Sneak peek: Moonlight

From the number of e-mails I’ve received, it’s obvious that many of you love the new CBS drama Moonlight.

Check out this sneak peek from Friday’s show “Fever.”

Here’s the official description: Mick is injured in his search for a young woman who is believed to be hiding in the desert. But when the scorching sunlight depletes Mick's vampiric ability to heal himself, Beth must rush to help him.

Moonlight airs on Friday at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

Subscribe by RSS

It’s lights out for Pretty Boy Floyd

He may be undefeated in the boxing ring, but on the dance floor, Pretty Boy Floyd Mayweather couldn’t get a knockout. He was sent home from Dancing With the Stars Tuesday.

Those of you voting, I applaud your efforts. You made the right choice. Mayweather had an incredible work ethic, but he just couldn’t seem to master the ballroom posture. He always seemed to be slouched over, leading with his head, which is perhaps good in boxing, but not so great on the ballroom floor.

The judges said the Paso Doble was his best dance But, apparently for voters, he didn’t float like a butterfly when it came to dancing.

More shocking than Mayweather’s departure was the fact that Mel B and partner Maks were in the bottom two. Judge Carrie Ann audibly gasped in surprise when the red light went on Mel B. This does not bode well for Scary Spice, considering her scores have been among the top of the leader board every week. Where are the Spice Girls fans to vote for Mel? In fact, where are the actual Spice Girls to vote for Mel?

Cameron Mathison and partner Edyta were chosen to do this week’s encore dance. It was a beauty. The two were given the theme music to Superman for their Paso Doble. Playing up the Superman angle from judge Bruno’s comments two weeks ago, Mathison emerged with a giant C on his chest with a cape, before erupting into a powerful and thrilling Paso. (Bruno had joked previously that the perfectly handsome Mathison looked like Superman, but sometimes danced like Clark Kent.)

For the first time, we actually saw one of the professionals stumped about a routine. Edyta was so perplexed by the odd Superman music, she was struggling to make the choreography powerful enough to fit the music. The flustered pro and Mathison seemed irritated with one another, and at one point he simply said he didn’t want to do that move. Ouch! (Shouldn’t the celebs always listen to their partners?) Any sign of strain was gone by the time Tuesday night rolled around. There were no traces of Clark Kent in that dance routine and with a score of triple nines, it sent Superman “flying” to a whole new level.

Julianne and Helio also were at odds about their dance. He didn’t want to learn the dance the way she was trying to teach it. He likes to write everything down and learn the entire routine before perfecting the details. She prefers to perfect each part as she goes. They worked it out, and Helio said he would trust her to teach him correctly.

The best dance Monday night was hands down Sabrina Bryan and Mark Ballas. They earned the first perfect score of the season for their incredible routine, and rightly so. At this point, I don’t see how anyone can out-dance Bryan. She’s definitely a “cheetah” on the dance floor.

Everyone, including Mark Cuban who usually ends up with the lowest scores, gave great performances. But, that didn’t stop Carrie Ann from busting on Jennie Garth, Jane Seymour and several other dancers for using lifts. Jane argued vehemently that her toe never left the dance floor, but Carrie Ann disagreed.

Did you spot Ian Ziering in the audience? It’s about time somebody from the Beverly Hills 90210 gang showed up to support Jennie.

Subscribe by RSS

Kristen Bell dishes her new Heroes role

I just got off the phone with the newest addition to Heroes, Kristen Bell, and the show’s executive producer Tim Kring. They had plenty to say about Bell’s upcoming role, previewed on last night’s Heroes.

Bell is signed on for 13 episodes to play Elle, she said. But don’t expect her to be the sweet young girl that we’re used to seeing Bell portray.

“She's a little messed up in the head, which makes her manipulative and out to get what she wants," Bell said of her new character. “She very much enjoys her power and the emotional power it gives her over other people."

Kring explained that Elle was raised by the Company, which is a different experience than the other heroes have had.

“This is in some ways a cautionary tale about what would happen to any of our characters had they lived with powers their whole life," Kring said.

Elle will have ties to HRG, Claire and Suresh, Bell said.

As for the large, growing cast that has some fans concerned, the style of the show lends itself to flux, Kring said.

“The audience should fully expect to see people leaving,” he explained.

