Josh Duhamel and Fergie tie the knot

Sorry, ladies, Josh Duhamel is off the market.

I know. It hurts a little, despite the fact that you had no chance of ever landing him. But it was nice to dream that someday he could come along and be your Tad Hamilton, right?

Duhamel and pop singer Fergie were married Saturday in Malibu in what can only be described as a fairytale wedding featuring thousands of white roses. The ceremony took place in Malibu at Church Estates Vineyards, according to People magazine. I’ve seen photos of the site and it looks like something out of a Monet painting, complete with ponds, swans, a French chateau, magnolia trees and stunning gardens.

Fergie wore a white Dolce and Gabbana gown. Her 10 bridesmaids wore black, according to People.

Fans of Las Vegas, you’ll be happy to know that Duhamel’s costars, James Caan, Vanessa Marcil, and Molly Sims, were in attendance. I’m not sure about James Lesure. The People article didn’t mention him.

Also, there was no mention of Duhamel’s former All My Children stars and pals Rebecca Budig and Cameron Mathison, so I’m curious to know whether they made the trip to California for the celebration. (Call me silly, but I like to think that all my favorite onscreen characters are still friends off screen.)

Plenty of other celebrities attended the ceremony, including Fergie’s friend Mario Lopez, Jerry O’Connell and Rebecca Romijin, Kate Hudson, Kid Rock, and Fergie’s band mates from the Black Eyed Peas.

The couple has dated for several years. This is the first marriage for both.

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Duhamel. We wish you all the best!

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List of canceled shows for the 2007-08 TV season

We met some friends for dinner tonight and they were curious about which of their favorite shows were canceled for next season. (Don’t worry guys, Rules of Engagement is apparently safe.)

During our conversation, it occurred to me that I hadn’t published a complete list of shows for each network that won’t return next season. (I’m a bad TV blogger!)

So, here it is. Read it and weep. Or do the dance of joy, depending on your TV tastes.

And to those of you who’ve e-mailed me, Big Shots, Miss/Guided and October Road are goners. Sorry. Please don’t kill the messenger.




ABC
Big Shots
Carpoolers
Cashmere Mafia
Cavemen
Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann
Here Come the Newlyweds
Just for Laughs
Men in Trees
Miss/Guided
Notes From the Underbelly
October Road
Oprah’s Big Give
Women’s Murder Club

CBS
Cane
Jericho
Kid Nation
Moonlight
Power of 10
Shark
Secret Talent of the Stars
Viva Laughlin
Welcome to the Captain

NBC
1 vs. 100
Amne$ia
Bionic Woman
Clash of the Choirs
Journeyman
Las Vegas
My Dad is Better Than Your Dad
Phenomenon
Quarterlife
Scrubs – (Moving to ABC)
The Singing Bee

CW
Aliens in America
Beauty and the Geek
Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants
CW Now
Girlfriends
Life is Wild
Online Nation
Pussycat Dolls Presents: Girlicious
WWE Smackdown!

FOX
Anchorwoman
Canterbury’s Law
K-Ville
Nashville
New Amsterdam
Next Great American Band
The Return of Jezebel James
Unhitched

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Lara Flynn Boyle to blog about Twin Peaks

Fans of the cult hit Twin Peaks, this week actress Lara Flynn Boyle will be blogging about the show for the Web site Fancast.

Fancast is a Web site that offers full episodes of television shows, past and present, and currently has all 29 episodes of Twin Peaks that aired in 1990 and 1991.

Much to my delight, it also has shows such as MacGyver, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Family Ties, The Practice, House, The Office and How I Met Your Mother, among a list of others.

Flynn Boyle will be providing commentary at the blog on specific episodes of Twin Peaks and hopes to answer fan questions and give an “insider’s perspective on the show’s massive appeal.”

I’m assuming fans can also ask questions about her days on The Practice and Las Vegas, as well. I’m dying to know what she thought of her crazy exit from Las Vegas, where her character was blown off the roof.

Check out Fancast for more details on Flynn Boyle’s celebrity blog.

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Tube News

It’s been some times since I’ve done a news roundup, but interesting TV tidbits are popping up all over the ‘net, and I wanted to share. Here we go.

James Van Der Beek on How I Met Your Mother
Former Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek is scheduled to guest on How I Met Your Mother in the upcoming Robin Sparkles episode, according to E!Online. The Beek is rumored to be a crush of Ms. Sparkles. Hmmm, I would have taken Robin for more of the Pacey type, myself.

Eddie Cibrian to star on Ugly Betty
One of my favorite TV stars is set to guest for three episodes on Ugly Betty in a role that could continue into next season. Eddie Cibrian, or as I prefer to call him, “Dimples,” is allegedly signed on as a love interest for Betty’s sister, Hilda. (Lucky girl.) Cibrian will play Justin’s gym teacher, according to TV Guide. If this means Dimples will be running around in gym shorts, then I’m for it.

