WBZ-TV (Channel 4) said Liz Walker will present a special series next week, April 3, 4 and 5 during the 11 p.m. newscast.

"Genocide in Sudan: Liz Walker Reports" will share images and information about the war-torn region, where Walker visited last month.

The program begins with a trip to a refugee settlement where 16,000 people have fled to escape genocide. Walker delivered emergency supplies. Later in the series, she explores the widespread crime in the region and Boston's response, including the efforts of physician Gloria White-Hammond, who has made 13 trips to Sudan.

Chris May and Sara Underwood will still anchor at WSBK-TV. "Dr. Phil" will be the new lead-in.

Ed Piette. general manager and president, said in a statement that "While Jeopardy has been a strong franchise on TV38, we think the Dr. Phil lead-in will be stronger for the 9 p.m. news."

He added, "That's one of the great things about TV38 being an independent station...we have the freedom to explore ideas and the flexibility to try them."

The change begins April 23.

The clouds are moving again.

Meteorologist Terry Casey, who has been with 7NEWS since 1994, is leaving to become weather product manager for Hearst-Argyle Television, the parent company of WCVB-TV (Channel 5).

Casey will be based at Channel 5 and will oversee weather content, production, technology and workflow on the Internet, mobile and digital multi-cast channels for Hearst-Argyle's 29 television stations across the country.

Casey is the second Ch. 7 meteorologist to leave for a Ch. 5 product. Harvey Leonard left in 2002.

He is scheduled to start April 18.

Todd Kazakiewich has been with the station for three years as a fill in reporter. Previously, he was with WFSB-TV in Connecticut.

First of all, thanks to the Sanjaya fans and haters who answered the call yesterday. My Sanjaya-victory-scenario story today quoted Kristin and Brian (who hosts a Howard-Stern-inspired radio show on 91.5 FM WFMO, from 10-12 on Saturday nights). Also heard from Jeff, an attorney at law, who said that Sanjaya reminds him of Michael Jackson. And from Monica, who says that if you like your singers to interpret their songs, you should have checked out Barbara Cook last weekend at Symphony Hall.

So. Onto "Lost." Which I LOVED last night. Loved the revisionist history - including some great technical work, reinserting Nicki into to the initial plane crash scenes. Loved the decision to abandon straight-up flashbacks and tell a different story. Loved the way the "Losties" seemed totally unfazed by two (supposedly) dead bodies in their midst. Loved the creepy ending. (Also, Lost/Heroes conspiracy theorists must have loved it when Hurley told Desmond that his superpower was lame.)

I know there's chatter out there about unfulfilled promises, unanswered questions, etc. But I realize that, with "Lost," I've entered a new place. I've given up on getting satisfying answers to mythological questions. If the writers come up with something good, I'll be pleasantly surprised. At this point, all I ask is that they entertain me for an hour. Last night, they totally did.

I'll leave the spoilers 'till after the jump, but I'll note, with more pride than I probably deserve, that I predicted it right in today's "Idol" chat. Not just the loser, but the bottom three. Which is probably a scary statement about the amount of mental energy I've been spending on "American Idol."

Is that what you call yourselves? Or maybe Malakarians? If you've voted for Sanjaya, I'm dying to talk to you for a story I'm writing for tomorrow's Globe. Email me at weiss@globe.com. (Incidentally, Dialidol predicts that he's safe this week, fauxhawk and all.)

And whether you love him or want to stuff cotton in your ears when he sings, please join me for an all-things-"Idol" chat at 1 p.m. on Boston.com.

Much has been said about Sunday's Battlestar Galactica season finale.

Executive producer Ron Moore has said that the endgame for the series is to find Earth.

But why stop there? What if the fleet finds a technologically advanced Earth and the Earth-based humans engage in a war with the Cylons?

Can't picture it? Watch this 9-minute film for ideas. Someone put together a Star Trek vs. Galactica movie that is a pure delight (Klingons fighting Cylons? What an idea). The film uses clips from old Star Trek movies and the original Battlestar TV show. It's a riot.

Why can't Ron Moore do his own version? Just think of the possibilities.

So. Sanjaya. I had a feeling he'd come out confident this week, but alas, he channeled all of his newfound, barely-justified pride into his hair, and none of it into his singing. That fauxhawk was a risky, risky move, because it didn't appeal to his base of support: The tweens and pre-tweens might be weirded out (Ava was), and the grandmas could well be turned off.

Then again, this also could be the week we say goodbye to Haley (though her dress was appropriately short - again, speak to your base). Chris Sligh could be in trouble, too, since he's been so lackluster in recent weeks. And Chris R., in danger last time, didn't really distinguish himself tonight.

Gina? She's never been my favorite, but I actually think I liked her best tonight. I mean, except for Melinda, who was perfect again, blah blah blah. All in all, this show felt dull to me. And at the risk of sounding fuddy-duddy -- and I'm not that old -- I'll declare that '90s pop songs don't showcase the singers as well as those sweet '60s tunes. It's especially hard to reproduce No Doubt or the Police; Gwen and Sting sing so distinctively that any cover attempt sounds flat. Jordin might have done better with "I'm Just A Girl." Phil was karaoke, but at least he wore a hat. Blake was smooth, but The Cure is a little monotone for "Idol." And LaKisha made "Last Dance" sound heavy somehow, like it was an order instead of an invitation.

