Jack Black to Guest Star in Post-Super Bowl Episode of "The Office"

New details have emerged about NBC's post-Super Bowl hour-long episode of The Office, which will guest Jack Black (Tropic Thunder).

The special one-hour Office installment will be titled "Stress Relief," and is set to air at 10:30 pm ET (and air simultaneously in all time zones) on Sunday, February 1st. In a meta-theatrical twist, Black will play himself in a Hollywood film alongside several other "notable Hollywood actors," according to an NBC press release.

In one of the hour-long episode's plots, several Dunder-Mifflin employees attempt to screen a bootlegged version of the film at the office during the day.

The Office's "Stress Relief" will air immediately after Super Bowl XLIII on Sunday, February 1st.

Channel Surfing: Shawn Ryan Talks "Shield" Finale, "The Office," CBS Spins Off "NCIS," and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing. I'm still trying to get the idea of hallucinatory killer butterflies out of my system after last night's episode of Fringe by thinking of tomorrow's turkey feast.

I'll keep the SPOILER ALERT on for the next few posts as not everyone may have seen last night's season finale of The Shield. Michael Ausiello chats with series creator Shawn Ryan about that ending, Shane and Vic's fates, Andre Benjamin's character attempting to run for mayor, and why Ryan knew there had to be a final confrontation between Claudette and Vic. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

TV Guide also talks with Ryan about his work on the series finale with some questions about justice, not knowing what the end of the series would be, what's next for the writer/producer, and Ryan's favorite TV series on the air at the moment. (Hint: Lost, Mad Men, and 30 Rock are some of them.) (TV Guide)

The Office's Mindy Kaling and B.J. Novak chat with The Boston Herald as the duo return to their respective home towns of Cambridge and Newton for Thanksgiving. "My character on the show is just an exaggerated version of myself... which is a little embarassing,” said Kaling. “Kelly isn’t a role model. She’s just sort of an idiot. It’s fun to play a character who’s not a forensics expert, or computer-science genius... the way other shows have Asian characters portrayed.” (The Boston Herald)

NBC is developing a procedural drama to star Gabrielle Union (Ugly Betty) from writer/executive producer Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files, Breaking Bad) and Universal Media Studios. The untitled project, based on an original idea deviced by Union and Spotnitz, is about a detective (Union) who has to race to save someone's life before she runs out of time. (Variety)

Speaking of NBC, the Peacock unveiled its January schedule, which is missing Chuck, Life, and Heroes. (Televisionary)

CBS is developing a spin-off of procedural drama NCIS, itself a spin-off--one can't help but remember--of JAG. Series would be based around a new team of naval investigators that will be introduced later this season on NCIS and could be launched as early as next fall and will likely cause the planned Criminal Minds spin-off to be placed on hold for now. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Among fears of a possible SAG strike early next year, studios are said to be talking to SAG's rival AFTRA about coverage on projects for pilot season. (Variety)

Looks like we'll be seeing more of Rickety Cricket and Artemis. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia recurring actors David Hornsby and Artemis Pebdani have been cast in the pilot for FOX space-set workplace comedy Boldly Going Nowhere, from the creators of Sunny, Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, and Glenn Howerton. Hornsby will play Lt. Lance Grigsby, the captain's devoted second-in-command who supports his cheating wife back home. Pebdani will play Startemis, the ship's alien communications officer. (And, yes, the original script--which I read last winter--called for Startemis by name.) (Hollywood Reporter)

In other casting news, Jason Butler Harner (Fringe) has replaced Jason London in Showtime drama pilot Possible Side Effects about a family that runs a pharmaceutical company. Harner will play middle son Silas. (Hollywood Reporter)

TMZ has been renewed for two more seasons and will stay on the Fox Television Stations group through the 2010-11 season. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Six Heads to "Chuck," Tyra Heads to CW, "Crusoe" Heads to Saturdays, and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing. I had a fantastically relaxing weekend, filled with some holiday-related events and a lovely private screening of the new film Slumdog Millionaire in my own living room. Good times.

Battlestar Galactica fans, hold on your hats. BSG's slinky seductress Six, a.k.a. Tricia Helfer, has signed on to guest star in an upcoming episode of NBC's Chuck, where she will play Special Agent Alex Forrest, a sexy-yet-by-the-book agent who is assigned to guard the Intersect after General Beckman becomes concerned about Sarah's feelings for Chuck. Look for Casey to fall for Alex's charms... and perhaps Chuck himself. Helfer is slated to appear in the 18th episode of the season, scheduled for next spring.

Also appearing this season on Chuck: Jonathan Cake (Six Degrees), who has signed on for a multiple-episode story arc as a "Gerard Butler-esqe British MI6 agent by the name of Cole Barker" who quickly finds himself drawn to Sarah. (Who wouldn't be?) And look for Sports Illustrated cover girl Brooklyn Decker to turn up in Episode 215 as a possible Buy More recruit being interviewed by Jeff and Lester. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

John Simm (Life on Mars) has stated emphatically that he will NOT be taking over from David Tennant as the Doctor on Doctor Who. (Damn it.) "I'm The Master," Simm told The Times. "Simple as that. I don't want to be [the Doctor]. I might be the Master again... I'm not allowed to say." Simm was definitely one of my top contenders in my list of possible replacements for Tennant but I'm hoping at least that he'll turn up again as the Master. (Digital Spy)

NBC has announced that it will move international co-production Crusoe, which has been sinking (heh) in the ratings since it was launched, to television Siberia, namely Saturday evenings. Crusoe, which is being moved so that the Peacock can use its current Friday night timeslot for Lipstick Jungle, will move to Saturdays beginning December 5th. Lipstick Jungle has four remaining episodes that have been scheduled for December 5th and 12th and January 2nd and 9th. (Variety)

Jennifer Westfeldt (Kissing Jessica Stein) is joining the cast of ABC's Grey's Anatomy, where she will play a patient at Seattle Grace in a multiple-episode story arc. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

ABC is now considering pairing its acquired comedy Scrubs with freshman comedy Better Off Ted on Tuesdays in the 9 pm hour. Better Off Ted, which stars Jay Harrington and Portia De Rossi, could debut as early as January... or be held until February or March. (TV Week)

Following the federal mediator's abandonment of efforts to bring SAG and the AMPTP together, SAG has announced its intent to seek a strike authorization from its members. A 75% approval vote is necessary to authorize a work stoppage. "SAG is bizarrely asking its members to bail out the failed negotiating strategy with a strike vote - at a time of historic economic crisis," said the AMPTP in a statement. "The tone deafness of SAG is stunning." I can only hope that the two sides can resolve their contract differences without resorting to a walk-out which would only further damage the already weakened television and film industry. (Variety)

NBC.com will offer an extended "producer's cut" version of last week's episode of The Office beginning tomorrow. This online-exclusive will offer additional scenes and footage not seen in Thursday's telecast. (Hollywood Reporter)

Los Angeles Times' How I Made It profiles Universal Media Studios topper Katherine Pope, whose contract expires in June. Pope, who had a hand in developing such NBC series as Heroes and Friday Night Lights, said, "This isn't an easy job, but I absolutely love the work. And I'm not finished doing it." (Los Angeles Times)

In other NBC news, the Peacock is said to be developing a series with self-help guru Tony Robbins and has handed out a pilot presentation order for a reality series that is said to be a "transformational-style show in the same vein as NBC’s hit The Biggest Loser.” Producers are currently looking to cast contestants who have had their lives derailed by tragedy and can't recover or who are "paralyzed by fears or anger." (TV Week)

Californication's Pamela Adlon talks about her career as both a live-action actress and a voice actor (Adlon is the voice of Bobby and others on King of the Hill), her "husky" voice, and Lucky Louie. (New York Times)

Josh Cooke (Big Day) has been cast opposite Katee Sackhoff and Brian Dennehy in drama pilot Lost & Found; he'll play Max, a psychiatrist friend of Tessa's (Sackhoff) who had a crush on her when they were in school together. The pilot will be directed by Michael Engler (Privileged). Elsewhere, Jessica St. Clair (Worst Week) will star in ABC's midseason comedy series In the Motherhood, where she will play the younger sister of Cheryl Hines' character, who lets her children run wild. (Hollywood Reporter)

BBC has opted not to commission another series of archeological drama Bonekickers, which aired six episodes earlier this year and lost nearly half of its viewers by the end of its run. "Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham have decided to concentrate on new projects," said a BBC spokesperson. (C21)

Tyra Banks' talk show will move to the CW for a fifth season next fall after concluding its current fourth season through syndication. Moving The Tyra Banks Show to the netlet will allow for more "cohesive marketing spin across the net's affils as well as cross-promo with Top Model." (Variety)

Endemol has signed a two-year overall deal with unscripted producer R. Greg Johnson, a former MTV executive who developed The Osbournes and Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica. Under the deal, he will create and executive produce new unscripted series. (Hollywood Reporter)

A&E has ordered reality series Steven Seagal: Lawman, which will follow the former action star as a fully commissioned deputy in the Jefferson Parish County Sheriff's Office in New Orleans and as a musician and philanthropist. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing; NBC Cans "My Own Worst Enemy," "Lipstick Jungle," Sci Fi Asks for More "Sanctuary," Novak to Leave "The Office," and More

Welcome to your Thursday morning television briefing. I hope everyone watched the season premiere of Bravo's Top Chef, which nearly made up for yet another week without a new Pushing Daisies... though from what I gather, there's going to be quite a lot of those come soon. Sigh.

