Insight into Whedon's New Dollhouse

The LA Times reported today that "Naked" favorite Joss Whedon is coming back to TV!!! I'm so happy I could do a little dance and stake a vampire in the heart! Word is that Faith (Eliza Dushku to you non-Buffy fans) convinced Joss to partner with her company Boston Diva Productions. Provided the expected writer's strike doesn't go on too long, we can look forward to new series "Dollhouse" gracing the small screen in Fall 2008. Visit the Times site to learn more.

YAY.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/
Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox

User Experience Week coming up in Vegas this December

Okay folks - it's that time again, time for User Week in Vegas! If you're a new media professional and haven't attended before, all I can say is "What's wrong with you?" Sign up now, or don't whine to me about your conversion and guest engagement.

User Experience Week is an intensive learning experience put on by the ultimate usability gurus from the Neilsen Norman Group - Jakob Neilsen, Bruce "Tog" Tognazzini and Don Norman. And you haven't learned ANYTHING about development until you take a class from the "Tog".

But for my money, the real brains of the outfit is Hoa Loranger (Thank Pete she's available for hire in addition to these conferences, I know I would have been lost without her many a time). If you're new to the business or need a refresher, take Hoa's "Rapid Iterative Design" course on paper prototyping. It really changed my entire outlook on development and testing when I took this course many years ago - and continues to help me today.

Okay, since I'm not making commission or anything, I'll stop gushing now. :)

Enjoy!

Welcome Hulu!

Hooray - after months of simply calling it "Newsite" and then months more of malicious bloggers referring to it as "Clown & Co.", the new-media creation from giants NBC and FOX is finally here. Welcome Hulu! With a cornucopia of new and old TV Shows, Movies and a slew of advertisers, this beta should definitely be interesting. Sign up (if you haven't already) at Hulu, and if you want more info - check out this article from the New York Times.

25 Awesome Action Heroes

I know that Naked has been on a huge TV kick lately, but most of you know of my deep appreciation for film. And for me, nothing taps into what audiences truly LOVE more than a kick-ass Action flick!

So I just had to share with you EW.com's "25 Awesome Action Heroes" list (I'm also a total sucker for lists). I can't quite explain my obsession with great action - is it the physicality? the excitement? or does it simply tap into the base human need for fantasy?

I don't think they got everything right with this list - they missed Jason Statham in Louis Leterrier's "Transporter", and the undeniable brilliance of Josh Lucas' death-defying fire plunge in "Poseidon" (although that was more about a spectacular bit of CG and an amazing stunt double versus a "Great Action Hero") - but overall it's a great list and I totally agree with #1.

Enjoy!!

"American Idol" and "Dancing with the Stars" bringing America closer together?

According to our friends at Neilsen Media Research, black viewers and white viewers are watching essentially the same TV programs, based on data from the 2006-2007 season. This is a big departure from a few short years ago - maybe if we all are connecting the same characters and stories, then there is hope for all of us after all?

You decide.

Naked Who?

Another night brings another new show to Top of Mind TV - this time it's a delightful twist on the thirty minute sitcom, Samantha Who?. Welcome back Ms. Applegate! Here's the skinny...

Overall, what did you think of the premiere?
Absolutely wonderful - Christina's timing is fantastic, taking each and every bit to a new level.

What was the sweetest moment?
When "boyfriend" Todd (Barry Watson, "7th Heaven", "What about Brian?") brakes down and tells Samantha a few choice - but quirky - facts about herself, the screen really starts to sizzle. Barry and Christina have amazing chemistry, and somehow are able to weave in this touching moment that makes you pause in the midst of all the ridiculousness - wonderful!

What was your favorite quote?
"Oooooohhhh..... I was Baaaadddddd!!"

What was the most interesting moment?
I found the never-ending lineup of friends and family who lie to Samantha for their own nefarious purposes both intriguing and hilarious... evil mom, slutty friend, boyfriend-who's-already-an-ex... SWEET!

What was the most annoying moment?
Jean Smart - admittedly ALWAYS funny was SO very, very over the top. Tone it down a bit, Jeanie. We get it, and we already love you. And I don't think Ty Pennington is coming to your house.

