Idol Chatter: Neil Diamond night sparkles

Alright! Finally a night we can get into. We LOVE Neil Diamond! For the most part, the contestants did not disappoint. The hour was fast paced and full of actual singing. What a concept.

Jason Castro was up first. Jason was pretty decent with his first song choice “Forever in Blue Jeans.” But, his second choice, “September Morn,” fell flat. Jason seemed uncomfortable in his second song. We know that Neil Diamond may not be the best genre to showcase what his voice is capable of, but it really showed his weaknesses. As Randy has said time and time again, if you can sing, you can sing anything. Jason seems to be playing it safe every week and has fallen into the trap of always sounding the same. But, who knows, his fans may save him again.

Next up was David Cook. David’s first song was “I’m Alive”. He sang it well. When it came time for his second selection, we were waiting to be wowed, and he did not disappoint. We absolutely loved “All I Really Need Is You.” Great selection and fantastic performance! Of course everyone knows that we love David Cook, but this time, we really think he showed star quality.

Brooke White made us cringe with “I’m a Believer.” She looked completely out of sorts and her face looked like she was in actual pain. Watching her performance was painful for us, as well. Sorry Brooke, but your time may be up. All you can hope for is that your fans tuned in late and only saw your second performance. That may save you.

David Archuleta is beginning to be very predictable. Both of his performances sounded the same. He could have taken some risks with his song choices. The songs were sung just like the originals. Don’t worry David; you are the safest contestant on the show. You will be around next week.

Syesha Mercado surprised us last night. Her first choice, “Hello Again” was great. We love that side of her. But she chose to rock out to close the show with “Thank the Lord for the Nighttime,” fantastic song selection. We hope that Syesha is around next week.

Who knows what awaits us tonight in the results show. As we all know, you can’t predict Idol…..

Shannon Elizabeth booted from Dancing With the Stars

Despite a serious injury that occurred during a routine that will require Cristian de la Fuente to have surgery, he wasn’t the one leaving Dancing With the Stars Tuesday night. Shannon Elizabeth was the one to go.

Once again, voters made the right decision. Shannon had a go-get-‘em attitude (not to mention other attributes,) but she was an awkward mover at times, and the least talented of the dancers left.

What I don’t get is how Cristian is going to go on with a ruptured tendon? He said his doctor gave him the OK, but I’m guessing this means his dancing will be comprised. I’m assuming there won’t be any lifts in his and Cheryl’s future routines.

For the first week since the competition began, Kristi and Mark weren’t at the top of the leader board. Their cha-cha was too hip-hoppy for judge Len Goodman, and he gave them an eight, despite his fellow judges awarding them 10s.

This week’s leader was Jason Taylor. Again, I enjoy his dancing, but I feel like his choreography needs a change up. Even Len commented this week that he does the same pose over and over again. I’ve called Edyta out on this choreography issue before. She did the same thing last year with Cameron Mathison. Add some more dance content, Edyta, and stop with all the posing! Jason can dance. He doesn’t need to just pose and look pretty.

Finally, the judges gave Marissa and Tony three nines. For the past three weeks, Len had given them only eights. I was thrilled to see them pull a 27.

Next week, will be the most difficult week to say goodbye to a dancer. We’re left with a talented group and deciding who will go will be tough. I’m guessing it will be either Marissa or Mario, or perhaps Cristian, depending on how much his injury affects his performance.

I’d love to be able to talk about Shannon and Derek’s departing comments, but my DVR cut off the last few minutes of the show, right at the mark when it was down to Shannon and Marissa. I had to go to the Internet to find out who actually got the boot.

Is this some ploy by ABC to get people to stop using DVRs and start watching live? If so, it’s not going to work. There is no way possible I could sit through the overstuffed results show each week without a fast forward button, no matter how frustrated I get that after watching this show for two nights straight I miss the most important moment. Shame on you, ABC. Your viewers deserve better.

Aliens in America dead?

by Jennifer Squires Biller

This is the worst news I’ve heard since the cancellation of Las Vegas. And before you read any further, let me preface this column by warning you: I’m furious. Prepare yourselves for a red-faced rant.

My favorite new sitcom of the season, Aliens in America, is apparently finished, according to E!Online.

Reportedly, Adhir Kalyan, who plays Raja, has already taken a new role on Nip/Tuck on FX, and Aliens cast member Scott Patterson is also said to be looking for a new project.

If news of the show’s cancellation is true, and at this point it looks like it is, I shouldn’t be surprised. This show was intelligent, funny, and unique, and I loved it. So, of course, it was cancelled. If it had involved a dim-witted overweight husband married to a hot woman, a gladiator who talks trash as he chases people up a wall, or a sexy bachelor making out with a different beautiful woman every 10 minutes, then I’m sure it would have been a ratings hit.

I give up.

For the past few years, I’ve tried to promote what I consider great television here at Tube Talk. (Pushing Daisies, Brothers and Sisters, Friday Night Lights, and yes, Aliens in America.) I don’t write about reality shows that mock marriage, belittle people, or crush dreams. I talk about shows that I think are highly creative, not ones that dumb down our society.

But apparently, TV viewers like dumbing down. They love The Bachelor and the gladiators and watch in massive numbers. And no matter how much I endorse a show, the masses won’t tune in for well-written and acted shows like Friday Night Lights or Aliens in America.

I partly blame the CW for the end of Aliens in America. Yes, I know it’s a new struggling network that never seems to have as high as ratings as the big four, but a show can only do as well as its promoted. And frankly, I’ve seen little promotion of Aliens in America, either through ad campaigns, cast interviews, or multimedia content.

Instead, the CW seems to be solely promoting another new show this season, Gossip Girl. I’ve seen ads in newspapers, magazines, online, and every other available outlet. In fact, rarely a day goes by when I don’t see something promoting Gossip Girl.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate that show, but it’s about a bunch of wealthy Upper East Side high school kids and their shenanigans i.e. sex, drugs, peer pressure, and stealing couture dresses. It in no way compares to the best new show the CW had going for it this year: Aliens in America.

Like Gossip Girl, Aliens in America also tackles the tough subject of fitting in at high school. But while doing so, it provides a hilarious social commentary on the xenophobia currently happening in our society, as well as a look at how Americans sometimes view those who are different, especially those who follow Islam. To me, it is brilliant and eye opening, the All in the Family for this generation.

The fact that the CW chose to throw its promotion behind a show about privileged New York teens instead of Aliens in America, a fresh political and social satire, is baffling.

If the E!Online story turns out to be incorrect, and I hope that it does, then I apologize for this scathing lecture. But only in part. TV viewers, you should make better choices. TV networks, you should stick by shows that aren’t carbon copies of what’s already been on television for decades. And TV bloggers and critics, we should do a better job in getting the word out about shows like Aliens in America, so that more people will tune in.

