mid-season replacements, fall renewals, extra episode orders

When I read this today I was NOT surprised: ABC has pulled the plug on Great American Dream Vote and host Donny Osmond after just two episodes. The show debuted last Tuesday after a DAncing with the Stars lead-in provided it with a 4.7 A18-49 lead-in, and Vote fell to a disturbing 1.9. In its regular time period on Wednesday at 8p, it delivered a 1.5 A18-49 rating.
That show was complete crap. I have never disliked a show more except maybe that It's Your Party show on the CW last year with Kristin Cavalleri from the real laguna beach as a host.

As ALL the mid-season replacements seem to be gradually getting killed off one by one, I have to ask, has tv outgrown this early spring tradition? With the late 90s dawn of "summer shows" and premium and basic cables offerings on a continuous loop throughout the year, perhaps network tv needs to reinvent things a little and start to follow suit. I would be in favor of some of the tricks of Fox as of late, the a-la-Prison break 20 episode order, with 10 shown in the fall then new episodes of other shows straight through the winter, then 10 new in the spring. They are planning on doing the same thing with Drive (Drive, scheduled to launch on April 15 at 8p, will split its season and end after the first six episodes on May 7th, and then pick up again later on in the season with 7 more episodes). Or ABC's plan for Lost, bringing it back in January and showing new episodes straight through May instead of trying to spread them out across the year and losing audience interest when it substitutes in. With so many choices and so many tivos to record so many more hours, it would be smarter to take new shows, run an advertising campaign and start them off against one another after the primary season has logically ended. We have short attention spans. I can't even remember what the last episode of Men in Trees was about (even though I did notice it got picked up for a second season) and I know that in 3 weeks October Road is going to be gone and those 6 episodes will hardly have made a significant dent in my tv timeline...

Take Kumar's class at Penn

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17800922/

It also mentions that he's making "Harold & Kumar 2." Hehe.

Are we enjoying Dancing with the Stars?

I am. It's nice because I can watch a little bit here and there. I don't need to sit glued to the tube for two hours. I love when the judges yell out their scores - NINE!!!! I also enjoy learning a little about the dances and most of the contestants are pretty silly and laid back about the whole experience. Does anyone enjoy the costumes as much as I do? Who doesn't like shiny moving objects?! So who do you want to win? I have a few favorites myself, but I think right now I want Apollo to do well. I enjoy Joey Fatone and Ms. Ali as well. I like John Ratzenberger too. Should be enjoyable over the next several weeks.

Time for the Black Donnelly's. It's still good - I'm still waiting for them to develop the younger brother more and I want the Mom to be strangled or for the writers to make her a normal human Mom. Madison is having the worst gas. Ugh! Also, Silas told me not to wipe his hole today when I was changing his diaper. Nice. That is all.

The Tudors on Showtime

I'm really enjoying the new Showtime series The Tudors. The characters are good, production values are quite nice and the plot & pacing are great.

I'm looking forward to the next few episodes. The first 3 are available on demand now.

Off-Topic, but On Satanism & Amway!

Jury awards Procter & Gamble $19.25 million in lawsuit over Satanism rumors
Tuesday, March 20, 2007

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17702748/

They say this logo indicates some kind of satanic connection for the company:

Apple TV Released, Gets Good Reviews

I was in the Apple store today. They said the devices started shipping from the website last week & will be in store in another week.

From PC to TV -- via Apple

We Test Gadget That Lets You
Play Digital Video, Music,
Photos on Your Widescreen

By WALTER S. MOSSBERG and KATHERINE BOEHRET
March 21, 2007

The race to connect your TV to your computer and the Internet is about to kick into high gear this week when Apple Inc., the company many believe is best positioned to pull off this feat, introduces a slender, wireless set-top box called Apple TV.

This silvery little $299 gadget is designed to play and display on a widescreen family-room TV set all the music, video and photos stored on up to six computers around the house -- even if they are far from the TV, and even if they are all Windows PCs rather than Apple's own Macintosh models. It can also pull a very limited amount of music and video directly off the Internet onto the TV.

The $299 Apple TV device connects wirelessly to home computers and then with a cable to your widescreen TV.

Apple TV is tiny, just about eight inches square and an inch high, far smaller than a typical DVD player or cable or satellite box, even though it packs in a 40-gigabyte hard disk, an Intel processor and a modified version of the Mac operating system. And it has a carefully limited set of functions.

Yet, in our tests, it worked great, and we can easily recommend it for people who are yearning for a simple way to show on their big TVs all that stuff trapped on their computers. We tried it with various combinations of Windows and Mac computers, with movies, photos, TV shows, video clips and music. And we didn't even use the fastest wireless network it can handle. It performed flawlessly. However, it won't work with older TVs unless they can display widescreen-formatted content and accept some newer types of cables.

Like the iPod before it, Apple TV isn't the first gadget in its category. Several other companies have made set-top boxes or even TV sets and game consoles that could link the TV to the digital content that people have on their computers. But none has found a mass audience for this functionality, mainly because they tend to be hard to set up and confusing to use. Apple is hoping that, just as the iPod trumped earlier, but geekier, rivals, Apple TV can do the same by making a complex task really simple.

Part of the secret of Apple TV is that, like most of Apple's products, it doesn't try to do everything and thus become a mess of complexity. It can't receive or record cable or satellite TV, so it isn't meant as a replacement for your cable or satellite box, or for a digital video recorder like a TiVo. It can't play DVDs, so it doesn't replace your DVD player. Its sole function is to bring to the TV digital content stored on your computer or drawn from the Internet. Like a DVD player, it uses its own separate input on your TV set, and you have to change inputs using your TV remote to use it.

Apple TV isn't for that small slice of techies who buy a full-blown computer and plug it directly into a TV, or for gamers who prefer to do it all through a game console. And it's not for people who are content to watch downloaded TV shows and movies directly on a computer screen. Instead, it's for the much larger group of people who want to keep their home computers where they are and yet enjoy their downloaded media on their widescreen TVs.

Apple TV's most formidable competitor is the Xbox 360 game console from Microsoft, which, in addition to playing games, can also play back content from Windows computers on a TV. And Xbox 360 can do something Apple TV can't do, at least not yet, which is to directly purchase and download movies and TV shows from the Internet. But the comparable Xbox costs 50% more than Apple TV, is much larger and stores only half as much material.

We've been testing Apple TV for the past 10 days or so, and our verdict is that it's a beautifully designed, easy-to-use product that should be very attractive to people with widescreen TV sets and lots of music, videos, and photos stored on computers. It has some notable limitations, but we really liked it. It is classic Apple: simple and elegant.

