Final Goodbye

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to finally post this final sign-off.  I had planned to finish out the regular season of Ice Road Truckers and then finish PTR, but time got away from me -- FAST!  In any event, I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has helped with PTR over the last 5 years.  HUGE thank yous to:

Senior staff writer LillyKat for all of your wonderful posts, interviews and web help.
All of the staff writers who have contributed over the years especially Trublu.
My fellow TV bloggers who have linked to, promoted and supported this site.
Kathryn Morris's biggest fan RichE from Kathryn Morris UK for all of the "Kathryn scoop" and photos.
Look Again for all of the Cold Case help and support.
All of the networks, including broadcast, cable and premium, who have supplied this site with info and news about our favorite shows.
The wonderful folks at Veronica Mars who allowed me and a small group of regular old bloggers to visit their set.
The PR folks who gave us opportunities for interviews and scoops.
All of the shows, actors, writers, etc. who have helped along the way.

And last, but most certainly not least, thank you so much to all of the readers.  Your comments and support have kept this site fun and interesting.  It has truly been so much fun to do this blog.  If you'd like to continue getting (shortened) news and thoughts on the new TV news,  follow PTR on Twitter for.  Happy TV viewing!

PTR Announcement

Dear Readers,

As the summer comes to a close and the new fall season approaches, exciting times are ahead.  We will soon eagerly welcome back our favorite shows and characters and make room on our TV schedules for new favorites.  Like many of you, I am excited to see the return of my faves (most notably Bones, which returns in 1 week), and I'm still deciding which new shows to add to my "Season Pass" list on my DVR.  Over the last five years, Pass the Remote has been covering many of those old and new favorites along with some TV news and specials peppered in.  It has been such a joy to write my thoughts down about something that I truly love: Television.  So, this is a decision I have not made lightly.  At the close of the summer season, I will no longer be updating and/or blogging about television here at PTR.  Changes in my own life (all good) have caused me to not be able to dedicate the time and resources I would like (and that you have rightfully come to expect) to updating and maintaining this site.

I will still be watching my favorite shows and might even post a special write-up from time to time if a particular episode takes me out of TV blogger retirement, but officially speaking, PTR will go dark at the end of the summer season.  For those of you who follow PTR on Twitter, I will continue to post short thoughts and TV news regularly over there.  For those who do not follow PTR, but would like to, click the link on the side bar or find me HERE.  This site will stay up as an archive, so all of PTR's past writings will be accessible at all times.

Thank you all, dear readers, for allowing me to write about something that I love for the last five years.  When I set out to create this blog, I wasn't expecting anything from it, but I have gotten so much from all of you throughout the years.  Thank you to all of the networks, PR people, shows, actors, writers, etc. who have helped me along the way.  A special HUGE thank you to the wonderful folks at Veronica Mars who allowed me and a small group of regular old bloggers to visit their set and spend the day getting an inside look at one of my favorite shows of all-time.  It has been so much fun to do this blog and I will miss it.  But, good things are on the horizon and a new TV season is about to begin, and I will be watching this one as a regular TV fan for the first time in years.  When the summer season has officially ended, I will post a final goodbye.  Until then, we have an all-new episode of Ice Road Truckers to look forward to this Sunday!  We'll discuss on Monday.

Sincerely,
TVFan      

LillyKat's Open Letter to PTR Followers

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

So it's come down to this.

A Dear John letter (of sorts) to the loyal followers of PTR.

Call it my own personal Idaho feeling of not wanting to leave y'all wondering WTF happened to me.

And my shows.

Weekend Watch: Hallmark's 'Always and Forever'

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

The Hallmark Channel is awfully busy cranking out original movies these days.

Good ones, too.

Not to mention they've taken on the admirable task of cleaning up and getting rid of the overabundance of redonkulous, useless and/or gossipy humiliation of famous folk by focusing on the GOOD and DECENT stuff (yes, there is some) that goes on in the world of celebrity over at CelebrityGoodLife.com.

And, because of all this, I'm going to forgive them for continuing to throw me for a loop switching around their daytime scheduling. Like, every other week. (Seriously, my Hallmark friends, can we stop the flip flopping? Or just promise me Touched By An Angel STAYS on the schedule?)

Alas, I digress.

And I interrupt the digression to give you a feel good movie alert for the weekend - especially for those of you who enjoy high school sweetheart stories.

Dean McDermott (yes, Tori Spelling's Dean), Rena Sofer (of that little ol' show called 24), and legendary TV favorite Barbara Eden (I Dream of Jeannie, anyone?) star in the Hallmark Channel Original Movie Always & Forever, which premieres Saturday, October 24th at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. Central).

20 years after their fairy tale relationship ended, former high school sweethearts Grace (Sofer) and Michael (McDermott) rediscover a surprising - and possibly enduring - connection at their high school reunion. Of course, there are complications - namely Grace’s pushy mom (Eden) who is convinced that Michael is not going to stick around, and thus, tries to push her daughter in the opposite direction.

The premiere of the movie is aptly timed, given October is generally the month high schools across the country put the final touches on Homecoming floats and dust off the crowns for the soon-to-be-appointed King & Queen. So, after you finish watching college football this weekend, check out the story of a ‘Most Likely to Live Happily Ever After’ couple who didn't get it the first go around, but may be given a second chance.

Me thinks we could all use some happily-ever-afterness these days.

Vicariously, anyway.

Always & Forever premieres Saturday, October 24th at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. Central) on the Hallmark Channel. Head on over to HallmarkChannel.com for the full scoop on the movie.

Mark Burnett Goes Scripted for CBS; Roma Downey to Co-Exec Produce

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Since we here at PTR like to keep tabs on our faves, we'll file this under: Total.Coolness.

(Or: Please, CBS, take this from "script commitment" to pilot order to full blown series to a reason to put Roma Downey back in primetime).

News yesterday from the Hollywood Reporter (and elsewhere) that CBS has given a script commitment for a drama project teaming reality show kingpin Mark Burnett with Dirty Sexy Money creator Craig Wright.

HOWEVER, the best part (as far as we're concerned) is that PTR Fave Roma Downey (who is married to Burnett) will co-executive produce the project.

Niiiice!

The premise of the show?

It's not a procedural.

Thank.God.For.That.

Like we need another one.

