[Televisionary]

With the holiday break just around the corner, it's the perfect time to take note of what's worked so far this television season and what hasn't. Over at The Daily Beast, I have a new article entitled "TV Report Card," in which I take a look at the 30 new (and somewhat newish) series that have premiered so far during the 2009-10 season, breaking them down into winners, losers, and draws as I investigate just why and how they work (or don't). Everything from Modern Family and NCIS: Los Angeles to Castle, Sons of Anarchy, V , and FlashForward (and even bottom of the barrel entries Hank and Brothers ) get discussed in-depth. What's clicked for you this season? What series didn't disappear fast enough? And which are you still on the fence about? Head over to the comments section to share your thoughts about the season so far.

Over on Twitter, there's been a great debate waged over the last few days about what the best comedies currently on television are, a subjective discussion if there ever was one. Titles have been thrown about, opinions bandied, and worthiness dissected and then dissected again. The Great Comedy Debate led Time critic James Poniewozik to yesterday publish his list of the top television comedies at the moment (he included just those that are currently on the air right now ) and I thought I do this same, limiting my list to just five US series that are airing new episodes as we speak. So, in no particular order, here are my picks for The Five Best Comedies on Television: Modern Family (ABC) No other series has come close to balancing the sweet with the tart than Christopher Lloyd and Steve Levitan's brilliant mockumentary Modern Family , which each week dazzles its enraptured audience with a winning combination of heart and humor. It's the rare comedy that can make you roar

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing. Entertainment Weekly 's PopWatch has an interview with Elizabeth Mitchell and Lost executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse about the ultimate fate of Mitchell's Juliet, last seen detonating the hydrogen bomb that may or may not have caused The Incident at the end of Season Five. While Mitchell is set to reprise her role as Juliet Burke on Season Six of Lost , it's been confirmed that Juliet is definitely dead. Still, there are still some mysteries about the good (or not so good?) doctor that still need to be resolved. "There’s still something very significant that we have not yet learned about the character," according to Cuse. ( Entertainment Weekly 's PopWatch ) Gregory Itzin ( The Mentalist ) will return to FOX's 24 in a multiple-episode story arc that finds him reprising his role as villainous former President Charles Logan, who was last seen being stabbed by his wife Martha (Jean Smart)

I've never been much of a Halloween guy. Some people love to dress up and head out to parties but I've always taken the view that Halloween is one of those holidays that you either believe in with all of your being or you can't quite wrap your head around. Last night, NBC's two-hour Thursday night comedy block all offered Halloween-themed diversions but happily each did so in their own inimitable way with Community focusing on a Mexican Day of the Dead after-school party, Parks and Recreation splitting its focus between Leslie stalking a notorious Halloween teen vandal and Ann throwing a costume party, The Office keeping it all confined to the cold open, and 30 Rock offering a celebration of "gay Halloween." I have to say that I thought that Community and Parks and Recreation were by far the funniest two entries in last night's comedy block, comprising a strong one-two punch of humor that seems to be gathering more confidence week to week. Last night

It's about time: NBC has handed out a full season order to freshman single-camera comedies Community and Parks and Recreation as well as drama series Mercy . News about the full season pickup of the Sony Pictures Television-produced Community --which stars Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Yvette Nicole Brown, Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, Donald Glover, Ken Jeong, and Chevy Chase--was broken on Twitter by creator Dan Harmon, who wrote, "NBC ordered 9 more episodes of Community . I only went to community college for 1 semester, but MASH was longer than the Korean War, right?" A source close to the production confirmed to Televisionary on Friday afternoon that Community has been picked up for a full season, bringing the episodic total this season to 22 installments. UPDATE: Just minutes after posting the above, NBC has confirmed the full-season pickup for Community and announced additional full season orders for Parks and Recreation and Mercy , all three of of which have been