In our tests, Apple TV performed perfectly in Walt's house over a standard Wi-Fi wireless network with a Pioneer plasma TV and six different computers -- three Windows machines from Hewlett-Packard and Dell, and three Apple Macs. Setup was a breeze, the user interface was clean and handsome, and video and audio quality were quite good for anyone but picky audiophiles and videophiles. We never suffered any stuttering, buffering or hesitation while playing audio and video from distant computers.

The Apple TV menu points to content stored on your home computers.

Unlike any of its rivals, Apple TV can play the copy-protected music, TV shows and movies purchased from Apple's iTunes online store, the most popular legal downloading service by far. (However, it cannot play copy-protected music in Microsoft's formats, even from Windows computers.) It worked great with laptops and desktops alike, with Windows XP and the new Windows Vista operating system, and with newer Macs powered by Intel processors and an older Mac powered by an IBM-built G5 processor.

Apple TV's most important limitation is that it can't stream much video or audio directly from the Internet -- yet. The capability to go directly to the Internet, bypassing the computers in your home, is built in, but is initially being used only to fetch feature film trailers and short preview clips of popular songs, TV shows and movies sold on the iTunes store. Apple TV also won't allow you to buy media directly from the iTunes store. You must first download content from the Internet or iTunes on a computer, and then Apple TV will grab it from the computer and play it on the TV.

In its usual secretive fashion, Apple refuses to say if or when this direct-to-the-Internet capability will be expanded. But we fully expect Apple to add the capability to stream or download a variety of content directly from the Internet, and that this new capability will be available on current Apple TV boxes through software updates.

In our tests, Apple TV is a pleasure to use. Setup was stunningly simple. We just plugged the unit in and hooked it up to the TV with a single cable (not included). The unit found and connected with Walt's Wi-Fi network almost instantly. To link to each computer, we just typed into iTunes on that computer a five-digit code number the Apple TV put up on the TV screen. This needs to be done only once.

You can select one computer to automatically synchronize with the Apple TV. Any song, TV episode, movie or photo you download or otherwise add to that one computer is automatically replicated on the Apple TV's internal hard disk for playback on your TV. We tested this synchronization function with both a Mac laptop and a Windows Vista desktop, and it worked perfectly on both.

For instance, we imported 376 photos Katie had taken on a recent trip to France to a Mac laptop that was synchronized with the Apple TV. In short order, all of the photos were on the Apple TV and we watched them on the big plasma screen.

We also bought some TV shows, movies and songs from iTunes on our synchronized laptop, and they were automatically transferred to Apple TV, where we could watch them. It can, however, take hours to synchronize large files like movies over a slow wireless network.

In addition to your single synchronized computer, you can designate up to five other computers as sources for your Apple TV. From these machines, you "stream" the content over your wireless or wired network, instead of actually transferring them, but the music and video shows up on the TV just as if it had been synchronized to the Apple TV's own hard disk.

All of these functions are controlled through iTunes on your Windows and Mac computers, just as you would control an iPod through iTunes. (The latest version of iTunes is required.)

In our tests, streaming worked just as well as playing content from the Apple TV's own hard disk. Even though Walt's Wi-Fi network is of the older "G" variety, and the Apple TV can handle newer, faster "N" variety networks, every single movie, TV show and song streamed without interruption from both Windows and Mac computers. That even included older or slower computers. This was an impressive feat.

The only downside of streaming as compared to syncing is that you can't stream photos. These can appear only through synchronization. Apple plans to enable photo streaming later.

On the TV screen, Apple TV presents a simple, handsome list of content for each computer you choose to view. Media is divided into Movies, TV Shows, Music, Podcasts and Photos. You can change among your various computers using a menu called Sources.

There are some drawbacks to Apple TV. It won't work with most older TV sets, the square kind that aren't capable of handling widescreen programming. And it works only with TVs that have the newer types of connectors, such as "component" jacks, and the new HDMI cables being used on most high-definition TVs. It works best with high-definition TVs, and it puts out video in high-definition resolutions. But it will also work with "enhanced definition" widescreen sets.

Also, the tiny, simple Apple remote control can't control the volume on either Apple TV or your TV set or audio receiver, so you have to keep reaching for the TV or audio receiver remote. And you can't plug in an extra hard disk to add storage capacity, even though there's a USB port on the back and the built-in 40-gigabyte drive is too small to hold many TV shows or movies.

But, all in all, Apple TV is a very well-designed product that easily brings the computer and the TV together.

• Email: MossbergSolution@wsj.com

Competition, Technology
Enhance the DVR

TiVo, Telecom Companies Vie
For TV-Recording Consumers;
Heartburn on Madison Avenue

By MARIAM FAM
March 16, 2007; Page B1

Digital video recorders, which transformed television watching for millions of households, are undergoing a makeover as they become a major weapon wielded by cable, satellite and telephone companies in their battle for market share in the pay-TV business.

Telecom companies are adding a range of new features to the devices, which were originally launched in the late 1990s by TiVo Inc. and gained popularity for their ability to let people record and pause live TV. Users can now do such other things as program their DVR from afar by cellphone or computer to record a favorite show. Some recorders also now allow viewers to download content off the Internet or record a show in one room and watch it on a TV in another.

The competition is heating up thanks in part to technological advances that allow phone, TV and Internet features to be combined. The speed with which the DVR is morphing also reflects the growing importance of new technology in the pay-TV business as the market becomes saturated and telephone companies emerge as new competitors.

In the past, satellite and cable companies would introduce at most a couple of new products or features a year. Last year, Time Warner Cable alone rolled out more than 10 new features including interactive ads and "Quick Clips" a continuously updated on-demand news and weather service.

On Wednesday, TiVo and Verizon Wireless (jointly owned by Verizon Communications Inc. and Vodafone Group PLC) made it possible for Verizon cellphone users to schedule recordings on their TiVos using more than a dozen handsets. AT&T Inc.'s Homezone television service added a similar feature last week. Users of any Web-enabled handset can browse its TV guide nine days out, select shows and choose to record an episode or an entire series.

The DVR innovations are causing heartburn in some parts of the TV industry because most owners use their devices to skip commercials. Already, fear of ad skipping has helped prompt advertisers to shift money to the Internet and develop interactive ads for TV. (A lot is at stake: According to TNS Media Intelligence, the value of TV advertising in 2006 was $65.4 billion.)The pressure is expected to intensify as new features help attract even more DVR customers. The devices are expected to be in 25.5 million households by the end of this year, up from 18.6 million at the end of 2006, according to Leichtman Research Group.