At the end of this episode, who were your favorite and least favorite characters?
Samantha and Todd are fantastic together - I totally want to know what happens next!

Overall Grade: A -

Naked Buzz on the new sites...

Okay, TV Junkies - if you're wondering how the new TV season is shaking out beyond the ratings, where do you look? Well, the Yahoo! Buzz Index is a great indicator. It looks like "Journeyman" and "Big Shots" might be in trouble, and it looks like "Cavemen" the sitcom is pretty much as big of a bomb as the critics expected it to be. Checking out the buzz on Technorati is another great way to keep your finger on the pulse - after all the drama with Jericho last year, I like to keep up with what people are saying about my fav shows.

Hold on... I need to go check out that "Pushing Daisies" and "Chuck" are doing ok...

Okay, I'm back. I think we've got no worries on that score. This seems like a great time for a review of why shows get cancelled. Is it because... the network execs are evil and shortsighted???? Well, that's certainly always a possibility. ;) But in general, TV is a business and shows pretty much get cancelled for only a couple of reasons. Ratings are obvious, but the score definitely isn't the only indicator. Another is how well a show can hold it's lead. This is one of the reasons why the buzz doesn't look to good for "Journeyman" on NBC, which is dumping one-third of its audience after the Heroes lead-in. OUCH!!! From a fan point of view, I think the show is developing nicely... but it frankly can't get a much better lead, and this news is definitely a concern in terms of whether this interesting sci-fi take has a future.

Another reason is if a show is bringing down the overall Network average in the time slot - this is also specifically related to what it's replacing, but the programming execs look for a hold at minimum and generally expect some growth to stay committed to a new property. "Big Shots" on ABC is in this predicament this season - having been given the very juicy "Grey's Anatomy" slot from last year. Look out - DYLAN'S IN DANGER!

The last biggie is if a show simply costs too much - your basic ROI equation. This was the killer for "Studio 60" last year, a loss that still gets my goat.

Ok - that's it for today, more Naked Buzz to come... keep your finger on the pulse!

Pushing Daisies with TOM TV

Top of Mind on this beautiful sunny Sunday is last week's premiere of "Pushing Daisies" on ABC. I didn't really want to watch "Daisies", mostly due to an irrational contrarian streak that makes me always want to stay away from whatever the critics say I just can't miss. Hype can really be a pain in the tuckus - and it's just so damn disappointing when something doesn't live up to it.

Luckily, I have some goofy self-imposed rules that guide my life and keep me from doing stupid things. Like my rule to ALWAYS finish a book once I start it (this one is usually a good thing - like when I forced myself to finish "Ender's Game", which turned out to have one of the greatest endings of all time... but it wasn't so good when my best friend made me read "The Good Brother", but that's another post). In this case, I'm referring to my rule to try and watch every pilot. You just don't know what's going to stand out - and as we all know, the producers aren't usually the ones approving the marketing... it's just a good idea to watch everything and make up your own mind.

So last week I pushed some daisies. Some of you might be wondering why I didn't write about it. Well, the truth is - it was just so good that I couldn't do it justice. This show was so masterful, so delightfully quirky and intelligent - we've been quoting it for days. Any show that uses the word 'masterbate' to refer to 'masticate' and doesn't bother to stop and explain itself is my kind of show (I mean, if you don't get the joke the first time then why should we bother to explain it to you??)

Brilliant. And one of only two new shows this season that doesn't pander to the LCD. I'm gleefully looking forward to episode 2 this week, and encourage you to not put off watching if you missed last week. Although considering that "Daisies" scored the best debut ratings of any network scripted series in the Wednesday 8 p.m. time slot since the premiere of "Lost," you probably already know how wonderful it is! I know it stuck with me through the week, always Top of Mind. :)

Photo Credit: ABC.com

Life in the Carpool Lane... with TOM TV

Top of Mind TV next takes on "Carpoolers" starring Jerry O'Connell . You may hear Jerry's name and think "Jerry McGuire" or "Crossing Jordan" , but to me he's always going to be the goofy timetraveller from "Sliders". :)

But back to our show.. here's what's top of mind...
Overall, what did you think of the premiere?
I was pleasantly surprised by the laughs, although that's mostly because I didn't expect any. But getting the new kid run over just to try and get a good parking space is just plain funny.

