Thursday's News & Notes

Here's a look at today's biggest TV news, tonight's hottest programs and last night's biggest ratings winners.

QUICK CUTS
*Veronica Mars' Michael Muhney is talking to my fellow blogger Tube Talk Girl about becoming a series regular, a storyline that he'd like to see for his Sheriff Lamb character, and an upcoming scene that will have you "peeing your pants!" The actor tells Tube Talk Girl that fans don't need to worry about fewer scenes between Lamb and Veronica now that she is at college. "So far, there might actually be more Lamb/Veronica scenes. Oh yes, we'll be dueling it out verbally. Get ready to laugh," he concedes. Click on over to Tube Talk to read the entire hilarious interview with Neptune's number one law man.

*NBC is bringing back Medium next month. The series, starring Emmy winner Patricia Arquette as a spiritual medium, mother and wife, will take over the soon-to-be-cancelled Kidnapped's former timeslot -- Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. The show will roll out its 3rd season premiere November 15th on NBC.

*CBS' Jericho is the latest new series to get a full-season order. The show, which follows the story of a Kansas town stranded in the aftermath of a string of nuclear attacks, has held a steady audience of over 11 million viewers each week, and it has given CBS a boost to the timeslot and the rest of its Wednesday schedule. This good news comes on the heels of last week's announcement that NBC was picking up Heroes for a full season. Jericho airs Wednesday nights on CBS.

*You've heard PTR go on and on about NBC's Friday Night Lights, but why take my word for it? The Associated Press' Frazier Moore, a national television columnist, declares that Lights is "the fall's best new series." The columnist writes, "Yes, it's a splendid for-all-ages, family-friendly show which you would expect from a drama about a championship high-school football team in a rural Texas town. As such, Friday Night Lights is the sort of big-hearted hour of TV that plenty of viewers are regularly pleading for." According to Moore, NBC plans to stick with the series for a little while. "I know we're hitting a nerve with the viewers who have found it. I just hope they start telling their friends," says NBC boss Kevin Reilly. He also says that they are hoping that the numbers climb once timeslot rival Dancing with the Stars wraps next month. If you haven't seen the Lights, click over to nbc.com to see what you have been missing.

*And finally, it's Nielsen Wednesday Thursday! Once again, CBS won the week in total viewers and ABC won the coveted 18-49 year old demo. Here's a look at last week's Top 10 shows:
1. Grey's Anatomy (22.8 million viewers)
2. CSI (21.5)
3. Desperate Housewives (21.0)
4. Lost (18.8)
5. Dancing with the Stars (18.4)
6. CSI: Miami (17.9)
7. Dancing with the Stars (results) (17.5)
8. NCIS (15.9)
9. Survivor (15.8)
9. Two and a Half Men (15.8)

PTR shows in the Top 20: Without a Trace (#12), Law & Order: SVU (#17), Cold Case (tie #19)

To get more of today's biggest TV news and headlines, visit the TV News section at PassTheRemote.Net.

About Last Night...
BIGGEST RATINGS WINNERS: Dancing with the Stars, Jericho, Criminal Minds (which actually had higher ratings than Lost), Lost, CSI: NY

BIGGEST LOSERS: NBC's new comedies and The Nine (which landed in last place for the hour and lost a huge amount of its premiere audience).

For a complete breakdown of last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass
(a look at what PTR's watching tonight and talking about tomorrow)

My Name is Earl (NBC 8 p.m.) - "Larceny of a Kitty Cat." As number 56 on his list, Earl (Jason Lee) decides to return an award winning cat back to its rightful owner after attempting to sabotage a cat show in Joy's (Jaime Pressly) favor. However, when Randy (Ethan Suplee) and Earl return the cat back to its owner they find that the once champion kitty has lost all of its award winning qualities.


CSI (CBS 9 p.m.) - "Fannysmackin'." The CSI team investigates a series of brutal tourist beatings that take place within the span of a few hours throughout the Las Vegas area. Kevin Federline guest stars as Cole Tritt, an arrogant teenager who harasses Nick and Warrick at a crime scene. Victoria Recao ("The Insider") guest stars as a reporter. Click HERE to watch an exclusive clip from tonight's new episode.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for thoughts on tonight's episodes of My Name is Earl and CSI. Plus, Friday Fun and all the latest television news!


Get even more of your TV fix at PassTheRemote.net! A comprehensive television site with news, reviews, photos and much more!