The 'Cold' War Rages On at Home and 'Trace' Strips Down

Why do television shows insist on presenting military "lifers" as war-obsessed, wife abusing, right wing bastards? I just don't get it. I've met "lifers," and not a single one has been this way, and yet, Cold Case insisted on perpetuating the stereotype last night. This is a show that tends to steer away from stereotypes of any sort, so it was a bit surprising. At least the war-obsessed bastard didn't turn out to be the killer. Stereotype aside, the episode was pretty good. It wasn't as strong as the opener, but I think we all knew that it was going to be really tough to top the show's strongest opener to date. I found myself very involved in Dana's story, even though it was a bit reminiscent of last season's "Honor." The show did a nice job of skirting the war issue. It would have been very easy to take an obvious side on the current conflict, but for the most part, the episode stayed in the middle and allowed the personal story of the soldiers to take center stage. The episode's other misstep came at the end with the actual "murder." I say "murder" because I'm not so sure that it was actual murder. If it was, it made no sense. I'm going with the idea that Tommy was trying to kill himself after realizing that the one thing he thought he had left was never his in the first place. But, accidentally flung Dana off the bridge. Yeah, I know it's a long shot, but I'm giving this show the benefit of the doubt. I feel it deserves it after giving us such a wonderful season premiere.


On the personal front, I felt that both Scotty and Lilly's stories seemed forced. Scotty enters his brother's house, says hi and then gets right to it with his brother. I guess they're not much for small talk. Meanwhile, Lilly goes from burning breakfast to pouring her heart out to Joseph about her father leaving when she was six. Now, don't misunderstand, I really liked both scenes and I was jumping for joy at the new Lilly info, but it just came out too quickly. I blame this one on the framework of a procedural. They don't allow for a lot of personal development, and the little that there is tends to get underdeveloped, causing it to feel forced. It just seemed to me that Lil would have had a longer heart-to-heart with Joseph about her "everybody leaves" issues rather than bringing them up in passing between burnt pancakes and her morning commute. Unfortunately, the structure of the show doesn't allow for it, so we have to settle for a sufficient scene with a cute exchange between the two. I loved this scene, but it had more to do with the interaction between them and the final line that said so little and meant so much. Joseph basically declared his committment to Lilly when he said that he could be her last. I don't think that Lil was buying it, but I do think that she was contemplating how nice it might be to have someone stick around for a change. Let's just hope that she's not the one to cut and run when thing gets too heavy.


'Trace' Strips Down
I have a confession: I liked the stripper episode of Without a Trace!! What's wrong with me?? If you all feel the need to revoke my TV fan card, I will completely understand. See, I like Elena and I like Danny and this episode had a lot of both of them -- together!! I never thought that I would like them as a couple, but you know what? They're hot! I know, I know it was only pretend, but I think we all also know that there were definitely real sparks there in that set-up scene and then again outside the cab. I might be reversing my stance on workplace relationships on procedurals. Quick, somebody swipe my TV fan card now before I declare that Lilly and Scotty should be together. You have to admit, though, those two have tremendous chemistry together. Oh my god, take it now!


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

Flashback to 'Mars!' Plus New Season Scoop, Sad News and TV on DVD Monday

As the summer comes to an end, so do PTR's Flashback Editions. But before this summer series ends, we're going to take a closer look at one of Veronica Mars' finest hours. The episode, "A Trip to the Dentist," solved the mystery surrounding Veronica's rape and how she was drugged with a date rape drug. Of course the surprising answer has since been thrown into turmoil, but at the time, it was the most satisfying conclusion to an otherwise dark chapter in Veronica's life. Today, we take a (quick) look back at the awesomeness that is season one's "A Trip to the Dentist."


Veronica spent the entire episode trying to get to the bottom of what happened to her on the night of Shelly Pomroy's party. She didn't remember anything other than waking up the next morning to learn that she had been raped. She found out that Logan and his buddies had brought a date rape drug to the party, but she couldn't figure out how she ingested it. Through her trademark tough interrogations, she learned that Dick had slipped some of the drug into Madison Sinclair's drink, hoping that it would allow him to score with her. The problem is, Madison wasn't drugged, so how did Veronica end up with the drug and Madison didn't? Meanwhile, she tracks down possible rape suspects and comes up with Cassidy after learning that Dick "gave" him a drugged Veronica as a present. Cassidy tells her that he wanted to prove to Dick that he was a man, so he stayed with Veronica for a little while, but he didn't touch her. Veronica is back to square one until one of the party goers tells her that Duncan went into the bedroom where she was passed out on the bed. She confronts Duncan, but is surprised to learn that in her drugged state, she consented to the sex. Duncan left abruptly when he realized what he had done because his mother told him that he and Veronica are half siblings. So, Veronica wasn't raped (at least not by Duncan), but she may have committed incest. And how exactly did that date rape drug find its way into her drink? That would be courtesy of Madison Sinclair, the original target. It seems that Madison likes to play a little game that she calls "A Trip to the Dentist." She spits into her drink and then hands it off to someone else. That someone else was Veronica Mars.


The episode ends with another party - this time it's a late birthday party for Logan. Aaron decided that he wanted to start forming a relationship with his son, so he threw him a surprise party. Too bad Logan and Veronica were coming home to spend time together when the group jumped out and surprised them. It seems Logan and Veronica weren't the only ones surprised! Their secret relationship was no longer a secret. The two head off to the pool house where Veronica discovers that the ceiling fan over the bed has a camera in it. Who was taping, and what were they taping? Veronica intends to find out. If you would like to watch this episode for yourself, pick up your S1 DVD set today (also check out the S2 set on store shelves now!). Or rent one through Netflix, or check your local library for a free borrowed copy. Veronica's second season is currently airing in reruns on UPN every Tuesday night. Tomorrow night, you can catch 2 back-to-back episodes of this wonderful show. In the first hour, Veronica helps Gia with a stalker. Check out the opening scene HERE! In the second hour, Veronica and Keith take to the witness stand in Aaron Echolls' trial. All of the screencaps in this edition are courtesy of vm-caps.com.

