Still Falling from ‘Grace’

By LillyKat
PTR Staff Writer

So after being somewhat less-than-impressed with the pilot episode of Saving Grace last week, I was hoping for some redemption this week.

Guess I’ll have to wait until the third episode.

I confess I’m not feeling Grace at all.

If last week’s opening scene wasn’t still being talked about (which it is), this week’s should be right up there with the “Um, ‘kay” factor: she’s out hunting with married partner Ham on their off day (convenient); she ends up getting a kill (of course); she then decides she needs to get her rocks off with Ham yet again (what else is new); so hey, let’s do it right here next to the dead animal carcass (yummy), and while we’re at it, why don’t I stick my finger in the dead animal’s blood and smear it on your face as we start to go at it.

Ugh.

Even my co-worker (whose dad is a hunter) found that one to be totally out in left field.

However, because I’m finding Grace so repulsive, I’m starting to get why Angel Earl has been sent to her.

Poor Angel Earl.

There was a case this week … something about a love triangle between the victim, his wife and his business partner. Guess victim (Bo) found out wife (Belle) was having an affair with the business partner (Dudley), yet didn’t feel like granting her a divorce. Business partner wasn’t too happy with that.

Enter a crime of passion.

But to be quite honest, I lost track of the case.

In between Grace wrestling with Angel Earl at the Old Coliseum in Athens (one of those close-your-eyes-Dorothy-and-click-your-heels-together-three-times trips that were made famous last week to prove the power of his existence); to her constant why-is-this-happening-to-me self talk that sounds emotionless and trite (“I don’t believe there’s a God who cares that I’m sleeping with a married man.”); to finding out that she’s also slept with Butch (another detective on her team), which, when partner Ham finds out, starts a pissing contest of grand proportions (literally, at the bar, in the men’s room, at the urinals); to her taking home yet another faceless stranger from said bar for a night of romping; or, to her practically have an orgasm every time Angel Earl shows off his golden glow complete with full wing display … well, it’s hard to remember there is police work going on or why anyone should care about this woman.

But that’s what God is for, right?

Thank goodness for Laura San Giacomo’s Rhetta (Grace’s friend and medical examiner). If it wasn’t for her no-nonsense, quick-wit, God-has-chosen-you-Grace-deal-with-it stance, there would be no reason for me to continue watching this show. I thought she was hysterical when she pushed Grace to bring her one of Earl’s feathers for examination, or that she’s started an “Earl File” (“Every time he takes you somewhere, I want you to bring me something.”). For me, she steals the scenes that she is in.

And, thank goodness for Angel Earl. Leon Rippy is dialed into this lovable, yet slightly unkept tobacco-chewing-could’ve-had-a-Harley-in-his-other-life Angel. You actually feel kind of bad for him that he has to deal with Grace given she is hell bent on being his biggest pain in the rear.

Case in point: this week, he asked her to talk to Ham about breaking it off.

But where does she end up?

In the shower with Ham at the end of the episode.

Now, granted, this episode did end on a surprisingly shocking note – Grace’s boss Lieutenant is shot in the squad room by his degenerate brother (Pup). Pup had been called in to give the name of an informant to help with the case, and he was promised a pair of shoes and $50 for his troubles. When the boss Lieutenant doesn’t give up the $50 for fear Pup would do something-less-than-honorable with it …

BAM!

Hence the Ham and Grace shower scene.

If this was supposed to be tender, I didn’t find it to be. Her alone would’ve worked better, left to clean herself off after being splattered with blood from the shooting, perhaps finally showing that maybe she does actually give a care about someone other than herself, or that perhaps it could be her dead on the squad room floor one of these days.

Unfortunately, by this time, I was looking forward to watching a rerun of Season 2’s Cold Case (which followed Grace).

We’ll see what next week holds.

New episodes air Monday’s at 10 p.m. on TNT.

Say it Ain't So on 'The Closer'

By LillyKat
PTR Staff Writer

Every once in a while, The Closer delivers one of those episodes where you find yourself caring less about the actual case being solved and more about Brenda’s well being.

Last night was one of those episodes.

You just wanted to give ol’ Brenda Leigh a hug.

Or an ice pack.

In the seventh episode of the third season, titled “Four to Eight,” the team is called to investigate the murder of two gang members. This is something the squad has dealt with before – the on-going war between two fairly well-known Los Angeles gangs (the One Fives and the Catorces). This time, though, it came down to an overly protective father (Carlos) trying desperately to keep his son (Miguel) out of gang life – even though that is what Miguel actually wanted for himself, especially once his cousin (Angel) turned up as one of the murder victims.

Turns out Dad decided to take matters into his own hands, killing cousin Angel to prevent his gang influence from getting to Miguel. As Dad saw it, Miguel was supposed to be one of those “good boys” who was going to get out of the endless cycle of gang violence that plagued the neighborhood in which he grew up – in which kids have to be looked after from “4 p.m. to 8 p.m.” Never mind that cousin Angel was actually trying to prevent Miguel from joining the Catorces, and that Miguel was going to join no matter what his father had tried to do to prevent that from happening.

Love is blind.

Blood is thicker than water.

But murder is still murder.

Family or otherwise.

And yet, with all that was going on as it pertained to this case, you couldn’t help but be worried about ol’ Brenda.

Talk about needing to take a sick day.

Seems those fevers, sweats, mood swings and just all-around awkward state of flux that we first witnessed last week intensified this week, which finally forced Brenda to get herself to the doctor.

Only to be told she’ll need to have additional tests run.

Uh-oh.

There were, of course, some well-placed humorous moments as it pertained to Brenda’s health: self-diagnosing herself via an Internet medical site – a lá WebMD – and deciding to attribute all her symptoms to stress whilst Fritz lies flu-ridden on the couch with Brenda’s failed attempt at making him soup gooped in a pot on the coffee table (perhaps she and Cold Case's Detective Lilly Rush have exchanged cooking techniques?); sweating to death in the interrogation room whilst investigating Miguel’s mother (“It’s like an oven in here!”); stripping down to her bra to change shirts in her office given she kept sweating through all of them on what seemed to be an hourly basis; Lieutenant Provenza questioning, “There’s something wrong with her,” and Lieutenant Flynn warning, “So who here is going to ask her about it?”

But all in all, there was an ominous sense about Brenda’s well-being. Even Lieutenant Tao had to ask, “Chief, are you OK? You just don’t seem like yourself lately.”

And she isn’t.

But more than that, she just does not want to say what is wrong.

Even though she already knows.

“I don’t want to talk about it right now. If there’s one thing my job has taught me is that everything changes when you say it out loud.”

Send ice packs and chocolate candy bars to:
Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson
c/o Priority Homicide
Los Angeles Police Department

New episodes air Monday’s at 9 p.m. on TNT.