I asked Bell if she had watched her former Veronica Mars co-star Jason Dohring on his new show Moonlight and if she still kept in touch with her other co-stars. She said that she has Moonlight on her TiVo, but hasn’t watched it yet, and yes, she still keeps in touch with the Mars gang. In fact, she’d just had breakfast with Ryan Hansen (Dick) this morning.

Bell also discussed the widely reported news that she was going to join Lost. She said that there were discussions but she was never formally offered a role.

I’ll have a complete transcript of the interview up in the next day or two, so check back to hear Bell’s thoughts on everything from her “geeky guilty pleasure” to which superhero she’d like to be.

Subscribe by RSS

Two and a Half Men hits 100

The CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men just celebrated its 100th episode last night. That’s one hundred episodes of Charlie’s bowling shirts, sex jokes, and fun family comedy.

I rarely talk about Two and a Half Men here at Tube Talk, but I know the show has a huge fan base. So, for you folks, I’m sharing this behind-the-scenes look at how the cast celebrated the event.

Enjoy!

Subscribe by RSS

Nip/Tuck contest winners

Thank you to everyone who entered the Nip/Tuck poster contest. There were tons of entries, and I thank you for participating.

A special thanks to all the folks from Germany who entered, or should I say “Danke schön?” I had no idea we had so many Tube Talk readers there.

Without further adieu - cue the drum roll - the three lucky winners are Joe Horan, from Bloomington, Indiana; Crystal Nilpirom, from Waco, Texas; and Billy Coyle, from Canon City, Colorado. Your prizes are on the way.

Subscribe by RSS

Questions for Zach Braff and Kristen Bell?

Later today I’ll be chatting with two of my favorite TV personalities: Scrubs star Zach Braff and new Heroes star Kristen Bell, along with Scrubs executive producer Bill Lawrence and Heroes executive producer Tim Kring.

If you have questions for Braff, Bell, Lawrence or Kring, please leave them in the comments below. I could use your help for some really great questions.

Braff and Lawrence are doing press to promote the upcoming season of Scrubs that begins on October 25.

Bell and Kring are doing press to discuss Bell’s new role on Heroes, but I desperately want to ask Bell some questions about Veronica Mars and her stint on Gossip Girl. (Yes, I’m a bad Tube Talk Girl.)

Thanks for your help, Tubers. I’ll be sure to report the details from the conference calls.

Subscribe by RSS

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.

Subscribe by RSS

Reviews: Samantha Who? and Viva Laughlin

The last crop of new fall shows debut this week. Here’s my take on the newbies.

Samantha Who?
Premiere date: October 15, 2007
Airs: Mondays @ 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC

Imagine waking up one day and having no memory of your job, your boyfriend or your parents. That’s the situation for Samantha Who? As the victim of a hit-and-run, Samantha awakes from an eight-day coma to discover she knows nothing about her life. As she slowly begins to uncover the details of who she is, her findings leave her stunned: She’s an alcoholic who cheats on her boyfriend and takes pleasure in being mean to her secretary. Samantha soon discovers that her old life isn’t necessarily one she’s eager to return to and begins making changes. Christina Applegate shines as the befuddled Samantha. Barry Watson plays her sweet boyfriend. (This part could make me forgive him for the dreadful What About Brian.) Sultry Jennifer Esposito is perfect as the best friend, as is Jean Smart, as Samantha’s overbearing mother. Samantha Who? won’t go down in the TV history books as cutting edge dramedy, but for folks who like the types of shows such as Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives, this one may be for you.


Viva Laughlin
Premiere date: October 18, 2007 at 10 p.m. on CBS
Airs: Sundays @ 8 p.m. ET on CBS


Give me a musical, Hugh Jackman and Las Vegas, and I’m in. Usually. That was until about 10 minutes in to the pilot episode for Viva Laughlin. It pains me to pan a show starring the loveable and talented Jackman, the yummy Eric Winter, DB Woodside and Melanie Griffith, but I must be honest. This one hurt. As a lover of musicals, I had high hopes. But when the show’s lead, Lloyd Owen, broke out in song to Elvis’ Viva Las Vegas, I was cringing. The actors aren’t singing the songs by themselves, which may be part of the problem. They sing along with the original artists, which makes for some odd sounds and lip movement that doesn’t always match the words of the song. Even Jackman, an accomplished Broadway star, couldn’t make it believable. The show is about a small-time businessman (Owen) who dreams of opening a casino. He’s forced to turn to his rival (Jackman) for financial help. The show is milled as a mystery drama, but the real mystery is why the show doesn’t work, with such a great cast and concept. I applaud CBS for thinking outside the box and giving us a musical, but there are too many other good dramas on the tube this season to spend time at Viva Laughlin.

