'Veronica' Reports for Jury Duty! Plus, the Return of 'Alias!'

So maybe it wasn't the most shocking twist in Veronica Mars' short history, but Meg's death does set up a surprising future storyline: Veronica's promise to her that she would ensure that the baby not go to the scary religious adoption place or to Meg's parents. I'm not sure how our dear Veronica is going to pull this off, though. We know how crazy Meg's parents are, which is precisely why poor Meg didn't want them raising her daughter. Keeping with my motto for this show, I will "expect the unexpected" when it returns next year. Can you believe we have to wait until next year to see new episodes?? One thing that definitely surprised me last night was Wallace's return! Yay! I thought it was going to be Duncan at the door because of the sad news regarding Meg until I remembered that he was in Sun Valley with his parents for the break. This brings up an interesting point, though, why didn't Veronica or Duncan contact each other after hearing about her death? I wonder if Duncan has even heard yet. It's very possible that he hasn't. I thought Veronica took the Meg's-pregnant-and-it's-Duncan's news very well. You could tell that she was very upset, but she was also supportive of not only Duncan, but also Meg. Duncan is hard to read, though. I can't figure out how he feels about Veronica.

Veronica's jury duty was a nice way of continuing with the overall theme of the show: the class differences between the rich "09ers" and the rest of Neptune. Most of the jury, including Veronica, was easily able to accept the defense's story that the Mexican victim was a prostitute whose pimp got angry. The wealthy jury member who elected Veronica foreman, but decided to be extra vocal turned out to be so horrible. He refused to consider the other side because the victim was Mexican and her alleged attackers were kids "from good families." It's disgusting to know that things like this really go on. I knew when Veronica switched to the other side that there was no way she was backing down. Mr. CEO had no idea what he was up against! Interesting development with the juror who approached V about college next year. I know Creator Rob Thomas has said that he has some plans for next year when V goes to college, so I wonder if this was a bit of foreshadowing. I'd love to see her stay right in Neptune.

I understand why Logan did what he did so that the tapes would never end up on the internet, but he just seriously hampered the prosecution's case. Plus, how many more years of therapy is he going to need after watching his father and his former girlfriend together? I really felt bad for him while he was watching them (in order to testify to their content) and then erasing their content. How classic was it having Keith investigate the sheriff's office? It was like his own form of poetic justice! Sheriff Lamb is such a tool! I didn't see the Deputy Leo thing coming, but his explanation made sense. I liked the way Keith didn't write the entire truth in order to spare Leo. I wonder if he's gone or just suspended. Another strong episode, and it's going to be a very long wait for January!

It was nice to have Alias back last night and off of crowded Thursday night! Rachel's little tryst with Sark ended up working for them rather than against them. Not only were they easily able to locate him, but he was willing to work with APO to find Jack and Jack's old MI-6 agent friend. I'm really liking Rachel, so I'm curious to see how she and Syd work together once Syd has the baby. Next week's episode is the one that we have all been waiting for, though!

About Last Night... NBC took the first hour of he night with E-Ring, followed by ABC comedies George Lopez and Freddie and UPN's America's Next Top Model finale. At 9, ABC landed in first with Lost (r), followed by Trading Spouses on Fox and The Apprentice: Martha Stewart on NBC. UPN's Veronica Mars landed in fifth, ahead of the WB's Related (r). The final hour of the night went to NBC's Law & Order, followed by CSI: NY (r) on CBS and ABC's Alias. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - Johnny tells Marissa how he really feels on Fox's The O.C. Over on NBC, Joey's best friend from high school (guest star Adam Goldberg) comes to visit on Joey.

@9 p.m. - Rose gives Harold some startling news, Delia falls in with the popular crowd, Nina begins to suspect something is up with Jake, Bright helps Hannah work on her self-esteem, and there's a major development between Amy and Ephram on the WB's Everwood. Over on CBS, the team investigates the kidnapping of a boy from a local park on CSI.

@10 p.m. - Sam agrees to do a favor for a friend and she and the team try to help a young woman who has lost her memory. Meanwhile, Jack is forced to make a decision about his father's (guest star Martin Landau) failing health on CBS's Without A Trace.





Will & Grace - The gang spends the holidays at Will's mother's and Grace warms up to Will's brother. Meanwhile, Jack helps Will's gay nephew organize a Christmas show. 8:30 p.m. NBC

ER - Abby and Kovac exchange Christmas gifts, but Abby's gift to him is bigger than expected. Meanwhile, nurse Haleh holds chorus auditions and everyone is surprised to see who she picks to sing the solo. 10 p.m. NBC


QUICK CUTS

*Next week's Amazing Race finale on CBS is not the final leg, at least not for the two teams that finish second and third. Those teams will continue in a mini-race for a 2006 GMC Yukon XL. But, you won't be watching this Race on your television set because CBS will stream the competition on its web site immediately following the show's West Coast broadcast on December 13th. The mini-race will require teams to recall challenges and places from this season's journey. This is the first time the second and third place finishers have had a chance to win a prize. The two-hour Amazing Race finale airs next Tuesday on CBS.

*And finally, CSI creator Anthony Zuiker's paycheck just got a little larger. The man behind all three CSIs inked a reported eight-figure deal with Paramount Television that will keep him as executive producer of all three and calls for him to develop new programs for the production company. The pilot episode for CSI was Zuiker's first television script.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for Everwood (what will happen between Amy and Ephram?) and Without A Trace (how will another Jack episode go over?). Plus, all the latest television news!

It's Down to the 'Amazing' Final Three! And a 'Law' to Ponder

It seems last week's Phil-on-the-Fence was nothing more than a ploy to catch us off guard (which many of us weren't considering the fact that the show has used this little trick before) and set up basically another non-elimination round for the second episode in a row. That's okay, though, because those bickering Godlewski sisters would have been eliminated, and then where would we get our drama fix from? Oh that's right; we'd still have the Weavers. Cue the Weavers who were keeping to themselves in their camper at the overnight non-pit stop Pit Stop complaining about the way they get treated and how everyone hates them. You know the drill by now. I'm at my saturation point with their constant complaining, but no worries because the Godlewskis were ready to resume the drama position as soon as the sun came up and the Turtle Ranch opened its gates. At this Turtle Ranch, teams encountered the Detour of the leg: Pioneer Spirit or Native Tradition. In Pioneer Spirit, teams had to assemble the wheels on a wagon, round up some horses and ride for 1/4 mile. In Native Tradition, teams had to build a teepee using the materials and tools provided. The Linzes and the Bransens chose the former and the Weavers and Godlewskis chose the latter. Just as he did last week, Wally saved his team with his impressive strength and skill on the wagon task while the Linz brothers also breezed through it. Both teams got their next clue, which directed them to the Irma Hotel (named after one of Buffalo Bill's daughters) in Cody, Wyoming where they would have to dress up in period clothing and have their picture taken with Buffalo Bill. Meanwhile back at the teepee, things were not going too well for the Godlewskis. Their bickering and constant over thinking slowed them down while the Weavers ardent teamwork propelled them ahead and finished before the Godlewskis. And then the skies cleared, the ground shook, and viewers everywhere smiled as a rare moment in The Amazing Race: Family Edition occurred. The Godlewski sisters actually used teamwork and completed the task! Stay with me for a moment because the next bit is going to knock your socks off! It was poor picked on Chrissy and her worst offender Sharon who completed the task by working together! Yeah, I would have thought it fiction too had I not seen it for myself.

Nothing really monumental happened at the Irma Hotel. Each team took its turn and got its picture taken. It was all very mundane, until the Godlewskis arrived. Now, you would think that a team that's in last place would hurry through the task and move on to the next challenge, but not the sassy sisters from Illinois. Yes, I said sassy because these girls decided to pour it on big time on poor Buffalo Bill. They were dancing and using their boas in a seductive manner. The look on Bill's face was priceless. I think he thought these girls were crazy. Can you imagine what he would had thought had he seen Chrissy's bayckpayck crisis or Sharon's Austin Powers-like driving moment or really anything else these sisters have done. Anyway, the teams were all making their way to a golf course in Montana where they encountered the Roadblock of the leg. Two members of each team had to pick a colored flag and ride in a Buick golf cart equipped with OnStar (because The Amazing Race spares no opportunity to plug a sponsor, whoops I mean no expense) and find the four balls dispersed over nine holes that matched the color of their flag. The Linzes set out first, but the Bransens were close behind. Wally's methodical thinking of checking the holes to find the balls allowed the Bransens to slip past the Linzes and receive their next clue, which directed them to Larry Arnold's Green Meadow Ranch and the Pit Stop. The Linzes soon discovered the ball-is-in-the-hole-trick, which wasn't much of a trick, Linzes, when you consider the fact that you're at a GOLF COURSE! Oh well, I guess it was their turn to do something dumb. The two teams raced to the Pit Stop, with the Bransens landing in first and both teams earning spots in the final three as Phil and his trusty cowboy friend informed us.