Rather, the untitled project, to be produced by Sony Pictures TV, is set to be about a lawyer who, after a near-fatal car crash, is offered a second chance at life by the ghost of his ex-wife.

Am I the only one thinking dearest Roma SHOULD BE the ghostly ex-wife?

(Pipe dream on my part, I know. She already told us here at PTR how much she prefers being out of the limelight these days; we don't blame her).

But alas, one can dream. And so, too, can CBS given that little show she used to do called Touched By An Angel is a legend - and still watched in droves in syndication over on the Hallmark Channel.

Angel. Spirit. Ghost. Apparition. It all works for me when Roma's involved.

And kudos to Mark for getting his wish to delve deeper into the scripted drama realm.

We'll be watching hoping to see if it gets picked up for actual pilot-hood.

Weekend Watch: Hallmark Sends Cybill Shepherd to 'Smith'

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

It's that time of year again, eh, kids?

And Hallmark Channel has several movies running this weekend that focus on those three words most of you students don't want to hear: back to school.

(I'm not a student anymore, but can it already be the end of July? Where did the summer go?)

It went to Smith.

Er, make that Cybill Shepherd is heading to Smith College as she stars in the Hallmark Channel original movie, Mrs. Washington Goes to Smith, which premieres Saturday, August 1 at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. Central) and repeats again Sunday at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. Central). In the film, she portrays a middle-aged divorcee who returns to college to finish the degree she never earned, disrupting stately Smith College in the process. It’s a role that she calls “just a huge boost to me as an artist and a person. It was just amazing on so many levels.”

Which levels would those be?

“Well, first off, it was just thrilling to get to play the lead in something that wasn’t just another ensemble,” Cybill says. “This was truly one of the most wonderful stories I’d ever read. It was just such a cool part I couldn’t believe they’d even offer it to me. Really. I don’t get thrown this kind of stuff every day anymore."

How about the offer to play some b-ball?

Turns out she can still throw around a basketball.

Pretty darn well, actually.

And in the film, her alter ego, Alice Washington, makes the Smith College team, which meant Cybill had to get in game shape and sink actual baskets for the camera.

“I’d played a lot of basketball in high school, so it wasn’t entirely foreign to me,” says the 5-foot-8, Memphis-born actress. “It was a huge amount of fun. But beyond that, this role kind of fulfilled a dream in a way. As actors, one of the great things is to be able to live your life sideways and experience something through playing it. That happened for me in pretending to be a college basketball player - and finishing college.”

Cybill took a lot of college classes part-time during her modeling and early years as an actress. But like Alice, she never got that degree.

“It was a major vicarious thrill to finally get it,” she stresses, “even just as make-believe.”

The other thrill was reuniting with Jeffrey Nordling, with whom Shepherd had co-starred in a made-for-TV movie entitled Baby Brokers some 15 years before. In Mrs. Washington, Nordling portrays a poetry professor upon whom both Alice and her pink-haired rebel roommate (Corri English) have a crush.

“Jeffrey and I have great chemistry, so working with him again was a real treat,” she says.

Being a mid-life college girl dovetailed nicely with Cybill's real life in that 21-year-old twins Zach and Ariel Oppenheim, her kids with second husband Bruce Oppenheim, are both still in college themselves. Her daughter Clementine Ford, 30, produced with first husband David Ford, is a successful actress who played Shepherd’s daughter on The L Word and currently is starring on the daytime soap The Young and the Restless.

Having enjoyed a lengthy and successful (some would even say legendary) career and a life lived very much on her own terms, Cybill is winding up her fourth decade as an actress and all-around celebrity.

And it doesn't look to be ending any time soon.

“I don’t feel old yet," she says. "I still feel like I’m right in my prime. I’ve been around long enough that this is, like, my fifth comeback or something. Whatever they want to call it is fine by me."

Mrs. Washington Goes to Smith, which premieres Saturday, August 1 at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. Central) on Hallmark Channel. It repeats again Sunday at 9 p.m. (8 p.m. Central). For the inside scoop on the film, head on over HallmarkChannel.com


Source: Hallmark Crown Syndicate

Win a Piece of Hamptons Heaven with a 'Royal Pains' Prize Pack

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Lots of us wish we could indeed spend summer in the Hamptons.

And now we can - vicariously, anyway - watching the new USA Network original series, Royal Pains.

But we here at PTR have the opportunity to give away not one ... not two ... but THREE different prize packs for Royal Pains watchers (and anyone else who wants some cool show swag) thanks to our good friends at USA Network and EA.

Yes, it's a record for us here in our little corner of the blogosphere.

So what are ya' waiting for? Enter to win!

One (1) Grand Prize Winner will receive a Royal Pains Summer tote filled with all the essentials for a lazy summer weekend:

- First Aid Kit
- Travel Scrabble
- “Cure Your Royal Pains” T-Shirt
- Prescription “Candy” Bottle
- Hamptons Magazine
- Oversized Beach Blanket
- Royal Pains Red Band-Aid Box with Custom Band-Aids
- The Hamptons Dictionary
- Tate’s Cookie Carton
- Kiehl’s Summer Lotions Kit
- Playing Cards
- Inflatable Inner Tub


One (1) First Place Winner will receive:

- Royal Pains First Aid Kit
- Royal Pains Playing Cards
- The Hamptons Dictionary
- Royal Pains Notepad


One Runner-Up Winner:

- Royal Pains First Aid Kit (which, I'm told, is awfully handy for those summer camping trips)


**IMPORTANT NOTE: Pictured below is the FULL Grand Prize winner's tote, with a sampling of the items on display. Not all items pictured will be included in the First Place or Runner's Up packs; only the specified items listed above.



Looks awfully good, eh? Before you enter to grab the gear, read the scoop on the series:

USA will launch the 75-minute limited commercial premiere of ROYAL PAINS, the network’s newest original scripted series, on Thursday, June 4 at 10/9c immediately following the Season 3 premiere of BURN NOTICE at its new timeslot 9/8c.

ROYAL PAINS stars Mark Feuerstein as Hank Lawson, a young E.R. doctor who, after being wrongly blamed for a patient's death, moves to the Hamptons and becomes the reluctant "doctor for hire" to the rich and famous. When the attractive administrator of the local hospital asks him to treat the town’s less fortunate, he finds himself walking the line between doing well for himself and doing good for others. The series also stars Paulo Costanzo, Jill Flint and Reshma Shetty.

