Televisionary Rant: "MI:5" (a.k.a. "Spooks") Vanishes Right Off A&E Schedule

I was all excited to watch MI-5 tonight. While it's on at 11 pm and, though preceded by two and a half hours of Doctor Who tonight, I couldn't wait to catch up on those daring Brit spies and whatever dastardly plot they're foiling this week. Hell, I even wrote about the espionage drama this morning.

And then A&E had to go and mess up all of my carefully laid TiVo plans. The cabler, better known for reality fare like Dog the Bounty Hunter and Criss Angel, Mindfreak than top-notch quality programming from across the pond, has decided in its infinite wisdom to pull tonight's episode of MI-5--and all subsequent episodes--and burn off the fourth series on Saturday, October 21st, airing the remaining episodes (um, that would be all of them other than the two-part premiere) in a single eight-hour block during the day.

Um, wow. Really, thanks, A&E, for depriving the American audience of a quality drama like MI-5 and relegating it to burn-off status on a weekend a few weeks from now. A move like that really shows a healthy appreciation for your audience. Fortunately, there's absolutely nothing on this network that I'll ever plan on watching.

From Across the Pond: "MI-5" (a.k.a. "Spooks")

No one ever said that the spy trade was a particularly easy or, um, long-lived profession to go into. The pay isn't great, the hours are long (particularly if you're Jack Bauer, there isn't even time for a bathroom break), the conditions are downright dangerous, and the survival rate is pretty bleak.

Especially, that is, for the operatives on the smart and sleek British import MI-5 (or as it's know on the other side of the pond, Spooks). Their life expectancy is somewhere around 1 or 2 seasons of the show, if they're lucky. Their lives are nasty, brutish (and British), and short and it goes without saying that on a show like MI-5, no one is safe. Part of the excitement of the show is the danger that accompanies it. Any one of the characters can be killed off at any time, without warning and without sentiment from the series' producers. I realized this quite early on in the series' second episode when a female spy (Lisa Faulkner) whom I believed to be a series regular was dispatched when a villain stuck her face in a scalding deep fat fryer as fellow spy Tom Quinn (Matthew MacFadyen) looked on in horror. It was brutal and necessary to set the stakes for this show: it's not a cozy drama about relationships between spies. It's a gritty exploration of the intelligence industry's post-9/11 attempts to defuse any terrorist attacks and the weight it puts on its agents.

To look at the series' cast in MI-5's fourth season, which premiered two weeks ago on A&E (BBC recently launched the Season Five in the UK), it's hard to see a familiar face from the original days. (Only Peter Firth's intel boss Harry Pearce remains.) In a show that has gone through so many cast permutations (we miss you Keely Hawes!), it's amazing that it's remained so successful at finding new actors and characters to take up the reins and keep the audience invested in their situations, without the hook of an ongoing central character like 24's Jack Bauer. The closest thing MI-5 had to Jack was Tom Quinn, the leader of this MI-5 team, played by MacFadyen, who departed the show in 2004. Likewise, Keely Hawes' Zoe and David Oyelowo's Danny, easily two of my favorite television characters, are no longer on the series, either.

Danny's death provided the Season Three finale and his funeral takes place during the two-part opener of the fourth season, which finds the team attempting to process their grief while also investigating a series of bombings in London (filmed, sadly, just before the actual London subway and bus bombings). And while there might have been a lag of nearly two years between seasons for us here in the US, it hasn't made me miss Danny any less.

So who's actually still on the show? Well, for a start there's Rupert Penry-Jones's dashing spy Adam Carter, who's taken over Tom Quinn's place in MI-5, the steely head of counter-terrorism branch Harry Pearce (Firth), Tom's wife Fiona Carter (Olga Sosnovska), an MI-6 agent, cuckoo researcher Ruth Evershed (Touching Evil's Nicola Walker), Adam's latest sidekick Zafar Younis (Raza Jaffrey), ruthless colleague Juliet Shaw (Anna Chancellor, though she'll always be "Duckface" to me), and techies Malcolm (Hugh Simon) and Colin (Rory Macgregor).

Regardless of rotating cast (whom I love all the same), I tune in for the intelligent and gripping plots which, while though lacking the gimmick of real-time like 24, feel just as real and thought-provoking (not to mention adrenaline-rushing). The three-dimensional characters, their quick witted dialogue, and the ominous and tense atmosphere created by everything from the Thames House HQ set design to the music to that eerie fade to black and white image at the end of every episode makes MI-5 much more than just a Brit version of 24.

And, while the world is certainly a scary enough place as it is, it's a comforting thought to know that the Adam Carters of the world are putting themselves on the line to protect it.

"MI-5" airs Friday evenings on A&E at 11 pm ET/PT.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Ghost Whisperer (CBS); Deal or No Deal (NBC); WWE Friday Night SmackDown (CW; 8-10 pm); Grey's Anatomy (ABC); Celebrity Duets (FOX; 8-10 pm); Desire (MyNet)

9 pm: Close to Home (CBS); Dateline (NBC); Men in Trees (ABC); Fashion House (MyNet)

10 pm: NUMB3RS (CBS); Law & Order (NBC); 20/20 (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8-10:30 pm: Doctor Who on Sci Fi.

It's the second season premiere of Doctor Who, complete with the latest incarnation of the Doctor played by the talented David Tennant. First up is the Christmas Special ("Christmas Invasion"), in which we (and Rose Tyler) are introduced to the newly regenerated Doctor. Then it's a second episode ("New Earth"), in which the Doctor and Rose use the TARDIS to visit mankind's new, um, Earth, but instead discover some gruesome secrets in a luxury hospital. It's the food, isn't it?

11:00 pm: MI-5 on A&E.

The fourth season of this superb Brit espionage drama continues tonight. On tonight's episode ("Divided They Fall"), the team tries to subvert a racist MP who has joined a far-right wing political party.

Making Over "Veronica Mars": Our Fave Sleuth Gets New Opening Credits

I couldn't help but sneak a break at work today to take a little peek at the third season premiere of perennial Televisionary fave, Veronica Mars, courtesy of MSN and Veronica's new home on the CW. While I'll wait to discuss the actual episode until after its broadcast on Tuesday night, you can preview the episode ("Welcome Wagon") in its entirety here. (But don't forget that we want to keep Veronica Mars' broadcast numbers up, especially in the first week, so if you do watch it online, be sure to tune in to the actual broadcast as well.)

But as we're not talking about the episode itself, can I just share with you how completely fixated on the series' new opening credit sequence I am? How very out with the old and in with the new. It's only fitting that our girl, now off to university, should get a makeover as dynamic and funky as she is. Because, let's be honest, the old sequence's notebook paper motif wouldn't work as well outside Neptune High. I absolutely love the Dandy Warhols' new version of "We Used to Be Friends" (iTunes search, anyone?) and the brilliant use of alternating vertical lines, contrasting sharply against the shots' noir settings.