Back at the Roadblock, the Weavers quickly completed the task and the Godlewskis made the big mistake of choosing the antagonizing Sharon for the task. She and sister Michelle fought the entire time and struggled to find balls as the Weavers finished and headed to the Pit Stop. Things got so bad between the two sisters that Sharon jumped off the cart and decided to walk the course. The two finally agreed to disagree in order to complete the task and head to the Pit Stop. On their way there, the sisters hoped that the Weavers either broke down or ran off the road. I guess getting lost was out of the question even though it seemed the most likely possibility. Man, these Godlewskis really do over think everything! Cut to the Weavers who are pulled over on the side of the road with a break down, no, I 'm only kidding! They were pulled over, but it was for speeding. The family used their charm and they got off with a warning, but it did set them back some. Was it enough for the Godlewskis to catch up and snag the third and final place in the final three? Nope. The Weavers raced to the mat and learned that they would be racing for the million dollars next week during the 2-hour finale. It seemed like the most likely place for a Chrissy breakdown, complete with tears, but alas it was the one moment during the race that she decided to spare us the waterworks. I have to say I found myself a little disappointed in Sharon's assessment that she loves her sister, but they'll never be close friends. This is the first team in recent memory that didn't say the experience brought them closer.

Just a quick note on last night's Law & Order: SVU. It was another surprising and compelling hour of television. It pulled you in different directions and you were never sure what to believe. It didn't seem that Mama Zoe would molest Emma, but the evidence was so compelling that I fell right into the trap. It was a nice victorious moment when Casey learned that it was Emma's grandparents' lawyer who had planted the idea of molestation into the heads of the grandparents. What I like about this show is that there are no simple answers. Zoe deserved to raise Emma, but I also wanted the grandparents to have access to her as well. Hopefully, the two sides will work it out.

About Last Night... CBS claimed the first hour of the night with NCIS (r), followed by ABC's holiday showing of A Charlie Brown Christmas and the return of NBC's Fear Factor. At 9, NBC's My Name is Earl and The Office took the hour, followed by Commander In Chief (r) on ABC and The Amazing Race on CBS. The final hour of the night went to NBC's Law & Order: SVU, followed by ABC's Boston Legal and CBS's special Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.


~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - UPN's America's Next Top Model ends its fifth season tonight and announces the winner of the competition.

@9 p.m. - Steve Guttenberg returns as Veronica gets called to jury duty over her Christmas break. Plus, the usual twists and turns at every corner on UPN's Veronica Mars. I don't want to resort to begging people, but this is a golden opportunity to check out this show if you haven't already. Lost is a repeat, CBS is airing the second part of that Pope movie that nobody watched Sunday night, and NBC has The Apprentice: Martha Stewart, which as Edie put it the other night on Desperate Housewives, pretty much says it all. So, tune in to UPN at 9 p.m. EST tonight and enjoy the best show on television!

@10 p.m. - Sark returns and he has a thing for Rachel on ABC's Alias. Over on NBC, a man is mysteriously killed after desecrating a treasured edition of the Hebrew Torah on Law & Order.




Santa Claus is Coming to Town - This animated Christmas special features the voice of Fred Astaire as a mailman who explains the ins and outs of the man in red. 8 p.m. ABC Family

E-Ring - JT works a humanitarian relief mission in an Afghani village on Christmas Eve, but their efforts are hindered by bad weather and an advancing Taliban force. 8 p.m. NBC

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys - The "most famous reindeer of all" and his friends work to save Christmas after Santa's toys are stolen. 9 p.m. ABC Family

QUICK CUTS

*CBS is jumping on the wireless bandwagon and offering content from some of its popular primetime line-up through Verizon Wireless's V CAST service. The network will offer content from CBS news as well as Paramount owned Entertainment Tonight and preview clips from all three CSIs, Survivor, The Amazing Race, The King of Queens, and Late Show with David Letterman. Plans are in the works to offer behind the scenes glimpses and interviews with the casts of the network's primetime programs. Look for the content to begin this month.

*And finally, it's Nielsen Wednesday! CBS once again dominated the week in total viewers, but ABC took the coveted 18-49 year old crown. CBS was led by a CSI rerun (#2), Survivor (tie #6), CSI: Miami (tie #6), and NCIS (#8). ABC was led by Desperate Housewives (#1), Monday Night Football (#3), Lost (#4), Grey's Anatomy (#5), and NFL Monday Showcase (#9). NBC's Law & Order: SVU (#10) rounded out the Top 10. For the complete list of the Top 20 shows last week, click on over to USA Today.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for the Veronica Mars edition! Yes, it's the last new episode before the holidays, which does not mean that those of you who missed the beginning of this season, and you know who you are, should take a break from this show until after the holidays. In fact, UPN is giving you and the rest of us a wonderful Christmas present: reruns (in order!) of the episodes you missed/want to catch again from this season starting next Wednesday! If you haven't seen them or if you want a refresher, tune in every Wednesday on UPN! That means all of you Lost fans who don't watch Veronica have an opportunity to check it out. I'll remind you guys again as these wonderful episodes draw closer. I'll also have thoughts on the return of Alias and all the latest television news tomorrow!

'Desperate' Times Call for a Desperate Gabby! Plus, all Tonight's Holiday Highlights!

I titled this edition a desperate Gabby, but in reality, all four of those hilarious housewives were pretty desperate the other night on Desperate Housewives. I'm going to save Gabby's storyline for last because it was my favorite. I'm actually finding myself liking Bree lately, and this is a big deal because I used to despise the character (not as much as George, though). Ever since she came to her senses and realized what a psycho George was, she has been fun to watch. I felt bad for her the other night when Andrew was planning his revenge. And how (even more) sick is George??!! He had a life-sized doll that resembled Bree! I love how she walked out of the house with her head held high and that doll right behind her. Classic Bree! As exciting as it is to be enjoying Bree and her recent storyline, it's even more exciting to be doing the same with Susan. She was my favorite character last season, but the writers had reduced her to an annoying mess earlier this season. Now, she's back to her likeable self, and she has a great storyline! She was so desperate to get Addison to act like her father that she ended up getting assaulted by groceries in the store! How classic was it when Edie drove up to find Susan standing outside her garage door that was painted with the word "Whore" in red paint?! I loved her response to Susan's question about whether she had anything to say ("No, that pretty much says it all"). I'm glad Carol knows about her husband and Susan, even if she had to find out the hard way. I'm interested in seeing how the writers develop the Susan/Addison storyline in the future.

Lynette, Lynette, Lynette, you sure don't quit until you get what you want, do you? How hilarious was her daycare plot??! She had me cracking up when she took poor Mindy and locked her in that glass office. I think I understand now why Ed is such a workaholic! His wife puts the "tight" in uptight. Just when you thought that the daycare plan was dead in the water, Ed goes and does something stupid like taking Mindy without telling his wife (although, he did leave a sticky note), and it leads to that holy grail of workplace perks! What I love about Lynette is the way she selfishly manages to get what she wants, but she goes about getting it by selling her idea as a completely non-selfish one. She has an amazing ability to manipulate, and you've got to admire that about her! Speaking of manipulating, Gabby versus Sister Mary just gets funnier and funnier! I love the looks they exchange whenever they come in contact with one another. Gabby's "generous donation" so Sister Mary could go along to Africa was so great until it backfired. I really didn't know how she was going to get Carlos to stay home. That scene in the doctor's office was classic Gabby ("He's allergic to fish eggs"). It looks like she got what she wanted as Carlos is too sick to travel to Africa for missionary work. Gabby 1, Sister Mary 0. That was until a fevered Carlos uttered Sister Mary's name when Gabby was taking care of him. So, Gabby 1, Sister Mary 1. We're all tied at one, and I can't wait to see round 2.