'Case' and 'Trace' Scoop
As part of PTR's continuing promise to bring you all of the latest new season scoop, I have news on two of television's biggest crime procedurals: Cold Case and Without a Trace. First up, brand-new hot off the press pictures from Cold Case's fourth season premiere (link contains spoilers)!! The gang finds themselves looking into a 1995 mall shooting where two teens went on a rampage when evidence surfaces that indicates that there may have been a third shooter. All of the photos are courtesy of Kathryn Morris Online and CBS.
In other CC news, Entertainment Weekly has some scoop straight from new showrunner Veena Sud in its Fall TV Preview issue on newsstands now (WARNING: the following contains spoilers):

New time slot (post Amazing Race, pre-Without a Trace); new showrunner, Veena Sud; and a new romance for Kathryn Morris' Lilly in season 4. "She's found a good man, " says Sud, "who has a history much like her own. She's in the throes of this great relationship, but it doesn't last long. An old lover comes back: the infamous motorcycle man, Ray (Brennan Elliot). So Lilly will have to make a choice." Expect more episodes featuring music by just one artist (a la last season's all-Springsteen hour), and bold new cases: "We're coming in with a huge episode for the new time slot -- a mall shooting," says Sud. "It flashes back to 1995 when these kids go into the mall and open fire. It's going to be a real shocker." (Sept. 26th)

If all of this isn't enough to wet your appetite for new episodes, then this fantastic CBS promo from the season premiere will. It seems that things are about to get steamy on CC if this ad is any indication (a special thanks to irishkale at Look Again for uploading the preview):


Cold Case premieres September 24th at 9 p.m. on CBS. In other crime show news, look for things to get soapy on Without a Trace when it moves to its new night: Sundays after Cold Case. Entertainment Weekly reports in its Fall Preview issue that the producers are "mindful of the soapiness that Desperate Housewives and (gone-to-Thursday) Grey's Anatomy have brought to the night." Showrunner Greg Walker tells the magazine that they're using it to give the show a lift. "We're pumping up those personal stories a little bit," he says, "because we feel like Sunday has more room for that." Also, look for Elena Delgado (Roselyn Sanchez) to go undercover in a strip joint for one case. Trace also premieres September 24th, after CC, on CBS.

FRIDAY FUN: SUMMER STYLE (Trivia Answer)
Last Friday, I asked you guys the following trivia question:

Q: How did The Closer's Brenda Leigh Johnson end up with her house and her cat?

A: Brenda's house and cat used to belong to a Russian prostitute who was murdered in season 1. Brenda was still living in the hotel at the time when the murder happened and the house went on the market. Fritz told her to grab a good deal when she saw one, and this house was a good deal due to the violent crime that took place in it. Be sure to tune in to The Closer's second season premiere tonight at 9 p.m. on TNT! Click on over to TVGuide.com for an exclusive preview of this explosive finale.


QUICK CUTS

*Very sad news from the world of television today. As PTR reported earlier, Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin died early this morning in an accident with a stingray while shooting his latest documentary. The conservationist was on location in Australia's Great Barrier Reef when a poisonous stingray barb punctured his chest. Irwin was 44 years old and is survived by his wife and two kids. Pass the Remote sends out our deepest sympathies to Irwin's family and friends during this tragic time. Irwin did a lot of good with his programs in raising awareness about the importance of conservation and protection for all of the world's species. He will be sorely missed in my house.

*And finally, it's TV on DVD Monday! Look for the second season of Lost to hit store shelves tomorrow along with Supernatural (season 1), AMC's highly rated miniseries Broken Trail, Hustle (season 1) and Oz (season 6). For a full 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 thoughts on tonight's season finale of The Closer. Plus, Vanished and 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.

Sara Breaks Out from her Mall Image! Plus 'Trace,' 'CSI' and 'Deadwood' Dead?

Sara (left - photo courtesy UPN) made it all the way to the final four on America's Next Top Model. Not bad for a girl who had no prior modeling experience and who producers found in a mall. "That's a funny story," the Georgetown graduate told bloggers last night during a teleconference. "I was shopping in Macy's and this woman came up to me and asked if I was lost." Apparently, that woman was from America's Next Top Model and she thought that Sara was at the mall to audition for the 6th cycle, but Sara didn't even know that the auditions were going on. Her mall discovery became a stigma that seemed to follow her throughout the competition. Other contestants questioned her commitment since she was discovered and had no prior experience. "I feel like it was something that was held against me from the very beginning," she explains. She seemed to get the most criticism from fellow contestant Joanie, but Sara takes it in stride. "People say things that they don't mean in stressful situations," she concedes. She says that she and Joanie have become close since their Top Model experience. "She knows I take it seriously now." For someone who didn't have the experience that some of the others had, she has plenty to fill her resume now. One of her first experiences was that hair-raising makeover. "The hair cut was definitely a shock to my system," she admits, but then concedes that she has gotten used to it and now keeps her hair short, for the time being anyway. One of her favorite experiences was Thailand. "Thailand was the most incredible experience," she gushes. " I got to do so many things there. Even if I traveled there I wouldn't get to do all that." One of those things was posing for a photo shoot on top of an elephant. " It was just such an amazing experience," she recalls. She even managed to pick up a few Thai phrases and customs. "A lot of what they do is things that we all should do like respect each other," she explains. "I always wanted to be cognizant of what I was doing. I didn't want to offend anyone."


In addition to the elephant shoot, Sara says that she also liked the first shoot where the girls had to go bald. "It was an interesting situation," she says. It was also one where she received a lot of praise, but Sara says that she never minded the criticism either, especially when it came from Tyra. "I always felt that what Tyra said was not mean spirited, but constructive," she explains. "Anything she said came from a good place." Sara counts the falling fairytale shoot and the ice shoot as her least favorites. She says that she actually sprained her neck during the falling shoot, and she describes it as "very painful." And if difficult photo shoots and the competition weren't hard enough, there was also fellow contestant Jade. When asked about the the contestant that viewers love to hate, Sara laughs and says that everyone asks her about Jade. "She has such a big personality and unflappable confidence," she explains. Sara says that she actually admires Jade for those two qualities and she admits that she doesn't know her outside of the competition. So, what's next for the girl who was discovered in the mall? She says that she would like to pursue modeling and "see how far my potential will take me." She says that watching herself on Top Model has been very constructive. "I finally see what they were saying," she explains. "I think the stiff shoulders have made their final exit." America's Next Top Model will air its 2-hour season finale this Wednesday, May 17th on UPN.


Without a Trace gave us a very interesting social commentary last night. Do missing white girls get more media attention than their African- American counterparts? I've seen this question explored in the media before, and according to studies, they do. You don't have to conduct a study to know the answer, although, I do enjoy the irony of a media outlet doing a social commentary about their own coverage. Instead of wasting the time on these commentaries, why don't they just start covering missing children equally? It's frustrating in real life, but it was even more so on Without a Trace last night because we got to experience the inequality through the eyes of the mother of one of the missing persons. I just wanted to reach through my television and rip off the reporter's head. Is it that difficult to cover another missing teen or at the very least, put his picture on the air? As we saw last night, it's difficult to get tips when no one knows that the child is missing. I found myself siding 100% with Viv. Every time they pulled another FBI agent off of her case, I got more and more frustrated. This episode was really a stand-out hour of television and a stellar effort by everyone involved, especially guest star Viola Davis (Audrey, Darnell's mom). For the first time, there was no payoff in this episode. We invested our emotions into both of these kids' stories and we never learn the outcome other than Sam saying, "One alive, one dead," a body confirmation and Jack walking over to both mothers. I'm sure the point was that both kids' lives were of equal value, and therefore both equally worthy of the media coverage only afforded to Emily, so it's tragic simply to lose one of them. Normally, this lack of closure would have bothered me (and to be honest, it did last night), but in this case I think the point was made perfectly. If you were wondering about the ending song from this episode, it was James Blunt's "Cry" off of his Back to Bedlam album. It was brilliantly perfect for the scene and helped set the tragic mood, and yes, it's going on my iPod. As usual, you can get the track from iTunes.


