TV with MeeVee

CW Releases '08-09 Schedule

• Mondays: "Gossip Girl" and "One Tree Hill"
• Tuesdays: The new "90210" with "guest star" Jennie Garth followed by "Surviving The Filthy Rich"
• Wednesdays: "America's Next Top Model" and "Stylista"
  
• Thursdays: "Smallville" and "Supernatural," same as now
• Fridays: "Everybody Hates Chris," "The Game" and an "ANTM" replay.

No word yet on what Media Rights Capital will produce for the three hours it's bought on Sunday night.

"Reaper" returns at midseason. Yayyyy!

Deets on the new shows after the jump...

(Right, "Gossip Girl's" Blake Lively and Leighton Meester at The CW Upfront presentation that was held at Lincoln Center today.)

Tonight's Picks: Monday, May 12

First of the two-part season finale of "House" finds him surviving a bus crash but afflicted with a patch of amnesia in addition to his leg problem, drug addiction and misanthropy. The must-see of the night.

Low-rated but entertainingly sleazy "Gossip Girl" tonight finds Serena's past coming back to haunt her. Oh, and Lisa Loeb.

On "How I Met Your Mother,"  Britney Spears returns as Abby, and she and Barney go to the bar together just to tick off Ted.

"Gossip Girl" Updates

"Gossip Girl" will get a super-sized 24-ep season next year to make up for hours lost to the writers strike, says E! Online's Kristin. She also reports that the show will shoot its first few episodes of next season in the Hamptons. Michelle Trachtenberg's evil Georgina will be back as a regular next season, sex TV Squad. And finally, the TV Addict rolls out a whole slew of preview pix for next week's big wedding episode/season finale. We'll drop just one on you here. Hmmm, wonder what they're talking about?

Morning Links: Flaming Manholes!

• "American Idol" producer says there's no plan to wax Paula, and hey, it's not just our ratings that are down. (AP)
• But the ratings keep dropping. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Returning "Weeds" is a bit of a conspiratorial production. (Buddy TV)
• Recapping last night's excellent "The Office." Go Stanley! (Buddy TV)
• Ditto "Survivor." (TV Squad)
• Gay wedding on "Brothers & Sisters." (Televisionista)
• More deets on "Gossip Girl's" coming-out story. (Televisionista)
• Lilo visiting "Ugly Betty?" (TV Guide)

And finally, as promised, flaming manholes!! Just because it's funny to say "flaming manholes."

From "Gossip Girl" Back To "Entourage"

Leighton Meester, busy girl. The actress plays Blair on "Gossip Girl," which has enormous buzz despite a relatively tiny audience. And now, according to E!, she's headed back to the set of HBO's "Entourage" to reprise her season-one guest role as virginal pop tart Justine Chapin. No word whether this Britney Spears analogue is still a virgin, of course, but in the world of Vince Chase and Johnny Drama, it's hard to imagine that she could remain so for long. The schoolgirl uniform didn't do much to keep Britney pure, after all. New episodes of "Entourage" resume in the fall.

Afternoon links, because it's too early for gin

• Could there be some "Gossip Girl"-on-girl action coming up? (E! Online)
• Whoever was watching "American Idol" on Tuesday was not a solitary man, sez Nielsen. (TV Decoder)
• Apparently they still give Emmys for daytime television, because the nominations were announced today. (TV Squad)
• Who's tops with the demo that matters? (TV By The Numbers)
• On "Idol," Carly Simon sez, Brooke is tops. (AP)
• "Terminator" Summer Glau wants more action. Write your own joke. (EW.com)

Morning Links With Bare Shoulders By Annie Leibovitz

Saving "Reaper" from the cancellation scythe? (LA Times)
Fixing CW in general. (Reuters)
Gale Harold joining "Desperate Housewives." (Televisionista)
I'm not the only one with a contrarian rant about the Miley Cyrus brouhaha. (Televisionista)
"House" episode deconstructed. "Other hand!" Funny! (TV Squad)
"Gossip Girl" recap - what are they saying about Miley? (Buddy TV)

"Gossip Girl" Gets Best PR Ever!