What was the most annoying moment?
For some completely unfathomable reason, the writers decided to name Jerry O'Connell's character "Laird". Um. No.

I'm sorry - I'm a fan of O'Connell, but he is DEFINITELY not a "Laird". As far as I'm concerned, the bronze Adonis that is the greatest big wave surer of all time does not need a goofy sitcom character using his name - and I found it totally distracting. Mostly it made me want to stop watching and pop in a copy of "Riding Giants".

What was the sweetest moment?
Every moment that Faith Ford walked on the screen as "Leila" was darling, that cutie can just do no wrong. She really adds depth to the cast, and I hope we see much more of her in future episodes.

What was the creepiest moment?
We don't, however, need to see any more of T.J. Miller as "Marmaduke", Gracen's ridiculous son who seems to just skulk around the house in his tidy-whities. What is the point of this character? Every time he came on screen I had to look away - CREEPY!

Overall Grade: B - (Cute, but without Faith I wouldn't be watching next week)

TOM TV takes it to the Stoneage

So I'd heard ALOT about this show leading up to it, as we all have - and I, unlike others, actually like the idea of a really great commercial concept being turned into a series. In concept. I do actually think some of the greatest creative minds of our time are working in advertising right now - so 'crossover' creative really appeals to me.

However. See below to get my thoughts on the latest sitcom concept ABC has sic'ced on the world...

Overall - what did you think of the season premiere?
Okay, so basically this show is about trio of Neanderthals from the Geico commercials that struggle to live in modern day America. The thing is... the concept totally doesn't work when you're telling a full story. The beauty of the commercials (which I must admit, I love), is that you don't know anything about these guys. Nobody goes around explaining to you that one is writing is dissertation, or that another is heartbroken over his ex-girlfriend, blah, blah, blah. You just get a brilliant little story arc in 60 seconds or less. And that's enough.

What was your favorite quote?
Not much to go on from this episode, I'm afraid - the only thing that really stood out was the slang "Sape" for undesireable "Homo sapiens". Clever, but not interesting enough to keep my attention...

What was the most interesting moment?
Seriously, I don't recall a single interesting moment in the whole thing. I even found the fact that they were playing 'squash' totally annoying - I mean, the whole point seems to be that these guys are just like everyone else. So what the hell are they doing playing squash? Really? THIS is what all the hipsters are doing these days?

At the end of this episode, who were your favorite and least favorite characters?
Let's see, I found Joel slightly less annoying than Nick. This is about all I can say.

So to sum up - I would like to apologize to all of the EXTREMELY talented TV writers and producers out there that I ever thought the concept guys in advertising should be given a chance.

I was wrong.

Can we cancel this now?

Overall Grade: C- (Not as bad as Moonlight, but still very, very bad)

TOM TV finds LIFE

And finally - Top of Mind TV catches up with "Life" on DVR. I didn't watch this during the week 'cuz I was giving some love to ABC, but check out tonight's q&a to find out whether or not I made the right decision....

Credits & Logline:
From Rand Ravich ("The Astronaut's Wife"), Far Shariat ("Confessions of a Dangerous Mind"), and David Semel, who directed the pilot of NBC's "Heroes," "Life" is a new drama about a detective who is given a second chance. Damian Lewis ("Band of Brothers") stars as complex, offbeat Detective Charlie Crews, who returns to the force after years in prison, thanks to close friend and attorney Constance Griffiths (Brooke Langton), after serving time in prison for a crime he didn't commit.

Overall - what did you think of the season premiere?
Nothing short of spectacular. It was so many different things - funny, dramatic, over-the-top, quiet and introspective. I've never been this bowled over in one short episode.

What was your favorite quote?
The writing in this show is absolutely brilliant - there were so many quotes that stood out to me - so, so, wonderful. Here are a few standouts...

• Philosophical: "The man who killed your son is out there. Right Now. Inside this same moment that we are in. Now that means something."


• Childlike: "That man didn't kill him and you know it. He had all his fingers and he seemed really sad."


