TV critic Matthew Gilbert: Nov. 16, 2006

Matthew_Gilbert: Hi fellow TV people. What's up?

robyn: Matthew, I heard Lost isn't doing so well in the ratings, especially since they decided to take such a long break. Will this hurt the show's chances to come back next year? I would be devestated!
Matthew_Gilbert: Lost did well during its season-ette, but not as well as it last season. To ABC, that's scary. But the decline in viewership probably has less to do with anticipating a break and more to do with viewer frustration. The big mystery just keeps getting more complicated.
Matthew_Gilbert: So complicated, it's hard to believe the writers and producers will be able to tie it up well. Never forget...The X-Files,

Keith: Any thoughts on whether Friday Night Lights and Six Degrees will make it through the season?
Matthew_Gilbert: NBC has already given Friday Night Lights a full season order, which is great news. What a show. Love it. The documentary-like filming style and the acting lift it well above it's sports-melodrama genre.
Matthew_Gilbert: "Six Degrees," on the other hand, is doomed. ABC has already been pulling it for sweeps. Don't get too attached.

mattg: Hey Matt, nice name. Wonder if you've given any thought to the recent debate over continuity in television series: namely, if people have enough attention to follow a show that, like, REQUIRES a lot of attention
Matthew_Gilbert: Nice name, Matt? You mean GREAT name, I think. But anyway, yes, I have done lots of thinking about serial TV. I think viewers have the attention-span for it, and the memory-capacity, too. But they need to feel secure in investing their time -- they need to know the mystery is going to good and that it will be clearly solved. Alas, some networks and TV producers don't think of serial TV in creative terms; they just think of capturing viewers from week to week.

krisgle: Hey Matthew, what do you think about Scrubs chances once it comes back next week?
Matthew_Gilbert: Scrubs (which returns Nov. 30; yahoo!) will do all right. It's never been a hit, so NBC isn't expecting too much. Plus, NBC has already accepted its lesser fate on Thursday nights. The network knows it's putting Scrubs up against two major heavyweights, Grey's Anatomy and CSI.

farmer: Matthew, what's your take on the representation of gay culture on television today? A brother who is gay has considerable difficulty understanding why most characters become cariciatures (sorry about the spelling); while as a straight guy, I tend not to pick up on any overt bias. Thoughts?
Matthew_Gilbert: Now there's a little question, farmer. Gays and lesbians look a lot better on TV now than they did 20-30 years ago. Remember DR. SMITH from Lost in Space?!!!! Oyoyoy.
Matthew_Gilbert: There's a non-stereotypical gay men on "Brothers & Sisters," for example, and "The L Word" has been adding dimensions to perceptions of lesbians for years now. But still, the whole "Queer Eye" phenomenon does hold things back a touch...

D_Wayne_Johnson: Matt.. How is Jericho doing and will it be back? I really enjoy it.
Matthew_Gilbert: Jericho is doing all right in the ratings., and it's safe for this year I'm glad you like it. I...I...how can I put this...don't.

oni: In the long term, do you think stuff like TiVo or ondemand will hurt or help television?
Matthew_Gilbert: It helps. My view is that if viewers have more control, and more options, they network and cable TV will need to work harder and make better shows to keep us watching. They used to have us hostage to their scheduling and programing; no longer.

D_Wayne_Johnson: Matt... For whatever it's worth... I have a good friend that I work with that is Gay. He could not stand Will and Grace because of the way they portrayed the gay men on that show. I mean he would get outright angry when he talked about it.
Matthew_Gilbert: Network TV reduces people -- gay, straight, bi, whatever else there is -- to types. It's just the way it works, especially on sitcoms.

Greema: I heard they were looking to cancel Studio 60 and recently renewed 8 more episodes. Whiel I found the cast to have good acting, it come ascross to me as a bit to smug for its own good. Quick and intelligent wit is always welcome but the characters appeared to be trying to top each other's lines and it got tired real quick. What is your professional opinion?
Matthew_Gilbert: My professional opinion is...I likes it. I likes it a lot. Even with it's pretensions and it's flaws. I think Matthew Perry is great, I love the backstage setting, and I am interested in the issues the scripts play with.

WhatTheHeck: Lost was created by the same team as Alias--do you see Lost heading down the same bad-writing hole as Alias (plot out of control, questions never answered, etc.)
Matthew_Gilbert: I'm trying not to see that, WTH. Lost needs to come back from break with a clearer sense of where it's going.
Matthew_Gilbert: I wish Abrams, Cuse, and Lindeloff would all agree to end the darn thing after season four, stop adding pointless new characters and time-killing backstories (like Eko's), and just spend the next almost-two years leading up to the finale.
Matthew_Gilbert: If they did that, I'd have to rethink my feelings about network TV executives, about TV storytelling, and, well, about life itself! What would I do with all my cynicism?

pinkie: Hi, what is happening to SNL??!!
Matthew_Gilbert: It has had it's blood sucked and now functions as a member of the living dead.
Matthew_Gilbert: Except for Amy Poehler, who is the only good thing left. She deserves to graduate from SNL to something better -- a new sitcom, or a good movie comedy. Her Nancy Grace was just brilliant.

