House Beautiful: The Season Finale of Bravo's Flipping Out

I'm going to miss Flipping Out.

The series, which features designer Jeff Lewis and his not-so-merry band of employees, wrapped its fourth season last night ("Rock, Paper and the Kitchen Sink") on a high note, with Jeff and Co. flying to New York to attend the opening of the House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year that Jeff had designed in Rockefeller Center.

After some back-and-forth with Jenni Pulos about whether or not she was invited or would attend, the entire office gang--including Trace and Sarah--arrived with Jeff in Manhattan to cap off a season of career highs and some interpersonal lows, as Jeff turned out some breathtaking work this season. (I was blown away with the beauty and luscious design of his interiors this year, displaying a confidence and poise that I've come to expect from his work.)

While this season was devoid of the sort of headline-grabbing drama that marked the third season (including that season-long feud between Jeff and Ryan Brown), it was a season that found Jeff under new pressure as his design business took off and he was constantly moving in order to keep up demands from clients.

It, naturally, lead to some flipping out on his part.

I will give Lewis credit and say that he has worked hard to improve his inter-personal skills and now tries extremely hard not to fly off the handle at a moment's notice. Change is difficult. While he still lacks empathy at times, it's clear that he's trying to control his inner demons but when the pressure mounts and mistakes happen (as they all too often do), Jeff's instinct is to go for the jugular.

It resulted in some harsh confrontations with both Jenni and Sarah, the latter of whom--who proved that just about everything rolls off her back--was reduced to tears and nearly quit working for her brother-in-law. It was a flip out of the highest order as Jeff attacked her intelligence and her brain size (!!!) after she had made an error. Which is bad enough when it's one of your employees, but when they are actually related to you by marriage, it's going to make for an uncomfortable Christmas.

Still, Jeff did reward the employees this season, giving them flashy new titles (Jenni, for example, is now the COO) and taking them on trips to Manhattan. (Hell, Zoila got a brand-new car!) It's clear that he does care for these people and does, as he said in last night's finale, consider them to be "family." And family members do fight, after all, sometimes in the same knock-down, take-no-prisoners way that Jeff Lewis does.

Jeff expects absolute perfection, from himself, from his employees, and from his contractors. When they fail to meet his expectations, they often fuel his wrath. But Jeff is also the boss. When Zoila tells him that he needs to act professionally (after reducing Sarah to a sobbing mess), it's as though it's the first time it's crossed his mind. The lines between employer/employee and work/play time are extremely blurry at Jeff Lewis Design, after all.

But despite his anger, it's clear that Jeff does care about them in his own particular way. And his issues are his own. He hates when people won't admit when they've done something wrong or when they argue with him after messing up, two things that get firmly under his skin, and, really, with good reason.

Yes, mistakes do happen, as Jenni likes to remind Jeff. But it's how you handle them, whether it's a misplaced telephone number or a lost planner, that determine the outcome. No one is perfect, after all. But we all need to take responsibility when the inevitable happens... and try to anticipate those potential errors and ensure that they don't happen.

I was glad to see that this season ended with happy families rather than more tears and recriminations. After last week's slap-happy incident with Trace and a drunk client, I was a little afraid that the company's newest full-time employee would be running for the hills (or, in this case, away from them). But the incident--while shocking and traumatic, really--did have one upside: it proved to Jeff undeniably just what Jenni's value to the company is.

Between offering a gruff alter ego (cough, Deb, cough) and a sounding board, Jenni cares about Jeff and about his business. She's good with the clients and the construction crews, offering a barrier between them and Jeff's overwhelming anger and frustration. While Jeff often wants to react emotionally, she can step in and calm the situation, smoothing things over so that they can still get what they want. Honey does win over vinegar, really.

So when things get rough and tensions flare, I hope that Jeff does realize what an asset he has in Jenni Pulos. Whether she may have misplaced something or spoken out of turn, she does always have his back. And in Hollywood, that has a price above rubies.

What did you think of this season of Flipping Out? Are you loving "sweetsies" Sarah and Trace? What's with the tension between Jet and Zoila? Was Jeff wrong not to initially invite Jenni to New York? Head to the comments section to discuss.

Fingers crossed, meanwhile, that Flipping Out will return for a fifth season next summer.

The Daily Beast: "Flipping Out's Real-Life Fall-Out"

Wondering just what went down with Flipping Out's Jeff Lewis and Ryan Brown? Or where their relationship stands now following last fall's explosive reunion special?

Head over to The Daily Beast, where you can read my latest feature, entitled "Flipping Out's Real-Life Fall-Out," where I talk to Jeff Lewis, Ryan Brown, Jenni Pulos, and Bravo's Andy Cohen about Season Four of Flipping Out, Jeff's now booming design business, and whether television ruined his relationship with Ryan Brown.

Were you on Team Jeff or Team Ryan last year? And does the piece change your perspective at all or strengthen your convictions? Head to the comments section to discuss, debate, and analyze.

Season Four of Flipping Out begins tomorrow night at 9 pm ET/PT on Bravo. You can read my advance review of the fourth season premiere here.

It's a Great Day at Jeff Lewis' Office: An Advance Review of Season Four of Bravo's Flipping Out

Bravo's addictive and hysterical reality series Flipping Out returns next month with a whole new season of meltdowns, freak outs, and dirty, dirty... martinis. (Yes, martinis.)

I had the chance to watch the Season Four opener of Flipping Out a few days ago and instantly fell back in love with this series, which manages to effortlessly remain one of the most consistently funny and eye-opening reality series on television today. (That it remains off the radar of the majority of viewers is a crime against reality TV that simply cannot stand.)

Season Four finds the gang at Jeff Lewis Design grappling with some very different problems than when we last saw them. Longtime viewers will remember that Season Three of Flipping Out focused on the economic downturn and how the global financial crisis wreaked havoc with Jeff's business... and with his relationship with ex-boyfriend and business partner Ryan Brown.

Yes, the fallout from that, er, fallout resonates sharply throughout the Season Four opener and while Jeff Lewis is still at his OCD best, we also see a very different Jeff than the one we saw fall apart last season. He's more confident, a little more calm, and a hell of a lot more collected. Likely part of that has to do with the fact that Jeff Lewis Design has taken off at a meteoric rate since we last checked in with the tempestuous owner.

Things have changed, mostly for the better. Ryan is completely out of the picture (Brown doesn't appear in the credit sequence or any of the press for Season Four) and Jeff's business is booming to the point where he is now being flown on private jets, consulting on projects all over California and in New York, redoing restaurants and homes, and has more work than he knows what to do with. (He has learned one thing from Ryan, however, and that's the fact that he has to bill for his time.)

But success brings a whole new slew of issues. Namely, the fact that the employees at Jeff Lewis Design haven't quite kept up with the massive changes afoot with their business. Jenni is now only working part-time as the company's Chief Operations Officer, and seems more interested in her new boyfriend than in keeping track of client phone numbers. Executive assistant Sarah still needs some more on-the-job training. She might be family (her sister, Jeff's realtor, married Jeff's brother) but she also needs to be able to keep up with Jeff's demands and she seems... a little scattered at times. Trace is finishing up college and so is splitting his time between the office and school.

And then there's Jett, who has actually carved out quite a niche for himself as Jeff's house assistant, a role that has caused a fair bit of conflict between him and Zoila and which plays to many of his strengths, like his flair for making the pitch-perfect dirty martini for Jeff Lewis. (Yes, the measurements are exacting and precise.) While family lunches might be gone--a necessary sacrifice in the face of an expanding business--and dinner might be verboten but Jeff seems to relish the thought of plying his employees with liquor each night as he keeps them working until after 9 pm.

There's also a baby in the mix but I won't spoil who it belongs to and just what said infant is doing hanging around Jeff Lewis Design.

Ultimately, the Season Four premiere perfectly matches just what I love about this series, offering the perfect entrypoint for new viewers while continuing the misadventures of the lovable misfits that make up Jeff Lewis Design. So grab a martini, turn off the phone, and prepare to flip out yourself.



Season Four of Flipping Out launches Tuesday, August 10th at 9 pm ET/PT on Bravo.

Tears and Recriminations: The Ugly Truth (or Lack Thereof) on the "Flipping Out" Reunion

Cameras are funny things. They're meant to capture the reality of a moment but there's something inherently artificial about them being there in the first place. Reality television isn't exactly reality as it exists; it's an edited-together version of actual events, threaded together into a cohesive narrative for television. It gives us an image of reality but not the whole picture.

The reason I'm bringing this up is that I'm still in shock about last night's dramatic and intensely stressful Flipping Out: Season Three Reunion on Bravo.

While the reunion special brought up a number of intriguing (and in some cases hilarious) plot strands from the third season of Flipping Out including "rollover Number Two minutes," Roomba (dubbed a "big bitch" by Zoila), the poisoned bacon, and the status of Valley Oak, the main set piece in the episode was a confrontation between Jeff Lewis and his former business partner Ryan Brown.