One of the leaders in developing new features is industry pioneer TiVo. The company has a history of innovation, but the new drive also reflects TiVo's struggle to compete against phone, cable and TV operators who sell more of their own DVRs than TiVo, thanks to their size, customer base and broad array of other products. At the end of January, TiVo had 4.4 million subscribers up only 100,000 from one year earlier.

Two years ago, TiVo rolled out "TiVoToGo," a feature enabling subscribers to transfer recorded programs to laptops and certain handheld devices. TiVo also offers a high definition DVR and a feature that allows viewers with more than one TiVo to record a show in one room and watch it in another.

TiVo last year also began allowing subscribers to download selected content off the Internet for playback on television sets. The content is made available by partners such as the National Basketball Association, CBS Corp. and Reuters Group PLC. TiVo later cut a deal with Amazon.com Inc. to make movie and TV shows available for rent or purchase as well. Movie titles include "Babel" and "Casino Royale."

But competitors are beginning to improve on some of these features. For example, subscribers to Verizon's new TV service can watch recorded programs in up to three rooms with only one DVR connected to the so-called "hub TV." The other two TVs can access the same programming via set-top boxes. A customer can begin watching, say, a recorded movie in the living room and then finish watching it in the bedroom.

Jim Roche, who works for an insurance company in Richmond, Va., said Verizon's multi-room feature comes in handy. "My girlfriend and I have different TV tastes," he explains. "She can record something and go later watch it the bedroom" while he's watching something else downstairs. "So we're not fighting over the DVR at the same time," he says.

EchoStar Communications Corp.'s Dish Network also has introduced a multiroom DVR while DirecTV, the other large satellite-TV operator, has one in the planning stage. Time Warner Cable and Charter Communications Inc. have the multiroom feature in some of their markets. Most cable operators say they're planning a similar feature.

Most cable, satellite and phone companies also offer high-definition DVRs. Operators are a little slower, though, in allowing users to program DVRs from Web sites. Subscribers to TiVo and to AT&T's new TV services, Homezone and U-verse, can do that now. Cable and satellite operators say they're planning similar features.

Michael Sawyer, a Charter subscriber in St. Louis, says he would consider switching to another company to get more features including the one that would allow him to program his DVR from a Web site. "If you hear about something when you're at the office and somebody tells you about a program and you go like: 'Man, I'd like to catch that,' it would be great to be able to jump online and tell your box to save it for later," he says. Charter is working on activating that feature.

But consumers also will be influenced by price and one of the downsides to some of the new features is cost. Verizon's multiroom DVR costs $19.99 a month (not including the cost of leasing the extra set-top boxes), compared with $12.99 for its standard device. TiVo's high-definition DVR costs $800 to buy. Its other models start at $100. TiVo and Verizon Wireless' new service costs $1.99 a month.

The latest feature to begin gaining traction among operators is wireless programming. TiVo and AT&T's Homezone currently allow that. But a venture of Sprint Nextel Corp. and four of the country's largest cable operators is planning to start enabling users to program DVRs from wireless handsets starting later this year, says John Garcia, president of the venture. The venture isn't disclosing which cable operators would be first, but a spokeswoman for Time Warner Cable (a unit of Time Warner Inc.) says that it is planning for a 2007 launch of this feature.

Future technological advances may do away with the need of a set-top DVR altogether. Cablevision Systems Corp., the country's fifth-largest cable operator, wants to give subscribers storage space within its network for recording shows. Cablevision executives say this would cut costs and make DVR technology available to more subscribers.

If Cablevision succeeds in doing this, other cable operators would probably follow suit. But the company's effort is being battled in court by some of the country's biggest TV and movie producers, who claim that a "network DVR" would violate their copyrights.

Write to Mariam Fam at mariam.fam@wsj.com

More on the Donnellys

Watched the Black Donnellys last night. I still like this show very much, but I am starting to have some problems with it. First - Tommy has a speech impediment that bugs me. Is he trying to do some kind of accent? Maybe it's OK - I'm not sure yet. Second - the over-protective Mom is really taking it over the top. A little too much at once. And as for the youngest brother, Sean, the whole bit about him being ashamed of his beat up face was kind of stupid. If he is going to continue to be a bit part, they should just send him back out to flirt with the ladies. If they are going to develop him as much as his brothers, then they need to get on with it!

Thoughts?

Anyone catch Deal or No Deal last night? I saw the last 10 minutes, and I finally figured out why the contestant was dressed the way she was. At first I just thought that is the outfit she chose for that day. Sort of like how people dress up for the American Idol auditions just so they can get on TV.

Grease Finals

We're down to the final four. I am happy with the two women who are vying for the Sandy spot (I hope Laura wins), but the guys - it's iffy. While I admit, I like Austin - there is just something creepy about him. I think if he's surrounded by a cast and limited to just doing the show night after night, it won't be so creepy. Max - ugh, I just don't think I'd want to go and watch him in a show. He's not believable to me. Maybe as another member of the T-birds. I have to note, while watching last night, our friend Miranda noticed that when Max had to kiss Laura at the end of one song she clearly seemed to cringe when the moment came. That can't be good. Things like that may not be noticeable on a stage (as opposed to TV). We'll have to see what the results are next week!

BTW - anyone see Chris Rock's comments on the election on SNL? Hilarious!

October Road

I like this show. I like that there are characters this age NOT in NYC or LA in a show.

I also think that the college chick that is his potential love interest is a hottie. I hope this one makes it.

Regarding Raines, I watched approximately 40 seconds and I hated it. I could be wrong but Jeff Goldblum is too smug.

The Riches

Curious as to your thoughts on this debut. Frankly, I found it disturbingly uneven. I say this because there are elements here that are very compelling and make me desperately want the show to succeed. Yet, there are also components to the show that are so gut-wrenchingly awful that I want to go on a killing spree.

For example, I love the fact that there is the potential to delve into modern day gypsy culture. There has been very little written about these people and even less in terms of main stream television (Although it should be noted that at least two TV shows have had individual episodes with this theme in the not so distant past - Without a Trace and House.) I like the mother's little helper angle with the drug addict neighbor.

Unfortunately, the aforementioned positives are completely offset by some of the worst accent problems I have ever heard. I am not sure how Minnie Driver's southern accent could be more annoying. It is completely inauthentic and is really a crappy amalgam of Georgian, Tennessean and Texan drawls. Certainly, nothing like the gulf coast denizen her character purports to be. Beyond that, shouldn't Eddie Izzard's character have a nearly identical accent? Aren't they part of the same clan of Travelers? Did they think that this would just escape all of the viewers attention?

The lack of similarity aside, what is truly stunning is that Izzard's British accent creeps in on occasion. Are they on tight budget? Are they just doing one take for each scene? Hell, unless the show is being done live, there is no excuse for this. How hard is it to say, " Eddie, we are going to have to keep doing this until you can square away which side of the fucking pond you are on. This ain't the East End you limey prick." I guess he is the executive producer, so folks probably would need to be a bit more polite to him when asking about that.