Last night's CSI was only the first part in this year's 2-part finale, but it definitely set up some interesting situations for next week. First, what will happen to Brass? Second, is Warrick's marriage kaput? If you read TV Guide regularly, then you definitely know the answer the latter and you may know the answer to the former as well. I'm not going to say anything about the outcome of either storyline here, so proceed without worry. Remember how CBS told us that we could figure out the finale by looking at this picture? Well, from what we've seen so far, it seems that the clues were, in fact, there and the entire stunt was actually a pretty cool (and dare I say hip?) marketing tool on CBS' part. If you look at the gentleman hunched over with the bullet wound in his back, you'll notice that there's a police badge in his pocket, so clearly this was meant to foreshadow Brass' shooting. You can also use the magnifying glass to look at Warrick's left hand, and you'll notice that he's not wearing his wedding ring like he usually does, so we have the marital trouble hinted at here. You can also spot the slot machines, indicating the casino where the hostage situation went down, and then there's the most interesting discovery of all. If you use the magnifying glass and mouse over Gil and Sara, you'll notice that their heads change position to look at each other. If you mouse over everyone else's heads, they don't move. Is this a subtle hint to a possible relationship between the two next week? Maybe, but I for one am choosing to believe that it's nothing more than a cool graphic effect (Hey, denial ain't just a river in Egypt!).

About Last Night...CBS won the first hour of the night with Survivor, followed by NBC's super-sized Will & Grace and the beginning of a super-sized My Name is Earl and Fox's combination of That 70s Show, a 7-minute X-Men preview and the beginning of a retrospective for That 70s show. At 9, CBS stayed in the lead with CSI, followed by a tie between the rest of NBC's super-sized Earl and The Office finale and the rest of Fox's That 70s Show retrospective. The final hour of the night went to CBS' Without a Trace, followed by NBC's ER and ABC's Primetime. To read more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - NBC airs another edition of Deal or No Deal. Over on CBS, magician and psychological illusionist Keith Barry has his own special called Keith Barry: Extraordinary featuring Jessica Simpson, Nicollete Sheridan, Elijah Wood and others.

@9 p.m. - Annabeth prosecutes a high-profile case involving a professional baseball player and ends up facing off with his slick defense attorney on CBS' Close to Home. Over on NBC, One of the trio of ladies at the Montecito is preparing to walk down the aisle on Las Vegas.

@10 p.m. - Don enlists Charlie's help when the bodies of five young Asian girls found washed up are suspected of being infected with the Avian influenza virus on CBS' Numb3rs. Over on NBC, Jim Steele tries to prosecute a rape case but the plaintiff's father stands in the way on Conviction.

SUNDAY EDITION
@8 p.m. - CBS wraps up another edition of Survivor with this 2-hour episode.

@9 p.m. - Felicia Tilman has more in store for Paul Young, Bree reaches the end of her rope, and Susan must start over on ABC's Desperate Housewives. Over on NBC, Goren and Eames trace the evidence when a church worker is found dead after the latest in a series of arson-fueled fires on Law & Order: CI.

@10 p.m. - Finn gives a health update on Doc, Meredith is assigned to work with Callie for the day while George gets paired with Derek, and Burke and Izzie continue to try to find a heart for Denny on part one of ABC's Grey's Anatomy finale (part 2 airs Monday night). Over on CBS, it's the Survivor reunion special.

SUNDAY'S FEATURED FINALES!!!
The West Wing (8 p.m. NBC) - The Bartlet Administration prepares to leave the White House and The West Wing and our television sets forever on the series finale of one of television's most celebrated series. Before the series finale, you can catch the pilot episode.

Malcolm In the Middle (8:30 p.m. Fox) - Another long-running series says goodbye. Tonight, Malcolm is elected valedictorian of his graduating class and struggles with his speech, but Lois refuses to hear his complaints and reveals her plans for him to become President of the United States on the series finale.

OTHER SUNDAY FINALES!!!
King of the Hill (7:30 p.m. Fox) - 10th season finale
The Surreal Life (9 p.m. VH1) - 6th season finale
American Dad (9:30 p.m. Fox) - 2nd season spring finale
So Notorious (10 p.m. VH1) - 1-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

*HBO's Deadwood may not be long in the saddle. The network opted not to pick up any of the show's actors beyond the upcoming third season, effectively making them each available to pursue other projects. The show's creator, David Milch, is currently focusing on another project for HBO. Sources at the network say that discussions about the show's future are ongoing. The third season kicks off June 11th on HBO.

*And finally, a PROGRAMMING NOTE! Next week is network upfronts week, which is when each network announces its fall schedule to advertisers. In other words, we'll finally know for certain which shows are staying and which are going. Since this is one of the biggest weeks for any TV fan, expect breaking news editions of Pass the Remote each day with the comings and goings from each network. Next week's upfront schedule looks like this:

MON: NBC
TUES: ABC
WED: CBS
THURS: The CW (this is the big one, folks! We'll find out about Veronica Mars and Everwood) and Fox

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 Monday for thoughts on The West Wing's final episode and Desperate Housewives. Plus, all the latest television news and breaking schedule news from NBC (Will Conviction get renewed? Where will Law & Order: CI and Crossing Jordan land now that NBC has Sunday Night Football? And will the network move ER from its Thursday night slot? Tune in Monday to find out)! And be sure to check back here later today for another exciting edition of Friday Fun where you'll get thoughts on last night's My Name is Earl finale including some fun bonuses! Stay Tuned...

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 detail

Furonda Marches to the Beat of Her Own Drum! Plus 'CSI,' 'Trace' and CBS' Summer Offerings

If America's Next Top Model were a personality contest, Furonda (left - photo courtesy UPN) would have won for having the most. The 24 - year old from Stuttgart, Arkansas, who the judges said "beat to the tune of her own drum," was always bringing her own special dose of fun to the challenges and photo shoots. When one of those challenges relied on personality, Furonda was the easy winner. It garnered her a speaking guest role on UPN's Veronica Mars, an experience that she calls a "great time." "Everybody was extremely nice to me," she recalled during a teleconference with bloggers last night. "They helped me through it. Gave me tips." She says that she was especially impressed with Steve Guttenberg, who plays Neptune's mayor who may or may not have been involved in this season's central bus crash mystery, because she has grown up watching his comedy. All of that personality also led to an interesting moment during Top Model's early episodes. Furonda passed out a memo of her rules to the other girls in the house, but she says there was more to the list than what the audience heard on the show, but it was basically about showing respect toward each other. She says that she had experienced the situation before when she lived in the dorms at college, so she came prepared. "I thought that was necessary because I was moving into a house with thirteen other girls and I have a unique personality," she explains.