It was, shall we say, heated. The former best friends--who hadn't spoken in the four months since Jeff walked out of Chloe's birthday party in the season finale--attacked, defended, and deflected and ultimately reached another stalemate, unable to convince the other of their perspective.



It's impossible to say who is telling the truth but it's clear that there are some mightily bruised feelings on both sides. And it's also clear that Jeff believes with all of his heart that Ryan deliberately misled people and siphoned business away from him via some rather shady dealings including a "smokescreen" website, sponsored links on Google, and other misleading practices. Ryan, for his part, vehemently denies any wrongdoing, saying that he can't apologize for anything as he hasn't done anything.

Which brings me back to my original point about the cameras. To say that watching the duo air their dirty laundry on camera was uncomfortable is a massive understatement of the highest order. Would it have been better for Jeff and Ryan to attempt to talk without the prying eyes of the cameras (and host Andy Cohen)? Perhaps. But it was also the cameras themselves that led to the breakdown in their relationship and to their coming together one final time.

Putting aside the accusations that Jeff has very publicly made against Ryan for a second, things were incredibly mismanaged in the way that Jeff went about confronting his former business partner. For one, he should have never made those accusations on national television without speaking to Ryan and attempting to find out the truth first. It does, as Ryan was indicating on the reunion special, create a dangerous situation as Ryan's very reputation is being damaged in front of an audience of millions. Likewise, Jeff opted to engage both his father and "long-suffering assistant" Jenni in conversations about his suspicions... on camera.

Furthermore, the confrontation on last night's reunion took a turn for the nasty, with both sides making accusations and bringing up information that the audience shouldn't really be privy to, such as Ryan's monthly mortgage or the fact that Dale isn't working (though we did know that: he's in culinary school). Ryan, in turn, attempted to paint a portrait of Jeff as an unstable, paranoid, and delusional individual who thrives on tearing down his friends for amusement and stated that clients should know who "the real Jeff Lewis" is.

The truth of the matter is that we don't know what actually happened between the two, just as we still don't know a season later what actually happened between Jenni and her ex-husband Chris Elwood. We see one side of the equation on reality series and we, as an audience, only see part of the truth. Do some of Ryan's choices seem unethical? Based on Jeff's perspective, yes. The matter of the Google sponsored links still hasn't been dealt with head-on and Ryan didn't deny that he paid for sponsored links to Jeff's name. So will we ever know what really went down? Probably not. Given Jeff's televised accusations, Ryan would be crazy to do anything other than defend himself and vigorously deny any wrongdoing. After all, his professional and personal reputation depend upon it.

What we do know at the end of the day is that these two did, and possibly still do, care for one another. The pain and anguish that both people feel is palpable. Ryan moved on from Jeff a long time ago; he has a husband and a baby now and naturally their relationship would change. He says that he's stuck by Jeff and supported him. Jeff says that he misses the old Ryan, "ugly haircut" and all. But it's not enough to mend the massive rift between them and I don't know that anything can at this point.

As stressful as the confrontation was, it was the sight of Jenni struggling to hold back tears that brought home the message for me. Regardless of what might or might not have happened, things have changed, perhaps irrevocably, in the various relationships depicted on Flipping Out. And that, cameras and all, is painfully real.

Leaping Lizards: Baby Drama on the Season Finale of "Flipping Out"

And just like that, Season Three of Flipping Out came to a close last night. Not with a bang but with Jeff walking off of Ryan's property during Chloe's third birthday party, with what seemed like a heavy heart.

I already alluded to much of the action in Flipping Out's third season finale ("Baby Boom") via my advance review of the episode, but now that the episode has aired, I can speak a little more freely about what actually went down this week.

I do feel for Jeff. Given the recent problems in his relationship with business partner Ryan Brown, Jeff is beset by a swirl of change in his professional and personal life: Ryan and his family might be moving to Santa Barbara, Jeff could be selling his own home, and there's a sort of biological clock ticking over the action, a sound that's all the more loud thanks to Jett's news that his girlfriend is expecting a baby.

Granted, Jeff isn't one for tact. (That's certainly apparent from the last three seasons of the series.) But I did think it was a little extreme and presumptuous that he would ask Ryan for access to the twenty or so frozen embryos that he and partner Dale have on ice. Yes, Jeff wants a child and he's so enamored of Chloe that it would be nice to have one of her siblings as his own child but really Jeff? Asking your estranged business partner and former boyfriend if you could take (or buy) one of his biologically-derived embryos was crossing a line that didn't need to be crossed, especially as Ryan himself was thoroughly creeped out by the entire conversation.

I find it hard to imagine Jeff raising a child on his own. After all, children are messy and uncontrollable and Jeff's entire life is based around order and tidiness. Which isn't to say that he would be bad parent but I think it's different raising a child than it is taking Chloe for a meal here or there or throwing her an elaborate birthday party.

After all, this is the same man who couldn't control his laughter when he found out that a client and her son walked into her house after it had been spider-bombed and they began throwing up repeatedly. (I get nervous laughter but Jeff brought a whole new meaning to that here.)

Likewise, I thought it was beyond sweet of Jenni to dress up as a lizard, green face and all, and perform a birthday rap (which I can't get out of my head) for Chloe. Jeff made a comment that Jenni will never met anybody if she dresses up like a lizard but really I couldn't help but feel a little heartbroken for Jenni. She's clearly in her element with kids and clearly adores them but given her recent relationship woes, a child of her own seems unlikely right now.

Was Jeff serious when he said he was considering hiring Jenni as a surrogate mother for his child? It's unlikely that he was but perhaps there was a kernel of truth there. Still, I'd tell Jenni to run as far away as she could if he actually seriously asked her. It's hard enough working for Jeff Lewis when you're not carrying his child, after all.

Ultimately, Season Three of Flipping Out was a fantastic look into the lives of Jeff and his eccentric band of employees and friends. I'm going to miss these guys but I'm also very much looking forward to next week's reunion special, where we'll get some answers to some dangling plot threads from this season. I have a feeling it's going to be quite heated.

What did you think of last night's season finale? Was Jeff wrong to ask Ryan about the embryos? Is there any hope of reconciliation for the two of them? Discuss.

Next week on Flipping Out ("Reunion Special"), Jeff and his crew reassemble to discuss the dramas of Season Three. Look for some major sparks to fly as Jeff and Ryan's troubled friendship is likely to be one of the focal points of the reunion.

Baby Crazy: An Advance Review of Tonight's Season Finale of "Flipping Out"

Over the past three seasons, I've waxed enthusiastically about the charms of Bravo's unscripted series Flipping Out, which wraps up its third season tonight.

Nominally about OCD-afflicted real estate investor Jeff Lewis and the quirky employees of his spec business, the series is in fact a deft portrait of a meticulous businessman and the eccentric individuals that he surrounds himself with. It also happens to be one of the funniest programs, scripted or unscripted, on television, thanks to the biting sarcasm of Lewis, the general awesomeness of his indefatigable right-hand-woman Jenni Pulos, and his surly housekeeper Zoila.

While I find myself laughing aloud (sometimes until it hurts) each week, every now and then a rare beat of genuine emotion makes its way into the mix on Flipping Out, lending an aura of poignancy and heartache to an otherwise sunny (if, thanks to Jeff, stressful) series.

I had the opportunity to watch an early copy of tonight's season finale ("Baby Boom") and found it to be both hysterical and heartbreaking in equal measure, leaving the viewer with no doubt that the story of Jeff Lewis, Jenni, and Zoila still has a hell of a lot of mileage left in it. (I have no doubt that the series will be renewed for a fourth season.)

I don't want to give too much away about this fantastic season ender but I will say that it's potentially a time of major change for Jeff Lewis, as he ponders whether to sell Valley Oak and get his spec business back off the ground. Still haunted by suspicions that business partner Ryan Brown had siphoned business from him via some rather shady goings-on, the specter of distrust hovers over the action even as Jeff throws an elaborate and over the top third birthday party for Ryan's daughter Chloe.

Jeff and Ryan's friendship has been one of the backbones of the series since the very beginning and having them not speaking puts a bit of strain on everyone involved, given Jeff's desire to remain a part of Chloe's life. His efforts to give her a dream birthday party can be seen as a bit of a gesture toward reconciliation but he's refusing to let go of the nagging suspicion that's eating away at him.

Still, that doesn't stop Jeff from making a jaw-dropping request of Ryan that will have many people questioning his judgment... just as Ryan himself does. I don't want to spoil it but I will say that it connects in a way with Jeff's sudden (and growing) desire to have a child as he quickly approaches forty.

It's this desire and his relationship with little Chloe that add a patina of sadness and despondency to the episode, particularly in the final moments of the season. With Ryan considering moving his family to Santa Barbara, there's a sense that everything Jeff knows, his entire support system, might be crumbling down around his ears.

