he's wrong for that, so we can't fault her as acting like a "groupie" or trying to take another woman's man. Clearly, Derwin is ready to reap the rewards of his success and these are the temptations he has to confront. I'm sure it was very flattering for him to have a hot R&B singer/model pursuing him, meanwhile his steady girl at home is more concerned about med school than him. Should he have kissed her? Probably not. But it happened. He has a choice to make - go home to his girl or break-up and live the single life. He could also choose option C, as most athletes do, and cheat on Melanie with Drew.

Was anyone else confused about "Eva Marcelle"? I heard the name mentioned as a guest star on this episode and I had no idea who she was until I realized (duh!), it's Eva Pigford! I guess she's "rebranded" herself as "Eva Marcelle." Go figure!

Comments/thoughts? Leave 'em!

More pilot news!

Sleeper Cell's Michael Ealy (and Halle Berry's ex) has landed the lead as a smart cop in Suspect, a fast-paced procedural for ABC.

And Will and Jada strike again with MILF and Cookies, a (tentatively titled!) comedy about young moms for the CW. MILF is a term coined from the raunchy movie American Pie which means "Mother I'd Like To...well you get the picture. No word yet on casting!

Girlfriends & The Game 2.12.07

After last week's disappointments, last night's episodes were much better. First up, Girlfriends.

Joan makes me tired! She's acting like she's never had a man before. Why did she co-sign with Aaron's anti- Valentine's Day comments, when she knows full and well that she's a "freak for Valentine's Day"? And then she gets all passive-aggressive (typical Joan behavior) when Aaron doesn't intuitively discern that she wants him to shower her with Valentine's Day gift. Dumb move. But, Aaron definitely likes her because he came through like a champ, though the look on his face when Joan said: "I can't wait to see what you do for St. Patrick's Day" was PRICELESS!

Maya and Darnell continue to impress me. Unlike that other show that claims to be about the quiet desperation of the suburbs...cough...Desperate Housewives...Girlfriends is actually tackling the real issues. I like the manner in which the domestic violence arc is being handled. It's refreshing to see neighbors who don't turn a blind eye when they know something is wrong. We could all learn from Maya's example. I initially didn't get the sense that Alicia (played by the stunningly beautiful China Shavers) was being abused, but once she refused to try on the backless dress at the store, I knew something was up. I liked how Darnell stepped in (and up) at the end to confront Ray (good to see you again Cockroach...I mean...Carl Anthony Payne). I hope this isn't the end of their storyline and we continue to follow-up with this couple. It'd be very interesting to see what unfolds.

But get ready for next week's episode -William and Monica's wedding!

LOL moments from last night:
1. Joan and Aaron watching the Turkey Jerker 2000 infomercial.
2. Darnell and Maya fighting over the foot massage and him telling her to "hook up them arches!"

Is The Game a comedy...or a drama...or a dramedy. Yes, I think that's it. It's worth mentioning that both The Game and Girlfriends have broached typically, non-sitcom material this season, and I applaud them for it. Unfortunately, but to their benefit, they have to do both since space and opportunity for African-American shows is scarce, period.

But I digress.

I loved, loved, loved the way the opening scene was shot last night. It had a Studio 60/Friday Night Light's feel to it (Mara, are they increasing your budget over there at the CW?!?). My most favorite moments on The Game are when the entire cast is on-screen together. You can tell that all get along behind-the-scenes (no Grey's Anatomy drama jumping off there!).

Jason's miserly streak is getting tired and redundant. So, just because he didn't get selected to the Pro Bowl team, he's unscrewing lightbulbs from the refrigerator and making his family suffer without a vacation. He can be so selfish sometimes (no, make that all the time). And since when did not making the Pro Bowl equate with the end of a professional football career? He even admitted that he's been 6 years in a row. Bro...it's time to give someone else a chance!

I wonder where The Game is headed next. We've been through the regular season, the playoffs and now the Pro Bowl. Maybe we'll get to see more "off-the-field" antics. I'd really like them to introduce Derwon's family, and perhaps have a big family throwdown with Melanie's family! Yes, bring Tahj Mowry back ASAP!

LOL moments from last night:
1. Derwin's acceptance speech for Jason's Rookie of the Year Award: "To the woman who made this all possible...Dionne!"
2. Derwin telling Tasha and Kelly: "Melanie can't play right now, she's got homework."
3. Kelly, making vacation suggestion to Jason: "I'm sure Brittany would love to tour the wine country." (spoken like the alcoholic she is!)

Pilot News

Yes, folks, it's about that time...pilot season! TVnista just learned that CBS has ordered a pilot for The Man, a drama starring hip-hop veteran LL Cool J (whom I had the pleasure of seeing up close and personal a few weeks ago in NYC!). Written by CSI creator Anthony Zuiker, The Man follows an undercover Los Angeles cop who juggles his job while developing a father-like relationship with a boy orphaned after one of his drug busts. Sounds like a good look for Mr. Smith.


And Stomp the Yard cute Brian White has been added to the cast of ABC's Footballer$ Wives as Kyle, joining previously announced co-star Gabrielle Union. Looks like we'll have a lot more Black folks on TV in the Fall.

Goodbye Dru!

I am absolutely devastated to report that TVnista fav Victoria Rowell, the divine Ms. Drucilla on Young & the Restless, is leaving the show. She asked to be released from her contract and her last day will be April 1, 2007.

Why?

Over the past few months we've seen some of her best work - with Neil finding out that Lily is not his daughter and now with the murder scandal surrounding Carmen Hoesta. I guess they're going to pin Carmen's murder on her then. I am speechless. She was the main reason I've stuck with Y&R through the years. She will definitely be missed!


There's another rumor floating around that Shemar Moore may make a comeback to Y&R. I seriously doubt this since his TV show, Criminal Minds (see my review below) is doing extremely well. He'd be a fool to leave primetime to go back to daytime TV. Stay tuned....

Criminal Minds

Did anyone catch it last night? I know it was a repeat (but it was new to me). What an amazing episode?!? My heart was racing the entire time and I was stunned to learn that Brooke turned the tables on Kelly and pummeled her with the hammer. Criminal Minds is definitely my new favorite show. Yes, I'm once again jumping on the bandwagon, but hey, it's better late than never.

I'd been on the fence about it for several reasons. First of all, do we need another procedural crime drama? But CM is very different from L&O and CSI. It's better in fact, less technical and formulaic, more intense and personal. I was also upset with Shemar Moore for abandoning Y&R, but from what I've seen of him on CM, it was a great career move. And my freshman year college roommate was obsessed with Mandy Patinkin. In fact, she would drag me all around the city stalking...um...looking for him. She even tried to get herself hired as his kids' babysitter, but that's a story for another day. So, needless to say, I've never been a fan.

And then it was up against Lost earlier this season (I'm even more thankful now that when Lost returns it will air at 10pm!). But, for lack of anything else on TV, I started watching CM a few weeks ago and I absolutely love it. I am so tempted to get the first season on DVD (and I usually don't buy TV shows on DVD).

I am now even more excited about the post-Super Bowl episode on Sunday. Are there any other CM fans out there?