Chris: Given what is on TV now, I didn't think Stilll Standing was that bad to be canceled. Did you?
Matthew_Gilbert: Yes. Sorry. Actually, there are some good comedies on right now, despite all the press to the contrary. How I Met Your Mother, The Office, Earl, Family Guy, South Park...

mich: how awesome is Heros?
Matthew_Gilbert: Awesome, but not as awesome as spelling lessons (meow). "Heroes" is a great show. The best of the new season, I think.

joe: On a scale of 1 to 10 how boring is DH right now? I am going to go ahead and give it a 10, what a waste.
Matthew_Gilbert: Hey Joe, where you going with that gun in your hand?...Um...Yeah, it has gone downhill for sure. It was never much more than a fun hour of nighttime soap, but now it feel labored.

D_Wayne_Johnson: Nancy Grace gives me the shivers.... every time I hear the voice reminds me of my ex wife yelling at me. I try and skip quickly by her when I'm clicking around.
Matthew_Gilbert: Then you must see Amy Poehler's spoof. It's VERY satisfying for those of us who aren't fond of Ms Graceless.
Matthew_Gilbert: And D., no comment on the ex-wife thing. Hey, you married her in the first place...

JakePDog: Hi Matthew -- I'm enjoying "Studio 60" and I think the recent episode with John Goodman was a hoot. How is the show doing? I heard it is at risk.
Matthew_Gilbert: It's on for the entire season, Mr. Dog.

D_Wayne_Johnson: maybe a bit of a strange question Matt... I have two dauhghters and they and all of their friends watch these Raven, Zach and Cody, Hannah Montana shows endlessly. Why does Disney seem to have a monopoly on these "tween" type shows. Seems to me that they are popular enough to get pretty good ratings on a network.
Matthew_Gilbert: Disney wants to keep those kids for itself. My colleague Joanna Weiss recently wrote a good piece about the phenomenon...see if you can find it somewhere on boston.com...

joe: Have you seen Dirt yet?
Matthew_Gilbert: No, but I've seen, oh, maybe 65,000 commercials for it on FX. I'm actually almost tired of the show and it doesn't premiere until January.

formerlostfan: Can we pretend that this season of Gilmore Girls did not happen?
Matthew_Gilbert: Of course you can, formerlostfan. I'm pretending Brothers & Sisters doesn't exist, and that's working out quite well for me.

formerlostfan: Are there any interesting new shows coming in January?
Matthew_Gilbert: Does it matter? American Idol will be back then, and it will dominate.

md: Can you think of any movie/stage actors who have made a really explosive leap to television?
Matthew_Gilbert: There seems to be a steady flow of actors from movies coming to TV. Does James Woods in Shark qualify as an explosive leap? No, I guess not.
Matthew_Gilbert: Steve Carell? Maybe?
Matthew_Gilbert: Jason Lee?
Matthew_Gilbert: James Spader?
Matthew_Gilbert: OK I'll stop.

metrowesttv: Do you think The Office, my alltime favorite show, ever, will have staying power with both Carell getting so popular and (how much can go on in an office) storylines?
Matthew_Gilbert: Carell keeps saying he's not going anywhere. But who knows?

JakePDog: Another show I'm fond of is "Dexter." It approaches HBO quality, which is unusual for Showtime. It's unnerving to become "fond" of a serial killer, however!
Matthew_Gilbert: Mr. Dog, I couldn't agree with you more. Dexter is a great show -- Showtime's best so far, I think. And it has already been renewed for a second season.

chikt: Do you think Dixie Carter's character might spice up DH?
Matthew_Gilbert: DH needs more than spice, I'm afraid. All the pepper in the world probably wouldn't revive it.

formerlostfan: What is the most underrated/under-recongnized show on TV right now? Any hidden gems?
Matthew_Gilbert: I gotta say Dexter, even though it's about a serial killer. I look forward to it every week, but I don't read a lot of press about it (except my own).

Chris: Saw Thin on HBO the other night. I recommend people catch it the next time around.
Matthew_Gilbert: Agree wholeheartedly. A most intimate look at eating disorders.

sandy: How did Day Break do in the ratings last night? What did you think?
Matthew_Gilbert: It did just OK, as far as I can tell. Criminal Minds on CBS beat it, it lost a lot of viewers from Dancing with the Stars, and it lost its own viewers in hour two. I'm thinking it's going to continue to lose viewers...

krisgle: Comments on the upcoming O.J. Simpson special and, soon to follow, the apocalypse?
Matthew_Gilbert: Repeat, please. I was busy barfing.

joe: Do you think Lost would ever retire the backstories completely (at least tone way down)...It seems like redundant backstories are taking time away from developing some of the secondary characters on the island
Matthew_Gilbert: I agree, joe. If the writers aren't going to make the backstories develop, and if they're not going to tie in the backstories with the island mystery, then they should ditch them. But the backstories have been such a defining part of Lost, I think they'll be there until the end.
Matthew_Gilbert: Thanks for showing up friends. See you in a couple.
Matthew_Gilbert: MG