Of course, there's always the adorable and hilarious Jenni by his side. Providing one of the funniest moments of the season, Jenni's storyline nicely dovetails into Jeff's, offering another affecting look at someone who is at home with children but lacks one of her own. Jenni's quest to find a partner, after the dissolution of her marriage last season, has been a throughline this season but her donning of a lizard suit at Chloe's birthday is both a triumphant moment of joy and a depressing reminder of how hard it is to find love in this world.

With the curtain about to fall on the fantastic third season of Flipping Out, I'm really going to miss the eccentric gang at Jeff Lewis' office and tonight's season finale left me hanging on an unexpected note of melancholy that I just can't shake off. Here's to hoping that Bravo brings us more Flipping Out... and soon.

Flipping Out Preview: Lowering Valley Oak:



Flipping Out Preview: Jenni the Surrogate:



Flipping Out Preview: Buena Park is Done:



Flipping Out's third season finale airs tonight at 10 pm ET/PT on Bravo.

Clowns, Drag Queens, and Homeless People: Jeff's Fears Loom Large on "Flipping Out"

Throughout its run, Bravo's reality series Flipping Out has always offered some humor along with its drama but last night's episode ("Spirit of the Land") brought the series into a much darker place that hasn't really been seen since the surprising breakup of Jenni's marriage last season.

It was an episode that was filled with hurt feelings, high emotions, and a surprising death and, rather strangely, despite the fact that I was laughing only minutes before, I too was affected by the passing of homeless person Spirit, who lived on the salon property of Jeff Lewis' client Chaz.

We all know that Jeff Lewis doesn't deal well with emotion; his go-to reaction is often sarcasm and humor and that was no different last night. Considering he had suggested that they put Spirit out in the driveway with the trash, Jeff was at first seemingly unaffected by the homeless woman's death. (Did we ever actually learn if Spirit really was a woman or if that was a fiction of Chaz's?) But it soon became clear that he was struck to his core by her passing, as he had done a 180 degree transformation with Chaz and had even suggested improving her living accommodations prior to her death. It wasn't quite in the same outward fashion as Jenni, who burst into tears upon seeing Spirit's things thrown out and her home the site of a memorial candle or two, but it was clear that her death had made Jeff think about his own mortality.

Those feelings in turn also stirred up some unresolved feelings about his friendship with Ryan and he attempted to call his former business partner to try and patch things up. They didn't end up connecting but I do wonder if this has made Jeff change his point of view about Ryan and about breaking off their friendship. Jenni made a point about Spirit dying alone and I think that thought terrifies Jeff beyond belief. In losing Ryan, he clearly lost a component of his family and part of his support system. Can these two patch things up? Only time will tell.

Jeff also had to contend with the bruised feelings of Zoila who turned on house assistant Jett and attempted to put him in his place after she experienced an odd jealousy over Jeff's purchase of a Roomba. It's funny because the way that Zoila's been presented this season makes it appear as though she's not doing as much work as she used to do so I can sympathize with Jeff but I don't think he quite anticipated what sort of reaction the Roomba would engender within Zoila, nor did he expect that she would take Jett's half-in-jest comments (come on, there was some truth to his insinuations) to heart. Zoila might be able to give as good as she gets and stand up to Jeff in a way that no one else can but doesn't mean that she won't eventually crack after one too many snide remarks or haughty demands.

I have to say that Sarah is working out quite well at Jeff Lewis' office; I didn't initially expect her to stick around as long as she has but she's actually blended in quite well and might even offer Jeff some much needed human resources stability. Which worries me about Jenni... after last week's confrontation about her auditions, etc. it seemed as though things were coming to a head between them over her lack of focus on his business. (According to Jeff, anyway.) With Sarah in the mix, it might be time for Jenni to fly the nest as he's in good hands (and I do love her relationship with the oft-missing design intern Trace) or maybe for Jeff to reward the seven and a half years she's worked for him by promoting her. Or giving her a desk of her own, perhaps.

The episode was really nicely edited, with a haunting juxtaposition between Jenni and Jeff's argument over giving homeless people money with the aforementioned death of Spirit, Chaz's "good luck charm" who has lived on the property since 1968. I have to agree with Jeff that well-heeled clients don't want to look out of a bay window while they're paying a fortune to have their hair done and see a homeless person sleeping there but it was clear that Chaz truly believed in the spiritual yarn he spun Jeff about finding Spirit. Part of dealing with clients means having to hold your tongue, Mr. Lewis, even if you think they're in cloud cuckoo land.

But what's really sticking with me after last night's episode are the scenes for next week's season finale, which seem to point towards Jeff wanting to adopt a child. It's a scenario that has me extremely worried and anxious but it's also one that I can't wait to see play out on screen. If only next Tuesday would come sooner!

What did you think of this week's episode? Was Jeff right to try to move Spirit? Is Chaz absolutely bananas? Is there any chance of a reconciliation between Jeff and Ryan? Discuss.

Next week on the season finale of Flipping Out ("Baby Boom"), Jeff takes on a new client in Toluca Woods and attempts to rekindle his friendship with Ryan.

Flipping Out Preview: Lowering Valley Oak:



Flipping Out Preview: Jenni the Surrogate:



Flipping Out Preview: Buena Park is Done:

Battle Royale: Jeff Versus Ryan on "Flipping Out"

It had to happen, really.

The tension between Jeff Lewis and sometimes business partner Ryan Brown has been building all season long and things got more than a little heated on last night's episode of Bravo's addictive reality series Flipping Out ("Irreconcilable Differences"), in which Jeff confronted Ryan about his allegedly "shady" business dealings.

The confrontation, which went down in the final minutes of the episode, followed an hour where Jeff pulled some rather telling passive-aggressive maneuvers towards Ryan, disregarding his father's advice to cut the cord between the two but also not quite giving Ryan the opportunity to defend himself against Jeff's silent accusations.

Who is at fault? It's really difficult say. Obviously, Flipping Out follows Jeff Lewis around on a daily basis and not Ryan Brown, so it's easy to side with Jeff because it's his perspective that we're seeing here. But let's look at the supposed evidence.

So far, the most damning pieces of evidence against Ryan are those sponsored links to Brown Design on Google. Regardless of whether Ryan can say that he's just being a "smart businessman," there's something underhanded about sponsoring links to your design firm to pop up when people are searching for Jeff Lewis.

Is it smart? Sure, it's diabolically clever but it's also toeing a very narrow ethical line between acceptable and shady behavior because it's quite possibly--or probably--taking business away from Jeff. Ryan claimed that he doesn't say that it's not Jeff Lewis' office that callers have reached because it isn't. But people searching for Jeff Lewis who stumble onto the Brown Design site might call thinking the calls would get to Jeff. Or, assume so anyway, just as Ryan assumes that he needn't ask people who they are looking for.

And then there's Santa Barbara. Ryan is debating whether or not to move north and open up a second office as he's flooded with business from Santa Barbara, a fact that has Jeff very suspicious, coming on the heels as it does of the magazine layout featuring Jeff's house at Valley Oak... which contains barely any mention of Jeff's role in the design of the place.

The confrontation itself was painful to watch. Jeff might talk a big talk about being tough as nails but the guy is sensitive underneath his hard exterior and it was clear to see just how much hurt and anguish he was experiencing bringing up these difficult topics. Old wounds hurt the most, after all.

It's impossible to say right now who is telling the truth. Ryan makes a point about Jeff cutting him out of his life altogether if he doesn't believe him, which I think he meant as a sincere expression of his honesty and loyalty but which Jeff interprets as a sign of guilt. As for how they left things, it's not good, to be honest. Ryan storms out of the house, Jeff is tearing up and this friendship and business partnership may have been ripped asunder forever. Trust is, after all, a very fluid, funny thing. Once it's gone, all bets are off.

Whose side are you on in this conflict? Is Jeff right to be suspicious about Ryan or is he just being paranoid? Discuss.

Next week on Flipping Out ("Pledging Allegiance"), Jeff faces setbacks with his Buena Park contractor while Ryan makes commitments.

Flipping Out Preview: Money In, More Money Out:



Flipping Out Preview: Jenni's Alter-Ego:



Flipping Out Preview: In Bed with Vlad:

"This Isn't 'Melrose Place'": Poison, High Heels, and Take Charge Attitude on "Flipping Out"

Is it just me or does Jenni Pulos kick some serious butt?

Jeff Lewis' oft put-upon assistant Jenni doesn't really get the credit she deserves from her meticulous employer, who is far more likely to criticize her endlessly for the slightest error than to praise her for all of the hard work she actually does. That is, when he's not hitting her in the face with a mobile phone headset or dredging up some painful memories of her shifty ex-husband at the drop of a hat.