Las Vegas creator headed to Knight Rider
Regular readers know my love for Las Vegas boss Gary Scott Thompson, so I’m somewhat excited that he’s been tapped as executive producer of the new Knight Rider series. (According to TV Guide.) I watched the pilot movie on NBC previously this year, and I was bitterly disappointed. Hopefully, Thompson can make the show worth watching or at least give K.I.T.T. something more to do.

Derek Hough of Dancing With the Stars sent to hospital
Dancer Derek Hough was taken by ambulance from the set of Dancing With the Stars yesterday, for what was later diagnosed as a strained neck, according to E!Online. Hough was rehearsing with his sister and fellow pro Mark Ballas when he was injured. Hough was back for the live show Tuesday night and removed his neck brace for the live show. He did not dance Tuesday night.

Simon Baker signed on for new CBS show
It’s a good week for news on all my favorite TV boyfriends. Simon Baker, who I’ve been crushing on since The Guardian, has signed on to the upcoming CBS show The Mentalist. Baker will play a guy who has a heightened sense of observation that he uses to solve crimes. No word yet on whether he’ll be using his yummy Aussie accent for the role.

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Las Vegas fans still mounting baby bootie campaign to save the show

by Jennifer Squires Biller

If you’re looking for a pair of baby booties these days, good luck.

So far, fans of the recently canceled NBC show Las Vegas have sent more than 10,000 pairs of booties to the network to protest the cancellation. (It’s a nod to finish the cliffhanger storyline in the final episode that involved one of the show’s main characters going into labor.)

The fan campaign seems to be having some effect. According to a story yesterday at TV Guide online, NBC and Vegas producers have been in discussions to try and give fans an ending they deserve, after five years of loyal viewing. The show’s final episode didn’t tie up loose storylines and ended with a “to be continued” tag, much to the fans’ outrage. (And mine!)

I applaud the efforts of those people who feel so passionate about a television show that they’ll donate cash and take the time to let a network know their displeasure at its decision to end an ongoing-story arc so abruptly. I’ve seen many fan campaigns come and go, from Veronica Mars to Jericho, and sometimes they end by satisfying fans and sometimes they don’t. I hope this time NBC will offer some kind of rewarding conclusion.

I can tell you from the hordes of e-mails and comments I’ve received here at Tube Talk since Las Vegas was canned, fans are angry. And even worse than that, they’re declaring their hesitancy to ever commit to NBC scripted shows again. And who can blame them? No one wants to spend hours and years of their lives investing in shows and characters that can be yanked off the air mid-story with no resolution.

This possible trend of viewers declaring never to watch NBC’s scripted shows again worries me, since I fear that if new scripted shows get low ratings, the network will continue to turn more and more toward ridiculous reality shows that fail to entertain.

So, it seems to me, this is an easy fix. (Of course, no one is asking my opinion or help to broker a deal, but I’m in if they want me!) Plain and simple, NBC needs to give fans a two-hour episode to wrap up the series. That way, fans are at least content. (I won’t say happy, considering they’re going to miss the show next year.)

If the fans get closure with a two-hour episode, that goes a long way in improving public relations and getting TV fans to continue committing to new scripted NBC shows. That’s a win-win, I’d say, and a move I don’t think NBC can risk not doing, for the sake of its future shows.

For more on the fan campaign, click here.

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Ah, Nuts! Jericho canceled again

Sorry, Jericho fans. But CBS has canceled your show, again, due to low ratings.

This Tuesday, March 25, will be the final episode, according to CBS entertainment boss Nina Tassler.

Despite an incredible fan campaign last year that sent more than 20 tons of peanuts (8 million nuts) to the network and brought the show back from initial cancellation, this time, it seems the cancellation is final. (The nuts campaign was based on a line from the show, where a character remarked “Nuts!” in what was going to be the final episode last year.)

Here’s the official statement from Tassler:

"Without question, there are passionate viewers watching this program; we simply wish there were more. We thank an engaged and spirited fan base for keeping the show alive this long, and an outstanding team of producers, cast and crew that went through creative hoops to deliver a compelling, high-quality second season.... We're proud of everyone's efforts."

The bottom line is that Jericho did not deliver the ratings CBS had hoped this season, after its heroic return.

Fans of the show, I empathize with your loss, but you should take some solace in the fact that your fan campaign last year gave you a satisfactory ending to your show. The poor fans of Las Vegas on NBC (including me,) on the other hand, aren’t even getting that.

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Las Vegas canceled

NOOOOOOO!!! They can’t do this. It’s unjust. It’s unfair. It’s, it’s, it’s an outright abomination.

I just opened up my e-mail to find my inbox overflowing with messages from loyal readers who are outraged that NBC has canceled Las Vegas. I feel you, Tubers. I don’t think there exists a strong enough adjective to describe my anger and indignation. Let’s just say that “pissed off” doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Las Vegas is one of those shows I look forward to watching every week. It’s not complicated or emotionally taxing. It’s just like the city itself: FUN.

Yes, I understand it’s a ratings game, and the show hasn’t reached high numbers this season, but it’s on Friday night. It’s not exactly a night when many people are home watching television.

