A Look at this Season's Biggest Movers and Shakers and Tonight's Primetime Offerings

Overall, this has been a very exciting season for television. We've learned what's in the mysterious hatch and we've gotten more dirt on Wisteria Lane. We've watched Lilly fall to pieces and slowly put herself back together again and we witnessed Veronica aid Duncan's great escape. We've seen relationships blossom (Bright and Hannah, Susan and Dr. Ron, Mac and Beaver) while others have fallen apart (Susan and Mike, Keith and Wallace's mom). And we're all still wondering who's responsible for the bus crash, what happened to Desmond, what happens if someone doesn't push the button on that antiquated computer, what really happened to Vaughn, will the Abbotts adopt a child and will Lilly finally meet a nice guy (I have on good authority that the answer to that last one will come sooner rather than later)? There are just so many reasons to love this TV season, and I have only scratched the surface. Here are my awards for the biggest movers (improved) and shakers (least improved) of this television season so far.

MOVERS
Most Essential New Character - Det. Lee Scanlon from NBC's Medium. If you're going to add another character into the mix, then said character should improve the show and add a new element. Det. Scanlon (played by David Cubitt) is the cool-talking, easy-on-the-eyes homicide detective that not only believes Allison's visions, but relies on them to help solve his cases. Scanlon brought a different element to the show, one where we get to see more of the police work involved with relying on a psychic's visions as well as the DA office's work. It's a nice balance that has kept the show fresh and aided its undeniable creativity. Runners Up: Libby (Lost), Mac (Veronica Mars) and Elena (Without a Trace)

Most Essential New Storyline - The Hatch. No other storyline has thrilled me more this season than the hatch storyline on ABC's Lost. In fact, I find the episodes that center on other storylines to be less engrossing and entertaining as the hatch episodes. This season's opener was one of the best season premieres in recent memory because it was loaded with hatch mythology that I just couldn't get enough of, and I'm eagerly awaiting our next dose. This is the type of storyline that keeps you up at night long after you've watched the episode. Runners Up: Bus Crash (Veronica Mars), Carlos: Man of God (Desperate Housewives), Prophet 5 (Alias), Karma (My Name is Earl) and Who Framed Logan Echolls? (Veronica Mars)

Biggest Back with a Bang Show - NBC's Scrubs. Maybe it's just the fact that the sitcom category severely missed Scrubs, even though the genre made huge strides this season, but this show is funnier than ever. How do you keep a show fresh and hilarious in its fifth season? You take the divinely gifted John C. McGinley, give him incredibly well-written lines, add additional talented cast members and sprinkle it with the creative and clever mind of series creator/executive producer Bill Lawrence and you can't stop laughing. The Wizard of Oz tribute episode was one of the series best and an appearance by Mandy Moore stayed true to the show's core: A spoonful of laughter and a tablespoon of heart help the medicine go down.

Most Improved Show - CBS' Without a Trace. This show had me on the verge of tuning out forever at the end of last season. Everything from interoffice romances to a complete loss of focus bogged this show down so far that I couldn't imagine it would be able to pick itself back up. Luckily, I was wrong. The show has done a 180 this season with a return to focusing on well-written and executed cases, less personal drama and it even had new life breathed into it with the arrival of Agent Elena Delgado (Roselyn Sanchez). It's a complete joy to watch this show again, and I find myself looking forward to Thursday nights at 10 p.m. Even when the show does focus on the personal side, it does so with stories that are interesting (Jack's final moments with his father versus last season's Jack's divorce episode). Let's hope the trend continues. Runners Up: Desperate Housewives (from the ridiculous earlier this season to the hilarious current state) and Surface (the show ended it first season on a thrilling and thought-provoking note)

SHAKERS
Least Essential New Character - Any new detective that CBS brings to Cold Case. Josie Sutton almost single-handedly brought down one of the best shows on television. The character added absolutely nothing to the show and managed to steal storylines from other characters, leaving fans upset about their favorites and asking, "Where's Lilly?" After they wrote Sutton out, the show did a 180 and returned to its former glorious self. With the more recent addition of Kat Miller (Tracie Thoms) things are going more smoothly, but I still don't understand the need for a sixth detective on a show that perfectly integrated the cases with the 5 detectives' personal lives. Runners Up: The Applewhites (Desperate Housewives) and Ana Lucia (Lost) who has added nothing since the two sections merged

Least Essential New Storyline - The Applewhites. It's a crime to waste the amazing talent that is Alfre Woodard, but it seems that someone forgot to tell this to ABC's Desperate Housewives. Her character's storyline has been bland and severely lacking. Some life was recently breathed into it with the advent of Bree integrated into the storyline, so hopefully things will pick up. Maybe I'm just missing the humor in locking up a mentally disabled young man or in a mother that finds it acceptable in order to "protect him." But the lack of humor isn't this storyline's only problem. It just isn't interesting. I don't find myself pondering what happened, and last week's revelation barely registered a blimp on my interesting radar. Runners Up: Susan's Spleen (Desperate Housewives) and Charlie's Recluse Behavior (Lost)