However, this week's episode of Bravo's addictive reality series Flipping Out ("Jenni 911") had Jenni stepping in to Jeff's shoes for a day (more on that in a bit), allowing both she and Jeff to have a new appreciation for the work that the other does. Could it be that a change in their relationship is on the horizon? Knowing Jeff, probably not. But it's still pretty nice that he recognized Jenni's effort and ability.

The main issue this week on Flipping Out was of course Jeff's alleged poisoning at the hand of Zoila, who did appear to have unwittingly given Jeff food poisoning by feeding him bacon that was, well, several months old. The stomach-churning interlude ended up leaving Jeff doubled over in pain and necessitated him taking a rare day off from work. A day that he spent accusing Zoila in no uncertain terms of trying to kill him with past-their-date pork products.

I honestly believe that Jeff thought that the entire office would grind to a halt with him out of commission, especially given his earlier bad-mouthing of Jenni to new assistant Sarah, a very awkward and uncomfortable conversation that was so completely inappropriate, not to mention just plain myopic.

Fortunately, Jeff does have an ace up his sleeve and he needs to realize that it's Jenni herself. Donning some serious black-rimmed glasses and a head-to-toe black ensemble, Jenni effortlessly stepped into Jeff's shoes, delegating responsibilities to the staff (including little-seen design intern Trace) and heading out to the job sites to keep an eye on the firm's current projects. The way that she dealt with confused contractor Vlad and confronted their newest client about cash (and shut down the job site altogether when it was clear that they weren't going to get paid) proved that she's absorbed a hell of a lot of knowledge and confidence from Jeff and that she can not only get the job done but do it well.

I hope that Jeff watched last night's episode and saw how well that Jenni performed under an immense amount of pressure and that she represented him professionally and authoritatively on the job sites. I understand that he's frustrated with Jenni's situation right now (and probably feels a little sting that she's concentrating more on acting than on his business) and with his financial situation as a whole but he does have a tendency to take things out on Jenni rather than on recognizing her potential, loyalty, and capability.

Jeff should have promoted Jenni a long time ago. And maybe with the addition of new assistant Sarah, he can train someone to become his new right-hand woman. But the fact remains that Jenni has put in seven and a half years of hard work without much reward and Jeff Lewis' office runs smoothly because of her.

For his part, I was impressed that Jeff did compliment Jenni on how well she did and offer her some uncharacteristic praise for her performance at the end of the day. The look of pride (mixed with a little shock, I'm sure) on Jenni's face spoke volumes about their relationship.

Speaking of relationships, next week's episode looks to continue to find cracks in the partnership between Jeff and Ryan, who's been somewhat conspicuously absent from much of the action this season. And likely adding to the stress Jeff is experiencing is the disappearance of his newest client, after he offered to front her the $25,000 necessary to complete the renovation job.

Not good. Not good at all.

Next week on Flipping Out ("Friend or Foe"), Jeff turns to his father for advice after he learns some disturbing information about Ryan.

Flipping Out Preview: Answering Jeff's Prayers:



Flipping Out Preview: Lewd and Obscene:



Flipping Out Preview: No More Energy to Yell:

Spilled Coffee and Bad Mojo: Scandal on "Flipping Out"

Oh, Jeff. You never learn, do you?

This week's episode of Flipping Out ("Bad Mojo") had Jeff Lewis attempting to find a replacement for Rachel after she quit unexpectedly in last week's installment. But rather than stick to his guns and interview multiple candidates, check out references, and, you know, actually look at people's resumes, Jeff ends up hiring a random guy, Shawn.

Which would be fine if the duo hadn't hit it off over Shawn's story about his stint in prison for drag racing in a high-speed car chase with highway patrolmen and the police.

Could it be that Jeff's hiring ethos isn't quite all that it's cracked up to be and that he has a tendency to act on emotion and impulse rather than logic? You think?

And yet when faced with the same dilemma of having to replace an employee, Jeff does the unthinkable yet again and hires Carrie's sister as his newest assistant, thus again creating an uncomfortable situation in which he's mixing business with pleasure (and soon to be family as well) and hiring not the right person for the job, but the person who's right there at the moment. Oh, Jeffrey...

I knew right away that Shawn would be trouble for Jeff Lewis' office. He seemed almost too eager to please, was way too flirty with everyone from Jenni and Zoila to celebrity hairstylist/client Chaz. Which made me think that he had an angle of some kind. I don't think it was quite what Jeff thought (that Shawn was out to get some sort of job from Chaz) but something less concrete and defined. He appeared to be looking to leverage his employment with Jeff Lewis into a new life and move into the orbit of some powerful and moneyed individuals. Why else go into the salon and try to get invited to Chaz's house for some yoga? A bit odd, no?

It's a shame as Shawn did seem genuinely surprised when Jeff sacked him for his scandalous offense, despite protesting that his conversation with Chaz was absolutely innocuous. (It's slightly unclear to me why he would say he was talking about getting his hair done there--still an odd conversation to have with a client--rather than what Jenni overheard him saying.) I thought it was extremely generous of Jeff not only to cut a check for the hours that Shawn had worked but to also throw in an extra $500 to tide him over for the next week or so.

What motivated Shawn to refuse to accept the money that Jeff gave him? Was it, as Shawn said, pride? Or was it motivated by guilt? Should we give people the benefit of the doubt? Or do we need to be more suspicious and check people out before we hire them?

I hope it's a lesson that Jeff has learned now. Given the specter of Chris Elwood still hovers over his office, one would have thought that Jeff would have become a more stringent employer in terms of hiring, requiring a detailed CV, multiple references, and experience. After all, there's more to being a project manager than just checking things off of a list and Jeff had discussed with Jenni ahead of time that he wanted to interview several people for the position.

Jenni is a saint at the end of the day. How she's put up with Jeff, as funny as he is, for seven and a half years is a mystery to me. The fact that he so casually whacked her in the face with his headset in the car was shocking to me. He did eventually apologize but it took five minutes of him needling her about why the cord was tangled before he realized that he owed her one. I do hope that his experiences with Shawn now show Jeff just how loyal and patient Jenni is and that she deserves some sort of promotion or at least recognition for the role she's played in his business.

Whether the business will thrive under the (not-so) watchful eye of newest assistant Sarah Berkman remains to be seen.

But from Sarah's hysterical introduction--and her spilling the entire contents of a large cappuccino all over Jeff's car and Jeff himself, it doesn't bode well. I get that Jeff is altruistic when it comes to his friends and enjoys helping people out when they can't find work but he also needs to learn that he needs to be as smart and strict with his hiring policies as he with everything else in his life.

At least she remembered the two Splendas...

Next week on Flipping Out ("Jenni 911"), a big deal in Bel Air is complicated by a lack of funds; Jeff falls ill and accuses Zoila of poisoning him; Jenni is put in charge of the Buena Park project.

Flipping Out Preview: Zoila Poisons Jeff

Mint Meltdown: Battles Aplenty on This Week's "Flipping Out"

It was only a matter of time before Jeff Lewis broke down yet another assistant. I just didn't think it would be quite so soon.

On this week's episode of Bravo's hysterically addictive reality series Flipping Out ("Never Trust a Contractor"), Jeff learned once again that it never pays to mix business with pleasure. Or in his case that he can't continue to keep hiring his friends to work for him because it never, ever, ever ends well.

Thus was the case once again with Jeff's latest assistant, the flighty and disorganized Rachel, a friend of Jeff's hired for three days a week in order to accommodate Jenni's schedule. But the calculated demands of Jeff Lewis, constant tardiness, and a lack of mints in Jeff's car soon spelled doom for Rachel.

While I knew from the very first seconds of the season premiere that Rachel wouldn't be long for Jeff Lewis' office, I expected to see her make it through more than three episodes this season. But her tenure in the office--marked as it was by a dearth of brown salsa, some uneven wine glasses, and the twice-in-row lateness--only lasted a matter of mere weeks in the real world.

Now Jeff is the first to admit that he's a demanding boss; he's hyper-attentive to details, a self-confessed OCD sufferer, and he gives new meaning to the word particular. But Rachel, as a friend of Jeff's, knew that going into the job. She should also have known that Jeff doesn't like it when you make excuses or argue with his edicts. Or complain and try to paint yourself as a victim of his tyrannical rule. After all, it's his way or the highway and he was kind enough to give Rachel a job in the first place.

I do have to side with Jeff on the matter of Rachel's tardiness. She overslept one day and came in late. I get that sometimes things happen beyond your control; I'd have bought her an alarm clock but that's just me. But to then come in and spend twenty or so minutes doing your makeup instead of reporting for duty when you're already late is just insanity, especially in this office. But to compound matters, Rachel was then late again the very next day.

Of course Jeff is going to freak out. Of course he's going to razz you about it all day and keep harping on it until the cows come home (or the deer, one supposes) because that's his nature. Half of it is in jest and the other half is deadly serious; he's putting you in your place so you don't do it again.