It's gorgeous and sleek, while still true to the essence of the show... Plus, Tina Majorino! Michael Muhney! New faces Julie Gonzalo and Chris Lowell! The only thing that would have made me happier would be to see Michael Cera's and Alia Shawkat's names in there too. (A boy can dream.)



While I am beyond thrilled to see Mac (Tina Majorino) appear in the credits as a fully billed member of the cast, I feel like she looks so sullen sitting there in the diner. But, then again, you would too if your boyfriend turned out to be a psychotic mass murderer who blew up a bus filled with high schoolers, framed the pedophile mayor of Neptune, and then after refusing to sleep with you, stole all of your clothes, left you stranded in a hotel room, and then tried to kill your crime-fighting pal, before taking a dive off the roof of the Neptune Grand. Well, wouldn't you?

Oh, and isn't just fitting that the shot of a strip club promising "Nude Girls, Girls, Girls" precedes everyone's favorite Dick, Ryan Hansen, on screen?

I think that's what the college kids are calling irony these days ...

Observing the Others: The "Lost" Season Three Premiere Trailer

Was it just me or did the preview for next week's third season premiere of Lost ("A Tale of Two Cities") give you goosebumps?

I wasn't going to watch the umpteenth recap special for Lost last night ("A Tale of Survival"), I really wasn't. TiVo knew to record it and I had a feeling it would sit there, taunting me from the hard drive, for the next week. But I ended up coming home from work after a way too long (and far too stressful) day, popped on America's Next Top Model for some mindless comfort, and the next thing I knew I had been sucked into yet another recap episode.

First, can I just say that Michael Emerson--whether or not he appears on screen is immaterial--scares the bejesus out of me? His narration last night was haunting and melodic and completely in fitting with the series. But was anyone else surprised that Boone and Shannon (hell, and Libby) failed to make the cut and appear in the linear-style retelling of the past two seasons of Lost? While they don't exactly fit into the larger-picture storytelling of "A Tale of Survival," I did wish we could have caught a glimpse of them. They're much missed in my household.

But onto the real reason I stuck around watching an hour of plots I already know intimately: the trailer for next week's season premiere. Set your TiVos, cancel your plans, put the kids to bed, and take the phone off the hook, gentle readers. I know I will be. It's been a long, hot summer and I've had serious Lost withdrawal.

So what did we glean from the spare seconds they showed us? Let's recap. We see Sawyer locked behind bars, Kate crying (outside), and Jack in a Hannibal Lecter-style reinforced plexiglass cell with his captors telling him via loudspeaker that they know exactly who he is. Jack doesn't much like the fact that "Clarice" is taunting him and screams, "Tell me where my friends are!" He then attempts to make a bid for a Flip This Cell special by yanking on a chain dangling from the ceiling of his cell in an attempt to escape. Next up: flashes of Jin and Sayid firing guns, Locke running through the jungle, Jack attacking an Other, Hurley looking bewildered, and Kate outside again, surrounded by people (Others, I presume?). Finally, after the catch phrase "Plan Your Escape," Jack turns a wheeled door release, only to encounter ... a wall of water rushing in.

I don't know about you, but the next seven days can't pass quickly enough for me.

Final Four Designers Play Peek-a-Boo on "Project Runway"

After two weeks, we finally got our final four showdown on last night's Project Runway. Or did we?

In a rather (un)expected twist, the final four contestants--that would be Michael, Uli, Laura, and Jeffrey for those of you asleep by 10 pm--went head to head in a challenge that tested their creativity and sense of self, only to discover that none of them would be auf wiedersehen'd by Heidi and they would all present collections at New York's Fashion Week in Bryant Park.

And thank god it turned out that way because I was more than concerned that Michael was going to be the one booted after he seemed to spend the majority of Day One still sketching and trying to figure out what he was doing. Big mistake on his part to select a gown for presenting to the judges (especially when the prize was an actual page in Elle magazine with the winning design photographed by a top fashion photog). Everyone--especially Michael Kors--knows that Michael's strength is in his sportswear and specifically in his ability to create flawless separate pieces that are pulled together with flawless styling and accessories. (Just look at what he did during the recycled challenge to see what he was able to accomplish with garbage!) Don't get me wrong: the aubergine peek-a-boo evening gown wasn't ugly or trashy. I really liked the braiding of the straps, even if the peek-a-boo was a little OTT. It just wasn't Michael and didn't represent him as a designer at all. And that was the real crux of the assignment in the first place. Lucky for us (and especially me as I am a huge Michael fan), he was able to slip by elimination because of his potential and past performance. But if ever there was a week to really wow the judges--while staying true to yourself--this was it.

The one designer who really grasped this concept was Uli, who initially made me very nervous last night. Let's call her the (Not So) Good German. I was horrified at first that she would steal model Nazri from Michael (who's had her the entire competition), but I do have to give her credit for being gutsy enough to do just that. After all, Project Runway is a competition (lest we forget) and there has to be a certain amount of gamesmanship involved. Why shouldn't she snag Nazri, after all? Uli made up for the steal, in my mind anyway, by feeling so guilty about it afterwards. (Michael was pissed!) But then she sort of meandered into off-the-wall territory by starting to create YET another diaphanous printed Miami Beach dress that has become synonymous with her name. Once she had Jeffrey try it on and he was flying about the studio using the dress as wings, I realized that I did agree with Uli: it looked like a housedress. Ouch.

Fortunately, Uli came to her senses and started from scratch, turning in a blue patterned dress that ultimately was shorter with a much more sleek and tailored silhouette than we're used to seeing from Uli, complete with a v. flattering skinny peek-a-boo, bead detailing, and a off-kilter use of the pattern she selected. Nazri looked amazing and Uli hit the nail on the head: it was still her design aesthetic but it was turned up to the nth degree. And it wowed the judges, who gave her the top prize: a first look fashion photo in Elle. Brava, Uli. It was urban, but not Miami or LA urban. Even her photograph--depicting model Nazri playing with a street band--captured the essence of both her design and her sense of self as a designer; it was fun, and completely represented her chosen buzz words of "fun, life, and adventure."

I actually quite liked Laura's design, a plunging v-necked soft pink dress with metallic beadwork and overlay. It was sleek, elegant, and even a little provocative; had Nazri worn it I think that it would have looked completely stunning. But the judges felt that it was too in keeping with her previous designs, too similar, too familiar, too much of what they'd expect from Laura. I thought it was perfectly constructed and fantastically styled. I really did like it. And even Heidi admitted that she would wear any one of Laura's designs. But Laura definitely does have that evening cocktail aesthetic and, while beautiful, it does seem like she could have created this outfit any other week. Given a completely blank canvas to work with and no restrictions (other than budget, of course), Laura could have done anything, yet played it a little too safe. Yes, she altered the hemline on the dress to make it more youthful and it did have a sexy confidence to it, but it wasn't enough to push her to the top. Still, I'd be very curious to see what Laura's full collection will entail.

