[Televisionary]

It's nearly time to say goodbye... This week's penultimate episode of Friday Night Lights ("Texas Whatever"), written by Kerry Ehrin and directed by Kyle Chandler, moved the pieces into place for one final emotional sucker punch as we prepare to say our goodbyes to this remarkable and intelligent series. It was no surprise that, going into the series finale, things would look so dark and grim, as the future of the Dillon Lions was called into question even as the team prepared for the state championship. In fact, everybody's future seemed up for grabs-- from Tami and Eric Taylor to Tim Riggins, from Luke and Becky to Billy and Mindy Riggins--as the episode offered up a sense that anything was possible as these characters considered their own paths, even as we get ready to see them walk off into the sunset next week. The result was a beautifully realized episode that was a shining example of the kind of deeply nuanced storytelling that Friday Night Lights does be...

I know, I know: this is the guiltiest of all guilty pleasures in some ways. But I do believe that when it comes to television, one shouldn't feel guilty about what one finds enjoyable, as long as you're truthful with yourself about the quality of the thing in question. Which brings us to Bravo's Million Dollar Listing , which returns for its fourth season tonight, amid a cast shakeup that saw the departure of oddball Chad Rogers from the series and the arrival of a new face in Josh Altman. While Chad irritated me to the point of tears at times, I do have to say that I'll miss him because he added such an unpredictable, weird element to the mix. Between the pocket-sized dog, the bizarre chemistry with his girlfriend, and his social awkwardness, Chad added a certain je ne sais quoi to the mix that will be missed, particularly as he managed to get under the skin of his fellow two real estate agents on a nearly weekly basis. Josh Altman, who joins returnees Josh Flagg and ...

It's said that in writing, as with most things, you shouldn't break the rules until you've mastered them. That is, until you truly understand the logic behind why certain guidelines exist, you shouldn't seek to subvert them. It's clear to me that the writing staff of Community , operating under visionary creator Dan Harmon, not only understands the rules but relishes the opportunity to throw them out the window, stomp on them, and have Leonard repeatedly run them over in the parking lot. This is, after all, the same collective that has produced over the course of two seasons such innovative and mind-blowing installments of television such as "Modern Warfare," "Epidemiology," "Contemporary American Poultry," "Cooperative Calligraphy," "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas," and "Basic Rocket Science," all of which tested the resilience and scope of the American sitcom form. This Thursday evening, the brains b...

I've been fairly obsessed with CBS' The Good Wife this season as the series continues to effortlessly fuse together taut legal drama, compelling family conflict, and a smart serialized storyline that has tackled everything from infidelity to personal desire, politics to underage sex. But the thing that's keeping me awake at night is the mystery surrounding Archie Panjabi's Kalinda Sharma, the kick-ass investigator employed by Lockhart-Gardner-Bond who might not be what she appears. Throughout the season, the formidable Kalinda been thrown off her balance by the inquiries made by her rival at the law firm, Scott Porter's devious Blake, who seems hell-bent on revealing the truth about her past. And now State's Attorney's office--under the orders of Glenn Childs himself--is conducting their own investigation into Kalinda, something that rubs Cary the wrong way. (I loved the scene between Matt Czruchy's Cary and Blake in the prison parking lot. Was it just ...

I've been candid over the years about my love for Chuck , supporting it and nurturing it and standing up for it whenever renewal seemed like a distant proposition rather than a sure thing. But I've also been upfront about my thoughts about this creatively uneven season, which seemed to veer from strong episodes to really weak ones on a weekly basis. Last night's episode ("Chuck Versus the Push Mix"), written by Rafe Judkins and Lauren LeFranc and directed by Peter Lauer, was originally intended to be the season finale for Season Four of Chuck , back when the season had only gotten a thirteen-episode commitment, but as with last season, an eleventh hour order of additional episodes meant that the semi-season finale wrapped up several storylines but wouldn't be the end to the season. Which brings us to the here and now, as I have to take an unpopular stand and say that I didn't enjoy this episode as much as others seemed to. In fact, I'll admit that I...