Now, it was perfectly clear that Rachel was seriously unhappy at Jeff Lewis' office. That was clear right off the bat and crystallized even more as these episodes wore on. The lateness, the sluggishness, the spaciness (to wit: that check-writing incident), and the lack of care in her personal appearance all signified that she had checked out already.

And sure enough, she had. Beside for the crying jag, Rachel then pulled off the basest of betrayals in Jeff's eyes: she left him hanging by giving her notice fifteen minutes before the end of the work day on a Friday, telling him that she wouldn't be coming back the following week. Now I get that she had a full-time job on the line, but surely she knew about this gig before the end of the day, no? Suspicious...

While it's definitely time for Rachel to go (and if either of them wanted to salvage their friendship, she HAD to go), I'm curious to see just who Jeff ends up hiring next, especially as formerly clown-haired house assistant Jet has been a nonentity so far this season.

What did you think of this week's episode? Would Jeff have fired Rachel if she hadn't quit first? And whose side were you on? Discuss.

Next week on Flipping Out ("Bad Mojo"), it's not a good day at Jeff Lewis' office as one of Jeff's employees commits the ultimate act of betrayal, leading Jeff to bring in a feng shui expert to help calm the chaos.

Flipping Out Preview: Professionalism Out the Window



Flipping Out Preview: Mercedes Held Hostage

Tacos and Trauma: An Early Look at Tonight's Episode of "Flipping Out"

It's a great day at Jeff Lewis' office.

The gloves are coming off on tonight's episode of Bravo's addictive docusoap Flipping Out ("Pajamas and Other Games"), which I had a chance to watch last week.

While the season premiere gave us a glimpse at what Jeff Lewis and his merry band of misfits has been up to since we last saw them in 2008, tonight's hysterically stressed installment amps up the tension between the staffers at Jeff Lewis' office.

Wondered whether Jeff's newest assistant Rachel will crack under the pressure of Jeff's frequent and extremely precise demands? You're in luck as tonight's episode features Rachel attempting to please her boss and failing miserably in the process. While the fallout doesn't quite match up to onion- and guacamole-related debacles of previous seasons, one argument does revolve once more around Baja Fresh. Two words for you: brown salsa.

Meanwhile, Jeff and Jenni go on what must be one of the strangest (or, well, most unique) client calls ever as they're instructed to turn up at a potential client's house for Taco Tuesday... in their pajamas. And they learn quite a lot about their prospective clients' lives in the process.

Poor Jenni is confronted by both her struggling love life and her recent divorce when she, Jeff, and Ryan go wine- and cake-tasting with his future sister-in-law/real estate agent. And we learn that there's a hell of a lot of bad blood between Jeff and his brother, almost as much as the trouble that's brewing between Jeff and Ryan, in fact.

I won't say any more but will urge you to tune in tonight to catch a fantastic and funny episode of one of the most diverting and engaging docusoaps on television right now. I'm obsessed.

On tonight's episode ("Pajamas and Other Games"), Jeff attends a pajama party with some potential new clients; new assistant Rachel struggles to keep up with Jeff's numerous and precise demands; Jeff and Ryan's friendship hits a rough patch when Jeff accuses him of not sharing clients.

Car Fight:



Don't Turn Down Booty Calls:



Taco Tuesday in Pyjamas:

Rising Tempers and Falling Houses: The Season Premiere of Bravo's "Flipping Out"

It's a good day at Jeff Lewis' office.

Longtime readers know that I have an indelible love for the kooky cast of Bravo's addictive and hilarious docusoap Flipping Out, which returned last night after a far-too-long hiatus.

The season opener of Flipping Out ("Beware of Falling Houses") featured a strangely calm Jeff (well, calm for Jeff Lewis, anyway) struggling to stay afloat in the sinking real estate market by taking renovation jobs (rather than his typical speculation-based business) yet continued to expand his entourage to include another assistant (poor, doomed Rachel), clown-haired house assistant Jett, and a design intern Trace, who appears to be a mini-Jeff in the making.

And let's not forget about the aforementioned Zoila, who continues to keep Jeff on his toes with her hysterically haughty put-out attitude and who wants to find a boyfriend for herself... leading her to inadvertently flirt with a married man working on the Valley Oak property. (Meanwhile, Jeff ribbed his maid/non-sexual life partner about her need for hangers and hoarding of pillows.)

Yet this wouldn't be Flipping Out without a major blow-out from Jeff and once again it was directed at oft put-upon executive assistant Jenni, who was ill prepared for the day (she didn't have a crucial phone number with her), leading her to call the contractor at Valley Oak and asking him to look for the contact info among Jeff's belongings. A decision which then turned into a major battle royale between the duo, in which Jeff dragged up the still-biting betrayal of Jenni's now ex-husband Chris.

While Jenni should have had that number in her Blackberry or on her person (we all know how Jeff Lewis feels about precise preparation and his need for absolute privacy), I thought it was absolutely galling that he threw Chris' betrayal in her face almost a year after the incident occurred. As you might recall, Jeff's use of hidden cameras caught Chris in the act of going through Jeff's personal belongings and revealed a side of her husband that Jenni didn't know about... leading to the breakup of their marriage. That Jeff would, a year later, continue to throw this in Jenni's face as she attempts to get her life back on track and re-enter the dating scene after ten years of marriage is not only wrong, it's outright callous.

Now I'm someone who finds Jeff Lewis incredibly funny--his deadpan sense of humor is right up my alley--but even he admits that once he gets to this point in an argument, he "sees red." And that was definitely the case here. Yes, he apologized to Jenni afterward (and I'm amazed that she kept it together as well as she did) but he shouldn't have gone there in the first place. You do need to have a hide as thick as a rhino's in order to work for Jeff.

Which brings us to Rachel, Jeff's longtime friend/new office assistant, a lethal combination that is likely to bring many, many tears in the near future. Jeff is a perfectionist and a demanding boss... and has a tendency to mix friendship and business in a way that's rather like mixing dynamite and matches. Someone is bound to get hurt and I have a feeling that Rachel is not destined to stick around Jeff Lewis' office for long.

However, Jeff seems to have discovered a slight simpatico with his new male design intern Trace (whom he calls "Tracy" and "she"), who might just be as much of a perfectionist and obsessive as Jeff himself. (Witness the iPhone checkers conversation, which resulted in Trace being 15 minutes late to work.) Last season, Chris Kesslar attempted to win Jeff over and be taken under his wing only to encounter resistance from Jeff who wanted to "groom" Chris over several years. However, Trace seems to be fitting in quite nicely in the Lewis menagerie, even sharing Jeff's appetite for dry humor. Could it be that Jeff has found a protege?

All in all, a hilarious episode that points the way toward future plot developments between the cast members and loads of stress ahead for Jeff as he attempts to keep his emotions in check while working for other people. I can't wait to see just how explosive things get over the next few episodes.

Next week on Flipping Out ("Pajamas and Other Games"), Jeff attends a pajama party; new assistant Rachel struggles to keep up with Jeff's numerous and precise demands; Jeff and Ryan's friendship hits a rough patch when Jeff accuses him of not sharing clients.

Car Fight:



Don't Turn Down Booty Calls:



Taco Tuesday in Pyjamas:

Channel Surfing: Grant Show Open to "Melrose" Return, Ehle Plays "Game of Thrones," Third Season of "Inbetweeners" on Tap, and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

Grant Show, set to star on CBS comedy Accidentally on Purpose this fall, has said that he's open to appearing on the CW's revival of Melrose Place. "We've been talking, but nothing solid," Show says. "I'm not opposed to it... They haven't come up with the writing for me yet. I'm not sure they're even going to need me this year — maybe next year." Should Show close a deal to return to the series, he'll join original stars Josie Bissett, Thomas Calabro, Laura Leighton, and Daphne Zuniga as those who have turned up on Melrose 2.0. (TVGuide.com)

Jennifer Ehle (Possession) has joined the cast for the HBO fantasy drama pilot Game of Thrones, where she will play Catelyn Stark, the wife of Sean Bean's Ned Stark. Ehle's character was originally promised to Ned's older brother who was killed before they could marry; she then "fulfilled her duty by marrying Ned and securing the alliance between their two houses." Ehle joins a cast that includes Bean, Mark Addy, Peter Dinklage, Jack Gleeson, Kit Harrington, and Harry Lloyd. In other casting news, Swoosie Kurtz (Pushing Daisies) has joined the cast of Lifetime's comedy series Rita Rocks in a recurring capacity, where she will play the mother of Nicole Sullivan's character, and Brenda Vaccaro (Nip/Tuck) has will star in HBO Film's Jack Kevorkian biopic You Don't Know Jack, directed by Barry Levinson. (Hollywood Reporter)

E4 has announced that it has recommissioned comedy series The Inbetweeners for a third season. The Bwark-produced comedy created by Iain Morris and Damon Beesley, stars Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison, and Joe Thomas. It has already aired two seasons on Channel 4 digital sibling E4 and is set to air Stateside this fall on BBC America. According to E4 head Angela Jain, The Inbetweeners had "some of the most beautifully crafted puerile and funny jokes ever seen on British television but also moments of crushing heartbreak, which are all testament to the brilliance of the writing and acting." [Editor: I totally agree! Congrats, Iain and Damon!] (Broadcast)