Kudos to our friends over at the bracingly reality-based blog TV By The Numbers for casting the hard light of truth on the avalanche of "Gossip Girl" hype. "I threw up in my mouth a little bit when New York Magazine made Gossip Girl its cover story with the title Best Show Ever..." writes Robert Seidman, who goes on to deconstruct ratings claims for the show involving viewership via the Internets. Seidman writes, "You know what you have? A show that still has less viewers in total than the Gilmore Girls had just last year in its final season. Even when you add in the imaginary million extra Internet viewers." Ouchie!

Morning Links While We Wait For "Lost"

• OMFG! A motherfrakkin' funny story about (not) saying "fuck" on the air. Which gives me another chance to run the "30 Rock" graphic at right. (TV Week)
• OMFG! Somebody got his hands on a copy of the script for the "Battlestar galactica" prequel, "Caprica." (The TV Addict)
• OMFG! Cybill Shepherd to guest on "Psych!" (TV Squad)
• OMFG! We all knew who the gay character was going to be on "Gossip Girl," but now we know who he's hooking up with. (TV Squad)

Lunchtime Linkage Loves You Too

• Another reason to hope that "Cashmere Mafia" gets the axe: If it does, Lucy Liu will jump to the far superior "Dirty Sexy Money." (Hollywood Reporter)
• Want to know which "Gossip Girl" character is gay? (Brightcove)
• That hilarious Chippendales sketch on "SNL" was one of the things that killed Chris Farley (right), his pal Chris Rock reveals. That, and heroin. And cocaine. And heart disease. And not using the buddy system when shooting up his patented heroin/cocaine/gravy speedballs. (Defamer)
• "Project Runway" favorite Jay McCarroll is the subject of a 103-minute-long documentary called "11 Minutes," showing soon at independent film festivals. (Boston IFF)
• Who wants "Dexter" spoilers? Come get 'em. (Veidt)

"Gossip Girl:" Breakfast?

Can Blair and Chuck handle "breakfast as a family?" Please. Would it be "Gossip Girl" if they could do it without at least a little drama?

Gossip Girl: "What Does Chuck Want?"

"Gossip Girl" hottie Chuck isn't exactly the most inscrutable guy in the world, but his motives still baffle some of the ladies.

"Gossip Girl:" Why Be Nice?

"Gossip Girl" queen-bees Blair and Serena could give Machiavelli a lesson or three. Why be nice when it's so much more effective to be cruel?

Good Morning, Good Morning

• More on CW's decision to stop streaming "Gossip Girl" comes in this post and this one. The latter suggests it's all a ploy to whip up interest in the under-watched show. OMFG, really?! (TV By The Numbers)
• Maybe it wasn't Gary Dourdan's idea to leave "CSI" after all. (TV Guide)
• Leelee Sobieski: Obviously A Robot. (Glitterati)
• I've been trying to decide which Robin Sparkles/"HIMYM" post to link to. Let's try this one. (BuzzSugar)
• Some new deets on Joss Whedon's "Dollhouse." (TV Squad)
• Spoilery "Lost" speculation: Could Sawyer be on his way out? (Buddy TV)
• Addison's returning (temporarily) to Seattle Grace and "Grey's Anatomy." Yawwwwwwn. (Buddy TV)

"Gossip Girl" Gets Bitchy

Well, I guess "Gossip Girl" gets bitchier. The following clip is from the episode titled "The Blair Bitch Project." It's about being bitchy. It airs in just a few days. Enjoy!