I hope Aliens in America doesn’t join the list of quality shows that were cancelled prematurely: Jack & Bobby, Veronica Mars, Freaks and Geeks, etc. But if it does, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Cybill Shepherd returns to television

Cybill Shepherd is returning to her TV roots. She’s joining the detective show Psych on the USA network and NBC.

Shepherd has been cast as a free-spirit psychologist and the mother of Shawn Spencer. She’s also playing the ex-wife of Corbin Bernsen’s character, Henry. I'm betting Bernsen and Shepherd will have romantic/bantering sparks reminscent of Moonlighting.

In the season finale of Psych, Shawn’s mom showed up at his doorstep, but the audience didn’t get to see her face. Since then, I’ve been pondering whom I’d like to see in the part.

Shepherd is better choice than I imagined. She shares James Roday’s quirkiness and flamboyance for life that make his character so much fun.

Psych returns with new episodes on USA on July 18. Set your DVR.

Moonlight returns tonight!

It’s back! Those of you who haven’t been watching the calendar daily until Moonlight returned with a new episode, consider this your reminder that the show is back tonight.

For the rest of you obsessive folks who have been counting down the hours until the new episode, I’ve got some spoilery photos for you I’ve been sitting on for quite sometime. (Thank you Barbara for sending them my way.)

Remember when last we left Mick and the gang, he had turned human again. That could make things a little easier in starting a relationship with Beth, but I’m guessing Mick will be missing his vampire “abilities” faster than you can say O positive.

The fun starts tonight at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

Commentary with a Co-ed: Happy Birthday Betty!

by Ashley Gouveia

Ugly Betty returned to the tube last night with its first post-strike episode. Yay! What better way to celebrate than with Betty’s 24th birthday? She was all ready with her new bedazzled phone, courtesy of Justin, to spend a romantic weekend with her boy, Henry. But, of course, Henry’s baby’s mama had other plans.

Charlie returned in full baby bloom and successfully got Henry to cancel his b-day plans with Betty. Henry is either way too nice or just really naïve. I had hoped he might see through Charlie’s façade, but I was disappointed. It didn’t help that Hilda went over to tell Charlie about Henry and Betty’s special night. Although it was great to see the old butt-kickin’ Hilda make Charlie squirm with her long acrylic nails.

Even though Henry couldn’t make it, that didn’t stop a newly head-shaven Gio (love it!) from trying to make the day memorable. I thought that was adorable how he knew that a horse and carriage would be something she would like. I was seeing the sparks, and I’m not talking about the ones they saw on the way to the park. The writers are really setting up this triangle.

I knew I wasn’t going to go through an episode of this show without laughing out loud. Marc’s “I want you” comments toward Daniel were nothing but hysterical. I know what you mean, Marc. But stay away from my man! Amanda wearing a KISS t-shirt to promote her daddy’s celebrity was classic Mandy. Although, there was so much in this episode there was barely enough Amanda in it. But the little moments she did have were hilarious, like when she was listening in to Betty and Henry’s phone conversation.

It seemed like Daniel was too wrapped up in his love life to remember Betty’s birthday. Through the whole episode I was saying, “Come on, Daniel,” think about it. It was great to see that he didn’t completely forget and got her a gift a while back. Was I the only one who wanted to know what he got her? He’s given her some pretty good gifts in the past, like her business cards and the Guadalajara tickets. Maybe it was a deleted scene we’ll have to wait to see on the DVD.

Is it possible that there is a crazier or more evil person in Wilhelmina’s family? It looks like Renee is a little obsessive with men. Christina thinks she’s strange. Well, seeing next week’s preview, that is an understatement. Watch out Betty! ‘Till next week.

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

Sneak peek at tonight’s Smallville

Those of you who can’t wait for tonight’s Smallville, check out these clips, courtesy of the folks at the CW.

My favorite involves Jimmy and Clark in a heart-to-heart. Check it out below.

Enjoy!

Clip one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmBYNInmB_s

Clip two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egr1l2-71dc&feature=user

Clip three: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzItKjmLFJo&feature=user

Idol Chatter: G’bye Carly, Irish eyes everywhere are cryin'

by Becky Tennant and Bethany O'Neil

OK, we will admit, there are times when we are wrong. And yesterday was one of those times.

We thought for sure that Jason Castro or Brooke White would be saying good-bye, but we were wrong, REALLY wrong. We, in no way thought that Carly Smithson would be sent home yet. We thought she would make it to the final four. This goes to show that you cannot predict American Idol. Some say it is rigged, while others think that it was OK for her to get the boot, since she has had a prior recording career.

Regardless, it just amazes us that Carly was dismissed before Jason Castro. We, at one point, really liked Jason. But his attitude over the last few weeks has been going down hill. He was downright rude last night.

We don't expect everyone to be enamored by Andrew Lloyd Webber, but the guy is a musical genius, and Jason was so rude to him that it just really peeved us. He acted like he could have cared less to even be there! If you want to be a professional, act like one. Maybe Jason thinks he is too cool to be coached by Andrew Lloyd Weber. Can you say man diva?

Hence Carly is gone, and we believe that Syesha is a dark horse in this. We were wowed by her performance again last night.

Two last tidbits that have been bothering us. Could Brooke bite her lips anymore? Give it a rest Brooke. We have had it with the poor-me routine. Get a grip. Then, Brooke stated to Ryan last night and the night before that she had not messed up before. This is a little weird, considering that we could have sworn she had…. remember when she flubbed the beginning of "Every Breath You Take?" Take a look at the clip and tell us what you think? Or should we just not go there?

Next week it is down to the final five. The season finale is right around the corner!

Idol Chatter: Idol takes on Broadway

by Becky Tennant and Bethany O'Neil

Last night on American Idol, the top six contestants were given the difficult task of singing an Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway hit. And while we knew some would fail and others would excel, it was still painful to watch. Syesha did OK with her song “One Rock and Roll Too Many” from Starlight Express. She has a good voice, and the Broadway circuit is right up her alley.

Jason Castro sang “Memories” and well, lets just say we don't want to ever remember his version. It was painful, and may have sunk his Idol ship.

Brooke was another painful singer of the evening. She took on “You Must Love Me” from Evita. She messed up the song and practically cried throughout the rest of it. We like Brooke, but man she needs to get a grip! We’re afraid that she is going to crack under the Idol pressure. Her time is up!

David Archuletta made us want to gag when all the 12-year-olds came rushing on stage to "hug" him. Can you say OVER KILL? David chose “Think of Me,” from Phantom of the Opera. Bethany has seen Phantom on Broadway. So, we were very nervous. It was a strange choice for David because in the musical, a female sings the song. But, surprisingly, he pulled it off. Broadway-style music is definitely his bread and butter. And as long as anyone under 15 can call in, he has no worries.