Furonda says that she has been a fan of America's Next Top Model since season one. She tried out for season two, but didn't get called back until this season. She says that she had the most fun with the living doll shoot because she got to be a rag doll. "It was kind of sweet revenge because the week before, Jay gave me a bad critique and said I was like a rag doll," she says laughing. Her least favorite shoot was the falling fairy tale one because she says it was dangerous. "A lot of girls got injured. Sara had to go to the chiropractor," she recalls. Since her experience on Top Model, Furonda has been working on her modeling career, but she says she would also like to act, especially in comedies like Saturday Night Live. She is also working on launching a singing career, and she'll soon have some singles uploaded on her official web site. But the work that is nearest and dearest to her is with the campaign Know HIV/AIDS, which she got involved with after winning a challenge on Top Model. She feels that speaking to young people with AIDS is very important. "Just let AIDS survivors know that they are beautiful just for fighting the horrible disease they have," she says sincerely. She'll soon be moving to New York, and it's very possible that she'll room with fellow Top Model contestant Nnenna. "Nnenna is kind of like my support system right now," she explains. With her work with Know HIV/AIDS and her future goals in modeling and acting, it seems that Furonda will be busy, but that's all right with her. "I want it all," she says with a laugh. "Next is everything." You can learn more about Furonda from her official site. You can get more information on Know HIV/AIDS here. America's Next Top Model airs Wednesday nights on UPN.


Was CSI living in a fantasy world last night or what? Literally! So, one thing that never fails to intrigue me on this show is the alternative lifestyles and such that it loves to portray. This show feeds on the absurd. Can you imagine the amount of money that the victim's fantasy must have cost? Two banged up vehicles, lots of spare gambling money, a number of participants and what I can only imagine is a huge service fee levied by the fantasy creating company. It's amazing what a lot of money will buy you! In other CSI news, did you guys notice the many bones that the show was throwing all of those who want Sara and Grissom to hook up? For the record, I'm not one of them. I find the whole thing tremendously out of character for Grissom. I see him more as a father figure to Sara, much in the same way that I see Lilly and Stillman's relationship on Cold Case. Thus, the mere thought of them hooking up sends several waves of uncomfortable down my spine. From the looks they shot each other in this episode, it seems that the worst is yet to come on that front. Anyway, who's up for free episodes of CSI?? Everyone? Well, then CBS is your new best friend. The net's official site is now showing the producers' two favorite episodes (including the incredible "Gum Drops"). You can click on over there to watch them anytime. Don't forget to study this picture for clues to next week's 2-part finale. Where's Brass? Might that be a clue...


Thank you for giving us an excellent, compelling and well written episode last night Without a Trace! You have been living in mediocre land for way too long, but when you're good, you're one of TV's best. I was so sure that the brother and sister had banded together, killed their father and gone on the run, but I was SO happy when that wasn't the case. It just goes to show that you can't just rely on how things seemed to be. Of course, the family had problems. They lost their wife/mother, dad lost his job, the little boy was having trouble in school and the daughter was in with the wrong boyfriend, but when it came down to it, they were still a family. The fact that they were on the run together and back to being a family again kind of warmed my heart a bit. I know that sleazy boyfriend was in fear for his life, but I still hate him for calling the daughter just so he could give the family's location to the Albanians. Why not lie and say that she never called back when he paged her? That would have made sense because the family was in hiding. See, this why I hated sleazy boyfriend. I admire the family for agreeing to testify against the Albanians in return for witness protection because they're going to spend the rest of their lives looking over their shoulders. Of course, Jack has their back and the gun that will put a hole in the leader's head if he touches the family. I love when Jack gets tough!

About Last Night...CBS won the first hour of the night with Survivor, followed by 2 episodes (one new and one rerun) of NBC's Will & Grace and the first hour of ABC's American Inventor. At 9, CBS stayed in front with CSI, followed by NBC comedies My Name is Earl and The Office and the second hour of ABC's American Inventor. The final hour of the night went to CBS' Without a Trace, followed by NBC's ER and ABC's Primetime. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - NBC airs another episode of Deal or No Deal.

@9 p.m. - Things heat up at the Montecito when Olympic athlete Sasha Cohen stops by on NBC's Las Vegas. Over on CBS, Annabeth brings a high school basketball player to trial for the murder of his teammate on Close to Home.

@10 p.m. - A respected female attorney kills her husband, and goes head-to-head against Jim Steele on NBC's Conviction. Over on CBS, Don and his family are in danger when they become the targets of the suspects Don and the team are investigating on Numb3rs.

FINALES TONIGHT!!!
Ghost Whisperer (8 p.m. CBS) - Second part of the 1st season finale
Survival of the Richest (8 p.m. The WB) - 1st season finale
Reba (9 p.m. The WB) - 5th season finale


SUNDAY EDITION
@8 p.m. - Lilly reopens the 1984 case involving the shooting of a successful ER doctor when a new witness steps forward. (SPOILER ALERT) This is also the episode where something happens to Scotty that will carry over into the finale in the way of an injury, but not serious (END SPOILER). Over on NBC, CJ is faced with what to do with her future as the Santos administration begins to transition into the White House on The West Wing.

@9 p.m. - Edie's private detective gets to the bottom of Karl's indiscretion, Tom gets some bad news and Bree and Andrew reach another impasse on ABC's Desperate Housewives. Over on NBC, Whoopi Goldberg guest stars on Law & Order: CI.

@10 p.m. - The interns deal with a family involved in a car accident, Derek lets his emotions get the best of him, and Burke and Izzie make a new suggestion to Denny on ABC's Grey's Anatomy.

FINALES SUNDAY NIGHT!!!
Crossing Jordan (10 p.m. NBC) - 5th season finale and 100th episode

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


QUICK CUTS

*CBS is planning a busy summer schedule according to its latest press release. Look for the return of Rock Star and an all-star edition of Big Brother in July. Also, look for newcomers Game Show Marathon and Tuesday Night Book Club. Marathon, an adaptation of a popular show in the U.K, finds celebrities facing off in different classic game shows (such as The Price is Right and Match Game). Ricki Lake will host the series that begins May 31st. It will run twice a week until the middle of June when it will move to its Thursday night slot. Book Club, an unscripted series that follows the interesting conversations that take place when a group of women meet for a book club, will premiere June 13th and air Tuesday nights at 10 p.m.

*And finally, Matthew Perry is returning to NBC's primetime line-up this fall. The Peacock announced Thursday that it is picking up Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, in which Perry stars along side his Whole Nine Yards co-star Amanda Peet as well as Bradley Whitford (The West Wing), D. L Hughley and Steven Webber. West Wing creators Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme created the hour-long drama that follows the backstage happenings on a sketch comedy show. We'll find out what else makes NBC's fall line-up during the network's schedule announcement on May 15th.