Morning Schmear Of TV News

• Live ads are making a comeback as one way to beat the DVR, and Jimmy Kimmel will be the next to offer them. (AdWeek)
• Writers strike cost "Desperate Housewives" some viewers, it appears. (Hollywood Reporter)
• CBS unveils big summer plans including - finally - plans to put "Swingtown" on the air. (Hollywood Reporter)
• First peek at the new girl on "Gossip Girl" - Michelle Trachtenberg of "Buffy." But - to your right - we found one they didn't have. (TV Addict)
• A look at the season finale of "New Amsterdam." (TV Squad)
• Our friend Tim Goodman lowers himself to praising CBS Monday comedies. Sort of. Still snobby, dude. (SFGate)
• Anderson Cooper for Katie Couric? Theo Epstein wouldn't make that trade. (TV Squad)
• Verdict on last night's "How I Met Your Mother." (TV Squad)

"Gossip Girl" Returns, Dirtier Than Ever

I'm on the record as saying "Gossip Girl" is a horrible scourge on humanity, or something along those lines. Nonetheless, I'm aware that my opinion isn't the only one out there.

I'm aware that an awful lot of people like Serena (Blake Lively) and her pals and their various antics.

And looking at this new poster for the upcoming season, which starts April 21, I can see why.

Ausiello says the "F" in the poster only appears in some locations, but I agree with him that no matter what, it's going to spark some protest. Which, of course, is probably the point. The angrier prudes and snobs get, the more people will watch the show.

"Gossip Girl" Gossip - Is Little Bro Gay?

Is the pretty, sensitive and recently suicidal Eric van der Woodsen on "Gossip Girl" gay ? We're about to find out, according to Televisionista. But if so, the maker of this YouTube video is gonna be really really sad. I bet she even cries.

"Gossip Girl" Filming With Untamed Hair

"Gossip Girl" is still filming new episodes in NYC, and if this shot of Blake Lively is any indication, there's going to be a scene involving windblown hair. If I remember my film classes right, windblown hair is a symbol of untethered sexuality, which implies that someone on the show is going to get laid. Of course, with "Gossip Girl," that's not much of a prediction.

CW Serves Up Spring Sked

More news from the busy bees at CW. After all the other recent fun, the network has announced a new spring schedule that puts fresh episodes of "Gossip Girl" (right) and "One Tree Hill" back to back on Mondays, beginning April 21, and shifts some other shows, but not the Thursday duo of "Smallville" and "Supernatural." The whole press release follows, including all the premiere dates...

THE CW NETWORK LOCKS IN MIDSEASON SCHEDULE
WITH NEW EPISODES AND NEW TIME PERIODS

New Episodes of Freshman Hit GOSSIP GIRL Return on Monday, April 21, Paired with Originals of ONE TREE HILL, Creating New Night of Drama for The CW

March 4, 2008 (Burbank, CA) ─ The CW Network has set its new midseason schedule, featuring brand new episodes of its scripted series and several strategic moves to bolster new nights and new time periods.

New episodes of freshman sensation GOSSIP GIRL return to The CW schedule beginning Monday, April 21 (8:00-9:00p.m. ET). On April 7, ONE TREE HILL moves to its new night and time on Mondays (9:00-10:00p.m. ET), following GOSSIP GIRL and creating a powerful night of drama for The CW.

With ONE TREE HILL moving to Mondays in April, the climactic final original episodes of PUSSYCAT DOLLS PRESENTS: GIRLICIOUS will air on Wednesdays starting April 9 (9:00-10:00p.m. ET), following AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL.

CW Wants More "Model," "Gossip"

CW today announced early pickups for "America's Next Top Model" (cycles 11 and 12) plus "Everybody Loves Chris," "Gossip Girl," "One Tree Hill," "Smallville" and "Supernatural." Perhaps no coincidence that we found out this morning "Nick at Night" had picked up cable rerun rights to "Chris." "ANTM," "Gossip Girl" and "One Tree Hill" are tops with women 18-34, a much-sought demographic.

CW Announces Post-Strike Schedule

CW became the final network to announce its post-strike plans for original episodes of show like "Gossip Girl." But it's late on Friday afternoon and I'm all written out. So here's the dealio...I'm just gonna use the snip tool in Windows Vista and show you the chart they sent me. Finally, something good about Vista.