Biggest surprise of the night? Besides how remarkably coherent Paula seems to have become? I'd say it was Gwen Stefani. I'll admit, I haven't seen many interviews with her; I'm not an "Access Hollywood" junkie, and I missed the True Hollywood Story. I just know her from her voice and her music videos, so I expected to see someone sultry and haughty-cool, not a soft-spoken high-school-cheerleader type with a surprisingly nasal voice. Her advice on the songs, though, was generally spot-on. In particular, I loved the dismissive way she referred to Chris R.'s "vocal Olympics."

Come join me on an "Idol" chat tomorrow at 1 p.m. on Boston.com. White high-heeled pumps welcome, even though, you know, it's months from Memorial Day.

That's what Ava said about Sanjaya this weekend, while she made me watch his version of "You Really Got Me" at least 50 times. And then this: "I want Sanjaya to come at my house," she said, in toddler diction. "I want him to have dinner with us."

What can I say? She's a pre-tween. And she's proof that the boy has a legitimate fan base, far removed from the snarks at Vote for the Worst. In a conference call with reporters yesterday, Nigel Lythgoe, the executive producer of "American Idol," was asked about the influence of VFTW, and brushed it off. "It's a bit like a fly buzzing around a cow, you know," he said. "Can't you understand why little girls vote for Sanjaya? I can."

I especially like that "Idol" is the cow in this scenario, though of course, it's more like the 800-pound gorilla. I've been particularly struck, over the past week or so, by how much the other networks have succumbed to its power. "Idol" talk doesn't just show up on "SNL," or E's "The Soup," or VH1's "Best Week Ever." Last week, NBC's Meredith Vieira had a "get" of Ashley the Crying Girl. And the March 12 episode of CBS's "The New Adventures of Old Christine" had an entire "Idol"-watching subplot, which included the funniest DVR joke I've ever heard (if that is, indeed, a category of joke.) Someone tried to tear Christine away from "Idol," telling her she could TiVo the episode. "We're watching it live, like animals!" she said. Brilliant.

Last night, I dreamed I saw The Crying Girl. Her pigtails were long and flaxen, her braces were glistening in the sun, and her tears were like streams of pure mountain water. Her face was twisted in pleasure so intense that it was painful, but not painful either, and her cries were heard all through the ages, from the days of the Salem Witch Trials to the 1960s British rock 'n' roll invasion that so thoroughly captured America's teens.

You know, the invasion that was celebrated last week on "American Idol."

In the dream, the 13-year-old Crying Girl was signing autographs, while a mob of reporters shouted questions at her. "How old are you?" "Do you represent a demographic?" "Do you think most teenage girls can feel such profound joy?" "And by the way, what is the meaning of your Andy Warhol T-Shirt?" But the ecstatic Crying Girl didn't have time to talk; she was on her way to "Today," and "Access Hollywood," in anticipation of this week's "Idol" guest star, teen-girl fave Gwen Stefani.

Through her Fox spokespeople, though, she did make a statement. "Those rumors that teenage girls are turning away from 'American Idol' published two weeks ago in the Philadelphia Inquirer? SO TOTALLY FALSE!"

No spoilers here yet, but a few quick thoughts on the "BSG" season finale after the jump.

Subject: Ava, 2 yrs, 8 mos.
The good news: It looks like she's finally over Bucky.
The bad news: Her new favorite appears to be Sanjaya.
The worse news: She made me watch his performance of "You Really Got Me" about 15 times this morning.
The even worse news: I kind of enjoyed it.

Earlier this year, the SciFi Channel released the following ad:

This season, one will die, one will realize they are a Cylon and one will find Earth.

The big reveal is upon us. We already know Starbuck died. So who will find Earth? Who is a Cylon?

In the ad we saw: Dualla, Lee Adama, Starbuck, Felix Gaeta, Baltar, William Adama, President Roslin, Number 3 and Karl Agathon (Helo).

I have already seen the finale so I know the truth.

Still, I want to know your predictions and wild theories. Feel free to write.

He's been named anchor of "World News Saturday" and co-anchor of "Primetime," ABC announced today.

It wasn't that long ago that David was reporting for WCVB-TV (Channel 5) here.

Speaking of Boston, Dan Harris (formerly of NECN and a native of Newton) is anchoring "World News Sunday."

That tells you something about the quality of news here in town. Bravo to both.

How interesting that Carole Simpson, who anchored "World News Sunday" for years, is now living in Boston and teaching at Emerson.

The stars are all aligned.

Last week, I wrote about the DVD release of the first 25 episodes of "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman". And for this Sunday, I'm writing about the DVD release of the first season of "Maude." And so this morning I woke up with Norman Lear and his genius on my mind. I can't think of another producer with such an awesome list of comedy credits, including "All in the Family," "Good Times," "The Jeffersons," and "One Day at a Time."

Without Lear's seminal 1970s work, I'm not sure I'd have such respect for what series TV can do. Lear really transformed the power and potential of sitcoms. He stretched the form way beyond kitsch, and beyond portrayals of some kind of bland American fantasy, and into real people's real lives. His comedies were hysterical -- "Maude" is still outrageously good -- but they were also socially and politically alive. Class, race, sexuality, education, bigotry, they were all blended inextricably into the characters and their comic situations. He established a model still worth emulating.