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 Monday for thoughts on Cold Case (Yay! The 80s!) and Desperate Housewives (Susan's goose is so cooked!). Plus, all the latest television news. And be sure to check back here later today for another exciting edition of Friday Fun where you'll get a preview of one of this season's biggest finales! Stay Tuned...

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

'Model' Talk, 'Earl' of the Rings and Skating Through 'Trace!' Plus NBC Renewals and ABC's Sweeps

Most fans of America's Next Top Model were shocked to see Nnenna eliminated during this week's episode. The 24-year old chemist from Houston, Texas started off the competition very strong, but seemed to fall off in her last few weeks. Troubles with her boyfriend, John, back home seemed to occupy most of her free time, but Nnenna insists that she is fully responsible for her elimination. "I don't want to blame the situation on my boyfriend," she told bloggers last night during a teleconference. "I think it was a combination of different issues." During the show, it seemed like Nnenna was always on the phone arguing with her boyfriend, who was missing her, but she says that what you saw wasn't necessarily what happened. "I used the phone two days. Every episode they would play a little bit of the same argument on the phone," she explains. Things seemed especially bad between Nnenna and John when he was the surprise visitor for a challenge reward. Nnenna seemed disappointed, but she says that things got better between the two as John's visit came to a close. "We really talked and I cooked for him and we made up."

Nnenna (Left, waiting for her mermaid shoot. Photo courtesy UPN) also received a lot of heat from viewers for her friendship with fellow contestant Jade. She says that the viewers don't get to see the whole picture. "The audience just sees bits and pieces of Jade, the negatives," she explains. "Human beings have negatives about them and positives." One issue that she would like to clear the air about is what happened when Miss J taught the girls how to walk the runway with accessories. In the show, it appeared that Nnenna laughed at Brooke when she kept messing up, but Nnenna says that she was laughing at the faces that Miss J was making during the lesson. "I laugh very easily. I'm easily amused. My nickname, even at work, is 'Smiley' because I'm always smiling," she explains. Despite the misconceptions, Nnenna insists that she learned a lot from her Top Model experience, and she's moving to New York next month to pursue her modeling dreams. But before she goes, she says that she'll be working on her expressions so she can improve her photo shoots. "I'm going to spend a lot of time in front of the mirror to work on my facial expressions," she says. As far as who she thinks will win the competition, Nnenna says that she was impressed with all 13 of the girls. "Every girl at that point had something special about them that I admired," she says sincerely. "I am definitely supporting each and every one of the [remaining] girls. They're all great girls." America's Next Top Model airs Wednesday nights on UPN. The final 6 contestants pose for a group photo while preparing for their mermaid shoot in Thailand (photo courtesy UPN)

Instead of talking about last night's mediocre -at -best episode of CSI, I thought I'd switch it up and discuss the wonderful episode of My Name is Earl that aired last night. Loved, loved, loved how they did a subtle parody of Lord of the Rings, but instead of the ring that puts a spell on them, it was a stolen police badge. Seriously, how funny was the scene where they were all turning against each other and Earl tells us (through narration) that they realized that they had to get rid of the badge before it destroyed them all? I was laughing so hard. What made this episode even better was the fact that it even had its own "My Precious" guy (as you can tell, I'm not a huge LOTR fan, so I have no idea what the characters names are). Rodney looked exactly like that little computer-generated ring thief, and even slinked around just like him. He was always trying to get his hands on that stolen police badge. I have to say, though, after watching this episode, I will not be storing any valuables in my shoes while I bowl!


I'm not sure how I feel about last night's Without a Trace. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. I guess it just falls somewhere in between love and hate. I would have thought the Jack story line would have driven me crazy, but it wasn't THAT bad. I mean, I'm getting a little tired of his relationship with Anne, but I'm not burned out yet. I'm hoping they keep it at a minimum the rest of the season so that I don't reach that point (like I did with last season's divorce story line). It was nice to see Kate again. I've been thinking that it's a little weird that Jack seems to NEVER see his girls. I know they live in Chicago, but still. The case was just OK for me. It kind of went along at a steady pace, but then it picked up at the end. I didn't really feel the family's pain over losing their son to suicide until Sam found Kelly up at that pond where she learned to skate. Seeing the effect it had on her was emotional. One thing I am getting tired of on this show is the consistent MO it has followed lately. And since I am no longer making requests for American Idol, I'm moving on to this show and we'll just have to see how that pans out (Yes, I know that the series has more than likely wrapped for the season, but these requests hold true for next season as well). Is there anyway we can have a case where the victim doesn't voluntarily leave? I mean, it's pretty anticlimactic when we learn that the person was just visiting her sister because of some bad news she received or when we learn that a figure skater was simply meeting with a prospective new coach. And what is up with these victims returning and no one notifying the FBI? This happened last night and with the pregnant AIDS victim, and it's driving me crazy. If they're actually missing, then they need to be missing. I need to feel like these people are in danger. OK, so those are my requests for now, and hopefully, we'll start getting some better cases soon.

About Last Night...CBS dominated the first night of sweeps, winning each of the three hours. At 8, Survivor took the prize, followed by NBC's Will & Grace and My Name is Earl (r) and ABC's American Inventor special. At 9, CSI landed in first, followed by NBC's My Name is Earl and The Office and ABC's American Inventor. The final hour of the night went to Without a Trace, followed by NBC's ER and ABC's Commander in Chief. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - ABC airs the 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards with hosts Kelly Monaco and Tom Bergeron. Over on CBS, it's part one of the 2-part season finale of Ghost Whisperer. In it, Melinda must help the victims of a airline crash cross over.

@9 p.m. - During a murder trial Annabeth discovers that the victim, who was strangled the night before her wedding to another man, was hiding a secret from her friends and family which may have led to her murder on CBS' Close to Home. Over on NBC, Ed and Jillian set off on a retreat that proves to be anything but peaceful on Las Vegas.

@10 p.m. - The ADAs have a tough time prosecuting a case where the teenager died playing the "choking game" on NBC's Conviction. Over on CBS, Charlie gets caught in the crossfire when an assailant storms the FBI office with a gun on Numb3rs.

SUNDAY EDITION
@8 p.m. - Lilly and the team tackle a 1945 case involving an ambitious reporter recently demoted to writing trivial advice columns after a heady period covering Eleanor Roosevelt on CBS' Cold Case. Over on NBC, Santos is wrapped up in choosing his new Vice President while Helen is overwhelmed by the issues facing the new First Family on The West Wing.

@9 p.m. - Baby Lily's father shows up on ABC's Desperate Housewives. Over on NBC, Detectives Goren and Eames investigate when the body of a former school chancellor is fished out of the Hudson River on Law & Order: CI.

@10 p.m. - Izzie grills George about the personal details of his life, Addison takes Alex to task about a sensitive case, and Burke feels the pressure when he treats his musical hero, on ABC's Grey’s Anatomy. Over on NBC, Macy tries to deliver some personal effects of a deceased elderly man to his family and finds a young boy being held captive on Crossing Jordan.