I was completely baffled by Jeffrey's design this week. He attempted to step outside of his rocker sensibilities to focus instead on his softer side, his "romantic side," by bringing us a red, white, and blue dress that, um, defies description somewhat. It had a soft velvety bodice-cut top, a weird red ribboned belt, and a sack-like skirt that reminded me of those turn-of-the-century hobble skirts, only a little more loose. Still, it looked like a cinched sack of a skirt and the look just did not coalesce in any way, shape, or form. Plus, his selected photograph showed his model in a rickshaw and made the dress look dowdy rather than the "provocative" design he envisioned. I didn't care for it in the least in the sketches, I cared even less for it in the photograph, and I thought it looked ridiculous on the runway. (Was anyone else thinking it resembled a patriotic Snow White? Or was that just me?)

Ultimately, none of the final four designers were air kissed and auf'd by Heidi and all managed to squeak by to get the opportunity to present their collections during Fashion Week. (I've managed to avoid that spread in Entertainment Weekly that showcases some of their collection pieces, but if you're not as spoiler-phobic as I am, check out this past week's issue.) I can't wait to see the runway shows and I am ready to see these four vastly different designers present four completely diverse collections. Make it work, designers.

Next week on Project Runway: Those of us on the edges of our couches for those collections will have to wait a little longer as next week bring us the ubiquitous Bravo reality show reunion episode. See Jeffrey accuse Angela's mom of deliberately deceiving him about hating those judicial robes he designed her! (Wait, that was a dress?) See Keith attempt to defend his actions! See Vincent explain his predilections for becoming aroused by his own designs! It's the reunion show that's got it all!

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Survivor: Cook Islands (CBS); My Name is Earl/The Office (NBC); Smallville (CW); Ugly Betty (ABC); 'Til Death/'Til Death (FOX); Desire (MyNet)

9 pm: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS); Deal or No Deal (NBC); Supernatural (CW); Grey's Anatomy (ABC); Celebrity Duets (FOX); Fashion House (MyNet)

10 pm: Shark (CBS); ER (NBC); Six Degrees (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: My Name is Earl.

Was I the only one let down by Earl's lackluster season premiere episode last week? On tonight's episode ("Jump for Joy"), the owner of a strip club (guest star Burt Reynolds) will lend Earl money if he can convince Catalina to work there. Catalina? Oh wait, remember Nadine Velazquez and how she used to make an appearance on this show every now and then? Well, the producers have finally remembered her too.

8:30 pm: The Office.

On tonight's episode ("The Convention"), Michael, Jan, and Dwight head to Philadelphia for an office supply convention and Michael attempts to throw a party in his hotel room. Knowing Michael's track record with parties of any kind, it's going to be a lonely night in Scottsville.

10 pm: Six Degrees.

Six strangers discover that their lives are seemingly connected in the latest drama from producer J.J. Abrams. On the drama's second episode ("What Are the Odds?"), Carlos takes on an attempted murder case while Mae stays in New York to work for Laura, who starts a job working for an interior designer.

The Long Morrow: Has "Gilmore Girls" Returned to Form?

It was with some trepidation that I sat down last night to watch the season premiere of Gilmore Girls. After all, creator Amy Sherman Palladino and hubby Daniel Palladino are gone now and their departure cast a rather large pall over this once mighty series and I hadn't exactly had a lot of confidence in their replacement, David Rosenthal, whose two episodes to date had left me cold. Could this be a fresh start for the Gilmore Girls that I knew and loved? Perhaps.

I'll admit that I was a little concerned during beginning of the Girls' seventh season premiere ("The Long Morrow") last night. The opening scenes seemed weak, ineffectual, and clunky and, even worse, they seemed vaguely similar to the frustrating, hot mess that was Season Six. (Look, it's Amy and Daniel... and they're running out the door and taking any narrative sense with them!) We've seen Lorelai sleep with the wrong guy and then sulk and pout before, we've seen Sookie babble on endlessly, we've seen Michel... have nothing to do. So there was definitely a sense of been-there-done-that that made me feel more than a little uneasy.

But then something happened.

The characters started to behave like themselves again, in a way that they hadn't for most of last season (if you can't already tell, I'm a huge Gilmore fan who was crushed by the lack of cohesion and, well, common sense of last season). Lorelai was Lorelai again: quixotic and spunky, with a fierce inner spirit and an absolute failure at cooking (I loved the riff on not having any ice in the house). Rory was Rory, completely bonded with her mother, at ease with one another, headstrong and intelligent. And both were filled with the spirit of that dearly departed wit, Dorothy Parker, who would have been proud at the zingers and bon mots casually tossed off by these two intelligent and stylish women.

If you couldn't tell, I might just be falling in love with my Gilmore girls all over again. I absolutely loved the racquetball scene between the two of them: both the sitting on the floor of the court and gabbing and the actual 5 second racquetball game, which promptly ends when the opening stroke ricochets right into Lorelai's face. The dialogue, as written by newly minted Gilmore Girls showrunner David Rosenthal, was filled with a lightness and verve sorely missing of late. It was fast and furious (but not overly so), filled with some pop cultural references (I never thought I'd hear the words "Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift" uttered on the show), but never overwrought or overdone. Simply put: it made sense, it made me laugh out loud (something I haven't been able to do in quite some time whilst watching Gilmore Girls), and it didn't reinvent the wheel. It stuck to what the show does best: plot the relationship between Lorelai and Rory, their kooky neighbors in Stars Hollow, the current men in their lives, and remain tartly sweet and smartly savvy.

I thought that the red light traffic cam installation scene was right on the money. Any more and it would have been over the top, but as is, it was just zany enough to work. Same with Luke's reaction after Kirk crashes Taylor's beloved T-bird into the diner's wall. I half expected him to begin freaking out and ranting about Lorelai and how this has broken down the walls around him (the metaphor was beginning to make me a little uneasy), but Rosenthal pulled it off by making it more about everyone forcing Luke to make a decision. It was also helped by some fine acting on Scott Patterson's part and not once did he never mention Lorelai by name. So, bravo, for pulling off something that could have been hokey and fondue-like and instead having it fit in with the tradition of bizarro Stars Hollow stories on the series and ring true to their characters and their situations.

