[Televisionary]

Wow. I told you last night's episode of Lost ("Confirmed Dead") was a doozy and I teased you with some intriguing clues about wedding rings and long-awaited questions from the castaways. So what did we learn? For starters, quite a bit about the new character's backstory as well as their connection both to the dead Naomi and to Matthew Abbadon (who again, with his non-blinking ways, terrified and intrigued me in equal measure). Unlike the risible intros of doomed castaways Nikki and Paolo--who quickly became fodder for the island death pool--the intro of the four strangers was handled with precision, grace, and just the right balance of mystery and revelation. So who are these four new characters? Let's take a look at what we know about them so far. Daniel Faraday (Jeremy Davies): A physicist who quickly discovers that light doesn't "scatter" properly on the island, perhaps uncovering a clue as to how the Others/natives managed to stay nearly "i

Wowzers! J.J. Abrams' two-hour backdoor pilot Fringe has finally found its leading man : Joshua Jackson. The FOX pilot, currently budgeted at $10 million, has been on a bit of a casting spree lately, securing several talents in key roles in the last few weeks, including Aussie actress Anna Torv , as well as John Noble, Lance Reddick (currently on Lost ), Kirk Acevedo, and Mark Valley . But the key role of Peter Bishop, a surly misfit on the run from some unsavory types who reluctantly agrees to work with FBI Agent Olivia Warren (Torv) and his estranged father, an institutionalized research scientist, had been uncast. That is, until now. Executive producer J.J. Abrams has landed Joshua Jackson ( Dawson's Creek ) as Peter Bishop, in a bit of a casting coup that also signals the return of the actor, best known for playing Pacey on Dawson's Creek , to television. Production on the pilot is expected to begin later this month. But in the meantime, you can read my exclusive revie

FX has scaled back the episode orders for two sophomore dramas set to launch in the next few months. Both Dirt and The Riches , whose production was impacted by the writers strike, have had the episodic order for their second seasons reduced to seven episodes apiece , following FX's decision not to produce any more installments of their series after the strike has ended. Both productions ran out of scripts during December and will have to wrap their sophomore seasons without any resolution to their current storylines. The basis for FX's decision to cut back their Season Two orders is said to be pure economics and will not impact either series' shot at getting a third season order. But let's be realistic here. Neither series was a smash hit in the ratings their freshman year (though I do love The Riches and miss it terribly), so the creators of both series were left with quite a lot to prove to the network suits and the critics. Dirt 's second season is scheduled t

Say it isn't true. Has Will Arnett been replaced as the voice of KITT on NBC's Knight Rider ? Sad but true, gentle readers. Arnett ( Arrested Development 's G.O.B. Bluth) has been replaced on the two-hour backdoor pilot by none other than, um, Val Kilmer. (Whah?) The reason behind the switcheroo, less than two weeks before the pilot is scheduled to air on NBC, is due to a behind-the-scenes conflict with Arnett's other gig, as the voice of GMC Trucks, owned by General Motors. KITT, of course, is a Ford Mustang and the company is "taking an active role in the marketing and branding of the pic," according to Variety . When General Motors found out about the sponsorship deals already in place, they asked Arnett to leave the project. "I was very excited at the prospect of playing the part of KITT in the new Knight Rider movie," said Arnett. "However, because of a long relationship with General Motors as the voice of GMC Trucks, I had to respectfull

There is justice--albeit massively delayed--in the world. Any fears that I had that Ricky would somehow squeak by elimination yet again on this week's episode of Project Runway ("Raw Talent") evaporated as soon as I saw the hideous orange swimsuit and gold lame tunic he designed for his client, one of the ladies of the WWE. In yet another "quirky" challenge, the six remaining designers were tasked with creating new outfits for those female wrestlers of the WWE that fit their personalities and would work inside the ring. Working only with a $100 budget and severe limitations as to what would work and what wouldn't (along with some pretty, er, intense clients), the challenge was definitely not as simple as it seemed. And, yet, if anyone should have had a leg up on the competition, it should have been teary lingerie designer Ricky, whose skills in designing sexy and provocative undergarments should have shone in this fashion faceoff. Instead, his design was ju

NBC has remained true to Jeff Zucker's words and moved away from the traditional pilot orders this season, granting comedy Kath & Kim a series order before a single frame of its pilot (set to go into production once the strike ends) has been shot. Kath & Kim , which stars Molly Shannon ( Saturday Night Live ) and Selma Blair ( Hellboy ), has been giving the greenlight for six episodes next season. The comedy, based on the hit Australian series, revolves around the dysfunctional relationship between a divorced woman beginning to date again and her self-absorbed daughter, who leaves her perfect husband to move back in with her mother. "This hilarious new series exemplifies how we are changing the pilot process by ordering shows that we believe in and green-lighting them straight to series," said NBC Entertainment Co-Chairman Ben Silverman, in a statement. "We are confident that this proven international hit will effortlessly translate to American audiences and

Sketch comedy is an extremely difficult art form to nail effectively. When it works, it's absolutely brilliant fun (just ask any fan of BBC's subversive and absurd Little Britain ), but when it doesn't, it's absolutely painful to watch. Luckily then, BBC America's newest acquisition, That Mitchell and Webb Look , which launches this Friday evening, falls into the former category than the latter. Starring and written by Robert Webb and David Mitchell (of Peep Show and Magicians fame) in an assortment of wigs and costumes, That Mitchell and Webb Look is an uproarious collection of un-PC sketches featuring a plethora of strange and bewildering characters, most of whom you wouldn't want to meet in an alley, dark or not. They're joined in these sketches by a group of talented actors, including Olivia Coleman ( The Office, Peep Show ), James Bachman ( Saxondale, Hyperdrive ), and Patterson Joseph ( Green Wing ). In the two episodes provided for review, I've