The real tragedy in this decision is that for five long years, fans have loyally watched this show and won’t get any kind of closure. Last week’s two-hour season finale, that was full of cliffhangers, is the last new episode you’ll see, if NBC has its way.

Will Delinda have the baby? Will Cooper retain the casino? Will Casey be alive? We’ll never know, if the show doesn’t return at least for an episode or two to wrap up the loose ends. At least we got to see Sam finally admit that she still loves Casey. I guess that’s something.

For those of you who refuse to take this news passively, I encourage you to get on board with the fan campaign to save the show. Let’s hope it has Jericho-style results.

For details on what you can do, head over to Las Vegas the Series to join the masses. (Thanks to Allison for letting me know.) Make me proud, Tubers.

We gave this show five years. The least NBC can give us is a decent ending.

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Let’s Talk TV: The Week in Review

Never in all of my TV-viewing life would I have predicted that Friday night would be the best night for TV viewing. But it’s true. Friday is the new Thursday.

With shows such as Friday Night Lights, Las Vegas, Moonlight, Psych, and Monk, there is a show for pretty much every TV taste. Here’s my take on some of the shows I checked out the past week.

Friday Night Lights
Tim loves Lyla! I should have seen it coming, but I didn’t. His crank call to her radio show was the equivalent of pulling the little girl’s ponytail in grade school to get her attention. But what about Jason? It seems his role gets smaller and smaller by the week. Tim isn’t the only feeling lonely. Poor Matt saw his ladylove and hired nurse head out of the country. Who is going to take care of Grandma now? I worry about these things. Not to mention, I keep waiting for that scary drug dealer to realize that Tim stole his cash. That is not going to end well for Tim. (I was completely shocked to see Tim resort to stealing, since he wrote his father off in a previous episode for stealing, an act he did not condone.) The story that really warmed my heart was Santiago trying to break away from his old life. When he took on those thugs to get Buddy’s watch back that they’d stolen, my heart grew three sizes. This is the best show on television right now, hands down. It never disappoints. It has so many intense story arcs, yet they all hold my interest. From Tami and Eric trying to leave their new daughter at daycare, to Smash facing racism about his interracial romance, not a minute ticks by when I feel like fast-forwarding. In fact, the show leaves me satisfied and surprised every week that so many story arcs are played out so well. I have only one question: Where is Tyra? The girl has been missing for the past two weeks?

Boston Legal
Denny Crane was back in the courtroom, despite his Mad Cow disease. (Or senility, as it’s known in the non-Denny Crane world.) I was holding my breath for most of the episode, waiting for Denny to throw out one of his nonsensical one-liners or anger the judge with his sexist comments to the point he’d be jailed for contempt. But Denny kept it together, trying to prove he could still be effective, and surprisingly, got his client off. I enjoyed Denny in the courtroom. It was nice to see him doing something besides sexually harassing his employees or bonding with Alan. It was also a nice change to see someone other than uber-liberal Alan Shore arguing a closing. I even got a little weepy, after the trial, when Denny excused himself for a quiet moment and broke down. Most often, Boston Legal is a comedy. But when it hits dramatic moments like that one, it’s understandable why the show was nominated for an Emmy.

Las Vegas
I think Polly may be my new favorite character. In fact, she may be the funniest supporting actress on television. Her stint in traffic school with Sam and Mitch was the highlight of this week’s episode. How Polly gets her hysterical one-liners past the network police is beyond me. Plus, she’s taught me more about bikini waxing and “backdoor bleaching” than I ever wanted to know. The Piper/Cooper story was fantastic, too. Mike had me convinced that Piper was Cooper’s daughter. She does share the same irresistible dimples as Tom Selleck. I think a Mike and Piper hook up is inevitable, and I can’t wait. The Danny/Delinda pregnancy story is getting tiresome. I shudder to think what will happen when she actually gives birth.

One Tree Hill
Dan was in the house! Well, technically, he was in the big house rocking some serious facial hair. But still, after last week’s episode that was completely devoid all the Tree Hill adults I’d come to love, I was happy to see Dan again. Now, if Deb and Karen would just check in. Peyton’s new music label may be in trouble. K-Fed, really? P Sawyer is losing her touch already. And how about the shocker that Daphne Zuniga’s character is actually Brooke’s mother? I so didn’t see that coming. Oh, and a here’s some advice for “Lucas’ Lindsey”: I wouldn’t get too comfortable in Tree Hill. With Peyton and Brooke back in town, it won’t be long before Lucas is revisiting his old territory soon. Kudos to Nate for shaving his Jesus beard. Now, if he would just cut that hair, I’d be a happy woman. It’s never a good think when your wife’s hair is shorter than yours.

Scott Baio is 46… and Pregnant
If Scott Baio wanted to convince the world he is a giant tool, mission accomplished. Each episode, Baio comes off as more arrogant and selfish than the one before. His pregnant fiancée is dealing with hormones, her changing body, and the stress of carrying a baby, while Baio exiles himself to a different wing of the house to whine about losing himself, while flipping through his vintage Playboys to look at his ex-girlfriends. I’m done with this show. Grow up Chachi! Someone needs to call the Fonz to shake some sense into this immature brat.