About Last Night... ABC landed on top for the first hour of the night with Wife Swap (football on the West Coast), followed by CBS comedies King of Queens (r) and How I Met Your Mother (r) and NBC's Las Vegas (r). At 9, ABC stayed on top with Monday Night Football, followed by CBS comedies Two and a Half Men (r) and Out of Practice (r) and NBC's Las Vegas. The final hour of the night went to CBS's CSI: Miami (r), followed by football on ABC and Medium (r) on NBC. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - NBC's Fear Factor returns with the highest and fastest helicopter stunt ever, and it's all to retrieve a set of keys for the final stunt. Over on Fox, it's the 2005 Billboard Music Awards with performances by Carrie Underwood, Green Day, Toby Keith, and R. Kelly.

@9 p.m. - One teammate strikes out on their own during a task and gets the rest of the team out of a potential jam on CBS's The Amazing Race.

@10 p.m. - A severely injured 12 year old boy is dumped outside a hospital, leading to a courtroom debate over same-sex parents' rights on NBC's Law & Order: SVU. Over on ABC, an unknown pedofile kidnaps a boy and Denny Crane shoots a homeless man -- with a paintball gun on Boston Legal. CBS airs its annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.




A Charlie Brown Christmas - This holiday classic finds Charlie complaining about the materialization of Christmas as the gang participates in a Christmas pageant. 8 p.m. ABC

My Name is Earl - Earl works to cross off "always ruined Joy's Christmas" from his list by entering a contest to win a car, but winds up paying her back in a completely different way in order to not ruin another one of her Christmases. 9 p.m. NBC

The Office - An office Christmas party takes a bad turn when Michael suggests that everyone swaps Secret Santa gifts and they all vie for the iPod. 9:30 p.m. NBC



QUICK CUTS

*NBC is joining rival ABC and making some of its shows available for download through Apple's iTunes program. Starting today, you'll be able to download single episodes (or entire past seasons) of Law & Order, Surface, The Office, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O'Brien to watch on your computer screen or the new iPod Nano. Fellow NBC/Universal channels USA Network and Sci-Fi channel also have programs available for download. USA offers its hit comedy Monk and Sci-Fi its popular series Battlestar Galactica along with some classics. Each episode will set you back $1.99. With today's announcement, there are 16 shows available on iTunes, the world's most popular video download store.

*Stephanie March is joining the cast of the new Dick Wolf NBC legal drama Conviction. She'll reprise her role as ADA Alexandra Cabot that she played for three seasons on fellow Wolf show Law & Order: SVU. Cabot will head a bureau of young ADAs after spending time in witness protection courtesy of a drug cartel on SVU. Wolf's latest drama will focus more on the characters and their personal lives will have a less procedural feel. Conviction is set to premiere midseason on NBC.

*And finally, WB's hit reality show Beauty and the Geek is returning sooner than expected. The show, which pairs beautiful women with socially-challenged "geeks," will debut its second season in January during Everwood's Thursday night slot. That show will take a "midseason break," as it did last season, for eight weeks while Beauty and the Geek completes its run. Beauty will add an extra "beauty" and "geek" this time, bringing the total to 8 each. Look for the next season of Beauty and the Geek to premiere January 12th on the WB.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for thoughts on The Amazing Race (only two more episodes to go!) and Law & Order: SVU (will the episodes continue to wow? Yeah, I know, the answer's a no-brainer). Plus, all the latest television news!

Holiday Tidings on Your Television! Plus, it's TV on DVD Monday!

I know I promised some thoughts on last night's Desperate Housewives, but human error led to a TiVo error, and needless to say, I missed it (yeah, I forgot to record it, but never fear it is season passed now). I'll be downloading it tonight from iTunes for $1.99 (and people laughed at iTunes and ABC when they struck this deal!), so I'll bring you my thoughts tomorrow. In the meantime, I thought it would be the perfect time to bring you a guide to some of the holidays' television offerings. So, here's a handy schedule of the classics, the newer offerings, and some holiday themed episodes of your favorite shows that you can catch in between the shopping, decorating and wrapping (all times are EST).

Monday, 12/5
Jack Frost - (movie) 8 p.m. ABC Family

Tuesday, 12/6
Charlie Brown Christmas - 8 p.m ABC
My Name is Earl - (special Christmas themed episode) 9 p.m. NBC

Wednesday, 12/7
Santa Claus is Coming to Town - 8 p.m ABC Family
E-Ring - (special Christmas themed episode) 8 p.m. NBC
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys - 9 p.m ABC Family

Thursday, 12/8
Will & Grace - (special Christmas themed episode) 8:30 p.m. NBC
ER - (special Christmas themed episode) 10 p.m. NBC

Friday, 12/9
Prancer - (movie) 8 p.m. ABC Family
I Want a Dog for Christmas Charlie Brown - 8 p.m. ABC

Saturday, 12/10
It's a Wonderful Life - (movie) 8 p.m. NBC
Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas - (live-action movie) 8:30 p.m. ABC

Sunday, 12/11
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition - (special Christmas themed episode) 8 p.m. ABC
Grey's Anatomy - (special Christmas episode) 10 p.m. ABC

Monday, 12/12
7th Heaven - (special Christmas themed episode) 8 p.m. WB
Related - (special Christmas themed episode) 9 p.m. WB

Tuesday, 12/13
Bones - (special Christmas themed episode) 8 p.m. Fox
According to Jim - (special Christmas themed episode) 8 p.m. ABC
Hope & Faith - (special Christmas themed episode) 8:30 p.m. ABC

Wednesday, 12/14
George Lopez - (special Christmas themed episode) 8 p.m. ABC
Freddie- (special Christmas themed episode) 8:30 p.m. ABC
One Magic Christmas - (movie) 9 p.m. Hallmark

Thursday, 12/15
The Santa Clause - (movie) 8 p.m. ABC
Everybody Hates Chris - (special Christmas themed episode) 8:30 p.m. UPN
The O.C. - (special Christmas themed episode) 8 p.m. Fox
Joey - (special Christmas themed episode) 8:30 p.m. NBC (an episode airs before this one that is not holiday themed)
Reunion - (special Christmas themed episode) 9 p.m. Fox

Friday, 12/16
Jingle All the Way - (movie) 8 p.m. ABC Family

Saturday, 12/17
Robbie the Reindeer - 9 p.m. CBS

Sunday, 12/18
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - (movie) 9 p.m. NBC
The Simpsons - (special Christmas themed episode) 8 p.m. Fox
The Christmas Blessing - (movie) 9 p.m. CBS

Monday, 12/19
Two and a Half Men - (special Christmas themed episode) 9 p.m. CBS

Wednesday, 12/21
A Home for the Holidays - (special) 8 p.m. CBS

Saturday, 12/24
I'll Be Home for Christmas - (movie) 8 p.m. ABC
It's a Wonderful Life - (movie) 8 p.m. NBC

Well, that's the list thus far. I'll try to keep you as up-to-date as possible, so be sure to check Primetime Pass everyday because starting today, you'll notice a special holiday section.


About Last Night... CBS started out on top with the second half of 60 Minutes and the first half of Cold Case (rerun), followed by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on ABC and Fox comedies The Simpsons and The War at Home. At 9, ABC landed in first with Desperate Housewives, followed by NBC's Law & Order: Criminal Intent and the second half of CBS's Cold Case (r)/movie Pope John Paul II. The final hour of the night went to ABC's Grey's Anatomy, followed by Crossing Jordan on NBC and the conclusion of CBS's movie. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - Michael plans to marry Rita (guest star Charlize Theron), but George Sr. worries that she's after the family's money on Fox's Arrested Development. At 8:30 on Fox, Michael Vartan guest stars on an all-new Kitchen Confidential.

@9 p.m. - A televised national poker tournament takes over the Montecito and Danny and Mike get the feeling that someone might be cheating on NBC's Las Vegas.




Jack Frost - Michael Keeton stars in this 1998 Christmas movie. Keeton plays a man who dies on Christmas eve, but returns to his family one year later as a snowman. 8 p.m. ABC Family



QUICK CUTS

*There's even more bad news for fans of Fox's Reunion. Last week, you read here that Fox was canceling the freshman murder mystery series, and now comes word that the show's mystery will not be resolved before it goes off the air. Creator Jon Harmon Feldman says that the structure makes it impossible to wrap up the story in the remaining few episodes that will take the show through January. The last episode will leave viewers in 1998. For more from creator Feldman, click on over to Zap2it.

*Actor Kerr Smith is joining the cast of NBC's E-Ring. He'll reprise his earlier role of Bobby Wilkerson, the gung-ho member of the Pentagon's Special Ops team. Smith also starred in Dawson's Creek. He'll begin his regular role on E-Ring immediately.