It really upsets me that more people aren't watching Community and Parks and Recreation on NBC. The two series--now back to back on Thursday nights--are two of the funniest and sharpest comedies on television but the ratings, while not horrible, aren't great and are nowhere near where they should be for such fantastically funny comedies. Granted, there is a hell of a lot of competition on Thursday nights at 8 pm. Viewers have their pick between these two comedies and FlashForward on ABC, Bones on FOX, Survivor on CBS, and The Vampire Diaries on CW. (And that's just at the broadcast level.) Things get even more complicated when you look at Thursday as a whole; there's an overabundance of quality programming to watch, making it even more difficult to decide just what you should be watching live. Personally, I ended up watching Community and Parks and Recreation live last night and TiVo'd FlashForward to watch tonight after I was rather disappointed with the s

Just a few quick words about tonight's episode of NBC comedy Community ("Spanish 101"), the series' second outing. I had the opportunity a few weeks back to watch the second episode of this hilarious new series and loved every second of it. So why should you tune in to tonight's episode of Community , when the airwaves are positively overcrowded with televised offerings? Here are five reasons why. (1) If you liked the pilot, you'll love this even more. If you enjoyed the hysterical pilot episode of Community , you'll love tonight's episode even more. Free from having to set up the group's situation and first meeting at Greendale Community College, tonight's installment has a lot more fun with the low-key academic setting, further building out the world of Greendale and strengthening the relationships between the characters. (2) It focuses on some of the supporting characters. While Community is an ensemble comedy, a lot of the action of the f

Just curious to see how many of you tuned in to watch the series premiere of NBC's new comedy series Community . You had a chance to read my advance review of the pilot episode from back in May as well as catch my video interviews with the cast of Community (from my recent set visit), but now that the pilot episode has aired, I'm curious to know what you thought of the series. Did you fall for the loopy charms of the series, created by Dan Harmon? Did you enjoy Community 's mix of deadpan humor and emotional heart? Are you already head over heels for its collection of eccentric characters? Does it fit in with the rest of NBC's Thursday night comedy lineup, including Parks and Recreation, The Office , and 30 Rock ? And, most importantly, will you tune in again next week? (And please do, as next week's episode is even funnier!) Talk back here. Next week on Community ("Spanish 101"), Jeff conspires to be Britta's partner in a team project for Senor Cha

"A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm." - Henrik Ibsen NBC's latest comedy series Community , which launches tonight, has a unique setting--community college--that serves as a microcosm for society at large, offering one of the most ethnically diverse casts on television in an organic way. It's also absolutely hysterical to boot. A plus for a new comedy that's landed a plum spot on NBC's Thursday night lineup. It's incredibly droll, filled with throwaway lines, deadpan humor, and layered, recurring gags that reward astute viewers. I had the opportunity to watch the first two episodes of Community and am already in love with the witty and winsome series, a rare beast that offers both sharp bite and tenderness of heart, sometimes right after each other. (You can read my advance review of the pilot episode here .) I visited the set of Community a few weeks back and spent some time with the cast while they shot Episode 1

Just a quick reminder that there's a ton of new television launching tonight, between series premieres, season premieres, and a secret advance peek at a new FX comedy series kicking off next year. So what should you be sure to set your DVR for tonight? Here goes? Season Five of Bones kicks off tonight at 8 pm ET/PT with a premiere ("Harbingers in a Fountain"), in which Brennan returns from a dig in Guatemala; Angela's psychic, Avalon Harmonia (Cyndi Lauper) reveals while reading Angela's tarot cards that there are multiple bodies buried under a Washington, DC fountain; Sweets certifies Booth mentally fit to return to duty after his brain surgery, but Booth is still experiencing some side effects from his coma. (You can read my advance review of the season premiere here .) At 8:30 pm, it's the start of Season Two of comedy Parks and Recreation on NBC. (You can read my advance review of the first two episodes of the season here .) Fringe returns to FOX at 9 p

Hoping to catch another glimpse at Community and Parenthood ? Look no further. With fall nearly upon us, NBC has today released new promos for two of its new series, Community and Parenthood , both of which launch this fall on NBC. The promos can be viewed in full below. (Meanwhile, you can read my glowing advance review of the full Community pilot episode here .) COMMUNITY : Greendale Community College would like to welcome you. Community , Thursdays this fall on NBC. PARENTHOOD : Parenthood is... a many-not-always-so-splendoured thing. Parenthood , Wednesdays this fall on NBC.

