Here's something counterintuitive: the Parents Television Council has declared that reality TV is safer for your kids than scripted shows. The group, best known for facilitating FCC complaints, examined the top 20 TV shows watched by kids ages 2-17, and ranked them according to their "suitablity" for kids. If you count "Sunday Night Football" as reality -- which, I guess, depends on what you think of NFL referees -- then all of the PTC's seal-of-approval shows are unscripted. They include "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "Deal or No Deal" (where the scantily-clad models holding briefcases are apparently not a problem) and "Dancing With the Stars" (though last season, some of Lisa Rinna's choreography might have prompted a few conversations about the birds and the bees).

"Lost," "Desperate Housewives," "Greys Anatomy," and "CSI" turn up on the PTC's "worst" list. Also, as proof that irony is officially dead, the PTC warns parents to look out for "innocent-sounding television shows" such as "American Dad" and "Family Guy."

On the subject of humor and questionable taste: It's not too soon to make Steve Irwin jokes. Not on South Park (where it's never too soon to do anything), and not if you're Bill "I'm safe on HBO now" Maher.

On the subject of costumes: If you're still at a loss, take these overcomplicated suggestions from "Project Runway" designers.

And on the subject of gluttons for punishment: Tomorrow, Comcast launches a new multiplatform network called FEARnet. That means a website, horror-themed ringtones available for download, and, of course, free horror movies on demand.

Matthew, I agree - I watched most of SNL with a poker face. The show hasn't been consistently funny for a long time, which is why it's depressing that "Studio 60" can't surpass it. Still, I'm sad that I might not have my favorite least-favorite show to kick around anymore. Apparently, so is the blogosphere, which is full of Sorkin hating -- and Sorkin parodies, like this one.

Alas, no chance for indignant S-60 viewing tonight. In the 10 p.m. slot, NBC is airing an episode of "Friday Night Lights."

Cancelled.

Rumors are flying that Aaron Sorkin's show is about to be axed, despite the fact that NBC has ordered more scripts.

Sigh. More later.

P.S. I watched that fart sketch twice, Joanna. By the time they got to the heat detector, I was on the floor. Both times. Alas, the rest of the show really stunk. I don't think I've ever seen a host bomb in his opening monologue quite as thoroughly as Hugh Laurie.

A good fart joke!

OK, maybe I'm just pathetically lowbrow. But on last night's "SNL," the paranormal investigator sketch, featuring Hugh Laurie and a suspicious bit of hot air, made me giggle more than anything else on the show.

If there's one thing I've discovered this TV season, it's that sketch comedy is probably a lot harder to write than it looks. Then again, as Mel Brooks showed us long ago, some things are universally funny.

"Twenty Good Years" turned into 20 not-so-good minutes.

NBC has benched the John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor comedy, the "Hollywood Reporter" reported today. The series might be back in early 2007.

Meanwhile, Thursday night is heating up on NBC with the addition of "30 Rock" (Nov. 16) and "Scrubs" (Nov. 30).

NBC will then have a two-hour comedy block on Thursday nights like the old days.

Will this save NBC? Unlikely. Remember, ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" and CBS's "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" are the top two shows on television. They air on Thursday nights.

Enough said.

I love the guy on "Boston Legal." I'll stop any activity to watch an old "Star Trek" episode. Even those silly commercials with Leonard Nimoy make me smile.

But now he's gone and signed up to host ABC's "Show Me the Money," a shameless ripoff of NBC's "Deal or No Deal."

The series, which starts next month on Wednesdays at 8 p.m., will ask contestants to answer six trivia questions. After giving each answer, the contestant chooses from among 13 dancers on a stage who hold scrolls with a dollar figure to be added or subtracted to the contestant's total.

In a twist, the women will break out into various styles of dance on stage and Shatner will join them at will... I'm serious. Now we just need a trap door and Simon Cowell to complete the horror show.

I need to start reading more.

I'm with you, Matthew, on NBC's pathetic self-plugging on "30 Rock." The Conan line was a particular low, and I don't think we needed two identical Heimlich Maneuver gags. But I still got a kick of last night's episode for one very big reason: Alec Baldwin, my new hero. This man chisels away at his sitcom lines, molds them and shapes them, and turns every one of them into a work of art. Go ahead, make fun of me, but I stand by my words.

"Heroes" is turning out to be just too much fun. It gets better with each episode, as each superhero discovers and learns to use his or her power. Slowly, the show’s mantra, "Save the Cheerleader ... Save the World," is starting to make sense. I loved the scene on the subway when Hiro from the future appeared, all Americanized (with soul patch!), and gave Peter Petrelli a bit of advice.

But here’s the thing. I know this is sci-fi, and there are going to be leaps, and preposterousness is the name of the game, but I still haven’t been able to get past one glitch. First of all, cheerleader Claire was autopsied before she was identified? Then she got up and walked out during her autopsy and no one in her small Texas town – say, the guy doing the autopsy – has made a big deal of it?

OK, I know, just let go…

Like Fox, NBC has always been shameless about promoting its own shows within its own shows. But last night’s "30 Rock" hit an all-time low in self-plugging, as the script of Tina Fey’s sitcom mentioned a list of things NBC including Jason Lee of "My Name Is Earl," "Deal or No Deal," and Conan O’Brien. Plus, the NBC logo made its usual regular appearances. If I had been playing a drinking game based on desperate NBC self-reference last night, I’d be painfully hungover right now.