NBC has canceled freshman drama My Own Worst Enemy, which starred Christian Slater in the dual role of Edward/Henry. Series will wrap production after shooting its current episode, the ninth of the initial 13-episode order. No word yet on what NBC will substitute in the Monday 10 pm timeslot. (Variety)

As for the fate of sophomore drama Lipstick Jungle, NBC has also given the drama the sack as well. Ouch. (Hollywood Reporter)

Should Pushing Daisies be canceled tomorrow, creator Bryan Fuller says that the series' storylines will be wrapped up in comic book form. "The idea would be to finish out the season's story arcs in comic books," said Fuller, "to satisfy the fans and ourselves, to finish up the stories we'd love to tell." Sigh. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that ABC comes to their senses but it's not looking good, people. (TV Week's Blink)

Sci Fi has renewed drama Sanctuary for a second season, ordering thirteen episodes to launch sometime in 2009. Production on Season Two is expected to begin early next year in Vancouver. (TV Guide)

In other renewal news, the CW has ordered five additional episodes of freshman dramedy Privileged, bringing its season total to 18 episodes. While slightly short of a full 22-episode order for the series, it does show a vote of confidence on the part of the netlet, which has now given its sole new drama series full season orders. In order to promote sampling of Privileged, the CW will air two new episodes on December 1st and Devember 8th behind new episodes of lead-in Gossip Girl. (One Tree Hill, which was scheduled to air repeats, will be pre-empted those weeks.) Those episodes will be repeated in the series' regular timeslot on Tuesday evenings. (Variety)

20th Century Fox Television has informed the cast of FOX's Prison Break that they may extend the current filming schedule to include two additional episodes. While Prison Break's writers have yet to pitch their take on these episodes, speculation is that they may function as a series finale or as a "special" two-hour feature next season a la 24: Redemption. FOX, meanwhile, has not yet committed to airing these extra two episodes though the network is currently engaged in talks with the studio on this matter. (Hollywood Reporter)

B.J. Novak will take a leave of absence from NBC's The Office, where he serves as writer/producer and a performer in order to film a role in Quentin Tarantino's upcoming feature Inglorious Bastards. Conflicting reports either have Novak disappearing from Dunder-Mifflin for "several episodes" or permanently. Given that Novak's Ryan is currently filling in for receptionist Pam, who WILL return to Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch eventually, it seems as though the writers have already engineered an easy exit for Ryan. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

FOX has canceled latenight sketch comedy series MADtv after fourteen seasons; the series will end its run at the end of the current 2008-09 season. Producers say that they are weighing their options and that the series could turn up at another network. (Variety)

FX has announced return dates for Damages and Nip/Tuck. (Televisionary)

Matthew Lillard will guest star in an upcoming episode of CBS' Gary Unmarried, where he will play Gary's irritating ex-brother-in-law Taylor "who has a knack for rubbing his well-to-do status in people's faces." (TV Guide)

Sasha Alexander (NCIS) has been cast in CBS' multi-camera comedy pilot The Karenskys, where she will play Emily, a woman who returns to her hometown when her husband is forced to relocate due to his job and reconnects with her eccentric family while her husband is uncomfortable with their quirks. Also cast: Tinsley Grimes (That '80s Show). Project comes from writer/executive producer Linwood Boomer (Malcolm in the Middle), BermanBraun, and Universal Media Studios. (Hollywood Reporter)

Showtime is developing an untitled drama project based on Perry Moore's novel "Hero," that will follow the life of a gay superhero. Project comes from writer Moore and executive producer Stan Lee, the co-creator of such Marvel properties as X-Men, Fantastic Four, and the Avengers, and Gill Champion. (Variety)

Also at Showtime, the pay cabler is developing half-hour comedy Kevin and the Chart of Destiny, about a "a brilliant but lonely market researcher who designs an elaborate 'dating system'--as laid out in a complex wall chart--in order to achieve his goal of finding a wife within one year." Project comes from writer/executive producer Tim Long (The Simpsons). (Hollywood Reporter)

Comedy Central has greenlit two pilots: animated comedy Ugly Americans, about a social worker who helps new US citizens--both human and non-human--adapt to life in NYC; and live-action comedy Evan and Gareth Are Trying to Get Laid, about two men earning first-hand experience in the perils of dating so they can offer advice at the relationship website where they work. (Variety)

Abby Elliott (King of the Hill) and Michaela Watkins (Old Christine) have joined the cast of Saturday Night Live, following the departure of Amy Poehler. The sketch comedy series may also add additional cast members later this season. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: Addison Returns to Seattle Grace, Ricky Gervais Considers "Office" Drop-in, "Knight Rider" Gets Retooled, and More

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing. I hope you all tuned in to the launch of HBO's new comedy series Summer Heights High; I've already seen the series several times but tuned in once again (it's just that funny) and also caught upon Skins (how cute was Chris' drawing of him and Jal?) and The Amazing Race.

Kate Walsh's Addison Montgomery will return to Seattle Grace... at least as part of a multiple-episode crossover story between Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice that's scheduled to air during February sweeps. (TV Guide)

FOX has delayed the start of animated comedy The Cleveland Show, a spinoff of Family Guy, until next fall. But the network has also ordered an additional nine episodes for Cleveland, bring its episodic total to a full 22 for the 2009-10 season. If that weren't enough Cleveland-centric news, Arianna Huffington has been added to the cast. (Variety)

Less than four months after premiering, NBC's Knight Rider is already undergoing some major retooling, beginning with its tenth episode, scheduled to air in January. Among the changes to the series, look for original cast members Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Yancey Arias, and Bruce Davison to depart; the troika's options were not picked up beyond the original 13-episode order and the series will focus instead on the five core characters (Mike, Sarah, Billy, Zoe, and KITT). "It's a reboot," said executive producer/showrunner Gary Scott Thompson. "We're moving away from the terrorist-of-the-week formula and closer to the original, making it a show about a man and his car going out and helping more regular people, everymen." (Hollywood Reporter)

Ricky Gervais said he would like to appear in the American version of The Office and has suggested that he play Extras' struggling actor Andy Millman. (TV Guide)

Showtime and BBC are developing a contemporary retelling of Camelot with Michael Hirst and Morgan O'Sullivan (The Tudors) writing an executive producing Camelot with Douglas Rae. Showtime and BBC are co-financing the development of the scripts and, should the project be ordered to series, it would be produced by Eccose Films and Octagon Filmes. (Variety)

ABC has announced the return of Lost. Season Five will kick off on Wednesday, January 21st in a special three-hour event, with Lost premiering in its new official timeslot of 9 pm ET/PT the following week. (Televisionary)

Tori Spelling will reprise her role as gossip columnist/liquefying villain Linda Lake on CW's Smallville and is said to be in "preliminary talks" to reprise her role as Donna Martin on 90210. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Michael Rapaport (Prison Break) has signed a development deal with CBS under which he will develop, star in, and produce an untitled drama project for the network. Said project, to be written by Bryan Goluboff (Basketball Diaries) and executive produced by Denis Leary and Jim Serpico, follows the lives of NYC social workers. Sony Pictures Television and CBS Paramount Network Television are behind the project. (Hollywood Reporter)

Tiffani Thiessen (Beverly Hills 90210) has been cast in USA's drama pilot White Collar opposite Matthew Bomer and Tim DeKay; she'll play Debbie, the "intelligent and supportive" wife of the head of FBI's white collar crime unit (DeKay) who works as an accountant. Elsewhere, Matthew Marsden (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) has been cast as the lead in Spike's two-hour backdoor pilot Madso's War from MGM; project follows the Irish mob in Boston; Marsden will play a thief with links to Boston racketeers who tries to leave the game when two of his men are murdered, only to realize that he's next on a hit list. Also cast: Kevin Chapman (Brotherhood). (Hollywood Reporter)

TV Guide talks to Jordana Brewster, who joins the cast of Chuck beginning tonight in a multiple-episode story arc where she plays iconic character Jill, Chuck's Stanford girlfriend who broke his heart. (TV Guide)

NBC has ordered a full season of crime procedural Life, bumping the sophomore series to a full 22 episode order. (Televisionary)

TV Land has ordered six episodes of hidden-camera reality series Make My Day, based on a successful British Channel 4 format that is being executive produced by Michael Davies (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?) and Sony Pictures Television. Series follows people who are unknowingly put through a series of strange surprises and coincidences set up by their family and friends. Series is set to launch in 2009. (Variety)

FX has opted not to renew unscripted series 30 Days from executive producer Morgan Spurlock. The series, the last remaining reality title on the cabler, wrapped its third and final season this July. (Broadcasting & Cable)

FremantleMedia has signed a deal with Spike for the worldwide financing, marketing, and distribution of three upcoming series, including Jesse James Is a Dead Man, Deadliest Warrior, and Surviving Disaster, all set to launch in 2009. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

Breakups and (Creative) Breakdowns on "The Office"

This week's episode of The Office was a masterclass to me on how not to plot a television series.

The latest installment of the creatively flagging NBC comedy ("Employee Transfer"), written by new writer Anthony Farrell, undid all of the creative spark the series had rediscovered by adding Amy Ryan to the cast for a brief time. And while I didn't imagine that Ryan would stick around longer than her six-episode commitment, I thought that the writers would be able to competently plot out her arc much better than they actually did. Why have her and Michael get together as a romantic couple at all, just to have them split up a scant two episodes later when they're confronted (off-screen, I might add) by Dunder Mifflin corporate about their inappropriate relationship?