*And finally, it's TV on DVD Monday! Look for the fourth season of 24 (with a special season 5 prequel) to hit shelves tomorrow along with Everybody Loves Raymond (season 5), Full House (season 2), Law & Order (season 4), Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica (final season), The Rockford Files (season 1) and The West Wing (season 5). For a complete list of tomorrow's releases, visit tvshowsondvd.com.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for thoughts on Desperate Housewives (finally!) and more holiday programming! Plus, all the latest television news!

Crossover Madness! Plus Find out What's New this Weekend in Primetime Pass!

Well, sweeps ended Wednesday night and the reruns commenced. Yes, it's that time of year where new episodes become scarce because your favorite shows go into winter hibernation. Many left off with shocking revelations that will have to wait until January in order to further explore their implications. It's officially the slow time of the television season. So, to fill the void of new episodes, let's talk crossovers. They're a favorite features of sweeps months, but here's a list of some shows that I think would make for interesting crossovers if things such as network loyalties and such did not exist. This list is (of course) just in jest.

Cold Case/Without A Trace - This crossover actually makes sense considering the similar nature of both shows, plus the fact that they have CBS in common and Philly and New York are only a short drive apart. I can just see a missing persons case that starts on Trace until they discover that the missing person is involved in a cold case from Philly. Cue part two on Case as the FBI works with the cold case squad in Philly to find the missing person and solve the cold murder. Works for me. And as an added bonus my TV boyfriend Danny Taylor (Trace's Enrique Murciano) and my favorite detective Lilly Rush can start a relationship made in television heaven!

Medium/CSI - Only because I would love to see Gil Grissom's (William Petersen) science specific mind mixing with a medium like Allison DuBois. You can feel the friction already! CSI is so science based, and Medium is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Can you imagine Allison trying to tell Gil that she had a dream and she thinks some of the elements of it are clues to finding out who killed the John Doe found in the alley? I can just imagine his witty comeback. I think the two would set up an interesting dynamic.

Desperate Housewives/Veronica Mars - I know this sounds crazy, but don't you think the ladies of Wisteria Lane could use someone like Veronica in their lives? She could go through all their dirty laundry and sort it out before the hour was even up! No more misunderstandings and hidden truths because my girl V would make sure everyone was on the same page. She would have figured out that George was responsible for Rex's death long before Bree did last week, and that would have saved Bree the psychopath/boyfriend/fiance/stalker ordeal she just went through for a few months. Meanwhile, Gabby could help V realize that Duncan is boring and not right for her.

Surface/CSI:Miami - He has tackled crocs, gators, and sharks without even a scratch to those famous sunglasses, so who better to take on the mysterious gigantic creature on Surface? In fact my entire reasoning for these two shows crossing over is based on Horatio Caine (David Caruso). I'm thinking that Ho could just stand over the creature, remove his ever-present sunglasses from his eyes, place his hands tightly on his hips, and say, "Here's what I need, I need you to submit a DNA sample to prove you weren't responsible for the dead fisherman. IF I find out you are, then that will be very bad for you." After completing this brilliant line, Horatio would then promptly lift the sunglasses to his eyes, nod and walk away. I really think one of the creatures needs to turn up in the Everglades with that genetically engineered shark from a few seasons back.

Everwood/Grey's Anatomy - Dr. Brown (Treat Williams) has been trying to go back into surgery, and we all know he is a very gifted surgeon. Who better to teach the young interns of Seattle Grace the ins and outs of surgery? Oh, and can you imagine all the drama that these two shows would each bring to the table? They're both very character heavy and filled with daily human struggles. Amy could meet a whole new batch of Reids and Edna can help whip the interns into shape fast.

So those are a few of my crossover picks. What do you think? What shows do you think would make for an interesting or fun crossover event? Leave a comment with your ideas.

About Last Night... CBS easily won the first hour of the night with Survivor, followed by NBC comedies Joey (rerun (r)) and Will & Grace (r) and ABC's movie Have No Fear: The Life of John Paul II. At 9, CBS remained at the top with CSI (r), followed by The Apprentice on NBC and ABC's movie. The final hour of the night had a tie between NBC's ER and CBS's Without a Trace (r), followed by ABC's Primetime. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - Harry Connick, Jr lends his voice and music to a new holiday special on NBC. The Happy Elf follows the story of Eubie the Elf who is sent to spread Christmas joy in a town called Bluesville. Keeping with the holiday theme, ABC is airing the classic Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Over on Fox, a church retreat drives the Mac family further apart on The Bernie Mac Show.

@9 p.m. - NBC airs a holiday edition of Three Wishes. The team travels all over the country playing Santa Claus to different kids, including one who wants to help her cousins recover from losing everything in Hurricane Katrina. Over on CBS, the cul-de-sac is back together on the special Knots Landing Reunion: Together Again. Cast members William Devane, Michelle Lee, Donna Mills, Joan Van Ark, Kevin Dobson, and Ted Shackelford reunite for this trip down memory lane.

@10 p.m. - USA's Monk airs a special holiday special tonight. Monk and Natalie try to get to the bottom of the death of a cop who drank from a poisoned bottle of wine intended for Captain Shottlemeyer.

SUNDAY EDITION
@8 p.m. - ABC Family airs an original Christmas movie as part of its "25 Days of Christmas." In Chasing Christmas, a man (Tom Arnold) decides to forgo Christmas after his wife breaks his heart during the holidays. Over on NBC, Santos faces an African-American family whose son was shot by a Latino police officer on The West Wing.

@9 p.m. - Carlos wants to be a missionary in Africa (just writing this has me laughing already) and Bree brings Andrew home on ABC's Desperate Housewives.

@10 p.m. - Woody gets accused of planting evidence at a murder scene on NBC's Crossing Jordan. Over on ABC, Rosanna Arquette guest stars on Grey's Anatomy as Izzie lets a philandering ex get the better of her.



QUICK CUTS

*A lot of you tuned in and watched David Letterman and Oprah Winfrey bury the hatchet last night on CBS's The Late Show with David Letterman. The meeting of the two talkers drew more than 13 million viewers and beat both NBC's The Tonight Show and ABC's Nightline. The show got its best ratings since February 1994.

*And finally, the final numbers are in and both CBS and ABC came away from sweeps with a lot to be thankful for. CBS walked away with the most viewers for the important ratings period, averaging just over 14 and a half million viewers a night. The coveted 18-49 year old group was a virtual tie between most watched CBS and ABC. NBC landed in third place in total viewers and Fox came in fourth. Both fifth place UPN and sixth place WB lost viewers compared to the same period last year.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in Monday for Desperate Housewives (Carlos the missionary?? I can't wait!!) and all the latest television news!

'Veronica' Throws us Some Curve Balls and Kate Loses her Mind!

Wow! I'm not sure I've ever had the pleasure of watching two different shows on the same night that were both outstanding! Both Veronica Mars and Lost gave us a lot to think about, while also answering some big questions. After last night's episode of Veronica, I've decided to surrender to the TV gods because I am now certain that this is, without a doubt, THE BEST SHOW ON TELEVISION! Seriously, many shows pale in comparison! Just when I think it can't get any better, it goes and airs something like last night's outing. Man, I love me some Veronica Mars! So many twists and turns last night, and also so many more things to ponder. It was good to see Trina back in Neptune. Her little showdown with Kendall was hysterical. Those two are so similar it's scary! Anyone else still undecided about what happened between Kendall and Duncan? It kind of seemed like they maybe did something they shouldn't have, but I try to never assume anything with this show. He certainly didn't seem very interested in her or her Maserati last night. Veronica's quest to uncover her mother's secrets took a lot of unexpected turns. I never imagined that the prom baby would turn out to be Trina or that her mother is "Lunch Lady Doris" (Mary) and her father is the (former) principal! I loved Trina's reaction when she thought that Celeste Kane might be her mother ("Well, there's worst news you could have given me. They're worth billions!"). And then she has Veronica spread it all over the tabloids and entertainment shows. Classic! Speaking of classic, how awesome is this Weevil/Logan teaming up storyline?? Their scene in the men's room was HILarious! Logan is so witty and Jason Dohring's delivery is spot on. I'm really glad Veronica found out that her mother was a good person in high school. The girl needed some good news!