So Madonna went on Oprah. And Oprah was kind. So, so kind. She thanked Madonna for adopting an African child, directed her audience to applaud at key moments, and sometimes looked as if she were about to burst into empathetic tears. No hardballs from the go-girl chair, and no rebuttals from Malawian authorities.

As for Madonna...she looked sincerely concerned for the children of Malawi. She batted doe eyes and declared great surprise that the press would be so interested in little old her. Come on. If there's one thing this woman understands, it's how publicity works.

And, my goodness, Madge. You've been living in London for how long now? People just don't pick up British accents that quickly.

Tina Fey's comedic take on sketch-comedy-versus-The-Network is moving up in the world. Specifically, up to 9:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Starting on November 30, NBC is scrapping "Deal or No Deal" in the 9 p.m. Thursday timeslot and putting in a comedy block: "30 Rock," preceded by "Scrubs."

Since "Grey's Anatomy" has been barrelling into absurdity, and "CSI" appeals to an entirely different set of viewers, this could be a smart way for NBC to stake a bigger claim on the Thursday night fight.

Meanwhile, "30 Rock's" former time slot, 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, will be occupied by "various specials," according to NBC. And you know what that means: "Twenty Good Years," your 15 minutes are up.

I know "Studio 60" will never be perfect. I'm just trying figure out why I (and a couple dozen other frustrated TV writers) care so much. I mean, I accept the flaws of a lot of TV shows without taking them personally. "Shark" will keep on being "Shark," and I'll keep on not watching, and everyone will be happy.

But I want "Studio 60" to be good. I want good writing (and good writers) to be rewarded. I want to watch a show that takes a smart look at the culture wars, and I want NBC to get some credit for occasionally skewering itself. I'm even willing to forgive Aaron Sorkin a little bit of self-indulgence, as long as his characters draw me in.

Which they don't, but so far, that's not my biggest problem. Here's what gets me: "Studio 60" is taking itself, and its mission, waaaay too seriously. It needs to stop imparting lessons and just breathe in and breathe out a little. The tour Tom gave to his parents actually irked me the most this week. The setup had a fair amount of comic possibility; just imagine taking your parents to work with you. Instead, we got hung up in exposition -- Sorkin tells us the history of comedy -- and predictable bathos. Tom's dad doesn't understand him? You don't say.

Now, "Heroes." There's a show that's unpredictable.

Darn you Joanna and your hunger for faith!

Look, "S60" is a flawed piece of work. I can’t deny that. If you try to reason your way into liking it, you will fail.

Watching the show, I just get a generally pleasing feeling that Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme are trying to be smart, relevant, ironic, heroic, and entertaining. Maybe I’m post-traumatic after having seen so very many TV writers underestimate American viewer intelligence; maybe I’m just a pretentious snoot-head. (I heard that.) But I want this ambitious series to get enough time from NBC to find its balance and realize its potential.

"S60" can be excessively sentimental, as was "The West Wing"; Amanda Peet can seem out of her league, as could Allison Janney early on; Bradley Whitford doesn’t get enough plot time (although he might be wise staying in the background after dominating the end of "WW"). The show’s crush of big issues – war, race, censorship – can be awkward. And of course the dialogue sometimes sounds robotic. Do you think the actors are directed to imitate a ticker tape, or is it just in the air on a Sorkin set?

But I loved the way Monday’s episode was so steeped in Hollywood legend – the blacklisted writer, the references to comedy’s early days, Tom showing his parents around the old theater. There were pieces of the whole in that hour that helped me feel comfortable with my belief in the promise of the show.

P.S. I agree; Peet should have known that Bill Parcells is a famous hockey coach.

I'll start the "Studio 60" discussion going by saying that there were two moments of tonight's show that I really liked: the bit with Matthew Perry flubbing the twinkie's name (it was "Treasure," not "Trinket") and the Steven Weber monologue on the horrors of a serial drama about the United Nations (what the teenagers really like is subtitles).

However.

I do not believe anything about Amanda Peet as a high-powered executive, particularly the bit where she goes looking for friends. (Also, I did not believe it last week when she didn't know who Bill Parcells was.) I do not believe Nate Corddry's parents - from the shocking backwater of Columbus, Ohio - wouldn't have heard of "Who's on First" (and for a guy who's doing his best to make nice to the Christian right, Sorkin still manages to exhibit a lot of contempt for Midwesterners.)

I do not believe that Bradley Whitford is being paid huge sums of money to be an occasional foil for Matthew Perry. I do not believe that I should trust Aaron Sorkin to tell me what good black comedy should be.

Help me, Matthew. Help me get faith!

At the end of a 1995 interview with Leonardo DiCaprio, around the time he made "The Basketball Diaries," before he was a major star, I asked him if there was anything he wanted to add to what he’d already said. His response was something like, "Jeez, you want me to do your work for you?"

Hmm. OK.

But I had the same response to the news that CBS and tv.com are hosting a contest called “Bring on Your Barneyisms.” The idea is to come up with a new catchphrase for Neil Patrick Harris’ great character on “How I Met Your Mother,” and the winning entry will be used in an episode of the show.

Jeez, they want us to do their work for them?

Well, maybe they just want us to suit up and – wait for it – get more invested in the series. So I’m thinking on it.