Ryan has proven to be a wellspring of creative energy and her presence on the series has imbued it with a fresh energy and a new direction for Michael's character. And yet the way in which she was lead off of the series was so uninspired and so awkward (and not in the good Office cringe-while-you-laugh sort of way) that it virtually made her six-episode arc a footnote to the series rather than a positive development. Holly imbued Michael with a level of humanity that we've not seen before on the series and gave him someone to react to that wasn't pathologically crazy (i.e., Jan) but a mirror-image reflection of his own sense of humor and neuroses.

Why bother having anything Halloween-related if it was merely relegated to a painfully unfunny (save Creed's Joker impersonation) cold open that bore no relevance to the rest of the episode? Why bother having Andy and Dwight pretend to be one another when Jim and Dwight have already danced this particular waltz in the past? And while I went to Cornell for my undergraduate degree, I found the entire Dwight-insisting-on-applying to Cornell to be dull and leaden. Plus, wasn't it originally established that Andy didn't actually attend Cornell back in Season Three? (Though I suppose the writers already devalued that fantastic revelation by having members of his acapella group appear on-screen.)

Why bring in Jim's loutish older brothers (who, incidentally, did not seem to resemble Jim Halpert in looks, manners, or behavior) if the entire point of the endeavor was just to make Pam feel bad once again about her art school ambitions and have Jim defend them? The entire restaurant exchange went on for far too long and lacked any remote trace of humor.

Compare the "New York" scenes with Jim and Pam to the fantastic and witty scenes between Jim and Karen in Manhattan back in Season Three and it seems like the NYC setting was completely underused when it could have been a fantastic opportunity to show just how much Pam has changed during her tenure in Manhattan and how much more cosmopolitan and sophisticated she's become. But no. I'm absolutely convinced that the writing staff has grown just as bored of Jim and Pam as I have and are tired of coming up with contrived storylines for the duo.

Ultimately, I was fooled by last week's episode into thinking that The Office may have found its footing once again with Ryan's story arc and last week's improved outing but this week's episode once again proved that things are not well in this office. Can we please get back to workplace-based humor that's real and grounded? Or have the writers so shifted the focus of this series so completely that things like office Olympics and sales calls now seem mundane and lacking in any comedy?

When I think about that, I feel about as sad as Kelly on a bad day.

Next week on The Office ("Customer Survey"), Dwight and Jim get the results of the annual customer survey report and are shocked by the findings; Pam and Jim decide to spend every second together by using their Bluetooth phones; Angela and Andy pick an unusual location for their wedding.

Auctions and Ultimatums: Crime Aid on "The Office"

I have to say that I really quite enjoyed last night's episode of The Office ("Crime Aid"), written by new writer Charlie Grandy (Saturday Night Live) and directed by first-time director Jennifer Celotta (who also serves as an executive producer and writer on the series), who turned out a gorgeously filmed episode and has proven that she's just as talented behind the camera as she is writing dialogue for the employees of Dunder Mifflin. (Well done, Jen!)

While the Jim and Pam fluff bored to me to tears (is anyone quite as sick of these two as I am?) and the cold open was a whole lot of nothing, the rest of the episode was filled to the brim with the stuff I love best about The Office: genuine emotion (as opposed to forced or trite sentimentality), hysterical moments, and character growth.

How fantastic was it that Holly tricked Michael into returning to the office so she could make out with him without the cameras filming them? (I also loved the fact that they directly addressed the cameras' presence AND made it funny by having Michael turn his mike all the way up instead of down.)

I'm absolutely loving Michael and Holly as a couple, even if David Wallace didn't look too pleased to learn that these two were dating. Holly is such a perfect female version of Michael that is seems perfect to put these two together... and it's nice to see Michael happy for a change (which makes me just know that things are going to come crashing down for these two lovebirds very soon). Their exchange at the beginning of the episode about going out that night was adorable and very funny.

The fact that Holly knew that Michael never had any Springsteen tickets for their crime aid auction was a nice touch that belied her love for Michael and the realization that some things are just too good to be true. There was no explosive fight, no shouting (as there would have been from Jan), but just good-humored acceptance from Holly.

And how incredibly touching and, yes, earned was it that Dwight would bid on Phyllis' hug after taking her advice (and then getting slapped when he was ungrateful) and issuing an ultimatum to a Disney World-bound Angela? Instead of inane baby carriage pranks, we got some actual character growth from Dwight Schrute this week as he realized that perhaps he does need--and deserve--some actual warmth for a change. His exchange with Phyllis in the break room (during which he engaged in a conversation with himself) was absolutely hysterical (among the things he learned about from Angela: pasteurized milk, monotheism, sheets, presents on your birthday) and touching.

Pam's six-plus minute drunk voicemail to Jim? Irritating. While I once loved Pam, she's seriously irking these days and I don't enjoy their long-distance relationship storyline in any way. I'm glad that Jim turned the car around on the interstate rather than go see Pam in New York because I would have really pulled out my hair had that been where the writers were taking this plot point. And I was glad to see Roy, even if it was just for a 30-second scene at the bar.

Best line of the evening: "You’re making a knife with a knife?" - Phyllis.

Next week on The Office ("Employee Transfer"), Pam is horrified when she is the only person at corporate wearing a costume on Halloween; Holly and Michael get some shocking news; Dwight torments Andy.

Robin Williams and M. Night Shyamalan: Business Ethics and Product Placement on "The Office"

I'm completely in love with Amy Ryan.

There, I said it. Whether she's all grungy and fierce as in Gone Baby Gone, low-key and aching for excitement (as in Season Two of HBO's The Wire), or all awkwardness and longing as Holly Flax in The Office, I'm always entranced by her subtle and amazing performance.

Which brings us to this week's episode of The Office ("Business Ethics"), which was written by first-time Office scribe Ryan Koh who previously worked on this summer's Kevin-centric webisode series. It certainly wasn't the best Office episode we've ever seen and it wasn't the worst, but I did feel like it could have used a hell of a lot of tightening and another polish or so.

The basic premise this week found Holly (the aforementioned Amy Ryan) attempting to oversee a branch meeting to discuss business ethics ("Let's get ethical!"), which Michael quickly turns into a situation where everyone is spilling their guts about the unethical things they do at work in exchange for immunity. (I loved how Holly attempted to explain to Michael that nothing that happens at work can ever be granted immunity.)

During said free-for-all, it comes out that Meredith has been sleeping with a vendor in exchange for a reduced price on supplies... and Outback Steakhouse gift certificates. The latter part felt a little too gratuitous and smacked of blatant product placement. It really was apropos of nothing and the shots of Stanley et al chowing down on Outback Steakhouse food in the episode's tag pushed this way over the line for me. (Bad NBC!)

I did like that Michael and Holly had their first argument of sorts in debating what to do about Meredith and that Holly ultimately saw just how futile it is to attempt to take on the company in an era of corporate malfeasance. Sure, Ryan may have gotten the boot for massive fraud but Dunder-Mifflin tells her that they want to look the other way about the Meredith situation as they're coming out on top as a result; the entire business ethics training was a sham to just get people to sign a form indemnifying the company against any damages stemming from personal wrongdoing.

I do wish however that the scene between Michael and Holly at the restaurant had been a little funnier... and that we could have seen them actually fight during the car ride back to the office after the debacle of a meal. (Though I did love how Michael casually swept all of Holly's food into the trash instead of telling her to put them in the fridge for the following day when he invited her to lunch. And then through away her leftovers. Michael Scott: Food Waster.)

I thought that the Jim/Dwight storyline was a little weak, especially as Jim didn't ever clock to the fact that Dwight's inexplicable twenty minute break was in fact an illicit rendezvous with Angela. Had he figured this out, then I would have been a hell of a lot happier about this subplot, which didn't really amount to much and won't go down as one of Jim's better pranks any time soon. The best bit for me was seeing Dwight squirm as Jim made all sorts of glaring errors in his description of Battlestar Galactica to Andy. ("Pretty much a shot for shot remake of the original Battlestar.")

All in all, a fair episode of The Office but nothing to get too excited about. Hell, I even missed Pam, who literally phoned it in this week from art school in New York long enough for Jim to tell an uninterested crowd that he and Pam had gotten engaged.

But the best bits were once again Amy Ryan's as Holly incredulously reacts to Michael ignoring her (I loved how she stood, open-mouthed, as he walked away with the coffeepot and later cut in front of her to use the copy machine to copy... a picture off the wall) and later admits that Michael is her "best friend in the office." Had Michael heard her confession, I dare say that he would have acted differently. But then again, this is a man who went with the humorous version of "I told you so" rather than sympathetically drop it altogether. Though he did freak out just enough to get everyone back in the meeting room so Holly could finish the ethics meeting. And that has to count for something, no?

Next week on The Office ("Baby Shower"), Michael prepares for the birth of Jan's baby by asking Dwight to review possible birthing scenarios with him. And Michael tells Holly that he will pretend to dislike her for Jan's benefit. This will not end well.

Tapeworms, Cayenne Pepper, and Cheesecake: Weight Loss on the Season Premiere of "The Office"

I was extremely nervous to watch last night's season premiere of The Office ("Weight Loss") for a number of reasons. First, the series had burned me badly by last year's seriously uneven episodes, lackluster humor, and bizarro writing that had Michael acting far too improbably rather than just being an obnoxiously over-the-top employer who seemed somewhat rooted in reality. And, second, it was another one-hour installment, which to me, meant that the Peacock had not learned its lesson from last season, which proved that the one-hour format rarely works for a comedy like this.

In fact, what kept me watching the NBC series was last season's superlative season finale ("Goodbye, Toby"), which--while an hour in length--managed to keep the action moving swiftly and kept the humor grounded and realistic. (No pizza boys were harmed in the making of that installment.) And it introduced one of the single best characters in the history of The Office: Holly Flax, played by the inimitable Amy Ryan (The Wire).