Collier's City of Promises

Did anyone else do a double take when we saw Tom having dinner at Diana's?? It was totally unexpected and I think it threw me off the rest of the episode. Like Tom, I'm sure her reasoning was pity, but she never did clarify that point. Whatever the reasoning, it was a cute scene that further developed the importance of their friendship outside their partnership. Later, Tom took a beating for Diana so she could sneak into Promise City to retrieve Maia. Wouldn't Jordan Collier just love to get his hands on Maia on a more permanent basis? He seemed to have her drinking the Kool-Aid by the end of her brief stay. She was even singing his praises to her mother later. I figured she was lying about the war, but this does beg the question whether she has lied in the past (most notably with Ben). I don't think she has, and this one occasion certainly seems justified, but it is an interesting development. Speaking of Maia, I can't seem to get over how grown up she has gotten since last season! She's morphing into a teenager before our eyes, and I can't believe it. Her relationship with Diana has morphed as well into more of a real mother/daughter one. I'm such a fan of their scenes together, so tonight's multiple moments were a real treat. LOVED the phone call when Maia told Diana that she needed to save Jordan (never mind the Enhanced Soldiers assigned to kill him), and Diana tells her that she'll do what she can. It was such a great scene because they easily could have been discussing something mundane like getting Maia out of an activity at school, but this is The 4400, so they were discussing soldiers with abilities taking out a man who seems to have become a Christ-like figure for those with promicin pumping through their veins. Good stuff.

I saw the Tom/Megan thing coming from about 20 miles ahead (apparently Diana did as well), so no surprises there. I don't know why, but I just can't accept Megan. She has the lack of authority problem, but it's something more than that -- something I can't put my finger on. She takes up time that other, more interesting characters could have -- maybe that's the problem, who knows. In any event, Tom and Megan - blah. I think I have a hard time seeing Tom with anyone other than Alana anyway (sorta like if they were trying to pair Diana up with someone other than Ben). I am enjoying the complicated relationship between Tom and Kyle. Kyle is Jordan's closest advisor. He's making sure that White Light's prophecy is carried out, and yet, his father is part of an organization designed to stop it. But, Kyle holds nothing against his father -- instead, he sets out to change his mind. When he tells his father how important he is to the movement, he adds, "And not just to me." Tough times for Tom; good television for the rest of us.

If you missed last night's episode, check out the 2-minute replay at the show's official site.

Reid Scott Talks About the Return of 'My Boys'

When TBS' My Boys finished the first part of its freshman season this past winter, things were up in the air for PJ (Jordana Spiro) and her best buddies. The Chicago sports writer was hitting home runs writing about the beloved Cubs, but striking out when it came to her love life. Perhaps the biggest potential mistake was the kiss she shared with her best friend Brendan (Reid Scott). Monday night, the show begins the second half of its successful freshman season and Pass the Remote had an opportunity to speak with star Reid Scott via email (thanks to the good folks at Sony Pictures Television, which co-produces the comedy) about the show's winning formula, what the second half holds, and the future of Brendan and PJ. PTR presents... 5 Questions with Reid Scott.

PTR: My Boys is one of those sitcoms where, as a viewer, you can sit down and laugh for the entire half-hour. Why do you think it works so well?

SCOTT: I think it works so well because the characters are so real. As an audience member I think you can identify so closely with these characters that it's almost like laughing along with your own buddies, and yourself.

PTR: A lot of viewers want to see Brendan and PJ together. How do you feel about them as a romantic couple?

SCOTT: Yeah, I've heard that a lot, that's cool. I think Brendan and PJ are those singular kind of friends that have such chemistry it just makes sense. As far as romance goes, you'll just have to watch and see.

PTR: Do you guys get to travel to Chicago to shoot on location, or is the show shot entirely in Hollywood?

SCOTT: We shoot mainly in LA although we've actually been lucky enough to shoot some in Chicago both seasons. We were there in the middle of June this time around and had a blast. That is one fun town.

PTR: You've done some guest spots/recurring roles on network television, but My Boys is on cable. Lately, it seems that a lot of the edgier, more character-focused series are popping up on the latter. As an actor, do you see a difference between the work on network and cable? Is there more artistic freedom with either?

SCOTT: I think that the edgier stuff is ending up on cable mostly because cable is in the position to take the chances. TBS for example is trying to build an audience. When you're trying to do that you don't want to serve up the same old stuff that the networks are dishing out, you need to mix it up a little. And in turn, it seems the networks are following cable's lead and turning up their own edge dial a bit. And yeah, there is a bit more artistic freedom on cable right now. You don't have so many cooks in the kitchen, so to speak. When there are a lot fewer execs looking over your shoulder you really get to play more. That's what we as a cast all love about My Boys. We've got a great staff of writers, we get top notch directors and guest stars, our producers are all genius...we take our work seriously but when we all get together it's play time.

PTR: And finally, what sort of changes are in store for your character this season (that you can share)? What can we expect overall for the series this season?

SCOTT: This season all the characters are really opened up. We get to see sides of everyone that we didn't see last time. As for Brendan, without giving too much away, let's just say he really gets to explore his darker side. Some funny stuff...

My Boys kicks off the second half of its first season this Monday night on TBS (10 p.m.) with back-to-back episodes. Look for special guest star Nicole Sullivan (King of Queens, Scrubs) in a role that TV Guide raves in the July 30th issue, "Cheers to Nicole Sullivan for shooting a hysterical guest arc on My Boys while she was pregnant." You can catch up on the episodes you missed at tbs.com or catch the marathon this Sunday beginning at 10 am on TBS.

Best Episodes Continues with 'Cops,' Voodoo & Greek Week

After a week off to cover the nominations for The Awards That Shall Not Be Mentioned, we're back and continuing with the summer-long countdown of The Best Episodes of the Season. But before we get to this week's entries, here's a look at the rules for this year's winners. I ended up with 30 incredible episodes that demonstrate the diversity and quality of the current television state. All of the shows and their episodes are from NETWORK television only, meaning that I did not take any cable series into consideration (since I only watch a few and felt that it would be unfair). All episodes aired between September 2006 and June 2007. Each episode that made the final list moved me in some way; either by making me laugh out loud, cry my eyes out or just left me with that "wow" feeling that stays with you for a few days. So basically, it's completely subjective! Since this is a summer-long countdown to the number 1 episode, I will reveal a few each week all summer. So, be sure to tune in on Thursdays to find out which episodes are on the countdown! Today, we're going to take a look at numbers 18-16.

