PTR Abridged: 'Everwood' Flashback! Plus TV on DVD Monday!

And… We’re back! Sort of. You see, in addition to having no Internet at my new place, I also have no TV!! Sure, I get the major networks off of my HD antenna, but they’re not doing me a whole lotta good right now because it’s reality/rerun season. Let me just tell you, though, I have become the biggest So You Think You Can Dance fan! I’m still steaming over Allison’s departure the other night. The girl was destined to be in the finals, and then bam she’s gone. I guess I can’t complain, though, because as Kat loves to remind us, if you don’t vote, you can’t complain. Anyway, all this is to say that I haven’t been able to watch any of my favorite cable summer shows the past couple of weeks. No Brenda Leigh Johnson southern speak, no crazy Psych-ed out antics and no new answers from The 4400! But, hopefully, the [sarcasm] completely competent folks[/sarcasm] at the DirecTV contractor’s office will have me up and running in no time. Yeah, I’m not holding my breath either! I do have all of the missed episodes coming my way courtesy of a fellow TV fan, so the situation could be much worse. In any event, I promised you reaction to last night’s The 4400, but since I still don’t have my DirecTV, I didn’t see it and therefore, can’t comment on it. Well, I could, but it wouldn’t make a lot of sense. So instead of 4400 reaction, we’re going to take a look at another classic episode of the dearly departed Everwood. Today, we’re sticking with the first season (the show’s best IMO), and the second episode of the series. Really, I could feature each episode of the show’s first season, it’s that good. Since I have little access to the Internet, this will be a shorter look than I would like and it will be low-tech (little to no pictures), but it is something to tied us over until Pass the Remote is back in its usual form.

“The Great Doctor Brown” contains one of the show’s best scenes ever. It’s the scene that brought us full circle in the show’s wonderful series finale last month. It all started with a Ferris wheel and a story about Grover. Ephram had been beginning to think that Amy’s friendship came with a price tag. He knew that she was hopelessly devoted to Colin, and therefore, not interested in dating him, but was there something else that Amy wanted from Ephram? Turns out that the answer to that question was yes, and the foundation that built the entire first season. Amy wanted Ephram to ask his father to take on Colin’s case. Ephram knew it, but he didn’t understand it until that fateful Ferris wheel ride. Amy told Epkram the story about how she got the nickname “Grover.” Besides the fact that she was always a big Grover fan, Amy recounted to Ephram why the name had a deeper meaning. Colin used it to cover for her when she did something wrong. He simply said, “Grover did it.” From that point on, Colin called Amy “Grover”. After Amy’s story, Ephram does the most selfless thing of his young life; he agrees to talk to his dad about Colin’s case. Of course, he decides not to later, but for one shining moment, your heart melts and your eyes well up because you know that Ephram cares so much about Amy that he’s willing to sacrifice his feelings for her in order to make her happy. I’m pretty sure this was the moment when I decided that I wasn’t going to stand for anything other than Amy and Ephram finding their own happy ending in the long run.

This episode also brings us one of the show’s more heart-wrenching scenes. Nothing was more touching on Everwood than watching Andy’s undying devotion and love for his late wife, Julia. This is another storyline that comes full circle in the show’s ender with a cemetery conversation, but before that conversation took place, many others unfolded that led Delia to the conclusion that her father was suffering from a broken heart. Andy’s out loud talks with his dead wife culminated in an embarrassing public spectacle at the annual Fall Thaw Festival right along with Amy and Ephram’s Ferris wheel heart-to-heart. With the entire town looking on, Andy began talking to Julia and the town began deciding that their new doctor was as loony as his no-charge policy. Delia slowly took her father’s hand and led him away from the glaring onlookers. As awesome as the pilot was, I’m pretty sure this was the moment when I decided that this show was an absolute can’t miss affair each week. How much heart can a show squeeze into an hour? I’m not sure, but Everwood managed to squeeze in plenty without making it seem forced. Along with the more heart-wrenching moments, there was the usual dose of funny in this episode as well. Everything from Dr. Abbott’s hilarious ice cream order and subsequent run-in with his mother to his reaction the next day when all of his patients returned after witnessing Andy’s emotional breakdown at the festival provided some much needed comic relief. And that’s what was brilliant about Everwood - its ability to blend the tears with the laughter without skipping a beat. If you would like to see this episode, click on over to Amazon.com to order your copy of the show’s first season on DVD or Netflix to rent one. Fans are working on campaigns to get subsequent seasons released and ABC Family will begin airing the entire show sometime soon.


QUICK CUTS

*And finally, it’s TV on DVD Monday! Look for the complete series of the Lisa Kudrow comedy The Comeback to hit store shelves tomorrow along with Blue Collar TV (season 2), Curb Your Enthusiasm (season 5) and Dallas (season 5). For a full list of all of tomorrow’s releases, visit tvshowsondvd.com.

Since I have such limited access to the Internet, I won’t be covering all of the day’s top television news stories until I get my Internet hooked up. Be sure to click over to PassTheRemote.net to get all of the latest news.

That’s all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for another Flashback Edition featuring the always amazing Veronica Mars and a secret discovery that leads to a great showdown between the teen detective and Sheriff Lamb!



To get more television coverage, including the network's new fall schedules and a complete archive of the best of Pass the Remote with a photo gallery featuring pictures from the set of Veronica Mars, click on over to PassTheRemote.net.

'Everwood' Flashback! Plus Another Show Bites the Dust and TV Shows on DVD Monday!

I remember the Fall 2002 evening that Everwood premiered like it was yesterday. It was the Monday before the rest of the networks rolled out their crop of new and returning shows, so reruns abounded. I was in the middle of my usual channel surfing right before 9 p.m., when I stopped on a preview for a new family drama that looked to pack a bigger punch than its sugary-sweet lead-in 7th Heaven. So, I decided to stick around and visit the world of Everwood, Colorado. After all, my usual Monday night at 9 p.m. fare, Everybody Loves Raymond, wasn't premiering for another week, so why not give another show a chance? From the first word of Irv's narration, I knew my Raymond days were over. I had abandoned television for the most part during my four years of college, but Everwood's overwhelming heart and quality marked my triumphant return. I began to believe in television and its unmistakable ability to move us, make us laugh, make us cry and make us think about the important things, and this all happened after viewing the pilot episode of this incredible series. I guess this is why I will always hold a very special place in my heart for Everwood. Throughout the remainder of the summer, PTR will take a look at some classic episodes of this show just as we're doing with both Veronica Mars and Cold Case, but Everwood's Flashback Editions will be more of a tribute to a show that has given us so much. Today, we're going back to the beginning with the very first episode. All of the screencaps in this edition are courtesy of Seeking Grace: The Everwood Archive.