This leads me to the worst part of the show which is Minnie Driver's hair in the first few scenes after her release from prison. What the hell is up with this "gay for the stay", ghetto fabulous hair style? Has anyone ever looked worse with corn rows (Bronson Arroyo excepted)? She is not a handsome woman to begin with. Why would anyone want to ugly her up any more than God already has?

At any rate, I am sure you all have your own lists of praise and petulance. Let's hear what you've got.

Comment & Question

This is a cool blog:
http://www.pvrblog.com/pvr/

As is this site:
http://televisionwithoutpity.com/
It just got bought by Bravo TV

Also, can we change the right column links or add other blogs that we like over there?


-C

daily news

Fox has ordered up 13 more episodes of Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? with host Jeff Foxworthy, from Mark Burnett Productions. So far, whether following American Idol or on its own, 5th Grader has averaged a 9.3/22 in the all important A18-49 demo, per Variety.

Oxygen will premiere Tori & Dean: Inn Love, a new half-hour reality series on March 20 at 1030p with six total episodes. The series is an intimate look for viewers of Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott's newly married life together as they own and operate a bed and breakfast inn located in the Southern California wine country, and at the same time prepare for the birth of their first child. Produced by World of Wonder Productions.

In other news, don't forget that Raines and October Road premiere tonight.

My Guilty Pleasure - Grease, You're the One that I Want

I may not like the 5Th Grader show, but I LOVE "Grease: You're the One that I Want!" It's like American Idol all over again, but better. This time we are dealing with mostly professional performers. I think it is refreshing. It's really a brilliant idea - I mean, the people who thought up American Idol got the ball rolling, but the Grease folks took it to a whole new level. It's perfect, the format is much better suited to theater. I appreciate some of the little things. For instance, the contestants just stand there and smile when they are showing the phone numbers after a song (no stupid hand gestures). The group numbers are great - actual songs from actual shows - very entertaining. What a concept! And the show moves quick. Not too many fluff pieces, or too much intro/background information. They switch from one number to the next - much like a real theatrical production.

I am also looking forward to seeing the actual stage performance when the winners are chosen (I'm hooked - what can I say?).

So who are my favorites?? I like muscle-man, Austin from Texas (and Days of Our Lives) and "Brunette-Sandy," Laura. I think Max would make a good Danny as well, but he's just too goofy looking. I really liked "Spiritual-Sandy," Kathleen, but she was voted out last week.

Can't wait until next Sunday!

The R$ches, FX, tonight 10 PM, eastern & pacific time

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/arts/television/12stan.html?ref=arts

After Patty mentioned it a few weeks ago, I started noticing all the ads for it. Sort of a conditioned response I think. With this review, I am finding myself even more excited than I had anticipated; I think it is going to contain that sort of HBO level wierdness, but perhaps without all the gratuitous sex and smut of the other FX originals that merely deliver to the lowest common denominator. That being said, I have still seen every episode of nip/tuck ever made, and I watch Dirt as time permits...

Deep Thoughts: Hunting

This is off topic.

I think it is a shame that we are legislating away our god given rights to kill animals with the click of a button. What about the days when I just cannot bear to get out of bed, BUT I NEED TO KILL AN ANIMAL REMOTELY?

Should Killing Be Merely a Mouse Click Away?

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: March 11, 2007

Slouched at a computer, the hunter perks up as a 12-point buck eases into view on his screen. Maneuvering his mouse, he swivels the rifle and focuses the cross hairs. With a click of the mouse, the rifle fires a bullet, mortally wounding the deer.

Seth Perlman/Associated Press

Gary Harpole, an Illinois hunter, says remote-control hunting negates what the sport is really about: "getting outdoors, experiencing nature."

Call it hunting by remote control. And though it is still more concept than trend, lawmakers in several states have set their sights on stopping the practice in its tracks.

Illinois State Representative Dan Reitz has proposed banning such hunting in his state, saying that such ready, aim, click kills, or the prospect of them, push the ethical envelope and violate the spirit of fair-chase hunts.

“I just think it’s wrong,” Reitz said, adding that the use of such technology — which features a Web camera and a .22-caliber rifle atop a remote-controlled rig — would “give all sportsmen a black eye.”

Technology that enables people to stalk online and kill real prey has alarmed hunters and lawmakers intent on pre-emptively blocking the practice. About two dozen states already have outlawed the method, which the Humane Society of the United States calls pay-per-view slaughter.

“The animal has no chance,” Arkansas State Senator Ruth Whitaker said earlier this year while introducing a measure that calls for banning potential cyberhunting in her state.

“There’s no challenge for you — except knowing how to use a computer and push a button,” she said. “You never left your tufted sofa. What’s sportsmanlike about that?”

The issue emerged in early 2005, when an entrepreneur from Texas, John Lockwood, set up a Web site that allowed subscribing hunters with a high-speed computer connection to shoot antelope, wild pigs and other game on his 220-acre San Antonio spread via remote control — from anywhere. Lockwood offered to send the animals’ heads to subscribers.

During a demonstration, a friend of Lockwood’s used a computer 45 miles away to shoot a wild hog as it fed at Lockwood’s ranch. But, according to news reports, he only wounded the animal. Lockwood, who was on site, finished the kill.

Lockwood’s venture barely got started before Texas lawmakers shot it down. Since then, other states have hustled to get something on their books barring the practice.

Even die-hard hunters are opposed, saying that shooting an animal via computer is not sporting and does not require the element of fair chase in conventional hunting through forest, field or marsh. Some states have posed similar objections to hunting big game in captivity as trophies.

“We believe sick ideas have a bad way of spreading, so we want to make sure we nip this in the bud and ban it in all 50 states,” Michael Markarian, executive vice president of the Humane Society, said of cyberhunting. The group is also pressing for a federal ban.

Pro-hunting groups, including Safari Club International and the National Rifle Association, also oppose remote-control hunting.

Gary Harpole, an Illinois hunter who figures he has killed 100 deer, most with a bow, said the practice “takes away from what hunting really is all about: getting outdoors, experiencing nature.”

“To me, 90 percent of hunting is the experience, 10 percent is the harvest,” said Harpole, who runs a hunter’s lodge at his rural home. Bagging a buck by computer, he said, “is a lazy way of hunting.”

But Lockwood has said the technology could help people with disabilities or perhaps servicemen overseas shoot game. And an attendant in the blind with the remote-controlled rifle can override any unsafe or unethical shots.