18: "Our Cops is On" - My Name is Earl
Earl used to be a low-life criminal, so it's no surprise that he and his buddies all wound up on an episode of Cops. After all, it was destined to happen, but who knew that it was going to be this funny? From the bumbling cops to Earl stealing the cop car to Kenny pretending to be straight on TV and everything in between, this episode was packed with classic moments. Of course, it also served to further prove how far Earl has come since his days as a hardened criminal and all-around lousy guy. But it wasn't just Earl who had changed. It seemed that everyone around him had become a slightly better person. Perhaps, one good deed does lead to another. Written by Timothy Stack and directed by Ken Wittingham. (Photo courtesy nbc.com)

17: "Git 'Er Done" - Friday Night Lights
With a show of this caliber, pretty much every episode could make this list, but how fair would that be to all of the other wonderful programs on TV? So, brilliant episodes like this one shone bright enough to stand out among all the other amazing hours this season. It's decision time for Coach Taylor as he deliberates between the dedicated Matt Seracen and the talented Ray "Voodoo" Tatum for the starting quarterback position. The only problem, he can't make up his mind. In a classic scene, he pops in to talk to his guidance counselor wife and asks her for some, well, guidance. When she gives him her opinion, he wants to know if it's his wife talking or her guidance counselor alter ego. During the big game, Voodoo gets the start, but his blatant disregard for Coach Taylor's plays gets him kicked out of the game and off the team. In the closing moments while the team is celebrating its big win, Coach Taylor gets some bad news regarding Voodoo's initial eligibility, casting a cloud of doubt over the victory. Written by John Zinman and Patrick Massett and directed by Mark Piznarski. (Photo courtesy nbc.com)

16: "My Big Fat Greek Rush Week" - Veronica Mars
If you watch a lot of television and movies, then you know all sorority girls are dumb, sleep around, like to say "like," and throw massive parties that encourage underage drinking, right? Of course, they also have tons of money, drive nice cars and LOVE to shop. Well, that's the stereotype anyway. Apparently, Veronica Mars watches a lot of television and movies. She was thrilled to get her first big assignment from the school paper because it meant exposing these girls and their social groups, but in the end, she wound up quitting the paper due to her own code of ethics and how they conflicted with the editor's. Turns out, the sorority girls were hiding something, but it had nothing to do with the aforementioned stereotypes. They were growing marijuana to help their house mother cope with the side effects of her cancer treatments. With Veronica's story published, the marijuana was confiscated, the house mother lost her job, and Veronica was left with a huge feeling of remorse. Throw in a hilarious scene where Veronica runs into Dick and an awesome social experiment with students posing as inmates and guards and you have another perfect hour on Mars. Written by Diane Ruggiero and directed by John T. Kretchmer. (Photo courtesy vm-caps.com)

So, there's a look at episodes 18-16 on the countdown. What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Be sure to come back next week to find out which episodes are next on the countdown!!

Welcome to ‘Grace’ Land

By LillyKat
PTR Staff Writer

So, Holly Hunter was right: you don’t often open a television series whereby the first scene has the lead female police detective in bed with her married partner, having more-than-an-intense interlude, only to have him decide he “can’t do this anymore” right before she could … well, finish?

Welcome to Saving Grace.

After much hullabaloo (and what seemed like an every-other-commercial promotional campaign by TNT for the past four months), Saving Grace, starring Academy Award® winner Holly Hunter, premiered last night.

And, I confess I am still not sure what I think about it.

I say this as someone who was really keen on this series when I first heard about it. I thought, “Holly Hunter, female cop show, on TNT (home to The Closer and, of course, re-runs of Cold Case), it should be good.”

It is arguably the edgiest and most racy piece of original series television programming TNT has done (it’s earned a TVMA rating, and thus, gets the whole “may not be not appropriate for some viewers” warning not to mention the 10 p.m. time slot on Mondays).

As billed by TNT, the show itself revolves around Grace Hanadarko, “a tormented, fast-living Oklahoma City police detective who, despite being at the top of her field, takes self-destruction to new heights in need of turning her life around.”

Read: she makes Lilly Rush look like she’s got her stuff together.

Read: she makes Brenda Leigh Johnson look like Secretary of State.

Except, I left last night’s episode thinking, “And …?”

Like something was missing.

Like a reason to really care about Grace’s struggle, seeing as what was mostly on display was Grace drinking, smoking, being insubordinate, banging her partner all the while not quite believing that Last Chance Angel Earl (played by Leon Rippy) had been sent down from the Heavens to give her – you guessed it – one last chance to get her life on the right track (apparently, that is Angel Earl’s specialty, along with chewing tobacco), and to truly test her faith (which, of course, she does not have).

I found myself caring more about her partner, Ham Dewey (played by Kenneth Johnson, who Cold Case viewers will remember as Joseph, and The Shield viewers will remember as Lem), than Grace, especially given his wife was not shy about beating him up and throwing him out for having the affair with Grace (an interesting twist on the wife being the abuser). I was even more interested in Laura San Giacomo’s small but entertaining scenes as Grace’s good friend and medical examiner, Rhetta, who Grace confides in to try and determine if God staged a drunk driving accident to a) get her attention, and b) then sent Angel Earl down to whisk her off to the Grand Canyon to prove the point.

Clay dust in the boots not withstanding.

I almost forgot this is a cop show, and as such, there was an actual case to be solved: a missing 10-year-old girl.

Now, I get that pilot episodes are suppose to establish the premise of a show.

And this is about Grace.

Hunter has said it numerous times herself in all of the promotional interviews (the show is “totally dangerous,” it’s not like anything on television, “it’s her life,” etc., etc.)

Sure, okay.

But, her life doesn’t seem all that interesting right now.

Just out of control – which isn’t necessarily all that compelling of a reason to care about her.

Lilly is all about the victims not being forgotten. Honorable.

Brenda is all about solving the murder and getting justice. Commendable.

Grace is … drunk all the time and too hot to handle?

“So, I'm supposed to do what? Change my life? Go to church? Be nice to people?”

Yup.

Pretty much.

New episodes air Monday’s at 10 p.m. on TNT.

Stupid is as Stupid Does on ‘The Closer’

By LillyKat
PTR Staff Writer

Cold medicine - check.

Gun – check.

Badge – check.

Haz Mat suit – huh?

It was bring your Haz Mat (Hazardous Materials) suit to work this week over on The Closer as LAPD Priority Homicide tried to solve the murder of a personal trainer whilst simultaneously completing their WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) training to secure a federal subsidy to ease those ever-present budget woes.

Oh, and did we mention Brenda wasn’t feeling all that well, either?

The sixth episode of season three, aptly titled “Dumb Luck”, hit the ground running and did not let up.

Literally.

In the opening title sequence, we find Brenda lying down in the parking lot of where said personal trainer was killed, a few parking stalls over, trying to calm herself from what appears to be a nasty bout with the flu.

Sudafed anyone?