As you all know, pilot episodes are designed to introduce us to all of the show's characters and set up scenarios that will carry us through its duration. This sort of formulaic necessity can wear us down some, but what made Everwood's pilot shine so brightly was the fact that we met the characters at the same time that the Browns, whom we had already decided to root for because we learned their story right off the top from Irv's narration, met them. When we first meet Andy, Ephram and Delia, things are at the worst of times for the broken family. Their wife and mother, Julia, died in a car accent and Andy decided to move the family to Everwood because of a promise that he made to his late wife. Unfortunately, he failed to explain this fact to his children, leaving Ephram sad, confused and angry. The two never had a strong relationship because Andy, a prominent neurosurgeon, worked all the time, leaving Julia to raise the kids. Things only get worse for Ephram as he navigates the difficult halls of Pike County High School and learns that the girl he's crushing on, and will eventually fall in love with, is in love with a boy in a coma. Enter Amy Abbott, one of television's most realistic and complicated teenage characters ever, and her boyfriend Colin Hart, who was severely injured in a car accident. Ephram can't quite compete with a boy in a coma, but he can't get Amy out of his head either, so when she wants him to ask his father to take Colin's case, he can only say yes. And with that heart wrenching set up, Everwood was off and running with its colorful characters, emotional storylines, complicated relationships and one of the best love stories to come out of series television.

QUICK CUTS

*ABC is pulling the plug on its summer reality series How to Get The Guy. The show's most recent ratings performance (July 3rd) turned in only 1.2 million viewers in the 18-49 year olds category. The decision leaves two unaired episodes. ABC will air an extra repeat of Supernanny in its place this week and a CMA special next week until the previously announced freshman series One Ocean View premieres on July 31st.

*And finally, it's TV on DVD Monday! Look for the 1st season of Weeds to hit store shelves tomorrow along with ER (season 5), I Dream of Jeannie (season 2) and Reno 911! (season 3). To see a complete list of tomorrow's releases, visit tvshowsondvd.com.


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

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the return of the Veronica Mars Flashback Edition featuring another classic episode! Plus, all the latest television news!



To get more television coverage, including the network's new fall schedules and a complete archive of the best of Pass the Remote with a photo gallery featuring pictures from the set of Veronica Mars, click on over to PassTheRemote.net.

FINALE BLOWOUT: Thanks for Four Wonderful Years 'Everwood!' Plus 'The Shield' Gets Another Season and Casting News

It wasn't supposed to happen this way. Everwood was at the top of its game and on its way to a fifth season when The WB and UPN decided to shut down and form the unified CW network this fall. Had that never happened, there's no doubt in my mind that last night's amazing two hours of television would have simply been the season finale instead of the series finale. Honestly, this is the hardest edition of Pass the Remote that I have had to write so far. I spent most of the two hours trying to keep it together because I knew that the moment that the tears started flowing, it was all over. And, I really didn't want to spend 2+ hours crying. I managed to suppress the tears until Andy visited his wife's grave and said goodbye. I recovered somewhat, but that Amy/Ephram montage sent me back over the edge, and there was no going back. By the time the Best. Ending. Scene. Ever!! was over, I was a bumbling mess. There were happy tears for the fantastic ending and the outstanding two hours of television that I had just watched, and then there were the sad tears for the end of a show that will forever land on all of my Best of Television lists. I still have to fight back tears as I write this entry today. BUT, I decided last night that I didn't want to make this a sad or bitter entry because a show like Everwood deserves so much better for its series finale. So, today's entry is all about celebrating a show that moved us, touched us, made us cry, made us laugh and made us jump for joy in more times in its four short years than most shows do in ten. Yes, for one day only I'm going to throw away my bitterness toward the CW and its mind-blowing decision to renew 7th Heaven over Everwood (OK, so maybe I got one jab in there).


There are many things that I 'm going to miss about Everwood. All of the characters, especially Amy and the rest of the Abbotts, will forever hold a special place in my heart. I know that Amy has gone through ups and downs with the audience, but I never lost faith in her. She returned to the Amy that I always knew and loved as the season wound down, especially last night when she realized that she was still in love with Ephram. I will also miss the hysterical scenes that help lighten the show's often heavy tone like last night's scenes with Nina and Hannah. I loved the way Nina spilled about the ring to Hannah, and then how Hannah hinted that they should go check it out. It was even funnier when they actually went to sneak a peek at the ring and almost got caught. If it hadn't been for Hannah's hysterical quick thinking then Andy wouldn't have been frantically wondering what happened to his ring. I still can't believe that Nina took it with her. Of course, this set up a pivotal scene between her and Jake that led to their tearful goodbye at the airport. And speaking of that tearful goodbye, I'm going to miss the way this show presents the true complexities of human relationships. Sure, Nina loved Jake, but too much of her heart belonged to Andy in order to give it fully to Jake. In reality, she was being unfair to herself and Jake, and I wanted to stand up and hug him for being such a good person about the entire thing. See, now I'm also going to miss Jake. One of the biggest things that I'm going to miss is scenes like this one between Amy and Hannah. It has to be the most honest scene I have ever seen on a television show, so yes, I'm also going to miss Everwood's "keep it real" approach.




Series finales always evoke a sense of nostalgia and sadness, but they can also come across a little clichéd and sappy. Everwood managed to wrap things up with the same class and dignity that the show has always graced us with. It was the perfect ending because it brought closure to important story lines, but also left some open. Hannah and Bright aren't back together, but her decision to go to A&M with him leaves hope that they might work things out one day. I'm glad the writers didn't bring them together just for the finale. After what Bright did, it is going to take a lot of time for Hannah to decide whether she can 100% forgive him. Life doesn't get wrapped up into nice little packages, so I don't expect my TV shows to either. Bringing Andy and Nina together was a long time coming and it never felt forced. We know that they’re happy together. The same goes with Amy and Ephram. The show would have done us a disservice had it not brought them together. We've all known the entire time, just like Ephram, that he and Amy would end up together. Having Amy rent that Ferris wheel was a beautiful way for the show to come full circle. I loved how they brought up the Grover reference because I had been thinking the same thing. But the Ferris wheel wasn't the show's only "full circle moment." Andy finally let go of Julia when he went to her grave site and said goodbye. It was a hard thing to do, but necessary for him to feel good about moving on. And Delia finally got her horse that Andy promised her in the pilot episode. I never imagined that the show would tie up a seemingly empty promise, but I was overjoyed to see that even a minor detail such as Delia’s horse, wasn't overlooked. Executive producer Rina Mimoun told TV Guide that the staff went back to the pilot to figure out all of the questions that fans would want answered in the finale, and that extra effort really paid off. The episode was a masterpiece in a body of work that tends to show us nothing less. If you need any further proof about the wonderfulness that was Everwood, look no further than last night's closing scene.



This scene instantly went down on my mental list of the best scenes in television history. It was joyous, poignant, sweet and perfectly acted by both Emily VanCamp and Gregory Smith. What an excellent way for a show to end its critically acclaimed run and to make all of its legions of fans proud and happier for having spent time, as limited as it may have been, in Everwood.