I promised some "American Idol" chatters yesterday that I'd let you know about next week's theme, so here it is: Pop songs. With guest host Gwen Stefani, who will perform "Sweet Escape" with Akon on Wednesday night.

Also: The LA Times has uncovered the mystery of crying Ashley. Apparently she's a real, regular person who had a ticket to the dress rehearsal. She sobbed at the dress rehearsal. The producers, smart fellows, smelled paydirt.

Also, Tuesday's show will run from 8 to 9:07 p.m., so they can fit everybody in without padding too much.

My husband came home just before 10 p.m. and he literally stood up with his coat on for half the episode. He couldn't move.

Locke's back story was incredible (although the Internet is abuzz today about how a man could survive an eight-story fall).

There are theories that Locke's dad was drinking the same liquor (McCutcheons?) that Penny's dad offered Desmond. (I believe it).

An even better theory is that Locke didn't blow up the sub. He moved it and then blew up the end of the pier, so everyone thinks they can't leave the island. How else to explain why he was soaking wet when they caught him? Hmmm..

The best news of all is that Locke's dad is actually on the island, tied up and looking scared. Incredible! Let's hope he's not the real mastermind. Henry Gale played that card too.

Fun stuff! I'm counting on the rest of the season being this intense. Then "Lost" will have redeemed itself.

Sadly, Calvert DeForest died on Monday night at the age of 85. DeForest was known as Larry "Bud" Melman on David Letterman's NBC show, but when Letterman moved to CBS in 1993, NBC claimed ownership of the name and blocked its usage. DeForest continued to appear with Letterman, sans moniker.

Hang onto that name, NBC. Never know when that property might come in handy again.

DeForest was funny and dear, and he was a pro at not being a pro. Few performers could do bad impressions as well as he could, or stumble so marvelously over cue cards. In the very first episode of Letterman's NBC show in 1982, the first thing viewers saw was DeForest doing a horror-film introduction to the host (see clip below). Likewise, his was the first face we saw on the premiere of Letterman's CBS show.

But DeForest was also living proof of Letterman's power. He was a roly-poly elder with black-rimmed glasses and a nebbishy manner, but in Letterman's presence, he was suddenly hip and culty. It was as if DeForest were completely transformed simply by the reflection of Letterman's ironic aura. No other entertainer can change the very meaning of the word "loser" into "winner" as effortlessly as Letterman.

Letterman was fond of DeForest, and he said in a statement, "Everyone always wondered if Calvert was an actor playing a character, but in reality he was just himself -- a genuine, modest, and nice man. To our staff and to our viewers, he was a beloved and valued part of our show, and we will miss him."

A spoiler-free take on tonight's elimination after the jump. But I think it's safe to announce that, despite the dismay of many on the Idol Chat this afternoon, Sanjaya Malakar will be touring the nation this summer. And is that such a terrible thing? Sure, he performed "You Really Got Me" like an eight-year-old who'd binged on sugar cookies. But admit it, you had to watch.

Adam Williams will join 7News in early April to co-anchor the weekend morning news with Lauren Przybyl. Williams is currently an anchor at Channel 7's sister station in Miami, WSVN-TV.

Williams replaces Phil Lipof, who moved to New York recently with his wife, former 7News anchor Julie Auclair. Lipof went to WABC-TV.

Meanwhile, on weekend evenings, Brandon Rudat will co-anchor the news with Nichelle King. Rudat replaces Jeff Glor, who landed a gig at WCBS-TV in New York. Glor will remain on Channel 7 through mid-April. Rudat, who comes from WVIT-TV in Hartford, starts in late April.

It's early to be making announcements like this. But when you have winners, you have winners.

So next season, ABC will bring back: "Brothers & Sisters," "Men in Trees," "Ugly Betty," "The Bachelor," "Boston Legal,: "Grey's Anatomy," "Dancing with the Stars," "Desperate Housewives," "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "Lost," and "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

The network already announced it was returning "America's Funniest Home Videos," "Supernanny" and "Wife Swap" (boo!)

Don't ask about "According to Jim" and "George Lopez." Time for some fresh comedy people.

Dialidol predicts that Phil Stacey is safe - not surprising, given that Simon put out the clarion call to Phil fans last night. Discuss.

Join me at Boston.com at 1 p.m. to dish about Phil's shirt, his ears, and maybe even his singing. Uncontrollable crying is permitted.

Jeesh, Sanjaya, what are we supposed to do now? It's not that he sang well tonight -- he still looked like a kid at a middle school talent show -- but he worked it. Especially when he crouched down and flirted with Paula. And when he growled, like a lion with heartburn. But that crying girl who got three or four more seconds of airtime than he did? Methinks she was not a crazed fan. Just an emotionally disturbed preteen, who now will need a few extra years of therapy. Nice work, "Idol" producers.

Also got a kick out of Blake. The boy is smoooooth, the band must adore his arrangements, and I always look forward to seeing what he's going to do. Jordin can truly sing, and she got deep into the zone with that song. She's giving LaKisha some competition.