Now to the most pivotal moment from last night's episode. Meg's pregnant??!!?? And awake??!! I definitely didn't see this coming! I guess we're to assume the baby is Duncan's, but what about that mysterious letter? And how did good-as-gold Meg end up pregnant? Well I know HOW, but you know what I mean. I love how everything on this show is important, even if you don't think it is at the time. Last night's interactive baby assignment was all leading up to the shocking revelation at the end, but it also served as a realistic high school storyline. They threw the "Guess what? Meg's pregnant!" curve ball at us just as the show was ending, and I thought we had gotten all the shocking news that we were going to get for the hour. I have to admit, though, it was an awesome way to end the episode! Speaking of endings, if you haven't logged on to aol.com and watched the alternate ending, don't read any further if you don't want to know. The whole thing runs more than 9 minutes long, but most of it is the exact same as we saw in the broadcast last night. The difference comes during the last couple of minutes. After Veronica discovers that Meg is pregnant, she hears a woman coming to the room. She hides in a door while the woman starts babbling about her baby (the meaning is ambiguous). We never see the woman, but after she leaves, Veronica exits the door area where she was hiding and we hear the heart monitor beeping quickly. Veronica walks over to the bed and there is a pillow over Meg's face. She picks it up and a nurse enters to check the suddenly flatlining heart monitor. She looks at Veronica and says, "What did you do?!" Does this ending foreshadow next week's stunning revelation that one of the characters will die? Or is it nothing more than a red herring meant to throw us off track? Either way, I can't wait for next week! Remember to log on to aol.com and vote for which ending you like better. The results will be revealed during next week's episode.

While we're on the topic of excellent television, how awesome was Lost last night??!! Is it just me or is this show giving us more answers this season than last? I liked the parallel between Kate's drunk stepfather/real father and Sawyer. The whole thing was too much for her to bear and she started to go out of her mind. I think she kissed Jack just because he is the opposite of her father and Sawyer seems to be so similar, so kissing Jack was a way for her to suppress and deny any feelings that she may have for Sawyer. What do you think about Jack and Kate's kiss last night? Leave a comment with your thoughts. No matter how hard I tried I just couldn't blame Kate for what she did. I felt so bad for her when her mother sold her out to the U.S. Marshall. Anyone else surprised when Sawyer said he loved "her?" I'm not sure whether he was delusional or telling the truth. I'm really not up for a Jack/Kate/Sawyer love triangle, though. I'm not sure where the whole black stallion thing fits in, but the horse did save her when the U.S. Marshall caught her. Maybe the island lets you see what you want to see (and apparently those around you as well), which would explain Shannon's and Sayid's sightings of Walt and all the other crazy things that the survivors have witnessed since they crashed landed there.

The hatch mythology continued last night, much to my happiness. I see a beautiful friendship beginning with Locke and Mr. Eko. They both seem to be men of faith. How weird that the film had been spliced and the missing frames hidden in a book on the other side of the island where there is another structure similar to the hatch. The frames didn't contain anything earth-shattering, other than a strong reinforcement that the computer is not to be used for anything other than the code that restarts the countdown to whatever everyone is trying to prevent. The frames did make special mention of not using said computer to try to communicate. Was the film splicing the work of sabotage? Did someone remove the frames, hoping that those who didn't view them would not fully know how important it is to not use the computer except for the code? And if someone did do this, why? Just when I thought it couldn't get any weirder, Michael gets an IM from............Walt???!!! Perhaps this is just another mind game as well or maybe "The Others" are more involved in all of this than we first expected. Either way, it's going to be a long wait for January!

About Last Night... CBS won the first hour of the night with its holiday special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, followed by fellow holiday program Christmas in Rockefeller Center on NBC and ABC comedies George Lopez and Freddie. At 9, ABC took the lead with Lost, followed by Criminal Minds on CBS and Trading Spouses on Fox. UPN's Veronica Mars landed in fifth, ahead of a Gilmore Girls rerun on the WB. The final hour of the night went to CBS's CSI: NY, followed by Law & Order on NBC and Invasion on ABC. For more on last night's ratings, click on over to Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - College fever takes over Newport Beach as the seniors decide what path to take next year on Fox's The O.C. Over on CBS, Danni attempts to break the alliance and the survivors get some surprise visitors on Survivor.

@9 p.m. - Fox takes us back to 1992 with a Thanksgiving episode of Reunion.

@10 p.m. - Gallant is back from Iraq and he and Neela get married on NBC's ER.

QUICK CUTS

*Fox is leaving American Idol right where it was for its upcoming season. The reality competition will remain on Tuesday and Wednesday nights for its fifth season. To make way for Idol, Fox is moving comedies That '70s Show and Stacked to Thursdays after The O.C. beginning March 2nd. The network will leave House in its Tuesday slot, and it will likely get a boost from its post-idol timeslot as it did last season. Freshman forensic drama Bones will move to Wednesdays at 9 p.m. starting January 25th, but it will move again in the spring when Idol's results show moves to the slot. Fox has not yet released plans for the rest of Wednesday night once that happens. Finally, the network announced a return date for its freshman hit Prison Break. The show will be paired with 24, and it will premiere (for the second half of its season) on Monday, March 20th. The new season of American Idol premieres January 17th.

*Fox isn't the only network announcing midseason plans, NBC is also releasing its new schedule. The network is returning to its Must-See-TV roots with a two-hour comedy block on Thursdays that will include Will & Grace (at a new time), new show Four Kings, My Name is Earl (on a new night) and The Office (also on a new night) beginning January 5th. Current Thursday night shows Joey and The Apprentice will return after NBC's coverage of the Olympics in February. The critically acclaimed new show The Book of Daniel starring Aidan Quinn will premiere on Friday, January 6th with back-to-back episodes. The show will continue to air on Friday nights as a limited series until February 3rd. Scrubs will finally return in January to its usual Tuesday night slot. The show will air back-to-back new episodes every Tuesday (running from 9-10 p.m.) starting January 3rd. For more on NBC's midseason schedule, visit The Futon Critic.

*And finally, as a general rule here at PASS THE REMOTE, I don't report on the personal lives of the actors who make up our favorite shows. After all, this is a television blog, not a celebrity gossip one. But some news is just too good to not pass on, especially when it concerns one of our favorite actresses from one of our favorite shows. Law & Order: SVU's Mariska Hargitay is expecting her first child with her husband of more than a year Peter Hermann. Hargitay's publicist confirmed the news as did Mariska herself on her official web site. No word from the show or NBC on whether or not the pregnancy will be written into the show (see, I related it back to television). Congrats to Mariska!

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for some crossover ideas (shows that were meant to be crossed over, but more than likely will never be). Plus, Primetime Pass, About Last Night and all the latest television news!

A Never Ending Leg of the 'Race!' Plus, it's Nielsen Wednesday!

It was another thrilling night of racing last night on The Amazing Race! The teams headed out of the gate and off to a local elementary school in Salt Lake City where they grabbed a number and slept in their campers until their respective shuttles left. The Weavers were spared elimination last leg, but were without their belongings and any money (which they reminded us by reciting the clue that said that one team has zero dollars for this leg of the race, and of course, added that favorite Amazing Race line, "I wonder who that is!"). Minor exaggerated drama ensued when the Weavers met up with the Linzes and they tried to rub it into their faces that they were not eliminated, and therefore, the Linzes wasted their Yield. Onward and upward as the teams learned that they would be taking a hot air balloon ride. The much-hyped "midair collision" between two teams was seriously a slight brush between the two balloons. There was no drama, no almost death moments, no hurt feelings, nothing like what the CBS promos led you to believe. Shocking, I know. There was, however, some drama when the Weavers' balloon landed on a steep hillside close to an interstate, but everyone got out alive and they quickly moved on to the next location, Heber Valley Railway. Now, it's time for a Godlewski update. They managed to finish the hot air balloon task without a major breakdown! Maybe this would be the leg of the race where they managed to work together instead of against each other. Things were certainly looking good.

Oh, I spoke too soon because a major breakdown was right around the corner! At the Heber Valley Railway, the teams encountered a Detour that had them choose between "Spike it or Steam it." In Spike it, teams had to lay down 20 feet of railroad the old fashioned way and get it inspected before they received their next clue. In Steam it, teams had to load 400 pounds of coal into an old steam engine train using a wheel barrel and buckets. All the teams, except the Weavers, chose Spike it. The Linz boys quickly started hammering and aligning as Megan looked on and the Bransens were right behind them. It seemed that WalDER had finally found a task in the race that he excelled at, while his daughters tried to help. The Weavers, although behind, used a huge helping of teamwork and charged through Steam it, beating the Godlewskis and landing in third behind the Linzes and Bransens. It is time once again for a Godlewski update. Remember how I thought that this leg might be the charm for this team, wow was I wrong! The sisters tried desperately to complete the Detour, but their constant bickering caused them to work against each other instead of with each other. Once they finally completed the task, they got back in their car and all decided to blame Chris for choosing the Spike it Detour. Of course, this led to a Chris breakdown and then more put downs by her sisters. Having completed the Detour, all the teams were headed for the Tree of Utah, which was not a tree, but a giant sculpture in the middle of the Salt Flats that one of the Bransen daughters called a "tree of hemorrhoids." Phil told us that the "tree" was built "to bring color and beauty to the stark landscape." Wow, that really didn't work, did it? Maybe if they had, I don't know, made it look more like an ACTUAL TREE! Anyway, this was neither here nor there as the teams found their clues and learned that they would travel to Garden City to spend the night. The order in which they arrived would dictate the order in which they would depart the next morning.