Our favorites of the night were Carly and her version of Jesus Christ Superstar. Man that girl has got some pipes on her. And David Cook's version of "Music of the Night" was to die for. The beginning was a bit off for us, but once he got into it, we were hooked. Wait, we have always been hooked. This man can do no wrong.

Tonight Brooke and Jason are vulnerable. And frankly it is about time for them to go anyway.

Marlee Matlin eliminated from Dancing With the Stars

Deaf actress Marlee Matlin was the latest celebrity eliminated from Dancing With the Stars. Despite a pep talk from her longtime friend The Fonz, aka Henry Winkler, Matlin couldn’t nail the fast-paced difficult Latin dance the samba.

Matlin may not have been able to hear well enough to precisely hit every beat, but I thought she did a great job. Plus, she looked incredible! I’ll miss Marlee and her newcomer partner Fabian. They were a lot of fun this year.

The first perfect score finally was posted last night. No surprise here, it went to Kristi and Mark for their fun-kicking jive. Mario and Karina weren’t far behind with their smoking hot rhumba, but it was too “raunchy” for Len’s taste.

I thought Marissa and Tony performed their best dance yet, with their beautiful waltz. Marissa looked like she was floating, and her lines were beautiful. They should have earned straight nines, but Len gave them an eight. Unbelievable! That’s what he’s given her the last two weeks, and I don’t understand it because this dance was a giant improvement over previous weeks. Come on, Len, open your eyes!

Shannon once again faced the judges’ wrath for her lack of hip movement during the rhumba. Bruno said it’s an absolute essential of the rhumba and she had “none.” Ouch. Even harsher than the judges’ critique was co-host Samantha Harris’ post-dance interview with Shannon and Derek, where she kept pressing them on their rumored romance. Enough, Samantha! This isn’t TMZ. It’s clear for anyone who saw those photos this week of Shannon and Derek kissing that something is going on. Samantha, how about asking Shannon a relevant dance question like, “How much did you work on your hip movement that the judges keep harping on?”

Next week, Shannon or Marissa are probably vulnerable, if voters rank the dancers based on talent. If it’s Shannon, I shudder to even think about Samantha’s exit interview.

OMG! Barney and Robin share a kiss on ‘Mother’

Monday’s How I Met Your Mother was so full of yummy goodness that I had to take time to gush.

Yes, there was the much talked-about Robin Sparkles video and guest stars James Van Der Beek and Tiffany (more on that later.) But the crowning moment of brilliance was one I’ve been waiting for since the first season: Robin and Barney shared a kiss!

Can I get a Woo HOO?

Kudos CBS for keeping such a giant plot point quiet. The Web has been all abuzz for weeks about Van Der Beek, the Robin Sparkles video, and guest stars Tiffany and Alan Thicke. No one was expecting the show to end with such a shocking turn of direction.

I’ve been begging for a Robin/Barney hook up for since season one. They have off-the-charts chemistry. (I never liked Robin with Ted.) My optimistic theory has been that Robin and Barney ultimately end up together, hence the constant “Aunt Robin and Uncle Barney” in the flash-forward narration. So, thank you, HIMYM folks for giving us a special treat. I can’t wait to see the fallout.

As for the rest of the episode, it was brilliant, as well. Van Der Beek nailed his role as an ‘80s pop star, complete with teased hair, combat boots, and a leather jacket. The Robin Sparkles video was perfectly cheesy, complete with Tiffany and Alan Thicke guest starring. To watch the video, visit CBS.com.

Jason Segel talks Forgetting Sarah Marshall

"Dancing" star Julianne Hough’s country music video

Professional dancer and two-time Dancing With the Stars champ Julianne Hough is trying out another career. She’s aspiring to become a country music superstar.

Here’s a look at her new music video for “Song in My Head.”

You know I love Julianne. She’s my favorite pro female dancer on Dancing With the Stars, and her choreography is always the best. She’s gorgeous, sweet and oh-so talented. I have no doubt she’s going to be a raging success in the country music genre. (Why is it that some women get the whole package and the rest of us just pieces?)

Hough is already booked to go on tour with country music superstar Brad Paisley this summer. Not a bad first gig, Julianne.

Sometimes, I forget that this talented young lady is only 19-years-old. Sit back, hit play and enjoy this video of Julianne in her cutoff denim shorts. For all you guys, thank me later!

Commentary with a Co-ed: Lex Luthor's descent

by Ashley Gouveia

Toto, I don’t think we’re in Smallville anymore.

Wow! Intense is one word to describe last night’s mind-blowing episode. It left me with the impression that the series has shifted in a new direction. Lex Luthor has become the full on baddie that we all know from comic book lore. It took one final push (bad choice of words?) to get him to the point where not even Clark could save him.

I have often nitpicked about the pace of the episodes, but I didn’t have a single complaint about it in this one. As soon as it started, it had this feeling like the stakes were incredibly high. There was no time for recycled dialogue. Lurking in the darkness of LuthorCorp, Lex waited for his father to show up so they could have some words. Did they ever!

Lex pushed Lionel out of the LuthorCorp window and truly became the villain of the story. This scene has been a long time coming. I really felt like a big part of the series came full circle. I loved the moment when he told his father that no one would remember his name. I knew the time was coming when Lex would cross to the dark side, but that didn’t stop me from hoping he wouldn’t take the jump. That is what’s so great about Smallville’s Lex. He can be completely evil, but there’s always the memory of the Lex Luthor that was Clark Kent’s best friend.

Not only did Lex kill Lionel, but he also fired Chloe from the Daily Planet. He’s evil! Of course, when Chloe tells Clark she was canned, she quickly brushes it off before he can get a word in. Come on, Chloe. I know that there wasn’t much time for chit chat, but that was your dream job. I hope she fights her way back into the Planet and takes Lex’s name off the building.

Clark and Lex’s scene in the library was by far my favorite. What was there not to like? There was a mention of Pa Kent, little Lex haunting big Lex, the discussion of two fathers and two sons, and why Lex became the man he is. Everything that needed to be said was in this scene. Plus, there was not one mention of Lana. It’s been a while since that has happened, and I couldn’t be happier.

Oh, Jimmy and Lois were in this episode as well. They weren’t bothering me at first, and then Jimmy made his obnoxious comment about Chloe having to be pried away from Clark. Jim Bob needs to get over it already. His whining is getting really old. But he was less annoying and more productive when he wasn’t around Chloe.