So what did I think of last night's fifth season opener ("Weight Loss")? I have to say that it was far better than most of last season's episodes, both on a scripting and pacing front, but it fell short of reaching the same heights as some of the series' most memorable episodes. I am sure the Jim & Pam 'shippers out there were cheering through the rafters when they met at a rest stop on the highway (how, uh, romantic) and Jim finally proposed to Pam after spending the summer apart whilst she attended a three-month design course at Pratt in New York. (Question: why were Pam and Mad Men's Rich Sommer attending a class on spores and mold if they're studying design? Color me confused.)

I thought that the use of the narrative device employed by writers Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, in which we saw a brief look at each week the Scranton office participated in the weight loss initiative, worked quite effectively and showed us the passage of time without resorting to cheap gimmicks. I loved how it allowed us to see Michael grow his goatee just in time for Ryan Howard to return... to replace Pam as the temporary receptionist.

Ryan's fall from grace has been handled well and I am eager to see him try to fit back into the machinery of Dunder-Mifflin Scranton and hopefully face up to those fraud charges. (Although I am not sure why Jim and Ryan referred to the incident between them as occurring "last year," when it was just a few months earlier.)

Kelly is quickly becoming a favorite again. Her sunken eyes (received after basically fasting for three days and subsisting on maple syrup, lemon, and cayenne pepper), her efforts to procure a tape worm from Creed, and her fainting were pitch-perfect for her character, as was her subtle manipulation of Ryan when he came by her cubicle to apologize and ask her out.

Less aware was Michael, who once again failed to pick up on Holly's signals that she wants him to ask her out, going so far as to offer to buy her Counting Crows concert tickets--after she found herself stood up by her yoga instructor date--and then ripped them up, rather than make a date for the two of them out of it. It's nice to see Michael be on the receiving end of a crush for a change but it's clear that, for right now anyway, he's made his choice with Jan, even if he's not the father of her baby.

How great was the scene when Holly finally learned that Kevin wasn't mentally handicapped after she freaked out at Angela for calling him an "idiot"? I was hoping that the writers would be able to string this storyline a little further but it was probably about time that Holly learned that Kevin wasn't actually as challenged as he appears.

Pam, meanwhile, is settling into her new role as design student/resident adviser in New York and is making friends. I knew that Rich Sommer would be turning up on the series this season (and ran into him Saturday at the BAFTA/LA Tea Party, where he was chatting with fellow Office stars Kate Flannery and Leslie David Baker) and I think he's a perfect potential love interest for Pam. We all know that Jim and Pam will eventually end up together but the long road to the altar will never, ever be smooth for them, so I'm glad to see that the writers are attempting to shake things up a little for our lovebirds without breaking them up needlessly right off the bat.

And I loved that Phyllis used her knowledge of Angela and Dwight's secret affair--which is being carried on right at the office under Andy's nose as he plans a magical wedding ("every little boy's dream")--in order to usurp Angela's place as the head of the party planning committee. And her "jugs" comment had me laughing.

As for Angela and Dwight, their little rendezvous will eventually attract someone's attention, even if they are being as careful and slick as a drug operator off of The Wire, with beepers and clandestine warehouse trysts. The way Angela sadly kissed Andy (and then wiped his face) was absolutely heartbreaking; even as he attempts to plan the perfect wedding for her (and then surprise her with his washboard abs on the wedding night), she can't help but feel guilty for the way she's using him. And likely when he discovers her infidelity, no amount of anger management training will prevent him from having a volcano-level meltdown.

And, surprisingly, I'm looking forward again to see what happens next. Let's just hope the writes can keep this train on the rails again as the season progresses and remember what made The Office great in the first place: workplace-based humor, painfully funny situations, and compelling characters.

In two weeks on The Office ("Business Ethics"), Holly is forced to hold a business ethics seminar at Dunder-Mifflin after Ryan's recent scandal but the meeting quickly turns chaotic when Michael allows everyone to talk about the unethical things they do at the office... and Jim forces Dwight to comply with the company's time theft policy.

Channel Surfing: "Heroes" Suffers, Lifetime Nabs "Mother" Reruns, "Knight Rider" Reviews, "Doctor Who," and More

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing. I spent last night watching Fringe (more on that in a bit), catching up on Gossip Girl, and sitting through another dull installment of 90210. At least it took the bad taste out of my mouth from Knight Rider. (Shudder.)

The Season Three premiere of NBC's Heroes (9.9 million viewers, 4.9/12 in adults 18-49) was down 25 percent from its sophomore launch , landing it second in the hour behind ABC's Dancing with the Stars. The slide for Heroes was not unexpected, coming as it did after a season that many fans found creatively lacking and middling and a curtailed season due to the writers strike. (Hollywood Reporter)

CBS will air the original pilot of new drama Eleventh Hour, starring Rufus Sewell and Marley Shelton, as its opening installment, after all. The Eye had previously announced that it would wait to air the original pilot of Eleventh Hour ("Resurrection")until later in the season but the network has now reversed its position. (Futon Critic)

Following the news that Rebecca Rand Kirchner (Gilmore Girls) will oversee the writing staff of CW's 90210, studio CBS Paramount has announced that they have signed a two-year overall deal with Kirchner. She will focus her energies on drama 90210 and, in the second year of her deal, develop new projects for the studio. Kirchner previously worked with executive producers Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah on Freaks and Geeks. (Hollywood Reporter)

The CW has given a put pilot commitment to drama Light Years, about a teenager who discovers that her birth parents were teens who broke up after a one-night stand that led to her mother getting pregnant... and those teens have grown up to become a bar owner (dad) and a morning radio show host (mom). Project is from ABC Studios, writer/executive producer Liz Tigelaar (Brothers & Sisters), and director/executive producer Gary Fleder. (Variety)

Tigelaar will also write Mystic Confidential.com, about a "small-town blog and how it impacts the way a group of people live their lives." Project comes from writer/executive producer Liz Tigelaar, executive producers Greg Berlanti and Laurence Mark, ABC Studios, and Berlanti Television. (Variety)

Missing Ryan Howard something fierce before The Office returns tomorrow night? The New York Times profiles The Office's writer/actor BJ Novak. (New York Times)

Battlestar Galactica's Mary McDonnell will guest star in an upcoming episode of ABC's Grey's Anatomy, though there's precious little detail about just what character she'll be playing. (E! Online)

Lifetime has snagged rerun rights to CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother; network--which beat out TBS, ABC Family, and FX for the rights--will launch the series in a weekly run beginning in fall of 2010 but will be able to repurpose two plays a week of the series starting in early 2009. (Variety)

I wanted to write this up but the folks at Sci Fi Wire beat me to the punch: Battlestar Galactica's Paul Campbell--last seen in NBC's short-lived viral series Nobody's Watching--has returned to television, playing yet another character named Billy in NBC series Knight Rider; this time he's a geeky tech with a penchant for porn, Torchwood, and awkward conversations with co-worker Zoe (Cho Smith). (Sci Fi Wire)

Speaking of Knight Rider--which launches tonight--I thought I'd feature some reviews of NBC's newest drama series. USA Today's Robert Bianco describes Knight as "much to despise in Knight Rider, a shockingly incompetent, barely coherent, ad-driven rip-off about a shape-shifting autobot that owes more to Transformers than it does to the cheesy '80s original that shares its name." (Wow.) Los Angeles Times' Robert Lloyd says, "... notwithstanding an ominously dark hole in Mike's memory, the remade Knight Rider is fundamentally of a piece with its predecessor. As drama and as spectacle, and with a remarkable lack of irony, it re-creates the cheesy sci-fi adventure from the 1980s" and that the series is "something for 12-year-old boys (and 12-year-old-boys at heart), undemanding, unsophisticated, no deeper than the thickness of a comic-book page." And Hollywood Reporter's Ray Richmond says of Knight: "Plenty of adrenaline, but a dopey story depletes the tank quickly."

100 lucky families will get the chance to go behind the scenes at Doctor Who and Torchwood as party of a fundraising effort for this year's BBC Children in Need appeal; all they need to is answer one multiple-choice question, which will be announced on the Chris Moyles show on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio Wales, and BBC Radio Cymru and will be available at the Beeb's Doctor Who site. "This is so exciting – giving fans the opportunity to take a behind the scenes look at where we film Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures is just brilliant," said Russell T. Davies. "It'll be the perfect opportunity for the whole family to experience something unique and truly extraordinary. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience – and the best thing is that all the money raised will go towards BBC Children in Need." (BBC)

Lauren Ambrose, Adam Kaufman, Susie Essman, Ricki Lake, and Mercedes Ruehl have signed on to star in CBS' new Hallmark Hall of Fame telepic Unorthodox. (Hollywood Reporter)

UK's Channel 4 will cut up to 15 percent of its workforce and slash budgets by $185 million over the next two years; broadcaster has told staff that it plans to cut a maximum of 150 jobs amid what the net describes as "some of the most challenging economic circumstances in its history." (Variety)

Stay tuned.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: New Adventures of Old Christine/Gary Unmarried (CBS); Knight Rider (NBC); America's Next Top Model (CW); Dancing with the Stars (ABC); Bones (FOX)

9 pm: Criminal Minds (CBS); America's Got Talent (NBC); 90210 (CW); David Blaine: Dive of Death (ABC; 9-11 pm); 'Til Death/Do Not Disturb (FOX)

10 pm: CSI: New York (CBS); Lipstick Jungle (NBC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: America's Next Top Model.