• Humorous: "Why does the Universe make fun of us all?" "Maybe it's insecure."


• Insightful: "You don't have to understand HERE to be HERE."

What was the happiest moment?
When you knew that the dog would be ok in the opening scene.

What was the most interesting moment?
The way that Charlie 'connected' with the kid when no one else could by making him laugh and then tell everything he knows.

At the end of this episode, who were your favorite and least favorite characters?
Charlie Crews was hands-down my favorite character - so undeniably unique, quirky and insightful. Just a delight. I didn't really have a least favorite - I mean Brooke Langton was as beautiful as always as Constance and Sarah Shahi was powerful and charismatic as Dani. And the brief appearances of Ted take over the screen as only Adam Arkin can.

Overall Grade: A

Final Note - I am now convinced that Rand Ravich is a SUPER-GENIUS. Hands-down my favorite of the season thus far - and I highly doubt anything can knock it out of the top spot.

TOM TV uses math every day!

Next up for Top of Mind TV is the Season Permiere of "Numb3rs" - another Naked fav...

Overall - what did you think of the season premiere?
Loved it - although unfortunately I called the "triple" in the first 10 minutes.

What was your favorite quote of the episode?
"I know math is full of absolutes. Unfortunately, the rest of life isn't." Ain't it the truth.

What was the happiest moment?
The moment "The Biscuit" entered stage right. HOORAY for Emmy-winner Peter MacNichol - I was so bummed when he took a hiatus last season to be on "24".

What was the most interesting moment?
The moment Val Kilmer walked on the scene. :) Val has such an amazing presence, he fills the screen and his voice sticks in your head for hours afterwards. Absolutely brilliant.

What was the most unbelievable moment?
"It sounds like a new chapter in the mathmatical analysis of friendship" - the whole "Trust Metric" theory was a little more out there than usual.

What was the most notable difference from last season?
Actually, I kept getting distracted by what must be the work of new designers. Charlie (David Krumholtz) was scruffy, had grown out his hair in messy curls, and actually wore just a T-Shirt in one scene - all totally out of character. And Megan (Diane Farr) wearing a hot pink, strapless hipster top over jeans? What? Both were very, very wierd in light of what we know of these characters. By the way - they both still looked great, and I don't really mind the changes, they are just a little abrupt. It'd be better if they did more of an evolution of the characters.

At the end of this episode, who were your favorite and least favorite characters?
Pretty much loved all of them, but this is NOT new. It's a fantastic cast and although this isn't the kind of show that's going to change the world, it certainly does make my world a little better for about an hour a week.

Overall Grade: A-

Moonlight on the Mind. That is, Top of Mind TV.

Okay, I admit that I was totally looking forward to Moonlight based on the Joel Silver pedigree. I mean come on - this is the creative genius that brought us "The Matrix", "V for Vendetta" and "Lethal Weapon." What's not to love??? So for this evening's Top of Mind TV, let's take a look and see how it measured up to expectations:

Credits & Logline: Mick St. John (Alex O'Loughlin) is an immortal private investigator from Los Angeles who defies the traditional blood-sucking norms of his vampire tendencies by using his wit and powerful supernatural abilities to help the living. In a life-altering twist of fate, Mick was "bitten" 60 years ago by his new bride, the seductive Coraline (Shannon Sossamon). Forever 30 years of age, Mick's as handsome and charismatic as the day he was "turned," and fills his infinite days protecting the living.

Overall, what did you think of the premiere?

A whole hour of vampires and damsels in distress... and all I can do is yawn. YAAAWWWNNN.

What was the most annoying moment?

Pretty much every time the "telling" started. Can anyone explain to me why the writers felt the audience was so stupid they had to have everything explained to them? Geeezzzz - I call this "LCD" writing, or writing to the "Lowest Common Denominator". To put it in context, I think "Moonlight" is the John Grisham novel of primetime drama.

What was your favorite quote from this episode?

"We're all Vampires. Every one of us." Yeah, this drivel was about as good as it got. How about "You don't have to be a Vampire to get a taste for blood" (?) *sigh*

What was the sweetest moment?

To be honest, there were no moments in this show that touched me - so either I have no emotional core, or this whole thing was totally off the mark. You be the judge.

