Emmys nominations 2009: Well done!

Photo: Emmy nominee Simon Baker of the CBS drama "The Mentalist"



by Jennifer Squires Biller


If you haven’t heard, the Emmy nominations were announced on Thursday.

We have to wait until September 20 to see who takes home the naked statues known as Emmys and who shows up with their mother as their date, but meanwhile, here’s a look at the nominees.

Overall, I’m quite pleased with this year’s list. (No, I haven’t been drinking.) It seems Emmy voters may finally be getting that there is more to television than HBO.

I’m absolutely over-the-moon that Pushing Daisies’ Kristin Chenoweth, How I Met Your Mother’s Neil Patrick Harris, and The Mentalist’s Simon Baker scored nominations. Also, a great big high five for Boston Legal - which delivered some Emmy-worthy television in its final episodes - and for Vanessa Williams, who is always downright delicious playing a devilish diva on Ugly Betty. And I’m hoping that this is the year Chandra Wilson gets her well-deserved Emmy for her work on Grey’s Anatomy.

Oh sure, there were several snubs, but not like we usually see. Most notably, where was Josh Holloway of Lost? He has done excellent work and should be recognized. Also, there is no excuse for the complete shut out of Friday Night Lights. It’s one of the best dramas on TV! Just as disappointing, was the lack of love for Psych and its stars. Dule Hill and James Roday make me laugh out loud every week.

That’s my opinion. What do you think of this year’s nominees?

Best Series, Drama
'Big Love'
'Breaking Bad'
'Damages'
'Dexter'
'House'
'Lost'
'Mad Men'

Best Series, Comedy
'30 Rock'
'Entourage'
'Family Guy'
'Flight Of The Conchords'
'How I Met Your Mother'
'The Office'
'Weeds'

Best Actor, Drama
Bryan Cranston 'Breaking Bad'
Michael C. Hall 'Dexter'
Hugh Laurie 'House'
Gabriel Byrne 'In Treatment'
Jon Hamm 'Mad Men'
Simon Baker 'The Mentalist'

Best Actor, Comedy
Alec Baldwin '30 Rock'
Tony Shalhoub 'Monk'
Jim Parsons 'The Big Bang Theory'
Steve Carell 'The Office'
Charlie Sheen 'Two And A Half Men'
Jemaine Clement 'Flight Of The Conchords'

Best Actress, Drama
Sally Field 'Brothers & Sisters'
Glenn Close 'Damages'
Mariska Hargitay 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'
Holly Hunter 'Saving Grace'
Kyra Sedgwick 'The Closer'
Elisabeth Moss 'Mad Men'

Best Actress, Comedy
Tina Fey '30 Rock'
Christina Applegate 'Samantha Who?'
Julia Louis-Dreyfus 'The New Adventures Of Old Christine'
Sarah Silverman 'The Sarah Silverman Program'
Mary-Louise Parker 'Weeds'
Toni Collette 'United States Of Tara'

Best Supporting Actor, Drama Series
William Shatner 'Boston Legal'
Christian Clemenson 'Boston Legal'
Aaron Paul 'Breaking Bad'
Michael Emerson 'Lost'
John Slattery 'Mad Men'
William Hurt 'Damages'

Best Supporting Actress, Drama Series
Rose Byrne 'Damages'
Hope Davis 'In Treatment'
Chandra Wilson 'Grey's Anatomy'
Sandra Oh 'Grey's Anatomy'
Dianne Wiest 'In Treatment'
Cherry Jones '24'

Best Supporting Actor, Comedy Series
Kevin Dillon 'Entourage'
Tracy Morgan '30 Rock'
Neil Patrick Harris 'How I Met Your Mother'
Rainn Wilson 'The Office'
Jon Cryer 'Two And A Half Men'
Jack McBrayer '30 Rock'

Best Supporting Actress, Comedy Series
Kristin Chenoweth 'Pushing Daisies'
Kristen Wiig 'Saturday Night Live'
Amy Poehler 'Saturday Night Live'
Jane Krakowski '30 Rock'
Vanessa Williams 'Ugly Betty'
Elizabeth Perkins 'Weeds'

Best Reality-Competition Program'American Idol'
'Dancing With The Stars'
'Project Runway'
'The Amazing Race'
'Top Chef'

Best Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program
Ryan Seacrest 'American Idol'
Tom Bergeron 'Dancing With the Stars'
Phil Keoghan 'The Amazing Race'
Heidi Klum 'Project Runway'
Jeff Probst 'Survivor'
Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio 'Top Chef'

Best Variety, Music or Comedy Series
'Late Show With David Letterman'
'Real Time With Bill Maher'
'Saturday Night Live'
'The Colbert Report'
'The Daily Show With Jon Stewart'

Best Guest Actor In A Drama Series
Edward Asner 'CSI: NY'
Ted Danson 'Damages'
Jimmy Smits 'Dexter'
Ernest Borgnine 'ER'
Michael J. Fox 'Rescue Me'