The case, as it turns out, was Botox Barbie: The Sequel.

We remember, a few episodes back, BB was an unfortunate victim. Last night, she ended up being the perpetrator.

And wow, who knew someone could actually sound so ditzy-stupid.

Convincingly.

It was a case of hire a buffed-out-to-the-max trainer to kill the well off husband so BB can continue to screw around and have dead hubby’s millions. After all, “I think guys just wanna have sex with me.”

Gee, ya’ think?

Problem was, Buffed Out Bob got the date wrong.

Not to mention the victim.

Doh!

There were some absolutely priceless moments of dialogue in this episode: from Lieutenant Flynn observing Brenda lying down in the parking lot (“I’d recognize those legs anywhere.”); to Botox Barbie not quite comprehending the word “murder” (“Murdered? Hmmm, you mean, like, someone actually killed him?”); to Brenda’s outrage at WMD training having to involve her entire squad (“There are 5 people wandering around my murder room in noisy plastic suits …”); to the valet who witnessed the murder (“I can’t say anything more until I floss.”).

Just. Plain. Brilliant.

I can’t determine what was more hysterical: the squad captive in the murder room for 8 hours and conducting the entire investigation wandering around looking like Martians from 2001: A Space Odyssey (complete with only two-way radio communication to Brenda who, of course, was not in a suit) …

OR

… Brenda in a constant state of flux (fevers, chills, hot flashes, headaches, nausea, crying at the drop of a hat) due to what was supposed to be a cold/flu.

And by “supposed to,” I mean … well, let’s just say that by the end of the ep, those symptoms were looking a whole lot more hormone-inspired than flu-like.

Can we say knocked up?

Stay tuned.

New episodes air Monday’s at 9 p.m. on TNT.

'The 4400' Get Marked

The 4400 is on fire this season! Some weeks it's "Freak-of-the-Week" (promicin positives or 4400: original flavor alike), others it's Tom almost getting a heaping helping of promicin, and yet others, it's conspiracies surrounding a group from the future known as "The Marked." I'll admit it -- I never knew whether to believe Peck's theory or not. This show kept me guessing this week, and for that, I have a huge smile on my face. I like when shows catch me off guard and leave me wondering where it's all leading. I never thought it was leading to Tom as an agent of this rogue future group. "When we need him, he'll be there for us," said the fictional head of the fictional dominating software company in the world (LOVED the Microsoft allusions). Once again, poor Tom. The man cannot catch a break. I wasn't surprised to learn that Matthew was a member of "The Marked." I had theorized for a while that Isabelle was the creation of the future, but not the same future as the one who sent the 4400 back to stop the catastrophe. And Matthew was always there guiding her down a seemingly evil path and ensuring that his group's work was carried out and the 4400 were destroyed. This week's episode tied it all together with a very interesting turn of events.

There were a lot of excellent things going on in this one. First, the hilarious low-low-low-low budget films from Peck coupled with NTAC's reaction to them. I think Diana had me cracking up the most because she just couldn't get past how much they sucked. Second, Diana's "Play it Cool" act in the software CEO's office. The way she laughed when he mentioned that he always hoped Jeff Goldblum would play him in a feature film had me laughing as well. And then there was her description of the film and the revealing ear check. Nice comic relief this week. Third, the Jordan and Shawn reunion draped in cloak and dagger. I know Jordan assured Shawn and Kyle that he had nothing to do with the councilman's stroke, but I'm still suspicious. Fourth, Shawn's unexpected healing session with the councilman. I was wondering what would happen since Maia predicted that he would round up the 4400 concentration camp-style. The end cleared this up. Finally, the suspenseful parking garage showdown between Diana and an assumed assailant who turned out to be none other than the missing Peck. For someone so petite, she's pretty menacing when she's coming at you with a gun! As if this week's outing wasn't awesome enough, they had to throw in the history-laced comment from Marco that Diana's visit to his place was the first in a long time. Oh, you gotta love The 4400.

If you missed last night's episode, check out the 2-minute replay at the show's official site.

Emmy Noms: 'Friday Night' Slights

I promised myself and the TV gods that I would swear off the Emmys forever if TV's best show, Friday Night Lights, didn't receive nominations for Best Drama and Best Actor and Actress. Well it's Thursday, nominations are out, and guess what?? The Academy didn't nominate the show in any of the aforementioned categories, so I am officially done with these awards. As TV Guide's Matt Roush pointed out months ago, this year's nominations would serve as the litmus test for their future importance. Lights won a Peabody - considered the Pulitzer of broadcast - and yet, didn't receive nominations in any of the biggest categories. How can that be??? How can Kyle Chandler (who's turning out the best work in television) not get an acting nom? Or Connie Britton?? It blows my mind. Anyway, now that the awards have been exposed for the sham that they are, I can move on and not dwell on all of the deserving actors, actresses and shows that never get a nod. Here's a rundown of this year's nominations:

Outstanding Comedy Series
30 Rock · NBC
Entourage · HBO
The Office · NBC
Two And A Half Men · CBS
Ugly Betty · ABC

Outstanding Drama Series
Boston Legal · ABC
Grey's Anatomy · ABC
Heroes · NBC
House · Fox
The Sopranos · HBO

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
Ricky Gervais - Extras
Tony Shalhoub - Monk
Steve Carell - The Office
Charlie Shean - Two And A Half Men

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Kiefer Sutherland - 24
James Spader - Boston Legal
Hugh Lurie - House
Denis Leary - Rescue Me
James Gandolfini - The Sopranos

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Tina Fey - 30 Rock
Felicity Huffman - Desperate Housewives
Julia Louis- Dreyfus - The New Adventures Of Old Christine
America Ferrera - Ugly Betty
Mary-Louise Parker - Weeds

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Sally Field - Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Patricia Arquette - Medium
Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer
Minnie Driver - The Riches
Edie Falco - The Sopranos

Click on over to The Futon Critic for more nominations. The 59th Primetime Emmy Awards air September 16th on Fox.

PTR's 2007 Ultimate Emmy Ballot

Wouldn't it be awesome if we, the fans, ruled the world of television awards (not just The People's Choice Awards)? Our favorites wouldn't be forsaken time after time and the less worthy wouldn't continue to dominate the nominations just because they're Emmy voters' faves. Alas, we are not. So, this should be another unfair Emmy season as we've come to expect. Tomorrow, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences will announce its 2007 Emmy nominations at 8:40 a.m. (EST) with the help of Jon Cryer and Kyra Sedgwick. But before we get to the real nominations, let's have some fun with our own Emmy ballot. Here's a look at who/what would get nominations if I ruled The Academy.