On tonight's episode ("Fierce Eyes"), the models must wear blindfolds while practicing their runway walks (that should be amusing) and are then tasked with posing with their eyes during a photo shoot.

9 pm: Project Runway on Bravo.

Season Five (the final season on Bravo) of Project Runway continues tonight. On tonight's episode ("Rock n' Runway"), the contestants are tasked with designing outfits using musical inspiration from guest judge LL Cool J; Jerell considers sabotaging Suede; Jerell AND Korto consider sabotaging Kenley, who breaks down during judging.

Channel Surfing: "True Blood" Lacks Bite in Ratings, "Fringe," "Sarah Jane Adventures," and More

Good morning and welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing. I hope that most of you decided to stay in last night and watch the premiere of FOX's new J.J. Abrams project Fringe; I watched the second episode of 90210 and was decidedly less-than-impressed again. Sigh.

If you did miss Fringe, fret not: FOX will be reairing last night's series premiere on Sunday evening at 8 pm... along with a sneak peek at the first four minutes of Episode Two, as well as an extended scene from feature The Day the Earth Stood Still (the Keanu Reeves version, natch) and a preview of the two-hour 24 movie 24: Redemption. (Variety)

Regardless of how Fringe did in the ratings last night, it will have done significantly better than the launch for HBO's vampire drama True Blood from Six Feet Under creator Alan Ball. The pay cabler only drew 1.44 million viewers to the series premiere of True Blood, significantly less than the axed John from Cincinnati did in its initial outing (3.4 million) in June 2007, following the series finale of The Sopranos, and without the marketing and publicity support that HBO has given True Blood, which scored numbers lower than the last new installment of Big Love, which brought 2.88 million viewers to the pay cabler. (It originally launched with 4.56 million viewers; Deadwood attracted 5.79 million.) Ouch. HBO will be watching the cumulative numbers from the rest of the week very carefully. (The Los Angeles Times)

Attention Lost fans: ABC has cast the other half of its upcoming deadly duo of new characters for Season Five of the drama. Saïd Taghmaoui (Traitor) will play Caesar, a mystery man with "an innate intelligence, intensity, and danger we really responded to,” according to Damon Lindelof. Look for the character to play “an important part of the setup for the final act of the show in season 6," according to Carlton Cuse. Hmmm. (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

NBC Universal has returned to iTunes after a year-long war with Apple over pricing. The resolution to their feud was announced yesterday by Steve Jobs; iTunes will begin selling standard-definition episodes of NBC Universal's series for $1.99 but will also offer HD versions of The Office, 30 Rock, and Heroes for $2.99 a pop. (Variety)

BBC One is kicking off Season Two of Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures on September 29th. The Beeb has commissioned twelve half-hour episodes of the series, which will feature the return of Elisabeth Sladen as former Doctor's companion Sarah Jane Smith after her recent adventure with the Children of Time over in Doctor Who. Also on board for Season Two: Thomas Knight as Sarah Jane's adopted son Luke and Daniel Anthony as Clyde. Sorry, Maria fans: Yasmin Paige won't be back. (BBC)

In other Doctor Who news, David Tennant is reportedly very keen to play the Doctor in a big-screen version of the cult British series, according to The Sun, who claims that Tennant wants to sign a new deal that would cover a fifth season of the drama and a spin-off feature film. Tennant has yet to commit to the role beyond the four "specials" that are slated to air in 2009. (Digital Spy)

Cabler Style Network has signed a partnership with Marie Claire magazine; they'll launch the unscripted series Running in Heels, following the lives of the editors, writers, and interns of Marie Claire, in March 2009. (Variety)

MTV is doing a series based on Rock Star 2 with Mark Burnett. (Craigslist)

Rod Lurie has sued Touchstone Television, claiming that the studio owes him at least $1 million for his ABC series Commander in Chief and that it stopped paying him under his conctract for the series by using the WGA strike as an excuse. (Hollywood Reporter)

FX has announced that Nick Grad will remain as EVP of original programming at the cabler--he developed Damages, Sons of Anarchy, and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia--and has promoted Eric Schrier to EVP of FX Productions/SVP of series development, replacing Matt Cherniss who left FX for FOX, and Danielle Woodrow to SVP of original programming; she has overseen Damages, Dirt, and The Riches in the past. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Greatest American Dog (CBS); America's Got Talent (NBC; 8-10 pm); America's Next Top Model (CW); Wife Swap (ABC); Bones (FOX)

9 pm: Criminal Minds (CBS); 90210 (CW); Supernanny (ABC); 'Til Death/Do Not Disturb (FOX)

10 pm: CSI: New York (CBS); Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC); 20/20 (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: America's Next Top Model.

On tonight's episode ("The Ladder of Model Success"), Benny Ninja drops in to give the models some tips on posing and the girls are tasked with swinging on a rope ladder during a photo shoot.

9 pm: Project Runway on Bravo.

Season Five (the final season on Bravo) of Project Runway continues tonight. On tonight's episode ("What's Your Sign?"), the designers are put into pairs and tasked with creating a garment inspired by their partner's astrological sign and some stargazing.

"Office" Politics: Amy Ryan and Paul Lieberstein Talk Season Five of "The Office"

I'll admit that I was far from thrilled with last season on NBC's The Office, which seemed to meander and consistently lose focus from its winning premise as the season wore on. But they managed to turn my doubts around with the brilliant season finale ("Goodbye, Toby"), which introduced new Dunder-Mifflin HR rep Holly Flax (The Wire's Amy Ryan).

I had the chance to catch up with Amy Ryan and Office executive producer/writer Paul Lieberstein (who, along with Jennifer Celotta, crafted the season finale) about what to expect for Holly, Toby, and the entire gang at Dunder-Mifflin Scranton.

First up, while I'm beyond tired of the Jim and Pam romance storyline, I know that many of you are still entranced by their courtship. Look for Pam to take that internship in New York when Season Five begins later this month and for Jim and Pam to try to make their long distance relationship work, though there will be a number of obstacles in the way. (Though one of those obstacles won't be Lieberstein's Toby. "Toby is less of a threat than the price of gas," joked Lieberstein.)

We can also expect a robbery in the office (I expect Dwight will be called in to head up the search for the culprit much like Gareth did with his "invetigation" on the original Office), some ethics training, and a Halloween episode directed by original series co-creator Steven Merchant. (Also look for Juno helmer Jason Reitman to direct an episode later this season and for Lieberstein to direct a few installments as well.)

As for whether we've seen the last of former temp turned executive Ryan, last seen getting arrested on fraud charges, don't count him out just yet. "He'll spring back up in a way that is typical for people who can spin anything," said Lieberstein, cryptically.

Meanwhile, erstwhile couple Angela and Andy WILL make it to the altar... sort of. "[They] will make it to an altar of sorts but probably not in the way you're thinking," said Lieberstein. "There's a lot of fun coming up in their relationship."

Toby will eventually return to the familiar confines of Dunder-Mifflin Scranton, according to Lieberstein, due to his "failure to escape," rather than due to Pam. He told a story about one of the Office writers who, years ago, saved enough money to "live poor in Hawaii" and surf... but came back two weeks later. (Ahem, I can see something similar happening to poor Toby.)

And Holly Flax will learn that Kevin isn't, um, mentally handicapped. "She finds out the hard way," joked Ryan.

Ryan, meanwhile, is only slated to appear in six episodes of The Office this season (she's since wrapped her episodes and returned to her home in New York) but she didn't rule out a return engagement. "Never say never," said Ryan.

As for where the character of Holly Flax came from, Lieberstein said that it was talked about among the writing staff, rather than pitched directly by him and Celotta, but that the character "crystalized on set" once the writers saw the "silly side that Amy brought to the character, the Michael Jr. in her."

Ryan says that it was "quite intimidating" coming into such an established cast as that of The Office, entering its fifth season, especially as she was such a fan of the series in the first place. She said that the cast, however, was an "extraordinary group" and was so "down to earth," which she has rarely seen on a series with the level of success that The Office has.

As for this Office fan, who has only just turned his opinion around thanks to the appearance of Ryan, I'm actually looking forward to see just what they do with Holly's character.

The Office kicks off Season Five with a one-hour episode on Thursday, September 25th at 9 pm ET/PT.

Channel Surfing: "Doctor Who" Feature Possible, J.J. Abrams Talks "Fringe," Rainn Wilson, and More

Good morning and welcome to your Monday television briefing.

