TV with MeeVee

Morning World Series Go-Sox Linkage

• As we told you late yesterday, The Pie Maker broke the news  that "Pushing Daisies" has been picked up for a full season. So y'all bettter get on the bus and watch tonight, 'kay? You don't want to be left out of this funny, poignant and deeply weird series. To be perfectly honest I wasn't sure it would go over with America, but it has, even big time. So if you haven't tried it yet, now is the time. First pitch on the Series isn't until 8:35, and you'll be granted special dispensation to miss the first half inning as long as you don't live in Massachusetts or Colorado.
• Disappointed and underwhelmed by this week's "Heroes?" (GMMR)
• All the scoop on what happened in the season finale of "Damages," which really is the best show I'm not watching. (TV Squad)
• Like "24" hasn't got enough problems, the L.A. fires are screwing with the shooting schedule. (Buddy TV)
• My friend Tim interviewed David Duchovny while the "Californication" star kept one eye on the news, worried about the fires coming near to his house. It's a podcast. (The Bastard Machine)
• A women's-prison spinoff for "Prison Break?" Sounds porn-y to me. (Televisionista)
• Rate Schrute Farms on Trip Adviser. For real. For "The Office" fans, fun! (TV Squad)

Morning Links Exchange

Julian McMahon talks about the upcoming season of "Nip/Tuck." (Buddy TV)
And is "Nip/Tuck" the new "Love Boat?" Uh, no. (TV Addict)
The Times, of all places, offers a bracingly sardonic assessment of a reaction to a recent tragedy/normal Darwinian interaction on "Meerkat Manor." (NYT)
Goodman asks his blog readers which of their favorite shows are going off the rails this season, and "Heroes" and "Friday Night Lights" and "Rescue Me" all come up a lot. Some smartass also complains about the current season of "Veronica Mars." (SFGate)
Recap of the third episode of "Reaper," which I haven't seen yet because I watched "House." (Buddy TV)
Myself I lost track of "Damages" a long time ago - no rooting interest - but here's every twist and turn of this week's ep. recounted in advance of the season finale. (TV Squad)
We've mentioned the way DVR ratings have been roiling the waters. Now comes word that the execrable soap "Gossip Girl" has been renewed mainly on the strength of its live+ ratings. (Televisionista)
Cable ratings good for "Brotherhood." (Hollywood Reporter)
And last week's top broadcast shows. (AP)
"Bionic Woman" ratings could use a power boost. (E! Online)

Televisionary Loves "Damages"

Televisionary is deeply, deeply impressed with this week's installation of "Damages:"

"I don't know about you but I was absolutely riveted to my television set... The promos for last night's episode ("We Are Not Animals") had promised that the separate storylines would start to come together this week and I do believe that that's just what we got, as we near the final stretch to this gripping, serpentine drama...."

What's your take?

Massive Morning Reads Breakdown: Something For Everyone

The folks at "Criminal Minds" tell the New York Times that Joe Mantegna is a fantastic replacement for Mandy Patinkin, and the show will be better than ever, and Mantegna was the one they were really serious about offering the part, despite all those reports about Geena Davis and others. Uh huh. ... GMMR mulls bloggers as an avenue for TV publicity. ... Ramblings Of A TV Whore mulls early release of pilots on the Internet, in light of the fact that we won't be seeing "Pushing Daisies" online before the premiere. ... TV Squad breaks down last night's "Damages." ... Televisionista offers up some "Private Practice" spoilers and even better pictures. ... Ausiello sez former "ER" doc Michael Michele will pay a visit to "House" in an episode involving the, gulp, CIA. ... Jerry Lewis sez he's sorry for making a "fag "joke on the MDA telethon. Tut, tut. Maybe time to retire, there, Jer. ... In a move sure to please the soon-to-strike writer's guild and screen actor's guild, HBO has bought the rights to a film shot entirely in Second Life. ... CBS continues to back "Kid Nation," thought there are more bumps in the road, especially lost advertising, according to AdAge.  ... Zac Efron denies a salary dispute over "High School Musical 3." ... Stereogum says The Shins are the latest to record a version of "Little Boxes" for the "Weeds" opening credits, and has a link to a stream. ...

Linkfest: "Damages" and "Big Brother"

"Big Brother:" Ducky's got a post making fun of everyone's favorite whackjob, Amber, while TV Squad has an item on the POV contest, and The TV Tattler has an interview with the latest evicted houseguest. I love that people call the houseguests "hamsters," to the point that one Big Brother blog is actually called Hamsterwatch.

"Damages:" A recap at TV Squad and and another one over at Televisionary. In particular, Televisionary has a good point: this show is getting stranger as it develops. It seems to me that it's left the usual legal drama conventions behind and veered into the land of unsettling psychological thrillers. Someplace where Glenn Close is at home...