PTR's Ultimate Emmy Ballot: Best Actor in a Comedy
Zach Braff Scrubs
Jason Lee My Name is Earl
Steve Carell The Office
James Roday Psych
Donald Faison Scrubs

Newcomer James Roday makes my list this year after a hilarious first season of USA Network's latest hit. He and Dule Hill are the reason this show works as well as it does. In fact, Psych wouldn't be as funny as it is without Roday's "psychic moments" and excellent delivery. Braff is one of my faves, Carell is always funny, Lee brings a nice blend of comedy and heart to his role, and Faison completes Braff as TV's best buddy duo. Once again, Scrubs' John C. McGinley is way overdue for a nod in the best supporting category, so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for him as well.


PTR's Ultimate Emmy Ballot: Best Actress in a Comedy
Jaime Pressly My Name is Earl
Lauren Graham Gilmore Girls
Sarah Chalke Scrubs
Jordana Spiro My Boys
America Ferrera Ugly Betty

Pressly will probably enter in the supporting category, but I wouldn't mind seeing her in this one. She's the funniest part of Earl, and no one does white trash as well as she. Meanwhile, Graham is long overdue and this is her last chance for Girls. How much you wanna bet The Academy still doesn't nominate her?? Chalke is delightful as the OCD, neurotic Eliot and Spiro is the adorable new kid on the block whose blend of delivery and emotion give her TBS comedy its extra charm. Ferrera is perfect as Betty.

PTR's Ultimate Emmy Ballot: Best Actor in a Drama
Kyle Chandler Friday Night Lights
Jason Dohring Veronica Mars
Christopher Meloni Law & Order: SVU
Corey Reynolds The Closer
Matthew Fox Lost

No one was as good as Chandler this season. He was truly amazing week after week as the caring, conflicted, fired up, subdued, kind, perfect and flawed coach of the Dillon Panthers and husband and father at home. He deserved a standing ovation at the end of each outing, so I can only hope that The Academy will give him the recognition he deserves. Dohring continued with his intense, emotional portrayal of Logan, Meloni heated things up in the interrogation room and at home, Reynolds is the heart of The Closer and Fox once again brought his A-game to Lost (even when the writers didn't).

PTR's Ultimate Emmy Ballot: Best Actress in a Drama
Kristen Bell Veronica Mars
Kathryn Morris Cold Case
Kyra Sedgwick The Closer
Connie Britton Friday Night Lights
Jacqueline McKenzie The 4400

I included McKenzie this year because she blew me away last season in "Gone" (parts 1 and 2) and "Blink." The former dealt with the disappearance of Diana's adopted daughter. McKenzie was absolutely flawless as the distressed mother who would rather die than go on without her daughter. In the latter, Diana and Tom accidentally end up under the influence of a new drug called blink (manufactured from a 4400's ability). The effects of the drug cause its taker to hallucinate and see someone with whom they had unfinished business. For Diana, that meant an old fiance who cheated on her days before their pending nuptials. She was once again flawless in this one as Diana came to terms with the scars of her past and how they affect her future. Sedgwick and Bell are always amazing, Britton blew me away as the wonderful Tami Taylor, and Morris took her nuanced performance of the beautifully flawed Lilly Rush to new heights this season. Lost's Elizabeth Mitchell (Juliet) should get a best supporting nod.

PTR's Ultimate Emmy Ballot: Best Comedy
Scrubs
My Name is Earl
The Office
My Boys
Ugly Betty

When is Scrubs finally going to break through and get a nom? It's just getting to be ridiculous at this point. In addition to being hilarious, this show has heart and excellent storytelling and it brings something different to the television sitcom table. Meanwhile, Earl's second season wasn't as funny as its first, but it was still a strong year for the comedy. The Office continued with its off-brand of humor, while new kids Betty and My Boys burst onto the scene with plenty of laughs and originality to restore our faith in the television sitcom.

PTR's Ultimate Emmy Ballot: Best Drama
Friday Night Lights
Veronica Mars
The Closer
Cold Case
Lost

I debated over whether to include Lost this year, but in the end, it wound up on my list. After all, the first half of the season was terrible, but the second half was classic Lost. And when this show returns to its classic self, it embodies everything that makes television so good. Case enjoyed its best season ever and should be rewarded for its heart wrenching drama and beautiful storytelling, Veronica may have lost some of its charm, but the show was still amazing, The Closer is powerful, and then there's TV's best drama - Friday Night Lights. If this show and its amazing leads don't get noms, then I'm so over the Emmys. TV doesn't get any better than Lights.

So, there are my picks for some of the Emmy categories. Do you agree? Disagree? Who/what would you include on your lists? Drop me a comment with your ultimate ballot. And don't forget that the real Emmy nominations will be out tomorrow! I'll have my reaction on each category tomorrow afternoon here at PTR.

Senile isn’t Futile on ‘The Closer’

By LillyKat
PTR Staff Writer


And now back to our regularly scheduled episode.

After last week’s brilliant albeit intense, humorless and uncomfortable child molestation/murder episode, I was looking for a little bit of a breather with The Closer last night.

And it did not disappoint (even though it did make me want to call my 81-year-old grandmother to let her know I loved her).

The fifth episode of season three, affectionately titled “The Round File,” took an interesting look at an award-winning nursing home, and the criminal behavior of its directing manager who just so happens to think it’s a-ok to off those patients who a) have run out of money to pay for care; b) have run out of family and friends of which care for them.

It was kind of sad, actually.

There are plenty of real-life tales of the unscrupulous dealings of various nursing homes that neglect the elderly patients who live there. The Closer is not the first show to explore this territory nor will it be the last. I don’t even think this episode presented the most disturbing or complex point of view on the subject.

But, it did serve to remind us that getting old is not fun, and just because one is old doesn’t mean he or she is useless.

In fact, one can be pretty darn sly.

Case in point: one of the nursing home residents (Donald Baxter, a former reporter who used to cover the LAPD homicide beat back in the day) gets himself arrested by claiming to have poisoned seven other residents of said nursing home just to ensure he gets the attention of the department (seeing as his original complaint/report hit “The Round File” thanks to Commander Taylor and Robbery Homicide). After learning Mr. Baxter was telling the truth (not about poisoning anyone himself) but that residents were being offed by the managing director in attempt to keep occupancy rates full with paying clients (read: not on Medicaid) and ones with lots of family and friends to come visit (read: not left abandoned in the home), thus, “turning old age into a business,” even Brenda realizes she hadn’t been taking Mr. Baxter all that seriously because he appeared “old, difficult and delusional.”