QUICK CUTS

*NBC is renewing all three Law & Order series, Crossing Jordan, Medium and Las Vegas for another season. The new pick ups join the already renewed My Name is Earl and The Office. No word yet on whether Jordan and Criminal Intent, which both air on Sunday nights, will be held until midseason to accommodate NBC's new Sunday night NFL programming. We'll find out what other NBC shows make the cut when the network announces its fall schedule next month.

*And finally, ABC is releasing its plans for May sweeps. Look for the movie Seabiscuit (May 6th), the 2-part season finale of Grey's Anatomy (May 14th and 15th), the 2-hour season finale of Boston Legal (May 16th), the first season finales of Invasion (May 17th) and Commander in Chief(May 18th), the 2-hour season finale of Desperate Housewives (May 21st), the 2-hour series finale of Alias (May 22nd), the premiere of Stephen King's Desperation and the 2-hour season finale of Lost (May 24th). For more on all of these events and more (including spoilers), click on over to The Futon Critic.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in Monday for thoughts on Cold Case and Desperate Housewives. Plus all the latest television news! And be sure to check back here later today for another exciting edition of Friday Fun where you'll get the inside scoop on your favorite TV stars' summer projects! Stay Tuned...

To read more of today's television headlines and listings, and to get a complete archive with the best of Pass the Remote complete with a photo gallery, 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

Leslie Talks 'Model,' Future Plans and that Walk! Plus, 'CSI,' 'Trace' and Season Finales

Leslie's (right - photo courtesy UPN) elimination from America's Next Top Model seemed to come out of nowhere the other night. The judges seemed to talk more about Brooke and Sarah's struggles the past few episodes than Leslie's. At her elimination, Tyra told Leslie that she took beautiful pictures, but she didn't have the model-look going on in person. One of the sticking points was the 18-year old Arizona State University student's runway walk. She told bloggers last night during a teleconference that she didn't have any experience with it prior to the competition. "For whatever reason, I couldn't figure out how to position myself," she explains. "I didn't realize that was going to hurt me so much." She believes if she had had one more week of practice she would have had her walk down. "I've been working on it, and it's better," she says. "It kind of came to me a little too late." One area that she seemed to have down was the photo shoots. The judges continuously praised the 18-year old for her beautiful photos. Leslie says that she really enjoyed working on the career shoot with the male models. "I loved working off of his energy and all those props," she says enthusiastically. For the shoot, the girls had to pose in photos designed around their non-model career choices. For Leslie, that meant criminal justice, but with a twist. She and her male model held a sexy pose while she balanced the scales of justice. "It was a lot of fun working with him," she says. If her career shoot was her favorite, then the shoot on ice was definitely her least favorite. "As soon as they told us we would be in 20-degree weather and bathing suits, I was like 'Oh my gosh.' I'm from Arizona," she explains. She says she was very cold and "couldn't even think." Leslie says she's glad the judges didn't eliminate her after that shoot. They told her that her poses were too sexy and a little too Maxim magazine. "They gave me a second chance to redeem myself, and I did," she says. As for her last shoot, where the models had to krump (a type of hip-hop dance), she says she was probably over thinking it. "It was just a bad week for me. I was trying to stay positive, but all these insecurities were bringing me down," she concedes.


If you felt like the show didn't give you a chance to really know Leslie, then you're not alone. She says she told her friends after she finished shooting the reality show that she never got caught up in the drama. "I told them I'm either going to be the stupid one who trips over her words at panel or the boring one," she explains. She says that the real Leslie is "a big dork," and not "a quiet wallflower like the show made it seem." Nerves and never having any time to herself, something she says she feeds off of, contributed to her more reserved demeanor on the show according to the 18-year old. Leslie says that she would like to continue modeling in the future, and she credits the show for sparking the interest in her. "If I hadn't done the show, I probably never would have done modeling," she says sincerely. She says the show taught her everything she knows and it allowed her to feel more ready to move somewhere and give the profession a try. "I'm really glad I did this." America's Next Top Model airs Wednesday nights on UPN.


Was it just me or did last night's episode of CSI feel more like CSI: Miami than the original flavor? I half expected David Caruso to drive up in his Hummer and get out with his hands firmly placed on his hips and his infamous Sunglasses of Justice cemented to his face in that rap party scene. I thought I had the wrong night or something, but then I realized that I was actually engaged in the story and not rolling my eyes at every turn (sorry CSI: Miami fans). Anyway, it was an interesting take on the whole hip hop wars idea. Fans of one rapper (Dollar) killing fans of another after embarrassing photos got out. The most interesting part was the fact that this case actually had two different crimes going on at once. One was the embarrassing video where Dollar is held at gunpoint in a bikini for something called "Boys Gone Nutz." The other crime is the murder of three of a rival rapper's fans, who were hanging posters with screen shots of the video. It seems a member of Dollar's own fan base shot the video as revenge for Dollar's involvement with this fan's sister's appearance in "Girls Gone Nutz." The girl's father was so angry over the video, he took his car keys and permanently scarred his daughter's face, neck and chest. Her brother blamed Dollar for the incident and wanted to get even, but things went sour when another Dollar fan got upset over the images from the video and started shooting at the kids hanging the posters. It was all so senseless, but then again, when isn't murder? By the way, if you caught any of the million ads for the final four episodes of CSI, then you saw the picture that supposedly holds the clues for the final two episodes. You can explore the picture further (with a little magnifying tool) over at cbs.com. So far, I'm getting nothing, so leave me a comment if you get something from the photo. You can also click over to cbs.com to get a free download of the Obie Trice song/video featured on last night's episode.


I think I'm still depressed from last night's episode of Without a Trace. Things just went from bad to worse to crawl- into- a- ball- and- sob depressing! It's not bad enough that mother- to- be Meg had HIV that she contracted from an ex-boyfriend, or that she thought her father died when she was 6, but really her mother lied to her because her father ran off with his secretary. And did I mention that she hadn't seen her older sister since then as well or that her mother had kept her sister's letters from her? How about the fact that she got so angry with her mother at the end that she cut her out of her life? Still not depressed enough, well then let me fill you in on Meg's deteriorating HIV status. It seems she developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma, which changed her status from HIV-positive to AIDS. The doctor didn't know how long she would live, but it could be as little as six months. Plus, once the baby is born, she'll have to start chemo and radiation. And now I've thoroughly depressed myself all over again.

About Last Night...CBS won the first hour of the night with Survivor, followed by the first hour of ABC's American Inventor and repeats of NBC comedies Will & Grace and My Name is Earl. At 9, CBS stayed in front with CSI, followed by ABC's second hour of American Inventor and NBC comedies My Name is Earl (r) and The Office (r). The final hour of the night went to CBS' Without a Trace, followed by ABC's Commander In Chief (which scored a much lower audience on its new night) and NBC's ER (r). For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - ABC airs Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on a special night. Fox's The Bernie Mac Show airs part one of its two-part season finale at 8:30 p.m.