Looking for a sneak peak at some of NBC's new series? You're in luck as NBC today released three new promos for its upcoming fall series Parenthood, Community , and Trauma , all of which can be found below. PARENTHOOD Parenthood – Find out everything that makes Parenthood special. Parenthood , coming this fall on NBC. COMMUNITY Going Back To College – Life is full of opportunities. Community , coming Thursdays this fall on NBC. TRAUMA Trauma – Meet the people who run towards danger. Trauma , coming this fall on NBC Parenthood, Community , and Trauma premiere this fall on NBC.

For the last two years, NBC has sought to find a series to cement its lineup of comedies on Thursday nights... with mixed results. Last season's offering, Kath & Kim , didn't quite gel with the wit and dry humor of veterans 30 Rock and The Office and was quickly sent to the mall in the sky. And Parks & Recreation, from the executive producers of The Office , hasn't quite lived up to its potential or pedigree. Next season, NBC will launch another new comedy series, Community , which will join returnees 30 Rock, The Office , and Parks and Recreation on the Thursday night roster. I had the opportunity last night to watch the full pilot episode of Community and believe that NBC may have finally found a worthy addition to its "Comedy Done Right" lineup. The dry-witted and caustically funny Community , written by Dan Harmon ( The Sarah Silverman Program ) and directed by Joe and Anthony Russo ( Arrested Development ), tells the story of Jeff Crocker ( The S

Welcome to your Friday morning television briefing. (Following a week that included the 2009 network upfronts, I think we are all looking forward to a three-day weekend.) SPOILER! Entertainment Weekly 's Michael Ausiello has the dish on the actual set-up of the new Melrose Place series, kicking off this fall on the CW, and it will either make you squeal with delight or make you want to scream, well, bloody murder. "Sources confirm to me exclusively that the dead body found floating face down in Melrose 's trademark pool in the opening minutes belongs to none other than Laura Leighton's bitchtastic ex-stripper," writes Ausiello of Melrose's seemingly resurrected Sydney. "I'm told her death will set in motion a season-long murder mystery that finds nearly all of the show's principal characters -- particularly Syd's ex, Michael (Thomas Calabro) -- a possible suspect." Leighton, meanwhile, will continue to appear on the series via flashback

Welcome to your Wednesday morning television briefing. Good news: pay cabler Starz has renewed comedy series Party Down , from creators Rob Thomas, John Enbom, Dan Etheridge, and Paul Rudd, for a second season. The entire cast of Season One of Party Down will return for a sophomore season, though Jane Lynch's commitment to FOX's upcoming series Glee could create complications for her return and the actress is the only cast member who isn't already signed on for a second season. Party Down will return to production this summer for a Season Two launch date sometime in 2010. Also returning: directors Fred Savage and Bryan Gordon, who will direct episodes of the series, along with Ken Marino, who is locked to helm an installment as well. ( E! Online's Watch with Kristin , Variety ) FOX has reportedly ordered pilots Human Target , from Warner Bros Television, and comedy Sons of Tucson , from 20th Century Fox Television, to series. FOX had no comment on the news, which is

NBC unveiled part of its plan for the 2009-2010 season just a few hours ahead of its infront presentation to advertisers in New York. The Peacock ordered six new series including dramas Trauma, Parenthood, Mercy, and Day One (described as an "event series") and comedies 100 Questions and Community . NBC also officially announced that it had renewed dramas Heroes and Southland and comedy Parks and Recreation , as well as ordering six new installments of Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday . As expected, there was no mention of on the bubble series like Chuck, Law & Order , and My Name is Earl , although the network was quick to acknowledge that additional renewals and pickups will be announced May 19th, when NBC announces its full 2009-2010 schedule. (Also missing: Medium , which some news outlets had reported as already being renewed.) It's a rather full offering (with the potential for further orders), considering that NBC has lost its 10 pm hour during t