FOX has announced that American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi will be returning to the reality competition series next season following the conclusion of her contract negotiation. "Kara's spitfire personality and sharp musical sensibility infused American Idol with a new energy last year," said FOX president of alternative Mike Darnell. "She clearly has a keen eye for talent -- spotting Adam Lambert's superstar quality early on last season -- and her performance on the Season Eight finale was one of the most memorable in recent Idol history." (Hollywood Reporter)

Slight changes afoot at Bravo, which announced that it had changed timeslots and launch dates for its returning programs Flipping Out and The Rachel Zoe Project. Flipping Out will now air Tuesdays at 10 pm ET/PT beginning August 18th, while The Rachel Zoe Project will air Mondays at 10 pm ET/PT beginning August 24th. (Futon Critic)

As expected, Greg Meidel has been named president of Twentieth TV, following Bob Cook's decision to leave the position. Meidel, who will continue to oversee MyNetworkTV, will assume oversight of Twentieth TV's programming and distribution. (Variety)

At yesterday's TCA session for CBS, entertainment topper Nina Tassler hit back at outbound NBC Entertainment chairman Ben Silverman. Asked to comment about his departure from NBC, Tassler declined to comment, saying rather cheekily, "I’m really just a D-girl," referring sarcastically to an off-hand remark Silverman made of her early on during his tenture at NBC. Touché! (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

TruTV has ordered seven episodes of unscripted series Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura, in which the former Minnesota governor will "investigate controversial plots and schemes that have been circulating in the news for many years and have piqued the public's interest." Project, from A. Smith and Co., will launch later this year. (Variety)

Bashar Rahal (War, Inc.) has been cast a multiple-episode story arc in Day Eight of 24, where he will play a general from the Islamic Republic of Kamistan who is enmeshed in a conspiracy involving President Hassan (Anil Kapoor). (Hollywood Reporter)

E! has ordered eight episodes of unscripted half-hour spoof series Reality Hell, in which actors attempt to persuade a person that he or she is appearing on a new reality series. Series, which launches August 16th, is executive produced by Peter M. Cohen. (Variety)

WE has ordered six episodes of two new series, a one-hour unscripted series Girl Meets Gown, in which brides look for their dream wedding dress; and Jilted, in which "women give their boyfriends ultimatums." Both will launch next year. The cabler also renewed The Locator, Little Miss Perfect, and High School Confidential, all of which will return to the schedule in 2010. (Variety)

More than 100 showrunners and executive producers have formally signed a protest against the changes planned for the Emmy telecast by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which seeks to exclude several categories from the live telecast next month. "We, the undersigned showrunners and executive producers of television's current line-up of programs, oppose the Academy of Television Arts and Science's decision to remove writing awards from the live telecast," said the protesters in a prepared statement. "This decision conveys a fundamental understatement of the importance of writers in the creation of television programming and a symbolic attack on the primacy of writing in our industry. We implore ATAS to restore these awards to their rightful place in the live telecast of the 2009 Emmy Awards." (via press release)

Meanwhile, the Emmy telecast producer Don Mischer said at a TCA panel yesterday that the TV Academy could become irrelevant, unless they make certain changes. "We are trying to keep the Emmys alive as a major television event," said Mischer. "It may come to that... The writing is on the wall, and every other award show knows it." Among the changes necessary for the awards show to stay alive, Misher said, was presenting series that mainstream viewers can recognize and not featuring narrow series that have niche appeal. We're going to have to connect the show to the big picture of television," said Mischer. "Its high points and memorable moments... We want to maintain a major profile. This is broadcasting, not netcasting." (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Emilie de Ravin to Return to "Lost." Jeff Bell Joins "V" as Showrunner, Knepper Lends Hand to "Heroes," and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing.

Emilie de Ravin is set to return to ABC's Lost next season as a series regular after her character Claire Littleton was absent for most of Season Five, leaving her character's fate tantalizingly ambiguous. (It's still not clear, in fact, whether Claire is dead or alive after disappearing and then being spotted in Jacob's cabin with Christian.) "Damon and I are very excited to bring Claire back to the show," said showrunner Carlton Cuse, "and even more excited for people to experience just how she will return." (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

WBTV has signed an two-year overall deal with writer/producer Jeff Bell (Angel), under which he will come on board ABC's midseason sci-fi series V as showrunner/executive producer. He'll also develop new series projects for the studio later on as well. "Like many people, I have fond memories of whatching the original miniseries, And to see how they did it now, it's epic. (Exec producer/scribe) Scott Peters did a fantastic job relaunching it. It seems like there are so many ways that you could go with this story," said Bell. "Especially when you look at our current times, with the economy, wars and social strife, it's the perfect time for a force like this to come along. In many ways this is a very American show, about the individual vs. society. It's about how America can appreciate and question things that seem to be too good to be true." (Variety)

Prison Break's Robert Knepper has joined the cast of NBC's Heroes next season, where he will appear in at least six episodes of the series as the season's putative villain Samuel, described as "a Jim Jones type -- charismatic but evil, with a twisted sense of humor -- who will veer into the lives of all heroes." The character had previously been referred to as Carnival Barker in casting breakdowns. Production on Season Four of Heroes is set to begin this week. (Hollywood Reporter)

Disney, NBC Universal, and Hearst Corporation are said to be in talks about creating a joint venture that would encompass cable channels A&E, History, and Lifetime. "The partnership would appear to fit well with NBC U's strategy of targeting female consumers via a cross-the-board corporate effort dubbed Women@NBCU," writes Variety's Clarie Atkinson. "Owning a piece of Lifetime could also help the Peacock goose traffic for its femme-centric iVillage website." (Variety, Hollywood Reporter)

Bravo has announced its summer plans, which include the launch of Season Three of docusoap Flipping Out on Monday, August 17th at 10 pm ET/PT and the return of The Real Housewives of Atlanta on Thursday, July 30th at 10 pm ET/PT. The two series will replace Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List and The Fashion Show, which will wrap their runs in August and July respectively. Additionally, the cabler will air a Top Chef special on August 26th at 10 pm, a week after Top Chef: Masters wraps its run. (Futon Critic)

Variety is reporting that A&E has canceled drama series The Beast, starring Patrick Swayze and Travis Fimmel, and will not bring the series back for a second season. (Variety)

Former Dawson's Creek showrunner and current Californication writer/executive producer Tom Kapinos lashed out at the stars of the WB hit series. "The experience was miserable," said Kapinos. "But it was a four-year boot camp. It was like going to TV grad school and learning how to run a television show. Anybody on that show who could make a decision was allowed to run it at some point. I inherited the very awkward college years, and I almost ran the show into the ground. But I learned everything that I needed to know about how to run a show." When asked what made his experiences so difficult on Dawson's Creek, he replied: "It was the four monstrous actors at the core of it." Ouch. (E! Online's Watch with Kristin)

Entertainment Weekly's Kate Ward checks in with Top Chef contestants Fabio Viviani, Carla Hall, and Jeff McInnis to find out what they're up to a few months after the end of the fifth season of the Bravo culinary competition series. Viviani is opening two more restaurants, has a cookbook coming out in the next month or so, and is embarking on a 16-city book tour... and possibly a television series. McInnis has completed a memoir of sorts and is shopping it to publishers. (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: NBC Gives Primetime Timeslot to Jay Leno, Scandal du Jour at "Grey's Anatomy," and More

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing.

The news that everyone is talking about since yesterday afternoon is that NBC has handed over its 10 pm timeslot Mondays through Thursdays to Jay Leno, beginning Fall 2009. This has been rumored for the last few months but I don't think even NBC was prepared to make it fact until the recent economic (and ratings) downturn of recent times. First, it solves two issues: keeping Leno--who is losing his 11:35 timeslot to Conan O'Brien (while Jimmy Fallon will take over his old digs)--at NBC and thus out of the grabs of rival networks such as ABC and FOX; and allows the Peacock to continue programming the 10 pm hour instead of handing it back to the local affiliates. (Something, believe it or not, that was also widely discussed.) (Variety)

Which means that scripted television has just taken another hard-to-handle blow. If NBC goes ahead with its plans for a Leno talk/variety series at 10 pm weeknights and has Sunday Night Football and repeats on Saturday, that leaves just ten hours of programming remaining. Given NBC's propensity for reality franchises (Biggest Loser, Apprentice), expect to see even less comedy and drama at NBC next season.

Granted, NBC hasn't had a lot of success with its 10 pm series lately; one need only look at the floundering series My Own Worst Enemy and Lipstick Jungle for examples, while ER closes its doors this season and Law & Order: SVU represents really the only shot at success in the timeslot.