The Clark and Chloe loft scene at the end was really great. Her need for him to realize that both of his fathers and Lionel served a purpose in making him the man he is today was touching. The funeral scene was extremely poignant. First, on a shallow note, Tom Welling in a suit can never be a bad thing. Second, I am so glad they decided not to put any dialogue in that scene, since I felt there was no need for it. The lines were drawn with Clark Kent and Lex Luthor on opposite sides.


A standing ovation is in order for Michael Rosenbaum. He rocked last night in every scene he was in. Even in the disturbing one with him burning his younger self had me captivated. This was the best episode for Lex since season four’s “Onyx”. Also, John Glover you will be missed. ‘Till next week.


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

Review: I’ve fallen for Eli Stone

Eli Stone
Airs: Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC

by Jennifer Squires Biller

I’ve got a new TV addiction. His name is Eli Stone, and he’s stolen my heart.

I wish I’d taken time to write about this show before the night of its season finale, but real life lately has seriously interfered with my blogging time. (More on that later.) To ABC and to Eli, my sincerest apologies. You deserve better.

The fact is, I have a stack of screeners of mid-season shows that I have no inclination to watch (mostly reality TV) and a stack that I wanted to watch, but just never found the time (New Amsterdam and Canterbury’s Law.)

Then, there’s Eli Stone. I’ve watched the show from the very beginning, and each episode entertains more than the last. From the first time Eli had a vision of George Michael singing “Faith,” I was hooked.

For those of you who haven’t found Eli Stone, here’s what you need to know and how you can get caught up. Eli has an inoperable brain aneurysm that causes him to have hallucinations. These visions have caused Eli trouble at his elite law firm, especially when he dives under tables during staff meetings or when he sings and dances in the lobby at what he thinks is a George Michael concert. Those scenes are as funny and delightful as they sound, followed by a heart-tugging sadness that envelopes Eli as he slowly begins to accept his fate.

As Eli’s visions have continued, he’s turned him from a cutthroat corporate lawyer to the guy who takes cases to help the little guy. He also seems to have a knack for predicting the future, based on his visions. He recently became the laughing stock of his San Francisco firm when he warned them of a deadly earthquake. It turned out, he was correct.

The cast of the Eli Stone is solid. Johnny Lee Miller is charming and earnest, and despite his good looks is very believable as the Everyman. The other cast members are a delight, too, from Victor Garber to Natasha Henstridge to Sam Jaeger and Loretta Devine. They’re all employees at Eli’s firm, who from time to time, break out in song in one of Eli’s hallucinations.

Eli Stone is a funny, solid piece of storytelling, one of the best I’ve seen this year that never fails to entertain. Please join him tonight at 10 p.m. on ABC, as he struggles with his new role as a modern-day prophet and has to decide whether to have his aneurysm removed.

Those of you who’ve missed the past episodes, you can watch them at ABC. com for free. And don’t worry if you’ve missed a couple episodes. This isn’t Lost. You can easily catch up, even if you’ve missed a few episodes.

Idol Chatter: Good-bye Kristy Lee

by Becky Tennant and Bethany O'Neil

Finally, we got the chance to send Kristy Lee on her merry way. We were kind of worried there for a minute that Brooke might have been sent packing before her young roommate, but alas the voting public finally got one right.

Now please understand; it isn't that we didn't think Kristy was a bad singer. Granted, she was not as good as some of the other contestants, but she was decent vocally, and she wasn't hurting in the looks department. It was more her attitude that we couldn't tolerate. She just rubbed us the wrong way. She could never take constructive criticism, and she always had a smart remark for Simon. Regardless, her days in the running to be the next American Idol are finished. Now, hopefully, she can get her horse back and quit complaining.

Props to Elliot Yamin for performing such a nice song, especially since his mother passed away just a few days ago.

We will be back next week for more Idol Chatter.

Lex Luthor goes to the dark side: sneak peek at the new Smallville

Photo property of the CW. Do not copy.

For years, we’ve watched Lex Luthor, on Smallville, blur the lines of right and wrong, but this Thursday, Lex crosses so far to the dark side, there’s no coming back.

If you’re avoiding spoilers, stop reading now. Really. I’m not kidding.

For the rest of you, someone dies in this episode. And from what I’ve heard, the person is actually going to stay dead. (Not like Lana dead, or Chloe dead from past seasons.) My money is on Lionel, and I’m betting that Lex is the murderer.

For years in this column, I’ve been bragging about the under appreciated talent of Michael Rosenbaum’s performance of Lex Luthor. (I’m still steamed the guy has never been nominated for an Emmy.) On Thursday, from the clips I’ve seen, Rosenbaum will give one of his best performances to date, and it should not be missed.

Also, I know I have more Chloe fans that read this blog than any other character, so I’ve included a clip here for you, too. Find out what shocking event happens to our favorite reporter, courtesy of Lex Luthor. If you haven’t had enough reason to get your hate on for Lex this year, this may send you over the edge. (Frankly, he became dead to me when he had poor Pete Ross’ arms practically broken.)

Check out the clips below, courtesy of the CW, or click here and here to view them at You Tube.

Don’t miss an all-new Smallville Thursday at 8 p.m. on the CW.

Idol Chatter: Can David Cook do any wrong?

by Becky Tennant and Bethany O'Neil

When we heard that the Idols would be singing selections from the songbook of Mariah Carey, we were nervous. We thought that this was unfair to the ladies. We were right. The night totally favored the guys. The girls could do nothing but sound like karaoke.

The night started off with David Archuleta. While you all know that David Archuleta is not our favorite Idol contestant, he did perform as well as he could. Although, we have a growing concern that David is sounding more and more like an adult contemporary artist. Tread these waters carefully, David, you need to show that you can be a main pop sensation. Even if he wins American Idol, which we doubt, he will not have a long-standing pop career if he sings like that. Remember Taylor Hicks?



Carly, you finally wore some sleeves! We think the judges were hard on Carly. She performed well. We do agree with the judges on one point though. She doesn’t seem very confident. Go for it Carly! She has the chops to deliver, if she would let herself go. Out of all the girls, she is the only one that we think could do justice to a Mariah Carey song, and while she did OK, she could have done better. She looked good last night too!

Kristy Lee and Syesha both delivered mediocre performances, which in a way is not their fault. Singing a Mariah song is not easy. Mariah is a pop icon that is still churning out number one hits. It’s hard for the ladies not to be judged harshly against the original. We still feel like Kristy has a bad attitude, which is what brings her down in our eyes.

Now, on to Brooke. Poor Brooke. Sometimes we feel like yelling to her "Get a grip!" She lets herself get caught up in these way-too emotional songs. She did her best, but Brooke is vulnerable tonight.

As for the big finish with Jason and David Cook, let us preface this by saying that everyone knows how much we love David Cook. But, he went beyond our expectations. Way beyond! We love him! After his performance he was very emotional. His family was in the audience, including his brother who is suffering from cancer, and the judges lavished David with praise. What a great moment for him. Out of all the contestants, he is by far the most talented and ready to put out a record. Lets hope that he can stay around.