Lockwood could not be reached for this article, but he said last year that legislatures banning the practice had “no clue what they’re passing laws against.”

“Ever since we stopped running after our prey and killing with our hands, we’ve evolved by distancing ourselves further and further from the game and making it more and more efficient for whatever reason we want to take it,” he said.

Reitz is not swayed by such arguments. “There’s a lot of opportunities out there for people with disabilities,” he said. “I just think this is a bad way to do it.”

His bill, which was referred to an Illinois House rules committee on Feb. 22, would amend the state’s wildlife code to bar a person from operating, providing, selling, using or offering “any computer software or service that allows a person not physically present at the hunt site to remotely control a weapon that could be used to take wildlife by remote operation.”

Use of such equipment would be a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and $1,500 in fines. Those who provided the software or services would face a misdemeanor carrying a possible 364 days in jail and $2,500 in fines.

Missouri already has such a ban on the books, last year adopting an administrative rule specifying that “wildlife may be taken only in the immediate physical presence of the taker and may not be taken by use of computer-assisted remote hunting devices.”

Bill Heatherly, the Missouri Department of Conservation’s wildlife programs supervisor, said he never imagined the need for such a measure despite the sport’s astounding technological leaps since man first chucked rocks to kill dinner.

“I’ve been telling people I’m starting to understand how my father must have felt in his later years,” he said. “Certainly, I didn’t imagine this.”

House

Did any of you watch Dave Matthews when he guest starred on House? It was actually a very good performance for a musician. Nothing compared to Kid Rock on CSI:NY, but still pretty damn good.

Response

Chris,

You asked for comments but your post is locked. Easy oversight as the default is "don't allow" and the setting is hidden in the lower left of the editor under "post options". This is less a UI than an MMI with such poor design.

At any rate, your comments were:

For my own interest, how many of you have even SEEN "Brothers & Sisters" or "Men in Trees"? I haven't seen an episode of "Dangerous Housewives" in a year, and "What about Brian" is like a castration fantasy for women.

I have seen every episode of each of those shows. Collectively, they are good, bad, and a guilty pleasure.

Brothers & Sisters sucked until Rob Lowe joined the cast. His Sam Seabornesque rendition of the junior Senator from California is a series saving performance. Now the show has recovered (from the too early demise of Tom Skerritt) to the point where it is good, solid dramedy.

Men in Trees is awful for many reasons, yet still I watch. I must chronicle this atrocity. Anne Heche (what the fuck does she need two silent e's for?) is wooden and is incapable of chemistry with a man. Dyke her up a bit and give me a few scenes with her and the woman who plays her agent and now you have a concept. I give it a another month of mediocrity before they come to her and say, "Listen honey, you sold out and faked a lesbian marriage in your real life in order to stay in the lime light because you are a no talent hack. How about you do the same thing in your professional life to keep this piece of shit on the air?"

You couldn't be more wrong with regard to What About Brian? This show is a festival of extremely high end tits and ass coupled with a plot that must have been dreamed up by developmentally delayed men. This show featured a guy getting left at the altar by attractive doctor girl. He then beds a stripper (right away), marries said stripper, cheats on her with the aforementioned doctor, divorces her and starts playing the field. Brian on the other hand is the source of the leaving at the altar, humps his way around town until he hooks up with the most insanely hot girl (who happened to have slept with his father too) and moves in with her. His former business partner, has an open marriage, sleeps with a co-worker, gets divorced and starts dating yet anotherinsanely hot girl who, oh by the way, is only 20 years old. This show is all about men living out Penthouse letters on major network prime time tv. PURE GENIUS!!!

WSJ Reviews some new sitcoms

THE WEEKEND ADVISER By SAM SCHECHNER

Networks Get
Back on the
Laugh Track
March 9, 2007; Page W4

Comedy consumers rejoice: The television sitcom is showing signs of life.

The format has been battered on broadcast TV in recent years, with the number of sitcoms dropping by half since the fall of 2003. But with sharply lowered expectations, broadcasters are indulging in riskier shows -- and a growing number of them are becoming hits among critics, if not in the ratings.

Tony Hale (left) and Andy Richter in 'Andy Barker, P.I.'

On Thursday, NBC will debut "Andy Barker, P.I.," a private-detective spoof created by Conan O'Brien and Jonathan Groff, a former head writer for Mr. O'Brien's late-night talk show. It joins a small coterie of relatively new, critically praised shows, including somewhat traditional series like CBS's "How I Met Your Mother" and more unconventional fare like NBC's "The Office," "My Name Is Earl" and "30 Rock," which is going on a six-week hiatus to make room for "Andy Barker."

There's competition on cable TV, which has helped revitalize the format with shows like HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm," slated to come back for a sixth season early next year. Comedy Central has renewed its bawdy and button-pushing new series "The Sarah Silverman Program" for a second season, and TBS has ordered new episodes of "My Boys," its first original sitcom since the mid-'80s. On Wednesday, Comedy Central returns with "Halfway Home," an improvised sitcom about five ex-cons living in a rehab facility together. (10:30 p.m. EDT)

TV comedy is still troubled. Viewers have been watching 4.45 hours of comedy per week this season on average, down 8% from this point last season, according to a coming report from Interpublic Group's media-research firm, Magna Global. This fall, there were only 24 sitcoms on the broadcast networks, down from a high of 50 shows in the fall of 2003. The latest casualty: "The Knights of Prosperity," which ABC pulled off the schedule earlier this week.

But the dearth of "Friends"-scale comedy hits has created an opportunity for quirkier shows with narrower appeal. In January, NBC gave an early renewal to "The Office," even though it has averaged only 8.8 million viewers this season, according to Nielsen Media Research. The series is valuable, in part, because it attracts affluent viewers who are savvy with new technologies. Viewership for "The Office" grows by 14.6% when including playback within seven days on digital video recorders, the biggest percentage increase for any show on broadcast TV, according to an analysis of Nielsen data by Horizon Media, a media planning and ad-placement firm.

The cast of 'Halfway Home'

This fall, the number of comedies on broadcast TV is likely to rise, according to Magna Global's Steve Sternberg. And about 20 of the approximately 58 sitcom pilots being developed for broadcast are workplace comedies, like "The Office." Kelsey Grammar is starring in a Fox pilot about a local news team. "The Thick of It," an ABC pilot from the creator of "Arrested Development," is a mock documentary set in the office of a congressional representative; it will be directed by Christopher Guest, who made "Best in Show" and "This Is Spinal Tap."