Does this decision make sense financially? You bet it does: NBC will be able to save a hell of a lot of coin producing a Leno-based "live" series than it would a scripted drama in that hour. But it does smart, just a little. Jeff Zucker claims that they aren't "retrenching" or "throwing in the towel" but it does seem like they are giving up on scripted programming five hours a week. And that makes me sad.

Other networks have said they are not looking to make schedule cutbacks at this time and one unnamed insider said that NBC's logic could be perceived as "counterproductive" because "it's like the automakers shutting down plants: It saves some money short-term, but it also prevents an opportunity to make any." (Hollywood Reporter)

And NBC also made headlines yesterday afternoon for its massive corporate restructuring, which saw the layoffs of drama EVP Katie O'Connell, UMS comedy head Erin Gough Wehrenberg, UMS drama head Elisa Roth, programming EVP Ted Frank, and casting veteran Marc Hirschfeld, among many others. Layoffs come on the heels of the announcement Friday that Teri Weinberg, Katherine Pope, and Craig Plestis would exit. NBC Universal will instead launch a new merged network/studio arrangement, to be overseen by Angela Bromstad, recalled from her London-based position for NBC Universal International. Bromstad will now serve as president of primetime for NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios while former BBC Worldwide executive Paul Telegdy will oversee alternative programming for NBC and Universal Media Studios. (Variety)

Rumors are swirling that Grey's Anatomy's T.R. Knight has quit the ABC drama series. However an ABC publicist attempted to put the lid on such allegations by telling TV Guide that "T.R. has never walked off set in the middle of filming. He attended the table read [on Monday] and will be shooting this week, like any other week of production." Hmmm. (TV Guide)

UPDATE: Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello says that "multiple sources" have confirmed to him that T.R. Knight has been asked to be cut loose from his contract and that Shonda Rhimes and the ABC executives are willing to fulfill his request, according to one source. ("They're working out the details now.") (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

ABC will attempt to counter-program NBC's Super Bowl with a football-themed special episode of reality competition series Wipeout to air during the halftime concert by Bruce Springstein. Immediately following the Super Bowl telecast, ABC will air another special episode of Wipeout, in which cheerleaders compete against male "couch potato" sports fans, opposite NBC's hour-long The Office event. Strategy represents one of the most ambitious Super Bowl Sunday plans to date. (Hollywood Reporter)

Bravo has renewed unscripted series Flipping Out and Million Dollar Listing for third seasons. Also on tap for 2009: new seasons of The Rachel Zoe Project and Tabatha's Salon Takeover. (Variety)

Lauren London (Entourage) has been cast as bisexual cheerleader Christina Worthy on CW's 90210; she was seen in the November 18th episode attempting to flirt with Dixon (Tristan Wilds) but we'll soon learn that Christina has a girlfriend when the series returns on January 6th. (TV Guide)

TBS has ordered a pilot presentation for Frat House, a late night series from Bunim-Murray that will follow three comedians--Bret Ernest (Weeds), Theo Von (America's Prom Queen), and Bert Kreischer (Reality Bites Back)--as they push a group of guys at an impasse in their lives back into the simpler days of frat life. (Hollywood Reporter)

David E. Kelley is said to be "satisfied" with the series finale of his five-season-long drama Boston Legal, which wrapped up last night. However, he did have some parting words for ABC. "ABC didn't want us back," said Kelley. "It's as simple as that. They didn't even want us back for this year at all. We had to fight to get back on with 13. It's not a product they care to market." (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Talpa and Endemol have dissolved their joint venture, under which Endemol had exclusive right to distribute Talpa's formats, by "mutual consent." (Hollywood Reporter)

Stay tuned.

Quarters, Ugly Portraits, and a Bad Baby: The "Flipping Out" Reunion Special

Did anyone else watch last night's reunion special for Bravo's deliciously addictive reality series Flipping Out?

While not a hell of a lot was revealed that we didn't already know about Flipping Out's quirky cast, it was great to catch up with Jeff, Jenni, Ryan, and Zoila, even if we had to sit through annoying host Andy Cohen's inane chatter for an hour. Yes, I get that he's one of the executive producers on the series (and a VP at Bravo, to boot), but it doesn't make it any easier to sit through his uncomfortable interviews and endless mugging for the camera. And that's not to say anything about Andy nearly falling out of his chair. Sigh.

I was surprised that the reunion special really did downplay Chris Elwood's firing and the NannyCam incident; I half-thought that the producers would trot out Chris for the cameras and make him say a few things about the surveillance incident and the dissolution of his marriage, but I am glad, for Jenni's sake anyway, that it didn't play out this way. That said, I do wish that Chris Keslar would have been there, as I find him absolutely hilarious. Sure, he doesn't work for Jeff anymore but that hasn't stopped him from chiming in throughout the entire sophomore season of the series with astute and sarcastic commentary.

I really do just adore Zoila (the scene with her telling Jeff that she "had an accident" with one of his Lacoste--not Izod, Andy--shirts was priceless, as was Jeff pouring her a large glass of red wine after she couldn't reach the cocktail shaker) and I loved her discussing what she had learned from working at Jeff Lewis' office: Tila Tequila, Daisy Dukes, and how to avoid a hangover after drinking copiously.

Huzzah! Ryan's hair was finally fixed and he does appear to have realized that his "man bangs" were a complete and utter disaster. Seriously, people, I do hope that if I ever make as big of a hairstyle snafu as Ryan did that someone out there will tell me to my face and force me to fix it post-haste. Because, wow, that was one awful hairstyle on Ryan. Ouch.

Jenni was as articulate as I thought she would be, even after everything she's been through over the course of the second season of Flipping Out. Whether she's talking about the breakdown of her marriage (she did admit that Chris had asked for divorce four years ago, as Jeff had indicated), how much of a "catch" Jeff is, or offering Zoila a new uniform, Ms. Pulos is polished, poised, and perhaps the most well-spoken reality series participant.

And I am amazed that Jett is still working for Jeff and happy about the job. Could Jeff Lewis' office have finally found the ideal house assistant they've been looking for all along? Stranger things have happened...

All in all, it made me hungry for the next season of Flipping Out and I can only hope that Bravo gives fans what they want and renews the reality series for a third season of tear-downs, tear-ups, and the wackiest bunch of people ever to work in an office together.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Greatest American Dog (CBS); Summer Olympics (NBC); America's Next Top Model (CW); Wife Swap (ABC); Bones (FOX)

9 pm: Criminal Minds (CBS); Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious (CW); Supernanny (ABC); Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (FOX)

10 pm: CSI: New York (CBS); Primetime: Crime (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

9 pm: Project Runway on Bravo.

Season Five (the final season on Bravo) of Project Runway continues tonight. On tonight's episode ("Welcome to the Jungle"), it's time for more cross-promotional opportunities as Brooke Shields, star of NBC's femme-centric drama Lipstick Jungle, drops by for a challenge in which the designers must create outfits for working women.

Jeff Finds Himself Back on the Market in the "Flipping Out" Season Finale

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

It's yet another good day at Jeff Lewis' office, as seen in last night's season finale of Flipping Out ("Back in the Market"). Sure, there's the remains of, er, human feces to be dealt with at yet another job site, a surly moving contractor to be yelled at, and delays with completing the Encino property before Jeff's clients can move in, but that's just par for the course as far as I am concerned.

I thought it was about time that Jeff started to interview for someone to come in as a new house assistant (especially after the incident at Valley Oak) to replace Chris Keslar, but I never imagined that it would be someone quite so terrifying as ClownHead... I mean, Jett. Everyone is oohing and ahhing over how "attractive" Jett is but his hair was actually quite scary to me; the mane equivalent of a trainwreck you can't quite look away from. (Shudder.)

Jett seems nice enough, if already in way over his head, and despite saying that he's laid-back and will do anything, didn't REALLY seem to want the job, if you know what I mean. The look of abject terror on his face said more than his noncommittal attitude towards accepting the position. Something tells me that Jett won't be sticking around for very long, though I did love Jenni and Ryan's interview questions (do you mind being made fun of? if you are right, can you still admit that you are wrong? do you mind being verbally abused?), which cut right to the heart of the matter.

On a different subject, what was up with mover Mario? Jeff has used him for years and has recommended him to many a contact, so why was he being so uppity and rude to Jeff while moving the furniture to the Encino property? I just didn't get it at all or where the attitude was coming from, especially as the Lazners had paid Jeff to arrange the furniture and he was instructing the crew where to place the individual pieces. Strange.

The game of quarters was absolutely hysterical and it was lovely to see Jenni seem relaxed and confident again, especially after all of the stress of her marital situation with Chris Elwood, her job site injury, and friction with Mr. Lewis. And it wouldn't be Flipping Out without one final argument between her and Jeff about a mistake made. Yes, Jeff has come a long way in his battle with his anger management issues but would it kill him to at least praise Jenni when she does do a good job every now and then?