As the finale so beautifully exemplified, Everwood succeeded because it never failed to move us. Every episode was a tribute to good characters through good writing and acting, and this was what gave the show its soul. See, Everwood never had fancy special effects or centralized mysteries to hook viewers in. That’s because it didn’t have to – it had characters and stories that reached into our hearts and minds and made us think or cry or laugh or any number of other emotions. It was a show about people and how we all influence each other even when we think we don’t. It was about families divided by tragedies that somehow find a way back to each other. It was about holding on to a first love no matter what insurmountable obstacle you’re up against. And it was about the trials and tribulations of life that we can all find a way to relate to each week. It was simply one of television’s brightest spots that won’t burn out any time soon despite its end. I want to thank Greg Berlanti, Rina Mimoun, Mickey Liddell, the writing staff, the directing staff, the entire production staff, Treat Williams, Gregory Smith, Emily VanCamp, Tom Amandes, Merrilyn Gann, Chris Pratt, Sarah Drew, Stephanie Niznik, Debra Mooney, John Beasley, Vivien Cardone, Scott Wolf and Justin Baldoni for four incredible years of quality television. We will miss you, Everwood, more than you know.

Teen Television has an awesome tribute to Everwood that is calls, "a quiet show filled with small, emotionally powerful moments that resonated." The site also says that Everwood had "some of the best drama writing the medium has seen in recent years," which makes the loss even harder to take for all of us fans. Perhaps the piece's most fitting thoughts are its last:

The actors and writers worked as hard as they could to make "Everwood" TV's best family drama. And they succeeded.

Too bad that wasn't enough.

Too bad, indeed.


Besides incredible storytelling and acting, last night's finale also gave us some great tunes. Here's a rundown of what you heard and where you can get it.

When Nina was preparing to leave Everwood for California and Delia was celebrating at her bat mitzvah, the poignant "This is Our Life" by Mary Beth Maziarz played over the scenes. You can find "This is Our Life" on Maziarz's album Wish. You can also snag the single from iTunes.



Later in the episode, we watched an emotional clip montage of Amy and Ephram through the years. The song was brand new and made its debut on the show last night. It's called "Ruins" and it's by a newly formed group called George is Jones. It's not out on an album or iTunes yet, but you can hear an exclusive audio clip over at TVGuide.com's Ask Ausiello.



Ephram danced with Amy at the bat mitzvah. It was the moment when both of them realized that they still loved each other, but neither said anything. Dave Matthews Band's "Steady As We Go" was the song they danced to. You can find the song on the band's Stand Up album. You can also download the song from iTunes.


Finally, executive producer Rina Mimoun sent a message to all of the show's fans via TVGuide.com's Mike Ausiello:

"final thank you to all our fans for all their hard work and effort. I'd love to give a giant cyberhug to everyone who has been so amazing to us."

This ends Pass the Remote's regular season discussions on Everwood, but don't worry because you'll be hearing a lot more from the fan favorite this summer on Pass the Remote. I have plenty of Everwood goodness planned. This also concludes the Finale Blowout season here at Pass the Remote. It has been a blast bringing you all the highlights from some of your favorite shows' finales. If you missed any Finale Blowouts, click on over to the Best of Pass the Remote at PassTheRemote.net.


QUICK CUTS

*FX wants to keep The Shield around for a little while longer. The hit police drama will wrap up after its 7th season, which is slated to hit the airwaves sometime in late 2007 or early 2008. Currently, the show is working on its 6th season that will premiere early next year. Star Michael Chiklis is signed on to return along with creator Shawn Ryan, but Forest Whitaker will make limited appearances in the upcoming season.

*And finally, actress Cybill Shepherd is returning to television. The former Moonlighting and Cybill star will join the cast of Showtime’s The L Word. She’ll play the president of the college that Bette Porter (Jennifer Beals) attends who begins to question her sexuality. The show will begin its 4th season next year.

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


That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for a season recap. I'll have all the highlights, lowlights and everything in between from the 2005-2006 TV season. Plus, all the latest television news!


To get more television coverage, including the network's new fall schedules and a complete archive of the best of Pass the Remote with a photo gallery featuring pictures from the set of Veronica Mars, click on over to PassTheRemote.net.

'Everwood' Prepares to Say Goodbye! Plus New Life for 'Deadwood' and More Fuel for 'Wildfire'

Well, we know one thing is certain and another is probably so. Everwood will sign off tonight for more than likely, the last time. I just can't seem to wrap my head around that idea yet, though. As many critics have said, Everwood's untimely departure will go down as one of television's biggest atrocities and it will join the fabled ranks of Sports Night, Arrested Development and other gone-too-soon shows. It happens all the time, but somehow, Everwood's demise is a bigger pill to swallow than most. The good news is, the finale tonight was designed to be a "series" finale, so we will get some closure (which is more than most shows' fans can say - see Invasion). Executive producer Rina Mimoun told TVGuide.com that the staff went back to the show's beginning in order to write its end. "When we sat down to come up with the [series finale, we told] the staff, 'Go all the way back to the pilot, and think of anything you ever wanted to see, in case the fans from the pilot are still with us.' I feel like it's very satisfying in that way." Critics seem to agree. TVGuide.com says:

Luckily, this swan song is everything fans could wish for. Everwood has always been a love story wrapped in a family drama, so it's fitting that its final moments are for Amy and Ephram. They, along with Andy, Nina and Jake, and Bright and Hannah have moments of reckoning that are as complicated, flawed and thrilling as their relationships. Those relatable connections are why we'll forever miss what should be considered among TV's greatest family dramas. — Bill Ecklund

Zap2it.com's TV Gal says:

But if this is the end, "Foreverwood Parts 1 and 2" should bring satisfying conclusions to both the romantic and family entanglements.

Media Life Magazine says:

But those who do watch will see all those loose ends tied up, if not in a bow, with a certain sweet finality that should call upon the best of its writing crew.

So, whether tonight is the swansong or a pseudo one, ala 7th Heaven, will remain to be seen for a few days. One thing seems to be certain; Everwood will go out with the class and dignity that it deserves, and even the CW can't take that away from this remarkable series. In the immortal words of Entertainment Weekly, "Sorry to see you go, Everwood, but The CW wasn’t the place for you. You have class. You have dignity…" Final thoughts on tonight's 2-hour finale from the series' executive producer Mimoun, "Series finales are always so hard. I'm such a huge TV fan, and whenever one of my favorite shows ends, I'm always so afraid they're going to leave stuff out. I am sure some people are going to think that we did, but I definitely feel we paid a lot of things off."

Everwood will air a 2-hour finale tonight at 8 p.m. on The WB. TVGuide.com's Mike Ausiello has an exclusive audio clip of a song that you will hear during tonight's episode. Click over there, if you'd like to get an early listen. And remember to tell everyone you know to tune in tonight! The show's life depends on it!