What was the creepiest moment?

At the top of the hour I thought this would be a pretty important question - I mean, it IS a Vampire story, right? Not one. Seriously - not a single creepy second in the whole thing. Not a twitch. This should be the part where I clairify that I AM actually a huge fan of Vampire stories - "Blade", "Vampires", "Angel", "Buffy" - I love 'em and the creepy, crawlies that go with them. Just not this one.

Was there any redeemable moments?

His eyes - the Vampire eyes were great!!

Unfortunately, that was it. :(

Overall Grade: D+

I am reminded that "Dungeons & Dragons" also holds a Silver credit.

Big Shots are Top of Mind

In the Ivy household, this nighttime soap has been known and anticipated as the "cute boy" show. I mean really - Michael "You'll always be Vaughn to me" Vartan and Dylan McDermott in the same show? Add to that Christopher Titus (Titus, Yes Dear) and Joshua Malina (Spots Night, West Wing)... and that's GOTTA be something to look forward to!! From the Top of Mind series, check out the q&a below to see if it was worth the wait:

Credits & Logline: The lines between boardroom and bedroom blur in Big Shots, the story of four friends who are at the top of their game... until the women in their lives enter the room. From Director Charles McDougal and Executive Producer Jon Harmon Feldman.

Overall, what did you think of the premiere?
Very mixed - I should have absolutely loved this... but I found it to be so all over the place, and way too over-the-top. It was tough to be completely into this... but there were many, many redeemable moments. Mostly the storyline with James and the cheating wife.

What was the most annoying moment?
So remember a long, long time ago (yesterday) when I thought the transvestite storyline on Dirty Sexy Money was hilarious? Yeah. That was then, this is now. A cliched plotline about getting caught with a trany is completely different than the future Senator who just can't seem to say goodbye to one.

What was your favorite quote from this episode?
"I'm sure all your dream candidates have perfect resumes, perfect lives, and have succeeded at everything they've ever tried to do." Ain't it the truth.

What was the sweetest moment?
"I never liked you, you know? Even when I said I did..." doesn't sound like the intro to a completely adorable moment, but when James finds out he's been made CEO and gets support from an unexpected direction - it's really pretty darn wonderful.

What was the creepiest moment?
The promo on ABC7 for the show... "They're calling it Desperate Housewives for Men". UGH. Not that I have anything against the wives, mind you. I just don't think we need any affirmative action in the primetime soap space.

What was the most refreshing moment?
Duncan Collingsworth (Dylan) might be a total cad - but he's a total wuss when it comes to his daughter. And the best part? I believed it. Good writing or good acting, time will tell.

Overall Grade: B

TOM TV's takin it to The Reaper

Silent Bob brings us a new freaky tale to follow (that's Executive Producer Kevin Smith to normal people who were never seduced by Clerks). Here's my take in the latest q&a from Top of Mind TV:

Logline: A slacker becomes a reluctant bounty hunter for the devil after his soul is accidentally sold to Satan by his parents, and he tracks down evil escapees to return them to hell.

What was the most annoying moment?
Nothing specific, although the whole episode started slow and took awhile to get rolling... and that was pretty damn annoying. Sam (Bret Harrison) was a total wuss - UGH!

What was your favorite quote from this episode?
"Just tell the Devil to Eat It" was a great one - but frankly, the marketing was fantastic "with buzz from... you KNOW."

What was the sweetest moment?
When Sam opens the present from Andi (Missy Peregrym), it is a completely adorable moment - with a fantastic punch line followup by Satan (Ray Wise).

What was the creepiest moment?
If by 'creepiest' you mean 'funniest' - I'd have to apologize before I say the Zamboni Scene. Eeeewwww.

At the end of the episode, who were your favorite/least favorite characters?
Forgive me for saying so, but I definitely loved Satan (HA!)... but of course, that's only because he's played by Ray Wise. You may know Ray from, uh - everything. Current and recent favs like "24", "West Wing", "Burn Notice", "CSI" and classics like "Twin Peaks", "LA Law" and "RoboCop". The ultimate working actor. :) Least favorite? The 'buddy' Bert played by Tyler Labine. Snoooozzzzeeee.

