[Televisionary]

Sniffle. Welcome to the very last day of network upfronts week! It's with a little sadness that that we come to the end of the line as the last of the networks finish making their announcements about their fall schedules today. No fall schedule has been as scrutinized or been the subject of as much guesswork and conjecture as the CW's. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of the WB and UPN netlets, the CW has emerged as a blend of the two fallen networks and has had the arduous task of combining two very different lineups into one cohesive package while also adding some new programs into the mix. So, have they succeeded? Find out below... The CW's OFFICIAL SCHEDULE FOR FALL 2006-2007 MONDAY 8-9 pm: 7th Heaven 9-10 pm: RUNAWAY TUESDAY 8-9 pm: Gilmore Girls 9-10 pm: Veronica Mars WEDNESDAY 8-9 pm: America's Next Top Model 9-10 pm: One Tree Hill THURSDAY 8-9 pm: Smallville 9-10 pm: Supernatural FRIDAY 8-10 pm: WWE Friday Night Smackdown SUNDAY 7-7:30 pm: Everybody Hates C

Amy and Daniel have officially left the building. I have to say that I was completely underwhelmed by last night's season finale of Gilmore Girls ("Partings"). Perhaps part of it was my own fault for having built up the 62-minute episode, which served as the last to be written and directed under the guidance of Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and her husband writer/producer Daniel Palladino, into some monumental occasion. I have been dreading this moment since I heard the news that they wouldn't be returning with the show next season when Gilmore Girls moves over to the new CW network. On the other hand, Gilmore Girls season finales tend to be emotional, heart-breaking affairs... and this wasn't really either of those things, especially compared to last season's cliffhanger finale (with Rory dropping out of Yale and moving in with Richard and Emily). What it seemed like instead was an excuse for Amy and Daniel to invite all of their friends over to par

Last night's Gilmore Girls ("Super Cool Party People") brought us the first episode written by inbound Gilmore Girls showrunner David Rosenthal since the announcement that he would be taking over for departing showrunner/executive producers Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino. It's also his second writing credit on the show to date. So how did the new showrunner do? I really, really tried to go into "Super Cool Party People" with an open mind. But was it just me or did the episode feel as awkward as the beginning of April's birthday party? The way that David Rosenthal wrote the episode reminded me of how Luke was barking out orders and rules to those poor girls attending newly-discovered daughter April's fete: he wanted them to have fun and have a good time but in the end only made everyone miserable. Poetic justice? I was completely baffled by the scene in which Luke and Lorelai finally begin to even talk about the awkwardness that is thei

A few days later and I am still processing the news that Gilmore Girls showrunner Amy Sherman-Palladino--and her exceptionally talented husband, writer and producer Daniel Palladino-- announced their departure from the whip-smart drama after six seasons. The news wouldn't be such a blow, save for the fact that Gilmore Girls is as much about Amy and Daniel as it is about Lorelai and Rory. In their capable hands, the show explored a supremely complicated family dynamic through the beautiful friendship of mother and daughter Lorelai and Rory... and did so with smart dialogue usually found in a Nick & Nora film rather than on television. Zany subplots abounded as did quirky, beloved supporting characters. And now, after six seasons (including this most recent--and very shaky--season where Amy and Daniel wrote less episodes than usual), Amy and Daniel are passing on the showrunning torch to... Dave Rosenthal?!? For those of you in the audience unfamiliar with David Rosenthal , he

In a move that is less surprising than it is depressing, Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino has announced that she is leaving the show that she created and guided over the last six seasons, reportedly turning down what was a nearly $5 million paycheck, according to Variety . Sherman-Palladino's husband, Gilmore Girls writer-producer Daniel Palladino, will also be departing. The studio behind Gilmore Girls , Warner Bros. Television, immediately announced Sherman-Palladino's successor, Gilmore veteran Dave Rosenthal , who will step in as the showrunner for the long-running drama when it moves to the new CW network this fall. (Well, that bit hasn't been officially announced yet, but Gilmore Girls is pretty much a lock for the CW's fall schedule.) Warner Bros. TV reportedly offered Sherman-Palladino and her husband a one-year deal worth nearly $5 million if she signed on for the seventh season of Gilmore Girls , most likely the drama's final season. However,

After what seemed fairly like an eternity, last night finally brought loyal Gilmore Girls viewers what they've been waiting for: a new episode, the first since February. So, the question is: was last night's Gilmore Girls ("I'm OK, You're OK") a triumph or a tragedy? If asked, I'd have to fall on the side of it being a certifiable tragedy. Seriously, what has gone wrong with this once great show? Coming off of a season that many argued was a return to form, this sixth season has been slovenly, slow, and just plain oddly plotted at times. Each episode seems haunted by the lack of Amy Sherman-Palladino and husband/creative equal Daniel Palladino, who in my mind embody the spirit and vision of Gilmore Girls . Without them, the series just feels... painfully average. Yes, I know that they can't write every single episode (though I would really, really, really like them to) and that no one on the writing staff can even come close to their rapier wit and

We were thisclose to recapturing the wit, energy, and spark of Gilmore Girls with the last few episodes, penned by the ever-wonderful show's creator, Amy Sherman Palladino. The first half of the season--which saw a lack of any episodes written by Amy or her writer-producer husband Daniel Palladino--devolved into a soppy mess wherein Rory and Lorelai went their separate ways after a fanastic and brilliant season finale. While the concept behind the jaw-dropping split made sense (with Rory dropping out of Yale, moving out of Lorelai's house, and moving in with grandparents-from-hell Richard and Emily), the execution was extremely flawed to say the least... especially without Amy and Daniel at the helm. So imagine my excitement when we had two back-to-back brand new episodes written by Amy herself! We got back the Gilmore Girls of yesteryear--snappy repartee, the best ever Friday night dinner with Emily and Richard, the Gilmore girls reuniting, Rory moving in with Paris and ret