Best Guest Actress In A Drama Series
Sharon Lawrence 'Grey's Anatomy'
Ellen Burstyn 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'
Brenda Blethyn 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'
Carol Burnett 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'
CCH Pounder 'The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency'

Best Guest Actor In A Comedy Series
Beau Bridges 'Desperate Housewives'
Justin Timberlake 'Saturday Night Live'
Steve Martin '30 Rock'
Jon Hamm '30 Rock'
Alan Alda '30 Rock'

Best Guest Actress In A Comedy Series
Christine Baranski 'The Big Bang Theory'
Gena Rowlands 'Monk'
Betty White 'My Name Is Earl'
Tina Fey 'Saturday Night Live'
Jennifer Aniston '30 Rock'
Elaine Stritch '30 Rock'

Best Miniseries
'Generation Kill'
'Little Dorritt'

Best Lead Actor, Miniseries or Movie
Kevin Kline 'Cyrano de Bergerac'
Brendan Gleeson 'Into The Storm'
Sir Ian McKellen 'King Lear'
Kevin Bacon 'Taking Chance'
Kiefer Sutherland '24: Redemption'
Kenneth Branagh 'Wallander: One Step Behind'

Best Lead Actress, Miniseries or Movie
Chandra Wilson 'Accidental Friendship'
Shirley MacLaine 'Coco Chanel'
Drew Barrymore 'Grey Gardens'Jessica Lange 'Grey Gardens'
Sigourney Weaver 'Prayers For Bobby'

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Commentary with a Co-Ed: Lost season ender

by Ashley Gouveia

The season finale of Lost is coming up next week and it promises to be an episode full of twists and turns. Sure, pretty much every episode of Lost could fall under that category. Nonetheless, this week’s episode was a great set up for the finale. Locke went on a power trip, Sawyer and Jack got the stuffing beat out of them, and Ben is actually funny. Weird, right?

The one element that I can always count on this show to have is an awesome, jaw-dropping, scratch-your-head-pre-credits moment. Before the title comes up and the eerie sound starts playing, I’m always left bewildered by what I just saw. This week, for instance, Richard told Sun that he recognizes Jack and Co. because he watched them all die. Huh? My thoughts exactly. Could Richard mean that Jack succeeded in getting the plane to never crash and they all disappeared Back to the Future style? Or did they all just get killed? I’m hoping for the first theory.

I thought it was quite amusing watching Locke go on his little power trip as new leader of the Others. He was sticking it to Ben whenever he had the chance, whether it be about his new power as leader or how Ben never saw Jacob. I couldn’t help but laugh at some of Ben’s lines during the scene when Locke asked Ben if he was going into the jungle with him. Who knew that Benjamin Linus could be funny? He mostly just creeps me out. The tone in his voice just had so much loathing towards Locke that it came off as hilarious.

Sawyer got beat up by the Dharma Initiative because their cover was blown. I felt bad for him and Juliet. They had some kind of resemblance of lives and then it was all taken away. Love them or hate them, but Sawyer and Juliet have some great onscreen chemistry. I was taken aback by Sawyer deciding to just leave the island on the submarine. His response when he took one final glance at the island was “good riddance.” Really? I didn’t think that he would leave Kate and the others behind. Poor Juliet’s fantasy of a life alone with Sawyer had blown up in her face when Kate showed up on the sub, and she knew it too. It looks like the big elephant in the room is going to finally be discussed next week.

Do you think that Jack’s idea of preventing the plane from crashing a good one? Or should he not mess with fate? I’m hoping next week we finally get an answer to whom or what is Jacob. Will Locke actually be able to kill him? Sound off in the comments.

Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Friday.

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Commentary with a Co-Ed: TV's best couples

by Ashley Gouveia

In honor of Valentine’s Day this Saturday, I decided that this would be the best time to make my list of television’s best and most memorable couples. There have been so many couples over the years that have left an impact on viewers so it was definitely a task to narrow it down. Whether these duos are breaking up, making up, or fighting to the death one cannot deny the sparks that fly in the process.

Buffy and Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer): These two were the definition of “star-crossed lovers”. A vampire in love with the Slayer, like Giles once said, “It’s rather poetic.” This couple had everything against them. He was more than 100-years old, and she was a high school student. Not to mention that she killed his species for a living. His basic instinct was to kill her, but instead he fell in love with her. Their story was filled with love and hate, but we never stopped rooting for them. Even when he turned evil and, she was going to kill him, we still hoped they would find a way back to each other. They did, for a while, but like any “star-crossed” couple they split apart. Buffy and Angel’s love story was one of the highlights of the series and deserve the top spot on this list.

Ross and Rachel (Friends): The fans only waited 10 years for these two to finally wake up and realize they belonged together. They had many trials and tribulations in their often-rocky relationship (remember the “we were on a break” debacle?), but they never stopped caring about each other. They were still friends, after all they had been through. Their first kiss at Central Perk is one of those memorable moments in TV history that fans will certainly never forget.