The Bransens were first out the gate, followed by the Weavers, Godlewskis and Linzes (who were held up by a "production error" in which one of the cameramen accidentally drained their car battery while charging some of his equipment for the second week in a row). The teams headed to a ranch in Wyoming where they encountered a Roadblock. Two members from each team needed to mount horses and round up some cattle. The Bransen daughters breezed through the task and the Weavers did as well, although they had an advantage because both daughters ride and the family owns horses. The Godlewskis had yet, another breakdown on their way to the ranch. In a scene that almost mirrored the scene in the first Austin Powers movie when Austin attempted to back up in a small cart and turn around in a narrow hallway, Sharon Godlewski passed the road they needed to take to reach the ranch, but it seems that she isn't very good at backing up with a large camper attached to her vehicle. She would back up an inch, pull forward an inch, and so on. But unlike the "International Man of Mystery," Sharon had a WIDE OPEN, flat road to use and yet, still could not get things turned around. Luckily for the wacky sisters, a friendly passerby stopped and got their vehicle back on track. All of the teams completed the Roadblock, and they headed to Yellowstone National Park to see Old Faithful. Each team needed to see the geyser erupt before they received their next clue, but it only erupts every 90 minutes. Out of all The Amazing Race time tricks, this one has to be the best. The 90 minute difference could be a deciding factor in who goes home! But wait, after watching the eruption, the Bransens and the Weavers were neck and neck and a foot race ensued as they approached Phil sitting on a fence at a ranch, except where was the mat? Where was the cute little "Amazing Race Wyoming" marker?? Oh that Phil is a tricky one! This was not a Pit Stop, but just another stop to receive another clue! Phil informed both exhausted teams that the leg was not over. Back at Old Faithful, the Godlewskis and Linzes were disappointed to learn that they had just missed the eruption. After waiting the 90 minutes, they saw another eruption and received their clues. The two teams were back on the road headed to Phil, and we got the dreaded "To Be Continued..." on our screens.

I would be remiss if I did not at least mention last night's Law & Order: SVU. This show is always good. You can count on it, but every so often it has an episode that just blows you away. This was that every so often episode. How scary was this episode? Once again we went from one thing (kidnapped Hurricane Katrina survivors) and ended up somewhere seemingly unrelated (local journalist in jail because he won't reveal his source) without batting an eye. I always enjoy the Olivia-heavy episodes the best because she's a fascinating character and Mariska Hargitay is such a gifted actress. She really shone last night. This was an excellent episode and a stand out for the season. I really hope they follow up with poor Jackson who is sitting in jail protecting freedom of the press and Olivia's behind. I'd also like to see if the feds interview the SVU team and get to the bottom of the leak and how that affects Liv. This episode left open so many possibilities, and I'd like to see this show pursue them in the future.

About Last Night... CBS won the first hour of the night with NCIS, followed by the first half of NBC's The Biggest Loser finale and ABC comedies According to Jim and Rodney. At 9, NBC's The Biggest Loser conclusion won the hour, followed by House on Fox and Commander In Chief on ABC. The final hour of the night went to NBC's Law & Order: SVU, followed by ABC's annual Ten Most Fascinating People and a rerun of Criminal Minds on CBS. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - Perennial holiday favorite Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer airs tonight on CBS. Over on NBC, it's another holiday favorite as the network airs Christmas in Rockefeller Center.

@9 p.m. - Kate's crime is finally revealed and the survivors lay one of their own to rest on ABC's Lost. As of last Thursday, this episode was scheduled to run an extra four minutes, and it's also more than likely the last new episode to air before the new year. Over on UPN, Alyson Hannigan returns to Veronica Mars as Veronica uncovers some information about her mother that leads her to believe that she may not have known her well at all. After the show airs, log onto aol.com and watch an alternate ending to the episode. Then, you will have the chance to vote for your favorite ending! The alternate ending will only be available for one week, so remember to log on after the show and check it out!

@10 p.m. - Van Burren's college friend's daughter is found dead on NBC's Law & Order. Over on ABC, Dave is abducted and Sirk gets a look at one of the orange, luminescent beings on Invasion. As noted above, Lost will run four minutes longer, so this show will begin at 10:04 p.m. This episode marks the last before the show goes on a short hiatus to accommodate the recently moved Alias.



QUICK CUTS

*Tom Selleck is headed back to a TV near you. The former Magnum P.I. star will guest star on an upcoming episode of Boston Legal. He'll play Shirley Schmidt's ex-husband, for whom he still carries a torch. Selleck's last guest appearance on a television show was back in 2000 when he made his final appearance as Monica's former boyfriend on Friends. Look for Selleck's appearance on Boston Legal later this season.

*CBS is blending the popularity of cell phone ring tones and one of its hit shows. You'll hear Coldplay's single "Talk" first tonight on CSI: NY and then you'll have an opportunity to own it as your cell phone ring tone. The new single will be featured as a ring tone in a scene where Danny gets a call regarding the case the CSIs are working. CBS will then air promotional messages during the break that will alert viewers as to how to purchase and download your very own "Talk" ring tone. Later in the episode, you will hear the Coldplay single in the background. The single is featured on Coldplay's hugely popular X&Y album. The episode of CSI: NY featuring the single airs tonight on CBS.

*And finally, it's Nielsen Wednesday! CBS once again dominated the ratings led by CSI (#2), Survivor (tie #4), Without A Trace (tie #4), Cold Case (tie #6), CSI: Miami (tie #6), and NCIS (#10). ABC landed in second in total viewers, but first in the 18-49 year old group. The rest of the top 10 include Desperate Housewives (#1), Grey's Anatomy (#3), Lost (#8), and Law & Order: SVU (#9). To see the entire top 20 shows, click on over to USA Today.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for Lost (what exactly did Kate do that landed her in the custody of a U.S. Marshall?) and Veronica Mars (two endings for the price of one? Can't wait to see how this goes!). Plus, all the latest television news!

A Haunting 'Medium' and Playing Catch Up with 'Veronica' and the 'Housewives!'

Well, we had another enthralling episode of Medium last night! Allison's creepy hit-and-run dream was a clue, not a future event. It was a clue to a previous case where a 15 year old girl died in the exact matter shown in her dream. At first, I was a little confused as to how Allison's dream fit in with the woman who killed herself and believed her house was haunted. Apparently, it was not the haunted house that caused the woman to shoot herself, but the guilt of what she and her husband had done a year before. After celebrating her birthday with a few drinks, the two drove down the same street as the one in Allison's dream, and also keeping with her dream, a dog ran into the street, followed closely by a young girl. The husband didn't see her in time, and ran into her. He then sped off, afraid that his drinks with dinner would land him in a jail cell. So now, everything tied together nicely. After the wife killed herself, her ghost made sure her husband also paid for what he had done to the 15 year old. It was one of the more tragic episodes of this show. On the family front, Ariel had a vision of what she thought was her new friend dying in a hospital bed in what seemed to be slightly in the future. After her other visions came true, Ariel was upset because she feared that this one would come to fruition as well. Allison tried to reassure her by telling her that these visions aren't always correct. Turns out, it was Ariel's new friend's cousin that she saw and not her friend. One of the best themes of this show is the constant reminder that having these types of visions isn't necessarily a gift. Ariel's struggle last night with what to do with the information she had seen reinforced this idea. Another solid episode from this show.