FRIDAY FUN: SUMMER STYLE (Trivia Answer)
On Friday, I asked you guys a trivia question for the first edition of Friday Fun: Summer Style. Now, it's time to reveal the answer!

Q: The television show Everwood takes place in the fictional town of Everwood, Colorado. Where is the show actually shot?


A: Everwood is filmed in Utah.

Congratulations to Scooter, Suekola 44 and Anonymous (Heather) for answering the question correctly!! Be sure to tune in this Friday for another round of Friday Fun: Summer Style. This week's edition features one of television's funniest comedies.


QUICK CUTS

*HBO's Deadwood may be dead after its upcoming season, but it will come back to life in the form of two 2-hour TV movies. The network and series creator David Milch came to an agreement over the weekend that will allow the show's story lines to wrap up through the movies. The third, and final full, season of Deadwood kicks off Sunday night on HBO.

*Fans of ABC Family's Wildfire will get a chance to see more of the hit show. According to Variety (via TVGuide.com), ABCFamily.com will run exclusive episodes that will serve as a prequel to the series. These "webisodes" will follow Kris Furillo's troubled life before she came to the thoroughbred horse racing barn. They will premiere this fall on ABCFamily.com.

*And finally, it's TV on DVD Monday. Look for the first season of NCIS to hit store shelves tomorrow along with Charmed (season 5), Entourage (season 2), Home Improvement (season 4) and The X-Files (seasons 7, 8, 9). To see a complete list of tomorrow's releases, visit tvshowsondvd.com.

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


That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the Everwood Finale Blowout! I'll have all the laughs, the tears and the incredible final moments in the final Finale Blowout edition of Pass the Remote this season. Plus, tune in for all the latest television news.


To get more television coverage, including the network's new fall schedules and a complete archive of the best of Pass the Remote with a photo gallery featuring pictures from the set of Veronica Mars, click on over to PassTheRemote.net.

'Everwood' Says Goodbye to Irv! Plus Summer Premieres Tonight and DVD Releases

I'm still relishing in the fact that we're getting new episodes of Everwood when almost every other regular season show is in reruns. Of course, it's only a temporary high as we all know the inevitable low is only a week and one short 2-hour finale away. I started to tear up last night just watching the preview for it, so you guys know I'm going to be a mess next week at this time. That's OK, though, because we can all commiserate together over the untimely demise of a beloved show. Interestingly enough, this was the theme of last night's stellar hour, except instead of a show's demise, it was Irv's that we were mourning along with the residents of Everwood. From Dr. Abbott's beautiful eulogy to the flashbacks to Edna's declaration that she and Irv "deserved more time," the entire episode could have been a not-so-subtle veiled attempt at giving the CW a little bit of a wake-up call. Too bad this episode was produced before the network revealed the fate of the show, so the veiled attempts were merely coincidences. The entire episode seemed to symbolize the CW's decision to not include Everwood on its schedule in favor of the worn out 7th Heaven, which made me appreciate this episode even more. Executive Producer Rina Mimoun had said that the death would be "sad, but not tragic" and that's exactly how I felt about Irv's passing. He was such a good person and led such a wonderful life, that I enjoyed the episode's attempt to celebrate the man through several of the character's memories. Perhaps the most poignant was Bright's remembrance of how Irv forced him to take responsibility and do something with his life which led him on the path to college and Hannah. Speaking of Hannah, it looked like she and Bright may be able to salvage their friendship after all. I would love to see these two back together as friends before the show goes off the air. The saddest moment in the episode came when Edna finally broke down after everyone had left and she "saw" Irv standing in her kitchen. Debra Mooney turned in a marvelous performance throughout the episode, but she was at her best in this emotionally charged ending scene.


Irv's passing also brought us some developments on the Amy/Ephram front. Amy remembered the time that Irv told her to fix the broken mug instead of just throwing it out. This was back during her rebellious stage in season 2, so she got angry with Irv because she was tired of everyone trying to teach her important lessons. Ephram showed up, and the two went for a walk. It was one of their deep conversations while Ephram was dating Madison and Amy was dating the horrible Tommy. At the end of their walk, Ephram told her that whomever she married would be lucky because he got her. Sure, it was a little heavy-handed, but it was also sweet and it was a moment that Amy needed to remember. Meanwhile, Ephram told Nina that Andy bought an engagement ring in case she chooses to stay in Everwood with him over going to California with Jake. Nina loves to play it safe, so this new information must have rocked her emotional world. We all know that she's running off to California so she can dodge her feelings for Andy and live happily ever after with Jake, but we also all know that those feelings will follow her. I loved that Ephram told her because he wanted his father to be happy. I also love that he and his father seem to be in the same position, except Amy isn't seeing anyone. The humor dose for the episode came in the form of observing the difference between guys and girls and how each deals with heartache. Ephram (still pining over Amy) and Bright (still upset about Hannah) decided to watch a movie that blows up a lot of stuff, while Amy (secretly pining over Ephram) and Hannah (still upset about Bright) talked over brushing their teeth and then decided to raid the frig for chocolate, proving that men are from the planet where things blow up and women are from any planet that has a lot of chocolate rather than Mars and Venus. Oh Everwood, I'm going to miss you more than you'll know. In the eternal words of the great Edna Harper, "We didn't get enough time, you and I. We deserved more time." That we did, indeed Everwood, that we did.


7 Million Strong!!!
If we can get 7 million viewers for next week's 2-hour finale, then new CW entertainment president Dawn Ostroff won't be able to ignore Everwood! Remember, Everwood was originally on the fall schedule until 7th Heaven's "series" finale brought in 7 million viewers. This is what Ostroff told TVGuide.com's Mike Ausiello about those numbers:

Ausiello: I hear the decision to renew Heaven was made after the ratings for the finale came in. True?
Ostroff: It [drew] over seven million people. It's hard to ignore that.

So, tell everyone you know to tune in Monday night at 8/7 p.m. and watch the 2-hour finale!! If enough people tune in, maybe we can get Everwood on the CW's midseason schedule. Don't give up yet. For more on this newest campaign, visit Save Everwood Now. In other Everwood news, executive producer Rina Mimoun did a 2-part interview with TVGuide.com. It's a little spoilerish, but an excellent interview. Part 1 and Part 2

QUICK CUTS

*TV TONIGHT: Rodney returns from hiatus tonight (ABC 8:30 p.m.), Last Comic Standing launches its 4th season (NBC 8 p.m.), Less Than Perfect returns from hiatus to finish its run (ABC 9:30 p.m.) and Rescue Me returns with its 3rd season (FX 10 p.m.). See more listings at PassTheRemote.net.

*Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan's character may not have survived the Grey's Anatomy season finale, but that doesn't mean the actor is done with the show's creator, Shonda Rhimes. According to The Hollywood Reporter (via Zap2it), Rhimes just cast the actor as a regular in a series that she is developing for ABC. The network ordered a pilot on the show, which centers on a group of female journalists, that Rhimes will work on over the summer during her hiatus from Grey's Anatomy.