"Andy Barker" represents a particularly big departure from the traditional sitcom. It's thick with references to movies such as "Chinatown"; even its corny soundtrack is a joke on shows like "Magnum, P.I." It stars comedian Andy Richter as a doughy-faced accountant who's drawn into the hard-boiled world of private eyes, where he chides crooks for their poor financial planning. (Thursday, 9:30 p.m. EDT, NBC)

Women TV - NYT Article

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/09/arts/television/09chic.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

Some interesting points in here about ABC's focus on chick-lit type stories. Men do "click off" these.

For my own interest, how many of you have even SEEN "Brothers & Sisters" or "Men in Trees"? I haven't seen an episode of "Dangerous Housewives" in a year, and "What about Brian" is like a castration fantasy for women.

potential Lost spoiler...

Are Claire and Jack siblings on Lost? Yes, they are. And we'll know it before they do.
From George in Tallahassee, Florida: Who is the new female regular on Lost?I'm pretty sure she's a subterranean character. Damon and Carlton seemed to admit there's a whole underground contingency on the island in the latest Lost Redux video clip.

Ricky and the Bells

I loved Rick S. on NYPD Blue. Hopefully he will be great on 24 as well (although I haven't really watched it since the two-night premier). I didn't see the preview so I wonder if he will be continuing as the same character from NYPD Blue - that will no doubt add to the unintentional comedy factor. Sort of like how President Palmer is not really dead but has joined an elite special-ops unit in the military.

Watched Wedding Bells last night - I thought it was cute and will watch it again. It has potential to get really old after a while, but we'll see.

24

Moving "24" firmly into the realm of believability, Rick Shroeder joins the cast next week as the new head of field operations for CTU. We see him kicking serious ass in the preview. SWEET! Perhaps he will ride his toy train to the rescue?

Lights Out...

Uh Oh, Brailey's...the show that you like and I don't might be on the way out. So sorry!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17472507/

Small Town Politics

Not sure if you have read about the church bells controversy in Jewett City as it has been picked up nationally recently...but the Daily Show actually came to town and did a little segment. Very funny.

The Wedding Bells review

I'm definitely adding this one to the dvr...

TV Review | 'The Wedding Bells'

Through Tulle and Tears, Perfecting That Special Day

By ALESSANDRA STANLEY

Published: March 7, 2007

Her wedding is supposed to be a woman’s happiest moment, yet no event is more apt to make her look ridiculous.

Enlarge This Image

Carin Baer/Fox

Teri Polo, right, and Laura Margolis in “The Wedding Bells” on Fox.

Enlarge This Image

Carin Baer/Fox

In the premiere of “The Wedding Bells,” Missi Pyle, left, stars as a difficult, spoiled bride, and Delta Burke is her headstrong mother.

The expense, fuss, tears, tantrums and inflated expectations are to modern brides what chastity, veils and vows of obedience were to earlier generations: symbols of subjugation. Any man can feel superior at a bridal shower; too much talk of trellises and tulle can turn even the most tenderhearted woman to stone.

So a series about three sisters who run a wedding business is bound to have a satirical edge. In the hands of David E. Kelley, the creator of “Ally McBeal” and “Boston Legal,” the conceit teeters on the edge of misogyny.

“The Wedding Bells,” on Fox tonight, is Mr. Kelley’s knockoff of the sex-and-romance drama “Grey’s Anatomy.” But that hit ABC show about young surgeons in heat was written by a woman for women, and despite all its absurd excesses, there is no doubting the sincerity and intense partisanship of its creator, Shonda Rhimes. Mr. Kelley’s offering is wittier, but it comes with an ill-disguised sneer — a man’s take on women who are engrossed in the one occupation that men really can’t take.

For a television writer who created so many smart, original female characters in serious dramas like “Chicago Hope” and “The Practice,” Mr. Kelley has shown a surprisingly mean-spirited edge when it comes to comedy. The change was evident even before his disastrous and short-lived series in 2002 about kittenish young lawyers, “Girls Club.” Ally McBeal, for all her insecurities and irritating tics, was the heroine of that series.

By the time Mr. Kelley got around to “Boston Legal,” the leads were aging, lecherous lawyers leering at the secondary characters: young, beautiful women who constantly used their sexuality — and short skirts — to succeed in business. Eventually, the locker room grew so rank that Mr. Kelley had to open a window and let in Candice Bergen. But even now, too many of his women are vixens who abuse the privileges of their sex at the expense of men.

It’s almost as if, having ridden the wave of feminism early in his career as a writer on “L.A. Law,” Mr. Kelley has fallen into a reactionary sulk. (It probably didn’t help that his last series, about three middle-aged brothers in New Hampshire, was a flop.)

Mr. Kelley, a lawyer who made his mark with courtroom dramas, is an unlikely executive producer of this kind of fluffy, feminine show; it’s a little like asking Vera Wang to design combat fatigues for the Marine Corps. But weaving a romantic drama around the wedding planning business is, like some marriages, a calculation: an attempt to carry the train of the cultural mainstream, at least the distaff side.

Fifty percent of couples may divorce, but weddings remain a boom industry, fueled by things like the weddingchannel.com and “Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?,” a reality show on the Style Network. With the recent sitcom “Big Day,” ABC has already tried and failed to wrap a series around a wedding. The “Today” show boosts its ratings by letting viewers choose between competing betrothed couples in a kind of Matrimonial Idol; NBC pays for the wedding of the winning husband and wife.

“Engaged and Underage,” a new reality show on MTV, follows very young couples, many of whom choose to remain virgins until marriage, as they navigate the treacherous shoals of bouquets, tuxedo rentals and mothers-in-law. And, of course, the WE channel has “Bridezillas,” a recurring reality series that profiles brides on the verge of a wedding meltdown.

And there are plenty of bridezilla moments in “The Wedding Bells.” The premiere begins with a jittery, chain-smoking bride who bolts seconds before the ceremony begins. Another bride, the rich, spoiled and imperious Amanda (Missi Pyle), keeps correcting the staff, even the wedding singer and his band. “This is my moment,” she hisses.

The organizers who run the Wedding Palace are three sisters with the surname Bell (unlike the Brontë sisters, they do not use Bell as their pseudonym) who inherited the business — and stately reception rooms — after their parents’ divorce. Jane Bell (Teri Polo) is the serene sister, happily married to Russell (Benjamin King), the company’s financial officer.

Annie (KaDee Strickland) is the more brittle sister, still bruised from her breakup with the handsome, womanizing photographer David (Michael Landes), who doubles as a bride whisperer: he can sweet-talk even the most psychotic wife-to-be. And Sammy (Sarah Jones) is the sexy little sister who never says no to the brides — or the ushers.

“O.K., by a show of hands,” Sammy says to a group of jostling groomsmen during a rehearsal. “How many of you want to sleep with me?” All hands shoot up, and Sammy slithers down the line and picks the most handsome in the group. Not much later, they have sex in a closet.