Moonlight
OK, what’s up with all the grisly? Yes, I know this is a show about vampires, but decapitating people and holding their heads up for viewing, twice no less, was a little much. The show was too gruesome for me this week. I was happy to see Coraline back, but sadly, it looks like she’s gone again. Beth was still mourning Josh, and Mick was enjoying being human for the first time in decades. Of course, it was only temporary. I just have one request for the Moonlight folks: We need more Josef in this show!

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Las Vegas cast to get keys to the city

UPDATED: January 11 with photos from the event.

If you live in Las Vegas and are a fan of the TV show Las Vegas, you might catch a glimpse of the NBC stars tonight.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar B. Goodman is presenting the keys to the city to the cast and the executive producers of the NBC show Las Vegas in a ceremony at the Palms tonight.

Josh Duhamel, Molly Simms, Vanessa Marcil, James Lesure, and Camille Gauty are walking the red carpet from 6-7 p.m., followed by the ceremony at the Palms.

For any Tube Talk readers attending, I expect a full report. And pictures of Josh Duhamel, of course!

UPDATE: Thanks to kind Tube Talk reader Kim, here are some photos of the cast from last night's event. Check out Josh Duhamel's t-shirt, featuring a photo of James, with hair. Too funny.

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Las Vegas’ Danny hot for Fergie

Those of you who watched Las Vegas on Friday night were treated to a cute inside joke.

As Montecito president Danny McCoy walked into a teenager’s room to negotiate a horse deal, a Fergie song played in the background. Fergie posters plastered the walls and her face was featured in a slide show on the kid’s computer.

As McCoy took in all the Fergilicious adoration, he slyly commented with a grin, “Fergie fan, huh? Me, too. What a coincidence.”

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud as Josh Duhamel delivered the line. If you don’t know, (and I’m not sure how that’s possible unless you avoid all celebrity news) Duhamel is engaged to the pop singer. The two met on Las Vegas a few years ago, when Fergie was performing with The Black Eyed Peas.

OK, my job is done here: Strange moment on Las Vegas explained.

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Let’s talk TV: The week in review

Desperate Housewives
That twister that hit Wisteria Lane left a street full of devastation. In the voiceover intro, we were told one of the ladies would lose a husband and that they would all lose a friend. Gaby’s spouse, Victor, was impaled with a white picket fence. How’s that for symbolism? (One husband down.) But the friend? My money is on poor Ida. I’m guessing she woke up and went looking for her cat, right into the path of the tornado. I blame Lynette. We’ve seen a lot of selfish behavior through the years on this show, but Lynette consistently exhibits self-absorbed behavior. Pushing her way into her neighbor’s basement during the storm and then insisting Ida’s cat be removed is so typical Lynette. Kudos to Mrs. Landingham, oops, Mrs. McClusky for calling Lynette out on her selfish behavior that she only acts like a friend when she needs something. Why didn’t Lynette and Tom go to another neighbor’s house or a shelter? Maybe this storm will teach Lynette how to be a friend. On second thought, she’s got Gaby, Susan and Bree as her companions, so there’s probably no hope for Lynette.

Las Vegas
Sam is back at the Montecito. Can I get a woo-hoo? Her bowling meeting with Cooper was a fun tête-à-tête during a game of bowling. I finally figured out what’s bugging me about Tom Selleck’s stiff-jawed portrayal of Cooper. He’s missing the Thomas Magnum sense of humor. Selleck excels in levity. To see it restrained in this role is a real downer. Did you catch his hilarious stint on Friends? Yes, Cooper is daunting, scary and mysterious. But I miss his fun side. Ed Deline managed a perfect balance of both. Let’s hope Selleck finds his smile soon. It’s too pretty not to be seen.
Meanwhile, Danny and Mike caught the robbers. But poor Danny, every member of his family has now ended up six-feet under. DeLinda, you should think twice before marrying into the McCoy clan.

How I Met Your Mother
Barney lost his mojo. Say what? Even suited up in a room full of supermodels, Barney had nothing. Sure, it stemmed from realizing that his brother, the always-entertaining Wayne Brady, had paid Barney’s first lover to lie about his performance. Realizing he wasn’t awesome threw Barney in to such a spin that he began doubting his sexual prowess, thus throwing off everything in the How I Met Your Mother universe. In a funny B storyline, the rest of the gang joined the gym. It lasted less than a week. As much as I enjoy the Mother folks, I’ve lost all patience with the reveal about who the mother actually is. Just tell us already!

Brothers and Sisters
Congratulations Robert and Kitty! They tied the knot. It’s always a good time at a Walker shindig and the wedding didn’t disappoint, due to Robert’s run at the presidency. I couldn’t help but chuckle as members of the Walker clan were detained by secret service for various charges: Kevin’s off-the-cuff comment about wanting to kill his new brother in law, Nora’s date for smoking pot and Justin and Tommy for fighting. Good times. Good for Rebecca for telling Justin that his new girlfriend was sleeping with this brother. As for the new guy in town who showed up at Holly’s door at the end, I’m betting he’s Rebecca’s real father. There is no way she and Justin are brother and sister. I just can’t buy it. Those two have too much chemistry.