Jack/Kate/Sawyer (Lost): Okay, so I couldn’t choose which pair was better. The truth is that both men have amazing chemistry with Kate. I’m sure there are fans out there who could choose with no problem about which pair they would rather watch onscreen. I think the appeal of these two men with Kate is that they both have a very different type of relationship with her. Jack makes Kate a better person when she’s with him. He helped her through the weirdness that is the island. On many occasions he has been a source of strength for her. Sawyer and Kate have this amazing connection and sizzling attraction. Also, when they are together we get to see a softer side to Sawyer, which is always a nice thing to see.

These are my choices of the best couples of TV past and present. Which couples would make your list? Happy Valentine’s Day!

Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Friday.

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Commentary with a Co-Ed: Did Lost sizzle or fizzle?

by Ashley Gouveia

Lost is back!

Is it too early to say better than ever?

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I actually had to watch the hour recap show. It’s been way too long since the Losties were on my tube, and I needed a little refresher. It also got me pumped for the season five premiere. Is Locke really dead? What happened to Sawyer and the rest of the gang back on the island? Did Jack finally shave off that awful beard?

Thankfully, he did do just that. But not before Ben convinced him that he had to get all of the Oceanic Six and a dead Locke back to the island. Apparently, Locke had gone to the mainland and told Jack that terrible things happened after they left. Then we got a series of flashbacks in which we saw just exactly what those “terrible” things were.

I don’t claim to be an expert on the time space continuum, but I was surprisingly keeping up with Daniel’s synopsis on what was going on. It wasn’t exactly just the island that was moving but its people were also moving through time. Sawyer, Juliet and the others went into the past and future. They even went to the point where Ethan Rayne was still alive and kicking. Crazy, right? I loved that we got to see the island and what happened after Jack and company left.

Back in the future, Jack tried to rally up the troops. That task turned out to be a lot more difficult what with Hurley being chased by the cops, Ana Lucia’s ghost not included. I was not expecting to see her back; that was a nice little twist. The little bit that we saw of Desmond was great. I loved that Daniel got him to open up the hatch and told him to go to Oxford where they first met. Then Desmond woke up three years later and believed it was a memory.

Can I say that Sun is scaring me? She was completely creepy during her meeting with Kate. One minute she was serious and the next she was drained of all emotion. She is out for revenge, and I don’t think anyone should stand in her way. I was not expecting Hurley to turn himself into the cops to escape Ben. After all, he was the one who was always saying they never should have left the island. I thought he would have been the first one in that line.

What did you all think of the Lost premiere? Are they all going to go back no matter what? What exactly happened to Sawyer and Juliet that caused Locke to leave the island to get the Oceanic Six back? Let me know your theories in the comments.

Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Friday.

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Happy New Year!

Hey, Tubers, long time no chat, eh?

Happy New Year!

I know 2008 was a little slow here at Tube Talk, compared to previous years, a problem I hope to remedy in 2009. As you know, I had a parasite. Well, OK, it felt like a parasite, with all the vomiting, migraines, etc. But our blessed little bundle is now out in the world and doing well, after making his rocky debut at 3 pounds and 15 ounces. (See the photo at left of Parker Donovan Biller for proof.) Now, I’m slowly driving myself mad trying to juggle work, bottles, diapers, playtime, sleep deprivation, and all the other facets of childcare. It’s a good day if I make it out of my pajamas by 11 a.m.

Thanks to all of you for your continued support, especially those that tune in to hear me each week on the Jack Logar Morning Show on Magic 106.5. I’ll have some good scoop on Tuesday’s show, so be sure not to miss it.

January means not only new resolutions, but also a new crop of TV shows. Back this week are Nip/Tuck, Scrubs, Monk, Psych, Gossip Girl, Privileged, One Tree Hill, and 24. Can I get a “woo hoo?” Not to mention, Lost, American Idol and several new shows are right around the corner.

Welcome back, old friends! Stay tuned to Tube Talk for some fun stories, return dates and sneak peeks of your favorite shows, and the latest TV news.

Here’s to 2009! May your new year be blessed, or at least better than an episode of Knight Rider.

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Winter 2009 TV premiere dates

The winter television season will soon be upon us. And with it comes the return of several of my favorite shows: Scrubs, Friday Night Lights, Lost and Nip/Tuck.

Check below to find out when your favorite shows are returning. I’ve also included a brief synopsis of some new shows you may be interested in checking out. I’ve got two words: Nathan Fillion.