Or Oprah on Madonna. We'll have to see. In the thick of the Malawian Adoption Affair, Madonna will make her first public statements on the Oprah Winfrey show on Wednesday. So much for wanting privacy.

As for how she'll be treated, it depends on which version of Oprah we get: the James-Frey-bashing Arbiter of National Ethics or the celebrity interviewer who, like Madonna and her daughter, loves to shop.

All eight episodes of Showtime's "Sleeper Cell: American Terror" will be available On Demand Dec. 10, the same day that the first part of the miniseries will premiere on the network.

Showtime will air the rest of the miniseries over eight consecutive nights through Dec. 17.

Talk about flexibility. Wouldn't it be amazing if HBO did this for "The Sopranos"?

Caught up, in almost-real-time, with this week's "Battlestar Galactica," and I'm still intrigued by the Cylons' deep, apparently aching need to feel love -- as evidenced by D'Anna's obsession with the baby and Leoben's overwhelming desire for a human kiss. (I was also surprised that Kara was actually in the detention center; just in a cell decked out with Crate and Barrel furniture and modern art.)

I was a little disappointed to see the occupation storyline play out so quickly, but the rescue effort was satisfying, if mildly predictable. Future episodes, I know, will deal with occupation-related themes. And I guess they can go back to their old set now.

Oh -- and there was a moment, during the long Edward James Olmos shaving sequence, where I suddenly thought, in horror, "He's going to turn out to be a cylon." It must have had something to do with the flashing scissors. But no. He was just removing his Year-Has-Passed Moustache.

In case you haven't gotten "Project Runway" out of your system, the Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan has a long, rich interview with mentor extraordinaire Tim Gunn. He is shockingly frank (On Vincent: "It's one thing to be confident, it's another thing to be delusional") and liberal with the French ("J'accuse"). It's clear, by now; Heidi might hold the power, but Tim is the show's heart and soul.

Incidentally, Wednesday night's finale was Bravo's highest-rated telecast ever, with 5.4 million viewers. Withdrawal ensues. Auf wiedersehen, and quelle domage.

"Chronicle" is going to pop off the screen come Wednesday.

WCVB-TV's (Channel 5)nightly newsmagazine will be the first local show in the Boston market to produce high-definition programming in studio and in the field on a daily basis.

Even viewers without digital television sets will see clearer images and hear better sound.

The one drawback: WCVB has decided to "letter box" the show, meaning there will be a black strip across the top and the bottom of the screen like a film. That's always so annoying.

Hopefully the crisp images of all those New England icons the show profiles (Maine lobsterman and such) will help us forget the strips.

Three cheers for progress.

George on "Grey's Anatomy" has been getting annoying. He's just so clueless, and, at times, vain. Once the unsung hero of the show, he's grown into a bit of narcissist, just like everyone around him.

But I have nothing but admiration for actor T.R. Knight, who has just come out of the closet as a gay man. It's not often that a star from the most popular drama on TV decides to come out at the height of his fame. And Knight plays a straight guy, which makes his move even bolder.

While there may be some negative reaction at ABC, or among the "Grey's Anatomy" producers, I'm betting Knight feels pretty good right now.

I interviewed "Nip/Tuck" creator Ryan Murphy over the phone this week, as part of a story I'm doing for Sunday on the star of his movie adaptation of Augusten Burroughs' "Running With Scissors." Murphy was more interested in talking about "Scissors" than "Nip," but he did say this about his cosmetic-surgery opus, which remains one of my favorites:

"People struggle with the tone of the show, because it’s dramatic and satirical and comedic and heartfelt. All I can say to that is, it’s my tone, it’s the way I see the world. I’m so hands on with every aspect of the show, it really is my statement about the world we live in, in some kind of zeitgeisty way....

"If I ever do a project that you’re able to sum up in a one-liner, that’s when you'll know I've been kidnapped by aliens."

Right now, Murphy is working on another series for FX called "4 oz.," which involves a transsexual sportswriter with a wife and two teenage sons. The sportwriter's transformation will take a number of seasons. So I'm thinking Murphy hasn't been hijacked to Mars, yet.

NBC may be scrapping its 8 p.m. dramas in the future, but for the time being, it really wants you to watch "Friday Night Lights." So much so that it has ordered nine new episodes. And on Monday, Oct. 30, it will air an episode of the high-school-football drama at 10 p.m., in place of "Studio 60."

A desperate move, perhaps, but it could give the show a chance with the "Heroes" crowd, plus whichever rich "alpha viewers" are still sticking with Aaron Sorkin. So far, "Friday Night Lights" has delivered some beautifully-filmed, sentimental drama, so it's nice to see that NBC isn't abandoning it.

Bob Woodruff is almost ready to talk. The ABC News anchor, who was injured by a roadside bomb in January, will tell the world what his experience was like in a primetime one-hour special in the spring of 2007.

His wife, Lee Woodruff, has written a memoir with Bob about how they both coped with the injury, the recovery and the loss of the "most coveted spot in television news."

"No one knows exactly just how they might or might not behave in a crisis until it drops out of the sky and knocks you down like a bandit, stealing your future," writes Lee. "Sudden tragic events...teach us more about ourselves than most of us ever cared to know."

Do tell...Hopefully Elizabeth Vargas is writing a memoir too. We still haven't heard the full story...

His show, "Runaway," is the first series on the new CW to be cancelled. What a legacy.