"Gossip Girl" Is ...

The fine publicists of the CW were in my inbox today, hoping I'd write about "Gossip Girl Revealed," a 90-minute special featuring a rerun of the pilot episode and "never before seen bonus material" (outtakes) that airs next Monday at 8.

After they promised to have Blair (right) deliver my orange juice every morning for a week, I agree to mention that "Gossip Girl" cast members will be on board for this no-doubt  groundbreaking TV event, including Blake Lively (“Serena van der Woodsen”), Leighton Meester (“Blair Waldorf”), Penn Badgley (“Dan Humphrey”), Chace Crawford (“Nate Archibald”), Taylor Momsen (“Jenny Humphrey”), Ed Westwick (“Chuck Bass”) and more.

Still, I was having a hard time getting psyched up for it until I came across --- SPOILER ALERT!  --- this blazing New York Daily News Gatecrasher item. I mean, how can you ignore gossip about a show called "Gossip Girl," right? Spoilers - followed by a counter-item - after the jump.

CW Sets Its "Midseason" (Strike) Schedule

The "big" moves are the return of three variously skanky reality shows and the reshuffling of some of the network's scripted series, most of which will be in reruns any second now if they're not already, thanks to the writers strike.

First if not foremost is the return of "Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious," premiering Feb. 18 at 9 as part of its new Monday line-up (right, Robin Antin). "Gossip Girl" moves to Mondays on Jan. 28. The catfights and insanity of "America's Top Model" return for a tenth cycle on Feb. 20 at 8, with Paulina Porizkova stepping in as a new judge. Repeats of "Girlicious" will follow on Wednesdays.

Then CW’s "social experiment" (yeah, right) "Beauty and the Geek" bows for a fifth cycle at 9 on March 11,  stepping into the post-"One Tree Hill" slot. "One Tree Hill" is the only scripted series with a significant amount of new episodes in the can for this season, as it bows tomorrow night with the new great-leap-forward storyline (apologies to the Chinese communists) that moves its characters four years into their futures.

Meanwhile, "Reaper" moves to Thursdays at 9 on Feb. 28, where it will follow "Smallville" for a night of entertaining reruns. There's also some Sunday stuff, but hell, I'll just paste the schedule in after the jump.

"Gossip Girl" Is Still Evil

"Gossip Girl" returns tonight and watching the screener reminds me of why I hated this show so much in the beginning. The narrator is like a high-school version of Carrie Bradshaw, only with no soul. Even the most sympathetic characters, like Dan (at right), are basically self-involved gits, and the bad kids are only slightly more interesting than the self-involved Upper East Side villains on "Law & Order."

I was really determined to bring you an insidery, gossipy recap of the show, but the whole thing boils down to "a bunch of kids with too much money and not enough brains do bratty stuff, and their parents who also have too much money and not enough brains are too self-involved with their own bratty goings-on to be adequate parents." I can see why it's popular, of course: It's soapy and sexy and at the same time is a comforting reminder that wealth and power don't bring happiness.

Still, the show reminds me of today's BoingBoing post about Robert Reed, who played the dad on the "Brady Bunch." It turns out he hated every poorly-plotted, absurd, cornball moment of that show, and sent long memos about it to the writers and producers. How much do you want to bet that at least half the young actors know they're in the same kind of a regrettable farce, and are struggling to take it seriously?

It's almost (but not quite) enough to make me sympathetic. Most kids don't have to face the fact that their work is meaningless until they're at least twenty.