But the old guy gets everybody in the end – and he even gets to write another story, too. Awww …

I know this all sounds as if the episode was very serious. But actually, it was filled with those classic Closer light-hearted moments: Brenda first referring to Mr. Baxter as Rumpelstiltskin, given he wouldn’t give up his name nor any details about the alleged poisoning of victims for which he claimed to have been responsible (which, of course, he wasn’t … and we all know the fairy tale story of Rumpelstiltskin, right?); the aging Lieutenant Provenza being asked if he was “here for a tour” when going to investigate Mr. Baxter’s room at the nursing home; Provenza teasing the recently-returned-from-suspension Sergeant Gabriel that “there’s no need to beat a confession of this man ... he’s been confessing all morning”; Baxter telling Brenda “if there was a good lookin’ broad in this department back when this was my beat, I might never have retired.”

But, as usual, Brenda takes the cake on providing infinite comic relief throughout this ep as she and Fritz try to make an offer on a new house. She seems wholly unable (or incapable?) of finding a fax machine that works to fax the over an offer on the house, yet she seems to have no trouble faxing over her search warrant to Fritz instead.

Classic Brenda – disheveled, scattered and clueless but spot on whilst investigating her murder.

Turns out, though, the nice elderly lady whose home Brenda and Fritz wanted to purchase only put it on the market to meet nice people after her husband died – “it’s so hard to meet people in Los Angeles … I started out going to AA meetings, but it turns out you have to stop drinking completely, which seemed a bit extreme.”

Ba dum bum.

Who said the elderly was futile?

Seems to me they’re pretty darn clever.

Hug a grandmother (or grandfather) today.

New episodes air Mondays at 9 p.m. on TNT.

Won't You Take Tom to Freaky Town?

Alright, The 4400 got me! I totally thought that Jordan's goons gave Tom the shot. I spent the entire commercial break wondering what that was going to mean for the future of the show. Thankfully, all of my worst-case scenarios were erased once the break was over. A few scenes later, Diana confirmed that Tom was promicin negative. Kyle is really sold on this prophecy and carrying it through. Somebody has been drinking too much of the Kool-Aid! He has always been one of those "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for everything" characters, so I'm not surprised to see him so wrapped up in this book and Jordan's movement. Just one more complication for poor Tom. I know that Evanston was supposed to be a utopia, but it was freaking me out. I got the creepy vibe the minute Tom walked into that diner, and it continued throughout his stay. Was the town story line familiar to anyone else? I feel like The X-Files did something similar back in the day - maybe not. Anyway, after meeting all of the residents of Evanston, it became apparent that Kyle wasn't the only one drinking the Kool-Aid.

Meanwhile, Maia's visions turned into scary dreams about a Nazi-like round-up of 4400s. Question is, are they predictions or just manifestations of Maia's imagination? I wasn't too sure at first, but once the councilman's face popped up, I felt pretty sure that what she was seeing in dream form was, in fact, her visions of the future. It looks like scary times are ahead for the original promicin-positives. Finally, it was super fabulous to see some Diana/Maia scenes again. This season has been a little light on them (in fact, non-existent), and I've missed them terribly. These two have my favorite mother-daughter relationship on TV (they were second to Gilmore Girls, but that show is gone, ergo, Diana and Maia move up to the top spot). There's just something awesome about Maia telling her mom not to call her "Sweetie" when she's trying to comfort her, and Diana correcting herself after falling right back into the trap. Let's hope their relationship continues this season. So, tough times for Tom, the 4400 and everyone who cares for them. This show never fails to pack plenty of punch.

If you missed last night's episode, check out the 2-minute replay at the show's official site.

The Countdown Breaks the Top 20

Today, we're continuing with the summer-long countdown of The Best Episodes of the Season. But before we get to this week's entries, here's a look at the rules for this year's winners. I ended up with 30 incredible episodes that demonstrate the diversity and quality of the current television state. All of the shows and their episodes are from NETWORK television only, meaning that I did not take any cable series into consideration (since I only watch a few and felt that it would be unfair). All episodes aired between September 2006 and June 2007. Each episode that made the final list moved me in some way; either by making me laugh out loud, cry my eyes out or just left me with that "wow" feeling that stays with you for a few days. So basically, it's completely subjective! Since this is a summer-long countdown to the number 1 episode, I will reveal a few each week all summer. So, be sure to tune in on Thursdays to find out which episodes are on the countdown! Today, we're going to take a look at numbers 21-19.

21: "Kept a Guy Locked in a Truck" - My Name is Earl
One of Earl's charms is its "former screw-up does right by the people he wronged" theme. It makes the title character extremely likable and it lends a huge dose of heart to the otherwise over-the-top comedy. So while most of the show's funniest moments come from Joy, its more moving ones fall on Earl. Such was the case when he tried to make amends for locking a guy in a truck. Things got complicated when he found out that the guy just died. He decided to arrange for a funeral, but the guy was a loner, so Earl feared that no one would attend. He gathered as much information as he could about this guy and through the journey, learned that he had an entire legion of friends online. So, the guy who lived alone had a send off filled with people who cared about him. And Earl got to cross another bad deed off of his list. Written by Kat Likkel and John Hoberg and directed by Eyal Gordin. (Photo courtesy nbc.com)

20: "Bang" - Desperate Housewives
Even though this show has fallen into severe mediocrity, it does have moments of brilliance. This episode from early in the season was one of them. Carolyn Bigsby (the excellent Laurie Metcalf) finds out that her husband cheated on her with a woman who wound up murdered, so she holds his grocery story, and all of the people in it, hostage. As Lynette learns early on, there's no reasoning with her. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, indeed. Things escalate when she finds out that Edie is locked in her husband's office with him, and Carolyn goes from insane to all-out psycho! Since this show likes to surprise us and remind us that no one is safe, someone was destined to get shot. And that someone is Nora, and the shooting and her resulting death come swift enough to leave us all a little shaken. Of course, no one was quite as shaken as Lynette, who promised the dying Nora that she would care for her daughter. Written by Joe Keenan and directed by Larry Shaw. (Photo courtesy abc.com)

19: "Aliens in a Spaceship" - Bones
Imagine being locked in a car with no way out. And then imagine that that car is buried underground and there's nothing but dirt outside your windows. Your air is slowly depleting and the people who can save you can't figure out your location. Time is of the essence and the pressure is mounting, but somehow, you have to remain calm. It's not something that many of us could do, but Brennan manages to keep herself and Hodgins collected enough to save their lives. Using his soil knowledge and her cell phone rigging, the two are able to send a text message with a code that identifies their whereabouts. Now, it's up to the others to decipher it. Of course, they do and they reach their buried co-workers in time, but the journey to get there is sheer heart pounding, edge-of-your-seat intensity. They also threw in a bit of co-worker bonding for good measure (is there anything sweeter than Hodgins' feelings for Angela??). Written by Janet Tamaro and directed by Craig Ross Jr.

So, there's a look at episodes 21-19 on the countdown. What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Best Episodes is taking the week off next week to make room for Emmy nominations. So, be sure to come back in two weeks to find out which episodes are next on the countdown!!