Subscribe by RSS

Tube news

The My Name is Earl cast has a funny new music video coming out this Thursday during the show, but you can get an early look here. The new video Respect the Meat showcases Darnell pleading for animal rights and asking the Camden County residents to rethink their dining choices. Joy, Catalina, Earl and Randy also star. The bonus: Darnell has an amazing voice. I’m talking Marvin Gaye style crooning here

Patrick Swayze has been cast in the upcoming A&E original series Beast, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He’ll play an “unorthodox but effective FBI veteran who trains a new partner (Travis Fimmel, Tarzan) in his hard-edged, psychologically clever style, while being pursued by a secret Internal Affairs team.” Insert your own, “Nobody puts Baby in a corner” joke here.

Three Friday Night Lights stars are auditioning for the big-screen Justice League movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Minka Kelly, Adrianne Palicki and Scott Porter are taking part in the two-day casting session. The O.C.’s Adam Brody is also among the group of 40 young Hollywood stars up for roles in the film about Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Batman and more.

Attention all WB, UPN and CW fans. A new book, Season Finale: The Unexpected Rise and Fall of The WB and UPN goes on sale this week and it looks juicy. Authors Susanne Daniels, a television executive with The WB for most of its life and current President of Entertainment for Lifetime Networks, and Cynthia Littleton, a veteran television reporter and current Deputy Editor of news development for Variety, take readers behind the scenes of the networks’ greatest shows. Insider stories and and never-before-published details from producers including JJ Abrams (Felicity), Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls), Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Kevin Williamson (Dawson’s Creek) provide a tell-all account of the dueling creative teams that ushered some of television’s most popular shows into the hearts, minds, and living rooms across the country. The book goes on sale October 16. Maybe we’ll finally get to the bottom of what really happened to the dancing frog.

The folks at Ghost Whisperer want your scary stories captured on video. If your story is chosen, you’ll get to appear in the Scariest Story Ever Told. Submission deadline is October 25.

CBS has tapped Regis Philbin to host its new primetime game show Million Dollar Password for midseason 2008. The new show is a modernized version of the classic Password, according to the press release from CBS. The show will feature two teams, comprised of one celebrity and one contestant, each competing to guess a password revealed only to the studio audience and viewers at home. Didn’t Regis already try the game show thing once already?

Subscribe by RSS

Celebrities foreign commercials: George Clooney hawks martinis

This is the funniest thing I’ve seen all week. Movie star and former TV star George Clooney apparently doesn’t mind doing commercials, as long as it’s overseas. But thankfully, we have YouTube now, so the rest of the world can watch the fun, too.

In this hilarious European ad for martinis, Clooney is sporting a Clark Gable mustache, speaks a foreign language, and gets his ice cubes from a peculiar place. Just watch it. Why can’t we get Clooney in a few American commercials? I guarantee that’s one way to get people to stop fast forwarding through TV ads. Maybe if we made commercials this good in the U.S., then movie stars would be hawking products here, too. Who wants a martini?


Ben Affleck also did a fun European commercial for Axe cologne that is just as fantastic. I know he’s not a TV star and not someone I usually talk about here at Tube Talk, but he’s done Saturday Night Live before, so technically he’s been on TV. (Yes, that’s a lame justification of trying to tie Affleck to TV and this TV-related Web site, but I really want to share this video. It’s too funny.) Enjoy.

Subscribe by RSS

The Office convention

Fans of The Office, pack your bags. The Office convention is a go for October 26-28 in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

Most of the cast will be there, along with executive producer Greg Daniels and other members of The Office writing staff. Michael, Pam, Jim and Dwight aren’t on the attendance list, but pretty much everyone else is.

Those attending, according to the convention Web site, are: Leslie David Baker (Stanley); Brian Baumgartner (Kevin); Creed Bratton (Creed); Kate Flannery (Meredith); Melora Hardin (Jan); Mindy Kaling (Kelly); Angela Kinsey (Angela); Paul Lieberstein (Toby); Oscar Nunez (Oscar); Craig Robinson (Darryl from the warehouse); Bobby Ray Shafer (Bob Vance); Phyllis Smith (Phyllis), and Andy Buckley (David Wallace from Corporate);

Some of the convention events are question and answer sessions with the cast, a live broadcast on the Today Show with Al Roker, street fairs, live music, continuous episodes of The Office playing in theaters throughout Scranton, and a cast wardrobe display. So, get your Dwight Schrute glasses on and plan your road trip now.