Because LaKisha: Hmmm. "Diamonds are Forever" is a weird song, and the judges clearly didn't know what to make of it, since all they seemed to want to talk about was the cost of her bracelets (Paula) and the fact that The Dawg wears ice (Randy). Gina shouted her song, as usual, and looked excessively proud of herself, as usual.

Phil? Simon nailed it: Kevin Covais was grittier when he sang "Tobacco Road" in last year's season finale. I don't really remember what Chris R. or Stephanie did, which cannot be good. And Chris Sligh and Haley were passable, I guess, but they also proved the perils of production numbers: too much time worrying about the blocking, not enough about hitting the notes.

Confession: My evil DVR glitched out on me, keeping me from the second half of Melinda's performance, but reliable sources tell me it was impeccable, as usual. Yawn.

Predictions: Phil, Stephanie, and Chris R. are on the bubble. (Haley wisely wore hot pants; they're like an immunity pass.) My best guess is that Stephanie's fans defect to Jordin, and she's out.

Random observation: Ryan made a point of mentioning Simon's girlfriend. I hope that means the outing is over.

Once again, join me tomorrow at 1 p.m. for an "Idol" chat on Boston.com. If you've joined the "Starvation for Sanjaya" hunger strike, I really want to know about it.

...for bringing America together. Quite a few people - "Idol" neophytes, all -- have recently asked me how these shriekingly bad singers make it through the initial screenings, let alone the final rounds. I always have to explain, very slowly and clearly, that this is a television show, not a Julliard audition. I mean, come on. If Sanjaya weren't still in the running, who on earth would we be talking about? Phil Stacey?

Now, Sanjaya fever is reaching beautiful new heights. First, it was Vote for the Worst. Then, it was Howard Stern. Now, one dedicated viewer is going on a hunger strike. Her mission statement is here:

The MySpace chatter, as you can imagine, is out of control.

Last night's episode of "How I Met Your Mother" was yet another good one, not least of all the ending, in which Barney does his own David Letterman Top 10 list. The homage made perfect sense, since Barney would of course be a Letterman baby. I imagine Letterman is one of the great gods of Barneyworld, alongside Casanova and Gordon Gekko. So here's the clip of "The Top Ten Names I Would Have Given My Truck if Ted Hadn't Been a Jerk and Given It Back":

I love this, right down to the breaking glass at the end. You can tell Neil Patrick Harris is having a great time getting his Letterman on. Viewers can feel it when actors are having a good time, I think.

But here's what's also interesting about this bit: It is nothing if not YouTube-ready. It's a self-standing piece that begs to go viral. Did the producers and writers of "How I Met Your Mother" design the segment with viral intentions? Did CBS, which also airs the Letterman show, make sure it got onto YouTube? I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised. Think about how successful the "Digital Shorts" from "Saturday Night Live" have been. Those clips are created to go viral and promote the show, which they have done bigtime. The digital shorts have made "SNL" seem a lot less like a relic.

YouTube reminds me of early MTV in this way: It's entertainment, it's varied, and it's easy to forget that it's promotional. Of course YouTube is quite different in its "democratic" orientation, as it realizes the empowerment-of-the-masses promise of the Internet. But still, it's a place on which promoters can hang their ads -- not just for music, but for all kinds of things. NBC recently put up "Zeroes," a fake ad (that's a real ad) for "Heroes," and Fox has done likewise with "24."

And politicians can certainly take advantage of the fingerprint-free YouTube trail, not just those activists who put up clips of politicians contradicting themselves. Buying TV spots is nice and all, but the viral approach can be much more creative and incendiary. Check out this anti-Hillary Clinton piece, a mash-up of an old Apple ad that turns Clinton into a symbol of both old politics and the old, top-down media. The Barack Obama campaign has said it's not from them, but in the future, it could be:

I'm still waiting for Starbuck to turn up in goo -- or lounging at a resort on Earth; maybe she'll land in Jamaica! -- but I nonetheless enjoyed this week's installment of "Battlestar Galactica." Roslin is back to being a cancer-victim-slash-religious nut. Romo Lampkin makes for an intriguing quasi-villain. And I'm not sure if it was a sign of casting brilliance or a stroke of luck that the woman playing the prosecutor comes across as the sort of litigation hack that always plays second fiddle to Sam Waterston.

Quibbles: I wish that Jamie Bamber made a more credible angry son; he strikes me more as a petulant kid who's mad because he didn't get a cookie. And I could have done without Helo's stilted "the weather is changing" speech at the end, which sounded like something a writer wrote. Still, I thought this episode gave a lot of characters something to do, I love it when Tigh emotes from behind his eye patch, and I'm suitably intrigued by the idea that a retro '50s radio carries some sort of cosmic or Cylonish message.

I finally caught up with last week's "Grey's Anatomy," and I wish I hadn't. I'm not sure George and Izzie actually had sex, what with all the boozing. But just the idea of George and Izzie getting romantic was enough to make me furious at this show all over again. I've spewed here and there about the creative irritations of "Grey's," a show I once defended and enjoyed for being a guilt-free hospital soap-drama. But I feel Shonda Rhimes reached a new low by putting two more of the regular castmembers into a sexual situation.