Overall Grade: B+

It's Dirty. It's Sexy. But they didn't give TOM TV any money for watching.

Alright - so it's time that we give ABC some love on Top of Mind TV, so next up - Dirty Sexy Money!

Credits and Logline: Directed by Peter Horton and David Petrarca.
Power, privilege and family money are a volatile cocktail thrust on an idealistic lawyer when he inherits the job of tending to the legal (and sometimes illegal) needs of the absurdly wealthy Darlings of New York City.

What was the most unbelievable moment?
When Trip offers Nick the job plus an extra 5MM a year, and to close the deal makes a little speech along the lines of "Because, I miss your Dad. I miss having him by my side telling me which was is up. And, I trust ya." Really? This is the line that convinces Nick everything will be okay?

What was the most annoying moment?
Every time I had to look at Peter Krause's hair. Who thought this was a good idea?

What was the most ridiculous moment?
The Dan Rathers cameo. I'm supposed to buy Dan grilling Patrick about joining the Senate? Wow - Billy Baldwin on the Senate. I'm feeling queasy.

What was the most enjoyable moment?
Right after - when Billy's character sneaks out to calm down a slightly hysterical transvestite/girlfriend. WTF? Yeah - I loved it.

What was your favorite quote?
Acutally, I thought there were pretty great lines in this episode, including - "No, you do it - he's your girlfriend." and "I know she's not a hooker, but is she more of a man than you are?"

At the end of this episode, who were your favorite and least favorite characters?
Not really sure. I found much of the cast interesting (who doesn't love Donald Sutherland?), but didn't really connect with any of them yet. And I'm not sure I really get where they are going with this other than a bunch of pretty people running around being spoiled. But I love the pretty people as much as the next gal, so it could be fun anyway. Oh yeah - and the "someone killed my Dad and I'll make them pay!" storyline. Big mystery there - I'll give you three guesses as to who killed him (and the first two don't count).

But I'll watch episode two to find out where they're going with this.

Overall Grade: B

TOM TV's Got the Bionic Blahs

Okay, I really couldn't decide if I was looking forward to this one or not - and frankly, I've probably had a little too much TV this week... but read on for the Top of Mind thoughts on this classic remix...

Overall - what did you think of the season premiere?
There's only one word for it - "Blah"

What was the most interesting moment?
Great car crash - really nice CG work pulling these shots together. And the first look at Jaimie's (Michelle Ryan) healing legs was kinda cool. But unfortunately, the VFX were downhill from here. They were WAAY too in love with the target overlays.

What was the most annoying moment?
Will Anthros (Chris Bowers) mind-numbing speech along the lines of “The world’s farther along than anyone would like to admit.” Blah, bla, bla, blah, blah - I could actually HEAR the Peanuts characters in my head. WhatEVER.

What totally captured or lost your interest?
What I reckon was supposed to be a intriguing moment at the end... random dude on a snow filled mountaintop... "I haven't seen the moon in a thousand and twenty four days." Ummm... why do I care? No reason? Okay, NEXT.

(NOTE - The husband just reminded me that he was actually the guy from the prison. Huh. Still don't care.)

What was the most unbelievable moment?
Jaime and Chris had absolutely NO chemistry - no way do these two characters really care about each other. Really? This was the best casting (Eric Dawson and Coreen Mayrs) could do? And the second most unbelievable moment - well, actually every damn time Jaimie tried to fight. No grace whatsoever - and trust me, I have a deep and abiding love of great fight scenes. If I wasn't old and fat and a total wuss, I'd be a stunt woman.

Maybe Michelle could get some lessons from Jennifer Garner?

At the end of this episode, who were your favorite and least favorite characters?
Unfortunately, other than the fact that Miguel Ferrer (Crossing Jordan, Robocop) is part of the cast - I'm afraid they just didn't succeed in making me care about any of the characters. Jaimie looks entirely too much like the girl from Kyle XY, and no one else stood out in a positive way.

Overall Grade: C--

(when one minus just ISN'T enough)

TOM says - The Unit is nothing without Jonas!