To enter to win PTR's Royal Pains swag:

- Send an e-mail to: lilly_of_philly(at)hotmail.com with the following:

** Subject line: Royal Pains Prize Pack
** Message Body: MUST contain your FULL NAME.

- Entry rules are as follows:

** Entries must be received by July 2, 2009.
** The winner(s) will be drawn at random on or after July 3, 2009.
** The winner(s) will be notified by e-mail
** You must be a U.S. resident to enter and over the age of 18.

And if ALL that still doesn't do it for you, or you just want to enter as many giveaway contests as you can, head on over to USA Network's official Royal Pains Web site to enter for your OWN chance to win a summer getaway to the Hamptons.

Royal Pains premieres Thursday, June 4th at 10 p.m. (9 p.m. Central) on USA Network. You can join other fans on Facebook; follow Royal Pains on Twitter, or visit the official Royal Pains Web site.

Join the 'Expedition' and Win a Prize Pack

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

So what kind of grades did you get in history?

Hopefully ones good enough to enjoy Mark Burnett's newest - and dare we say innovative - offering Expedition Africa, an action-adventure, docu-reality series that follows four modern day explorers on the same path blazed by adventure-journalist Henry Morton Stanley in 1871 as he trekked through Tanzania to find the infamous Dr. David Livingstone.

Yes, that'd be Dr. Livingstone you presume.

As the series gets ready to premiere on History Channel on May 31st, we here at PTR are giving away one awesome prize pack that includes:

* History Channel Laptop Backpack

* Expedition Branded 35mm Disposable Camera & Photo Album

* Trek Kit including Binoculars, Flashlight, Compass, Swiss Army Knife and more!



Looks awfully good, eh? Like you might want to go expeditioning yourself?

Before you enter to grab the gear, read the scoop on the series:

HISTORY™ presents the television event of the summer: EXPEDITION AFRICA: STANLEY & LIVINGSTON.

Watch the series premiere May 31 at 10pm/9c.

Twenty miles off the coast of eastern Africa, four modern-day explorers are sailing toward the unknown, the deep interior of Tanzania. They'll travel over 900 miles through African terrain that is as stunning as it is fraught with danger. Using only a compass and basic maps, they will attempt to recapture the spirit of one of the world’s most remarkable adventures—journalist Henry Morton Stanley’s perilous 1871 journey to find Dr. David Livingstone. Their historic exploration has been captured by one of the premiere storytellers of our time, Mark Burnett. This is not a competition or a game. It's a real-life adventure.

To enter to win PTR's Expedition Africa swag:

- Send an e-mail to: lilly_of_philly(at)hotmail.com with the following:

** Subject line: Expedition Africa Prize Pack
** Message Body: MUST contain your FULL NAME.

- Entry rules are as follows:

** Entries must be received by June 13, 2009.
** The winner will be drawn at random on or after June 14, 2009.
** The winner will be notified by e-mail
** You must be a U.S. resident to enter and over the age of 18.

And while you count it down to see if YOU are the lucky winner, check out this two-minute sneak peak of the series:



Expedition Africa premieres Sunday, May 31st at 10 p.m. (9 p.m. Central) on History Channel. You can join other fans on Facebook; follow History on Twitter, or visit the official Expedition Africa site.

Where Have the Angels Gone, Hallmark Channel?

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Oh, my beloved Hallmark Channel.

What have you done?

You've REMOVED Touched By An Angel from your daily programming schedule?!?!?!?

And I'm now inundated with e-mails asking what I can do about it?!?!?!?!

I can, obviously, do nothing except give this open letter to you (and everyone else):

Hi Hallmark,

I'm a senior staff writer for the indy television blog, Pass the Remote. We cover quite a bit of Hallmark programming. I decided to write today because I myself received several e-mails this morning with regards to the recent programming decision to remove Touched By An Angel from your daily schedule. I was under the impression the show had consistently been one of your more popular airings and/or has remained slotted at 12 p.m. for almost a year and half. Additionally, its airing on Hallmark is promoted on the Touched.com site and elsewhere as a place where TBAA fans can still go to get their fix of all-things Monica, Tess, Andrea and Gloria.

As I've looked at the schedule today, it seems to now be tipped almost exclusively in the comedy direction. I had read on your forums and elsewhere that the I Love Lucy folks were feeling a bit shortchanged with so few offerings of their show, but it now seems that TBAA has lost out completely. I understand you recently did a similar experiment with Little House on the Prairie - sort of removing it unexpectedly only to have concern expressed by those who love the show, and thus, it was able to find its way back onto the schedule.

I know you experiment with scheduling from time to time, but in my very humble opinion, this seems somewhat of an unfair decision to TBAA fans. It also seems even more ill-timed given the fact Roma Downey stars in the upcoming Come Dance at My Wedding and on one of the current behind the scenes clips out on the consumer side of the Hallmark site, she discusses how fortunate it is to have TBAA have found a home on Hallmark Channel.

As I had the pleasure of speaking with Roma recently, and we were able to discuss the continuing legacy of the show - its timeless quality that resonates between generations - on behalf of TBAA fans across the globe, might it not be possible to remove one hour of one of those comedy blocks to put this beloved show back on the air?

Thanks very much for your time.

If you want to let Hallmark Channel know what you feel, write them: viewers@hallmarkchannel.com; call them (888) 390-7474 or fill out their online feedback form.

('Cause really, folks, I love you guys think I have THAT much power, but alas, I don't. Perhaps we should send for Monica?)

EDITED TO ADD: I love that Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel say today how TBAA "is having another life in repeats on the channel as well." Oops! Not anymore, eh?

EDITED TO ADD #2: Looks as though Hallmark plans to resume airings of TBAA on June 29, 2009. One of our readers (thanks, John) found this with new DVR program data, and Hallmark has indicated this on the June page of the monthly calendar on the TBAA portion of their Web site. Standard disclaimer is I will believe it when I see it, but ... yay!

EDITED TO ADD #3: Effective June 1st, Hallmark is airing TBAA at 8 p.m. daily. The TBAA portion of their Web site has been updated accordingly. Yay!

Gail O'Grady Lives 'Out Loud' on Hallmark

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Confession: I came to know and love Gail O'Grady as Donna Abandando on NYPD Blue.