Tickets start at $25. For more information, visit The Office convention Web site.

Subscribe by RSS

Tonight’s TV

We’ve waited for months, Tubers, and tonight’s the night. Men in Trees finally returns from hiatus on a new night and time. At least I think it’s a new night and time; it’s been so long since it aired, that I can hardly recall at this point.

Marin, Jack, Plow Guy and the rest of the gang are back for more adventures in beautiful Elmo. If you’re having trouble remembering where we left off, head over to ABC and read the recap for the last episode. There’s a fun blog there, too, from Men in Trees executive producer Jenny Bicks.

Here’s what looks good tonight, depending on your tastes.

8 p.m. Ghost Whisperer on CBS
9 p.m. Friday Night Lights on NBC, Moonlight on CBS, Flash Gordon on SciFi
10 p.m. Las Vegas on NBC, Men in Trees on ABC

Subscribe by RSS

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!

Subscribe by RSS

Tube News

Despite the rumor, Smallville’s Tom Welling will not play Superman in the big-screen Justice League film, according to Smallville executive producer Al Gough. Gough answered that and other fan questions at TV Guide.

Seth Green has signed on for two episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Buffy fans, I have a feeling Oz is all grown up now.

Life is Wild star D.W. Moffet stopped by Tube Talk to weigh in on my review of the show. Cool, huh?

Former Freaks and Geeks star John Francis Daley has landed the role of Booth and Brennan’s therapist on the FOX show Bones. Is he old enough to be a therapist? No matter. The trials and tribulations his character suffered through on Freaks and Geeks, including that dodge ball episode, have entitled him to many years on the sofa.

One of my TV boyfriends, Eddie Cibrian, has landed upcoming guest roles on ABC’s Samantha Who and Dirty Sexy Money. Someone at ABC loves Cibrian as much as I do.

Actor Steven Weber is headed to Brothers & Sisters as a love interest for Sarah, according to TV Guide. I guess that means Joe had better step it up. In other Brothers & Sisters news, Chevy Chase is scheduled to star as a love interest for Sally Field’s character.

ABC is resurrecting the short-lived 1998-99 series Cupid. Cupid’s creator, Rob Thomas, is developing the new version of the show. The new pilot will move its setting from Chicago to Los Angeles. The original Cupid starred Jeremy Piven, but this one won’t.

There are a few days left to register to win the hot new Nip/Tuck posters we’re giving away here at Tube Talk. The contest ends Monday. Good luck.

Subscribe by RSS

Gossip Girl gets full season; see how other new shows are doing

The CW’s Gossip Girl is the first show to get a full season pick up. I’ll give you a moment to digest the news. The show is averaging 3 million viewers and is the second highest-rated show among teens on Wednesday nights.

Frankly, I’m stunned that Gossip Girl is doing that well. I’ve been tuning in to Gossip Girl simply for a Kristen Bell fix, but watching the entire hour is becoming more difficult. Even Bell’s lovely narration isn’t holding my interest. I guess I find it unsettling that a teen show of this caliber is doing better in the ratings than Veronica Mars did, the uber-intelligent show in which Bell had the starring role. Then again, I’m not a teenage girl, so perhaps that explains my lack of love for Gossip Girl.


NBC has ordered additional scripts for Chuck, Life, Bionic Woman and Journeyman. That doesn’t mean they’ve been given full season orders, but they’re pulling enough viewers for the network to order more scripts. Of NBC’s new shows, Bionic Woman is performing the best in the ratings.

Just because a network orders more scripts, doesn’t mean a show will get renewed. (ABC ordered more scripts for The Nine last year, and we all know how that turned out.)

CBS has ordered additional scripts for Cane. The show gave CBS its best ratings debut for a new show since Judging Amy in 1999, according to the network. The CW has ordered additional scripts for Aliens in America, but it has not received a full season order yet, either. (Help them, Allah.)

If you’re wondering how Pushing Daisies and Private Practice are doing, well, so far so good. Both shows scored good ratings. They are among the top three highest rated new shows for the fall. (Bionic Woman is the other.)

Cavemen and Carpoolers both dropped 20 percent of their viewers since the debuts. That’s good news. I was starting to worry that TV viewers would watch anything, no matter how awful.