Why is it brother Mark gets all the breaks?

It seems like yesterday that NBC's "Boomtown" got the ax. That was a good show.

"Runaway"? It wasn't "The Fugitive."

Keep trying Donnie.

Meanwhile, I'll keep an eye out for you at the South Shore Plaza McDonald's (My husband saw him there once. Donnie's a regular Joe. What was my husband doing there? Hey, we have two young kids).

It's over before it began. The Providence-based TV show about a corrupt mayor who gets things done Buddy Cianci style has been axed by CBS. It was supposed to debut in early 2007.

The show, which has been filming for a month or so in Rhode Island, isn't needed because the CBS schedule is doing just fine, the network says.

The series starred Joe Pantoliano, Billy Baldwin and Larenz Tate.

That's too bad for local actors looking for a break.

Take heart. CBS's sister network Showtime plans to resume filming the Providence-based "Brotherhood" in March.

The day of politics starts at 9 a.m. with NBC's White House correspondent David Gregory anchoring from Washington. Brian Williams joins the party at 1 p.m. and Tim Russert at 2 p.m.

Chris Matthews, Tucker Carlson, Lester Holt, Campbell Brown and Andrea Michell will all weigh in.

They'll be examining the big races around the country that will decide who controls Congress for the last two years of the Bush administration. Those battleground states include Virginia, Connecticut, Tennessee and Ohio.

Lots of key interviews will be broadcast including comments from Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, Harold Ford (the Democractic candidate for U.S. Senate in Tennessee), and Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman.

Good for MSNBC.

A whopping 7.5 million viewers tuned in to VH1 to watch the season finale of "Flavor of Love 2." That's big for cable. In fact, the episode was the no. 1 telecast on cable for the night and the no. 1 non-sports telecast on all of basic cable for the entire year.

Amazing... and sad. The show is an embarrassment to women and society, in my opinion. Thanks to those ratings numbers, though, we can be sure there will be a "Flavor of Love 3."

Ugh.

On the subject of "Studio 60," I'm trying to be objective. I didn't hate last night's episode. I was pleased to see some character development. I wondered if Aaron Sorkin is friends with Sting, given how much screen time he gave to the man with the lute, but I never really mind hearing "Fields of Gold." And yet. The sketches are still the sketches. The lobster gag was overused. The literary reference of the day was: Pericles! And, Matthew, you've got to appreciate the irony: Days after you rave about Amy Poehler's hilarious Nancy Grace impression, Sarah Paulson offers one that's far inferior.

In the interest of fairness, I do have some positive things to say. I like that Sorkin is trying to create a three-dimensional Christian character. For a guy who loves knocking down straw men, he's taking great pains to make Harriet sympathetic, faith and all. And I think Steven Weber does a convincing corporate snake.

But I can't get past Sorkin's ham-handed skewering of the TV industry. Speaking of straw men; this is just all just a little too easy. So Amanda Peet is a heroine for taking a noble stand against the world's most odious reality TV concept (actually, I'd say 'Who's your Daddy' was worse) and pursuing a drama about the United Nations. From a guy who knows Pericles. Snore.

Last Sunday, CBS’s "60 Minutes" did a story on the Duke rape case. Thursday night, CBS’s "Shark" will do a ripped-from-the-headlines episode about three college football players charged with rape.

Coincidence? Oh, I doubt it. News is the new hype.

It's the "Project Runway" fan ticker! Bravo, unsurprisingly, is calling it "Sound Auf," and it's a fairly inspired move to drum up buzz for Wednesday's season finale. Between today and tomorrow night at 7 -- when Bravo begins a seven-hour "Project Runway" marathon -- you can submit thoughts and rants to Bravo, online or by text-message. The network will run them along the bottom of the screen, along with missives from designers and "special Bravo celebrities." (Kathy Griffin, we could actually use you here.)

You can also send in queries to Tim Gunn, who will answer questions onscreen from 10-11.

Now, if they'd only start doing this for "Lost"...

Calling Boston college students.

In an effort to track down future producers, directors and actors, the television network devoted to soap operars -- SOAPnet -- is asking students to submit their own 10-minute dramas for a contest on SoapU.com.

"College students are ardent soap fans and have a history of creating soaps centered around college life," said Deborah Blackwell, the network's general manager. "SoapU is a great opportunity to showcase the talent that is alive and flourishing on college campuses around the country while building deeper relationships with our student viewers."

Ten semi-finalists will see their work appear on SOAPnet.com where visitors can vote for their favorites. The five finalists will then create a five-minute soap. The grand prize winner will receive $20,000 to produce programming for the network and a trip to Los Angeles to attend a pitch meeting with network executives.

Interested? Go to www.SoapU.com

Despite this weekend's earthquake, the cast and crew of "Lost" are busy shooting episode seven today, ABC confirmed.

The actors and the sets are all fine.

Just in case some of you were worried.

Court TV will be broadcasting the three-week-long Christa Worthington trial. Today, reporter Beth Karas files updates on jury selection. When opening statements begin, the network will televise the proceedings. And if you really have time on your hands, you can get a $5.95-per-month subscription to the network's broadband service, Court TV Extra, which will go live, gavel-to-gavel.

I’ve been keeping an eye on the promising new series, to see which ones are going the way of most shows – that is, down the electronic void – and which are staying strong.