I knew that this season would end with Jeff once again homeless, following the sale of Commonwealth, and would have to relocate somewhere while he figured out where his next semi-permanent base of operations would be... but I never thought he would ask ex-boyfriend Ryan to allow him, his housekeeper, and his five animals to move in with him and Dale. And sure enough, Ryan wasn't having any of it (I don't blame him), but instead convinced Jeff to spend some time in Malibu for the summer.

I actually do hope that Jeff does find some semblance of balance whilst living on the water in Malibu and that the series does return to focus on Jeff, Ryan, Zoila, and Jenni working the lucrative Malibu real estate market. (Just as long as there are no crossovers with those creepy kids from Million Dollar Listing.)

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Bravo opts to renew this hilarious and gripping series for a third year, as there are few docusoaps that manage to suck me in quite like Flipping Out does week after week. And if last night's season finale wasn't enough Flipping Out for you, come back next Tuesday night at a slightly earlier time for the Flipping Out reunion special...

Next week on Flipping Out, it's the Flipping Out Reunion as Jeff, Jenni, Zoila, Chris Keslar and others gather to take a look back at the sophomore season's good times and bad times and those truly awful times, like the firing of Chris Elwood. What really happened there? Find out next week.

Holy Guacamole: Chris and Jeff Reach an Impasse on "Flipping Out"

I can't believe Chris Keslar left. After all the complaining and half-sobbing and trying to get Ryan to notice his skills, I had figured that Chris was at least sticking around to the season finale of Flipping Out this season. But, alas. The one-time house assistant for Jeff Lewis lasted a measly three months before quitting after an incident involving forgotten guacamole.

This week's episode of Flipping Out ("Tapped Out") showed Jeff in a pretty precarious position, as he's forced once again to contend with client-from-hell Courtney, deal with the loss of yet another employee (seriously, he's lost Steven Bowman, Chris Elwood, and Chris Keslar in just the span of a few months), attempts to sell Commonwealth in order to raise some cash, and loses his battle to control his anger after Jenni makes a pretty big mistake that could potentially cost him $30,000 (though one, it should be noted, that is quickly corrected).

One has the sense from watching this week that the walls are closing in on Jeff Lewis. Despite losing most of his staff , Jeff continues to soldier on but it's clear that the stress of his situation is definitely getting to him. I wasn't surprised at all by the fact that Courtney and her husband were once again looking to get rid of Jeff and Ryan from their massive renovation project in Hancock Park; these people clearly haven't been able to get the job done in the past because of their indecisiveness and suspicions and this time is no different. Jeff and Ryan, however, do make a preemptive strike and cut their ties with Courtney in a controlled, restrained fashion... something you rarely ever get to say about Jeff Lewis.

As for Chris Keslar, I don't blame him for leaving. It was abundantly clear that this wasn't a position that was going to lead him anywhere, despite what Jeff kept saying about "grooming" him to take on bigger and better things. Was three months a long time? No, it wasn't and I don't think that any employer would have promoted Chris to designer status in that time period. However, I do think that he's right that the house assistant position is a dead-end gig and sometimes you do have to take a stand and leave when you can't see any future advancement possible. After all, Jeff isn't Ryan; the differences in leadership style between them are crystal clear as Ryan promotes his assistants, encourages them to pursue opportunities, and strives to create a professional, creative environment.

Jeff, for all of his OCD and to-do lists, really does thrive on chaos, the chaos created by a boundary-less environment in which he metes out punishment like a mythical god. I understand that from time to time it's necessary to discipline your employees but the punishment should match the crime, as it were. Forcing Chris to break into a neighbor's yard, trespass, and steal four avocados so Zoila can make guacamole because he forgot to pick some up for their lunch seems like madness. If anything, Jeff should have just forced Chris to actually MAKE the guacamole. That would have shown him. (Ha!)

Chris has written a wonderful account of his "rollercoaster"-like time at Jeff Lewis' office over at BravoTV.com, which you should definitely check out. My favorite bit:

"In the end, I never did drink. And I never did take that bus! Or pick those avocados! But I grew as a person and learned a lot about myself -- my strengths and weaknesses as a person and as an employee.

And I laughed a lot.

And, yes, I even cried a little.

In short, I lived."

Meanwhile, it was great to see Jenni seem more like her old self again, able to crack jokes, put Jeff in his place (i.e., when he kept interrupting her call to tell her to cut Jesse off ), and basically keep him as calm and sane as possible. Of course, that went out the window when she inadvertently sent that list of furniture to realtor Carrie, but she's been through a lot so the woman is bound to make a few mistakes here and there. I still think she is a saint for putting up with Jeff and I really don't know what he would do if Jenni were to leave him right now. Probably have a complete mental breakdown. Hell, he even seemed shaken when Chris Keslar quit, despite the problems they were having.

And what did you think of Jeff telling client Lorrie that she had to return that playhouse she had bought for her kids, when she kept complaining that they didn't have enough money to finish the house? Or Zoila's attempt to drive Jeff's new Mercedes? Discuss.

Next week on the season finale of Flipping Out ("Back in the Market"), Jeff refuses to be a "doormat" anymore and comes down hard on his crew whilst finding himself looking for a new place to live, with a deal on Commonwealth looking likely to close.

It's Chris Keslar's Turn to Be "Flipping Out"

Just a few quick thoughts about last night's episode of Flipping Out ("Looks Like New").

While the action surrounding Jenni and the dissolution of her marriage to former trash guy-turned-house manager Chris Elwood seem to have subsided this week, the real drama this week was surrounding Jeff Lewis' new house assistant Chris Keslar. (Fun fact about Chris: he's the brother of Project Runway 3 contestant Angela Keslar.)

Chris has been upfront about his interest in the real estate business since Jeff first hired him and has made his dissatisfaction at the details of his current position clear to all. This is a guy who would like to be shopping for tile and finishings for Jeff's homes... rather than cleaning up after the dogs at Commonwealth. And this week, things went from bad to worse as Jeff pulled a power play and decided to put Chris in his place, first telling him that he'd have to take the bus back after dropping off his car to be serviced (which, yes, is ridiculous as your employer should pay for you to at least take a taxi back than waste time waiting around for a bus) and then later denying his request to take off for Memorial Day, "a national holiday," according to Chris. (I loved how feisty Zoila shot back that the people working in hotels and restaurants still have to work that day too.)

I do feel for Chris. As someone who works in the entertainment industry, I had to pay my dues when I was starting out... and pay them I did. It's not easy, it's certainly not fun, and typically the person directly above you has a thing about making the practice as demeaning and emotionally draining as possible, just because they had to go through it too. (Yeah, kids, hate to spoil the illusion but the television industry can be a cesspool.)

That said, I do understand where Jeff is coming from as well. Chris was hired to do a job in the role of house assistant and that comes with certain responsibilities and expectations; Jeff does want to help Chris achieve his goals but it clearly takes time to earn his trust and respect. We all know that Jeff has boundary issues (just look at him harrassing Jenni about where she's living or the fact that he went into a someone's apartment whilst she was away and rearranged the furniture and threw out "unnecessary" items) and--to him anyway--it looks like Chris is trying to overreach from his current position.

As for how long Chris Keslar will actually stay at Jeff Lewis' office is another matter. Chris' blog posting on BravoTV.com seem to be written in the past tense... leading some to question whether Chris still even works for Jeff Lewis. Hmmm. I wouldn't be surprised if the season finale of Flipping Out leads to Chris leaving for greener pastures, maybe even going to work for Ryan.

But how great was it to see Jeff get browbeaten by an eleven-year-old? Little Erin, the daughter of demanding client Lorie (who herself seems to have no concept of budgets or expenditure or, hell, profit), throws a fit when she sees the colors that Jeff has selected for the accent wall of her bedroom as one of the pinks is ugly and doesn't have enough "contrast." After all, she wanted orange in the first place and this little girl is going to tear Jeff down until she gets what she wants. Ouch.

Best line of the evening: "I haven't done an exorcism... in six or seven years." - Jeff

Next week on Flipping Out ("Tapped Out"), Courtney's husband starts sniffing around the job site, leading to some conflict between Jeff and Ryan; Jenni inadvertently sends the wrong list to Carrie.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Big Brother 10 (CBS); Baby Borrowers (NBC); America's Next Top Model (CW); Wife Swap (ABC); So You Think You Can Dance (FOX; 8-10 pm)

9 pm: Criminal Minds (CBS); Baby Borrowers (NBC); Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious (CW); Supernanny (ABC)

10 pm: CSI: New York (CBS); Law & Order (NBC); Primetime: Crime (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

9 pm: Project Runway on Bravo.

Season Five (the final season on Bravo) of Project Runway continues tonight with sixteen unsuspecting designers thrown into the deep end. On tonight's episode ("Grass is Always Greener"), the designers must expand their way of thinking by going green with the help of their models.