I liked Rory and Logan's long distance interactions and the rocket ship gift he sent to her (I love when the girls attempt to solve relationship-related mysteries) and was especially pleased with the twist that, while Logan is sending her a plane ticket to London, Rory won't be seeing her beau until Christmas-time. At least, unless she has anything to say about it. I love how Logan can be so savvy and so stupid at the same time and so utterly clueless about Rory's feelings. Which is why I love their current situation. Will Logan wait "40 years" for Rory? And better yet: will Rory do the same for him?

Additionally, I'm especially glad that Lorelai didn't elope with Luke (though glad that the big lunk finally proposed to her) and that Lorelai didn't conceal the fact that she slept with Christopher from him. His reaction was right on the money, both for Luke and men in general. Personally, I'm happy to see Luke and Lorelai apart for a while, even though I was rooting for them for many years, as I think that she and Christopher are actually a really good couple. He's matured significantly in the last few seasons and is finally as adult as Lorelai but their shared past and, um, shared daughter, make them a good fit. It will be interesting to see where this goes in the next few episodes, but the scenes for next week do make it seem as though we'll be seeing Lorelai and Chris as a couple. At least for a little while, anyway.

So, was it a return to the glory days of Gilmore Girls? Well, it's definitely a step in the right direction. And while it's still way too soon to tell whether the show will keep on the path it's on or whether it will again lose its footing, I do have to say that I am impressed with how much I enjoyed the episode and the direction under the previously much maligned David Rosenthal. As for the future of Gilmore Girls, there's a part of me that's cautiously optimistic about this season. But at the same time, there's another side of me that just can't wait to get back to Stars Hollow again next week.

Next week on Gilmore Girls ("That's What You Get, Folks, for Makin' Whoopee"): Lorelei tries to cheer up Rory, upset about calling off her trip to Asia with Logan, by transforming the house into the Stars Hollow version of, um, Asia, in this episode written by Rebecca Rand Kirshner.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Jericho (CBS); The Biggest Loser (NBC; 8-10 pm); America's Next Top Model (CW); Dancing with the Stars (ABC); Bones (FOX); Desire (MyNet)

9 pm: Criminal Minds (CBS); One Tree Hill (CW); Lost (ABC); Justice (FOX); Fashion House (MyNet)

10 pm: CSI: New York (CBS); Kidnapped (NBC); 20/20 (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: Jericho.

I'm really on the fence about this series, which is just way too maudlin and depressing for me to tune into on a weekly basis. Plus, I've got enough stress from Lost at 9 pm. On tonight's episode ("Fallout"), Jake discovers that the fallout shelter is unusable... an hour before fallout from the blast is about to hit the town. Day-um.

9 pm: Lost.

Yes, it's yet another Lost recap show ("A Tale of Survival") before next week's third season premiere. Will I tune in or will it just wind up sitting on my TiVo's hard drive for the next few weeks? Only Desmond knows...

10 pm: Kidnapped.

It's the second episode of NBC's fall kidnapping drama (not to be confused with FOX's). On tonight's episode ("Special Delivery"), the Cains receive a package that implies that their other children might be in danger, while Knapp (Jeremy Sisto) heads to Brown University to search out missing daughter Aubrey. Unless the ratings improve for this drama, something tells me that the only thing missing will soon be this series from the schedule...

10 pm: Project Runway on Bravo.

On tonight's episode, it's finally down to the final four contestants. (Yes, really, this time.) Who will be booted off the runway next? Just please don't let it be Michael.

Ryan Murphy and Brad Pitt to Wrangle "4 oz." for FX

Nip/Tuck creator Ryan Murphy and producer Brad Pitt have sold a new drama, 4 oz., to cabler FX that will chart the ongoing metamorphosis of a married sportswriter and father of teenage sons who decides that he wants to live his life as a woman.

According to Murphy, the series will have a natural five-season arc for the series that will also focus on the married transsexual's teenage sons. Says Murphy: "The first season deals with the revelation of his secret. In the second season, he begins dressing like a woman. The third covers the surgery, and his inherent doubts about going through with it, and by the fourth season, he's living as a woman and attempting to find love."

And in case you couldn't figure out that wacky title, the measurement refers to the average weight of a penis, according to Murphy. Hmmm, given the surgical subject matter, think there's any possibility for a crossover with the gang at McNamara/Troy?

Second Take: NBC's "Heroes"

Deja Tube. It's that feeling that you've already experienced a show on television before.

Back in May, I reviewed the original pilot of NBC's new superhero drama Heroes... and I was rather lambasted as a result of my negative review. While everyone I know who saw the pilot in Hollywood absolutely loathed it, fans of the show (how can a show have virulent fans before it's even premiered?) lashed out and members of the production staff assured me that what I saw was drastically different than what was scheduled to air in September.

So I thought: I've got an hour. I'll take another look at the series and tune in for the "new" version of the pilot episode ("Genesis"). I went in with an open mind, cleared out an hour of my schedule (and my TiVo) and sat down, fully prepared not to let my earlier feelings cloud my judgment. Guess what: the version NBC aired last night was only minutely different than the version I saw. (Still no sign of Leonard Roberts or Greg Grunberg.)

Sure, there were some differences between the two versions. Painter-turned-visionary Isaac doesn't cut his hand off in an attempt to escape from his self-induced imprisonment in order to quit drugs cold-turkey; instead he overdoses after painting a vaguely apocalyptic painting about the coming test for the heroes... and a picture of Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) flying. (Gone from earlier in the episode is Tim Sale's evocative painting of Simone standing in the doorway with her briefcase, which is a shame as it was a rather eerie and portentous piece.)

There's also a new plot thread with a comic book called "9 Wonders" that seems to come into play in subsequent episodes and which might indicate that the heroes' stories are being told in a comic book. Also tweaked: the pilot ending that has Peter jumping off a building in front of his would-be Congressman brother Nathan (Adrian Pasdar), only to have Nathan swoop up and catch him in his arms. Instead of registering shock (and relief at not having splattered himself all over that alley), Peter pushes himself out of Nathan's grasp. Gasp!

What hasn't changed is some seriously painful dialogue ("I just wanted to feel alive..." "You hero-worshipped him") and awkward and highly expository character development from writer/creator Tim Kring. There's definitely something very... off about the whole show. It takes itself way too seriously from the start. As I mentioned in my original review, there's something wholly ludicrous about beginning a genre show with a Star Wars-esque rolling text sequence and the indication that this is "Volume 1" of the heroes' story. (Talk about optimistic.) And I still feel that the eclipse that all of the characters seem to talking about endlessly comes and goes without any real weight or significance. It seems as though the pilot is building up to something HUGE with the eclipse but it seems to pass with nary an implication so far.