"The Class" has already proven itself to be a bummer. The characters still have some potential, but the writing, oh the writing. "How I Met Your Mother" remains the best of the traditionally filmed sitcoms.

Despite its polish and strong cast, "Kidnapped" fails to give us a reason to watch loyally. "Six Degrees" is a mix of poignant subplots that are not sufficiently unified; the show threatens to disperse into pointlessness. And "Shark" has none of the charisma and cleverness of its role model, "House."

But "Heroes" has stayed great. It’s the best of the newbies. Each of the three episodes so far has maintained an eerie "Twilight Zone" tone, as the superheroes discover their powers. And the writers are also creating an overall genetics-themed mystery that promises to pull the show together nicely. By the way, it’s safe to bond with "Heroes"; NBC has already ordered a full season.

Another goodie: The second episode of "Friday Night Lights" was as fine as the premiere. It’s a portrait of small town Texas that poses boredom and emptiness against the spirit and fame of the weekly football games. At points, such as when Kyle Chandler’s coach visits his new quarterback at home, the show puts me in mind of the movie "The Last Picture Show." Alas, no one is watching "Friday Night Lights," and it may well disappear.

More to come.

We'll get back, I'm sure, to the "Studio 60" debate, but in the meantime I had to share the strangest bit of celebrity gossip I've heard in some time: Michael Knight of Project Runway is dating Brandy.

I wish him well in this new relationship, but at Bryant Park next week, I (gasp!) no longer want him to win. This as of last night, when I finally caught up with the preparation-for-the-finale show. Yes, I'm a little disturbed that Michael seems to be channeling Kayne. But I'm more upset that he sided with Laura in her attack on Jeffrey. If she's got proof that he outsourced his sewing, that's one thing. If she found pattern books in his backpack, sure. But making a giant accusation on a hunch? No fair.

I hope Brandy sets her new man straight. I'm sure she's inclined to see the best in everyone. Her role on "America's Got Talent," after all, was to tell every naked juggler and well-meaning contortionist how wonderful he was.

...on apples-to-oranges. And I do think there's room, even on NBC, for both a satire and a straight-ish drama on the subject of the TV industry. (Frankly, I'd rather watch two shows about Hollywood than two shows about kidnappings.)

But you nailed my continuing problem with "Studio 60," I think. These aren't characters so much as vessels for different points of view: Christian conservative! Good studio exec who cares about quality! Bad studio exec who cares about numbers! Brilliant writer who sometimes puts foot in mouth! I see no reason, so far, to care about any of them, and I've yet to see proof of their supposed talents. Much as I sometimes hated his air of nobility, I believed in Martin Sheen and, by extension, Jed Bartlet. It's going to take a lot for me to believe in Amanda Peet.

As for "clever" as an insult...I do think there's such a thing as too clever. Sometimes I think Aaron Sorkin's just showing off, at the expense, again, of making his characters seem real.

Or maybe I'm just a Philistine. I admit that I've never seen a Strindberg play. And that I watch too much TV.

Kudos, Joanna, for turning "cleverly written" into a slight.

Thing is, "Studio 60" is not trying to skewer the Biz so much as dissect it. It has a different, but no less worthy, ambition than "30 Rock." Maybe it's time for all of us to stop comparing the two.

With "Studio 60," I see Aaron Sorkin reaching for the kind of social commentary of movies such as "Gentlemen's Agreement," "A Face in the Crowd," "Sweet Smell of Success," and of course "Network." They're all overwrought, I admit; but still quite powerful.

Satire is an effective weapon, and I loved "The Larry Sanders Show" and (RIP) "The Comeback." But I also have much love for Sorkin's sincere, straight approach to the ironies and contradictions of network TV, as well as to its value. That "Studio 60" episode about focus groups and their subliminal power over TV writers was fascinating, I thought.

OK, so maybe "Studio 60" still needs fleshing out as a character drama. Sorkin needs to make us care more about the cast. I would even say that the show's survival will depend on whether or not he can do that. But in the meantime, I'm in his corner.

P.S. Juliette Lewis as the Bounty Hunter on "My Name Is Earl." A classic.

For my money, Matthew, "30 Rock" -- which I know you liked and which I liked a lot more on second viewing than first -- does a much better job of skewering showbiz and network TV than Aaron Sorkin's cleverly-written, self-aggrandizing, let's-walk-and-talk pronouncements from on high.

It's a question of sugar vs. vinegar, or maybe a jelly doughnut versus a complicated, teetering souffle.

P.S. You are nice, too, and smart, and good-looking.

I would say you are right, Joanna, and you have great taste. Plus, you're smart and you're really, really nice.

So don't you think it's about time you give up your insane hatred of Aaron Sorkin and let in the love?

to Matthew's fitting declaration of love for Amy Poehler (see below), I will add this: the fact that she's married to Will Arnett -- who played Gob in "Arrested Development" -- makes me love her even more. That has got to be the funniest household in the history of the planet.

I have mixed feelings about the new season of "Saturday Night Live" so far. Maybe the smaller cast can pull together some sharp material; maybe not. Probably maybe not.

But I have only love for Amy Poehler, who is one of the best comedians in the history of the show. (And I intend the largeness of that statement.) She can do just about anything and make it work. She deserves to be a movie star, although I fear she’ll never find the right vehicle.