Mon, Jan. 5
The Bachelor (ABC)
True Beauty (ABC)

Tues., Jan. 6
Nip/Tuck (FX)
Scrubs (ABC)
According to Jim (ABC)

Wed., Jan. 7
Damages (FX)

Sun., Jan. 11
24 (FOX)

Mon, Jan. 12
Samantha Who? (ABC)

Tues., Jan. 13
American Idol (FOX)

Wed., Jan. 14
Lie to Me (FOX)
Lost (ABC)

Fri., Jan. 16
Battlestar Galactica (Sci Fi)
Friday Night Lights (NBC)

Sun., Jan. 18
Big Love (HBO)The L Word (Showtime)
Secret Diary of a Call Girl (Showtime)
United States of Tara (Showtime)

Wed., Jan. 21
Lost (ABC)

Thur., Feb. 12
Survivor (CBS)

Fri., Feb. 13
Dollhouse (FOX)

Sun., Feb. 15
The Amazing Race (CBS)

Mon., Mar. 9
Castle (ABC)
Dancing With the Stars Season 8 (ABC)

Tues., Mar. 17
Reaper (CW)

Tues., Mar. 24
Cupid (ABC)

Wed., Apr. 8
The Unusuals (ABC)

Thur., Apr. 9
Harper's Island (CBS)

New Show Information:

Castle, stars Nathan Fillion as a mystery novelist who assists a female NYPD detective (Stana Katic.) The show airs Mondays at 10 p.m.

Cupid, stars Bobby Cannavale and Sarah Paulson, in this remake of the original Rob Thomas series that gave us Jeremy Piven. The show airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m.

Dollhouse stars Elisha Dushku and Amy Acker of Buffy fame in this Joss Whedon drama about a group of “dolls” who work at a futuristic lab and have their memories wiped clean after performing tasks. The show airs Fridays at 9 p.m.

The Unusuals, stars Amber Tamblyn, Harold Perrineau, and Adam Goldberg as NYPD detectives. The show airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m.

Lie to Me stars Tim Roth as a specialist who helps solve crimes by reading people’s body language and voices. The show airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m.

Harper’s Island is a serialized mystery set on a secluded island off the coast of Seattle. A group gathers on the island for a wedding, only to be killed off one by one by a mysterious killer. The show airs Thursdays at 10 p.m.

True Beauty is a reality show from Tyra Banks where contestants are judged on their inner beauty, not their exterior, but don’t know it. The show airs Mondays at 9 p.m.

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Commentary with a Co-Ed: The Lost finale shockers

by Ashley Gouveia

I remember sitting down and writing my first column for Tube Talk about last year’s season finale of Lost. My poor Charlie’s demise left me clamoring for the Kleenex and the last five minute flash-forward cliffhanger was enough to leave any Lost fan saying, “Huh?” I can’t say that last night’s finale was any different for me. I laughed, cried and screamed at the TV. A typical viewing of a Lost finale.

It was really cool how the episode started right where it ended last season. That jaw-dropping cliffy makes a lot more sense now after watching this season. Life off the island doesn’t seem too cheery for the Oceanic Six. Although, I would probably want to stay on land than have to face anymore black-smoke monsters or polar bears. Kate finally said the name of the person who Jack had the obituary of in the flash-forward: Jeremy Bentham. *crickets* Yeah, I had no idea who that was either. Imagine my confusion when it was revealed who it actually was.

The team up of our Losties with Ben and the Others was weird, and the big shootout was intense. I thought that Richard had killed the guy in charge of the island murdering spree. But apparently he has nine lives, like Patchy McPatch from last season. When he showed up alive and well and told Ben how he had the explosives on the freighter rigged so if he died the bomb would go off. Ben did what I would expect from any villain that is worthy of the title. He killed him anyway. Then, he delivered one of my favorite lines of the night when Locke told him he just killed everyone on the boat: “So.”

I really liked that we got to see some revisiting of old relationships from the show’s past. For instance, the Michael and Sun scene when she told him she was pregnant was sweet and had a nostalgic feel to it. The Walt and Hurley conversation was great, after I got over the initial shock of how much older Walt looked. Leave it to Hurley to say exactly what the viewers are thinking at the moment.

There were plenty of ‘Uh-oh’ moments, like when Juliet thanked Daniel for helping them get to safety. That look on Daniel’s face when he turned away left me with a feeling that didn’t bode well for the people on the beach. Since Juliet wasn’t part of the Oceanic Six I figured she stayed behind. I initially thought Sawyer wanted to stay on the island, but it turned out he made the sacrificial swan dive off the helicopter so it wouldn’t crash. Not before he whispered something in Kate’s ear and gave her a kiss goodbye. Skaters everywhere rejoice!

I got teary after Sawyer jumped out and of course when Sun saw the freighter explode with Jin still on it. That scene was completely heartbreaking. The only thing that would have made it even worse was if Desmond didn’t make it off the boat. I kept hoping that somehow his character would make it safely off the island to return next season. Thankfully, Desmond and Frank survived the helicopter crash along with the Oceanic Six. When they all saw a boat approaching them I had my own flashback to when Michael, Sawyer and Jin thought they were rescued and then the Others took Walt. But it wasn’t the others this time; instead it was finally Penny’s boat. The Desmond and Penny reunion was really touching. It was great to see them get a happy ending at least for now.

The big shocker of the night came during the last five minutes when we returned to the flash-forward. Jack went back to the funeral home where he spoke to Ben about how Jeremy told him that terrible things happened after they left the island. He also said that the six of them had to go back. Ben told Jack he’d help him round up the others, but he can’t leave behind Jeremy. Pan over to the open casket to reveal Locke is actually Jeremy Bentham. I hate cliffhangers and this one was worse than the “We have to go back” one from last season. Don’t get me wrong, I loved every minute of it. It’s just going to be a long summer until it returns.


Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Friday.

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Commentary with a Co-ed: Lost's Jack faces death

by Ashley Gouveia

Doctor Jack was down for the count in the first five minutes of last night’s Lost episode.

I knew it was only a matter of time before all of his heroics caught up with him. He passed out from his appendix being on the verge of bursting. It was up to Juliet to save his life, and with any good brush with death, we had some revelations.

We got another glimpse into Jack’s future off the island. We also got a glimpse of some other stuff in the beginning of that flash-forward, but it doesn’t really pertain to the plot (Dr. Shepherd in just a towel, perhaps). I don’t know about you, but I was guessing that the woman in the shower was Juliet. But since she wasn’t one of the Oceanic Six I assumed it was Kate. That’s right, Jate was in the house!

Apparently, they were having a great time playing house and raising little Aaron. I guess Jack changed his mind shortly after Kate’s trial about being in Aaron’s life. He was living with them in domestic bliss, until he paid Hurley a visit in the mental institution. Hurley believes that they are all dead and that none of what they’re experiencing is real. Can you say creepy? He gives Jack a message that Charlie gave him that said, “You’re not supposed to raise him, Jack.” I don’t know what that is supposed to do with anything. Is this just playing into Jack’s daddy issues?

Speaking of Daddy Shepherd, he made a ghostly appearance to his daughter Claire on the island. That would creep anyone out. Claire conveniently disappeared after seeing her deceased dad. Sawyer was freaking out when he found baby Aaron alone in the jungle, with Claire nowhere to be found. I’m loving how protective Sawyer is of Claire. When Miles was staring at her, he made it perfectly clear he wasn’t to go near her. He even issued his own restraining order against him. But I have a feeling Miles wasn’t staring because he was interested in her.

I am firmly convinced that I was never a doctor in a past life because that scene with Jack’s surgery made me cringe. I just wanted Bernard to knock Jack out already, so I didn’t have to witness him watching himself get cut open. Thankfully, Bernard did shortly after.

When Jack was all sewn up and seemingly out of the woods, Juliet thought it would be good time to let Kate in on Jack’s suppressed feelings. Even though he kissed her, it wasn’t because of his feelings for her, but for him to convince himself he wasn’t still in love with Kate. Of course, he heard everything and Juliet knew that.

After his visit with Hurley in the flash-forward, I was pretty confident that Jack was going to freak out and bolt on Kate. Instead, he whipped out a ring and proposed to her. She accepted, but it wasn’t all hugs and kisses after that. Kate was secretly having contact with Sawyer. I don’t know exactly how that works. We did find out that Sawyer chose to stay on the island, and that Jack was the one to save her. Another revelation was that he’s aware that he is related to Aaron. There is still the unanswered question of what happened to Claire. Did she choose to stay on the island too? Let me know your theories. ‘Till next week.


Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Friday.

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Commentary with a Co-ed: TV's best villains

by Ashley Gouveia

Evil, cunning, manipulative, and powerful. These are all traits that I expect to see in my TV villains. Which ones do I consider simply the best? Better than all the rest? (Ok, you knew that was coming!) Here are my choices for the best villains of TV shows past and present. Agree or disagree, these people scare the daylights out of me.

Benjamin “Benry” Linus, Lost : The eyes alone would scare anyone. Ben has the ability to look at someone and see right through them. He uses the person’s weakness against them to his own advantage. He has been manipulating our Losties since he came on our screens. He has gotten Michael to become a murderer, and I think he may have set up the Alex, Carl and Rousseau ambush. I know he’s evil, but I can never tell if he’s telling the truth. That’s how good he is.

Lex Luthor, Smallville : He didn’t start off as the criminal mastermind we all know and love, but Lex is certainly reaching that dark destination. This season the character has really made his leap into becoming Superman’s arch nemesis. He has already reached the point where he has killed innocent people (Dr. Swann’s daughter, Patricia) just to get what he want, only one of the final steps until he makes his descent into being the ultimate villain. I love some evil Lex and no one has played it better than Michael Rosenbaum. He is by far my favorite Lex Luthor out of all the other incarnations.

Angelus, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Angel lost his soul and became psychotic Angelus in season two of Buffy. I don’t think I was the only one who was hiding my eyes when he chased poor Jenny Calendar through the hallways of Sunnydale High. What he did after that was even more disturbing. He was the epitome of pure evil, the king of the lurking in the bushes and watching his victims fall apart. Creepy!

Sylar, Heroes: He cuts open peoples’ heads…’nuff said.

Wilhelmina Slater, Ugly Betty: She hasn’t killed anyone, yet. But she has stolen a dead man’s sperm to produce an heir. She’s intimidating, threatening and could make a grown man cry. She’s a completely different kind of villain, but that doesn’t make her any less enjoyable to watch.