Why Did They Bring Back This Show? - ABC's Jake in Progress. In a head-scratching move last season, ABC renewed Jake in Progress despite its low ratings and after star John Stamos had committed to a new role on NBC's ER. But the show was only renewed for midseason, leaving Stamos with a multi-episode arc on ER instead of cast addition. Midseason rolls around and ABC brings out Jake with the new heavily promoted Heather Graham comedy Emily's Reasons Why Not as its lead-in. Emily tanked, bringing Jake down with it. Now, the show is back off the air and stuck in limbo. The question is, why didn't the network just cancel the show to begin with and allow Stamos to move to ER? I don't think too many viewers would have objected.

Least Improved Show -ABC's Lost. This one pains me more than you know because I love Lost. It had an awesome start this season and it was looking even better than last season, but it has slowed down considerably lately and so has my interest. Last week's Sawyer-centric outing was better than most of late, but it was still no match for the episodes from earlier this season. Yes, Lost is a character show, but it only succeeds when the characters are given something interesting to do, and they haven't lately. I can only hope that things will pick up again soon, it certainly seems that way from the previews.

So, there's a look at this season's movers and shakers across several categories. What shows top your movers list? How about your shakers list? Leave a comment with your thoughts on how your favorite shows are progressing.

About Last Night... NBC started out on top with its Olympic coverage, followed by CBS comedies King of Queens (r) and How I Met Your Mother (r) and ABC's Wife Swap (r). At 9, NBC stayed in the lead with the second hour of its Olympic coverage, followed by CBS comedies Two and a Half Men (r) and Courting Alex and Fox's 24. The final hour of the night went to NBC as well with its Olympic coverage, followed by CBS' CSI: Miami (r) and the second hour of ABC's The Bachelor. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - NBC continues its Olympic coverage with Figure Skating (Men's Short Program), Alpine Skiing (Men's Combined (Downhill & Slalom)) and the Gold Medal Final for Speed Skating (Women's 500m Gold Medal Final). Over on Fox, it's the final day of the Hollywood round on American Idol. The WB's Gilmore Girls finds Rory and Logan spending a Valentine's weekend with Lorelai and Luke at Logan's family's house in Martha's Vineyard. Finally, CBS airs The Price is Right Million Dollar Spectacular.

@9 p.m. - House and his team have to resort to new tactics to treat a man with severe burns on Fox's House (NOTE: the start time on this episode is 9:03 p.m. and the end time is 10:03 p.m.). Over on CBS, it's A Dr. Phil Primetime Special: Love Smart.

@10 p.m. - Alan Shore files a discrimination suit against a private school that refuses to admit a gifted nine-year-old girl with nerve damage that makes it impossible for her to smile on ABC's Boston Legal.


QUICK CUTS

*UPN is holding new episodes of Veronica Mars for now. The network sent out press releases for the next few weeks' episodes, and all three are repeats. Tomorrow night's scheduled new episode with special guest star Kristin Cavalleri is out for now and a rebroadcast of "Rat Saw God" is in. The network will rerun "Nobody Puts Baby In A Corner" on February 22nd and "Ahoy, Mateys!" on March 1st. The following week is the two-hour premiere of America's Next Top Model, making March 15th the earliest possible new episode return date for the series. One good piece of information, the return of America's Next Top Model should help Veronica Mars, which has struggled lately due to a weak showing by lead-in South Beach.

*It looks like the stars will not align properly for series creator J.J. Abrams to direct the final episode of ABC's Alias. Abrams wanted to helm the series finale, but the international press tour for his film directorial debut (Mission Impossible III) coincides with the episode's filming schedule. Abrams tells Zap2it that he's disappointed saying, "I wanted to direct the last episode of 'Alias,' but I have to go on the international tour for this, so I won't get to do that, which is a very sort of heartbreaking idea that the show will end without me there." Alias is currently on hiatus and ABC has not given the show a return date, but it is expected to resume this spring to finish its 5-year run.

*And finally, if you're craving more answers from last week's Surface season finale on NBC, TV Guide has just the cure. The magazine's web site asked co-creator Josh Pate some of our big questions like were the creatures responsible for the tsunamis and what does the show have planned for a second season (should NBC pick it up for one)? To get the answers to these questions and others, click on over to TVGuide.com's Insider column.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for thoughts on Gilmore Girls (Yes, I do manage to catch this delightful show from time to time) and what the new CW's schedule should look like. Plus, all the latest television news!


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