There's just something about The Unit. In the first season we ended up watching it because we didn't have any conflicts in the timeslot and loved the themesong ("How to Find the Mother's Laugh"). But after about 3 or 4 episodes, we found we were hooked. Last season's finale was amazing, and this was a MUCH anticipated premiere - check out the Top of Mind below...

Overall - what did you think of the season premiere?
Loved it - the rhythm, the raw, gritty way that David Mamet weaves together the storylines. And I love the way it still feels like the team is on a mission. Love.

What was the most interesting moment?
The cliffhanger at the end - I admit, there's no WAY I'll miss next week.

What was the most annoying moment?
Really? Molly and Tiff are going to go to the evil Colonel's wife for help?? No way I buy that Molly is that stupid. It simply isn't possible.

What was the most unbelievable moment?
What??! They changed the themesong!!? Absolutely and without a doubt this was the most disappointing moment of the night - now it's some totally forgettable crap about 'secrets'. That song defined the show and stuck with me for hours afterwards. It defined the entire tone of the show. Unbelievable.

At the end of this episode, who were your favorite and least favorite characters?
Duh -who doesn't love Jonas? Dennis Haysbert is amazing - and don't you believe for a SECOND that Bob would have found Jonas in Panama unless he wanted to be found! Least favorite was a close race for most of the episode between Kim and the Colonel's evil wife (who I hate so much I won't even refer to her character by name). Kim redeemed herself somewhat at the end - so evil wifey it is!!

Any lingering questions?
Is Bob playing a game or what? I think he's too loyal to the Unit, but then again he's such a damn boyscout who can tell! ?

Overall Grade: A-

No Bones About It, it's TOM-TV

"Bones" is back on Fox - Double-HooRAY!!! I'm not saying that this show is going to change the world or anything... just that it makes me happy. Next up in the TOM TV (Top of Mind TV) series, here's what I thought of the premiere episode...

Overall - what did you think of the season premiere?
Mostly I kept trying to figure out if there were new writers - the dialogue was totally choppy and threw me out at many points. Something that I can't remember ever happening before with this show.

What was your favorite quote from this episode?
After Zack returns, he says that they sent him home because he was "unable to assimilate."

What was the most interesting moment?
Everything having to do with "the Search" for missing husband X was hilarious, especially the 'Picasso-esque' sketch of the husband.

What was the most annoying moment?
Some really, REALLY bad green screen work in the final scene with the lighting coming from multiple directions - did the show go through budget cuts or something?

At the end of this episode, who were your favorite and least favorite characters?
Honestly - the whole cast. Love, love, love the ensemble. It wouldn't work without any of them - and I'm so glad they brought back Zack, but it breaks my heart how he thinks there's something wrong with him.

Overall Grade: B+

TOM - "Journeyman" may be worth the trip

Okay - so I've been really torn on this one, but following the 'must watch all pilots' rule I didn't really have a choice. Time travel is tricky - it can be wonderful (Pastwatch) or so incredibly bad that it scars you for life (Killing Time). But again, must follow the rules...

Credits & Logline: Emmy Award-winning writer-producer Kevin Falls ("The West Wing") and Emmy Award-winning director-producer Alex Graves ("The West Wing") comes "Journeyman," where Dan Vasser, a newspaper reporter from San Francisco, finds himself tracking the life of Neal Gaines. For Dan, time changes everything.

What was the most annoying moment?
Not sure - but is it a bad sign when 45 seconds in the hubby says "Okay. I'm already annoyed." (?)

What was your favorite quote from this episode?
None. While I loved how all of the pieces fit together, no single line/scene/personality really stood out to me.

What was the sweetest moment?
The anniversary 'gift exchange' was touching - Dan and Katie have great chemistry. But the end scene REALLY got me - won't tell you in case you've got it on the DVR.

What was the creepiest moment?
Dan waking up in "Golden Gate Park" with a snail crawling up his arm.

What was the most refreshing moment?
The brothers actually look like brothers - have you ever noticed how casting agents usually screw up family members when they are plain ol' white guys?

This pilot was a bit all over the place - but it ended strong... I'll be watching to see where it goes.

Overall Grade: B-
Last 15 minutes: A!