[Televisionary]

January usually signals the start of just a handful of new programs ( Lost , maybe 24 if it's, uh, on that year) rather than an actual onslaught of new scripted programming. This January features just that, with the return of some of my personal favorites like Big Love , Flight of the Conchords , and Damages (each returning from longer-than-usual hiatuses after last winter's WGA strike), the return of some Televisionary obsessions ( Lost and BSG ), and some new series like Lie to Me , The Unusuals , Dollhouse , United States of Tara , and The Beast , among others. Some I'm dying with excitement about (i.e., Lost, Damages, Big Love, BSG and Conchords ), others have already outlived their welcome ( The Beast ), and some just make me beyond depressed with how much they've failed to live up to their initial promise (ahem, Dollhouse ). It's with that thought that I take a look at what I'll be watching this spring. While I can't guarantee that I'll stick a

Happy New Year! It's been an exciting time in the Televisionary household this past year, between my marriage last June and some site-related successes, though I can't say that the television landscape, still recovering from the 100-day writers strike that began in November 2007, was filled with quite as much happiness and mirth. Yes, the series that had their seasons shortened as a result of the strike have returned... but, sadly, many of them--including the heartbreaking Pushing Daisies, Dirty Sexy Money, and Eli Stone --have already gone the way of the dust heap by the time 2008 rolled to a close. To that end, with 2009 upon us, I thought I'd come up with a few New Year's resolutions for myself that are--as opposed to most people's resolutions about losing weight, quitting smoking, etc.--solely television-focused. So what exactly am I proposing? Let's discuss. (1) Refrain from watching lousy, sub-par reality programming. Yep, you read that correctly. That me

I don't usually participate in memes, but when I got tagged by fellow TV blogger Vance from Tapeworthy , I figured this was as good a chance as any to (A) participate in a meme with some pretty awesome bloggers and (B) reveal some information about myself at the same time. The Rules are pretty simple. Share seven facts about yourself--some random, some weird--on your site and then tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs. So what are the seven facts about myself that I chose to reveal? You can read them after the jump. (1) I've worked in the television industry for about six years now. My first (very short-lived) gig in the entertainment business was on a Joss Whedon series. Yep, I was an office PA on Buffy the Vampire Slayer ... for a few weeks, anyway. (2) I never slept as a little kid so many of memories of growing up are of staying up at night and watching television with my parents ( Dynasty was a favorite, as was Boo

Welcome to Televisionary Version 2.0! After two and a half years and nearly 1500 posts (yes, you read that correctly: 1500 posts!), I figured that Televisionary was definitely in need of a nice fresh coat of paint. While the bones of the site remain intact, I hope that the new layout and navigation tools allow an ease of use that may have been missing from the site's last version. An embedded search box to the right will sort through all posts from the last two and a half years, an email subscription link (along with the site's feed) can be found just below the masthead, tabs make navigating the site's pages even easier, and the daily features What's On Tonight and What I'm Watching can now be found--rather than at the bottom of the first post of the day--in the sidebar at the right. I'd love to hear what you think of the new layout and design, so talk back here and let me know your thoughts.

While I am usually loath to self-promote, this time I can't help it. You can check me out in this weekend's edition of USA Weekend (available in more than 600 local newspapers around the country) or online right now as E Online's Kristin dos Santos interviews me and fellow TV bloggers Kathie Skerry of Give Me My Remote and Kimra McPherson of BuzzSugar as we talk about our favorite returning series this fall. Just which series did we collectively choose as our top must-see TV picks? Find out by reading "Fall TV: Who's got buzz?" (And also check out my comprehensive guide to What I'll Be Watching This Fall .) Do you agree with our picks? Do Pushing Daisies, 30 Rock , and The Office top your lists of fave returnees? And which series are you most looking forward to watching again this fall?

