'Lost' in the Jungle with the Others! Plus, 'Veronica' is Even Better than the Hype

It just isn't fair that two of television's best shows are forced to go head-to-head every week, but it is what it is and I continue to thank my TiVo every Wednesday evening for its noble service. I can not wait for the Thursday when I can bring you this blog filled with my ramblings from the previous night's Lost and Veronica Mars. It will be a glorious day for me, and it's coming soon, I promise. It has been so difficult trying to avoid spoilers for this show, but I've managed to do it. In the meantime, today we have last night's Lost and my impressions of Veronica's first season so far. First, last night's Lost. I love the episodes that explore Sun's and Jin's pasts , and last night was no exception. We learned how the two met when they literally bumped into each other at a park. But, it was Sun's heartbreak and Jin's humanity before their official meeting that really told the story. I really love these two, and I hold out hope that they can work through the resentment and find each other once again just as they did in the park that day. Sun's endless pursuit for her missing wedding ring gives me hope, just as finding it buried with the bottle full of messages that washed up gave her hope.

Onward to the jungle. I admire Michael's determination to find Walt, even if it is a little miss guided. Venturing into the jungle on an island where there are killer wild boars, polar bears, a heard-but-never-seen monster and, the seemingly scariest of all, "The Others" doesn't seem like the best plan, especially by yourself. Nevertheless, Michael set out without knowing where to look or what he would be up against. Luckily, Jin is a true friend and wouldn't press on with the other survivors without Michael. That meant a super close encounter with the creepy quiet "Others" on his way with Echo to find Michael. So, Jin, Michael and Echo are searching together. That left Sawyer to press on through the jungle with the survivors from the back of the plane. I can't wait to find out what happens when they meet up with the original group. We also learned that Jack did marry, but now his wedding ring collects dust in a drawer. What happened to Jack's wife? Will Michael find Walt? And what is going on in those previews for the next episode? And why do we have to wait three weeks to find out!!??

I'm not really sure why I didn't watch Veronica Mars last season. The only plausible reason I can come up with is it used to be up against The Amazing Race and Scrubs, so I didn't feel like adding a third show to the timeslot. I know, it's totally not an excuse. By the time I learned that it was an awesome show, I was too far behind. That's when I launched my master plan to catch up on the show over the summer and start watching it regularly in the fall. No such luck since the DVDs didn't hit stores until this month. Ever the steadfast one, I've been recording and saving the season 2 eps and having a mini-marathon of season 1. I've finished three discs, and I saw a few episodes over the summer on CBS, so I'm up to 13 episodes completed. For those of you who haven't seen this show and are thinking that it can't possibly live up to all the hype, then let me tell you that it easily surpasses it. This show is better than people say, and that's saying a lot because everyone from critics to Buffy and Firefly creator Joss Whedon (who will make his acting debut on the show next month) is declaring it one of the best shows ever. Veronica mixes together strong, well written characters, a procedural-feel with the mystery of the week, overarching season-long mysteries, high school drama and the perspective of one feisty, smart and interesting girl. Veronica isn't afraid to face the bad guys or the school bully with her biting wit and clever acts of revenge. She's the type of girl other girls, especially those younger, can look up to proudly. And she's played to absolute perfection by Kristen Bell. There's also an extremely strong supporting cast of characters led by Enrico Colantoni as Keith Mars, Veronica's caring and equally clever father. There are so many wonderful things about Veronica Mars that I could probably spend a week on it alone, but then I would be denying you the right to find out for yourselves when you spend some time in Neptune with the talented and wonderful characters.

A quick follow up to a story you read here last week. CBS is officially confirming that Sarah Brown's tenure at Cold Case is finished. Last week, I reported that the actress posted a message on her official web site saying that CBS let her go suddenly after shooting five episodes. Now, TV Guide. com is reporting that CBS is a little confused over Sarah's interpretation of the events. The network tells TV Guide, "Sarah was promised four episodes - as a recurring character - and she was in five." The network rep goes on to say, "we more than met our commitment to her." In a new posting on Sarah Brown's site, the actress writes that she is grateful for all the support she has received, and she takes a moment to clarify, writing, "I was hired after much ado as a 'Guest Start,' that would become a Series Regular after four episodes if everything worked well and all parties were happy." Later in her post she explains that she was written in to the fifth episode and beyond, so she was shocked when her manager called and gave her the bad news. She writes, "I'm not angry in fact. I'm just confused, like you. I wish I could tell you why I was cut from the cast so suddenly; I can't. I simply do not know. But, I can tell you how much I loved working with these people and how glad I am I got the opportunity to do so in the first place." You can read her full statement on her official message board.