In format, if not content, the series borrows from “Designing Women,” and homage is paid in the form of the guest star, Delta Burke, who plays Amanda’s willful mother in the premiere. “Sheila Pontell, mother of the bride, I’m an acquired taste,” is how she introduces herself to newcomers. Because the Jewish groom requested a nondenominational service, Sheila bribes the officiant she describes as a “mail-order minister” to mention Jesus twice during the ceremony, even if only as an exclamation after stubbing his toe.

“The man’s a savior,” Sheila says briskly. “He deserves a mention.”

Ms. Rhimes, who is African-American, cast African-Americans as surgeons and a hospital chief on “Grey’s Anatomy.” On Mr. Kelley’s series they have lowlier roles. Ralph (Chris Williams) is a musician who chafes at being a wedding singer. Sherri Shepherd, who played Ramona on the sitcom “Less Than Perfect,” is Debbie, a cynical, scolding assistant who, when reprimanded for allowing two brides to cross paths, woodenly recites the company mantra.

“It should never ever happen, ’cuz it’s their special, special time,” she intones. “Each should feel like the only happy, happy little bride on the planet, because it’s their special, special time.”

Mr. Kelley is a gifted television producer, and “The Wedding Bells” has funny moments, but this series is not a labor of love. It’s a labored effort to simulate romance.

THE WEDDING BELLS

Fox, sneak preview tonight at 9, Eastern and Pacific times; 8, Central time; series premiere is on Friday at 9, Eastern and Pacific times; 8, Central time.

Created by Jason Katims and David E. Kelley; written by Mr. Kelley; Jonathan Pontell, Mr. Kelley and Mr. Katims, executive producers. Produced by David E. Kelley Productions in association with 20th Century Fox Television.

WITH: KaDee Strickland (Annie), Teri Polo (Jane), Sarah Jones (Sammy), Benjamin King (Russell Hawkins), Michael Landes (David Conlon), Chris Williams (Ralph Snow), Sherri Shepherd (Debbie Quill), Missi Pyle (Amanda Pontell), Delta Burke (Sheila Pontell) and Laura Margolis (Bridget).

Blogging about a blog

This is a funny blog entry on Heroes that I thought you all might enjoy. My friend Eduardo from work sent it to me.

http://www.drivl.com/posts/view/719

Enjoy!

I'm not even remotely surprised...

ABC has pulled Knights of Prosperity off the schedule effective immediately, and slotted in a repeat of According to Jim on Wednesday nights at 830p.

Cavemen, hehe

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/TV/03/05/tv.cavemen.ap/index.html

They are going to make a pilot for a potential show about the cavemen from the Geico commercials. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Those ads are sort of funny (I do like the one when he's in the airport and that song I like is playing in the background), but a whole series? We shall see (or maybe not).

over already?

Tonight's Finale:CBS: The Class at 830p
Despite my best intentions, I actually ended up liking this show and thought it was a good pairing with How I met Your Mother. Apple pie and cheddar cheese. I am not sure it got renewed for next year and the early finish leads me to believe that CBS is dropping it. I heard that the writing team made each episode really expensive (this is from the writers/producers of Friends) which is why CBS had such a short order. I think the episode total was 15 or something like that. (Normally 22 or more)

Are You Smarter Than a Fifth of JD?

America seems to be in love with this new show. Get a load of these metrics:

The ratings report card for the series premiere of ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER? broke records as FOXs highest-rated series premiere in 13 years and the highest-rated series premiere on any network in more than five years among Adults 18-49 (11.2/26), and in eight years among Total Viewers (26.6 Mil.). The series debut also made the honor roll by retaining the largest audience ever out of an AMERICAN IDOL lead-in among Adults 18-49 (93%) and in Total Viewers (88%). The series moved to the head of the class, besting AMERICAN IDOL among Teens (8.7/28 vs. 8.3/26) and among Male Viewers 12-34 (7.7/24 vs. 7.0/23). Night two of ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER? continued the impressive performance, retaining 83% among Adults 18-49 and 79% in Total Viewers from its AMERICAN IDOL lead-in.

Personally, I find it stunning that so many adults are challenged by or interested in fifth grade material. If this were some sort of pre-adolescent academic kumite, I might tune in. How great to see the Mathletes battling the forensics team to the death?

Since that isn't the case, I suppose there are some questions that need to be asked and answered: Are these contestants ignorant or stupid? Assuming one of the former conditions is present in all contestants, it a lack of self-awareness or absence of personal pride that leads these dunderheads to put themselves on display? I'll leave it to you to decide.

In the interim, please enjoy the following that buttresses my belief that most people are poorly educated and revel in the misery of others. Why is it hard to describe a trapezoid? Who needs help from a search engine to do this? Why is this sort of intellectual train wreck fun to watch?

------------------------------------------------------------
Fifth Graders: More Brains and More Buzz
By Gordon Hurd
Sat, March 03, 2007, 2:30 pm PST
<>


At the end of Tuesday's episode of "American Idol," host Ryan Seacrest plugged Jeff Foxworthy's new game show, "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" Ryan asked for an example of a question, and Jeff came back with, "What's a trapezoid?"

As testament to the overwhelming influence of "Idol" and to the appeal of Foxworthy's new quiz show, people rushed to Search and pushed queries on "trapezoid" up 5,680%. Who would have guessed that a quadrilateral having two parallel sides could get more Buzz than all the Season 6 contestants combined (except for Antonella Barba, of course)?

The quiz show with the hard-to-swallow concept has proven easy to follow. Twenty-six million adults, who apparently don't know squat, do know what they like to watch. Buzz on Foxworthy's show (and his slick mustache) jumped 173% after the premiere episode. Questions from the broadcast are just as popular, perhaps providing the show's title with a sad but true answer.

Beyond searching for the truth about trapezoids, adults have also reached out in desperation for "rem sleep" (+8,586%), "list of impeached presidents" (+3,808%), "dewey decimal system" (+1,604%), and "definition of a prime number" (+418%) among other quizzical queries.

Being the smarty-pants that we are, we have full confidence we could take on a force of fifth graders. But that doesn't mean we won't tune in to watch folks who may not have the brains to take on a 10-year-old.

Law & Order

This woman was at the wedding I was at on Saturday night.

http://imdb.com/name/nm0227040/

Her husband was in 2001: A Space Odyssey
http://www.imdb.com/gallery/mptv/1015/Mptv/1015/5091-146mptv.jpg.html?hint=nm0001158

Just got a French Laundry res!

May 2 @ 5:30pm! I'm so psyched!