Three Emmy® nominations later, clearly I wasn't the only one who enjoyed watching her opposite Gordon Clapp's Detective Greg Medavoy. (Yes, okay, so their relationship was adulterous, but whatever. It was genuine sweetness, genuine goodness, genuine fun to watch, and it provided a much needed balance to the grittiness that was Blue).

“It was an amazing piece of good fortune to land NYPD because, well, it gave me a career rather than just a series of jobs,” says Gail. “You work for years to get noticed, and then when it finally happens it’s almost hard to believe. It’s about luck and timing and tenacity, you know? And talent too, of course. But you have to appreciate it when it’s happening because it can all be gone faster than you blink.”

Gail hits our television screens once again this weekend starring in the inspirational Hallmark Original Movie, Living Out Loud (premieres May 2 at 9 p.m.). And, she's taking on a gritty subject in its own right: a wife and mother battling breast cancer. Portraying Emily Marshall, a high school chorus teacher who suddenly faces a diagnosis of invasive malignancy, she must immediately start a brutal chemotherapy regimen as her husband (Michael Shanks, Stargate) and two kids do their best to lend support through the trauma.

“It isn’t your typical warm and fuzzy Hallmark project, that’s for sure,” Gail says. “What was so inspiring about working [on the project] is how much knowledge I was able to absorb about the disease, the treatment, what the victims and their families have to endure. I learned just how painful it is emotionally for everyone in the breast cancer sufferer’s life. It’s such a huge drain, like a bomb that’s been dropped on everyone’s life.”

And yet, Living Out Loud strives NOT to be about giving up, but instead, persevering through adversity. And The Big C (cancer) doesn't have to mean the end of living life - it can mark a new beginning, as Gail's character discovers in between the chemotherapy treatments. She reconnects with the musical life she had abandoned, which provides her with a strength and fortitude Emily never knew she had.

That said, Gail was surprised at how ultimately uplifting a film with a breast cancer storyline can be. She had worked with Hallmark Channel once before in the 2007 holiday-themed All I Want For Christmas, so “the first thing I thought of when they approached me again was the quality they put into everything."

“Because it’s Hallmark," Gail says, "I knew there would be some sort of silver lining in the story. I like that they aim their stuff to families. God knows we have more than enough downer stuff on the other networks.”

While Living Out Loud represents something of a departure for Gail, she has long been thought of as the go-to actress for made-for-TV star turns, albeit more often as the racy ingénue. She most recently had a recurring role on Desperate Housewives as a married woman having an affair with the teenage son of Felicity Huffman's character. And on Boston Legal, her multi-episode arc as the sexy and beautiful Judge Gloria Weldon, James Spader's love interest and sometime nemesis, garnered much praise.

“People remember me most from NYPD Blue, of course, which was the great miracle in my life,” Gail says. “[But] I’d already been at this acting gig for a long time when I caught on with the show in 1993, yet a lot of people thought I was an overnight success. Even now, sometimes people still think they’re discovering me. It’s OK because I’ve never cared about being the biggest star on the planet, just someone who got to do good work.”

As long as there’s quality behind it, Gail isn't all that particular where or for whom she works. And she doesn't rest on her laurels, either.

“I love working ... [but] there is never a time where I feel like I can sit back and take it easy,” she admits. “There’s always somebody else nearby ready to step right into your shoes. But I’ll tell you what: I don’t have the fear anymore that this may be my last job. I’m a respected working actor, and I feel confident that it’s going to stay that way for a long time.”

Living Out Loud premieres Saturday, May 2 at 9 p.m. on Hallmark Channel. Visit Hallmarkchanel.com for the inside scoop on the film.

Source: Hallmark Syndicate

Hallmark's Tribute Golden Girl Bea Arthur

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Yes, Virginia, networks sometimes actually do what the fans want them to do.

And when that happens, they should be commended for it.

So, bravo Hallmark Channel for aptly responding to the large outpouring of support from Golden Girls fans who asked the network for an even more significant tribute to beloved actress Bea Arthur, who portrayed Dorothy Zbornak on the legendary sitcom and of whom passed away this weekend at the age of 86.

Hallmark was already Johnny-on-the-spot-on-it when they announced - shortly after news broke of the actress' death - they would run Dorothy-centric episodes all day Memorial Day in a tribute to Arthur.

But in response to overwhelming support for the classic comedy, which flooded the network’s viewer services department on Monday with appreciation for the channel’s Memorial Day tribute announcement, Hallmark expanded its tribute to Arthur by hand-selecting the “Best of the Dorothy Zbornak Episodes" and will begin airing them Tuesday, April 28 (7 p.m. - 9 p.m.), continuing Wednesday, April 29 (7 p.m. - 9 p.m.), Thursday, April 30 (7 p.m.-9 p.m.), and Sunday, May 3 (6 a.m.- 3 a.m.).

Nicely done fans.

Way to go Hallmark Channel.

R.I.P. Dorothy.

Thanks for the memories, Bea.

PTR Exclusive: It's Me and Victoria Stilwell

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Confession: I'm now following AP.

No, not the Associated Press.

Animal Planet.

True, Damages and The Closer it is not.

But Victoria Stilwell and It's Me or the Dog it is.

And I'm hooked.

It gives me a much needed break from my usual coverings of homicide detectives, serial killers, conniving high-powered attorneys conjuring up murder plots, Bering Sea fishermen dancing with death and Skynet machines out to destroy mankind (yes, I've said this before, but it's worth saying again).

It's Me or the Dog just wrapped up airing its first full season here in the US and has begun filming its second season. If you haven't watched the show, you should - and this is coming from a cat person. I confess Victoria makes me feel as if I could become a dog person, and she recently took time out of her rather busy schedule to chat with me about the show, the differences in training methods available to dog owners today, and what she hopes viewers are able to get from the program.


How’s the show going for you thus far? You’re now filming the second season, correct?

Yes. What’s happened in the last two years [on Animal Planet] is you've actually seen four seasons of programs that were filmed in England [and were the English versions of the show]. Now, we’ve finished the first season here in the United States and just started filming the second season. There’s going to be 25 episodes in the second season, with five clip shows that are sort of the “Best Of.” I think it’s going to be a very exciting season. We’ve got some great families lined up, some great dogs, some very interesting problems. We’re filming pretty much until the new year, but the new season should start airing in June.