‘The Closer’ Closes an Intense Case

By LillyKat
PTR Staff Writer

One word: intense.

An 8-year-old girl missing at the hands of a paroled sex offender.

One of Brenda’s team members getting personal and professional dangerously mixed up once again.

And did we mention having to lower oneself to the level of a child molester to get a confession?

No wonder TNT billed the fourth episode of The Closer's third season (aptly titled “Ruby” - the name of the young girl), as one of the most shocking yet. It was one of those uncomfortable episodes that does not have to work very hard to keep you gripped all the while making you squirm. And, in a complete turnabout from last week’s episode, humor was nowhere to be found, here. Nor would it have been appropriate. Young girl goes missing then turns up dead at the hands of said suspected child molester … generally, not light reading no matter what show you’re watching.

The suspect in this case, Roger Stimple, was about as creepy and cold-blooded as they come.

Enough to set off Sergeant Gabriel.

Again.

Gabriel is 0 for 2 this season on containing his personal emotions whilst investigating a murder. It seems he has some sort of career death wish for himself. If we all remember back in episode two, he clashed with Brenda over her decision to arrest a prominent community activist fearing it would send the wrong message.

This time, he pounds - literally - an admission out of Stimple that a) does not lead to finding the young girl alive (as he was sure it would); and b) creates a whole mess of affairs for Brenda so that she is left to figure out how to punish his behavior while not ruining his entire career. Still, she feels she should have “never left Gabriel alone in that room. [She] saw how angry he was.”

And he was.

As would we all with the words coming out of Stimple’s mouth.

The dialogue in this ep was so good it was difficult, at times, to listen to – Stimple taking joy in having sex with young girls; playing the race card for his preference of those girls; listening to him say how the victim – and 8-year-old girl – was leading him on, “wanting it.”

Ugh.

Powerful. Effective. Creepy. Goosepimply.

Still, ugh.

Credit to the writers – when dialogue is this uncomfortable to hear, you know it has been done well.

And, with all that was going on in this episode, it was Kyra Sedgwick, once again, at her best – just not in the usual neurotic, humorous, guns-a-blazin’, close-my-case type of way.

Rather, it was her brimming-with-emotion-yet-keep-it-under-wraps portrayal of Brenda’s conflicted emotions that deserves extra kudos. Whether it was seeing her favorite team member lose it again (and knowing she would have to hold him accountable for his actions – “I cannot sweep this under the rug just because you’re my favorite”); the utter disappointment in failing to find Ruby alive as well as determining she was not Stimple’s only victim; or, the sheer disgust of having to lower herself to the level of Stimple – befriend him, earn his trust, console him – in order to get the confession of not only Ruby’s death, but of two other young girls’ unsolved homicides that were traced back to Stimple … well, it goes without saying Sedgwick is worth every ounce of that Golden Globe, and why she is deserving of another Emmy nomination this year.

Perhaps Brenda’s going to the ladies room after her final interview session with Stimple, sick to her stomach, said it all: not a light episode by any means.

But gripping nonetheless.

New episodes air Monday's at 9 p.m. on TNT

Nothing but the Hard Truth on 'The 4400'

Wow! Just... WOW! It's not very often that a show gives me goose bumps, but the end of this week's episode of The 4400 sure did! When Kyle read Isabelle's translation of the text from 85 years ago and got to the names, the goose bumps starting coming on strong. Then to see Tom's name at the bottom - oh boy! And this was only one of the compelling story lines last night. This show gets better every week. The main event was finding April and her new ability as a human lie detector. It's handy to have when you want to blackmail important people or get a cushy job at NTAC or if you just want to embarrass your sister's partner. When she asked Tom if he ever had sexual fantasies about Diana and he said yes, I about died!! How embarrassed must he have been?! It really is rough being Tom Baldwin and you can add "his partner knows that he fantasies about her" to the list of reasons why. It isn't too easy being April Skouris either, although, she causes a lot of her own misfortune. I felt so badly for her when she found her latest boyfriend dead on the hotel room floor. I was already feeling badly because of the whole Diana/Ben thing, and then they hit us with the dead boyfriend. I really hope this job at NTAC is her ticket to a happy life.

My heart broke a little when Diana told Ben that she was staying in Seattle, especially when she said, "Don't hate me, Ben. Please." Working for NTAC and searching for Jordan Collier really are a big part of who she is even if she wants to be someone who can pack up and move to Spain without giving it a second thought. Diana is Diana, and Ben has to accept her if they're going to have a future together. I'm still not sure that they're destined to walk down the aisle, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that these two crazy kids can work this out. I'll miss hottie Ben in the meantime. And is it just me, or does Diana look absolutely fabulous this season?! Week to week she looks amazing. That time in Spain did her some good (Actually, I think it might be her hair). Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing how things unfold with April at NTAC and what Tom does with the knowledge that his son is promicin positive. And what about the fact that his name is on the 85-year-old list?? Here come the chills again...

If you're wondering what a typical day is like on the set of The 4400, then you will want to click over to star Jacqueline McKenzie's official site. Her June 11th News posting details the hectic pace and funny moments that comprise her usual workday. Click on over to her site to find out what happens in the hair and make-up trailer, which cast member causes the most mischief, and which serious scene from season 1 had everyone hysterical at 4 in the morning!

If you missed last night's episode, check out the 2-minute replay at the show's official site.

The Countdown Rolls On and Your Fave Scrubie Revealed

Last week, we took off from the summer-long countdown of The Best Episodes of the Season due to vacation, but this week we're back in business. Before we get to this week's entries, here's a look at the rules for this year's winners. I ended up with 30 incredible episodes that demonstrate the diversity and quality of the current television state. All of the shows and their episodes are from NETWORK television only, meaning that I did not take any cable series into consideration (since I only watch a few and felt that it would be unfair). All episodes aired between September 2006 and June 2007. Each episode that made the final list moved me in some way; either by making me laugh out loud, cry my eyes out or just left me with that "wow" feeling that stays with you for a few days. So basically, it's completely subjective! Since this is a summer-long countdown to the number 1 episode, I will reveal a few each week all summer. So, be sure to tune in every Thursday to find out which episodes are on the countdown! Today, we're going to take a look at numbers 24-22.