*And finally, it's TV on DVD Monday Tuesday! Look for the first season of NBC's now cancelled Joey to hit shelves today along with The Dukes of Hazard (season 6), ALF (season 3), Night Stalker (complete series) and Numb3rs (season 1). For a complete list of tomorrow's releases, visit tvshowsondvd.com.

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


That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for a look at CBS' quest for younger viewers. Plus, all the latest television news!

To get more television coverage, including the network's new fall schedules and a complete archive of the best of Pass the Remote with a photo gallery featuring pictures from the set of Veronica Mars, click on over to PassTheRemote.net.

'Everwood' Continues to Shine! Plus 'Medium,' Sexy Vegetarians and 'Lost' Action Figures

As annoying as it was to go four months without a new Everwood right in the middle of the television season, aren't you loving the fact that we're still getting new episodes and will continue to for another two weeks? I'm savoring every moment since I know that these last few episodes will not only be the last of the season, but sadly, also of the series. It's a bitter pill to swallow, and even more so when I watch the amazing episodes each week. I feel like The CW stabbed all of us Everwood fans in the back last week with the announcement that it wouldn't be picking up the critically acclaimed drama. The network started twisting that knife when it kept the Everwood site up on its new web site, and it continues to do so each time we watch a new episode. I sat there last night fuming with the knowledge that quality programming with one of television's best writing staffs gets passed over for teenage drivel like One Tree Hill. I figure by the time the finale airs June 4th, I'll be so bitter and angry that the next day's entry will be a diatribe about the evils of The CW (save for Veronica Mars). Just thought I'd go ahead and warn you guys now.


But, let's not dwell on the terrible injustice that is The CW's decision not to renew Everwood because last night's episode produced another quality hour of television as it does consistently week after week (unlike some other shows that got another season. OK, moving on). This was the big "Bright Goes Through the Window" episode that we have seen advertise for some time now, and that led to a lot of fans thinking that Bright is the character that dies before the series ends (executive producer Rina Mimoun has said on many occasions that a character will die). I really didn't think it was going to be Bright, but I was a little worried when things looked a little touch and go at the hospital. Hannah seemed to show up for Bright as much as she did to support Amy. I never doubted that she still loved him, but it was nice to see her smile after he woke up. I really like Nick and perhaps if we were given another season, more could have been done with him and Hannah, but alas, we all know the hard truth. Ultimately, I want Hannah with Bright, but I think it's too soon. The problem is that the show is wrapping up against its will, so if I want Hannah and Bright to live happily ever after then it's now or never. Curse you CW! It's the same with Amy and Ephram for me. I just feel like both of these "couples" have so much story to tell before they ride off into the sunset, but the damn CW isn't allowing for that, so we're going to have to settle for a rush job in both cases. Luckily, the writers are brilliant enough to make the absolute best out of a horrible situation, but I'm still bitter about all of the stories we're going to miss out on. And there I go again getting off track about the ridiculous CW oversight (seriously, the day after the finale is going to be bad people, BAD!). Anyway, when we weren't busy worrying that Bright was the ill-fated character, we were getting nervous about Rose's cancer scare. It seemed that her cancer had returned, but luckily her scan showed that she was officially in remission. The person we all needed to be worried about was Irv. He seemed to suffer a heart attack as he was bringing Edna breakfast in bed. I assumed that she was still sleeping since we saw him collapse to the floor unconscious and no one running to his rescue. Is Irv the character that Everwood loses? My money was totally on Jake, but it seems that I was sorely wrong.


In other Everwood happenings, Andy's estranged father arrived in town to finally apologize for all the years of emotional neglect. The most interesting part of this story was the way that Andy and his father related to each other because it was like watching an older version of Andy and Ephram. I had no idea that Andy and his father had gone through the same relationship upheaval as he did with his son. Even more interesting was the fact that Andy didn't speak to his father because he was never there for him, especially after his mother died. Ephram and Andy never got along because Andy was never there for his family until after Julia died. This, of course, was the core difference between the two relationship dynamics, and the point that caused Andy's father to realize how badly he failed his son. Elsewhere, Nina and Jake were making plans for their big move to California. For the record, I still don't think it's happening, especially after Nina's talk with Andy. The real reason she's going with Jake is so she can run away from her feelings for Andy. We all know the attempt would be fruitless, so my money is on Nina realizing this fact and staying in Everwood while Jake pursues his new career path in LA. We'll have to see how it plays out in the finale two episodes (sniff, sniff). If you are as upset about the CW injustice as I am, there is a petition to get Everwood on the upstart network's midseason schedule. Right now, there is only one show planned for the mid point and having Everwood for half a season is better than no season. Sign the petition HERE.


How would your life be different if you had chosen another path? This was the fundamental question last night on Medium as we got to see just what would have happened if Allison's had been different. She would have been working for a high- powered defense attorney, married to her college sweetheart and childless. Yes, it was a very different Allison than we're used to seeing every week, and certainly a less compelling one as the episode seemed to drag from time to time. All of this was just a ploy to help Allison understand what was going to happen in court and how to prevent it. D.A. Devalos had a particularly difficult murder case to prosecute because there was no body. This opened the door for the possibility that the "victim" was still alive, and the defense lawyer was going to exploit that possibility with the murdered girl's twin sister. Allison's trip to the land of What Could Have Been allowed her to see how the other side was going to get his client off. The best part of the hypothetical life was the fact that Allison and Joe still found each other and ended up together. I told you guys yesterday that I'm a romantic sap, and now you see what I mean. The only omission from the episode was my TV boyfriend Det. Scanlon. I was bummed that this was the season finale and no Scanlon wit. Other than that, the episode was good, not the best of the season, but still good.


The 41st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards air tonight on CBS live from Las Vegas. And while I wouldn't consider myself a country music fan, there are a few songs that if I happen to hear them, I enjoy. I don't listen to country radio or music channels on TV, so I'm pretty much out of the country loop, but my girl Kathryn Morris is a presenter tonight. She will be joined by fellow presenters Dr. Phil, Emily Proctor, Craig Ferguson, Tony Stewart, performers Sugarland, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts and host Reba McEntire. Check out her promos pictures for tonight's event:



You can see more of Kathryn's ACM photo shoot (HQ photos) at KathrynMorrisOnline.

About Last Night...NBC won the first hour of the night with Deal or No Deal, followed by ABC's special Oprah Winfrey's Legends Ball and the first hour of Fox's 24 finale (which had more total viewers). At 9, CBS landed in first with comedies Two and a Half Men and Old Christine, followed by the second hour of Fox's 24 and NBC's The Apprentice. The first hour of ABC's series finale of Alias came in fourth and Everwood landed in fifth. The final hour of the night went to CBS' CSI: Miami, followed by NBC's Medium and the conclusion of ABC's Alias. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - It's down to Taylor and Katharine on Fox's American Idol. Listen to each of them perform and then cast your vote. Over on CBS, it's the aforementioned 41st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. ABC presents Stephen King's Desperation starring Tom Skerritt, Steven Weber, Annabeth Gish, Ron Perlman, Henry Thomas, Matt Frewer and Charles Durning. The 3-hour movie centers on an unlikely band of people who find themselves forced to be reluctant heroes as they battle an unspeakable horror in a small, Nevada desert town.