Subscribe by RSS

Commentary with a Co-ed: Catching up with Ugly Betty

by Ashley Gouveia

Santos is dead. Papi Suarez is still in Mexico. Bradford and Amanda might be father and daughter, which would make Amanda and Daniel half siblings. (Amanda’s right; that’s the kind of dirty you can’t wipe clean!) All the while, Betty is in the middle of the madness and dealing with Henry’s return to Mode.

Two new episodes have aired. With a new one airing tonight, I thought I’d give my two cents on the new season so far.

I only came on to Ugly Betty this past summer, so I had heard a lot about the ‘Santos: Is he dead or not?’ debate. Since I’m a spoiler junkie, I tried my hardest to stay away from that answer. I guess the Spoilers Anonymous meetings hadn’t kicked in yet because I wasn’t shocked, as I suppose many of you were when it was revealed that he died. I cried like a baby when he read the vows and said he needed to leave. I’m going to truly miss Santos.

What’s great about this show is how well it balances the truly sad and the really hilarious. I can always count on Michael Urie’s Marc to deliver the most memorable laugh-out-loud moments. How can you not laugh when you see Marc, dressed up in full Wilhelmina costume, meeting Sister Yoga in a dark alley? The line “never send a girl to do a woman’s job” was probably my favorite of the premiere.

After Betty buried all of Henry’s little mementos, paper clips and all, Henry decided to come back to work. Well, Betty’s ritual was a waste of time. It looks like she’s going to have to dig it all back up, since it doesn’t look like they can be just friends. Don’t do it Betty! Instead of Henry always assuming that she’s going to be waiting for him, I’d like to see him fight for our favorite secretary, I mean, administrative professional.

Wilhelmina is as evil as ever, and I love it. Forcing Betty to choose between helping her father and keeping her loyalty to Daniel, was classic Willy. But she got what was coming to her when Claire (love her!) punched her lights out. There’s only room for one Mrs. Meade, and Wilhelmina’s got her work cut out for her if she wants to win that title.

I am so glad I got into this show over the summer. It’s a fun hour of television that I now can’t live without. I’m dying to see what’s in store tonight.

As a preparation, let me know what your favorite Marc line is. I know there’s a lot, but that‘s the fun of it. Also, what did you think of Santos’ death? Did you think it was necessary? ‘Til next time.

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

Subscribe by RSS

Wayne Newton leaves the dance floor

Thank you, America. You avoided a mistake of Master P proportions. You sent Wayne Newton packing from Dancing With the Stars.

The master crooner just didn’t have the dance skills necessary for a competition like this, and I’m grateful that voters finally realized it. He should have gone home last week, but his popularity saved him.

This week was all about the ladies. Jennie Garth came back with a passion, after her fall last week. Her tango was angry and passionate, and the judges chose it as the showcase dance of the week.

Jane Seymour also poured her heart and soul into her dance, dedicating it to her mother, who passed away last week. Everyone in the ballroom was rooting for Jane. I can’t imagine trying to focus on a dancing competition when grieving for your mother, but she pulled it off. Judge Carrie Ann was reduced to tears following Seymour’s beautiful performance.

Mel B, Marie and Sabrina also shined. I still think Sabrina is the one to beat.

Of the guys, Cameron and Helio are my top picks. Pretty Boy Floyd needs to work on his posture, and Mark, well, he’s sometimes an awkward mover.

During the elimination, Floyd and Wayne were in the hot seat. Floyd seemed beyond distressed. He wouldn’t even look at the judges, as they told him how to improve, if he made it through another week. I’m sure it’s tough when you try your hardest and still get harsh comments from the judges.

Billy Ray Cyrus returned to the show as a musical guest, and brought along his daughter Miley. They sang a lovely duet, as Maks and Karina did a dance that can only be described as foreplay. I felt dirty. Seriously, I wanted a cigarette after that sexy romp, and I don’t even smoke. Those two should always dance together professionally. Period.

The one thing I disagreed with this week was Len’s comment that this was the best season yet of Dancing With the Stars. Um, what show is he watching? We haven’t even seen a 10 on the scoreboard yet. Does he not remember Drew and Cheryl’s Thriller performance or Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy? Or how about Mario and Karina’s sinful mambo? Or Apollo and Julianne’s sexy Cha-Cha-Cha? If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go waste a few minutes at YouTube and watch some of those performances.

