[Televisionary]

Welcome to your Tuesday morning television briefing. I hope everyone had a very happy three-day weekend. (I know I did.) A few headlines on yet another rain-soaked day in Los Angeles... Former Alias star Michael Vartan has joined the cast of TNT drama series Time Heals , where he will replace Jeffrey Nordling in the role of Tom Wakefield, the director of medicine at the hospital where Christina Hawthorne (Jada Pinkett Smith) is the director of nursing. Nordling played the part in the series' original pilot. Move marks Vartan's return to series television since he last starred in ABC's short-lived drama Big Shots . ( Hollywood Reporter ) TV Guide 's Mickey O'Connor offers up some solutions to save CW's Gossip Girl , which he believes is creatively "starting to stink like so much day-old smoked salmon." Among the series' problems that O'Connor points out needs addressing: Serena and Dan's on-again-off-again relationship, the under-utilizatio

"Hell is other people." - Jean-Paul Sartre It's hardly a coincidence that this week's episode of Battlestar Galactica ("No Exit"), written by Ryan Mottesheard, shares its title with one of Sartre's best known works, a play about three people trapped in a room with no escape, forced to argue for all eternity. Yes, hell is other people and Ellen Tigh (Kate Vernon) discovers that when she's imprisoned aboard a base ship with only John Cavil and Boomer as her companions and captors. It's in that room that Ellen regains her memories of her true life, one lived on Earth and as the creator of the so-called Cylon skinjobs, eight humanoid models that were gifted (or is it cursed?) with bodies comprised of flesh instead of metal and programmed with the Centurions' belief in one true God. Wait? Eight humanoid models? Yep, you read that correctly. So strap on your Viper gear and let's discuss the history of the Cylon race, Daniel, the Colony, and Ka

"Did I fall asleep?" By now, you've read my advance review of three of the first four episodes of Joss Whedon's new drama Dollhouse on FOX, as well as my interviews with series creator Joss Whedon and Dollhouse 's Eliza Dushku ( Buffy the Vampire Slayer ) , who plays the Dollhouse's operative Echo, who seems to be growing slowly more self-aware. But, now that the series premiere of Dollhouse ("Ghost") has aired, I'm curious to see what you thought of the episode and the series' potential. Were you entranced by Dollhouse 's overarching concepts of identity and self-awareness? What did you think of the series' cast of characters? Did you think that this episode was a good introduction to the world of Dollhouse ... or did its story of Echo negotiating the return of a kidnapped girl leave you feeling empty? (Did you accept why the millionaire would hire a mind-wiped doll rather than actual hostage negotiator?) And most importantly: w

Welcome to your Monday morning television briefing. 30 Rock creator/star/writer/executive producer Tina Fey has set the record straight about the series' alleged product placement in last week's episode, in which Jack and Elisa (Salma Hayek) declared their love for McDonald's McFlurry as "the best dessert in the world." Fey says that the segment was NOT an example of product placement. “It gives me great pleasure to inform you that the references to McDonald's in last night's episode of 30 Rock were in no way product placement. (Nor were they an attempt at product placement that fell through.)" said Fey in a statement. "We received no money from the McDonald's Corporation. We were actually a little worried they might sue us. That's just the kind of revenue-generating masterminds we are. Also, the upcoming story line where Liz Lemon starts dating Grimace is just based on a recurring dream I have. Seriously, though, it's not product

Televisionary is proud to be a member of the TV Blog Coalition. At the end of each week, we'll feature a roundup of content from our sister sites for your delectation. This week, I reviewed the first few episodes of Joss Whedon's new FOX drama Dollhouse and talked to series lead Eliza Dushku . I also offered an update on the Veronica Mars feature film , took an early look at the new opening credits for FOX's The Simpsons , reviewed PBS' Oliver Twist , recounted Timothy Spall's appearance last month at the TCA Winter Press Tour, and took a look behind the scenes at Chuck 's next episode . All this and discussions on the latest episodes of ABC's Lost , FX's Damages , Sci Fi's Battlestar Galactica , BBC America's Last Restaurant Standing , HBO's Big Love , and FOX's Fringe as well as news about Doctor Who in Dubai , Nichollette Sherdian leaving Desperate Housewives , Mark Valley getting cast in Human Target , PaleyFest09 , and FX devel

In honor of The Simpsons ' very first transmission in high-definition this weekend, everyone's favorite animated family are getting a fresh new coat of paint: in this case, a brand-new opening title sequence. The Simpsons ' new opening title sequence, which replaces the nearly twenty-year old original sequence, will launch this weekend with "Take My Life Please," airing at 8 pm ET/PT on FOX. But if don't want to have to wait until Sunday to see it, you're in luck. Those Simpsons -obsessed fans among you can check it out right below. What do you think of the new credits? Me, I'm pleased as punch that Ralph finally made it into the credits and, although I have a certain fondness for the old credit sequence, I'm already entranced by these new titles. This week on The Simpsons ("Take My Life, Please"), Mayor Quimby inducts Vance Connor into the Springfield Walk of Fame, leading Homer to recall how he ran against Vance for high school class p

Eliza Dushku is not exactly known for her shyness. The actress, who stars in Joss Whedon's new drama series Dollhouse (which launches tonight on FOX), is perhaps best known for her role as Faith in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel and as Tru Davies on Tru Calling . (Not to mention her turn as the less-than-perky cheerleader Missy in Bring It On .) "From the very get-go Joss told me that he intended on taking me out of my comfort zone as much as possible on this show," said Dushku, speaking to press earlier this week. Still don't peg Dushku as someone with a very limited definition of comfort zone: "I have a few," said Dushku saucily, speaking of her tattoos, "but they’re all actually in places that can be covered with just a swimsuit." On Dollhouse , Dushku plays an operative named Echo who is imprinted with various personalities and skills and sent out on a variety of "engagements," ranging from the criminal to the sexual, for well-