Steven Moffat, who has taken over the reins at Doctor Who from Russell T. Davies, has said that he wouldn't rule out a feature film spin-off of Doctor Who so long as it didn't interfere with production on the series itself. "It would be good to see it in the cinema so long as it was great and fantastic," said Moffat, speaking at the Edinburgh International Television Festival. "But a film is on [for] 90 minutes and that is not as important as the series. But so long as it doesn't get in the way of the show we could do it. If it got in the way of the show that would be appalling." The series itself has already had two feature spin-offs in the 1960s: Doctor Who and the Daleks and Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150 AD, both of which starred Peter Cushing as the Doctor. (The Guardian's Organ Grinder)

There's a fantastic interview with J.J. Abrams about his new FOX drama Fringe and about the differences in telling stories with self-contained episodic storylines like Fringe and the Byzantine plots of series like Lost and Alias. "I just got tired of hearing people say to me, over and over, ‘Yeah, I was watching it, but I missed one, I got really confused, and I stopped watching it,’” Abrams said in a recent phone interview. He goes on to discuss just went wrong with Alias. And no it wasn't the giant orange floating ball that was supposedly Rambaldi's endgame. (New York Times)

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times has interviewed Shawn Ryan about the end of The Shield, which kicks off its seventh and final season next month. Ryan, of course, was on the picket line when the series finale of the series he created (which launched FX as a destination for quality drama) was shot, as was the pilot for the doomed FOX supernatural series The Oaks (which never made it to air), which Ryan was on board to produce. He talks about his decision to view pencils down as a refusal to perform editing duties as well as writing services, the end of The Shield, and the strike itself. (Los Angeles Times)

If that weren't enough interviews for you, here's one with The Office's Rainn Wilson about his role in the feature film The Rocker and, of course, Dwight Schrute. (New York Daily News)

James Cromwell (24) has been cast in NBC's new drama series My Own Worst Enemy, where he'll be playing the enigmatic head of a covert government agency that is tinkering with Christian Slater's dual-identity husband/superspy Henry/Edward. Does he play the head of Janus (i.e., Mavis' mysterious employer)? Only time will tell. Cromwell joins a cast that includes Christian Slater, Madchen Amick (herself turning up in several episodes of Gossip Girl next season), Saffron Burrows, Mike O'Malley, and Alfre Woodard. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

FOX will be streaming the series opener of Fringe and the season premiere of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles online... if you're a college student, that is. Users who log onto Fox.com from college-based .edu domains will be able to watch a simul-stream of the opener of Fringe and Sarah Connor at the same time as they launch on-air, as well as behind-the-scenes footage, cast interviews, and music videos. It's a novel concept, but why wouldn't students just, er, watch the episodes on the linear channel? (Variety)

In other fall launch news, FOX and CBS will respectively not air the original pilots for comedy Do Not Disturb and drama Eleventh Hour until later in the season. Instead, the networks will air subsequent episodes when they launch Do Not Disturb on September 10th and Eleventh Hour on October 9th. Having already seen both of these pilot episodes, I can honestly say that the networks are making the right decision as both were just awful. (Futon Critic)

Lifetime has given a six-episode order to reality competition series Blush: The Search for America's Greatest Makeup Artist, to launch in November as a potential companion for its poached Project Runway. Series, produced by IMG, will follow eight makeup artists as they live together in LA and compete for a one-year contract with Max Factor, $1,000 in cash, and the opportunity to style a magazine cover shoot. (Variety)

Paris Barclay (ER) has been promoted to executive producer on HBO's In Treatment; he'll direct at least ten episodes of the therapy drama next season. (Hollywood Reporter)

ABC has announced the cast for the latest iteration of reality competition series Dancing With the Stars, which kicks off on September 22nd. Susan Lucci, Toni Braxton, Lance Bass, Cloris Leachman, Kim Kardashian, Ted McGinley, Brooke Burke, NFL champ Warren Sapp, Olympic athletes Misty May-Treanor and Maurice Greene, chef Rocco DiSpirito, Cody Linley (Hannah Montana) and comedian Jeffrey Ross will compete for the top spot. (Variety)

Songwriter Kara DioGuardi will join American Idol as a new judge for Season Eight, alongside Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: The Big Bang Theory/How I Met Your Mother (CBS); Deal or No Deal (NBC); Gossip Girl (CW); High School Musical: Get in the Picture (ABC); Prison Break (FOX)

9 pm: Two and a Half Men/New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS); America's Toughest Jobs (NBC); One Tree Hill (CW); Samantha Who?/Samantha Who? (ABC); Prison Break (FOX)

10 pm: CBS News: Democratic National Convention (CBS); Dateline (NBC); Vote 08 (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: Gossip Girl.

Looking to relive the freshman season of the teen soap? On tonight's first season finale ("Much 'I Do' About Nothing"), Blair comes to Serena's defense and faces off with Georgina Sparks (Michelle Trachtenberg); Lily prepares for her wedding but can't stop thinking about Rufus; and Serena finally tells Dan what's really going on with her.

10 pm: Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations on Travel Channel.

This week on No Reservations, Tony travels to Egypt, one of the oldest civilizations on Earth and spends some time with locals in order to get an understanding for what it means to be Egyptian.

10 pm: Weeds on Showtime.

On this week's episode of Weeds ("Head Cheese"), Nancy deals with the aftermath of Shane's exploits and another confrontation with Guillermo; Celia tries to find a new rehab facility; Doug and Maria's relationship hits the skids and they turn to Andy for help; Silas' new business is growing too fast.

Channel Surfing: "Amazing Race" Teams Revealed, "Office" Manager Signs Deal, and More

Good morning and welcome to your morning television briefing.

Universal Media Studios has signed The Office writer/producer Michael Schur to a hefty seven-figure overall deal, under which he will create, develop, and executive produce comedy series for the studio. The newly minted deal includes Schur's writing/producing services on the untitled comedy that he and Greg Daniels are developing for Amy Poehler; he'll serve as co-creator/executive producer on the pilot, set to shoot in January (after the birth of Poehler's baby in October), alongside Daniels. Four writers so far have been hired on the untitled Poehler comedy (which will also star Aziz Ansari), which seems to have neither a title nor an available concept. Schur, meanwhile, will continue to write occasionally on The Office and could appear on-screen again as Dwight's cousin Mose. (Variety)

CBS has revealed its lineup of sixteen contestants for the thirteenth edition of reality series The Amazing Race, which kicks off on September 28th. Among the players competing for the million-dollar prize and the approval of host Phil Keoghan are a pair of married beekeepers, geeky best friends (one is the treasurer of Comic-Con), fraternity brothers, a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and her actor brother, an ex-NFL player and his estranged wife, recent divorcees, and Southern belles. Starting in Los Angeles, look for the teams to make pit stops in Brazil, Bolivia, Russia, India, and Kazakhstan. (Associated Press)

Holy stunt casting, Batman! Fred Willard (Back to You) and Kerri Kenney (Reno 911!) will guest star in a November episode of ABC's Pushing Daisies. Willard is set to play the Great Hermann, a famous illusionist who gets murdered, while Kenney will play his assistant Alexandria. Elsewhere, Orlando Jones will join the cast of CBS' Rules of Engagement in a recurring role as Brad, a new neighbor for Jeff (Patrick Warburton). And look for Elizabeth Banks and Scott Foley to make return trips to Scrubs. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Courtney B. Vance has joined the cast of NBC's ER, entering its fifteenth season this fall, and will appear in as Russell Banfield in a multiple-episode story arc opposite real-life wife Angela Bassett. Casting marks first time that Vance and Bassett have appeared on-screen together.

Gina McKee (Atonement) and Jeremy Northam (The Tudors) have been cast in Fiona's Story, a one-off drama for BBC One about a year in the life of a woman who tries to keep her family together after her husband is accused of downloading images of child sexual abuse from the Internet. Drama also stars Jimi Mistry, Claire Bloom, Nicholas Farrell, and Amanda Root. (BBC)

Stay tuned.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: NCIS (CBS); Summer Olympics (NBC); Beauty & the Geek (CW); Wipeout (ABC); House (FOX)

9 pm: Big Brother 10 (CBS); Reaper (CW); Wanna Bet (ABC); Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (FOX)

10 pm: Without a Trace (CBS); Primetime: Medical Mysteries (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8-10 pm: Britcoms on BBC America.

I don't know about you but by Tuesday night, I'm usually in need of some comedy in my life. Why not stick around on Tuesday nights for BBC America's new comedy lineup, consisting of classic episodes of Coupling, new comedy Not Going Out, and Absolutely Fabulous?

10 pm: Million Dollar Listing on Bravo.

I can't look away, no matter how hard I try...

Channel Surfing: "Torchwood" Title Revealed, Fishburne in at "CSI," "Gavin & Stacey," and More

Good morning (on what appears to be a spectacularly grey day here in LA) and welcome to your early morning television briefing.

Hungry for more Torchwood? The official Torchwood magazine, published by Titan, has the details for the third season's story arc... or at least the title of the five-part story. Creator Russell T. Davies has revealed the title to be "Torchwood: Children Of Earth." The series' third outing is set to air over the course of one week on BBC1 in Spring 2009. "I usually give you all one or two tone words when we have a meeting like this," Davies told the production team during his tone meeting last month, "But if I were to give you two words this time, they would be 'Euros Lyn'. More than ever before, this series of Torchwood will be director-led, and it will look absolutely amazing." Euros Lyn directed such Doctor Who episodes as "The End Of The World," "The Girl In The Fireplace," and the two-parter "Silence In The Library/Forest Of The Dead." Shooting on Torchwood's third season will continue until November.

Universal Media Studios has signed a two-year overall deal with John Eisendrath (Alias) to serve as showrunner and executive producer of the upcoming fall drama series My Own Worst Enemy, starring Christian Slater, as well as develop new projects for the studio. Eisendrath was promoted from co-executive producer on My Own Worst Enemy and took up the reins from original showrunner and creator Jason Smilovic, whom the studio is constantly quick to point out is still "an exec producer and closely involved in the production." Ahem. Series launches October 13th. (Variety)

Laurence Fishburne (21) has closed a deal that will make him the lead in Season Nine of CBS' CSI. He will play "play a former pathologist who is now working as an itinerant college lecturer, teaching a course in criminalistics" who meets the Las Vegas team during a murder investigation. Fishburne replaces outbound lead William Petersen and he will first appear in the ninth episode of Season Nine. (Hollywood Reporter)

The Office's Craig Robinson (on screen right now in Pineapple Express) has been charged with two counts of felony drug possession and one count of being under the influence of illegal drugs. Robinson had been arrested June 29th in Culver City on suspicion of possession of ecstasy and methamphetamine and was released after posting bail. (New York Times)

USA has promoted Cristian de la Fuente (The Class), who plays Rafael Ramirez, the boyfriend of Mary McCormack's US Marshall Mary Shannon, to series regular on drama series In Plain Sight. (Hollywood Reporter)

Co-creator James Corden has told Take 5 magazine that he has no definitive plans for the future of hit British comedy series Gavin & Stacey, set to launch Stateside on August 26th on BBC America. While Corden and fellow co-creator/co-star Ruth Jones have been working on a Christmas special for the series, a decision about a third season has yet to be reached. NBC, meanwhile, is still developing a US adaptation of the series. (Digital Spy)

April Webster and the casting directors on Lost are currently looking for someone to play the crucial role of Dan in the series' fifth season; he's described as a high-stakes attorney who is has "real menace lurking below the surface." Elsewhere at ABC, Dave Foley (NewsRadio) cast in a guest-starring role on Brothers & Sisters; he'll appear in a November episode as love interest for one of the Walker clan. Krysten Ritter (Veronica Mars, Gilmore Girls) will turn up on Season Two of AMC's Breaking Bad. (Entertainment Weekly's Ausiello Files)

Stay tuned.