FINALES TONIGHT!!!
House (9 p.m. Fox) - 2nd season finale

To see what else you can catch on television tonight with customized listings for your area (via Zap2it), visit the TV Listings area of PassTheRemote.net.


QUICK CUTS

*Actress Kristen Bell is PETA's newest "world's sexiest vegetarian" along with recording artist Prince. The animal rights group holds the online poll annually, and received 40,000 votes this year. Bell said in a statement about her decision to become a vegetarian: "I had a hard time disassociating the animals I cuddled with - dogs and cats, for example - from the animals on my plate, and I never really cared for the taste of meat. I always loved my brussels sprouts!" Natalie Portman, Nicollette Sheridan and Joaquin Phoenix were runners-up in the poll. Last year's recipients were American Idol winner Carrie Underwood and Coldplay's Chris Martin.

*And finally, you love the TV show, but how about Lost action figures? Touchstone Television is developing a line along with MacFarlane Toys of 6-inch action figures based on the characters of the hit show complete with props. Look for the figures to hit stores around the time of the show's 3rd season premiere this fall.

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


That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for thoughts from the newest America's Next Top Model Danielle! Plus, Idol and all the lastest television news!

To get more television coverage, including the network's new fall schedules and a complete archive of the best of Pass the Remote with a photo gallery featuring pictures from the set of Veronica Mars, click on over to PassTheRemote.net.

'Everwood' Wants you to Enjoy the Ride and 'Veronica' Looks to the Skies! Plus More from Upfronts and 'Lost'

I gave Amy the lead picture today because I am just so darn happy that she's back to being the Amy that I love and root for each week. That's not to say that I ever abandoned her because, as you all know, I was defending her all season even through the annoying "I'm so much more open minded because I go to college" phase (and here's to hoping it was just a phase). Like Ephram, I could never give up on Amy. She's a complicated character that I have watched grow and mature through the show's four seasons, so having her back makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. She has been much less self- absorbed these last few weeks and focused more on Hannah, Bright, Reid and Ephram. I still maintain that girls at Amy's age are self-absorbed, so it didn't bother me as much as others because it made her more real and relatable. Amy was especially helpful last night, and it came when she least expected it. Sure she convinced Hannah to join her and Bright in welcoming Reid home from the hospital and she went on a pity date with Reid because she was afraid to say no in his fragile state, but the real Amy help came when she was the only one who could honestly relate to what Reid was going through after almost getting to the same place when Collin died. I think hearing that putting up a brave front does nothing to help you through hard times allowed Reid to really get the help that he needs. Like he said, he has to get to the root of his problems and work through them before he can move on and figure out the rest of his life. Not that I thought Reid was in it for the long haul, but I was surprised that he left the show to move back to Denver. I'm just glad that the writers didn't pair him up with Amy before he left.


In other Everwood happenings, Delia did a complete reversal and became a likeable character again. When she told Andy that she uninvited Talia because Talia told her to uninvite Brittany, I was so proud! I was absolutely beaming like a proud parent when she added that she would rather have fewer friends that she likes than a bunch that she doesn't. And then she went and capped it off with her assertion that she's glad that she hung around with Talia because it allowed her to see the type of person that she doesn't want to be. Our little Delia is growing up so fast, which is why I was psyched when the hat made its return. She's growing up, but she's still the same Delia. This show has always done a nice job of portraying that inner struggle between being a kid and growing up and maturing into an adult. We've seen it with Ephram, Amy and Bright and now it's Delia's turn. Elsewhere, Harold was grappling with the realization that he and Rose took each other for granted while they had the opportunity to be together because they were so focused on the adoption. The situation was made more poignant with the un-used nursery serving as the background. To top it off, one of his patients learned that he was dying and his schizophrenic wife just gave birth to their first child. The episode ended with Nina stewing over the possibility of moving to California with Jake. I can't imagine Nina leaving the only town that she has ever known, especially with her restaurant doing so well, but then again, I can't see her holding Jake back as well. It will be interesting to see what she decides. I have to admit to all of you that I write this collection of thoughts today with a heavy hand because I learned this morning that this may be one of the last weekly entries on Everwood. It seems that things are not looking good for another season. Here's the news courtesy of TVGuide.com's Mike Ausiello, who is at the network upfronts this week:

Just returned from NBC's upfront festivities and before I get to the highlights, let me get to a major lowlight: I heard from two separate sources this afternoon that Everwood is, in fact, dead. I'm choosing not to believe it until I hear something official on Thursday, but I thought you should all be prepared for the worst.

So, preparing for the worst is what we'll have to do for now. Honestly, I expected this to happen, but I am not ready to accept it. It's made harder by the fact that if things hadn't changed, the WB would have definitely renewed this show. The only guidance I can offer at this time is to follow the prophetic words of last night's episode title and "Enjoy the Ride" while we still can.

Shifting gears a bit because I hate to end on such a sour note. It's amazing what fans can band together and accomplish for their favorite shows. One of Pass the Remote's favorites, Veronica Mars, is an example of just that. I've been telling you about the "Look to the Skies" campaign, and how fans successfully hired a plane with a banner bearing the message "RENEW VERONICA MARS! CW 2006!" that flew over rush hour traffic from the L.A. UPN offices to the new CW offices in Burbank last Tuesday. Check out this picture from the amazing effort courtesy of Warner Bros. photographer Mitch Haddad and the Look to the Skies group over at Live Journal:

Even star Kristen Bell commented on the campaign to E! Online's Korbi (who's filling in for Kristin Veitch while she covers the network upfronts). Here's what she had to say about the event:

I heard that a whole group of fans rented an airplane that had a ‘Bring Back Veronica Mars sign on it’ and they flew it over The CW. That’s so funny! That’s our fans. That’s why we love ‘em! ‘Cause they’re crazy! ‘Cause they think! Whose show does that?! Our show! We have the best fans in the world.

Incidentally, that entire interview with Bell is awesome!! She discusses what was going through her head during that rooftop scene in the finale, she drops some hints about next season and she just blankets her fellow cast and crew with wonderful compliments. She's a true class act, and the interview showcases that well. Anyway, this show has to be awesome when the fans are this passionate about it, right? So maybe (hopefully) you're thinking to yourself, I'd love to join in on the Veronica love, but I've missed the first two seasons. No problem! The fans have thought of this as well. You can always rent the season 1 DVDs from Netflix, or if you don't want to shell out the bucks, check your local library. Fans raised over $5,000, and a good portion of it went to purchasing copies of the first season DVDs and then donating them to local libraries. A free copy might be waiting for you to pick up now at your library! You can also start watching the second season episodes TONIGHT on UPN with the 2nd season premiere. Click HERE to watch the opening scene. Don't forget that the 2nd season DVD set hits shelves on August 22nd! And once you're hooked, tune in this fall when the show returns for its third season.