About Last Night... Fox got off to a good start with MLB coverage, followed by a strong showing for NBC's E-Ring and ABC's comedy block of George Lopez and Freddie. At 9, ABC moved into the lead with Lost, followed by Fox's MLB coverage and CBS's Criminal Minds. UPN's Veronica Mars bested WB's Related for a fifth place finish. The final hour of the night went to baseball on Fox, followed by CBS's CSI: NY and NBC's Law & Order. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~ (extended edition)
@ 8 p.m. - Gordon Dean learns that Rachel is still alive and Sloane awaits his sentencing on ABC's Alias. Chris has to take his younger brother and sister trick-or-treating instead of going to a big Halloween party on UPN's Everybody Hates Chris.

@9 pm. - Ephram begins giving piano lessons to a young prodigy, Dr. Brown advises a brain tumor patient, Harold and Rose await the latest cancer results, and Delia decides she wants a Bat Mitzvah on WB's Everwood. A family of four is murdered and their bodies are no where to be found on CBS's CSI.

@10 p.m. - An old case is re-examined when Jack decides he might have contributed to a professor's wrongful conviction on Without A Trace on CBS. John Leguizamo joins the cast of NBC's ER.

FRIDAY EDITION
@8 p.m - Vanessa buys her first car on Fox's Bernie Mac Show.

@9 p.m. - The Three Wishes team travels to Covington, Georgia on NBC.

@10 p.m. - Charlie breaks a code left at a crime scene that could lead to an assassination of a Colombian exile on CBS's Numb3rs.

SUNDAY EDITION
@8 p.m. - Lilly re-opens the case of an elderly woman who died of natural causes, but had been using the identity of another woman who went missing in 1954 on CBS's Cold Case. It's also worth noting that this episode marks a change for our dear Lilly. She'll finally let her hair down at work (literally, we'll have to stay tuned to find out if she does it figuratively as well). It's only worth mentioning because Lilly's hair has been a popular topic of discussion and ridicule over the course of the show's two seasons. Tune in Sunday to see the change (NOTE: as usual, this show may get a late start due to football). I'll also try to post some pictures of her new 'do next week.

@9 p.m. - Susan encounters some problems with her book agent, Lynette's plan backfires, the police continue to suspect Bree, and Gabby hires the new lawyer on ABC's Desperate Housewives.

@10 p.m. - Jordan infiltrates a religious cult and Leslie Bibb joins the cast of NBC's Crossing Jordan.


QUICK CUTS

*ABC wants more of Commander In Chief. The alphabet network picked up he new hit drama for a full season. It comes as no surprise considering Chief's ratings success so far this season. The show has been winning its Tuesday night timeslot, and it is a solid top 10 performer each week.

*Christmas is coming early for Monk and Dead Zone fans. USA ordered special holiday-themed episodes of both shows to air around Thanksgiving. Monk's episode finds the detective working to solve the murder of a cop who dies after drinking a poisoned bottle of wine. The investigation finds him undercover as a mall Santa. Look for Monk in a Santa suit on November 25th. The Dead Zone's episode will feature a return visit from psychic Alex Sinclair (Jennifer Finnigan), who helps Johnny solve the mystery of a lost and confused Santa. The episode airs November 27th. For information on both shows (and a few spoilers), visit The Futon Critic.

*And finally, the Parents Television Council (PTC) released its annual list of the best and worst shows for family viewing. Topping the worst list: Fox's The War at Home, Family Guy, American Dad and The O.C. Other shows on the dubious list include CSI, Desperate Housewives, and Cold Case. So what made the good list? ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and NBC's Three Wishes. For the full lists , click on over to Zap2it.

That's all for today. I'm off tomorrow, but be sure to tune in Monday for thoughts on Cold Case (it's Josie's last episode and hair-down-Lilly's first), Desperate Housewives, and quick musings on Thursday's line-up. Plus, all the latest television news!