@10 p.m. - ADA Nick Potter tackles an easy case to win until a priest wants the charges dropped on NBC's Conviction.

SUNDAY EDITION
@8 p.m. - A man Jeffries arrested in 1994 begs him to reexamine his case just days before his scheduled execution on CBS' Cold Case. Over on NBC, politics are put aside for Leo's funeral on The West Wing.

@9 p.m. - Carol Burnett guest stars as Bree's mother on ABC's Desperate Housewives. Meanwhile, Karl confesses his feelings for Susan and Parker plays doctor at school.

@10 p.m. - ABC premieres its new drama What About Brian starring Barry Watson (the show will make its time slot debut Monday night). Over on NBC, a professional baseball player is accused of rape, but a shocking twist emerges when they check out his alibi on Crossing Jordan.


QUICK CUTS

*Fox is the latest network to enter the Internet and video-on-demand fray. The network will begin offering later this year many of its shows for download the day after they air. The deal is different from the ones struck by ABC, NBC and CBS because Fox's deal allows the local affiliates to get a piece of the revenue pie as well, which in turn, allows Fox to make more shows available. Local affiliates are concerned that they will lose viewers as more content is made available on the Internet.

*CBS' Without a Trace has done it again. The hit crime drama is responsible for the safe return of 18-month old Anisa Jackson. The little girl's father kidnapped her from her home in Pennsylvania last December. CBS broadcast her picture and information during an episode of Without a Trace last month. CBS' The Early Show also covered the disappearance the following morning. Police say that tips resulting from the two broadcasts led them to the missing tot in Alabama. The little girl is back now with her mother. This is the second time tips from the CBS' Without a Trace broadcast have led to the safe recovery of a missing person.

*And finally, it's getting to be that time of year again, sadly. I'm talking about the time when all of your favorite shows take their summer vacations. But before they go, they always make sure to leave us with a lasting impression to tied us over until September (or in some cases, longer). The networks are beginning to release details about these season finales. CBS says that Ghost Whisperer will find Melinda (Jennifer Love Hewitt) helping hundreds of dead passengers from a plane crash crossover. If you want more details on the two-part finale that concludes May 5th, click on over to The Futon Critic (WARNING: Link contains spoilers). Fox is releasing details about House's second season finale. The episode will air over two nights on May 2nd and 3rd and will find House baffled by a wounded police officer with uncontrollable laughter whose condition takes a turn for the worse. For more on this finale, click over to The Futon Critic (WARNING: Link contains spoilers). You can also read up on the series finale of the WB's 7th Heaven, which features the return on Barry Watson and Jessica Biel and a wedding! Click on over to The Futon Critic for more (WARNING: Link contains spoilers).

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in Monday for thoughts on Cold Case and Desperate Housewives. Plus, all the latest television news! And be sure to check back here later today for another exciting edition of Friday Fun where you'll get a preview of what to expect with the return of a beloved show from the star herself and video clips of the next couple of episodes. Stay Tuned...

DON'T FORGET!!! Monday is the official launch of PassTheRemote.Net, the new companion site for Pass the Remote blog!!! Here's what you can look forward to on Monday:

~NEWS: You'll have access to the day's biggest television headlines and stories
~PASS THE REMOTE BLOG: Easy link with a preview of the day's hottest topics
~BEST OF PASS THE REMOTE: Includes a photo gallery (which will house all of my pictures from my Veronica Mars set visit among other future endeavors) and easy reference links to the best editions of Pass the Remote (including all my posts on the set visit)
~FRIDAY FUN: An easy to use archive of all the Friday Fun editions of Pass the Remote
~LISTINGS: Find out what's on TV each night

Check it out Monday at PassTheRemote.Net!! Also, you'll notice a new "look" here at Pass the Remote blog starting Monday as well. Be sure to tune in then!


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

Martin Turns a Corner and 'CSI' Rounds Up an Unusual Suspect! Plus a 'Model' Interview and a New Home for 'Race'

It seems that Martin may have finally turned a corner with his addiction to pain meds on Without a Trace. At least he's willing to admit that he has a problem and fixing it is not something he can do alone. Of course, it took Sam's constant checking up on him and her subsequent yelling session to get him to finally realize that he wanted help. I think with their history together, it's best that she turned him over to Danny. I liked Martin and Danny's scene together at the end of episode when Martin finally showed up at group. I thought the missing persons case was one of the best of the year so far. I found myself completely involved in Matt's plight, and I couldn't help but to feel such heartache for him and his siblings. He sacrificed everything so he could keep his brother and sisters together after their drug-plagued mother abandoned them. It's just so sad to watch these crime dramas and see all the different ways that drugs hurt the people who don't even use them. I'm just so happy that they found Matt unharmed and before he did anything to seriously jeopardize his future. I loved Viv's emotional connection with Matt, and I found it very appropriate that she was the one who took him down to booking. Loved, loved, loved when his mother's attorney asked Viv to wait so his client could see her son, and Viv just looked at him and shook her head. The last thing Matt needed was to see his mother in that condition. Overall, an excellent episode that managed to nicely blend Martin's battle with the missing person case.

CSI was excellent last night too, wasn't it? I really felt like we were members of the jury, and there is no way I could have convicted Marlon either. By the end of the episode, I really thought that Hannah had killed Stacy. The child prodigy had me convinced that she had motive, access to the necessary chemical, and the means to pull it off after she revealed that she had used a flat bed cart to move the body. I was as shocked as Sara when Hannah told her that she didn't kill Stacy. She made up her confession in order to keep her brother out of jail because she felt that the family treated him unfairly. Wow, just wow. I'm glad she wasn't responsible, though, because she does have a bright future. Like Sara, I was concerned that she wasn't going to turn out alright, so finding out that she was innocent was a relief. It's sad that Stacy's killer will never see the inside walls of a jail cell, though. That makes me kind of dislike Hannah a little. No denying it, though, the girl is smart and she played the justice system like a fiddle.


After she experienced emotional turmoil with fellow contestant Jade, Gina (left - photo courtesy UPN) fell to pieces on America's Next Top Model Wednesday night. It wasn't a huge surprise to see the judges send her packing at the end of the hour. The now 22-year old Gina talked about her feud with Jade to bloggers last night during a teleconference. "We were always kind of negative to each other. It's really unfortunate," she says. She and Jade may not have been close, but Gina says that she was close to Nnenna ("She was just a sweetheart to me") and Danielle. "She was supportive and always made everyone laugh. She always gave me tips on my photo shoots. She was really awesome," she says sincerely. Gina has a different impression of her dinner experience with Janice Dickinson. She says she was excited to get the chance to meet the supermodel and learn from her, but things didn't turn out well at the restaurant when Dickinson asked her who was giving her a hard time. Gina reluctantly pointed to Jade, and Dickinson sided with Jade. "I'm not the type to rat people out, but she was really persistent," she explains about the misstep. Gina also faced Madagascar hissing cockroaches for a runway show, something she calls a "scary" experience. "They were huge and they didn't give us much time to prepare for it," she says. She felt that the fairytale photo shoot was the most challenging, but the shoot where she had to go bald was her favorite. "I hope a lot of people, after seeing that episode, realize that they don't have to hide behind their hair to look beautiful," she explains. "A lot of people have this idea that you have to have hair to be beautiful." So, what does the future hold for the little girl who dreamed of being a model since she put on her mom's lipstick and heels? She says that she'd love to pursue modeling, but she always has her education to fall back on. She believes that Top Model was a great experience, and she'd like to take it and run with it. "I think if anything, I've grown into a tougher skin." America's Next Top Model airs Wednesday nights on UPN.