Pushing Daisies
A taffy candy competitor moved into the Pie Hole neighborhood and the rivalry got a bit sticky this week. One dead body in the taffy vat later, and the pie maker and his pals had to solve a crime. This show is so much fun. Thank you ABC and Lee Pace for making me smile each week. And I’ve said it before, Ned and Olive, are pure confection. I do have one note, though, Lee Pace, you know I love you, but get a pair of tweezers. Those eyebrows are starting to rival Peter Gallagher’s.

The Office
Psych! Yes, I’d love to be able to gush about Michael’s latest idiotic scheme or the euphoria that is Pam and Jim, but the writer’s strike has caused The Office to go dark with any new episodes. I hurt, Tubers!

Friday Night Lights
Landry confessed. Matt lost his virginity. Tim apologized his way back on to the team. And Eric was jealous of his wife’s new “yuck-it-up” friend. Things happen quickly in Dillon. I’m so glad this show has new episodes left because ending the show with Landry’s confession to the cops is a cliffhanger of monumental proportions. Will he go to jail? Will Tyra come to his rescue? I can’t wait for the next episode.

OK, it’s your turn to share your thoughts on your favorite moments and shows from the past week. I’ll be waiting for your comments.

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Let’s talk TV: The week in review

Friday Night Lights
Tyra, your body is a wonderland. (And no that isn’t a dig at her cast mate Minka Kelly, who is dating John Mayer.) Tyra is hot. It’s no wonder poor Landry is in love with her. I don’t know how Tim Riggins has managed to resist her lately. Speaking of resisting, QB1, also known as Matt Saracen, has so many hot ladies throwing themselves at him; it’s sending his stuttering into overdrive. Julie realized that she shouldn’t have ended things with Matt and seems to be getting a little too cozy with her teacher lately. I don’t like where this is headed. Watch your back, teach, because if Eric finds you hitting on his daughter, you may find yourself being used as a tackling dummy during the next football practice. And how about the entertainment for the Pantherama rally? Having the football team strip was definitely thinking outside of the box. In my high school, everyone would have been expelled for that sexy stunt. But, this is Dillon, where football rules and apparently teachers and parents don’t mind the kids half naked and gyrating on the gym floor.

Dirty Sexy Money
I’m really enjoying the dysfunctional Darling family, especially serial bride Karen. The poor gal can’t seem to get over her first love Nick George and is set on winning him back. Mrs. George, you have been warned. The most surprising twist of this show for me is that I actually like former hard-ass Rev. Brian. The storyline with his son has softened him. OK, sure he made the kid pretend he was an orphan who didn’t speak English, so that Brian’s wife wouldn’t find out that he had an illegitimate son, but in the end, he came clean. He's even missing the little tyke. And so am I.

Private Practice
It’s been weeks since I invested in Private Practice. And much like the stock market, my sentiments about this show go up and down. This week, I hit an all-time low. Addison’s new dating companion had a strange fetish: he liked to insert objects in his rectum. Let’s just say I hope she never gets that shoe back. I don’t care if it is a Jimmy Choo. I’m trying to love Private Practice; I really am. But Addison is so… what’s the word? Silly. Yes, I never thought I’d describe my Addison as silly, but that’s what she’s become. And the rest of her co-workers are just as bad. The bright spot is that she and Pete have chemistry. Perhaps she’ll stop acting like a teen soon. The one character I am interested in, Dell, never seems to have much to do but fetch coffee. How about giving him a storyline? I think I may have to handle Private Practice the same way I handle broccoli. I partake from time to time, even though I don’t like it.

Ugly Betty
Just like the sun, Ugly Betty is the one show I can count on to be reliable. (Friday Night Lights is the other.) Betty never disappoints. It’s silly fun, and unlike Private Practice, the silly works. The show somehow balances comedy and drama perfectly. Eric Mabius has made me weepy several times. When Daniel Meade gets serious, look out. This week when he mourned his father, I was reaching for the Kleenex. His idea to black out the cover of Mode in honor of this father’s death was brilliant. In contrast, Amanda’s quest to find her father makes me laugh hard, every time she goes to the wall of photos of all her mother’s lovers. This week I caught Tom Selleck’s mug, Warren Beatty, Mick Jagger and Burt Reynolds. That Faye Summers sure got around, didn’t she?

Heroes
Not even the addition of my own personal TV hero, Kristen Bell, to the Heroes cast has rekindled my love for this show. I’m sad, Tubers, as I used to love it. I’ve tried hanging on, but the show simply doesn’t interest me anymore. There are too many characters, story arcs, and too little time with the characters I do care about. It pains me more than you know to remove a show starring Kristen Bell from my DVR lineup, but when it feels like an obligation to watch it each week, then it’s time to go.