But I mention her here because I am still laughing at her scathing impression of the awful Nancy Grace last week. She nailed CNN's "justice" "reporter" to the wall. The smug baiting of interviewees, the preconceived verdicts, the self-righteousness – Poehler had it all. See for yourself at nbc.com.

...that "Lost" would use the 2004 World Series as proof that the outside world exists? Because only a crazy person would think the Red Sox could actually win.

After this past season, I'm starting to feel that way again.

Target audience: Soccer moms! Variety reports that NBC has tapped David Eick, executive producer of "Battlestar Galactica," to help develop a reconception of "The Bionic Woman."

This one will be about the work-life balance.

"It's using the idea of artificial technology as a metaphor for what contemporary women sometimes feel is necessary to do everything that needs to be done," Eick told the paper. It sounds a lot more interesting than "Close to Home."

The soap opera 'Guiding Light' is juicing up its plot lines next month. CBS announced today that the series is teaming up with Marvel Comics to create a super-powered character. Mild-mannered Harley Davidson Cooper, played by Beth Ehlers, is zapped by an electrical current and finds herself with superpowers she can use on the job as a cop as well as at home as a wife and mother (insert your own joke here).

The "She's a Marvel" episode will air Nov. 1. Marvel Comics will also release an eight-page comic featuring some of its heroes and villains, who will descend on the "Guiding Light" city of Springfield to test the new super-power.

I find myself watching "Studio 60" this season for the same reason I stuck with "Commander-in-Chief" last year; I sort of like the feeling of my own blood curdling. That said, last night wasn't quite the train wreck I expected it to be. I found myself getting a wee bit caught up in the plagiarism story, though the payoff wasn't great and the on-air apologies didn't ring true. And the more I see Evan Handler, the more I love him.

This could pose a problem, the way it did with "C-I-C" once Rod Lurie left the series. If a show is just mediocre, as opposed to spectacularly bad, there's not much reason to watch. Of course, I still had a fair amount of quibbles last night, including but not limited to:

1) Has anyone thought of Juliette Lewis in the last 10 years, much less tried to do an impression of her?
2) Is Bradley Whitford starting to rattle his cage yet? This show appears to be all about Matt Albie, which is to say, all about Aaron Sorkin.
3) Strindberg. Seriously. Is Sorkin trying to lift all boats here, or is he just showing off?

...through some mystery of science. I'm not going to venture a guess.

I will say, however, that this episode of "Battlestar" was well worth the wait. And that next Friday's episode won't disappoint, either. If you're a fan like me, keep preaching, and maybe the masses will follow.

We promised liveblogging. And, in truth, I have been liveblogging for nearly the last two hours, but when I got up from my laptop to check my desktop a few minutes ago, I discovered that none of my last 12 entries made it onto the site.

Sorry, folks. And look on the bright side: I'd say this experience is proof that "Battlestar Galactica" is not just for geeks.

In the meantime, I'll try to figure out what happened and get those posts up as soon as I can.

I mean, I like that the "breeding farm" subplot hasn't been forgotten. And I know this is a way to explore Kara's emotions, but something just feels a little too easy about this baby plot, since it's not hard to guess what's coming. It's all so Sigourney-Weaver-in-"Aliens:" Tough chick becomes Mama Bear.

Also, how old is this kid? Realistically, she can't be older than one, but she looks about the size of a two-and-a-half-year-old. How much to read into this? Is it just a quirk of Hollywood casting, or are we to believe that half-Cylon babies grow faster than human ones?

Of course, I get the modern-day parallels, the reason the BSG writers are moved to grapple with the issue of the suicide bombing. But why would the Cylons feel especially rattled by this? Dead humans are dead humans, after all -- a few less troublemakers to bother with -- and dead Cylons can get downloaded.

Perhaps it's the issue of bombing the civilian police -- the fact that humans are willing to kill their own, and that they look to be targeting the few other humans who are willing to collaborate. Perhaps it just challenges the Cylons' view of humans, as a whole; their assumptions about control are based on the idea that humans don't want to die.

It's starting to sound familiar, after all.

When Sharon says she felt guilty for "betrying my people," whom does she mean?

...but still. I know that isn't Jamie Bamber's real gut.

Why would Leoben possibly do this - go through this long, futile attempt to get Kara to love him? Why does Caprica Six want to risk everything for a weasely weakling like Gaius? The only conclusion I can reach is that Cylons are unparalleled romantics. It's part of their constitution, perhaps - when they glimpse love, they don't let go. And they have a lot of patience.

Or does Colonel Tigh sound distinctly like a pirate? Arrrgh.

Does each version of each model have the same personality? The Dean Stockwells all seem quite...you know, Stockwellian. And the Dorals seem very Doral.

Is where, why and how the Cylons managed to get modern art and Ikea carpets onto New Caprica. Don't they have enough on their hands?

He's by far my favorite Cylon.

It took me a minute, at first, to figure out that this was Starbuck. It has something to do with Katee Sackhoff's hair extensions, but there’s also something about the look on her face, lost and distant. No Starbuck spark. I can see why. Four months of this?

I've seen this episode before. In fact, I reviewed it in Thursday's Globe, trying hard not to say too much about the plot. The DVD came in a gorgeous press kit filled with glossy photos of the "Battlestar" cast and a host of trivia tidbits (Katee Sackhoff got her start in an MTV pilot called "Locust Valley;" Tahmoh Penikett, who plays Helo, is Native American.) It also contains plot descriptions of upcoming episodes, which I'm determined not to read.