About Last Night...Programming was delayed last night due to the President's address to the nation, so the following results are for after the conclusion of the speech. The first hour of the night went to NBC's Deal or No Deal, followed by ABC's Grey's Anatomy repeat and Fox's Prison Break finale. At 9, ABC took over with the first hour of the Grey's Anatomy finale, followed by more Deal or No Deal on NBC and Fox's Prison Break/24 combination. The WB's Everwood landed in last place behind UPN's comedy finales. The final hour of the night went to the final hour of ABC's Grey's Anatomy finale, followed by CBS' Old Christine/CSI: Miami combination and NBC's The Apprentice. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - The final 3 contestants perform 3 songs tonight on Fox's American Idol: one they choose, one the judges choose and one record executive Clive Davis chooses.

@9 p.m. - A 16-year-old female Hurricane Katrina victim suffering from hallucinations about the tragedy is brought in on Fox's House.

FEATURED FINALES TONIGHT!!!
Scrubs (9 p.m. NBC) - Two back to back episodes serve as our last new Scrubs until "some point next season." In the first, J.D. challenges a urologist's (guest star Elizabeth Banks) assessment on a consult for a patient who might need a risky surgical procedure. And in the second, smitten J.D. tries to plan a perfect date with Dr. Briggs (guest star Elizabeth Banks) on their night off, but Elliot gets in the way on the 5th season finale.

Boston Legal (9 p.m. ABC) - The 2-hour 2nd season finale finds Denny Crane and Alan Shore traveling to the Los Angeles offices of Crane, Poole & Schmidt.

Law & Order: SVU (10 p.m. NBC) - An unstable young woman (guest star Brittany Snow) loses her virginity, goes off her prescribed medication, gets behind the wheel of a car, and mows down 10 people in the 7th season finale.

OTHER FINALES TONIGHT!!!
NCIS (8 p.m. CBS) - 3rd season finale
The Unit (9 p.m. CBS) - 2-hour 1st season finale

To see what else you can catch on television tonight with customized listings for your area (via Zap2it), visit the TV Listings area of PassTheRemote.net.


QUICK CUTS

*UPFRONTS UPDATE: CBS is wasting no time announcing what will stay and what won't next season. The Eye network announced back in March that it was renewing 14 of its shows, but now it went ahead and picked up Close to Home, The New Adventures of Old Christine and The King of Queens (for a 13-episode midseason entry). Renewal is said to be pending on The Unit as well. To see today's schedule announcement from ABC, click HERE.

*And finally, ABC is promising less interruptions next season for its hit show Lost. The network plans to run two blocks of new episodes, one in the fall and one in the spring, which will help keep the flow of the story lines. In between the two blocks, ABC will premiere the new show Day Break. Lost airs its second season finale next week and it will return this fall in its current Wednesday night slot.

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


That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for a special early edition of Pass the Remote with a Scrubs finale blowout complete with a super-sized edition of the Scrubies! And then come back for the regular edition with thoughts on tonight's Law & Order: SVU finale and the final three on American Idol. Plus, all the latest television news and breaking scheduling news from CBS and MyNetwork!

To get more television coverage, including a complete archive of the best of Pass the Remote and a photo gallery featuring pictures from the set of Veronica Mars, click on over to PassTheRemote.net.

Reid Needs a Little Help from his Friends! Plus, 'Medium,' 'Veronica' Finale Preview and More Shows Head to iTunes

Even though Ephram may have missed Reid's well concealed signs of trouble on Everwood, the rest of us watched helplessly as he sunk deeper and deeper over the course of the last several episodes. His expulsion from med school was only the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. Despite his happy go lucky facade, Reid was troubled by his performance in school and the pressure that he put on himself. He wanted to be a doctor so he could help people like his bipolar brother. In fact, he hadn't considered doing anything else with his life, so when he began to fall behind, he kept telling himself that he would catch up. Before he knew it, he was past the point of catching up and his adviser was telling him that some people just aren't meant to go to med school. It was a harsh wake-up call, and one that Reid wasn't willing to accept. The only problem was that he couldn't catch up, and he had a pivotal exam approaching, so he figured he could use a cheat sheet to pass the exam, stay in school and catch up over break. This compromise of his character left Reid feeling like he didn't know who he was anymore, and getting caught and expelled only made it worse. Fast forward to last night. Ephram found him unconscious on the bathroom floor with an empty bottle of pills lying next to him. Luckily for Reid (and Ephram), he's going to be OK - physically anyway. Ephram took the entire experience a lot harder than I think even he expected. Bright and Amy were very shaken up as well. The experience did allow Ephram to finally come clean with Amy about how he asked Reid not to date Amy. The whole thing left Ephram feeling a little guilty because he figured if he hadn't asked Reid to do that then he would have had Amy to lean on during his rough patch. He also felt that he should have picked up on the signs, but Reid set him straight as soon as he woke up. I think their talk helped Ephram, but he was still feeling a little guilty so he headed to New York to visit Kyle and help him get settled in.


Meanwhile, things were not going so well for Hannah and Bright either. Hannah was torn between feeling completely hurt and completely angry. Rose came to her rescue with a decorative pillow. She had Hannah take out her aggression by hitting the pillow until she finally collapsed into Rose's arms sobbing. Bright wasn't faring much better, especially after his plan to surprise Hannah with a necklace (which was intended for his mother) failed. He turned to his father for comfort and wound up literally crying on his shoulder. The best advice edge goes to Rose, though, because she told Hannah that before she goes running back to Bright she must decide if she can forgive him. If she can't and she runs back to him, then she'll spend the duration of their relationship resenting him. For the time being, Hannah feels that she can't forgive Bright. Time will tell how this pans out. Elsewhere, Nina and Andy got a little closer than usual after Sam came down with a case of head lice while Jake was out of town. It seems all of Jake's traveling is hard on Nina and it has made her realize that she's in love with two men: Jake and Andy. Again Nina, you have to stop doing this to Andy. You get his hopes up, and as soon as Jake blows back into town and starts talking about putting you first and maybe even getting married, you're right back in his arms. It just isn't fair to Andy. The ending moments of this show are usually some of the most poignant and last night didn't disappoint. Hannah called her mom to talk, Reid held his mom's hand as he lied in the hospital bed and Amy dropped Ephram off at the bus station. The two exchanged a cute "Call me" gesture as Ephram walked off and boarded the bus. The closing shot showed a pensive Amy watching as the bus drove off. I LOVE having my old Amy back and I love having the privilege of watching such a quality show every week. If you would like to help the show get another season, click on over to Save Everwood Now to learn how you can help.