Do you have additional celebrities coming in for this season, or do you know as yet?

Yeah, we might have. I’m not allowed to say at the moment who they are, though.

Ah, got it. And you film the show in both Los Angeles and Atlanta?

Yes. So we film, like, 10 episodes in LA and 10 in Atlanta. And if there is a third series, we might travel a bit. But with family commitments, it’s sort of important to keep it simple.

Do you get back to England much these days?

I used to. This year I haven’t; last year I didn’t. But we are going in a couple of week’s time. It's pretty tough being away from mum, my sister and my family over there. So when we do go, it’s extra special.

What’s the biggest difference between the US and UK versions – or is there a difference? Is it the people? The pets?

The British programs were half an hour, and the American programs are an hour long. So, you see more of the training process. And, some of the comments I’ve received is that the British program seemed to be a bit edgier. I think the only real reason for that is because things had to be crammed into a shorter amount of time.

With regards to dog owners in both places, there are very few differences, more similarities. Both Britain and the United States are passionate, dog-loving nations, but I think dog owners in Britain enjoy a big freedom with their dogs because most parks and green spaces in Britain are “off leash.” So, you don’t have to take your dog to a dog park, for example, like you have to do here in the States. So, in a way, there’s less leash aggression. Dogs are able to greet each other under their own terms, and have the space to increase distance if they want to while not being tied to their owner at the other end of the leash – which can cause problems, especially if the dog is uncomfortable in another dog’s presence. The leash laws are tough here [in the States]. I'd say that is probably one of the [biggest] differences.

I would also say that in Britain, British dog owners have embraced the positive reward training methods more than American dog owners have, and I think that is because the information has been available for longer [in Britain]. They seem to understand that the positive, reward-based training is the better way, now. I was actually quite shocked when I first came over to the states to see how traditional the training still was. And, unfortunately, the dominance-based training is based on highly flawed research that was done in the 1970s and has now been debunked by not just the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) but also top behaviorists and methodologists in the world. So, we’re moving into a new era of training our dogs.

What do find the most challenging aspect of what you do – both as a trainer and what you do on the show?

I would say motivating owners to work at the training after I've left is the biggest wall I have to climb.

The follow-up visits always show us how the owners are doing after you’ve left. You can see whether they’ve stuck with what you’ve told them to do, or gone back to their old habits. Are you disappointed when they do take a few steps backwards?

Yes, of course. But, as soon as I go into a house that very first time – within the first hour – I know whether these people are going to work at it or not.

Is it just a vibe – a feeling that you sense?

Absolutely. It’s a feeling. When you train to become a trainer, you have to be a really keen observer of human behavior, and I don’t believe you can be a good trainer without loving people as well. So, I’m a keen observer, and I’ve studied human behavior. I feel like a detective when I go in [to some of the homes] because I pickup clues from the environment at all times. On the show, it might just look like I come in and chat [with the family], but I’m actually scanning [the environment]. I get a lot of information very quickly from people’s body language, what they tell me, their attitude, so I pretty much know who is going to work and who is not.

At the same time, I always try to work so hard to motivate people, and it is disheartening when I do go back and some people haven’t tried. Sometimes, I’ll be a little tough on them. Other times, I’ll be like, ‘Alright. Let’s do it again. Let’s try it again.’ At the end of the day, it’s up to owners whether they want to continue. I just don’t ever like leaving knowing somebody is just not going to do the work because their animals are really worth it - and they’re going to have an easier life because of it.

Do you find that some of your celebrity clients, like actors, are more suited to work at the training – given that in their profession they are used to being directed on what to do – as compared to the regular family off the street? Or is there much of a difference?

I really don’t see too much of a difference. It comes down to personality. Now, the differences that I have seen are, for example, when I was training in Manhattan, and I would go to the Upper East Side into these incredibly wealthy family homes where the maid [or housekeeper] was in charge of the dog, not the owner. Even though my consultation was with the owner, I would always say that we need to have the housekeeper or whomever [is going to handle the dog] along [for the training]. In those circumstances, I would get less success than going to the Bronx or Harlem or the Lower East side with people who were working with the dogs themselves. In that respect, I did see a difference.

But every problem is unique, and there are totally different techniques within one behavior methodology. It’s not just about rewarding with treats, for example. There’s so much [to explore] with the reward-based training methods, so many different techniques people can use. That’s why I like it. Every single consult is tailored differently so that every single dog is successful. That’s why I think it’s a really great [method] for people because there are so many different things they can try. And it's all positive.

What has been the most rewarding or favorite part of doing the show?

It really is seeing the dogs and the owners blossom, and the massive improvement in behavior problems. The success of that is fantastic for me – not just on television but in my private consultations as well. The biggest success is keeping the dogs in their homes, and improving the lives of the dogs and their families. That’s why I do this job. I believe we have domesticated these animals, and we have a responsibility to treat them with dignity and respect and do what we can as owners to keep them in our homes rather than see them as disposable property to chuck into a shelter if things go wrong. That’s what I like about my program – it’s information that anybody can use with their dog. It’s like people training for dogs. Anybody can watch the show, pick up a technique, go back to their dog and use it. It’s great take home information.

What are your inspirations – either in your work or in life in general?

My inspirations … I just want to provide people with the right kind of education so that there’s less animals given up to shelters. I want there to be a resource that can help people. I think that’s a massive inspiration for me.

But I suppose personally-wise, I’m a mother, and the biggest thing in my life is to make my child’s life the best it can possibly be. My daughter is my true inspiration. My husband as well is the most amazing man – we’ve been together now for 12 years. I think [my inspiration] is my family – there’s nothing better than family.

I know the show keeps you awfully busy, but is there anything else you’re working on?

Yes, I am actually working on another book. I’m very excited about it because you basically follow me through a whole bunch of case studies. It's my experience, and you can get a lot of great information about how to tackle a particular behavior problem. So, that’s in the works. It’s tentatively called “Positively" and should be out next year.

We're also starting the Victoria Stilwell Think Dog Foundation in June. We want to raise money for the smaller rescue shelters. The larger rescues always get considerable funding, and it's always the smaller shelters that [tend to] lose out. But, not only that, we [also] want to raise money for various foundations that work with dogs and disabled children, for example, or hearing dogs for hearing-impaired people – that kind of thing. So, we're going to be raising money for assistance dogs and their organizations as well as the rescues.