Those are my picks for favorite baddies of the tube. Let me know if you think I missed one that should have made my list. ‘Till next week!

Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Friday.

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Commentary with a Co-ed: Lost redux - the Jacket Kiss

by Ashley Gouveia

Last night’s Lost felt like an hour with the ghosts of Others’ past. First, it was Tom, and then it was Goodwin. Remember the guy that Ana Lucia killed? Turns out he was married to a woman named Harper, the Others’ own resident therapist. Like Juliet said, “It’s stressful being an Other.” Then we found out that Goodwin was having an affair with the baby doctor, much to Ben’s annoyance.

Since this was a Juliet-centric episode we got to see a lot of Elizabeth Mitchell. She is such an amazing actress. It’s always great to get to know more about her character. I just wish we got a little more than we did. We found out that she had an affair with Goodwin and that Ben has a freaky crush/obsession with her. I kind of already guessed that one. The question is why? Who was the ‘her’ that Harper was referring to when she was saying who Juliet looked like?

Ben just keeps getting more and more creepy. That scene when he brought Juliet to Goodwin’s dead body displayed it. One minute he’s yelling at her saying that she belongs to him, the next he’s calm, cool and collected and telling her to take her time with the body. If you look at Ben, he doesn’t seem like a threatening guy, but it’s not his physical appearance that freaks people out. It’s the way he looks at you like he knows your every thought. Of course, he uses that to his advantage, much like he is doing with Locke.

The newbies, Dan and Charlotte, made a run to ‘The Tempest’ to apparently disarm a deadly gas Ben could use to kill the people on the island. I still don’t get why these people are on the island in the first place. According to Ben, the person running their boat is Charles Whitmore, Penny’s father, and he wants to exploit the island. But do I really want to believe anything Ben says? Not really. There’s always more to the story.

After Dan stopped the gas and all was resolved, Juliet told Jack that he shouldn’t be around her because Ben thinks that she’s his. Then they shared a kiss, which I’m sure left Jacket fans were rejoicing everywhere.

This was a heavily dramatic episode, but I can always count on Sawyer and Hurley for dishing out some comic relief in the last moments. When they were playing horseshoes and Ben walked past them, without a care in the world, carrying sheets and telling them he’d see them at dinner. The look on Sawyer’s face was priceless. It was like, ‘What the ?’ Too funny.

Next week, we will know who the complete Oceanic Six are. I think I know who the man on the freighter is that’s working for Ben. I’m super excited about it! What was your take on last night’s Lost? Weigh in with your thoughts. ‘Till next week.


Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Friday.

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Commentary with a Co-ed: Let's Talk Lost

by Ashley Gouveia


I was just getting over the idea that Sayid is working for Ben in the future, and then we learned that Kate’s a mommy. I assumed that the writers were going to drag it along and make it a ‘Who’s the baby’s daddy?’ guessing game. But I should know better that when it comes to Lost. Nothing is what it seems.

Let me start off by saying that I’m so glad Lost is back. These flash-forwards are awesome and so much more intriguing than the flashbacks. At least with these we get a glimpse to what life’s like after the island. According to Hurley, there are six of the famous Oceanic Six survivors. I’m not that great at math but that doesn’t sound too good for some of our Losties.

One castaway that I wouldn’t mind not making that six, is Locke. The guy creeps me out! I used to feel bad for him because he didn’t have a kidney and his father was a big loser. But when he went Rambo on my Charlie last season, that’s when he lost my sympathy. He’s gone all dictator on his own little Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Who is he kidding? Ben got it right; he has no idea what he’s doing. He’s too busy trying to find phantom Jacob and the ghostly cabin. When are we going to find out what that’s all about?

I’m happy to report there were no black horses in sight in this Kate centered episode. She was still in trouble with the law though. That’s when she let the bomb drop that she has a son. What? Was that the ‘he’ she was referring to when she had her talk with Jack in the season finale? I automatically thought Sawyer was the baby’s daddy. Then halfway through the episode I changed my mind and thought it was Doc Shepherd. Especially the end scene when Kate said she knew why he didn’t want to see the baby.

My mind was reeling trying to figure out what could be the reason for Jack wanting to stay away. He does have daddy issues of his own, so no wonder he’d keep his distance. It’s revealed that the baby’s name is Aaron. Yep, Claire’s Aaron. Where does that leave Claire? I’m thinking in a not so good place. First my Charlie and now possibly Claire. Jack can’t face his half sister’s son for some reason. I’m still waiting for that secret to come out.

What’s interesting is that there is no Sawyer in sight during Kate’s flash-forwards. I’m still calling him Sawyer even though about half the cast is calling him James. I can’t get used to it. The name just fits him so well. Poor Sawyer. All he really wants is to play house with Kate. She doesn’t seem like she’s up for it. They won’t get a chance anyway, because Locke banished her after she let Miles talk to Ben.

The so-called rescue is at a stand still. That’s not so shocking. Maybe Miles is right and they should stick to the island. Who knows if they actually survived the crash?


Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Friday.