Las Vegas
There was no new episode this week, which was a good thing since we never talked about the last episode. Cooper fired Sam! I don’t think I’m alone here when I say, “What?!?!!” OK, so she shouldn’t have dumped that milkshake over the cowboy’s head, but in her defense, the guy was a tool. But this is Sam. She’s my favorite character on the show. I usually have to rewind her rapid-fire witty dialogue a couple times, so I can enjoy and appreciate her sarcastic barbs. There is no Las Vegas without her. The new boss man had better come to his senses soon because I want her back at the Montecito hanging with Mr. Cooper.

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NBC auctioning props

NBC is selling some of the props used by your favorite actors on NBC shows.

The first online auction began yesterday and runs through December 3. More items are being added every few weeks, as the auction continues.

The first auction has some fun items. As of 2 p.m. Michael Scott’s watch from The Office, worn by Steve Carell, was up to $205. Tim Riggins’ football jersey from Friday Night Lights, worn by Taylor Kitsch, was up to $170 (sweat may be included,) and a football autographed by several FNL cast members was up to $105.

Some items weren’t doing so well, though. Poor Sam (Vanessa Marcil) from Las Vegas. Her doggie carrier for Reggie hadn’t earned one bid yet. But Danny’s letterman jacket, worn and autographed by cutie Josh Duhamel, was up to $90.

Heroes seemed to be generating the most interest. The original painting of the cheerleader, Claire Bennet, was up to a whopping $2,500.

Now, before you go firing off the angry e-mails at me about helping a greedy network hawk its merchandise, you should know that a portion of the proceeds are going to the United Way and its organizations.

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Tube Talk Girl returns from vacation

Bonjour, Tubers!

You may have noticed that this blog has been dark since last Thursday. Well, it wasn’t due to a writer’s strike. It was due to a much-needed vacation. (Hey, even Tube Talk Girl needs a break from time to time.)

I’m back from the great white north, also known as Montreal, Quebec.

I’ve returned with a new appreciation for DVRs, bi-lingual people, and French bread. (You try living a week without the ability to pause, rewind or fast-forward live television. Then, try asking directions from someone who speaks only French. Then, take a bite of the delicious croissants and French bread served daily in Montreal, and you’ll want to throw out your regular 35-calorie-per-slice of Heiners bread, too.)

My plan was to blog on a daily basis during vacation, so I wouldn’t let down my regular readers. But after seeing the Internet rates at the Montreal Sheraton, I changed my mind. Don’t hold it against me. If it makes you feel better, it was a slow news weekend.

I’m back on the job, as of right now. I’ll be catching you up on all the TV news we’ve missed and talking about some of my favorite shows. (Cooper fired Sam on Las Vegas?!!! What?)

For those of you who missed me, like the Desperate Housewives miss drama, tune in to Magic 106.5 tomorrow morning between 7-8 a.m., and I’ll be giving you, and my pal Jack Logar, the Tube Talk report.

Until then, bonsoir!

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NBC is going green this week; should it?

NBC is kicking off sweeps week with an environmental campaign. All this week, you’ll see eco-friendly messages throughout NBC programs.

For example, on Scrubs, after watching An Inconvenient Truth, the Janitor vows to savethe world by becoming the Environmental Officer at Sacred Heart. On My Name is Earl, the warden asks Earl to incorporate environmentally friendly “green” messages into a skit presentation. On Chuck, Chuck visits Stanford University for “Green Weekend.”

"By creatively weaving stories concerning environmental awareness into our series, we see this as an opportunity to engage the audience andprovide a positive social message," said Ben Silverman, co-chairman of NBC. "Our ultimate goal is to entertain people while creating a conversation about a universal issue."

While I’m all for going green, I don’t like my favorite programs creating dialogue touting what essentially is a commercial message. I hate it when product placement is so obvious that it detracts from the story. (See this week’s episode of Nip/Tuck for what can only be described as a 30-second commercial for Yoplait yogurt.)

I applaud NBC for using its power to get people talking about the environment, but I fear this is a dangerous precedent to set. What happens if the network decides that it must get out a message that Dell computers are superior? Will our favorite characters suddenly start declaring the excellence of Dell computers? I can just hear Scrubs’ JD to Turk, “Dude, you’re getting a Dell.”

Or what happens if the social message of the week is about the atrocities in Darfur? Will we see Earl raising money for the cause and ER sending doctors?

Perhaps I should have more faith in my favorite shows to weave in the green message subtlety. But, from the press release, it doesn’t seem that subtle is playing a part here. For example, on Las Vegas, the Montecito will host an environmental conference and Delinda takes up the cause to get the staff on board. On, Friday Night Lights, Tami’s sister hits the Taylor household to encourage the family to live a green lifestyle. On 30 Rock, the network pushes its green initiative by getting David Schwimmer to become the green mascot. (Al Gore and Meredith Vieira also guest star.)

Even Days of Our Lives and the late night talk shows are producing green messages. So, get set for a week full of TV preaching the greatness of green. I’m warning you now, do don’t kill the messenger.