We here at PTR look forward to the second season of It's Me or the Dog and thank Victoria for taking the time to chat. Tune in Saturdays at 9 p.m. to Animal Planet for It's Me or the Dog. And be sure to visit Victoria's official Web site, VictoriaStilwell.com to catch up on all-things Victoria. For more of Victoria's insights from this Q&A, you can also visit BlogTails by Love Da Pawz.

Garret Dillahunt Takes a 'Left' Turn

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

I know this is a television blog.

BUT ... we like to show our support for our PTR faves.

Since we recently inducted Garret Dillahunt into our PTR Fave Hall of Fame, we'd like to remind everyone that Last House on the Left hits theaters Friday (yes, that would be Friday the 13th).

Now, if you're not a horror film fan, this is NOT for you. Consider yourself warned. We recall this is a remake of the Wes Craven classic, which disturbed plenty of people in 1972.

However, since I am a horror fangirl, I've got an interest in seeing how this plays out. I have confidence from what I've seen of the trailer, and we recall what Garret told us when we spoke with him last Fall about his experience on the film, whether he considers himself a genre fan and the skepticism that usually accompanies remakes from the die-hards who stay loyal to the original:

Says Garret: “I’m not a hardcore fan – I know they’re out there, and they’re much more knowledgeable than I am about it. But, I am a fan. I enjoy going to [see horror films] - being scared, being surprised. I thought as far as remakes go, this wasn't the worst candidate only because it’s not something like 'The Wizard of Oz', where everyone knows it and loves it. This one is known and loved by certain people, yet there are others who have never heard of the original. So, I thought, well … [original director] Wes [Craven] is producing it himself, so there’s obviously things he wanted to do differently, or get another crack at. He chose a director very carefully, who has a real sensitive bullsh*t meter, and I trusted him immensely. And, we all worked so hard on it. It was a great group of actors that all had that thing that I was talking about before – where we all wanted to tell the same story the best that we could. There was no battle of egos on set, or one-upsmanship. So, I’m actually quite proud of the movie, and I think we’re very respectful of the original.”

The Last House on the Left opens in theaters this Friday, March 13th. You can view the trailer here - but remember, you've been warned.

Summer Glau's 'Big Bang'

"It's hot in here. It must be Summer."
- Rajesh, The Big Bang Theory

So, yes, I tuned into last night's The Big Bang Theory JUST to see my beloved Summer Glau.

It.Was.Too.Funny.

The gist of the ep was that Sheldon, Leonard and Co. were taking the train to San Francisco for a nerdball conference, and Summer happened to be on the train, too (to Santa Barbara). So, Rajesh, Howard and Leonard debate how to go over and talk to her - thinking they have a chance to ... uh, ask her out. That is, except for Sheldon, who was too worried about having left his flash drive back in the apartment, which held his super-duper genius paper to show super-duper genius astrophysicist/cosmologist/Nobel Prize in Physics laureate George Smoot (who also appeared in the ep).

Perhaps Josh Friedman should talk to the TBBT folks for story ideas - 'cause they had some awfully funny ones on how if machines were already here AND Skynet really existed, the most successsful way to disguise them would be as the actors who play the terminators in all of the Terminator films.

Thank you, Sheldon!

Seriously, it's sad when THAT is a more intersting story concept to me at this point than what is going on over on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.

And can I just say Summer Glau is too cool for stopping by the show.

But then again, we already knew that.

Meredith Baxter Takes on Hallmark's 'Secret'

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Ellen Rush lives!

'kay, not really.

But Meredith Baxter IS back - and looking a heck of a lot better than she ever did whilst on Cold Case.

She stars alongside Lesley Ann Warren in the Hallmark Channel Original Movie Bound By a Secret, which premieres this Saturday, March 7th at 9/8c.

The film revolves around two life-long friends, Ida Mae (Baxter) and Jane (Warren), who must take a hard look at their past and make difficult decisions about the future when Jane, a famous soap actress, returns to their hometown after learning she will soon succumb to cancer. Although Baxter plays the role of the loving and supportive friend, she can easily identify with both characters given her own experience as a breast cancer survivor.

“I am a breast cancer survivor, and I’ve been speaking around the country about my experiences for about six years now,” she says. “It’s very gratifying to open up to other survivors.”

It wasn't always easy for her to speak about the affliction, but positive response from family and friends was so great that she decided to take it to the public. She founded The Meredith Baxter Fund for Breast Cancer Research, which supports vital breast cancer programs throughout the United States. Baxter announced that a portion of all profits from her Simple Works line of skin care products, which was initially created to correct her own dry skin problem, would go to the foundation.

“I would be at trade shows to present Simple Works and women – some of them still wearing head scarves because of radiation treatment - would see the pink ribbon and want to talk to me,” she explains. “My first reaction was to close down and not want to talk, but I began to open up, slowly. We’d talk and cry and share stories and it helped me get rid of that shame. It can be a slow process, but I came to learn that healing emotionally is as important as healing physically.”

In addition to understanding the mindset of the cancer patient, Baxter also had a personal experience that allowed her to connect to her character in the film, who watches her dear friend slip away.

“My mother died of esophageal cancer about seven, eight years ago,” Baxter recalls. “And there was one time when she looked at me - I didn’t know she was dying at that point – but she looked at me in a way that was like her eyes were just taking in everything on my face, just making up for lost time. In retrospect, it was the sweetest thing. Of course, at the time, because I didn’t know what she was going through, I thought, ‘Gee, she’s looking at me like she’s never going to see me again!’ Well, she died four months later -– and I get it. It’s the personal connection. There cannot be anything else.”

Today, Baxter says she is stronger for having lived through such trials, and she is a sought-after public speaker on surviving the experiences of breast cancer, substance abuse and overcoming domestic violence.

In addition to her work on behalf of breast cancer awareness, Baxter is a women’s rights and anti-abuse activist and is a member of Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America. For her work on the TV movie My Breast, she received a special award for public awareness from the National Breast Cancer Coalition.

“We can be a lifeline for each other,” she says of fellow breast cancer survivors, who she encourages to banish the shame and fear and arm themselves with knowledge, a sense of humor and a proactive attitude. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of, and speaking with other survivors who know what you are going through is a powerful and loving experience.”