I'm curious how all of you spent this glorious Fourth of July weekend. Me, I spent it doing what I love best: sitting around and watching television. In this case, Mrs. Televisionary and I spent a long, lazy weekend rewatching an old favorite, Veronica Mars Season Two on DVD. I have to say that the trip back to Neptune was just as fun the umpteenth time as it was the first. Longtime readers of this site know my love of all things Veronica Mars so it was an absolute blast to walk back down the corridors of Neptune High and piece together the mystery of the sophomore season's main mystery, the bus crash. Of course, time fades certain memories (so THAT's what Kendall was doing in Duncan's shower) but you couldn't peel the smiles off of our faces during the 20-odd episodes of Veronica Mars ' second season. In Veronica Mars , creator Rob Thomas and his talented staff had accomplished what few others in American television (save maybe David Lynch and the writers on

Miss me, kids? That's right: I'm back from my blissfully fantastic honeymoon and am just itching to catch up on what I missed while I was gone for my nuptials. To recap: the wedding was absolutely magnificent and everything that my beautiful bride and I had envisioned since we started planning the event over a year ago: intimate, personal, and utterly unique to who we are as a couple. And, as for the honeymoon, it was bloody brilliant. So what's been happening in and around Hollywood since I skipped town for the other side of the pond, besides for the fact that there still isn't any resolution to a possible SAG strike? Let's discuss.

You read that bit right. This is it, kids: like most television series during the summer, Televisionary is going on hiatus for a little bit. Like the fall season, I'll be back before you know it. (Hell, I might even post from the road if I'm so inspired.) But right now, I'm off on my honeymoon in Europe with the beautiful Mrs. Televisionary, after an amazing wedding up in Napa. Personally, I never thought I'd meet someone who could just as easy settle down on the couch with me and just as happily watch Twin Peaks as 30 Rock or Lost as Veronica Mars . After all, I live, breathe, sleep, and eat television twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, so to meet someone who not only shared my fascination and appreciation for the medium AND shared my sensibilities was indeed a match made in (television) heaven. When I return, I'll definitely have some dish and thoughts and hopefully will be able to discuss some new television discoveries to boot. Until then, stay tuned

Just a quick note from the road: make sure you scroll down to check out not only my thoughts on the mid-season finale of Battlestar Galactica but also my review and thoughts about the season finale of Top Chef . I've gotten quite a few worried emails when my Top Chef finale post failed to materialize on time, so rest assured, it's two posts below. Ready your comments and criticisms (along with some well-thought-out sobriquets for sourpuss Lisa) and go to work below. From the road, a very sincere thanks to everyone who sent well wishes for the wedding and to those who attended the blessed event in Napa!

And now for something completely different. I'm constantly asked by readers about what my job is like and what it's like to work within the medium that I love so much. Usually, rather than give them specifics or recount anecdotes interesting only to me, I push them to check out two films which more than anything else completely capture the highs and lows, the ecstasy and frustration that working in television can bring. One is Jake Kasden's heartbreaking and hilarious indie film, The TV Set (starring David Duchovny, Sigourney Weaver, Ioan Gruffudd, and Judy Greer, among a host of others), which should be required viewing for anyone interested in a career in television, whether it be as a development executive, a writer, a producer... or hell, a key grip. Alternately touching and terrifying, it's a brilliant through-the-keyhole look at pilot season, seen through the eyes of writer Mike Klein (Duchovny), whose pilot is picked up by the Panda network and goes through the

Happy New Year! It's been an exciting time in the Televisionary household, what with Entertainment Weekly naming this site one of ten "must click" TV websites in their recent Best of 2007 issue. I do wish, however, that we would have started out 2008 with news of some sort of accord between the WGA and the AMPTP; instead, it seems as though the chasm between the two sides is widening rather than shrinking. Sigh. To that end, with 2008 upon us, I thought I'd come up with a few New Year's resolutions for myself that are--as opposed to most people's resolutions about losing weight, quitting smoking, etc.--solely television-focused, in this time of industry strife. So what exactly am I proposing? (1) Refrain from watching strike-replacement programming, no matter how much you might be desperate for something new to watch on the telly. Yep, you read that correctly. That means no American Gladiators , Supernanny , or When Women Rule the World . I'd rather turn

It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to be recognized. In a fantastic surprise just in time for Christmas, Televisionary was recently named one of ten "Must Click" television websites by Entertainment Weekly in their Best of 2007 issue, on newsstands now. Given the fact that I grew up reading Entertainment Weekly (I still have the very first issue, with its lowercase "e" in the title, somewhere at my parents' house), it's an honor to be hand-picked by the magazine for such a distinction, joined by nine fellow TV-oriented websites like Television Without Pity, The Futon Critic, TVgasm, and Brilliant But Cancelled. To Entertainment Weekly , the many enthusiastic readers who sent me emails after spotting the mention, and the regular visitors to this site, I thank you for your continued support. I only hope that 2008, which marks the second anniversary of this little blog, brings much impassioned discussion, friendly dialogues, and a swift resolution to the cur