Sidebar: what still irritates me is that incorrect reference to Uncanny X-Men issue in which Kitty Pryde is able to travel through time. The storyline in question is "Days of Future Past" and any X-nerd will tell you that it occurred in issues #141-142, NOT #143 as Heroes would have you believe. Seeing as that error has been widely discussed several months before the premiere of show leads me to believe that someone should have fact checked that. It also makes me question Tim Kring's comic book background/awareness, even if he does have Jeph Loeb onboard as a producer.

This second time around watching the Heroes pilot, I was just as bored and disconnected as before. I'm a comic book fan and have been since I was twelve, and I didn't find anything the least bit rewarding or intriguing about this series, certainly not enough to get me to tune into the second episode. I could see why this series might lure a fiercely loyal crowd looking for a comic-tinged serialized drama, but I for one won't be tuning in.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: NCIS (CBS); Heroes (NBC); Gilmore Girls (CW); Dancing with the Stars (ABC; 8-9:30 pm); House (FOX); Desire (MyNet)

9 pm: The Unit (CBS); Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC); Runaway (CW); Help Me Help You (ABC; 9:30-10 pm); Standoff (FOX); Fashion House (MyNet)

10 pm: Smith (CBS); Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC); Boston Legal (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: Gilmore Girls.

It's the first non-Amy and Daniel episode from new showrunner David Rosenthal. Will he be able to reverse the downwards trend of last season and reinvigorate the dramedy series, now on the newly minted CW network? On tonight's season premiere ("The Long Morrow"), written by Rosenthal, Lorelai deals with the repercussions of sleeping with Christopher but is asked to elope by Luke; meanwhile, Logan gives Rory a plane ticket to London. Check back here tomorrow for my thoughts...

9 pm: Eureka on Sci-Fi.

The whimsical new sci-fi drama that's more Northern Exposure than Stargate. On tonight's episode ("H.O.U.S.E. Rules"), Carter's sentient house gathers together the gang and traps them inside until they resolve their differences. My house never does anything except sit there and gather dust. Hrumph.

10 pm: Smith.

On the crime drama's second episode ("Two"), Hope is worried that Bobby had something to do with the museum robbery in last week's premiere episode, while Annie asks Tom and Jeff to work on another job involving identity theft.

Casting Couch: Rena Sofer Takes on Wifely Duties on "24" and "Heroes"

For a long time, the only thing I thought of whenever Rena Sofer's name came up was the ludicrous sight of her with smudged lipstick, clad in a cheerleader uniform on Melrose Place. But, ah, how times have changed.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sofer (Coupling) has landed high-profile recurring roles on two series this fall. On the upcoming sixth season of 24, Sofer will play the wife of a "shady power broker" named Graham (Paul McCrane).

Sofer will also pop up on freshman drama Heroes where she'll play (you guessed it!) the wife of aspiring Congressman Nathan Petrelli (Adrian Pasdar). Which would make her the sister-in-law to Milo Ventimiglia's character.

Let the 'shipping begin.

"We Gotta Do This Conspicuously": Mongolian Leg of "Amazing Race" Finds Teams Acting, Well, Conspicuously

I really don't want to make fun of the Beauty Queens.

After all, it is a bit like shooting fish in a furry Mongolian barrel. But I just can't help it. Especially, when they issue proclamations like, "We gotta do this conspicuously," when talking about a furtive info-gathering mission at the station. Sorry, girls, but you're gonna have to be a little less conspicuous about fulfilling some stereotypes about blondes on the Race.

That said, Dustin and Kandice almost walked away with the lead in the second leg of The Amazing Race last night... if they could have gotten a handle on where all of their Mongolian gear was at all times. Why exactly was that helmet so hard to keep track of? (I'd ask Erwin and Godwin the same question.)

First place ended up going to uber-competitors Sarah and Peter, despite switching their detour task not once, but twice. I have some serious reservations about this team. I absolutely adore Sarah and think that she is simply amazing for being able to, not just keep up with the pack, but remain in front of the other competitors, even with a prosthetic limb. (She scaled the freaking Great Wall, people.) Her nonchalance at switching out her metal curve attachment for the foot was astonishing, as was the fact that, while she got teary with frustration during the weird-oxen-challenge, she never had a mental breakdown (not like Kimberly, anyway).

That said, Peter totally weirds me out. Sarah is so calm and collected and he's so intensely high-strung. Plus, their relationship seems to have no romantic dimension whatsoever; they're more like student and coach than boyfriend and girlfriend. Even when he's being positive (and not nagging her), he comes off as though he's *lecturing* her, a fact that I was happy to see that Sarah has picked up on. I'm glad that she's being so level-headed about the whole thing and not angrily confronting him about where their relationship is going in Week Two of the Race (as we've seen so many other team do), but is instead sitting back and letting these thoughts percolate in her mind.

I have to say that I actually REALLY like country "bumpkins" David and Mary. I was a little concerned when I saw them introduced in last week's episode and a handy bottom-of-the-screen captioning would be real helpful when David speaks, but I've grown to love these two because of their spirit and their innate goodness. What other coalminer couple from the Deep South would be so open and accepting of other people and cultures (whether they be Asian or gay) than these two? They've completely embraced the spirit of the Amazing Race and I applaud them for it; they've expanded their comfort zone and have approached every person and challenge thus far with an openness and acceptance that I find truly refreshing. Hell, they might even be more accepting of Lauren than her own father, Duke.

Speaking of father-and-daughter team Duke and Lauren, they are growing on me, but I find his comments about Lauren's lesbianism a little disappointing. How can someone say that they are accepting of gays, but not when they're in their own family? Isn't that a little, you know, hypocritical?

Rob and Kimberly keep talking about whether or not they should take their relationship to the next level, but based on what I've seen here, I can honestly say that they should break up. Fast. While they're certainly no Jonathan and Victoria, their constant bickering and lack of supportiveness for one another don't really show any potential for a long-term relationship. Plus, Rob can't seem to realize that one must actually drive on the road to get to a destination. Let's just hope he doesn't do anything stupid like propose after winning a challenge...

But unfortunately it's Phil-iminaton time for one team as the cheerleaders--while they might have oodles of Spirit--can't follow directions very well, arriving at the road block well after all of the other teams. After Kellie spent several hours attempting to shoot a flaming arrow at a target 160 feet away (in the dark, no less), they finally agreed to just stop trying and checked in at the Pit Stop, only to discover that Phil was sorry to tell them that they'd be eliminated from the race. I can't say I was surprised as they seemed perpetually behind this leg but I'm sorry that I'll never get the chance to be able to distinguish between Kellie and Jamie. (Hint: Kellie was the blonde one.)