Additional Sources: Hallmark Syndicate

Bound By A Secret airs Saturday, March 7 at 9/8c on Hallmark Channel. For additional scoop on the movie, head on over to HallmarkChannel.com.

Ode to the 'Girls' - And How Good TV Was

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

File this under: completely nostalgic post.

Since PTR's editor in chief, TVFan, recently paid tribute to Jane Seymour and Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman (for which we grandfathered in both actress and show as a PTR fave), I've decided to do my own tribute to The Golden Girls, which makes its syndication move to the Hallmark Channel beginning this Sunday, March 1st with an 18-hour marathon (yes, that is 18 hours, folks).

Can I just ask: does anyone remember when network television was like this ...?

Anyone ...? Bueller ...?

Remember when the sitcom lived.

When there actually were people OVER 40-years-old on television who were NOT considered washed-up has-beens, a joke of a reality show contestant, or a horrible cosmetic surgery experiment gone wrong.

When Botox was NOT around, and every female lead actress did NOT look as if she had just walked out of some version of rehab - whether for an eating disorder, drugs, alcohol or all of the above.

When you did NOT have to figure out whether you were smarter than a fifth grader, and therefore, be entertained by ridiculous voyeuristic reality show drivel.

When Saturday night was actually THE night to sit down and watch the tube (whether you were 10, 30, 45, 60 or 80-years-old), and it was NOT the night where shows went to die.

To think I'm a thirtysomething, and I can remember when television was like this is depressing. And yet, there are plenty of you far older and wiser than I, who remember the network television landscape even MORE differently than I do.

What the heck has gone wrong with network television these days?

Is it any wonder big name film AND television actors are moving to cable because there is NOTHING FOR THEM TO DO on network besides make a special guest appearance and deal with material that is ...lame? Unimaginative? Boring? Formulaic? Hardly challenging or creatively inspiring?

I'm beginning to think that if it weren't for cable - basic or premium - continuing to bring us ORIGINAL programming (read: not ANOTHER reality show and/or not ANOTHER spinoff of two other versions of the been-there-done-that-can-we-get-over-it-please crime or legal drama procedural), I wouldn't be watching television at all.

All that said, The Golden Girls left us a legacy that resonates as strongly today as it did when the show went on the air in 1985.

And hey, we all know the 80s are back, right?

"The show is romanticized and has a fantasy element to it, but more than that there's this theme: Friendship over all, no matter what crap happens to you, you'll have best friends who are hysterically funny – and everything will be fine as long as you have your friends around," explains Jim Colucci, a television critic who wrote The Q Guide to The Golden Girls in 2006.

That idea appeals to every age group, says Colucci, including disaffected teenagers (as he was when the show began airing, as I was when I began watching) who rely on their friends to help them through rough spots.

He adds: "It's the kind of thing you can watch with a friend, your mom – and moms can pass it down to daughters, sisters to sisters."

Says longtime fan Kristine Cohen, who used to watch the show with her grandmother when she was just 10-years-old: "I used to hear her laugh and laugh," she says. "Soon we were watching every Saturday night together. My grandma had three sisters, so she would always say the Golden Girls relationship was similar to her and her sisters."

"I used to get letters from teenage girls who wanted to come live with us," remembers Rue McClanahan, who played man-hungry Blanche, alongside Bea Arthur's pragmatic and sensible Dorothy, Estelle Getty's wickedly sassy Sophia and Betty White's always-sees-the-glass-half-full Rose. "Because it was a warm, friendly show and no matter what problems we had, we faced them together."

And, yet even back then, trying to get the show on the air was nearly impossible. But we can thank legendary NBC executive Brandon Tartikoff for seeing the potential. He hired longtime producers Paul Junger Witt and Tony Thomas. Witt's wife, Susan Harris (creator of Soap and Benson), knew how to write for older people, and thus, the show was born.

Says Witt: "We had been frustrated over the years by the emphasis on young audiences on television. Comedy is such a difficult thing to master, so some of the funniest people we had worked with were older – yet in terms of series leads they were not considered attractive to networks, until this came along. Older people just have better stories – heck, they have stories. Younger people don't. There are layers of things you just can't get when you're writing younger people."

Amen to that.

We all know the show developed a major following, earning 11 Emmys® and landing in the ratings Top 10 for six out of its seven seasons. But one unexpected demographic – aside from disaffected teens – was children.

"I think kids loved Sophia," says Harris. "They loved someone who could talk back, and say the things they couldn't say. And people still tell me they couldn't have gotten through college without Golden Girls. It was like having a family."

Even though those kids are grown up, the show has managed to retain its litany of admirers thanks to DVDs and syndication. And the longevity of the show's appeal - two decades AFTER it went on the air - comes as no real surprise to Thomas; he saw it from the third episode in: "I said to Paul Witt, 'This will never tire. These people are brilliant, it's going to be funny forever. It's going to be generational – it's [I Love Lucy]-esque."

Fan Cohen says: "It gives a great example that life can be wonderful and fulfilling even in our later years – you can have new friends, handsome boyfriends, a busy social life and even a sex life!"

"We all know we're going to be Golden Girls someday," says Harris. "The worries and concerns of women in their 60s are very much the concerns of women in their 30s and 40s and 50s. Meeting guys, dating, sex, being lonely – all of that – and having friends. Those are problems with no age limits. And these women are wise, they can speak with decades of experience."

And remind us all how good network television used to be.

The Golden Girls make their move to Hallmark Channel beginning with an 18-hour marathon on Sunday, March 1 starting at 8:30 a.m. ET/PT. Then, beginning March 2, the show will air Mondays - Fridays from 9 a.m. – 10 a.m., 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. and 12 a.m. – 2 a.m. It will also air Saturdays from 6 a.m. – 9 a.m. and Sundays from 8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Additional Source: Hallmark Syndicate

'Rita Rocks' Into Season Finale

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

File this post under: I. Need. To. Watch.

Lifetime's Rita Rocks is one of those "other" shows waiting patiently in line to get a prime spot on my DVR schedule (just like Army Wives). Given my fading interest in a couple of my regulars, Rita may end up taking a prime spot next season.

And besides, I love Nicole Sullivan.

Not JUST from her time over on MADtv.

A while back, she was in this VH1 Original Movie (with PTR Fave Annabeth Gish) called The Way She Moves. It was at that point I thought she was ridiculously cool. But this, of course, was back when VH1 was doing something MORE than coming up with every conceivable and ridiculously tacky reality series to showcase brainless know-nothings.