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Lost’s Sawyer is “bad to the bone”

I’ve always had a thing for bad boys. (On TV, that is.) My list is long: Spike, Angel, Pacey, Lex, Maverick, Joey Tribiani, Magnum, and, of course, my Sawyer.

In this brilliant promo for the new season of Lost, the folks at ABC have captured one of the best reasons to watch Lost: Sawyer. (Or James Ford as some of you may know him.) They’ve strung together Sawyer’s unique nicknames for his fellow castmates and have even managed to showcase Hurley getting in a dig of his own.

If you haven’t seen this video yet, then hit play immediately. If you’ve never watched Lost, don’t be deterred from watching, especially if you enjoy bad boys. Did I mention that Sawyer is shirtless in a couple scenes?

I promise you’ll enjoy it. Who doesn’t love a little George Thorogood?

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Lost parody

To celebrate the return of Lost tonight, I have a treat for you. Check out this parody created with the Lost action figures. It’s hilarious.

Thanks to the Fine Brothers for sending this my way.

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Lost returns this week with treats

After nine long months (ironically, the time it takes to gestate a baby,) Lost returns on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET to kick off season four of the thrilling drama.

Tonight at 9 p.m. ET, ABC is giving Lost fans a treat by re-airing the season three finale, but this time with on-screen facts on the lower third of the screen that offer clues about the show.

I’m hoping we'll finally get a clue about the polar bear, the statue with the big toes, and why Kate never seems to get a tan.

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Commentary with a Co-ed: The Best of 2007

by Ashley Gouveia

Happy New Year! It’s time for my Best of 2007 list.

It was certainly a year to remember, with the returning favorites trying to remain fresh and on the radar. Then there were new shows on the block that gave some of the oldies a run for their money. Here are my top picks that kept me glued to the tube all year long.

Ugly Betty
This is one show that passed the sophomore slump with flying colors. It’s also the only show that doesn’t make me want to throw my remote. It has been able to sustain its wit and charm , while saving room for the dramatic. They took some risks with killing off Santos and putting Henry and Betty together so quickly. But they pulled it off. Hilda and Justin were able to mourn Santos, and he simply wasn’t forgotten about after one or two episodes. A+ for that! I adore every character on this show. Even the newcomers like Gio and Yoga. Put that together with the brilliance that is Judith Light and that, to me, is a fantastic hour of television.


Supernatural
It’s probably the most underrated show on TV. The acting and the writing is some of the best I’ve seen on a ‘supernatural’ show since Buffy. It has the ability to gross me out, scare me, and make me laugh. Not only are Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles great to look at, but also their performances are top notch. The sibling bond that those two have is so believable. This past year we got to see the Winchesters try to take down as many demons, and other things that go bump in the night, before Dean’s one-year life limit is up. I would put this show under any ‘best of’ list.

Moonlight
Hands down, the best new show of 2007. I am so glad I decided to pick up this series and give it a chance. Alex O’Loughlin and Jason Dohring are the hottest vamps since Angel and Spike. But don’t get it confused with any Whedon series because it’s completely different. The chemistry between Mick and Beth makes this show great to watch every week. I didn’t think another vampire show would pull me in but it did. I am so excited to see where it goes in the new year.


The View
I usually don’t have a lot of time for daytime television. Except for my soaps, of course. I wasn’t an avid watcher of the show until Rosie O’Donnell joined the panel. Say what you want about her opinions, but she is hysterical. I found myself constantly tuning in when I *cough* missed my morning lectures. Hot Topics was a must see, whether they were discussing politics or celebrity buzz. However, if you tune in now, it’s like night and day. It doesn’t have the same vibe like it did with Rosie.

Those are my picks for the Best of ‘07. What am I looking forward to in the New Year? The return of scripted TV. Do I dare to dream? I’m pumped for new seasons of Lost and One Tree Hill. I can’t wait! What would be on your Best of ‘07 list? Let me know! ‘Til next week.

Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Thursday.

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Lost’s Michael sings "Stay Strong" for the troops

As we sit comfortably in front of the fire, enjoying our holiday gifts and family time, it’s easy to forget that across the world, fellow Americans are risking their lives so that we’ll be safe and so that democracy can thrive.

Actor Harold Perrineau, who you probably know as Michael from Lost, wrote and performed this song for the troops. His fellow Lost costar Daniel Dae Kim directed the video.

Watch closely and you’ll see some familiar faces, including sexy Sawyer. (I mean actor Josh Holloway.) Kim also makes a quick appearance.

The real surprise here is that “Michael” can actually sing. If “Charlie” had known, perhaps they could have jammed together and come up with something even better than Charlie’s “Hey Y’all Everybody” anthem.

The song is available for purchase at iTunes and proceeds benefit the Bob Woodruff Family Fund for Traumatic Brain injury.

Kudos to Perrineau for taking time to remember the troops and for prompting us to do so, too.

Thanks to Kristin at E!Online for posting the video and bringing it to my attention.