WSJ Article on Black Donnellys

Band of Bozos

By NANCY DEWOLF SMITH
March 2, 2007; Page W6

Some reviewers have compared NBC's new crime drama "The Black Donnellys" to other recent offerings that feature Irish gangsters, including the Oscar-winning "The Departed." But it seems to owe much more to the "Sopranos," where every bad deed inevitably leads to another, which necessitates lots of graphic bludgeonings, shootings and carving up of stinking dead bodies (Mondays, 10-11 p.m. EST).

One big difference between HBO's Italian mafia-family hit and NBC's story about four Irish brothers behaving badly in New York's Hell's Kitchen is that the Donnelly boys are buff young men, not slobby middle-aged ones. Another difference, which may be fatal for the new show, is that neither the acting here or the writing rises above the basic nastiness of the characters. As they stumble from one brutal act to another, accompanied by a hip rock soundtrack, we're not watching dramatic art; it's more like "Dawson's Creek" for psychopaths.

Jonathan Tucker plays Tommy Donnelly, one of 'The Black Donnellys' in NBC's new crime drama.

The basic premise of the show is that family bonds are stronger than anything. In the first episode, we were introduced to brother Tommy (Jonathan Tucker) as a sensitive art student whose studies are interrupted because he has to get his brothers out of trouble. There's Jimmy (Tim Guidry), the thief, drunkard and drug-supplier with the pretty blond girlfriend who craves heroin. There's Kevin (Billy Lush), the degenerate gambler and all-around idiot. And, finally, there's pretty-boy Sean (Michael Stahl-David), who so far seems to have very little personality at all. When some of the brothers kidnap an Italian mob bookie to whom Kevin is indebted, Tommy cleans up that mess by killing both the local Italian and Irish mob bosses. Then he smashes up, for disposal purposes, the body of the bookie, who was shot earlier in the grisly day by brother Jimmy. Sean, meanwhile, has been beaten nearly to death by the bookie's friends.

The Donnelly boys' loving mother figures out what her boys have been up to, but loyally keeps mum, like the hardened character she is. So does Tommy's love interest, a bar owner named Jenny (Olivia Wade), who cleans up the bookie's blood so the cops won't find it, and then goes to bed with Tommy in the kind of fever only homicide can create. The next morning, though, she dumps him for, at least temporarily, a muffin-delivery man.

Axes To Grind

And so it goes in subsequent episodes, as new Irish and Italian criminal bosses with axes to grind, as well as a real ax for torture, pop up. Poor Tommy, he's going to be sucked into a life he never wanted, forced to kill and connive as long as this show lasts. What it all is supposed to mean is impossible to tell. Presumably, we're expected to accept that a man who will kill for his family but regrets the blood splatter is a morally interesting character. But everything, from the dim lights to the stilted dialogue, seems fake here.

Take the epigraphs, from the likes of Dostoevsky and Yeats, that flash on the screen at the beginning of episodes. It's the kind of trick a sophomore might pull on a college paper, to try to make his relatively inane thoughts seem significant. "To be Irish is to know that in the end the world will break your heart," reads one epigraph, attributed to the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Well, the only thing broken in this show is heads and bones -- unless you count the moments when the loving brothers get into fights with each other and, at least one time so far, pull a gun on a sibling.

The attempts at humor -- including wisecracks supplied by a hinky family friend named Joey Ice Cream who is supposedly narrating the Donnelly's story from prison -- are almost as painful as the absence of dramatic artistry. Though there is one moment that sums up the whole show, when a drunken Jimmy is seated at a bar next to a barfly of indeterminate gender.

"I have three of the best damned brothers you could ask for," Jimmy says. "...They killed for me."

"I'd kill for better conversation," his companion replies. Pretty apt for a barfly.

* * *

For genuine suffering and victims worthy of our empathy, there is the real world, including North Korea, where 23 million souls endure conditions worse than anything PETA ever filmed. Not that "Inside North Korea" (National Geographic channel, Monday 9-10 p.m.) unearthed many grisly new details about life under the Stalinist-inspired cult founded by Kim Il Sung and now continued by his son Kim Jong Il.

Unfortunately for the people of North Korea, their country is so small -- the size of Mississippi -- that it has proved possible to isolate them entirely from the outside world for more than 50 years. Presumably some still have the capacity to resent poverty and starvation, for the regime operates concentration camps the size of small cities where the families of anyone who has displayed less than perfect devotion to the Party and the Kims are confined and often worked to death.

Beyond Fear

Yet correspondent Lisa Ling was unable to find a single sign of discontent when she sneaked into the capital of Pyongyang along with a camera crew, by posing as part of a medical team there to conduct cataract surgery. The doctor in charge, a Nepalese surgeon named Sanduk Ruit, operated on more than 1,000 people in 10 days while Ms. Ling was there. Inside the hospital, the abysmal lack of facilities as basic as soap and water was obvious. When they visit an apartment, however, they discovered nothing more than family members kowtowing before pictures on the wall -- the only picture seen anywhere -- of the Kims.

They also were allowed to film the unveiling -- literally -- of Dr. Ruit's 1,000-plus patients, many of whom had been blind for years. As the bandages came off, each one blinked and a few even smiled as the success of their operation became clear. Within seconds, though, each was squealing with praises for Kim Jong Il, thanking him for saving their eyesight. One by one, they took their first steps as sighted people to the front of the large hall to scream, and bawl and bow in front of a huge portrait of Kim. "Thank you, great general!" one woman shrieks. "I will work harder in the salt mines." And each time one of the saved exclaims, the crowd goes wild, too. "We praise you, we praise you," they cry out from behind their still-bandaged heads.

It is difficult to watch this without feeling a little sorry for Dr. Ruit, whose humanitarian work in developing countries probably will not -- after this film has aired -- include North Korea. It is very painful to see so many fellow humans apparently reduced to a state of sentience no higher than a rabbit's. Ms. Ling speculates that fear makes them fall into line. A more horrifying thought is that 23 million people, in a country that has nuclear weapons, are now beyond fear.

For you to consider

Blood Diamond = Apocalypse Now

I liked the movie, was really into the violence & plot, and thought that the script was actually good. It moved along nicely. But I was struck with the thought that Blood Diamond is very much similar to Apox Now.

Also, we watched the Black Donnelly's last night. Good show!

Are you smarter than a 5th grader?

Yes, and it's because even a 5th grader would not watch this show.

Is anyone watching Survivor Fiji? I was reminded the other night by my dear husband that I have not watched a single episode yet. I'm sorta still getting over the last "season." If they keep them coming like this I will be burned out.

Also - some new shows coming - Driven (about the car race across the country) and The Riches (on FX I think?).

Psych is on tomorrow night - yay! But I think its the season finale (boo).