For more information on the green initiative, visit this NBC Web site, Green is Universal, where you can find "The More You Know" eco-friendly messages from NBC stars, green blogs from the executive producers of shows such as Las Vegas, as well as videos which willfeature highlights from the shows, celebrity public serviceannouncements, and a behind-the-scenes look at Days of Our Lives star Peter Reckell's environmentally sound home.

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Let’s talk TV! The Week in Review

Best line of the week
Barney from How I Met Your Mother wins this week for this gem:
(Robin explained that she hadn’t shaved her legs in days so she wouldn’t go too far on the first date.)
Barney: “FYI baby, guys just want to get on the green. They don’t mind going through the rough.”

Journeyman
Why does the Journeyman only have one sweater? It’s a nice one, sure, very GQ-esque, but still. He needs to change it up a bit.

Pushing Daisies
The facts were these. Kristin Chenowith stole my heart in Pushing Daisies when she portrayed her heartbreak via song. She channeled Olivia Newton John in her rendition of Hopelessly Devoted to You, complete with Digby the dog’s masterful accompaniment. I know we’re supposed to root for Ned and Chuck, but Olive deserves some love, too. This could be primetime’s best love triangle since Sawyer, Kate and Jack. Not often does a television show with a perfect pilot live up to it in the next episode, but Pushing Daisies did. I hope we get to see more of Olive singing, more of Emerson knitting, and more of Ned being, well, Ned.

Las Vegas
I can’t believe it, but it seems we’re getting deeper character development on Las Vegas. Sam didn’t miraculously recover from her kidnapping ordeal in one episode. In fact, she’s been struggling the last three episodes. Yay! My only complaint with Las Vegas in the past is that the fun-filled romp fest is infamous for introducing great storylines and dropping them too quickly. (Danny’s war trauma, Sam and Casey’s love story, Nessa’s relocation.) The show has a different feel this year, and it seems to be leaning toward longer story arcs. It still has the outrageous plots, the humor, the slick set and stellar cast, and now it seems a little more conversation to go along with all that action.

Grey’s Anatomy
I want to hug Lexie Grey. When she begged Bailey to not make her work with Meredith because she hates Lexie for something that isn’t her fault, she won me over. As for this George/Izzie/Callie relationship, not so much. Callie needs to kick that cheater to the curb and regain her mojo. Let deer-resuscitating Izzie have him. Callie can do better. I hear MsSteamy’s single again.

Private Practice
I’ve never tried so hard in my life to love a show. (Well, OK, Gossip Girl is an effort, too.) But week after week, Private Practice disappoints me. Yet, I keep hanging on because I know the greatness that is Shonda Rhimes, and my love for Kate Walsh, Tim Daly, Audra McDonald and Taye Diggs knows no bounds. I think I’ve pinpointed my problem. The show setting is silly. (Ducking for cover.) A wellness clinic may work for massage, therapy and alternative medicine, but if your children were turning blue, what parent wouldn’t rush them to an emergency room? If these doctors worked in a hospital, perhaps they’d be more believable and credible. The fact that they sit around all day eating cake, playing pranks and eyeing one another undermines their professionalism. On Grey’s Anatomy, at least they always redeem their childish antics by performing some miraculous medical miracle. Maybe next week will be better.

Chuck
Here’s just one of the reasons I’m enjoying Chuck. The writers are obviously fans of Lost. What else could explain one of Chuck’s government-downloaded secrets including the fact that Oceanic Flight 815 was shot down? (That’s a nod to the plane that crashed on Lost.) Brilliant!

Losing steam
I loved the pilot episodes of Reaper and Moonlight, but I’m quickly losing interest. Moonlight hasn’t grabbed me the way Buffy and Angel did, and Reaper seems to be lacking that Kevin Smith polish that made the pilot shine. Heroes is also waning for me. I’ll just say it. There are too many heroes. Watching this show is like having ADD. We get a two-minute clip of one story, and then it’s on to the next.

Do you agree or disagree with Tube Talk Girl's comments? Leave some of your own and tell us what you thought of this week's TV.

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Breaking news: Dean Cain returning to Las Vegas!

This just in. Dean Cain is bringing his Casey Manning back to Las Vegas for a couple episodes, he said in an interview today with KTLA.

Can I get a Woo-Hoo?

Cain didn’t give any further details about the return. Ever since Casey’s death, I’ve been predicting/hoping that the giant squid didn’t really do him in. I thought he perhaps faked his death, so he wouldn’t have to pay all the back taxes on The Montecito. Sounds logical, and I hope that’s the route they go.

I thought something might be up when Sam mentioned Casey in last week’s therapy session. She was discussing emotional intimacy and that she never got closure with Casey.

Las Vegas fans loved the Casey/Sam pairing and have been clamoring for Casey to return, on the NBC message boards and Las Vegas fan sites.

Sam deserves some love, finally, and I think Casey is just the guy to give it to her.

The KTLA clip also has scenes from Cain’s upcoming Smallville appearance. I’m not sure how long the video link will stay viable, so watch it now.