Jason Castro had a hard task ahead of him when he followed David Cook and closed the show. Jason did an OK job. He made the song his own, and that is a plus for us. But we think Jason is starting to sound the same on every song. Watch that Jason.

We think the ladies are all vulnerable. But after last week, we obviously can't predict anything. So, we will all have to wait until tonight and find out who will be sent home. It better not be David Cook!

Enjoy this encore performance of "Always Be My Baby."

Priscilla Presley says good-bye to Dancing With the Stars

Priscilla Presley didn’t get enough votes to keep her Dancing With the Stars. She was the latest celebrity let go from the show.

Presley’s performance this week failed to wow the judges, earning her the lowest score of the week. She missed a turn and her timing seemed off during her sexy rhumba. Her split was impressive though, and she always seemed to play the part of the dance. I’ll miss that.

My favorite dance of the week was Mario and Karina’s fun little Latin number. Mario can really move his hips, and Karina looked incredible in that yellow outfit, what there was to it. They got straight nines for their effort for a total of 27, but still couldn’t topple the powerhouse couple of the season – Kristi and Mark. They earned a 29 for their tantalizing rhumba.

All the dancing this week was good, but one thing is bugging me. The judges seem mesmerized by Jason Taylor and Edyta, no matter what they do. Don’t get me wrong, Jason is a strong dancer, but I thought Cristian’s rhumba was actually better. He moved the whole time, had incredible hip action, and it flowed from movement to movement. In contrast, Jason seems to have a pattern of extending his arm in poses, while Edyta dances about him, which I’m sure is the choreography that Edyta creates. Yes, his extensions are beautiful, but I don’t think the level of difficulty is the same as it was for Cristian’s dance or Marissa’s dance. Yet, the judges gave Jason three nines, to outscore Cristian and Marissa. I’m baffled.

The inspiration for the night was Marlee. The samba is a difficult dance with fast beats, hard for a normal person, let alone someone who is deaf. She slipped a couple times and was off the timing, but the dance looked great to me. I don’t have a professional eye to watch every foot placement, but she entertained and sometimes that’s just as important.

I was thrilled for Marissa and Tony this week. She really worked it during the fast-paced samba. The judges said it was Marissa’s best routine, but the scores didn’t reflect that. They gave her triple eights, the same score as last week. Strange, right?

I still think the finale is going to come down to Kristi and Jason. And as much as I like Jason, I’m hoping a female claims the mirror-ball trophy this year.

Rob Thomas no longer writing 90210 spinoff

As you know, I wasn’t thrilled that the CW had decided to produce a Beverly Hills 90210 spinoff for the future. The only positive for me was that TV-writing-genius Rob Thomas was going to pen the series.

Now, it looks like Thomas won’t be writing the show after all, according to E!Online. Thomas is too busy with his other two upcoming shows for ABC to write 90210, he told E!’s Kristin Dos Santos.

Now that Thomas isn’t on board, neither am I. Unless, Steve Sanders has a starring role. Then, I may be tempted to tune in.

Interview with Bones' David Boreanaz

by Jennifer Squires Biller

Last week, I was invited to do a phone interview with Bones star David Boreanaz to talk about the return of the show tonight. Cool, right?

Well, it was cool, despite the fact that I didn’t get a chance to actually ask my questions. The call time was limited to only 25 minutes, and there were a large number of journalists on the conference call. Despite that I hit the proper keys to get in the queue early to ask my questions, I apparently didn’t get in the queue early enough. So, I didn’t get the chance to talk to him. But, the other journalists asked plenty of intriguing questions, and I’m happy to share his answers with you.

At one point, the interview got tense, as one reporter made the mistake of calling Bones a “bubble” show (meaning it’s “on the bubble” or not a definite lock for the network to return next season.) Boreanaz vehemently refuted that Bones is a “bubble show” and began drilling the reporter to cite the source where he had read that news. When the reporter couldn’t quote the source, well, let’s just say it got a little ugly. Keep reading for the completely awkward exchange and Boreanaz’ defense of the show.

Q: Does he believe Booth and Bones should get together?

Boreanaz: I mean, I think they already are. I don’t think that they necessarily were ever apart. The function of the relationship really is the function of the show in a lot of ways. These two characters drive these plot lines; they drive these shows. They put them in circumstances or in areas that they not necessarily wouldn’t think they would be in and it brings them closer together as characters or it pulls them apart. You know, the kiss, for example, on Christmas. It was a dare and they both knew it was coming and it brought them closer. Obviously, it won’t affect them greatly, but they know that the kiss happened, and I think it happened smartly the way they did it. I think, though, we’ll start putting ourselves into those situations and those areas, but we’re not going to go to a place where it’s completely hole nine; we’ll keep teasing and flirting with the audience. I don’t think that’s a problem at all.

Q: Have you liked this story line this season of the serial killer?

Boreanaz: No, not at all. For me, I’ve always maintained that the show is the relationship, maintained that the show is about the characters and I maintain that the show is about the two of us learning through the crimes and that journey that we take. That, to me, is the most important part.

Q: How much of Booth is your doing and how much of the character were you given?

Boreanaz: Well, I was given the pilot. I read the pilot and I created everything that you’re seeing on screen as far as that character is concerned, what you see physically. And it can’t happen without the words, obviously, but as far as the physicalities and as far as the belt buckle, all the stuff that you see is stuff that I brought to that character.


Q: What kind of research did you do to find out about FBI agents and their personalities and qualifications and things?

Boreanaz: Everything that they told me about the FBI I threw out the door in a lot of ways. I respected it. I went through the idea of it. I took the approach of the military aspect of the guy working for the FBI rather than a guy who came right out of Harvard and he’s a penny loafer and pencil pusher guy who gets kicked around and who is afraid to get his feet wet. For me, it was more interesting from that angle with the military guy who was a blue-collar guy. And from there, everything exploded. So, you know, I highly, highly respect what they do. When it comes to using any kind of firearms or entries into buildings, I don’t mess around with. I do it as cleanly and as professionally as I can the way they would do it. I work with a great guy, Mike Grasso on the show who is with the LAPD who is fantastic so for me, that is very, very authentic to a T, but there is stuff, character stuff that I like to bring.

Q: And are there moments where you’re squeamish about the actual bones, the actual gross bodies?

Boreanaz: No, not me. I kind of know, because I’m so tuned into my relationship with her and so tuned in to the character work, that I sometimes forget about where I’m standing over, to be quite honest with you. Obviously, Booth’s perspective is that he’s squeamish to begin with so that helps when I have to go there, so it does work.