I think we can all agree that the results show is so full of fluff that it’s unbearable to watch without a DVR. The one part that I always enjoy are the audience interviews when they give their thoughts on the performances. But somebody dropped the ball this week. Lisa Rinna and her former partner Louis Van Amstel were there, but they didn’t chat.

Also, someone needs to clue in ABC and the cameramen that Cameron Mathison’s wildly popular former All My Children co-star Rebecca Budig has been in the audience twice. We’re yet to see a good shot of her rooting on her former co-star. As one of ABC’s most popular daytime drama couples, you’d think somebody there would recognize her, and if not her, her celebrity husband, the former Bachelor Bob Guiney. On Monday, Tom Bergeron was going on about the fact that two bachelors were in the audience, the twin brothers currently featured on this season’s The Bachelor. Unfortunately, he completely missed the fact that Guiney, the former Bachelor, was also in the audience a few seats back.

Finally, it was temporary co-host Drew Lachey’s last night. Samantha Harris is returning to the job, after giving birth. Am I the only one wishing Lachey would keep the gig? He’s so much funnier than Harris, and he has great chemistry with Bergeron. I’ll miss him.

One more thing, where are the Beverly Hills 90210 people to support Garth? The ballroom was full of them last year rooting for Ian Ziering. Paging Brandon, Dylan, and Steve. Kelly Taylor needs you.

Subscribe by RSS

Halloween costumes for TV lovers

Planning your Halloween costume just got a whole lot easier. Here at Tube Talk, we’re dedicated to making sure you spread the gospel of the small screen on Halloween with some fun TV-themed costumes.

The funniest costume I’ve seen this year is for Ugly Betty. ABC is hooking you up with Betty’s infamous signature Guadalajara poncho at its Web site. Braces, glasses and stringy-hair are not included in the $39.95 price. All orders this week at the ABC Web site are 10 percent off. (No, I’m not getting a commission, but if ABC would like to help a girl out, I wouldn’t refuse it.)

If Ugly Betty isn’t your taste, then how about going to the party as Dr. McDreamy? You’re sure to at least score a date or some mouth-to-mouth. Grey’s Anatomy doctors’ scrubs and lab coats would make fun costumes.

For the more daring, or should I say desperate, dress as Desperate Housewives’ Gabrielle in her pink and green joy apron. Underneath garments are optional. As you know, Gabrielle didn’t even wear undies on her wedding day.

For the sports fan, NBC is offering a Tim Riggins football jersey that could easily be transformed into a Halloween costume. Just add some eye black and shoulder pads, and you’ll feel like a Dillon panther. Be warned, though, Riggins usually ends up in a fight with someone, so the pads are a necessity.

There are plenty of other TV-centric Halloween costumes online. From a Homer Simpson mask, to an I Love Lucy ensemble, to Saturday Night Live’s Mary Katherine Gallagher, or Geico Cavemen, or Hannah Montana, even the choosiest TV fan can find something to their liking.

So if you want to make a lasting impression, why not go as a TV character. I mean, who could resist someone dressed as Lt. Dangle from Reno 911? Not this TV girl.

Subscribe by RSS

Tonight’s TV

Photo: Bones on FOX

FOX has the one-two punch of Bones and House tonight, one of my favorite combos. We’ll also find out tonight if ABC’s ratings success of the dreadful one-two punch of Cavemen and Carpoolers was based on curiosity, or if America really will embrace these lame shows. Here’s what looks good to me tonight.

8 p.m. Bones on FOX

9 p.m. House on FOX, Dancing With the Stars on ABC, Reaper on the CW

10 p.m. Cane on CBS, Boston Legal on ABC

To watch a clip of tonight’s Bones, where Brennan learns she needs to work on the cop talk, click here.

To see House deliver his warm and fuzzy bedside manner on tonight’s show, click here.

Subscribe by RSS

Tonight’s TV

Photo: Journeyman on NBC

Mondays are the new Thursdays. In other words, too many good shows not enough DVRs. Here’s a rundown of what looks interesting tonight.

8 p.m. Dancing With the Stars on ABC, How I Met Your Mother on CBS, Everybody Hates Chris on the CW, Chuck on NBC and Prison Break on Fox

8:30 p.m. Aliens in America on the CW

9 p.m. Heroes on NBC, Two and a Half Men on CBS, K-Ville on Fox

10 p.m. Journeyman on NBC

Subscribe by RSS