Thanks to a loyal Tube Talk reader who anonymously tipped me off to this story!

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Las Vegas premiere: Hello, Tom Selleck!

Friday’s two-hour season premiere of Las Vegas adhered to its Elvis theme song. One could never accuse this show of needing “a little less conversation and a little more action.” It was action-packed from start to finish.

Delinda survived the explosion and shared the news with Danny that she’s pregnant. Sam survived the kidnapping and attempted rape by pushing creepy billionaire Vince out of a plane at 15,000 feet to his death. A Montecito employee robbed the casino, and Ed busted him. Mary’s pedophile dad took three bullets to the chest, courtesy of Mary and Ed. Consequently, Ed, Jillian, and Mary are all on the run from the cops. And the Montecito has a new owner with a passion for cowboy boots, A.J. Cooper, aka Tom Selleck.

Cooper made quite an impression on his first day. We first saw him on a horse, riding the range, before writing a check for $241 million to buy the Montecito. He gave away a fleet of cars and $3 million dollars in cash and let a card cheater go, after making him lose all his ill-gotten winnings. His management style couldn’t be more opposite of Ed Deline’s.

Selleck’s character is eccentric, shaking things up with his “Anything Can Happen” campaign. He doesn’t yet have the effortless chemistry with Josh Duhamel and company that James Cann and Dean Cain did, but I think that’s because his character is supposed to be adversarial with the team at the onset. Cooper is trying to decide if he wants to fire anyone. Cooper came across as a bit cold to the employees, but it worked for him because his character is supposed to be intimidating. He was. Even marine Danny was rattled.

Fans were worried about the future of Las Vegas when news broke last year that Caan and Nikki Cox were leaving the show. Based on the premiere, I’d say that Las Vegas is in good shape. The trademark humor is still intact. From Mike’s fetal development lecture, to Delinda’s morning sickness and growing boobs, to Sam’s fast-talking, there were plenty of laughs. The best line of the night though went to manicurist Polly, who with her broken English, managed to bust an inside joke about Rosie O’Donnell. While giving Selleck’s character a manicure, she told him the Montecito needed a makeover, “like Rosie O’Donnell.” (O’Donnell once rudely went off on Selleck during an appearance on her talk show for his support of the NRA.)

My only beef with the show was the way Ed’s exit was handled. Making him a fugitive is a hard pill to swallow, considering he now has a grandchild on the way that I’m sure he and Jillian will want to see. Couldn’t Ed and Jillian have retired to a golf community somewhere instead?

Next week looks to be even better, as Mike and Danny vie for the top-dog job. It looks like Mike is the frontrunner at this point, but Cooper is a former marine, as is Danny, so they share that bond.

After Friday’s premiere, Josh Duhamel chatted with fans at NBC.com. If you missed it, check out the transcript here.

What did you think of Selleck and the new sheriff in town? Did you feel a huge, gaping hole with Ed and Mary gone? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Big week for TV

Are you ready for some TV? Tubers, it’s the week we’ve waited for all year. Old favorites are returning and, perhaps, new favorites will emerge, as the new fall TV season gets underway this week.

Tonight, don’t forget Dancing With the Stars returns at 8 p.m. on ABC. Barney and the gang of How I Met Your Mother also return at 8 p.m. on CBS. If that’s not enough to get you excited, NBC is launching the new season of Heroes, at 9 p.m., and the new time travel show, Journeyman, at 10 p.m.

I’m most excited about Smallville, Ugly Betty, Grey’s Anatomy, Brothers and Sisters, and Las Vegas, all premiering this week.

For a complete list of when your favorite shows are coming back, click here for the schedule. Then, set your VCRs and DVRs for a busy workout.

If you haven’t ordered a DVR yet, you may want to get cracking. If not, you’re going to have to make some tough choices, most distressingly being Monday nights, trying to choose between Chuck, Dancing With the Stars and How I Met Your Mother. As usual, Thursdays are going to be downright stressful, too, having to pick between Ugly Betty, My Name is Earl, and Smallville.

So, arm yourselves with your remote, a bowl of buttery popcorn, and a sense of humor. It’s going to be a fun season.

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Magnum P.I. reunion on Las Vegas

If the names Magnum, TC, and Rick mean anything to you, then keep reading.

Fans of the hit 1980s show Magnum P.I. are about to get a treat this season. As has been exuberantly reported here, Tom Selleck is joining the cast of the NBC show Las Vegas this season. What you don’t know is that Selleck is bringing a couple of his former Magnum costars along with him.

Larry Manetti and Roger E. Mosley, (Rick an T.C.) will guest star as two of Selleck’s “billionaire buddies who come in for their yearly poker game,” executive producer Gary Scott Thompson told TV Guide.

I’m not sure if it was Selleck’s idea to reunite with his two pals in this fun story or if it came from the Las Vegas producers. But, bravo to whomever made that decision. However, I’d like to see Higgins, too. Yes, I’m a greedy TV diva.

The date of this very special Las Vegas has not been released yet. Stay tuned.

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