Needless to say, I was thrilled to see her get her own show over on Lifetime, where she stars as Rita Clemens, an overworked wife and mother in the middle of an identity crisis. This includes trying to maintain romance with her husband Jay (Richard Ruccolo), juggling the demands of her nine-year-old daughter, Shannon (Kelly Gould), and disciplining her defiant teenage daughter Hallie (Natalie Dreyfuss) and her ever-present boyfriend Kip (Raviv Ullman). After being passed over for a promotion at work, Rita is at her wit’s end. In search of "youthful" Rita, she dusts off her old guitar and forms a garage band with her nosy postal carrier Patty (Tisha Campbell-Martin) and unemployed neighbor Owen (guest star Ian Gomez), in the hopes of putting that love back in her life.

The show airs its first season finale Monday, February 23rd at 8 p.m. In the finale, Rita gets a promotion at work that leads to an overwhelming schedule and no time for the band. Jay and the girls notice that she just isn't the same without her music and set out to get her back on track.

Check out a sneak peak:



The Rita Rocks season finale airs Monday at 8 p.m. on Lifetime. Head on over to the official Rita Rocks Web site to learn more about the show - including watching full episodes AND the chance to enter the Shine Like a Rock Star Sweepstakes, where you could win a Nintendo Wii™, Rock Band ® 2, $5,000 and a Pledge ® gift pack.

Bell is Twice Hallmark's 'Good Witch'

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

Confession: Catherine Bell is always going to be Lt. Col. Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie to me.

And, if I were bloggin' back when JAG was in its heyday, the show would've had a prime spot here at PTR.

Loved.That.Show.

Alas, JAG is long gone.

But Catherine is around in lots of good stuff these days, notably her turn as Denise Sherwood over on Lifetime's hit series, Army Wives (which I'm still trying to figure out how to squeeze into my very busy DVR schedule so I can bring it to PTR).

She's relocated to South Carolina, where the show films seven months out of the year, with her young daughter Gemma and her husband, Adam Beason. "We absolutely love it here," she says. "It's a city but it feels like a small town, where everyone knows each other and they're friendly."

But tonight, she hangs up her army fatigues and returns to Hallmark in The Good Witch's Garden, the sequel to last year's hit The Good Witch.

Any magic tales from the set? Not according her daughter.

“It’s funny," she says. “I was talking to my daughter on the phone while I was filming, and she was telling me all about magic. How she had magic was sending me magic through the phone to me and these are the words you say to make the magic work and all. So I told her it was good she was sending it because I’m playing the good witch so I need magic. And she told me, ‘Oh mommy, that’s just a movie, you don’t need magic for that!’”

Bell plays Cassandra "Cassie" Nightingale (got to love that name). She's settled into the small town of Middleton and is busy making a home of what is known as Grey House. She's got a boyfriend, Sheriff Jake Russell (played by Chris Potter), and though his kids are happy to have her in the neighborhood, she has yet to gain the trust of some people in town.

In the sequel, a stranger comes to Middleton with papers that entitle him to legal ownership of Grey House, which essentially leaves Cassie without a home and convinced Middleton just isn't that into her. Ultimately, everyone learns holding on too tightly to something can make it more likely that very thing will slip through one's fingers.

Sound good?

(Second confession: For some ridiculous reason, I MISSED the original The Good Witch. Worse, I have no excuse. I saw the promos last year in between my Touched By An Angel replays, but I clearly had a premature senior moment given I a) never set the DVR, and b) never managed to see it when it re-aired. Duh.)

Hallmark is once again doing me (and everyone else) a favor by re-airing the original The Good Witch at 7 p.m. before the premiere of The Good Witch's Garden at 9 p.m. For more scoop on the movie, head on over to HallmarkChannel.com.

Sources: Hallmark Publicity/Syndicate

Hallmark Channel's Second 'Note'

By LillyKat
PTR Senior Staff Writer

If it weren't for the Hallmark Channel, I think I'd go bonkers.

Seriously, their programming gives me a much needed break from my usual coverings of homicide detectives, serial killers, conniving high-powered attorneys conjuring up murder plots, Bering Sea fishermen dancing with death and Skynet machines out to destroy mankind.

And did we mention they air some show called ... wait, hold on ... it's coming to me ... Touched By An Angel?

Best.Show.Ever.

Thank.God.For.Syndication.

Tonight is the premiere of Hallmark Channel Original Movie The Note 2: Taking a Chance on Love, the sequel to last year's highly-rated The Note, starring Genie Francis and Ted McGinley.

Sooo, what's it about?

From HallmarkChannel.com:

"Having been reunited with Christine, the daughter she gave up for adoption 18 years earlier, Peyton MacGruder (Genie Francis) is still learning the ropes of parenting. She’s also busy writing her “Heart Healer” column, as well as managing a relationship with coworker and boyfriend King Danville (Ted McGinley). But when King asks Peyton to marry him, she’s too afraid to take a chance at a life she deserves. A note to Peyton from a loyal reader of her column leads to a new friendship, one that will teach Peyton that when it comes to making decisions, there’s a time to be cautious and a time to follow your heart."

If you're looking for a feel-gooder in advance of Super Bowl Mania (and quite frankly I am), tune in tonight for a double-airing of The Note at 7 p.m. followed by the premiere of The Note 2: Taking a Chance on Love at 9 p.m. Visit HallmarkChannel.com for the scoop on the movie.

Photo Courtesy: Hallmark Channel Publicity

Deck the Halls with Holiday Episodes

Your favorite shows may be on a holiday hiatus, but that doesn't mean you can't watch episodes of some of your former faves from Christmases past. Joost, an online video and social interaction site, put together a collection of holiday-themed episodes from former greats Veronica Mars, Gilmore Girls, Family Ties, Newsradio, Friends, The O.C. and The Beverly Hillbillies as well as current hit Smallville.  All episodes are free and feature high quality-format streaming video.

And while you're filling up with holiday cheer, you can also check out some holiday funny courtesy of Comedy Central.  Joost is featuring Santa Sack, a collection of holiday themed clips from popular stand-up acts and shows like A Colbert Christmas.

You can check out both holiday-themed promotions at Joost.com (Holiday episodes HERE and Comedy Central's Santa's Sack HERE).