As far as I know, the Viewer Discretion blog program does not allow me to build a chart. Otherwise, I could create a graphic that would be as in-bred as Alice's original chart on "The L Word." Not including Cristina and Burke (although, with Colin Marlowe on the scene, that may change), the gang has had a staggered orgy of sorts. Meredith has been with Derek and George; Izzie has been with Alex and George (and the floor; see above); Addison has been with Derek and McSteamy and Alex, kinda; Callie has been with George and McSteamy; and there are romantic connections I'm probably forgetting. You could draw and line from Addison to Derek to Meredith to George to Izzie to Alex and back around to Addison again, and throw in Callie and McSteamy for some nonlinear action. Fortunately, Rhimes has not tied the knot any tighter by throwing in one or two gay or lesbian episodes.

It just starts seeming stupid and incestuous after a while. Is there no such thing as a true friendship between a man and a woman? I guess "ER" has dabbled in the same kind of romantic overlap, and I guess many ensemble shows do it as the years stretch on and the options become more limited. Remember when Joey and Rachel were lovers on "Friends"? Now that was creepy. But "Grey's Anatomy" has gone there way too quickly.

I have an ongoing argument with a friend who's in recovery. He believes that A&E'S "Intervention," which returns for its third season tonight, is an admirable show. It's good publicity for interventions, he says, for America to watch addicts hit their bottoms and then undergo the saving efforts of friends and family.

But I think it’s a horrible piece of reality exploitation. Getting an addict’s permission to film when he or she is at or nearing the bottom is not fair. And persuading that addict to give permission to be filmed by claiming that the show is about addiction, and not mentioning the coming intervention, is a deception that’s particularly ugly when directed toward a person in despair. I just don't think these means justify the end, which is to make a powerful reality series. There has to be another way to promote the undeniable value of interventions.

I wrote a screed against "Intervention" when it premiered in 2005, and in it I described the premiere's profile of a shopping addict with OCD. Not long after the review ran in the Globe, that shop-a-holic called and left me three very long voice mails about how much she regretted her decision to appear on the show. Maybe she just wanted more attention, and wanted me to write about her; but maybe she really just needed more attention from someone other than the media.

So, apparently, there's this woman on this island named Claire. She has an exotic accent. And a baby, four of five weeks old, who looks like he's been kicking around for at least four months. And she isn't afraid to yell when this baby is trying to sleep. And she has found some stylish outfits (circa 2006) in some 2004 sets of luggage. And her flashback confirmed one of those conspiracy theories that people have been buzzing about since at least last fall.

Quibbles aside, I was satisfied with last night's episode of "Lost:" some answers, some questions, some entertainment. It's good that the writers haven't completely forgotten about the original cast; good that Sayid remains a player; good that Kate has shaken off that damsel-in-distress thing. I liked the hint of Jack with Stockholm Syndrome at the end, even if it made no sense whatsoever. And while I've been saying, for months, that it's time for the show to drop the flashbacks already, this one gave us a couple of pieces of intel we didn't already know. Such as the fact that Claire went through a Goth phase.

In the interest of avoiding spoilers, I'll put my brief thoughts on tonight's "American Idol" elimination after the jump. (And you can read what you like into the title of the post.)

As for Diana Ross and her red feather boa, I'll say this: She looks great, for someone who's 103. But, dawg, the singing was a little pitchy, yo.

TVGuide.com is reporting that the rumored "Grey's Anatomy" spin-off will be set in Los Angeles and will feature plastic surgery and psychiatry prominently (naturally).

Dr. Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) is set to star, rumor has it.

Much debate on the "Idol" chat this afternoon (transcript here) about whether "pronunciate" is a word. I can't find it in either of the dictionaries on my desk (Webster's New World College and Merriam Webster's Collegiate, for those keeping score). But astute reader Elly found a listing on dictionary.com:

Main Entry: pronunciate
Part of Speech: v
Definition: to declare or pronounce
Usage: rare

Source says Webster's New Millennium Dictionary of English.

Still, I propose that just because something is technically a word, that doesn't mean you should go around using it.

Anderson Cooper is going to interview him this Sunday.

Simon will talk about the criticism leveled at him by the music industry, his wealth and value to Sony/BMG where he works, and the appeal of "American Idol."

Then for fun, a group of judges will critique him doing something he's passionate about.

"Dialidol" has him in third place this week, behind LaKisha and Melinda. Discuss.

Seriously. Come chat about this and other "Idol" developments at 1 p.m. here.

Simon told Ryan to come out of the closet! Simon told Ryan to come out of the closet!

That was my real *gasp* moment during tonight's "Idol" -- my only *gasp* moment, because aside from the escalating Ryan/Simon out-me wars, I've pretty much got a handle on these folks. Melinda, LaKisha: Superstars. Jordin: Almost there (and boy, she does like the animated movie soundtrack songs). Blake: Interesting. Gina: Yells. Phil: Ears. And so on and so forth.

One pleasant surprise: I thought Diana Ross was a pretty good coach, all in all. It's great to see pros talking about how to sell and feel a song. I loved the look on her face when Blake started in on his trippin' version of "Keep Me Hanging On." And then there was the moment when she told Gina to "pronunciate."

"Pronunciate," I said out loud. "Is that a word?"
Two-and-a-half-year-old Ava, beside me on the couch, piped up: "I don't know!"