Since I was off most of last week, I wasn't here to discuss last week's shows with you. I don't have time to recap my thoughts on all of them, so I wanted to take a moment and play catch up with two great episodes from two fantastic shows. First up, last week's Veronica Mars. This episode served to further the overarching season long plots and it added more mystery and suspense. We got a bigger glimpse at that letter that Duncan pulled out of Meg's vent, but the ending scene left us wondering just what it said and why it was so important. Duncan was dreaming about Meg and Veronica, but his dream about Veronica was negative. Meanwhile, Veronica gets herself into some big trouble with the Fighting Fitzpatricks and Logan comes to her rescue. After realizing she's safe, she cries in Logan's SUV because of what happened and the fact that Logan carries a gun. She tells him through her tears that he's going to get himself killed. Does Veronica still have feelings for Logan? Does Duncan still have feelings for Meg? Did Veronica choose Duncan simply because he was the "safe" choice? Is it all leading up to a Veronica/Duncan break up? You never can tell on this show, which is why its so fresh and original. I know I sound like a broken record, but this was another excellent episode.

Continuing with the catching up theme, and on to Desperate Housewives, which had stumbled out of the gate this season, but has feverishly made up for it the last few weeks. Sunday's episode was the best so far this season in my opinion. It had just the right mix of humor, satire, heart and darkness. It also set up an awesome storyline between Gabby, Carlos and Sister Mary Bernard. The writers have finally given Susan an interesting storyline with plenty to do. Her scenes at the feed store were hysterical. I loved her quick thinking in the hospital room, and her whispering in her father's ear that she's not giving up. Lynette's work scenes were hysterical as well, and I loved the fact that she made a huge mess out of everything. From what Nina said, it sounds like she has just inherited a huge responsibility that she is not going to want. Edie was her usual sarcastic self. And then there was the big shocker with the Bree storyline. I know I've been saying that I wish George would leave the show because I just despise the character, but I have a confession. Since Bree discovered his true nature and started despising him as much as I do, I was enjoying the George storyline. Now, I'm a bit sorry he's gone. I guess it's a classic case of be careful what you wish for, however, the manner in which he died was classic. Bree found out about what he did to Rex, but instead of admitting what he did, George denied it as Bree let him lie there and die from the overdose of pills he took to win some sympathy from Bree. I love the irony of George the pharmacist killing himself by taking too many pills. Awesome work by Marcia Cross in this scene! Now, onto my new favorite storyline on this show. As if Carlos's decision to live a virtuous life through the help of Sister Mary Bernard wasn't funny enough, they went and set up a hysterical plot between Gabby and said nun. I really can't wait to see how this develops.

About Last Night... ABC started out the evening on top with Wife Swap (football on the West Coast), followed by CBS comedies King of Queens and How I Met Your Mother and NBC's Surface. At 9, ABC continued to dominate the night with Monday Night Football, followed by CBS comedies Two and a Half Men and Out of Practice and NBC's Las Vegas. The final hour of the night went to football on ABC, followed by CSI: Miami on CBS and Medium on NBC. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - A girl's decomposed remains are found in a refrigerator forcing Brennan to square off against her former mentor and lover on Fox's Bones. Over on CBS, McGee is accused of killing an undercover cop on NCIS.

@9 p.m. - Two teams collide midair during a hot air balloon ride on CBS's The Amazing Race. Over on Fox, a patient's death prompts an investigation into whether Chase or House may have caused it on House. Mark-Paul Gosselaar joins the cast of ABC's Commander In Chief tonight.

@10 p.m. - The detectives investigate three children who were kidnapped in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and discover an even greater threat when they encounter Anthrax on NBC's Law & Order: SVU. Over on ABC, Barbara Walters interviews The Ten Most Fascinating People of 2005, including Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx and Kanye West.

@11 p.m. - For those who like to stay up late, TNT is airing season 1 of Cold Case every Tuesday night in this slot. Tonight's episode is a stand-out of not only the first season, but the entire series. Lilly receives a call from a man claiming to have killed his grandmother and buried her in the basement in 1989, but all is not what it seems. Just when you think this episode is going to go down the stalker/female cop route, it takes a turn and surprises you. The ending of this one is extremely well done and it has an Emmy worthy performance by star Kathryn Morris.


QUICK CUTS

*Bad news for two new shows. Fox is canceling Reunion after it struggled to find an audience in a tough, competitive Thursday slot. The show lost viewers after returning from Fox's baseball hiatus, and fell to fifth behind timeslot rival Everwood on the WB. Fox has not said whether or not it will wrap up the central mystery on the show. Also getting a pink slip is ABC's Hot Properties. The network decided not to pick up any additional episodes of the freshman comedy. The show is expected to run through December with the original 13 episodes ABC ordered. And finally, CBS is now confirming the end of Threshold according to CNN.

*The Simple Life finally has a home for its fourth season. The reality show starring Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton will air on E! next year. The feuding stars will not shoot scenes together, instead they will each take turns filling in as a housewife with a different family each episode. The family will then decide which of the two did a better job. The new season will air sometime next spring. E! also picked up the rights to air the previous seasons in reruns.

*And finally, some great news for CBS's Cold Case. The crime drama scored its largest audience ever the other night with more than 19 million viewers according to the preliminary Nielsen data. The show also had its best performance this season in the 18-49 year old category. The episode landed in first place in its timeslot, beating ABC's powerhouse reality tear-jerker Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for thoughts on The Amazing Race! Plus, all the latest television news!

The 'Case' of the Murdered 4 Year Old Brings out the Tissue Boxes! Plus, TV on DVD Monday!

Welcome back! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday! I'm still unraveling the maze of shows that I missed that are saved on my TiVo, so needless to say, there are a lot of episodes that I haven't seen yet. One show that I did catch was last night's Cold Case. First up, New Girl #2 Watch. It seems that the writers are attempting to introduce her to us very slowly after the whole debacle with the Josie character. I see this character comes complete with a past buried in some sort of Fishtown shooting. I still don't know how I feel about the character since we really don't know her yet, but I'm still not liking the addition of another detective. This episode was extremely case heavy and it needed to be because the case was very involved. The first half of this episode was so emotional that I wasn't sure that I would make it through the entire episode, but the second half was less so. I don't think that it was necessarily less emotional, but more that I had adjusted to the heavy tone by the time the second half rolled around. I think this show is always more difficult on the emotions when it delves into the cases that involve children, but this case was especially so because the victim was only four years old, the youngest Cold Case victim so far. I found myself reacting to the episode the minute it started all the way until the closing scenes.

I knew as soon as little Vivian's broken body washed up on the shore that she had been abused, but that wasn't a central mystery to this episode. In fact, this episode had more questions than any other I can remember. First, the detectives had to determine who abused Vivian and her (surprise!) twin sister Maura. Turns out Maura had been adopted after her mother left her in a church when she was four, and she remembered very little about her real parents and family. It looked like a dead end, but Lilly and co. were able to track down the mother's name through a doctor who treated Vivian's broken arm in 1965. This show always asks the viewer to go out on a limb when it comes to witnesses memories, but it's even more the case when the murders are older, but I thought the doctor's recollection was pretty believable. He didn't remember every detail, but enough to send the detectives down the right path. I was a little surprised when it turned out to be the girls' cop father who was beating them and their mother. It was sad to see how ignored spousal and child abuse was back then, even by the medical community. Officer Balducci's parking lot justice and eventual "killed in the line of duty" tactic was very vindicating, and I loved how Vera and Jeffries decided to look the other way. I only wish Cindy had known that her husband was dead so she, Maura and Balducci could have been a family. She sacrificed so much because of her horrible husband.

The ending of the episode was the only part that fell a little flat for me. I know that the husband was a horrible person and certainly capable of killing his own daughter just to teach his wife a lesson, but I didn't completely buy his dropping Vivian off the bridge. I suppose he was desperate and enraged and the bridge was just there, so he decided to drop Vivian, but it just seemed so cold, even for this scumbag. I guess I shouldn't be surprised by the awful things that people do to one another, especially since there are so many real life cases that are far more unbelievable. It was somewhat of a bummer that Vivian's killer never spent a day in jail for his crime, but it was satisfying to know that Balducci served up some justice in the case. I really liked the closing scenes with Maura and Cindy's reunion and then Balducci joining them on the beach. Stillman's scene in the bar where he asked the bartender to take down the picture of Cindy's husband was another nice justice moment. Overall, another strong episode for this show, which has been having a very good run as of late.

About Last Night... CBS started out on top with Cold Case, followed by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on ABC and Fox's The Simpsons and The War At Home. At 9, ABC's Desperate Housewives took the hour, followed by the CBS movie Silver Bells and NBC's Law & Order: Criminal Intent. The final hour of the night went to ABC's Grey's Anatomy, followed by CBS's movie and NBC's Crossing Jordan. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - Laura and Rich finally reach the surface, but find there is no boat waiting for them and Miles makes a visit to the hospital after he unexpectedly passes out on NBC's Surface.