Next week on The Amazing Race: Duke and Lauren run out of money during a particularly expensive taxi ride, while the Beauty Queens and the, er, Queens face off after Dustin and Kandice cut the line at the airport. Ooooh, it is on.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: The Class/How I Met Your Mother (CBS); Deal or No Deal (NBC); 7th Heaven (CW); Wife Swap (ABC); Prison Break (FOX); Desire (MyNet)

9 pm: Two and a Half Men/The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS); Heroes (NBC); Runaway (WB); Wife Swap (ABC); Vanished (FOX); Fashion House (MyNet)

10 pm: CSI: Miami (CBS); Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (NBC); Men in Trees (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

9 pm: Heroes.

It was the review that launched a thousand pieces of hate mail: my review of NBC's new superhero drama Heroes back in May. Tonight, the wait is over to see if producers have improved the show since I saw the original pilot... or if it's just as dull and messy as before. Talk back tomorrow.

9:30 pm: Old Christine.

I can't tell you why I like watching this traditional sitcom, but Julia Louis-Dreyfus is like a warm blanket of coziness after a long Monday. On tonight's episode ("The Answer is Maybe"), Christine accepts a date from a stranger (Scott Bakula). Be careful, Christine: he might just leap as things are getting good!

10 pm: Weeds on Showtime.

Season Two of Showtime's suburban-set pot dramedy is in full swing. On tonight's episode ("Must Find Toes"), Andy recovers from an accident at the grow house while Nancy is forced to contend with first crushes and failing grades from her sons.

10 pm: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.

I wasn't really all that crazy about the pilot, but I'll give the show a second chance and tune into the second episode ("The Cold Open") airing tonight on NBC. Matt and Danny are given five days to launch their first show while Jordan defends a rather controversial sketch.

FOX Benches Frosh Series Before Baseball

The sly fox is beginning to look a little, well, shifty.

FOX has put freshman comedy Happy Hour on hiatus until after it restarts its schedule following baseball during the month of October. New episodes of the comedy series (named "First to Fall" by Cynopsis) that no one has heard of, much less is watching, will return to the schedule on November 2nd. Filling in for the frosh laugher are repeats of fellow newbie comedy series 'Til Death on September 28th and October 1st.

Also benched: dramas Justice (whose October 4th slot will be filled with a repeat of House) and Standoff, whose slot next week will be filled with... something else.

As for me, I go on watching television without noticing that any of the above had ever happened.

Branching Out: Jim and Pam Go Their Separate Ways on "The Office"

Sorry, Jim and Pam 'shippers, looks like you're gonna have to wait a lot longer to see those two get together.

After last season's cliffhanger ending in "Casino Night," The Office returned last night with its third season premiere ("Gay Witch Hunt"). While many viewers thought that the show would find a way to get out of dealing with that unresolved kiss between office mates and would-be lovers Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer), the show's producers instead dealt with their lip-locking but didn't make it the focal point of the episode.

That made me happy.

I don't want The Office to become a distaff workplace version of Friends with Jim and Pam subbing in for Ross and Rachel. While I love the two of them together and am rooting for them with all of my heart, I don't want the will-they-or-won't-they suspense to overwhelm the rest of this brilliant and hysterical series. But maybe that's just me. I'll admit that the NBC Promotions department had me worrying overtime after their sappy summer campaign for the series, now an Emmy Award-winner for Best Comedy, with its fixation on the Jim and Pam storyline, replete with hokey Will & Grace-style "serious" music and voiceover.

Instead, exec producer/writer Greg Daniels used the premiere episode to showcase one of Dunder-Mifflin's less showcased characters, accountant Oscar (Oscar Nunez). As we learned last season (even if Dwight failed to realize it), Oscar is secretly gay and in a committed relationship with his boyfriend Gil. When Michael (Steve Carell) inadvertently outs Oscar in the office, Jan (Melora Hardin) and Toby (Paul Lieberstein) force Michael to apologize to Oscar rather than invoke a lawsuit for discrimination. And Michael, of course, takes his attempts to be PC to new and mortifyingly offensive levels. Speaking of offensive, what was up with Angela (Angela Kinsey) and the hand sanitizer? I always knew she was an uptight beyotch, but still...

Jim and Pam have gone their separate ways now. Jim's left behind Pam and Scranton for a promotion at the Stamford branch of Dunder-Mifflin while Pam has called off her wedding to Roy (David Denman), moved into her own apartment, and is taking art classes. It's a step in the right direction for her. Points for Pam trying to look to Ryan (B.J. Novak) in Jim's place to express her amusement at Michael's behavior and receiving only a cold stare in return. Burn.

I'll admit that I was very concerned by the flashback scene taking place after the final minutes of "Casino Night," as they somewhat underestimated the audience's intelligence. We could figure out exactly what happened just from Pam and Jim's absent stares to where the other should have been and, well, the fact that they're now working in different branches. It felt very much like a network note and it broke that "mockumentary" device they've used so effectively for the past two seasons. I don't think that the show should ever get inside Pam's head in that way and found the scene jarring and somewhat lazy. Alternatively, I wish they had used that Arrested Development technique of pulling "footage" from the archives rather than using an unnecessary and rather soap-ish flashback, complete with a fuzzy shift into a daydream sequence. Sorry, guys, but it didn't work for me.

What did work for me, though, are new cast additions Andy (Ed Helms) and Karen (Rashida Jones) in the Stamford offices of Dunder-Mifflin. I am v. happy that they haven't gone overboard with making Karen an immediate love interest for Jim straight off the bat. (Give it a few episodes.) I especially *loved* Karen's impersonation of Jim (thought she nailed that trademark John Krasinski camera grimace), Jim's nickname of "Big Tuna," and the fact that he's not fitting in at Stamford at all... if anything he's become the Dwight of the office, a turn that a find particularly fitting and funny. (Take a look at the calculator-in-Jello scene when Andy's furious reaction.) I also loved the fact that the only thing Pam and Roy seem to have gotten out of calling off their wedding was five weeks of frozen lunches. Chicken or fish?

Ostensibly, the episode is about relationships: those between Oscar and his lover, Michael and Oscar, Angela and Dwight (who leaps to her defense when Oscar "pushes" her even if no one else notices), Jim and Pam, and Pam and Roy. To see Roy such a broken, shell of a man was a great twist (loved the mug shot for his drunk driving arrest) and I'm glad that Pam called off the wedding, even if it was at the very last second. If their split has done anything, it's served to give Roy greater depth and nuance as he now realizes how much he took Pam for granted and sets out to win her back. Love triangle over? Far from it, my friends.

As a side note, I think it was incredibly brave of The Office's producers to launch the third season with an episode on the outing of a gay employee, especially following the show's Emmy win and the fact that new audience members may have been tuning in last night. With the show moving somewhat from being a cult comedy to a more mainstream show with mass appeal, some of the more, um, Angela-esque members of the audience could have been alienated by the storyline. But instead of playing it safe with a sappy episode about the fallout from Jim and Pam's kiss, the series' talented writer/producers sought to craft a challenging and ultimately rewarding episode that has (for now anyway) altered the course of the show.