About Last Night...CBS won the first hour of the night with the return of Survivor, followed by NBC comedies Will & Grace (with special guest star Britney Spears) and My Name is Earl (r) and ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (After the Storm). At 9, CBS stayed in the lead with CSI, followed by a tie between ABC's American Inventor and NBC comedies My Name is Earl and The Office. The final hour of the night went to CBS' Without a Trace, followed by NBC's ER and ABC's Primetime. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - NBC's Deal or No Deal continues. Fox's The Bernie Mac Show returns from hiatus with back-to-back episodes.

@9 p.m - Robert Wagner, Hal Sparks and Brooke Burke guest star on a new episode of NBC's Las Vegas. Over on CBS, Annabeth and her office investigate a string of real-estate fraud cases involving a crooked developer on Close to Home. ABC's In Justice airs its first season finale.

@10 p.m. - The FBI investigates the murder of a female Iraqi activist on CBS' Numb3rs. Over on NBC, Finn gets dragged into a shaken baby case and the decision to pull life support from the infant on Conviction.

SUNDAY EDITION
@8 p.m. - Lilly and Jeffries reopen the 2002 case involving the death of a local cabaret singer on CBS' Cold Case. Adam Pascal guest stars and is reunited with his Rent co-star Tracie Thoms (Det. Kat Miller). I've heard through the grapevine that we'll be hearing Thoms sing in this episode. If you've seen Rent, then you know this is a real treat! Over on NBC, it's the night before election day on The West Wing.

@9 p.m. - Bree gets closer to her sponsor and faces off with Lynette and Edie and Karl have an engagement party on ABC's Desperate Housewives.

@10 p.m. - Chris O’Donnell, Mare Winningham and Laurie Metcalf guest star on ABC's Grey's Anatomy.



QUICK CUTS

*Mark your calendars and reprogram your VCRs because CBS' The Amazing Race is moving to a new night and time. The reality competition is moving to Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. beginning next week. CBS says that comedies Out of Practice and Courting Alex, displaced by the Race move, will return to the schedule at a later date. For the time being, reruns of the network's crime dramas will fill the Tuesday night slot that Race previously held. The Amazing Race airs its next episode this Wednesday, April 5th, at 8 p.m. on CBS.

*NBC is flipping Law & Order and Heist beginning next week. Law & Order will return to its previous slot on Wednesday nights. Since moving to 9 p.m. to make way for Heist, the show has struggled, landing in fourth place for the hour on the two Wednesdays that it aired there. Heist, which will move to 9 p.m., hasn't fared much better in its 10 p.m. slot, landing in third behind CBS' CSI: NY and ABC's The Evidence. The change takes effect this Wednesday, April 5th.

*And finally, CBS' short-lived dramedy Love Monkey is getting a new run on cable's VH1. The music channel will air all eight 1-hour episodes beginning next month according to a network spokeswoman. CBS aired three of the eight episodes before pulling it. VH1 will air those three episodes back-to-back on April 11th, and will air the others on a weekly basis beginning April 18th.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in Monday for thoughts on Cold Case and Desperate Housewives. Plus, all the latest television news. And be sure to check back here today for another exciting edition of Friday Fun where you'll go behind-the-scenes with the funniest comedy you're not watching. Stay Tuned...


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

FRIDAY FUN: Fun with 'Everwood' and 'Trace!'

It has been more than three long months since we have seen a new episode of The WB's Everwood, but the wait is finally over!! The show returns this Monday, March 27th at 8 p.m. with two back-to-back episodes!!! Mark your calendars, free your schedules and sit down and enjoy one of the best shows on television. And when you're done enjoying the Everwood charm, be sure to sit down and write a letter to help the show get another season. Click HERE to get all the details. While you're waiting for the first new episode in more than three months, check out this interview with the show's newest star Sarah Drew, who plays the self-conscious Hannah, from thewb.com.

Sarah Drew
Hannah Rogers

On making-up:

"I was all dolled up and I bumped into Greg Smith at a WB event and he walked right up to me and looked right at me and didn't recognize me because usually when he sees me for the show I'm the girl with the frizzy hair and glasses. So not the glamour look. The good news is I only have to spend thirty minutes in the makeup trailer. I just wear mascara, chap stick, put my glasses on and Hannah arrives."

On bridging the kissing gap:

"When Bright and I first did our kissing scenes it was so funny because our director told me I should think of myself as the librarian with the glasses flying off. He's like: I want hands flying. I want crazy, crazy passion. So basically I attacked him."

To read more of this interview with Sarah, click on over to thewb.com. And remember to catch Everwood this Monday from 8-10 p.m. and every Monday at 9 p.m. on The WB! If you need a quick refresher on where we left off, here's a brief recap of the last episode "Getting to Know You" from TV.com.

A very-much-in-love Ephram discovers that he has unwittingly become a "girlfriend" to Amy, but the friendship takes a turn for something more when a moment of intimacy leads to them waking up together the next morning. Meanwhile, Nina grows suspicious of Jake's recent strange behavior, which is further amplified when his brother, Brian (guest star Tom Parker), shows up unexpectedly. Delia takes up with the popular girls in school, which worries Andy. Also, Bright tries to rectify Hannah's low self-esteem issues. Lastly, Rose drops some startling news on Harold, which could drastically change their lives

Today's edition has a double dose of Fun. Those crazy kids over at Without a Trace are hamming it up for TV Guide's cameras this week. Check out these behind-the-scenes pictures from their latest cover shoot for TV Guide.

(From L-R) Eric Close, Poppy Montogomery and Enrique Murciano pose for their TV Guide photoshoot

Enrique Murciano hams it up with a TV Guide photographer

Close, Montgomery and Murciano get ready for the shoot

To see more behind-the-secenes photos from the shoot, click on over to TVGuide.com. And to read about how Martin will battle with his addiction to pain killers and how his friends come to his rescue, pick up the latest edition of TV Guide on newsstands now. Without a Trace returns next Thursday, March 30th on CBS.

That's all for this edition of Friday Fun! Be sure to check back here Monday for the latest edition of Pass the Remote and next Friday for another installment of Friday Fun! Have a great weekend everyone!