@9 p.m. - Fox's Prison Break rolls out what the network is calling its "Fall Finale" as Michael puts his escape plan into action. According to the network, the show will return sometime next year, but I would expect a cliffhanger to keep you wondering until then. Over on NBC, a surprising change of events thwarts a hostile takeover of the Montecito on Las Vegas.

@10 p.m. - Allison investigates the death of a woman who believed her house was haunted on NBC's Medium.


QUICK CUTS

*CBS is taking new drama Threshold off its schedule for the remainder of sweeps. Even less promising is a report from The Futon Critic that says that CBS has halted production on the freshman series. The series floundered a bit in its original Friday night slot, so the eye network switched it with fellow struggling show Close to Home. The move proved successful for Home, which last week earned the Fridently and a full season order, but disastrous for Threshold, which lost viewers with the move. The show stars Carla Gugino as a doctor thrust into the government world after her threshold strategy is put to the test.

*Also receiving a dose of bad news last week was ABC's Alias. The network alerted the spy thriller that the current season will be its last. Executive Producer Jeff Pinker confirmed the news last Wednesday and said that the cancellation is a good news/bad news situation because they hate to lose the show, but the early announcement gives them plenty of time to finish up the show in proper style. This is Alias' 5th season, and it has struggled in its new Thursday night slot against Survivor and the advent of star Jennifer Garner's pregnancy.

*And finally, it's TV on DVD Monday! Look for the 5th season of CSI to hit shelves tomorrow along with Family Guy (volume 3), Project Runway (season 1) and Crank Yankers (season 2, volume 2). For the full schedule of releases tomorrow, visit tvshowsondvd.com.

That's all for today. Be sure to tune in tomorrow for thoughts on tonight's Medium and last week's Veronica Mars. Plus, all the latest television news!

'Medium' Crosses into Another Dimension! What Other Shows should go 3-D? Plus, Primetime Pass!

So, the much-hyped, much-talked about 3-D episode of Medium has come and gone. The thing about sweeps stunts is that they rarely ever live up to the hype that surrounds them. They also tend to be extremely "stunty" without any substance at all. Take last night's much-hyped death on NBC's Las Vegas. I'm not a regular viewer of this show, but I do tend to catch an episode or two from time to time. I decided to tune in last night to catch the "shocking death of a major character" (I told you I had "sucker" written on my forehead!), and the entire thing was completely silly, even for this show. In case you missed it (and be glad you did), Lara Flynn Boyle's character was standing on top of the Montecito in a ridiculous dress that actually contained wing-like fabric on its sleeves (this alone made the scene unbearable). A predictable huge gust of wind came along and blew her off the roof in a scene that was reminiscent, but far less cool, of one of the shocking scenes from The Forgotten. The scene was literally blown out of proportion and so was the hyped death. The same holds true for so many of these ratings stunts that networks pull this time of year. Keeping this in mind, I cautiously approached last night's 3-D stunt on Medium.

I'm not sure any other show on television could have pulled off what Medium did last night. It managed to make the 3-D trick work, and work well, without sacrificing plot, character or integrity, which are usually the first things to go in sweeps stunts. Not only that, but the 3-D actually made sense! I know it's hard to imagine, but it did. The show normally takes viewers into another world, the one inside Allison's head. We see the visions that she sees, and we try to make sense of them just as she does. Last night was no exception as she worked to solve the murder of a young woman whose blood was found all over the walls of a public restroom. The crime scene led her to an art gallery, and the paintings led her to the answers. The 3-D came in when Allison viewed the paintings by one particular artist, the son of a wealthy businessman. Through the paintings, Allison and the viewers (via 3-D) watched the brutal murder scene unfold. The only problem was that it wasn't the young girl's murder, but her mother's. Turns out the wealthy business man killed her mother in 1982 and took her son to raise as his own (in order to get a cut of his wife's fortune) after learning that his son was infected with the AIDS virus that the baby received from his AIDS-infected mother. The daughter was killed in present day presumably because she learned the truth. Sure, there were the usual 3-D tricks (knife handle sticking out, paint pouring on the screen, etc), but what would a 3-D episode be without them? One of the coolest tricks came when the killer threw a butcher knife at the victim and it soared through the air at a fast pace right at the viewer. It made me jump! It was a nice touch to have Rod Serling introduce the episode. Wouldn't it be awesome if this show did a future episode that paid homage to The Twilight Zone? I'd love to see that!

Watching the special 3-D episode of Medium got me thinking about others show that could possibly pull this trick off. As I said above, I don't think there are any that could pull it off as well, but there are some that could probably do a decent job without being too gimmicky. Here's a list of a few shows that I think could pull it off:

Surface - The underwater scenes, like in last night's sunken submersible episode, could benefit from the 3-D effect. How creepy would those creatures be in 3-D too?

Prison Break - Can you imagine the great escape in 3-D??? How great would that be!

Lost - The hatch, jungle and action scenes would all be even more intense in 3-D. Can you imagine "The Others" running toward you?!

Alias - Syd (and now Rachel) has some awesome kick butt scenes that would work well for 3-D.

Those are the shows that top my list. What shows do you think could pull off a 3-D episode? Be sure to leave a comment with your thoughts.

About Last Night... ABC won the first hour of the night with Wife Swap (football on the West Coast), followed by CBS comedies King of Queens and How I Met Your Mother and NBC's Surface. At 9, ABC stayed on top with Monday Night Football, followed by CBS comedies Two and a Half Men and Out of Practice and Las Vegas on NBC. The final hour of the night went to CBS's CSI: Miami, followed by football on ABC and Medium on NBC. For more on last night's ratings, visit Zap2it.

~Primetime Pass~
@8 p.m. - Carole King guest stars on a new episode of WB's Gilmore Girls as Lorelai and Rory celebrate Thanksgiving. Over on Fox, Brennan and Booth help a death row inmate who makes a last minute appeal for their help on Bones. ABC kicks off its 3-hour coverage of the 33rd Annual American Music Awards with performances by Mariah Carey, Kenny Chesney, Sheryl Crow, Hilary Duff, Lindsay Lohan, Rob Thomas, Tim McGraw, The Rolling Stones and many others.

@9 p.m. - Teams receive a clue from an unlikely messenger on the 100th episode of CBS's The Amazing Race. Over on Fox, an AIDS patient begs House to take his case and Cameron faces a health scare of her own on House. Beau Bridges guest stars as Earl's father on NBC's My Name is Earl as Earl works to cross "cost Dad the election" off his list.

@10 p.m. - Annie Potts, Fred Thompson and Judith Light guest star on NBC's Law & Order: SVU. The detectives work a case involving a young girl who went for an abortion and wound up beaten so badly she lost her baby. Over on CBS, Threshold tries out a new night and time as Elizabeth Berkley guest stars as one of three women who show signs of infection.


QUICK CUTS

*CBS is staying close to Close to Home and it's giving it a permanent timeslot. The eye network gave the Jerry Bruckheimer show a full season order and its current Friday night slot where it has flourished since the network moved it there two weeks ago. The show stars Jennifer Finnigan as a suburban prosecutor. CBS has not announced a decision on the timeslot's former owner Threshold. Also on the good news front, NBC renewed The Biggest Loser for another season.

*Actor James Woods is checking into NBC's ER for a guest appearance on the medical drama. He'll play a patient suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease, who's also Abby Lockhart's former professor. Look for the Oscar-nominated actor's episode to air February 2nd on NBC.

*And finally, Survivor and The Amazing Race alum Rob Mariano, a.k.a Boston Rob, is joining CBS's Early Show. He'll have his own segment called "Rob to the Rescue," where the reality show veteran will travel to different towns to help people in need. The segment is a departure from Mariano's former conniving reality persona. Boston Rob's first appearance on the morning show will air November 22nd.

That's all for today and this week. I'm off the rest of the week for the Thanksgiving holiday. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Plenty of your favorite shows are airing new episodes this week like Sunday's Cold Case which features a chilling case involving a dead four year old and written by one of the show's best writers Veena Sud (pack your hankies!). There's also Veronica Mars on Wednesday with the return of Tina Majorino! Lost is also featuring a new episode Wednesday night, and the tailies and Sayid merge! That's just a few of this week's offerings, so be sure to put your TiVos and VCRs to good use while you spend time with your families and friends! I'll be back next week with plenty of television news, Cold Case, and a wrap up of this week's best episodes! Be sure to tune in then!