I'll leave you now with one real-life Office tidbit. Did anyone else know that Angela Kinsey is married to Paul Lieberstein's brother? It's true. Talk about a small world...

Next week on The Office ("The Convention" ): Michael, Dwight and Jan attend a convention in Philadelphia, where Michael attempts to organize a rather sad party in his hotel room, leading to a reunion of sorts.

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Ghost Whisperer (CBS); Deal or No Deal (NBC); WWE Friday Night SmackDown (CW); Grey's Anatomy (ABC); Nanny 911 (FOX); Major League Baseball (MyNet)

9 pm: Close to Home (CBS); Dateline (NBC); Men in Trees (ABC); Celebrity Duets (FOX)

10 pm: NUMB3RS (CBS); Law & Order (NBC); 20/20 (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

11 pm: MI-5 on A&E.

It's Part Two of the British espionage drama's fourth season premiere. On tonight's episode ("The Special"), the team must uncover a mole within their midst to stop a bomb maker from striking again.

Back Talk: ABC's "Six Degrees"

While I reviewed the original pilot of ABC's new drama Six Degrees here, what did you think of last night's premiere?

Have we seen too many of those random strangers bound by a web of chance or fate series? Do you prefer Campbell Scott with silver hair? What in the name of J.J. Abrams is in Mae's box? (Please don't let it be a pocket-sized Scotsman with a numbers-fixation.)

Share your back talk in this thread and tell me what you *really* think. (Come on, don't be shy.)

Recycled: Repeat Adventures in the Rag Trade on "Project Runway"

I hate repeats.

So imagine my frustration when I realized that my beloved TiVo was correct after all (as were several of you Televisionary readers): last night's Project Runway was not an original episode, despite no warning the week before from Bravo. Le sigh. I've been looking forward all week to the final four, but alas. We'll have to wait yet another week for the first Kayne-free installment of Runway.

I already miss the guy.

Since it was a repeat this week, I thought I'd take the opportunity to take a look forward, if you will, at our final four contestants, whom it seems will be presenting their individual shows at Fashion Week at Bryant Park in New York City. A certain reality series producer associate of mine tells me that the current theory is that this year's final four will indeed be a final four and that there won't be the red herring of the past few seasons with the three finalists and the auf'd fourth giving shows. Heidi herself seems to be supporting this with her cryptic comments about a game-changing twist (ugh, not another one) and saying that this season, they are committed to a final four. Hmmm... Looks like there might be an even bigger challenge than just a runway collection challenge...

So who's still in the running to take home the couture crown?

First up: my personal favorite of the bunch, Michael Knight. I think that 99% of Michael's designs have been gorgeous and wearable and then show really poise and vision. I loved the Harlem-meets-the-Hamptons jet-setting ensemble he created for himself, the Pam Grier outfit he did a few weeks ago, the coffee-filter dress he created in Week One, the recycled bustier, wrap, and skirt from the trash challenge, last week's black-and-white dress... the list goes on and on. He even attempted to do hand-sewn rouching in the Paris couture challenge, even though that's what got Malan eliminated way back in Week Two. He's brave, confident without being arrogant, and has the best sense of how to dress a woman for a variety of moods and occasions. Plus, I feel that he's retained the best sense of self in his designs while also proving that he's versatile and comfortable working in a variety of style, even with severe artistic constraints. If he doesn't take home the top prize, I will throw something expensive and tasteful at the television.

Next up: Uli Herzner, whose mind-blowing use of fabrics and patterns has made her an instant hit in my household. Her style is so contemporary and wearable, with flattering and fun silhouettes that would look amazing in any climate. However, many of her designs are a bit too whimsical for cities other than Miami, Los Angeles, St. Tropez; can her playfully relaxed style work in New York or London? Many have criticized her for basically sticking to the same design most weeks and switching the patterns a bit, but she does so beautifully every time. She is an absolute genius and I can see her line being instantly successful among a certain clientele that wants breezy cocktail dresses and doesn't shy away from bold, provocative patterns. But can she get the judges past their preconceived notions about what they claim is her one-note design aesthetic?

Then there's Jeffrey Sebelia who's rock and roll sensibilities are notoriously hit or miss. Jeffrey has the distinction, week to week, of either ending up in the top of the pack (he won two back-to-back challenges) or at the bottom, a rare stylistic syndrome that constantly confuses and bewilders me. When he's on (as in the jet-setting or couture challenges), it really works. His yellow plaid couture gown was in keeping with his design principles but also seemed completely at home on the runway, with a gorgeous and daring cut and bold color that was definitely different from his other designs. But can he design clothing that's less rock and roll and more elegant? Is his style too easily pigeon-holed?

Finally, there's Laura Bennett. I've been sort of back and forth about Laura in recent weeks as she seems far too often to be designing primarily for herself. There's a very vintage 1940s element to her work without any real sense of modernity or conscious effort to update these designs for mass appeal. And her outfits are often far too simplistic for my taste (the For Nuts Only dress, for example). That said, her construction is always faultless and her updated Roaring Twenties cocktail dress from last week showed a youthfulness and playfulness that had been lacking in many of her ensembles. While I love her style and the sort of return to classic Katherine Hepburn silhouettes and shapes, can she do something really modern and head-turning? Can she step outside herself and design something that would be really different and daring?

Ultimately, I hope that the final three contestants are Michael, Uli, and Laura. But I am already jittery with anticipation at the thought of seeing runway collection shows from all four of the remaining designers. As a group, you couldn't pick four designers with less in common, both in terms of history and personality as well as style and vision. It's promising to be a fight to the finish but I've got my fingers crossed that Michael comes out on top in the end.

Who do you think should win this installment of Project Runway? And which unlucky contestants will receive the final air kisses and auf wiedersehen's from Heidi?

Before I leave you, special thanks go out again to "Christine Fortune" for filling in for me on the weekly Runway update last week; she delivered a fun, fierce, and fashionable fill-in for our favorite reality fix.

Next week on Project Runway: the final four contestants go head to head (really this time, I promise!).

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Survivor: Cook Islands (CBS); My Name is Earl/The Office (NBC); Smallville (CW); Grey's Anatomy (ABC); 'Til Death/Happy Hour (FOX); Desire (MyNet)

9 pm: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS); Deal or No Deal (NBC); Supernatural (CW); Grey's Anatomy (ABC); Celebrity Duets (FOX); Fashion House (MyNet)

10 pm: Shark (CBS); ER (NBC); Six Degrees (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: My Name is Earl.

It's the season premiere of My Name is Earl! On tonight's episode ("Very Bad Things"), Earl takes Joy's side when she and Darnell have a fight. Ouch. Something tells me this will not end well for Darnell or Earl.