Q: The dialogue between you and Emily, is it ad-libbed at all?

Boreanaz: We work on every episode on the weekends with Ivana Chubbuck, who is an acting coach out here. Her credits are huge and very respected and she helps us find a lot of those moments. So we work on the scripts on the weekends for every scene, every moment during the week. So we come in pretty much with an improvisational arc, knowing where we are going to add stuff, where we’re going to take things. So, by the time we show up and rehearse, we throw that down so when we’re shooting we just, we kind of throw it all out on the table. All this stuff comes out, but I think that’s the beauty of our relationship and our chemistry is really solid and it’s only getting better. We did a scene yesterday, which was just so much fun. We really started pushing each other’s buttons and it was fun to have the ability to go there with a co-star who does that with you and also being in the freedom zone of a third season instead of thinking, oh, well, you know, this show has got x amount of years left so I don’t have to really work hard because it’s just a show. Well, it’s quite the opposite because now you have the beauty and the freedom to do stuff as a producer to allow yourself to go to those places that you weren’t allowed to in the first season, which makes the show even better.

Q: Is the therapy with Dr. Lance Sweets going to continue throughout all the rest of the episodes?

Boreanaz: Yes, I think having that other perspective, that third eye, that point on the two counterpoints works in a show like this and he fills that void perfectly. We tried it before with a couple of other characters that just didn’t really sing as hard as they could have been maybe. There was a love interest of the past and they had just gone on and focused on their characters, where they are. But I think with Lance Sweets, he fits perfectly; a) physically; b) what he brings to the table and how it affects their relationship and I think that’s a stronghold, to go through therapy and help bring us together. I think it’s a great idea.

Q: Is Booth mocking Dr. Sweet’s age and everything you or is that something that’s scripted?

Boreanaz: That’s me. It’s funny because we’ll do a lot of improvisation when I’m in that therapy session they’ll be you’ve got to just do one that’s scripted maybe a little bit. Because it just becomes, it’s just so great to be part of and you’re having so much fun so, yes, a lot of those young comments, I’ve got to come up with some new stuff. Some new arsenal is coming out soon.
Q: Which has been your favorite Bones episode to work on so far?

Boreanaz: I really enjoy anything I do with Emily, obviously, any scenes. As far as one complete episode is concerned I like the Halloween episode this year. It was a lot of fun. I got to play a Nerd. That was fun. I also liked the season opener of season two, which was a lot of fun. I loved the pilot. I mean, that’s the pilot, really; you have to go back to the pilot because that’s fresh, new, the possibilities are endless, you know what I’m saying? So, it’s kind of hard to always answer those kinds of questions.

Q: With the show being in yet another time slot and being considered by some people as a bubble show, is that something that worries the cast and the crew?

Boreanaz: I’m sorry; you say our show is on the bubble?

Reply: I’m not, but I’ve read a few things, I don’t know.

Boreanaz: Where did you read that?

Reply: I don’t remember.

Boreanaz: Well, you can’t say something if you; if you’re saying our show is on the bubble, I’d love to know the source of that one. I mean you can’t just say to me that the show is on the bubble and you said you read it and you don’t know where it came from?

Reply: Well, I mean I read a lot of different sources.

Boreanaz: Well, I mean it’s a pretty big source to say to an actor on a show, or for me to say your column is being cancelled and then you ask me where I read that and I say I read a lot of things. I don’t get that question. But, I mean to answer your question, I don’t think the show is on the bubble. It’s a very successful show. We’re a different show; we’re a cult show that strives itself on relationship and we’ve proven if we’re on Wednesday or Tuesday or Friday or even Monday that our fans will follow us. And we pride ourselves on the relationship with this show and we pride ourselves that we’re with a great network and studio with Fox. If I hear any different, like you’re telling me, then I’d have to investigate that, but I’ve never heard that.

Reply: Okay, my apologies.

Boreanaz: No, don’t worry about it. I just had an interview with Dave Schultz. I’m a little fired up right now.

Reply: Okay, well that’s basically what I wanted to know, the show moving around (and how it will affect the audience.)

Boreanaz: Yes, it’s difficult. We were also the show put after Idol and we did better before Idol than we did after Idol. I don’t place the show or tell you where the show should be placed. That’s not my job. My job as an actor is to come in and portray a character and do the best that I can. I can’t get caught up in what time slot it’s at or where they’re moving it to or who it’s paired with. I do know that the shows are of the best quality and I think the best on television as far as a relationship show is concerned I think it’s the best. And if you take these two, the new shows that are coming out, especially these new fresh six shows that are coming and you’ll see the relationship just take off. Unfortunately, we had a writers’ strike that kind of intercepted what I thought was the start of a great, great third season and we’ll finish off a fantastic third season, which we believe there are just unbelievable shows that are going to just expand these characters and this relationship. There is no show out there that has a therapist that has to deal with a couple’s counseling for them to deal with each other in the work force. That’s not on television.

Bones returns tonight on new night in busy time slot

We haven’t seen a new episode of Bones since November, and I’m beyond excited that tonight, the show is back.

I’m not so excited that the show is now airing on Mondays at 8 p.m.

The Monday 8 p.m. hour is already overcrowded. And by overcrowded, I mean viewers without multiple TVs may have to choose between Bones, ratings juggernaut Dancing With the Stars on ABC, guilty pleasure Gossip Girl on the CW, and one of my favorite sitcoms, How I Met Your Mother on CBS. Crazy, right? There are plenty of other nights with nothing on but reality fare. Yet, here we are forced to choose between four quality shows. I hope Bones makes your cut.

There is a special treat in tonight’s episode for Booth and Brennan fans: they go on a double date with their therapist, the adorable Dr. Sweets. I can’t wait to see that unfold!

Here’s the rest of the official episode description from FOX:

When a young couple decides to go skinny-dipping in a hot spring, their spontaneity is ruined when they find the remains of a skeleton in the mud. Brennan and Booth soon discover the skeleton is that of Tripp Goddard, a professional motorcycle racer who just won the Super Grand Prix. The team immediately suspects Danny Fitz, the runner-up in the race and Tripp’s main rival, to be the murderer. But just when Brennan and Booth think they have it solved, a fiery motorcycle crash claims another victim, and the circumstances seem far from accidental. Meanwhile, Dr. Lance Sweets forces Brennan and Booth to join him on a double-date in an effort to encourage them to interact in a social setting, away from any of their cases.

For those of you who can’t wait check out this clip with “the squints” as they try to get the bottom of their latest conundrum.

Idol Chatter: Michael Johns’ shocking exit

by Becky Tennant and Bethany O’Neil

“No air” indeed, just a bitter cough.