That doesn't mean I'm not excited to watch BSG again. Like any good piece of cinema – and this show is cinematic, week after week – it's rich and layered, and I'm sure I'll notice more this time than last time. I'll let you know.

First show to be cancelled this season, AP reports, is CBS' dark and stylish drama about a den of thieves, starring Ray Liotta, Virgina Madsen, and an impressively-chilly Amy Smart.

The dominoes, they are falling fast.

And an early prediction: Not many new serials in the network lineups next fall.

Join Boston Globe pop culture reporter and critic Joanna Weiss as she blogs live during the two-hour season premiere of "Battlestar Galactica" on the Sci Fi Channel. The live event begins at 9 p.m. tonight.

During the show, feel free to comment about the premiere on Boston.com's Battlestar Galactica message board.

Of all of NBC's much-touted and expensively-produced new series, it's "Heroes" that seems to be getting the most action. NBC just ordered up a full run of 22 episodes for this season, while moving the slowly-dying "Kidnapped" to Saturdays, starting October 21.

So much for Aaron Sorkin being the network's savior; turns out it might be Hayden Panettiere, instead. For what it's worth, I caught up with this week's episode last night, and I'm on the fence. It's a little self-important, and there are a lot of moving parts, some more compelling than others. I'm already sick to death of Ali Larter's murderous stripper (though I suspect she is not in the show because of my demographic). But at least this series is going somewhere definite and intriguing.

Oh, and it's apparently the first network series to be sued. Emerson, maker of the In-Sink-Erator garbage disposal, apparently wasn't so pleased with the scene, in the pilot, when Claire sticks her hand down the sink.

The CW announced today that it's swapping its Sunday and Monday night lineups, two weeks into the fall TV season.

I never understood the network's decision to put the top UPN show "Everybody Hates Chris" on Sundays at 7 p.m.

Apparently, some network suits agree with me.

Now "Everybody Hates Chris" will air Mondays at 8 p.m., followed by the other African-American centered comedies "All of Us," "Girlfriends," and "The Game."

Sunday night, "7th Heaven" will air at 8 p.m., "Runaway" at 9 p.m. and an encore presentation of "America's Next Top Model" at 7 p.m.

The Monday night comedies will be up against some tough competition, namely CBS's "How I Met Your Mother," "Two and a Half Men," and "The New Adventures of Old Christine."

Still, it's a better fit.

The twelve or thirteen people watching learned, this week, that the show wasn't afraid to kill off its main character. Detective Felton, played by Gale Harold, died in a hail of bullets. TV Guide has the details.

Oh, and after the baseball break -- starting October 27 -- Fox is moving "Vanished" from Mondays at 9 to Fridays at 8. Which isn't a hail of bullets so much as a slow drip of poison.

NBC is shutting down production of "Kidnapped" in a few weeks after the thriller about a wealthy family whose son is kidnapped concludes its 13th episode, the "Hollywood Reporter" said today.

The series, which stars Timothy Hutton and Dana Delany, ranked no. 67 in viewership last week attracting just 6.3. million people.

Let's see if Fox's "Vanished" - another series about a kidnapping -- survives the fall.

You'll love "Battlestar Galactica." I promise. I raved about the season premiere in today's paper, but I realize the back story can seem a little daunting to a neophyte.

The Sci Fi channel hears you, too. So they've put together a pretty solid series recap, "The Story So Far," which is airing at 4 p.m. today and 5 p.m. on Friday. It's also available for download; the Sci Fi website has details, along with some more condensed recaps.

You now offically have no excuse.

Yeah, the episode gave me the "Lost" bug again.

It wasn't a killer knockout hour, by any means. But at least it ushered the show into some potentially interesting new territory, especially regarding the Others.

I want more information about the rest of the original gang, but surely that will come over the next few weeks.

More in the morning.

"It doesn't matter who we were. It only matters who we are." That's what Juliet says when Jack asks about the Dharma Initiative.

"It doesn't matter who he is. It just matters who you're not." That's what Sarah says when Jack asks her about her other man, who, by the way, is not Jack's father.

Sounds like Jack is consistent in his taste.

OK. That was chemistry, when Kate and Sawyer saw each other.

The producers are saying the "love triangle" with Jack, Sawyer, and Kate will be resolved this season, and if Kate and Sawyer don't end up together I'll be surprised. They just have it going on.

So Jack opens the door, after trying to take Juliet hostage, and there is an awful lot of water. Very "Titanic."

But after they are saved from the deluge, and Jack pushes the button (ANOTHER BUTTON? Oy), she smacks him down.

Yes, this will be true love.

Juliet urges Jack to eat and drink. She may be an Other, but she doesn't have Henry (Ben-ry?) Gale's crazy eyes or Zeke Friendly's gruff hillbilly ways. Actually, she seems quite lovely.

But of course this is "Lost," and she has been named Juliet for a reason. I'm afraid she's doomed.

"You talkin' to me now, Chachi?"

Sawyer has a way with nicknames, yes? It's classic Sawyer as he taunts the other prisoner, the kid named Carl, who tries to break out.

The setting for the Sawyer cell material looks a little "Gilligan's Island"-esque. Except when he gets stun-gunned. Ginger, unlike Juliet, was never armed.