What was great about casting Kelsey Grammer as "Death" on Medium last night (other than the fact that he serves as one of the show's executive producers) is the fact that he is so unassuming. The man was the lovable, if not slightly neurotic, Frasier Crane! This is why you never knew whether you should fear "Death" or call in and let him analyze you over the radio. Of course, "Death" turned out to be a sleazy life insurance salesman. He manifested as "Death" in Allison's dreams because he was buying people's life insurance policies and cashing in when they died early (which was thanks to the not-so-good doctor and his watered down drugs). The only part that left me confused was why Death/sleazy insurance salesman killed the doctor. They had a lucrative scheme going on, so why bring it to a close? I am still a bit foggy on why they had the standing reservation at the hotel as well. I think I'm missing something. If anyone knows the answer to either of these questions, please leave me a comment. I do know that I'll be showering a little more carefully now that I know that 47% of accidental deaths happen in the home and 60% of those result from a fall in the bathtub. The insurance salesman was always fast to point that out, wasn't he? LOVED that Scanlon had to drive Allison everywhere because she was too afraid to drive after her near-death experience at that intersection. He was a bit grouchy last night and very skeptical of Allison's intuition so I can only assume (hope) that he and the deputy mayor didn't work out. Bummer, except for the part where's it's not (and by part, I mean all of it). The episode ended on an interesting note as Allison dreamed that Grammer's character died from, what can only be called the definition of irony, a fall in the bathtub. Yes, it seems Frasier Crane has left the building.

**REMINDER**

**THE MARS FINALE AIRS TONIGHT!!!

On an excitement scale of 1-10, I'm about an 11. How about you? The Veronica Mars finale airs tonight, and we're finally going to learn who crashed the bus and killed everyone on board! We all have our theories and suspects, but we'll know for sure after tonight's 1-hour finale. TVGuide.com has a new interview with Rob Thomas and in it, he discusses Veronica's STD, Weevil's tattoos and what he has planned for next season (HINT: look for three shorter mysteries that will run uninterrupted!). Click over to that site's Insider column for more. Just in case you weren't pumped up enough, I have this glowing review of the finale from Zap2it's TV Gal, who watched an advanced copy of tonight's episode. Here's what she has to say about it:

I've seen this Tuesday's season finale (9 p.m. on UPN) and it is fantastic. I mean fantastic like I couldn't sleep after I watched it since it was so simultaneously disturbing and adrenaline inducing. Now I wouldn't dare to ruin all the surprises that are jam-packed into the finale. But I will tell you this: I think you'll love Logan even more at the end of the hour (in fact I may have to leave Bill Buchanan to run away with him), Kristen Bell deserves an Emmy nomination, the culprit is perfectly plausible yet still totally shocking and the final moments will leave you breathless for next season.

With a glowing review like that, how can you not want to watch this episode tonight? Just in case you need to catch up on the season or get a little refresher, you can click over to Marsinvestigations.net. To get even more pumped up about tonight's BIG episode, you can check out DuckyXDale's exclusive interview with Tessa Thompson, who plays Jackie on the show.


You can also check out the opening scene at upn.com. And finally, as promised here are the remaining three pictures from the finale (courtesy of Warner Bros./UPN).



About Last Night...NBC won the first hour of the night with Deal or No Deal, followed by Fox's Prison Break and CBS comedies King of Queens and How I Met Your Mother. At 9, CBS finished in first with comedies Two and a Half Men and Old Christine, followed by Fox's 24 and the second hour of ABC's special David Blaine: Drowned Alive. The WB's Everwood came in fifth in front of the UPN comedies. The final hour of the night went to CBS' CSI: Miami, followed by NBC's Medium and ABC's What About Brian. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - The final 4 contestants perform the hits of Elvis on Fox's American Idol. Over on the WB, Gilmore Girls wraps up its 6th season with an ultimatum, a goodbye and of course, a surprise.

@9 p.m. - Veronica finds herself in grave danger after learning who crashed the bus in the season finale of UPN's Veronica Mars (Again, you can watch the opening scene HERE). Over on NBC, Dr. Cox returns to work and JD reflects on the last five years on Scrubs. Fox's House finds the team attempting to save the lives of a mother and her newborn child.

@10 p.m. - The police are brought into family abuse allegations when a woman believes her young son was molested by her husband on NBC's Law & Order: SVU. Over on ABC, an ambitious but back-stabbing lawyer (Parker Posey) joins the firm on Boston Legal.

FINALES TONIGHT!!!
Gilmore Girls (8 p.m. the WB) - 6th season finale
Veronica Mars (9 p.m. UPN) - 2nd season finale (see special VM finale section above)
The Search for the Funniest Mom in America (9 p.m. Nick at Night) - 2nd season finale
The Real Housewives of Orange County (10 p.m. Bravo) - 1st season finale
8th & Ocean (10:30 p.m. MTV) - 1st season finale

To see what else you can catch on television tonight with customized listings for your area (via Zap2it), visit the TV Listings area of PassTheRemote.net.



QUICK CUTS

*You can now catch two of television's most popular superheroes on Apple's iTunes. Episodes of 24 and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are now available for purchase on the popular music download program. Fox and some of its corporate subsidiaries are the latest to jump on the iTunes bandwagon, expanding iTunes' total TV show library to more than 90 shows. In addition to 24 and Buffy, you can also get episodes of The Shield, Prison Break, Lost in Space and Firefly beginning today. As usual, each episode will set you back $1.99.

*And finally, E! Online's SOS campaign results are in, and most of you want to see One Tree Hill get saved over Veronica Mars, Everwood, What About Brian and Supernatural. Close to a million TV fans voted in Kristin Veitch's 5th annual Save One Show campaign and 44% of you chose the teen soap. Mars, which nabbed the second place spot, got 32% of your votes with Supernatural in third with 14% of the vote and Everwood (7%) and What About Brian (3%) filling out the fourth and fifth spots, respectively. As the winner of the campaign, Hill will get a care package sent on its behalf to new CW president Dawn Ostroff pleading its case for a spot on the new network this fall. The CW makes its fall schedule announcement next Thursday, May 18th.

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


That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the first of the special finale blowout editions of Pass the Remote. I'll have screen caps, reaction, thoughts and much more on tonight's all-important Veronica Mars finale in a special early edition of Pass the Remote. Then, be sure to come back in the afternoon for the regular edition featuring an extended Scrubs section (with a special Super-Sized edition of the Scrubies) and all the latest television news! Yup, you're getting a special 2 for 1 Wednesday this week courtesy of the first BIG finale of the season! Don't miss all the excitement tomorrow on Pass the Remote!

To get more television coverage, including a complete archive of the best of Pass the Remote and a photo gallery featuring pictures from the set of Veronica Mars, click on over to PassTheRemote.net.



SAVE EVERWOOD NOW! Click HERE to learn how to help the show get another season

Don't forget to help Veronica Mars with the $4,000 Shower Campaign. Click HERE for details