It's interesting, too, to see how much control these contestants seem to have over arrangements - important this week, because it was clear that the guys, with the possible exception of Sanjaya, felt out of place with the straight-up Diana. But boy, I did not like Chris Sligh's super-loud version of "Endless Love." It reminded me of a toddler having a tantrum. And I know a little something about that.

Join me at 1 p.m. tomorrow on Boston.com for a live chat about the Top 12 and all things "Idol." Lovers and haters welcome.

In advance of tonight's Top 12 show, I formally share these thoughts:

1) Chris Sligh and his pre-Idol band, Half Past Forever, are selling their debut CD, "Take a Chance on Something Beautiful," on Amazon.com for $12.97. Hmmm. Wholesome rock from the sarcastic dude.

2) The Philadelphia Inquirer suggests today that teenage girls are leaving the "Idol" fold. A little bit. Maybe. For now. While they're texting their boyfriends. But then how to explain the Haley Scarnato vote?

3) Diana Ross tonight. Which means I'm a little afraid that Sanjaya will sing "Endless Love."

4) I'll be doing a live "Idol" chat tomorrow at 1 p.m. on Boston.com. Please join me; deep dishing is encouraged.

A few months ago, Fox posted a "24" spoof involving Santa Claus as Jack Bauer. The goal was to promote the new season of "24" in a self-mocking and timely way, so Fox also released the clip to the viral-video delivery system, notably YouTube.

Now NBC has released a "Heroes" spoof onto the viralsphere in anticipation of the show's return on April 23. The faux commercial for "Zeroes" is mean enough, but of course not so nasty that you wouldn't want to watch the show. It features a bunch of ordinary people with not-so-special special abilities, including a woman who can touch her tongue to her nose and a cheerleader who can put her fist in her mouth (sort of).

The clip is getting lots of business at YouTube (check it out here), which again proves A) TV marketers are getting smart and B) YouTube is a great place for commercials. Because hip and clever as it is, the new breed of network-generated spoofs are indeed commercials.

Which powerful voting bloc do we have to blame for this sad affair? Sundance, his beard and his tear ducts are out; Sanjaya and his hair remain. Sabrina is gone; Haley, whose name Simon swore he couldn't remember last night, is now in the Top 12. Can't pin it on "Vote for the Worst" this time, since their pick, Antonella, is finally going home.

That's why I'm going with an unlikely coalition of grandmas and tweens. It might have been brilliant, after all, for Haley to play to the Disney Princess crowd; twelve-year-olds are expert texters, and the older members of Sanjaya's fan base are suckers for, you know, wholesome music. I do feel bad for Haley and Sanjaya, given the judges' reaction; Paula, in particular, looked as if she'd just opened the fridge and found some rancid meat. Remember how giggly she used to get over Kevin Covais last year? You'd think she'd want to squish Sanjaya, too, but she just wants to kick him to the curb. And the poor kid looked despondent. Quick, somebody get him a juice box.

I wish Jared could stay. I think I'd swap him out with Phil, if I had the choice, but I suspect the 'tweens and grandmas had their way here, too. Interesting that this was such a newsworthy night, as voting goes; it really stepped on the super-hyped Major Announcement about Idol going Oprah and trying to use its vast powers for global good. And I don't mean to sound too cynical here. People are paying attention; why not pay it forward? If they can get the tweens to care about African poverty and Gulf Coast reconstruction, I'll forgive them for Idol Camp.

Wasn't it just yesterday that he was pounding the pavement at Howard University (my alma mater) trying to get students to go see "School Daze?"

In a tribute to his work, the cable channel Starz InBlack will run an all-day marathon of his movies and some interview segments on March 20.

Yes, there were some very good performances tonight by the girls, who continue to mop up the floor with the boys. But what made the biggest lingering impression was Ryan's outfit, which made him look as if he'd stepped off the set of "Love Story." Between that and Simon's decision to show some chest hair tonight, I was suitably distracted.

Maybe that's because, good as many of these women are, they're also fairly predictable by now; LaKisha will throw her great power into one of those dial-it-to-11 power ballads; Melinda will do the same, with more nuance; Gina will shriek out a song and then look exceedingly proud of herself. And so on, and so forth. If there is justice in the world, Antonella and Haley will go home. But we all know that, in general, this world is only half-just.

A few more specific thoughts (about the singers, not Ryan's clothes) after the jump.

As in "The 1/2 Hour News Hour," the mock-comedy show from the creators of "24," which had a recent experimental run on the Fox News Channel. It was nearly-universally panned by critics, but the viewers tuned in, so Fox announced today that it has ordered an additional 13 episodes. And if this feels like vindication for those readers who weren't fond of my review...well, so be it.

Darn it. Now I'm going to say something that some critic somewhere always says. I hate me when I do that. But I just took a look at last week's Nielsen Top 20 list, and the only two comedies on it are "Two and a Half Men" (at No. 10) and "Rules of Engagement" (at No. 19). Yuckola! The former show is beyond played out, and the latter is just bad.

I'm afraid I'm just another one of those rich people, as Media Life magazine explains, who watch sitcoms such as "Scrubs" and "The Office," except, well, I'm not rich. I look forward to those shows, along with "How I Met Your Mother," as much as I look forward to almost anything these days. I wish they were more popular, to spread the joy and to keep the prospect of cancellation at bay. "Arrested Development" still stings.