So is Jack's father is Jack's wife's lover? Is that possible? Jack is calling Sarah's phone numbers to learn the name of her lover and Dad's phone rings.

That would be weirder than Old Christine dating New Christine's father. But that's a different show.

OK, maybe Jack has a right to be so...irritable.

"TELL ME WHERE MY FRIENDS ARE." Finally, Jack yells the line that ABC has been hitting us over the head with in ads. Do they have any extra sedatives in Otherville? If so, I prescibe a big one for Jack.

Meanwhile, Kate gets showered and prettied up and she is taken to a romantic "Bachelor"-style breakfast on the beach with Henry Gale (his name is Ben, but I prefer Henry Gale) -- and with a very contemporary looking coffee melior. Don't drink the coffee, Kate. You already detoxed after the plane crash, right?

I'd rather think about coffee headaches than wonder if the Others are going to force Kate to mate with Henry Gale.

Jack.

But Kate being harassed by Zeke, aka Mr. Friendly, looks more interesting. Jack is so...irritable, you know? And being in prison isn't going to make this control freak any mellower. Give us more Kate 'n' Zeke.

Sawyer is outside in a cage, as if he were a zoo animal, but Jack's in some kind of basement that looks like a torture cell. And in walks Juliet, played by Elizabeth Mitchell, who is a new cast member. Clearly, she'll be Jack's new love interest.

Hmmm. Maybe a few hours of torture will bring them closer together?

The Gap for using Audrey Hepburn to sell clothes.

Class action anyone? Or would that be a classless action?

If the person who programmed "Dancing with the Stars" before "Lost" makes mixed discs, I don't want to hear them....

Meanwhile, last season opened with the Mama and the Papas, this season begins with Petulia Clark. "Downtown." Don't Tell Me... this suburban scenario with a book group reading Stephen King is the home of ...THE OTHERS????

And the plane crashes.

And the opening credit so brilliant in its simplicity -- just "Lost" -- floats at us.

I’ll be here around 9 to live blog "Lost." In the meantime, my big question is: Can the “Lost” season premiere possibly live up to the hype?

And I’m not just referring to the stories in today’s news about the show’s long-awaited return tonight. Or all the casting trivia and plot conjecture that was published over the summer. During the past year, this series has been even more celebrated and exploited and dissected and glorified by the media than "Desperate Housewives."

Yes, and, well, mea culpa.

But right now, I’m thinking that if any TV series can beat wildly excessive expectations, it will be "Lost." So far, J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof have managed to overcome great scrutiny and pressure in order to open and close every season with a knockout episode. Surely they will unveil some wonderfully ugly new events tonight, amid the island’s beauty.

Come back at 9 p.m. tonight when Boston Globe TV critic Matthew Gilbert updates you live during the season 3 premiere of "Lost."

Also share your reaction and thoughts on the show in Boston.com's "Lost" message boards.

Season six of "24" will launch Jan. 14 and 15 in a special four-hour event, Fox announced this morning.

The series will pick up 20 months after Jack Bauer was captured by Chinese government agents. There have been a series of "horrific terrorist attacks" and Bauer now faces an "unthinkable, nail-biting day."

Whoo-hoo. China here we come.

For those of us who just can't wait, Fox is offering a trailer at www.24trailer.com beginning Oct. 24. The first television promo will air during game 3 of the World Series that same night.

Fox said season six will feature Wayne Palmer (brother of the late President David Palmer), Sandra Palmer (an advocacy lawyer), presidential advisors Karen Hayes, Thomas Lennox and CTU coworkers Chloe O'Brian, Curtis Manning and Bill Buchanan. There are a host of recurring characters as well.

OK, if I'm being monstrously unfair to Aaron Sorkin, go ahead and tell me. But I left tonight's "Studio 60" feeling

a) that Sorkin needs to subcontract out the writing of comedy sketches, and

b) that the madness must stop. Tonight's episode had not one, but two montages, proclaiming the importance of various events. Now, I know Sorkin takes his subjects seriously. The White House was never as important as he made it out to be. But please. Lighten up. This is only TV.

I missed "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip" last week. Totally forgot it was on (I'm not one of those Sorkin nuts who set my TiVo months in advance). So I was pleasantly surprised, after last week's "Project Runway," to find that Bravo was rerunning "Studio 60" in the place of "Million Dollar Listing." ABC has apparently replayed the "Ugly Betty" pilot on ABC Family.

I wrote last week about the networks' new religion: their realization that they'll only draw more viewers if they make their shows available online and on demand. The basic cable channels are useful, too. This season, in particular, has some tough cross-programming. And my TiVo only records one show at a time.

Tonight, it's saving "How I Met Your Mother," "Heroes," and, yes, "Studio 60." I'm still determined to give it a chance, no matter how hard it is to believe Sarah Paulson as a comic genius, or Amanda Peet as a brilliant network executive, or any Gilbert & Sullivan parody as a fresh idea.

OK, it's true. I'm only watching for the drinking game.

How odd to be heartily recommending a new series about a serial killer who kills serial killers. But "Dexter" is extraordinary: beautifully acted, artfully shot, and thoughtfully written. It’s the best series Showtime has come up with so far. Check out my review from Saturday’s paper, and check out the show, which premieres this week beginning Sunday night at 10. If you like movies such as "The Silence of the Lambs," along with a hard-boiled voiceover and stark Miami settings, chances are you’ll go for this one.