Channel Surfing: "Lost" Premiere Title Revealed; ABC "Maid" to Order, "Friday Night Lights," and More

Good morning and welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing. (Is it really Wednesday already? Wow.)

Doc Jensen has the scoop on the title of the fifth season premiere of Lost: "Because You Left." Wowsers, that's a fantastic title, no? You'll have to brave reading through Jeff's write-ups of the Lost panel at Comic-Con and the new Dharma Initiative-based ARG (along with an important message about the upcoming Stand Up 2 Cancer television special on September 5th) but it's right there at the very end of Doc's latest treatise on the ABC drama. (Entertainment Weekly)

Sigh. Yet another feature film en route to the small screen: ABC has given a put pilot commitment to a series adaptation of the 2002 Jennifer Lopez feature film Maid in Manhattan, about a maid--not the Jennifer Lopez character but a different maid--and single mother who works at a posh Manhattan hotel and falls for a politician who mistakes her for a guest. (I guess those new maid uniforms must be pretty darn chic these days.) Project will be written by Chad Hodge (Runaway) and will be executive produced by Jennifer Lopez, Joe Roth, Simon Fields, and Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas. (Hollywood Reporter)

IFC has acquired all three seasons of British comedy series The IT Crowd, which aired in Blighty on Channel 4. Move comes a year after NBC developed and then dumped (rather unceremoniously) a US adaptation of the hit series about two IT workers and their rather clueless female boss that starred the original's Richard Ayoade along with Joel McHale and Jessica St. Clair. Cabler plans to launch the original UK version of The IT Crowd on September 29th. Deal was brokered by distributor Fremantle, which has also sold BBC2 series Look Around You to Adult Swim/Cartoon Network and live-action/animated hybrid sketch comedy series Modern Toss to IFC. These deals make me wonder a little why these series aren't ending up on digital cabler BBC America, which clearly could use an influx of new comedy (besides for the upcoming--and rather fantastic--first season of Gavin and Stacey). (Variety)

NBC/DirecTV's drama Friday Night Lights, entering its third season in October, has found a new quarterback in the form of former Peter Pan/Clubhouse star Jeremy Sumpter, who will play J.D. McCoy, a freshman QB who moves to Dillon with his family and finds himself competing with Saracen (Zach Gilford) for the top spot on the team."J.D.’s a straight and narrow kid who’s been bred to be a football player by his father, and lives in the shadow of his father, who's a big personality," according to FNL executive producer Jason Katims. "There’s an interesting story about this kid feeling somewhat suffocated by his dad and starting to look more to Coach as a mentor." Casting comes on the heels of Janine Turner and D.W. Moffett joining the cast. (Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider)

And speaking of Saracen, Kim Dickens (Deadwood, Lost) has signed on to play Matt's never-bef0re-seen mother. (TV Guide)

HBO has cast Jane Adams (Frasier) as the female lead opposite Thomas Jane in the one-hour dramedy pilot Hung, to be directed by Alexander Payne (Election). Adams will play Tanya, a local poet who helps sad sack high school basketball coach Ray (Jane) market his, er, unique skills as he enters a more lucrative field of work. (Hollywood Reporter)

In other casting news, Cynthia Stevenson (Dead Like Me's superlative Joy) will star opposite Bob Saget in comedy series Surviving Suburbia, launching Sunday nights in September as part of the CW's Media Rights Capital-controlled programming block. (Hollywood Reporter)

Next season's edition of America's Next Top Model features yet another first as it welcomes its very first transgender competitor in the form of Maryland contestant Isis, a former receptionist. (US Weekly)

Remember when sitcoms were fueled by superstar standup comedians? No longer as more and more comedy series are being populated with serious actors. What caused this change? "The nature of television comedy has shifted," The Office's Rainn Wilson said in an interview. "Over the past five or 10 years, the phenomenon of standup actors getting development deals, centered on his brightly lit comic personality, is not happening as much.Today you have more interesting setups for comedy, so you need actors to fill that. What you have in sitcoms right now are very funny character actors. Even Alec Baldwin, for example, is just a funny character actor who for years was trapped in a leading man's body. Steve Carell can do it all, from Little Miss Sunshine to really broad stuff." Read Wilson's take on this fascinating trend. (Variety's Award Central)

Finally, HBO's comedy Entourage is now available to download for $1.99 a pop via Apple's iTunes store, which is offering all episodes of Seasons One and Two beginning today, with Season Three turning up on August 18th and Season Four on August 26th... the perfect time to catch up before Entourage's fifth season launches on September 7th on HBO. (Variety)

Stay tuned.

NBC Slots One-Hour "Office" Episode for Post-Super Bowl

One of the big questions going into next season was the whiff of confusion emanating from NBC about just what they would do with their prime post-Super Bowl slot.

After all, it was originally intended to be the launch pad for that fabled spin-off of The Office. (You know, the one that had no concept or cast nailed down.) Since then, however, Greg Daniels and the writing staff of The Office have instead decided to develop, not a spin-off, but an entirely separate workplace comedy series starring Amy Poehler, which has no relationship to The Office whatsoever, though--like the untitled spin-off--doesn't seem to have a concept yet either.

With the Amy Poehler project sidelined somewhat with Poehler's pregnancy, I have been extremely curious to see just what NBC would do with that plum post-Super Bowl timeslot and figured that, whatever it might be, that slot would be given to something that Daniels and Co. are working on.

Cut to the here and now and it turns out that I'm right. NBC won't be airing the untitled Office spin-off or the untitled Amy Poehler workplace comedy, but it has scheduled a special one-hour Office installment for February 1st.

Whew.

As for what the episode is about, producers are keeping their cards extremely close to their vest, though Paul Lieberstein did offer one small clue about the Super Bowl storyline. "It lets us get deeper into some of the other characters that only have very small stories generally," Lieberstein told Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider. "So I always enjoy 'em. I think people like to see what's going on with some of the characters who only get grunts or reactions when Michael says something stupid."

Hmmm.

Seems like Lieberstein is talking about some of The Office's supporting characters, all of which have had their hands in some integral storylines over the past few seasons, save Creed and Stanley. Could this be the first major Stanley storyline seen on The Office? (And, no, I am not counting the atrocious "Did I Stutter?" fiasco from last season as "major.")

But I am curious to see who you think should be the focus of this special Office Super Bowl extravaganza? Should it be Angela and Andy? Oscar or Kevin? Phyllis, Creed, or the ever-chatty Kelly? Discuss.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: The Big Bang Theory/How I Met Your Mother (CBS); Summer Olympics (NBC); Gossip Girl (CW); High School Musical: Get in the Picture (ABC); Prison Break (FOX)

9 pm: Two and a Half Men/New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS); One Tree Hill (CW); Samantha Who?/Samantha Who? (ABC); Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (FOX)

10 pm: CSI Miami (CBS); The Mole (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: Gossip Girl.

Looking to relive the freshman season of the teen soap? On tonight's repeat episode ("All About My Brother"): Georgina threatens Serena with information about Serena's scandalous past; Blair and Jenny spread rumors about one another through Gossip Girl; Dan spies Jenny's boyfriend cheating on her.

10 pm: Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations on Travel Channel.

This week on No Reservations, Tony travels to Tokyo, where he explores the city's sushi, kendo, and, er, Japanese flower arranging, all while he searches for a special knife.

10 pm: Weeds on Showtime.

On this week's episode of Weeds ("Little Boat"), Nancy and Esteban try to accommodate each other into their busy schedules; Nancy must have a serious talk with her sons; Silas grows closer to Lisa; Celia finds herself even more desperate to feed her binge; Andy and Doug encounter El Coyote.

TV Academy Shines Emmy Love on "30 Rock," "Mad Men," "Damages"

After weeks of leaked semi-finalist nominee lists, it's good to finally get a glimpse of which series and actors actually made it onto the ballots, instead of seeing yet another list that showed who could make it to the nomination stage.

The Emmy nominees were announced this morning and I have to commend them for showering such love onto diverse and unique series such as Mad Men, 30 Rock (17 nominations, no less!), and Damages... while also locking some repeat offenders--like Ugly Betty in the comedy category--out in the cold. (Yes, I watch Ugly Betty but should it be competing with such comedy series as 30 Rock, Curb Your Enthusiasm, or The Office? Hells no, especially when HBO's hysterical Flight of the Conchords didn't even get a mention.)

So which series and actors did land Emmy noms? Let's talk about the major categories.