24: "New York Fiction" - Men in Trees
I think we all know by now that I'm a sucker for a good romantic comedy. Well, this 2-part episode of Trees played out like the best of the genre. Up to this point, boy met girl (Jack and Marin), but both boy and girl were hesitant to start a relationship. BUT, that changed when girl traveled to New York for Thanksgiving and quickly discovered that dragging her feet was making her unhappy. Meanwhile back in the Alaskan wilderness, boy came to the same conclusion. So, all that stood in the way was a sappy reunion at Elmo's "airport," right? Nope! Something much bigger was about to present itself and it came in the form of Jack's ex-girlfriend who returned to Elmo with a secret. Like any good romantic comedy TV show, just when it seems that the leads are about to finally get together, a brand new obstacle steps in the way to keep things interesting. Written by series creator Jenny Bicks and Anna Fricke and directed by Arvin Brown (pt. 1) and Jeff Melman (pt. 2). (Photo courtesy abc.com)

23: "Rampage" - Cold Case
You know that expression, "starts with a bang?" Well, the fourth season of CC started with a huge one. When the closing credits appeared on my screen, I knew we were in for an excellent season of TV's best crime drama. This episode was moving, but more than anything else, it was disturbing. Two teens open fire at a local mall in order to kill the popular kids who hung out there, and they get the entire thing on tape. In the process, they kill themselves. Kids killing kids is never an easy subject, but this telling was particularly upsetting because we got to know these kids over the course of the hour. The shooting scenes were horrific, and I found myself looking away at times. Still, this one made me think about our society and the violence that consumes it. Luckily, I haven't been desensitized to the point where stories such as this no longer disturb me or leave an impression. And just in case the story was too overwhelming, the show was sure to throw in a cute scene between Lilly and then-boyfriend Joseph ("Better get some sleep now." "Why?" "'Cause you won't get much later!"). Written by executive producer Veena Sud and directed by Mark Pellington. (Screencap courtesy Ruda at Look Again)

22: "Enter 77" - Lost
Since we're pretending that the first half of this show's season never happened, this first entry on the countdown comes from the excellent second half. You know, once the survivors were back together (minus Jack) and everyone was focused on getting Jack back and everything was wonderful once again in the land of Lost. This one had Locke, Kate and Sayid setting out to find their wayward leader. In the process, they stumble upon a house with a surrounding farm and the infamous Eye Patch Man inside. Locke discovers an elaborate set-up in the basement that contains a last resort switch. If the station is compromised, the occupant is to blow it up in order to erase all evidence of its existence. Meanwhile, Sayid is struggling with a flashback involving a woman he helped torture. The focal point of the flashback is a cat that the woman rescued from his own torture. As Sayid finally lets the memory go, he "sees" the cat on the island. Locke, meanwhile, blows up the station; leaving us wondering which side he was really on. Written by executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse and directed by Stephen Williams. (Screencap courtesy Lost-Media)

So, there's a look at episodes 24-22 on the countdown. What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Next week, we break the Top 20!! So, be sure to tune in next Thursday.

POLL RESULTS REVEALED!!! You guys voted for your favorite Scrubs quote of the season in PTR's Best of the Scrubies Poll, and now PTR has your results. And the winner is (with 25% of the vote).... drum roll please...

"You have been wrong about so many things that I'm not even going to say something's wrong anymore. Instead, I'm going to say it's 'Dorian.'" Dr. Cox to JD

The rest of your results follow:
2. (13%) "Jordan, the boy already lip-syncs into your tampons. Must we put the final nail in his tiny gay coffin?" Dr. Cox regarding his son

(13%) "Nothing ever changes. The Artist Formerly Known as Prince is still just Prince, my ex-wife is still pretty much my wife, 'Grey's Anatomy' always wraps up every episode with some cheesy voiceover that ties together all of the story lines, which incidentally is my least favorite device on television, Newbie continually will try to violate my no touching policy, and Republicans will forever try to raise [JD interrupts his speech with a "sneak hug"]... Of course, I would go kill him right now, but he actually just helped to prove my point." Dr. Cox to Eliot after she insists that people change

(13%) "I've seen The Wiggles live in concert. Twice." Dr. Cox to JD regarding how a baby changes everything in your life
"Did they perform 'Big Red Car'?" Turk to Dr. Cox
"They opened and closed the show with it. It was awesome." Dr. Cox

3. (6%) "Nice singlet. Does it come in hetero?" JD to Keith after Keith whipped out his high school wrestling uniform

(6%) "Or taking advice from a big Hollywood movie star and the dead science fiction writer he worships. You need to get some help." Jordan to Carla on her PPD

(6%) "Ah Billy. After the Arctic and Pacific, you're my favorite Ocean." JD after hearing Billy Ocean's "Caribbean Queen" on his scooter's radio

(6%) "'Bull dinky!' Perry Cox. 6'1." A buck 85 after lunch." Dr. Cox to Laverne after she quotes the bible

(6%) "You know Laverne if this were a horror flick, I'd be so scared that I was next. They always kill the black folks off first." Turk to a comatose Laverne

(6%) "You know what? Make it 22 fries." JD ordering at the drive thru after band member Miguel wouldn't stop playing the drums.
"22 fries. You didn't think I'd do it, did you?" JD to Miguel after he ordered fries for everyone except him

A HUGE thanks to everyone who voted!!

News & Notes

*Fans of ABC's summer series Traveler can click on over to MySpace for clues from the conspiracy thriller courtesy of one of the characters. Just log on to Kim Doherty's MySpace profile to learn what information she just discovered in her crusade to prove her boyfriend Jay's innocence. Traveler airs Wednesday nights on ABC.

*Veronica Mars alum Jason Dohring is heading back to TV this fall with the new CBS show Moonlight. The series from Warner Bros. Television follows Mick St. John (Alex O'Loughlin), a Los Angeles private investigator who hides his real identity from his clients - he's a vampire. Dohring will play Josef, an ancient vampire and close confidante to Mick St. John. Moonlight will air Friday nights on CBS this fall.

*USA's The 4400 and ABC Family's Kyle XY are the winners of TV.com's latest poll. The television site asked more than 8,500 of you which summer series you were most excited to see return this year and the two sci-fi shows topped the list. Here's a look at the site's complete results:
The 4400 17%
Kyle XY 16%
Entourage 12%
Weeds 10%
Eureka 8%
Rescue Me 6%
Monk 6%
Psych 5%
So You Think You Can Dance 5%
Hell's Kitchen 5%
The Closer 4%
Big Love 2%
America 's Got Talent 2%
Dirty Jobs 2%
Top Chef 1%

Total Votes: 8,544

*Speaking of summer series, CBS' Big Brother returns tomorrow night (Thursday) with a new creative twist. Some of the houseguests will share the house with an unwelcome person from their past. In addition, viewers will have more control through a new interactive feature. The 14 contestants for the new season include a shoe salesman from Chicago, a cocktail waitress from Los Vegas, a school counselor from Waldorf, MD, and a former pro football player from Kimball, Minn.

*And finally, find out why fans of CBS' Jericho are passionate enough about the series to convince the network to bring it back for another season. Reruns of the first season begin this Friday night and continue through the summer with a special recap show on July 13th.