"Gossip Girl" Returns With New Secrets And New Surprises

In next week's "Gossip Girl," airing January 2, Blair learns the hard way that the YouTube generation has no privacy. Whoops! Maybe she should have kept her mouth shut... or just been honest from the start about her plans to sleep around. I'll have details and real spoilers up before New Year's, but in the meantime, here's a quick clip showing how she gets busted:

"Gossip Girl" Bad Boy Is A Rocker Too

Ed Westwick plays the very bad, very charismatic Chuck on CW's "Gossip Girl," a lad so filthy he could almost be the third Gallagher brother in Oasis. And, well, shock, he has a rock band and two of their songs are going to be featured on the show. His London-based band The Filthy Youth will be heard playing "Orange" and "Come Flash All You Ladies" on the Jan. 2 episode "School Lies."

In the January 2 episode, Serena (Blake Lively), Blair (Leighton Meester), Nate (Chace Crawford), Chuck and their entourage break into the school swimming pool for a night of fun, but when a member of their group nearly drowns, the school threatens to expel the person responsible for the break-in.

Lead singer Westwick co-wrote both tunes with rhythm guitarist Jimmy Wright. The CW sez Westwick reports “Orange” is a song about being with your friends and “ripping it up,” and “Come Flash All You Ladies” is about certain women Westwick has met throughout his life. Yup, he's a Gallagher all right.

"Kid Nation" Not The End Of Western Civilization, Says Variety

Cynthia Littleton at Variety says that "Kid Nation" turned out not to be so evil after all. Sure, we all got worked up about it and about the exploitation of kids, and the decline of Western Civilization, and so forth. But in the end, she says, it's no big deal. The season finale airs tonight and then all the kids will fade back into quiet obscurity, some of them with a nice bump in their college fund and a note on their resume that can help them get into tony prep schools. Littleton would have us believe that the show has caused no serious problems for the US or for Western Civilization in general.

I disagree. It's obvious to me that "Kid Nation" has in fact been a key factor in all of the problems the world is currently facing.

After just one season of "Kid Nation," the US Dollar has faded dramatically, especially against the Canadian Dollar, the Pound Sterling, and the Euro. Huge amounts of fraud have been uncovered in the crisis-ridden housing and loan markets. Both the southeastern and southwestern US are facing severe drought. And piracy has increased - both the kind involving boats and the kind involving software. With the writer's strike almost certain to drag on into 2008, we're only going to see more shows like it, and that means more disaster for our nation.

Of course, there are other dangerous shows: The Observer points out that "Gossip Girl" might trick people into thinking New York is a good place to live, and of course "Who Wants To Marry A Citizen?" is almost certainly illegal, and a commenter on TVSquad notes that "Moonlight" might encourage people to ignore the growing vampire menace. Still, I think it's clear that "Kid Nation" is the greatest danger to us all.

Variety is simply unwilling to own up to being part of the media frenzy encouraging this sort of show and its inevitable disastrous result. But viewers must do what is necessary to stop the collapse: Demand quality scripted entertainment! Demand an end to reality!

OMG Teh Gay On "Gossip Girl"

Zap2It says that at some point in the near future, there's going to be same-sex smoochin' on "Gossip Girl!" Alert the conservative press and tell them to get raging! Our show is sinking and we need controversy to boost ratings!

(Update, because a reader asked: That's a deliberate use of the typographical error "teh" to denote excitement. See Wikipedia.)

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)

Morning reads

• Ausiello has Jorja Fox talking, sort of, about the fact that she's leaving "CSI" in November, even though her character survived the Miniature Killer. (TV Guide)
• Recap Wednesday's "Gossip Girl" and you get great dialogue like: "I always knew you were a whore, I just never took you for a liar, too." Yes, more kids should watch this show. (Televisionista)
• I wasn't expecting this: The TV Addict found Thursday's "The Office" a little humor deficient. "A happy Pam, Jim dumping Karen, JAM, sorry PB&J together. What shippers aren’t on cloud nine? Yet it’s pretty clear that the ‘funny’ took a back-seat last night." (The TV Addict)

A couple of afternoon reads

• Last night's ratings for new and returning shows were a mixed bag. ABC did good with "Dancing With The Stars," and "Private Practice" won its timeslot - but not by much over NBC's "Bionic Woman." NBC's "Life" lost a bunch of viewers halfway through. And things don't look so hot for CW's "Gossip Girl." (Televisionista, TVSquad, and real numbers at The Futon Critic)
• On the brighter side, with the return of "The Office" tonight, we also get the return of "The Office Thursday on GMMR." If you're giddy with anticipation over Jim and Pam's dinner date, this is the place for you.