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An extended look at the new season of Lost

OK, I take a couple days off to do some much-needed Christmas shopping, wrapping and baking, and I come back to a full e-mail box of Tube Talk readers telling me about this INCREDIBLE new extended trailer for the new season of Lost. Thank you, Tubers for sharing! You’re not wrong. It does indeed rock.

Here it is for those of you who haven’t seen it yet. Is it January 31 yet?

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Lost returns on January 31; watch the new trailer

With the TV writers’ strike raging on, any news on the return of scripted shows makes me giddy. I just ran across the new trailer for this season of Lost. And all I can say is “EEEEE!!!!”

It looks so good, Tubers. I’m not sure, but I think I saw Charlie for a millisecond. It could be in a flashback, or did Charlie not really drown? Take a look and discuss among yourselves.

Lost returns in 45 days on January 31 at 9 p.m. ET, according to a press release from ABC.

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The Golden Globe nominations 2007

The Golden Globe nominations were announced today and some familiar TV faces are among them. I’m thrilled that several new shows were recognized. Pushing Daisies, Damages, and Mad Men all got a nod for drama series, as well as old favorites Grey’s Anatomy and House. But where was Lost? It should have been among the best dramas.

As for individuals, it’s nice to see Lee Pace, of Pushing Daisies, Donald Sutherland, of Dirty Sexy Money, America Ferrera, of Ugly Betty, and Christina Applegate of Samantha Who? But I think Chandra Wilson, of Grey’s Anatomy, was overlooked. She’s done phenomenal work on that show, but for some reason Katherine Heigl is the more heralded actress.

Take a look at the list. Are you pleased, or was your favorite show/actor/actress snubbed?

TELEVISION

Series, Drama
'Big Love,' HBO'
Damages,' FX Networks'
Grey's Anatomy,' ABC'
House,' Fox'
Mad Men,' AMC
'The Tudors,' Showtime

Actress, Drama
Patricia Arquette, 'Medium'
Glenn Close, 'Damages'
Minnie Driver, 'The Riches'
Edie Falco, 'The Sopranos'
Sally Field, 'Brothers & Sisters'
Holly Hunter, 'Saving Grace'
Kyra Sedgwick, 'The Closer'

Actor, Drama
Michael C. Hall, 'Dexter'
Jon Hamm, 'Mad Men'
Hugh Laurie, 'House'
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, 'The Tudors'
Bill Paxton, 'Big Love'

Series, Musical or Comedy
'30 Rock,' NBC'
Californication,' Showtime
'Entourage,' HBO
'Extras,' HBO
'Pushing Daisies,' ABC

Actress, Musical or Comedy
Christina Applegate, 'Samantha Who?'
America Ferrera, 'Ugly Betty'
Tina Fey, '30 Rock'
Anna Friel, 'Pushing Daisies'
Mary-Louise Parker, 'Weeds'

Actor, Musical or Comedy
Alec Baldwin, '30 Rock'
Steve Carell, 'The Office'
David Duchovny, 'Californication'
Ricky Gervais, 'Extras'
Lee Pace, 'Pushing Daisies'

Miniseries or Movie
'Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee,' HBO
'The Company,' TNT
'Five Days,' HBO
'Longford,' HBO
'The State Within,' BBC America

Actress, Miniseries or Movie
Bryce Dallas Howard, 'As You Like It'
Debra Messing, 'The Starter Wife'
Queen Latifah, 'Life Support'
Sissy Spacek, 'Pictures of Hollis Woods'
Ruth Wilson, 'Jane Eyre' (Masterpiece Theatre)

Actor, Miniseries or Movie
Adam Beach, 'Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee'
Ernest Borgnine, 'A Grandpa for Christmas'
Jim Broadbent, 'Longford'
Jason Isaacs, 'The State Within'
James Nesbitt, 'Jekyll'

Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie
Rose Byrne, 'Damages'
Rachel Griffiths, 'Brothers & Sisters'
Katherine Heigl, 'Grey's Anatomy'
Samantha Morton, 'Longford'
Anna Paquin, 'Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee'
Jaime Pressly, 'My Name Is Earl'

Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie
Ted Danson, 'Damages'
Kevin Dillon, 'Entourage'
Jeremy Piven, 'Entourage'
Andy Serkis, 'Longford'
William Shatner, 'Boston Legal'
Donald Sutherland, 'Dirty Sexy Money'

For the film categories and the complete list, click here.

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Win a phone call from Lex Luthor

Imagine the phone ringing and sexy Lex Luthor (actor Michael Rosenbaum) is on the other end.

A phone call from Lex is just one of several prizes in a new raffle to help support the writers’ strike Pencils2MediaMoguls campaign.

Several TV show runners are trying to drum up support for the campaign by offering some fun raffle prizes from their shows. Among the lot so far, an autographed Lost finale script, a phone call from the Lost creators and star Matthew Fox to answer your Lost questions, and Jamie Barber’s towel from Battlestar Galactica.

To check out what else you can win, visit the pencils2mediamoguls site. Good luck! If a Tube Talk reader is lucky enough to win a call from Sexy Lexy, I expect a full report!

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