The good news about rich-people shows: According to Media Life, a sitcom such as "30 Rock" would not be a sure bet for renewal since its Nielsen numbers are in the 80s -- except that its viewers have a median income of $65,000. As you might guess, advertisers are definitely attracted to shows that draw viewers who have money to spend.

Putting "The View" in her rear-view mirror, Star Jones Reynolds is returning to her roots to host a daytime talk show on Court TV.

The one-hour, live daily show will talk about crime and justice stories in the news and pop culture. The show, which has yet to be named, will premiere later this year.

Star, a former senior assistant district attorney in New York, was a studio commentator for Court TV during the William Kennedy Smith rape trial.

That led to a legal correspondent gig on "Today" and "NBC Nightly News," then her own sydnicated show "Jones & Jury," an analyst job on "Inside Edition," and eventually "The View."

Somehow, I knew she'd be back.

What will Rosie say?

That's really the only way to put it, right? Tonight's episode left me wondering about the guys from Hollywood who didn't make the cut, and about the "Idol" audition process in general. I mean, I understand why they put Sanjaya through, though it ultimately seems a disservice to him. But a lot of the current finalists don't have discernible personalities, let alone the ability to pick decent songs. "Idol" is usually entertaining no matter what, but an hour of mediocre performances is dull, dull, dull.

I still like Blake, though there wasn't anything exciting about his 311 song; I preferred it when he did Keane. I thought Jared was a little bit better than the judges gave him credit for -- at least he tried a hard song, and hit the notes. I think Brandon has potential, but Simon is right; he needs to step it up. Sundance sounded like a goat. Phil and Chris R. were bland. And Sanjaya. Oh, Sanjaya. When Paula is throwing up her hands and telling you to "step up your game," it might be time to quit singing and take up the clarinet. I think his performance would have come off better -- albeit in a totally creepy way -- if he had stood in one spot and sang "Your Body is a Wonderland" instead.

So, the three-and-a-half-to-four guys that the judges think should be in the finals? I'm guessing Blake, Sligh, Chris, and Jared, with Jared being the "half." Am I wrong?

He succeeds Ed Harding, who has finally given up his ridiculous split shift and is only working nights now.

David is currently one of the station's meteorologists. How interesting that he would switch to straight news.

I have a theory about that.

David starts March 26.

Anyway, the station also announced that assistant news director Neil Ungerleider is giving up that post to become manager of Channel 5's digital and multimedia efforts. The Internet stuff, the mobile phone stuff, etc. That's the future. His old job won't be filled.

When I talked to "Heroes" creator Tim Kring last week about the strange and possibly-meaningful connections between his show and "Lost," he mentioned a lesson he took from the latter show's scheduling woes: He insisted that NBC set its schedule in stone. Knowing that he'd face two six-week breaks in the middle of the season, he said, allowed him to write toward mini-cliffhangers -- Kring called them "tentpoles" -- that kept up suspense, but kept the story going, too.

Tonight is one of those tentpoles: the last new "Heroes" before the show goes into reruns and returns on April 23. I can't say I care too deeply about which gray-haired actor is playing Mr. Linderman, but if I get to see any more about George Takei's role in a vast supernatural conspiracy, I'll be moderately happy tonight.

I caught an advance of tomorrow night's "House," and once again I was unexpectedly blown away. Too often, the machinery of this show can be so repetitive and ridiculous. Are the doctors actually still breaking into patients' homes to do research? And yet Hugh Laurie and his writers manage to defy the absurdities over and over again, as the character of House remains not just intense, but thoroughly unromanticized.

The medical-procedural part of the episode is about a piano-playing savant whose already damaged brain may be in trouble. It's familiar "House" business, with House doing his usual Sherlock Holmesian deductions, except that the savant is played by musician Dave Matthews. The role doesn't ask too much of Matthews -- just some childlike mugging -- but he does a nice job of it. And that's good news, since he has parts in two upcoming movies, one with Sissy Spacek and the other with Ryan Gosling.

Still, the hour belongs to Laurie and House, who appears to have a secret regarding his own health. I won't go into it here, except to say that the show proves once again that addiction and depression are not cute and that House will never be the predictable TV hero we want him to be. The writers have turned us into Sherlocks, in a sense, and they continue to give us clues about who House truly is. And as we solve the mystery, the answers are rarely pretty.

If you want to avoid spoilers for this week's "Battlestar Galactica," don't read past the jump. But I've got something to say...

Sunday's episode is not to be missed. I have seen an advance copy. It will definitely cause some ripples.

I won't spoil it for anyone by providing details. Just watch.

Our own Meredith Goldstein hung out with him ... and his father.

Check out this fun story.

ABC is working on a comedy pilot for the famous cavemen from Geico's insurance ads, Variety said.

The show would follow three cavemen as they face the drama of modern life. Joe Lawson, the copywriter for the Geico ads, is writing.

And we thought comedy was dead...

My DVR cut out the last few seconds of "Idol" last night, and wouldn't you know it, I missed the final, unbelievable moments of Leslie Hunt's kiss-off song. Thank goodness for YouTube; now I realize she turned her ill-fated jazzy performance into an angry indictment of America's musical taste. "Why did I decide to scat?" she half-sang, half-yelled. "Americans' don't care for jazz!" Watch for yourself here; it's pretty cool.