"Gossip Girl" Not A Draw

I hate to gloat, but...

Who am I kidding, I love to gloat! "Gossip Girl" got terrible ratings last night, and I'm deeply pleased. One of my friends says it's definitely on her guilty-pleasure list, but she must be the only one out there. Even with a "Top Model" lead-in, PI Feedback notes, that's "last-place, 3.65 million viewers and a 1.7 / 4 [share] among adults 18-49 from 9-10 p.m." Variety points out that it was more of a hit with its core audience of young women, but nonetheless disappointing.

Ring the bell and call out the long cane, folks. Let's get this show off the road.

"Gossip Girl" Review: Heinous Little Bitches

CW has two of this fall's best and brightest new shows - "Aliens In America" and "Reaper" - but, this being TV, the network had to put some totally cynical crap on the air to balance them out. Thus, "Gossip Girl." Based on a popular series of young adult novels, the series chronicles the social doings - drinking and doping and screwing and gossiping and backstabbing - among a group of rich prep-school brats in Manhattan. And in one of this season's many nods to that Internet thingie, the tale is narrated in voiceover by a mysterious blogger called Gossip Girl, who seems to be everywhere and nowhere all at once.

I went to high school in the '70s. I'm hardly shocked at teenagers puffing a little weed in the park or jumping each others' bones in the spare bedroom. What sets me back about "Gossip Girl" is how cynical, amoral and sad it all seems. These kids aren't drinking, getting high and having sex for the fun of it, but rather for social positioning. And it doesn't seem to make them happy. But if this is supposed to be a cautionary tale, it's far too glamorous. It looks more like destructive role-modeling, a mean-girl how-to. Providing aspirational decadence for the heinous little bitches of tomorrow. Nice.

Morning Links Madness!

First, one more look at the only really funny moment during Sunday night's Oscarcast:

• Talkin' 'bout Fox bleeping the Emmys. (New York Times)
• "Match Game" wiseacre Brett Somers has died at 83. (Associated Press.)
• Tim Goodman has some last thoughts on the Emmycast: "All this controversy about Sally Field's stupid speech. The woman should be banned from accepting anything, except advice. Like this: Shut it. Take the trophy, go home." (SFGate.com)
• A sweet sentiment from The TV Addict: "This summer will be forever remembered as quite possibly the best summer of television ever." (TVAddict.com)
• Josh Schwartz talks about "Gossip Girl" (boo) and "Chuck" (yay): "It's really hard to do a show about people in their 20s. It becomes a lot of navel-gazing, people complaining about their lives. But if a guy in his 20s is complaining about his life because he was almost killed by a ninja the night before, now you've got something." (BuzzSugar)
• Pix of Neil Patrick Harris of "How I Met Your Mother" and his boyfriend at the Oscars. (Televisionista)
• Recapping "Prison Break" at GMMR: "I felt like I needed a shower after watching tonight’s episode just to get the stink and the grime off of me." (GMMR)
• Pictures of the "Smallville" action figures and pictures of the stars at Emmy afterparties - which is more lifelike? (Televisionista)

"Gossip Girl" Is Evil

Why would I ever watch "Gossip Girl"? Ick, ick, ick, ick. My experience with the pilot and the New York Times review suggest that it's a bitter rehash of all the worst aspects of real-life high school experience: mean girls and mean boys stealing booze from their parents, awkwardly getting to third base, then turning around and calling each other sluts. Only here, they're better dressed and have better skin.

Look at it this way: we all know children are mean and we all know bears shit in the woods. But I don't need to sit down every Wednesday night to watch either one happen.