Last night on the final night of Idol Gives Back, former Idol winner Jordin Sparks and pop sensation Chris Brown sang their hit “No Air.” And while it was an excellent performance, we are still struggling to breath.

Our problems have nothing to do with the couple’s outstanding performance. By now you have probably all heard that our boy, Michael Johns, was eliminated. If you hadn’t, well yes, he was sent home BEFORE Kristy Lee Cook, Syesha Mercado, and Jason Castro. Please bear with us folks as we swim through the thick pool of bitterness that has overcome us this Friday and try to write something decent for you to read and ponder.

Funny though, we feel like we’ve been here before. Oh wait, we have. We remember the same anguish and heartache we felt when we had to bid farewell to Chris Daughtry two years ago. While we knew with Michael, as we did with Chris, that they probably would not make it to the finale, we thought for sure that talent would prevail and they would make it to the top four. But no, Michael would succumb to the same fate that Chris did. Obviously, the people that are voting aren’t voting for the total package.

Was it the fact that he was older than the average voter? Was it the fact, that “Dream On” wasn’t his best song choice, or was it the fact that last year they chose not to send someone home the week of Idol Gives Back and his fans didn’t call in? We may never know. But shame on you Idol producers and Ryan Seacrest for not being honest last year. That may have been what contributed to Michael’s good-bye this season.

What we do know is that now David Cook’s days are probably numbered, as well, and that David Archuletta will probably win the whole thing. For some reason the long-standing-theme of American Idol is to try and crown someone who, though they are talented, they aren’t always what is in the mainstream Pop arena right now, i.e. Reubin, Fantasia, and Taylor Hicks. It seems like the pattern of Idol winners goes the way of someone who can sing life anthems and contemporary songs, which makes us in a way relieved that Michael was sent home. Now, he can go get a record contract and sell millions of CDs, just like Chris Daughtry did.

Next week it is anyone’s game, or is it?

Commentary with a Co-ed: Rooting for a female to be the The Biggest Loser

by Ashley Gouveia

If you’re like me and find watching people exercise more enjoyable then doing it yourself, then you’ve probably tuned in to NBC’s The Biggest Loser.

This season had contestants set up in pairs to try and see who can get healthy and gain their lives back. Mother and son, brothers, and best friends came together to get their butts in gear by the shows trainers (or scary drill sergeants!), Bob and Jillian.

Next Tuesday, one person will be crowned The Biggest Loser and win $250,000. It all comes down to Ali, Kelly, Roger and Mark. This week host Allison Sweeny (Sami Brady to soap fans), informed the group that for the first time in the show’s history America will get the chance to vote who will be the third and final member in the finale. I have been hoping this would be the season that we would finally get a female winner. I think there’s a great chance that could happen.

Between the blatant product placements and weepy recap videos, Chef Rocco Dispirito returned to the Biggest Loser ranch to help the contestants make their favorite comfort foods, but without the calories. Well, that’s no fun. I have yet to figure out if frozen yogurt mint chocolate chip tastes just as good as the real thing.

One little twist this week was that the remaining players wouldn’t have their trainers to help them with their final workouts before the finale. They were on their own for the entire week. That didn’t prevent them from giving it all they had to make sure they didn’t fall below that dreaded yellow line.

I was rooting for Brittany and Bernie before they got voted off, now I’m backing either Ali or Kelly. It’s been relatively easy to root for them since both of the guys have been so arrogant about their certainty in winning the game. The former blue team members were so sure that one of them would win over the women. At the last weigh in, not only did Ali have the most amount of weight loss, but also Kelly came in a close second. This left Mark and Roger dazed, confused and up for elimination. That was a great moment!

I expect, and hope, that America chooses Mark to be the third player in the finale. If he is chosen, then the women might have a greater chance to take the title. They all have lost such an amazing amount of weight that they’re truly a source of motivation. Till next week!

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

Teri Hatcher sings on American Idol with Band From TV

Last night on Idol Gives Back, TV star Teri Hatcher took to the mic to show off her vocal skills. Hatcher performed with one of the coolest bands ever, Band From TV. (And yes, I’m saying that because they’re all TV stars that I love, and they donate their performance proceeds to charity.)

Those of you unfamiliar with Band From TV, you’re in for a treat. Greg Grunberg, who I’ve adored since Felicity, rocks out on drums. Jesse Spencer, of House, gets down with his bad self on violin. James Denton, of Desperate Housewives, plays a mean guitar. And Bonnie Sommerville (Boston Legal) and Bob Guiney (The Bachelor) do back-up vocals. Usually, House star Hugh Laurie plays in the band, but he wasn’t on stage for Hatcher’s performance.

Folks across the ‘net this morning have been harsh on Hatcher for her foray into country music last night. But, I think she did a decent job. She’s got a nice voice. Plus, Tubers, keep in mind, she’s singing a Carrie Underwood song, which is equivalent to the vocal talents of country legend Martina McBride. In other words, no one can sing a Carrie Underwood song and sound as good as Carrie Underwood. The girl has vocal chords from Heaven.

Here’s the video. Frankly, I enjoyed it.

Barney Stinson channels Doogie Howser

Last week, I raved about How I Met Your Mother and the clever ending that made longtime TV fans (and me) squeal in delight. Barney, played by Neil Patrick Harris formerly the star of Doogie Howser, M.D., ended the show at the computer typing. (It’s a familiar scene for those of us who loved Harris as Doogie.) The Doogie music played as “Barney” wrote in his journal. Harris even did one of the trademark “Doogie” mannerisms during the scene.

By popular request, here’s the video for those who missed it. CBS finally got it uploaded to You Tube. Enjoy!

Monk star found dead

Chances are you may not know the name Stanley Kamel, but odds are that you know his face. Kamel has been a talented television star for three decades and is most recently known for his six-year portrayal of Dr. Kroger on the TV show Monk.

Kamel suffered a fatal heart, and his agents found him dead in his home, according to TV Guide. He was 65.

Kamel had so many TV roles under his belt, it’s hard to narrow it down to his most well known. He played Rebecca Gayheart’s father on Beverly Hills 90210. (She was Dylan’s wife, remember?) He also starred on Melrose Place, Six Feet Under, NYPD Blue, ER, Lou Grant, L.A. Law, MacGyver, Matlock, Murder She Wrote, Charlie’s Angels, Hill Street Blues, Eight is Enough, Kojak, Mork & Mindy, The Incredible Hulk, and just about every notable television show you’ve ever heard of.

I’ve always loved Kamel’s role on Monk. His scenes counseling the obsessive-compulsive detective are some of my favorite of the series. A representative for the network stated, "USA is deeply saddened by the news of Stanley Kamel’s passing. Stanley was an amazingly talented and extremely kind man, and an important member of the USA family. He will be sorely missed."