As it's nearly the end of the calendar year (only a few more days to go, in fact), I figured now was as good a time as any to look back at some of the shows that that have entertained and inspired me over the past year. It's been a crazy year, between the thrilling highs of some new scripted programming (like Pushing Daisies , Chuck , and Dirty Sexy Money ), some near-misses (one-hour Office installments), and the now super-extended WGA strike wreaking havoc with network schedules. So, what were the favorite series in the Televisionary household? Which left me wanting more... and which ones made me eager to change the channel? Find out below. Best Reality Series: The Amazing Race Project Runway Top Chef Despite nearly not making it onto CBS' fall schedule at all, The Amazing Race has proven itself still consistently one of the very best reality television series around, offering a race around the world that tests the strength of its relationships as it pushes its teams

You read that right. I'm off, amid the WGA strike , for a much-deserved break and some down time. The future Mrs. Televisionary and I are off to Napa for some nuptial-related planning (June 2008 for those of you updating your calendars) and there isn't even a television in our hotel room. For those of you who understand that a television-free existence (even for just a few days) is akin to a form of Geneva Convention-forbidden torture for yours truly, rest assured that I'll return in three days' time, relaxed, wine-soaked, and ready to talk about The Amazing Race, Chuck, Pushing Daisies , Dirty Sexy Money ( picked up for a full season !), and Project Runway . Until then, stay tuned.

Aw, I'm blushing. Televisionary came in third place for best TV blog in first annual Hey! Nielsen TV Blogger Contest , a title shared with the fantastic gang over at TV Squad and TV Over Easy. To everyone that voted, thank you and thanks for your continued support of this little blog and thanks to Nielsen for recognizing this site. I started Televisionary nearly two years ago now just as an exercise to flex my writing muscles and I've loved writing and interacting with you during that time. I can now say that thousands of readers to flock to the site on a daily basis from around the world. I love hearing stories about series that they may have started watching because of a positive mention or review on this site. To those of you that I've met or exchanged emails with (and those of you that haven't yet), thanks for your continued support and encouragement. Working in the television industry is reward enough (though with the strike looming, it been a little stressful) bu

They like me, they really like me. Televisionary has been nominated as one of the best TV blogs by Hey Nielsen , a new online entity/social networking site created by (you guessed it!) those fine folks at Nielsen. The site, which allows users to submit opinions and views on various TV series, films, music, and websites, is currently in beta test mode, so you'll have to register in order to vote and comment on other's opinions. Once you do register, be sure to vote for Televisionary here and let me know what you what you think of the site by expressing your opinion.

Greetings, gentle readers. I can't believe that a week has gone by, filled with the Kevin Reilly/Ben Silverman situation (wow!) and the announced cancellation of Battlestar Galactica , whilst I was away partaking in way too much wine ("El vino did flow") and way too much fantastic food. In other words, I'm back from Napa now, rested and relaxed and ready for the summer season, albeit with more than a few series to catch up on as my choice of retreat didn't come with a television set. (Shock, horror!) So what have I missed? What do I need to catch up on? And what does everyone think about this craziness at NBC?

You read that right. I'm off, post Upfronts and LA Screenings, for a much-deserved break and some down time. Confession time: we're off to Napa and there isn't even a television in our hotel room. (Quelle horreur!) For those of you who understand that a television-free existence (even for just a week) is akin to a form of Geneva Convention-forbidden torture, rest assured that I'll return in a week's time, rested and ready to talk about all things Pirate Master (which launches Thursday night at 8 pm on CBS). In the meantime, be sure to visit Televisionary's brand spanking new MySpace profile page and check out what I'll be watching this summer , as well as some of my recent advance pilot reviews, including Pushing Daisies , Chuck , and The Return of Jezebel James . I promise to get to Dirty Sexy Money , Sam I Am , Bionic Woman , Sarah Connor Chronicles , and several others (I've now seen ALL of the pilots for the new fall season) when I return next wee

Happy birthday! Televisionary is one year old today. I want to thank all of you loyal readers (and fellow couch potatoes) out there who have made this site the success that it is today. So please join me in raising a glass of champagne (and your remote) and toasting a great year of Televisionary... and many more to come.

Wahoo! Voting is almost over for the race for Best Culture Blog for the 2006 Weblog Awards. Follow the link at the right (or, hell, the left) to click through to the virtual voting booth and be sure to tick the box next to Televisionary! (Or click right here .) You can vote once a day, per computer, from now until 11:59 pm tonight! So get out there and spread the word!