I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that "Gossip Girl" is a vile, disgusting piece of trash. It's not poignant, it's not dramatic, it's not a guilty pleasure. It's just a stew of  bad parents, bad kids, too much money, and not enough brains. Anyone involved with the show should feel dirty; anyone whose life is reflected in it should take it as a wake-up call.

If you insist, the sleaze premieres Wednesday. Here's hoping it's canceled faster than "Cavemen."

What Not To Watch: "Cavemen," To Start

Buzzsugar has this list of the shows they think are going to suck. "Cavemen," of course, is the number one show that's not worth your time. I agree, although I might tune in for the debut just to laugh at it.

They also suggest you skip "Viva Laughlin," because  it's "flat" and "cringe-worthy." I'd say skip it just because it's a musical. Number three is "The Big Bang Theory" and I'll agree with that as well. I'm sick of the "awkward smart boy and silly pretty girl" thing. It's insulting to men and women, and it's not accurate, and it's just irritating from start to finish.

Four is "Big Shots," which I'm unsure of. It's being pitched as sort of a lad-mag type of show, which sounds awful. It's not quite like that, though: It's more "Sex And The City," full of beautiful men talking about their feelings. Plus, it's right after "Greys Anatomy," so I'm guessing it's core fanbase will be the women who watch "Grey's" along with their boyfriends, who will tune in because it's not too feminine. That could be enough to make it a popular water cooler topic. I probably won't watch it, but I think it will find an audience.

The number five pan is "Life," which I think is actually fun. The scenario of a quirky ex-con cop, exonerated and redeemed, appeals to me. The fact that he's still got a whole pack of enemies waiting for him in the force is definitely appealing. I like how he plays silly and humble, but he's got a whole chart of alliances and threats and conspiracies on the wall. And his partner, of course, is an unwilling pawn. I enjoyed the pilot and think it's got promise.

I've got some additional not-worth-it thoughts:

Monday Morning Reads

Our friend The TV Addict has done an awesome thing for those of you who wish you were at ComicCon but weren't. He's collected links to videos of all the panels like "Heroes," "The Simpsons" and "Lost." ...... Kathie at Give Me My Remote apologizes for being remiss in recapping the "Chuck" panel at ComicCon (featuring Zach Levi, right) and links to a video by way of amends. ... Televisionista has some excellent pix from the "Heroes" beach location, as Hayden Panettiere films a smooch with her new TV boyfriend, Nick D'Agosto, then hits the waves with her real boyfriend, Stephen Coletti. ... TV Squad reports on some "Big Brother 8" foolishness and makes an excellent point: "How pathetic do you have to be to go through the trouble of hiring a biplane to try and influence the results of a reality show?" ... Variety sez New York magazine is calling out Bravo over conditions for contestants on shows like "Top Chef" and "Project Runway." ... Variety also sez CW's "Gossip Girl" is coming out a week early. ...

"Gossip Girl" - "The O.C." Without the Heart

Earlier in the CW session, they touted their interactive site for the new show "Gossip Girl," allowing teens to "enter the world of the show." I think I pissed off head honcho Dawn Ostroff by asking if the kids would be able to buy their Stoli online along with the fashion and music. (No.)

The kids on this show are mostly rich, spoiled and nasty, and while one or two are trying to do the right thing, mostly the show makes underaged sex, drinking and drug abuse look glamorous. But hey, I grew up in the '70s. What is so troubling about this show is how glamorous it makes the lives of selfish, backstabbing, bitchy mean boys and girls. It's "The O.C." as rewritten by Bret Easton Ellis.

Now the cast and creator - "The O.C." auteur Josh Schwartz - are trooping onstage. Schwartz says the best way to communicate values to the target audience for the show "is an honest depiction of this behavior."

"This is the kind of show that would cause a lot of parents to freak," someone says. "At the end of the day these are flawed characters," Schwartz says. "As long as we understand they're searching to do the right thing ... the world isn't as depraved as it appears to be."