8:30 pm: The Office.

It's the third season premiere of The Office! On tonight's episode ("Gay Witch Hunt"), Michael outs grouchy and gay Dunder-Mifflin employee Oscar, while the audience learns what's happened to Jim and Pam since that kiss. Yes, that kiss. Here's a hint: it's dealt with in the opening scene. Let's just say that there aren't wedding bells for anyone in this ongoing love triangle...

10 pm: Six Degrees.

Six strangers discover that their lives are seemingly connected in the latest drama from producer J.J. Abrams. Read my original review (way back when in June) here.

10 pm: Murder City on BBC America.

Continuing tonight on BBC America: a 2004 Brit mystery series starring Amanda Donahoe (L.A. Law) and Kris Marshall (My Family) as pair of terribly mismatched police partners. In tonight's episode ("Mr. Right"), how exactly did a young woman and her lover die from a single bullet while laying together in a hotel room? Find out tonight.

Back Talk: NBC's "Kidnapped"

While I reviewed the original pilot of NBC's new drama Kidnapped here, what did you think of last night's premiere?

Given the series' shared themes and overall conceit with FOX's similar (if less successful) drama Vanished, which do you think will emerge the clear winner in audience's minds? Or is there room in the American marketplace for two kidnapped rich people dramas?

Share your back talk in this thread and tell me what you *really* think. (Come on, don't be shy.)

HBO's "Entourage" to Keep Irritating Me (But Not Enough To Get Me To Stop Watching) For Another 12 Episodes

It looks like Adrian Grenier will still be stopped by tourists thinking that Vincent Chase is a real person... at least for another year.

In case you still cared about the Hollywood exploits of Vincent Chase and his entourage of hangers on and sneaker fetishists, HBO has renewed the half-hour dramedy for a fourth season of tantrums, threesomes, and Y-chromosome preening.

The pay cabler has ordered twelve episodes of Entourage which are expected to air on HBO sometime early next year.

Despite a rather lackluster third season, I'll still be tuning in. I just wish that the series hadn't become the very thing it set out to satirize...

From Across the Pond: "Saxondale"

Knowing me, knowing you. A-ha.

It's very easy to think that Steve Coogan is Alan Partridge, the character he created and played on several comedy series including Knowing Me, Knowing You and I'm Alan Partridge. But if Coogan isn't Alan Partridge, neither is the boozy, bawdy Tommy Saxondale, the character he now portrays (and co-created with Neil MacLennan) in the new BBC comedy series, Saxondale, set to make its U.S. debut next month.

Unlike the pretentious and preening Alan Partridge, Tommy Saxondale is a man of the people. Well, he's a man of a nation of one, anyway. A former rock group roadie, Tommy has become a pest control specialist living with Welsh girlfriend Magz (Nighty Night's Ruth Jones) who runs Smash the System, a t-shirt shop selling anarchist clothing, including a dubious line of t's featuring unexpected people (i.e., the Mona Lisa) smoking pot. Magz manages to ground the easily enraged Tommy a bit and keep him from veering off into a tirade about his ex-wife or similar subjects. That said, he's just awful to her at times but Magz barely seems to even notice. Ah, love.

Tommy is an anti-establishment hellion who seems to have suddenly realized he's actually a sad middle-aged man driving around in a van killing rodents (and birds, mustn't forget about birds) and who constantly spars with Vicky (Morwenna Banks), the flinty receptionist who hands out jobs at the Pest Control Center. If Tommy has dreams of grandeur, it's Vicky who promptly knocks him right back to earth with her cutting banter and vicious repartee. It's only natural then that Tommy should have anger management issues and the pilot episode begins, in fact, with his walking out on a therapy group.

What this man needs is a good sidekick... some punk kid too stoned or naive to tell Tommy to stop droning on about his glory years. Enter teenager Raymond (Rasmus Hardiker), desperate for a job and a fresh start somewhere, who gets pulled into Tommy's world after applying for an assistant pest control specialist. Tommy instantly takes a shining to this gawky, innocent lad, hiring him on the spot... and offering him the glamorous opportunity to become his and Magz's lodger as well (for a profit, naturally). And so the disused box room in Tommy and Magz's place becomes Raymond HQ, though the poor lad isn't likely to have any privacy with Tommy barging in constantly and sharing with him the art of pest control. That is, when Tommy and Magz aren't going at it.

As Tommy Saxondale, Coogan completely disappears inside the role to create the portrait of a man on the brink of self-loathing (or self-love, depending on your view) living in a world he just can't connect with. Saxondale is definitely more low-key than Partridge but he's also filled with a bitterness that's at times tough to swallow. It's a pretty bleak picture of an aging hipster but Coogan somehow makes Tommy oddly sympathetic, even when he's tormenting Raymond or Magz (the scene in the box room is a comedic gem) or verbally battling with Vicky. As Magz, Ruth Jones has a sweetness that mellows Coogan's acidity; scarily they manage to balance one another out. One can help but feel bad for Raymond and the mess he's just landed himself in and Rasmus Hardiker perfectly embodies the googly-eyed 19-year-old with pitch-perfect guilelessness.

Tommy and Raymond's first assignment: deal with a pigeon infestation at a warehouse... and with the animal rights protestors who are picketing the site as well. And Tommy just does that with typical aplomb, a well-developed sadistic streak... and a pellet gun.

I dare say you wouldn't see Alan Partridge doing that...

"Saxondale" is scheduled to premiere on BBC America on October 13th at 11 pm ET (8 pm PT).

What's On Tonight

8 pm: Jericho (CBS); The Biggest Loser (NBC; 8-10 pm); America's Next Top Model (CW); Dancing with the Stars (ABC); Bones (FOX); Desire (MyNet)

9 pm: Criminal Minds (CBS); One Tree Hill (CW); Grey's Anatomy (ABC; 9-11 pm); Justice (FOX); Fashion House (MyNet)

10 pm: CSI: New York (CBS); Kidnapped (NBC)

What I'll Be Watching

8 pm: Jericho.

I've seen the shortened version of the original pilot and, wouldn't you know it, CBS was kind enough to send me the newer version and the second episode of Jericho as well. I'll be giving it a second chance tonight to see if I can invest in yet another serialized drama this season...

10 pm: Kidnapped.

You can check out my review from a few months ago here. I was burned by Vanished, but I am hoping that Kidnapped makes the grade. Let's see how America feels tomorrow.

10 pm: Project Runway on Bravo.

On tonight's episode, it's down to the final four contestants. Who will be eliminated next? Will it be Michael (please no), Jeffrey, Uli, or Laura? To be honest, I'd be perfectly happy with Michael, Uli, and Laura as the final three designers. Jeffrey just irks.

Will Ferrell to Take "P.E." Class with HBO