It is, indeed, a weird year for the "Idol" women. Last season, the finalists could be broken down into set categories: jazzy sexpot, country chick, Aretha-lite, with a couple of precocious teens thrown in for good measure. This season is filled with big-voice belters, and the rest of the ladies are getting lost. Unless they've gotten ample screentime from the "Idol" producers, and sweetened the pot with some bad-girl behavior.

Metaphorically speaking, "Grey's Anatomy" has gone to the great beyond. What can I say? The dramatic plots have reached new heights of ridiculousness and the characters seem to have lost their senses of humor, particularly the funereal George, who now looks like a professional mourner. Back in November, I pleaded with the writers to give us back the McSweetie we once knew and loved, but George has fallen into an impossible funk and doesn't seem to want to climb out.

But I write because I think the cast dramas surrounding the show in recent months have become another kind of death knell. Or at least they make it harder to wish for the show's resuscitation. Homophobia toward T.R. Knight, Isaiah Washington's visit to slur rehab (slurhab?), Katherine Heigl's contract negotiations, cast envy toward Kate Walsh because she's getting a spinoff series... This kind of tabloid baloney only adds to my desire to turn away from "Grey's." It feels like we viewers gave the cast too much love too quickly, and now we have somehow spoiled them.

Of course backstage issues shouldn't have anything to do with how we judge the show itself. But these days the networks and TV producers push their casts into the publicity machine so constantly that it all starts to blur together. When a show is losing its magic, cast woes are harder to overlook.

Now look what you've done, America: You've gone and made Paula mad. The Mistress of Nice, who went out of her way on Tuesday to say something positive about Sanjaya ("At least you can't say you were pitchy") seemed positively irked that A.J. and Leslie got the boot, and that Antonella and Jiminy Cricket get to stay. All hail the power of sentimental grandmas and dirty old (and young) men.

Alaina was much less of a surprise, though it's clear that the other contestants really liked her, and it was genuinely tough to watch her break down during her sendoff song. I've always thought that was one of the cruellest "Idol" traditions: Could you please reprise that performance America hated so much?

In other news, Nick Pedro of Taunton turned his kiss-off into his best performance yet. Sundance Head showed us he's a man who's not afraid to cry. And Kellie Pickler looks to be channeling Dolly Parton, in, um, more ways than one. That haircut and makeup job made her look about 60, and the song wasn't doing her any favors, either.

And one last snarky observation, held over from last night: I know that Melinda has America's heart, not just because she's a spectacular singer, but because she's supposedly the humblest creature to ever grace the planet. So why, in a week when everyone was thanking their grandmas and cute little brothers, did she dedicate her song to her vocal coach and stylist -- and then decline to name either one of them? She just called them "my Gayles," as in Oprah's Gayle. And Oprah is many, many things, but humble isn't one of them.

You may have questions, you may want to share your opinions on your favorite shows, or you may just want to join the many readers who are berating me via email for writing that Ellen DeGeneres was a disappointing Oscar host. And so please do come to today's TV chat at noon, which you can find by clicking here.

"Friday Night Lights" continues to wow me, and I hope NBC will renew it despite the mediocre ratings. Yeah, "FNL" is my "save this show" project right now, even though I'm not sure "save this show" campaigns really work ("Freaks and Geeks," "Arrested Development," etc., RIP). Indeed, sometimes I think they can turn potential viewers off, because they make watching the shows sound like some kind of moral obligation. (That said, here's how to petition NBC.)

And so I write this entry out of love, and because I don't want to see "FNL" lose its magic. But the last two episodes have had a distinctly afterschool-special odor about them. Last night, the writers telegraphed a message to us about manic-depression, as Waverly had a manic episode, talked about having gone off her drugs, and then sat sobbing on the kitchen floor. It was mental illness in teens in three or four scenes. And last week, we got a "very special episode" about premarital sex.

Please please please please PLEASE, "FNL" writers. Don't turn this realistically filmed and strongly acted series into must-heave TV! What has been so very powerful about the show is the way it has dodged Big Obvious Messages and taken a documentary-like look at ordinary lives in smalltown Texas. At times, "FNL" has been a wonderful contemporary gothic for the small screen. Don't go all "7th Heaven" on us, and don't confuse public service announcements with drama. You probably won't gain any new viewers, and you'll alienate some of your biggest fans.

P.S.: Please don't forget to push Connie Britton for a best actress Emmy.

At least, for some of the wannabe divas, who cannot stop themselves from attempting Celine (oh, Antonella) or Whitney (oh, Haley) and then seem surprised when the judges are lukewarm. In general, I wasn't as wowed by the girls as I was last week, though maybe that's a problem of too-high expectations. I liked LaKisha's "Midnight Train to Georgia," but I fear my so-cool colleague Sarah Rodman is right: as she wrote today, once you've tackled "And I Am Telling You," there's noplace to go but down.

Exception to the rule: Melinda. Her "Funny Valentine" was flawless. And she does seem like a nice person, blah blah blah. Still, there's this tiny part of me who still thinks that, as a professional backup singer, she's a ringer. I mean, I know all of these folks have sung in public before, but come on. "Idol" is all about rescuing the waitress. And LaKisha works at a bank, which is almost the same.

A few other thoughts after the jump...