American Idol: Inspiration in small doses

Hey Idol fans, Tuesday night was supposed to be a night full of inspirational songs, but we are sorry to report that some of the performances left us a bit deflated. We were all pumped up for an hour of over-the-top performances that would uplift us, but only a few Idols delivered.

The show began with our hottie Michael Johns. We were a little nervous about his song selection, not his best choice. But he did well enough to stay in another week.

Syesha did not listen to our previous advice. She chose “I Believe,” which Fantasia sang when she claimed the Idol prize. Come on Syesha. Do not pick songs that whenever we listen to them, we can only hear the original. While she sang it well, technically, we could only hear Fantasia. Sorry.

That brings us to Jason Castro. What can we say about Jason? While we know that he has a lot of appeal with the ladies, he is beginning to bore us. He needs to perform without the guitar and take a risk with his song choice. We could do without the dreads as well.

Then you have Kristy Lee Cook. We were a little nervous when she took on Martina McBride. We love Martina! But, Kristy held her own. It was not her best performance, but it was good enough to keep her in for another week, maybe.

David Archuleta impressed us somewhat with his song, “Angels.” Nice choice for David. He did a pretty good job. It seems like inspirational songs are right up his alley! He will be around next week for sure.

David Cook on the other hand did not impress with his song selection. Although he sang well, the song was obscure and a little weird for us. Sorry, this was not David’s best night. We hope that his fan base was motivated to pick up the phone last night, or he could end up in the bottom three. Shocking for us to say this, we know, however at this stage of the game, you have to deliver and get the phones to phone in.

That leaves us with the two most disappointing performances of the night. Carly and Brooke. Now, we are big fans of Carly and Brooke, but sorry again girls, not a good night. Brooke seemed like she was on the verge of tears throughout her entire song. She needs to learn how to keep her emotions from overcoming her during a song. Then Carly caught a glimpse of Simon’s face in the audience and totally fell apart during her song. Aside from the fact that Carly did not make the best choice of song, she did not sing it well. It was too big for her. Brooke may need a friend to cry on or the show just might go on without Carly.

We’ll see if someone leaves us this week. Who knows what surprises await us tonight? Enjoy Idol Gives Back!

Dancing With the Stars: Adios Adam!

His entertaining unicycle routine and pencil-thin mustache during his Zorro-themed dance couldn’t save Adam Carolla this week. He and partner Julianne Hough were sent packing.

It was the right choice, voters, despite that many of you are going to miss Carolla’s wisecracking.


Kristi and Mark danced an incredible Paso Doble, that in my opinion should have earned a perfect score. But judge Len Goodman didn’t agree, giving the couple their only nine, saying that he felt Kristi danced every dance the same. It’s clear to me that Len is judging Kristi on another level than he is the other dancers. Perhaps because she’s just so good. In the end, they got two 10s and a nine.

Marlee and Fabian had so much emotion in their waltz that it made judge Carrie Ann cry. Those two have incredible chemistry. Their dance was one of my favorites of the night. The judges picked on her for posture, giving the couple straight eights, but I thought they were fantastic.

Jason and Edyta were the big shocker of the night for me. It’s hard to conceive how a man the size of Jason Taylor could embody grace and elegance, but his waltz was both of those. Len remarked, “That was a wow of a waltz.” And Bruno declared that they managed to make the waltz sexy and that he’d never seen anything like it. Taylor did stumble during the dance, but that didn’t deter the judges from awarding high marks. They earned two perfect scores of 10 and Len’s nine.

Another sizzling couple was Derek and Shannon. Their waltz was sexy, too, or a “spring awakening” as Len said. He awarded them the only 10 he’s given out so far this season. Their overall score was a 28, though. Their routine ended with a simulated kiss, but co-host Samantha Harris implied that romance was actually brewing between Shannon and Derek. (Well, it’s not like it hasn’t happened on this show before!)

Priscilla and Louis were also impressive. They danced a beautiful waltz, but their lift cost them points with the judges and the pair landed in the bottom two rankings. Mario and Karina were passionate in their Paso, but Len said that all of Mario’s dances seemed the same. Still, their marks were high enough to keep them in the competition.

Marissa and Tony redeemed themselves with the judges this week, after being called “boring” by Carrie Ann last week. They danced an impressive Paso, and I was happy to see Carrie Ann heap them with praise.

Cristian and Cheryl were hot with their Paso, but I could have done without his yelling throughout the routine. Their behind- the-scenes footage was interesting, though. I don’t ever remember Cheryl being so cranky in past seasons. Do you?

I think everyone expected Adam to leave this week, but it’s next week when things will get difficult. All the dancers left are capable. I was a bit surprised that Priscilla who has had such high scores week to week landed in the bottom two. Apparently, she just isn’t popular with the masses.

Sneak peek at Gossip Girl’s new episode

All images © 2008 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Hey there Gossip Girl followers.

The show doesn’t return until April 21 with five new episodes, but I’ve got an early look and some scoop from the first episode, titled “The Blair Bitch Project.” (Clever, right?)

It seems that Queen Blair has been ousted from her perch of ruling the teenage masses on the upper East Side, as she returns to school. Meanwhile, Serena tries to adjust to living with her new step-brother, Chuck. (I doubt there’ll be many XOXOs going on in that household.) And then there’s Jenny, whose desire to be popular makes her go down the wrong path.

Here are some early photos of the episode, courtesy of the CW network. Enjoy!

Gossip Girl returns at 8 p.m on the CW on April 21.

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.

Idol Chatter: Say Good-Bye Ramiele

by Becky Tennant and Bethany O'Neil

Last night we bid adieu to Ramiele Maluby. We knew that she would be getting axed soon. We were hoping that Kristy would go first, but that is OK.

It was kind of weird because Ramiele was sobbing hysterically, and it seemed as though she didn't realize that she wasn't going to win the whole she-bang. The judges have been telling her for weeks now that she hasn't been doing well. You would think it would have sunk in by now. Of course, it could have just been emotions, since it seemed to be an emotional night for all. We were kind of surprised to see Brooke in the bottom three though. We knew she would be there eventually, but it just seemed to soon to see her there.

Dolly did a good job singing about Jesus and gravity, though it makes us sick at how skinny she is. But considering her age, she looked good.

Next week it’s "Idol Gives Back" week. We are excited to see some of the performers that are scheduled to attend: Maroon 5, Heart, Carrie Underwood, and Chris Daughtrey, just to name a few. It’s a good cause and the show will probably be ten times better this year.

We aren't sure if someone will be voted off. Last year they tricked us in thinking that Jordin was going home, but they ended up not voting anyone off, so who knows what they will do this year? Let's say a prayer, though, that there won't be any corny white suit ensembles, please!

We will have a recap next week of the big show.