Outstanding Drama Series:
Mad Men (AMC)
Boston Legal (ABC)
House (FOX)
Lost (ABC)
Damages (FX)
Dexter (Showtime)

I'm actually quite impressed with the selection here as well as the fact that it must be the first year in a long, long time that HBO didn't have a nominee for best drama series in the mix. (Though I do wish that Big Love would start getting some, well, big love from the TV Academy.) Damages and Mad Men made Emmy history as the first basic cable programs to receive nominations in the outstanding drama series category. It's a tough call for me between Lost, Damages, and Mad Men, all of which have had exceptionally good years. The TV Academy does love a comeback story and Lost managed to please on all levels during a season in which the producers creatively reinvigorated the series; Damages dazzled with deft plotting, overlapping storylines, and a dense, complex storyline; Mad Men ambitiously recreated the world of the 1960s, complete with sexism, racism, and the eternal battle of the haves and have-nots that percolated underneath the gorgeous costumes and set pieces. Forced to choose one, I give the edge to Mad Men in the end.

Outstanding Comedy Series:
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Entourage (HBO)
The Office (NBC)
Two and a Half Men (CBS)
30 Rock (NBC)

Is there really any doubt in your minds? I'm picking 30 Rock all the way.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series:
James Spader, Boston Legal
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Hugh Laurie, House
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Jon Hamm, Mad Men

Again, another tough race to call with some real power-players competing neck and neck here for the title. My money is on Jon Hamm for turning in a performance that was at once self-assured and completely vulernable. The scene at the very end of Mad Men's first season--in which Don Draper sits alone in his house, abandoned by the family he pushed away--was absolutely heartbreaking, powerful, and established Hamm as the one to beat.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series:
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Glenn Close, Damages
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

I'd be insane not to put my money on Glenn Close for her role as Damages' cutthroat attorney Patty Hewes, who gives new meaning to the phrase toxic corporate culture. Her tough-as-nails Patty is willing to do anything--from covering up a crime to having her associate murdered--in order to win her crusade against Arthur Frobisher. It's a performance that as rich and layered as any film role as Patty strips away the last vestiges of her very soul in order to defeat her nemesis.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:
William Shatner, Boston Legal
Ted Danson, Damages
Zekjko Ivanek, Damages
Michael Emerson, Lost
John Slattery, Mad Men

Um, wow. I really don't know who I'd want to win this category but as long as Shatner doesn't walk away with the statuette, I'd be thrilled. Any of these guys would be an incredible win and represent the cream of the crop on the supporting actor side, from Danson's amazing turn as malevolent Arthur Frobisher to Emerson's turn as Machiavellian Benjamin Linus. Tough race to call.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:
Candice Bergen, Boston Legal
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy
Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment

Me, I'm just happy to see that Katherine Heigl isn't up for anything for Grey's Anatomy. That's almost enough of a present for me, though I do wish that the ladies of Mad Men--January Jones, Elisabeth Moss, and Christina Hendricks--would have ended up on this nominee list.

Oustanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series:
Steve Carell, The Office
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies

I'm thrilled to bits to see Lee Pace's name up here against such luminaries as Steve Carell, Alec Baldwin, Charlie Sheen, and Tony Shalhoub; his performance as Ned the Pie Maker on Pushing Daisies was a master class in understated comedy, deft wordplay, and simmering desire. Still, I have to say that it's Baldwin's star turn as Jack Donaghy that truly defines the words "lead actor," as he absolutely pulls the cast of 30 Rock to a whole new level.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series:
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds

Tina Fey.
Tina Fey.
Tina Fey.

Need I say more? Sure, Mary-Louise Parker has dazzled with her performance as Nancy Botwin on Weeds but I can't say that I've found Nancy to be particularly sympathetic these days and I'm finding I have a strong aversion to her character lately, while America Fererra's Betty Suarez is now grating on my nerves. Christina Applegate is absolutely adorable on Samantha Who, but she doesn't hold a candle to Fey's self-assured performance as Liz Lemon. What other actress could eat an entire sandwich (with special dipping sauce!) in one take in an outrageous sight gag that underplayed her character's insistent need to stop ex-boyfriend Floyd at the airport gate and still come off as entirely lovable?

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series:
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Kevin Dillion, Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Rainn Wilson, The Office
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men

Hmmm... give it to Rainn Wilson already, won't you?

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:
Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies
Jean Smart, Samantha Who?
Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live
Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty

My money's on either Pushing Daisies' Chenoweth, whose Olive is a study in sublimated desire, or SNL's Amy Poehler, who will get her own scripted comedy series next spring on NBC. I'd love Pushing Daisies to walk away with an acting prize and Chenoweth might just find herself singing about the birdhouse in her soul on that Emmy stage.... Or Jean Smart will manage to walk away with the top prize. Hmmm.

Outstanding Mini-Series:
Cranford (PBS)
John Adams (HBO)
The Andromeda Strain (A&E)
Tin Man (Sci Fi)

If you haven't seen Cranford, you've done yourself a major disservice; the PBS mini-series featured a dream cast that included Dame Judi Dench, Philip Glenister, and Michael Gambon and deftly interweaves three novels into a glorious exploration of the war between technological progress and small town England as the railroad tries to make its way to the female-run village of Cranford. Along the way, beloved characters die, couples marry and spat, and a cold dowager discovers the beating of her heart, possibly too late. Brilliant and spellbinding.

Outstanding Reality-Competition Series:
American Idol (FOX)
Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Project Runway (Bravo)
Amazing Race (CBS)
Top Chef (Bravo)

I have a feeling Amazing Race will walk away with the top honor but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Bravo's Top Chef, which has tranformed culinary competition into a cutthroat, edge-of-your-seat extravaganza.

So there you have it. Who are you rooting for to walk away with the top prize? Who got snubbed? And who do you wish the Academy would award the Emmy to? Discuss.

Casting Couch: Amy Poehler to "Office" Non-Spinoff; Marcia Gay Harden Finds "Damages"

The, er, non-spinoff spinoff of The Office from Office executive producers Greg Daniels and Mike Schur just got a hell of a lot more interesting.

Saturday Night Live's Amy Poehler is said to be in negotiations to join the cast of the untitled comedy opposite the previously announced Aziz Ansari, who was cast in the project last month.

Confirming news I had heard from someone close to the production, the untitled comedy series will NOT be a spin-off as previously announced at the NBC Upfronts by Ben Silverman but will in fact be a completely separate series, which will not utilize any existing or forthcoming characters on The Office but remain its own entity.

I think Poehler is a fantastic choice for this new series, whatever the premise might eventually be. I'm hoping that she actually is the de facto series lead as television needs more female lead actors in comedy series to join the current troika of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tina Fey, and Mary-Louise Parker. While there were no indications of who or what Poehler will play, I know that she'll bring her fantastic comedic timing, penchant for deadpan humor, and snarky attitude to whatever this series ends up being.

Now if Daniels and Co. could just lure Poehler's hubby Will Arnett to the mix, I'd set up my TiVo Season Pass right now.

***

In other casting news, Marcia Gay Harden (Into the Wild) has joined the cast of FX's Damages for its sophomore season. She'll play a high-powered attorney who opposes Glenn Close's Patty Hewes on a high stakes case and will recur throughout the season.

Returning to the series (SPOILER ALERT!): Ted Danson, who will turn up in Season Two as the delightfully malevolent Arthur Frobisher, who clearly survived the gunshot that seemed to fell him in the first season's taut season finale last year. Danson is set to appear in several episodes of Damages' second season.

Damages has been a role lately, racking up some A-list talent for its second season, including Harden, Timothy Olyphant, and William Hurt (who, coincidentally, also appeared in Into the Wild, opposite Harden).

I think Harden will be a fantastic addition to the cast and I'm still curious to check out the pilot presentation she filmed for CBS this season, The Tower, which is currently sitting in a pile of unwatched pilot DVDs by my television set.

***

Finally, ABC's remake of Brit series Life on Mars has finally found its Chris Skelton.

Life on Mars, which stars Jason O'Mara as Detective Sam Tyler who seemingly travels back in time to 1973 while on the hunt for a serial killer who has kidnapped his police colleague/lover, is currently being rejiggered by October Road creators Josh Appelbaum, Scott Rosenberg, and Andre Nemec.

They've enlisted former October Road cast member Jonathan Murphy for their new series venture. Murphy will play the wet-behind-the-ears and naive newbie cop Chris Skelton (a role played by the fantastic Marshall Lancaster in the BBC original) in the US version of Life on Mars.

Stay tuned.

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); Celebrity Circus (NBC); Primetime: Crime (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

9 pm: Project Runway on Lifetime.

Season Five (the final season on Bravo) of Project Runway begins tonight with sixteen unsuspecting designers thrown into the deep end. On tonight's episode, they'll have to create clothing from unusual sources... as though that's anything new for the sartorial showdown.

Mo' Money, Mo' Problems: NBC Launches "Office" Webisodes

Missing The Office?

After a sub-par season (and one hell of a great season finale guest starring Amy Ryan), I didn't think I'd be missing NBC's once-great comedy series The Office, but I am feeling nostalgic for the good old days. I'm still hopeful that the series' writers can pull it together (as evidenced by the aforementioned finale episode "Goodbye, Toby") and lure me back to what was one of my favorite series.

In the meantime, NBC has just launched the second webisode series based around The Office, this time entitled "Kevin's Loan." Like before, it doesn't feature the series' lead actors (the core four, anyway) but if you're craving a trip to Scranton, here's the first installment ("Money Trouble"):



Oh, Kevin, when will you learn? I'm seeing now that there's a reason why it was so easy for Holly Flax (Amy Ryan) to believe that he's, er, special.